Page 67 of Held By a Monster

“These are for you.”

She was practically vibrating with excitement as I carefully opened the flaps. I managed to pull out a plastic bag holding dozens of… something.

“What are they?” I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but I honestly had no clue what I held.

She took the bag from me and removed one of the things. Then she took my hand in hers and slipped it over the claw of my index finger. I looked from it to her and back again. Sherolled her eyes at me and drew my claw down the side of her cheek.

I tried to pull back before I tore her flesh but she was too fast.

“You… aren’t hurt.”

“Nope!” She shook the bag at me. “These are silicone claw covers. I had a friend make them for you.” She looked off into the distance before focusing back on me. “He can make them for the others, if they want them. These are just basic black, but he said he can do just about every color of the rainbow. They aren’t permanent, but they dull the points of your claws so you can’t hurt me. I mean, you still have to be careful, since your claws can rip through just about anything, but you won’t have to beascareful as you were.”

My jaw hung open. “I can touch you without fear?”

She nodded.

I shoved my hands at her. “Put the rest on.”

She laughed at me, but set about covering each of my claws and I couldn’t stop the grin that spread across my face.

forty-five

The Society council buildingstood just outside downtown. I was surprised they met in Damruck instead of a bigger city, but Zeus explained that Damruck sat on a ley line, which attracted supernaturals, so it made sense for the council to meet here.

They met in similar buildings placed on the rivers of magic around the world.

It was three stories of nondescript gray cinder blocks with few windows. Zeus navigated the rental van to an underground parking garage.

Drym helped me from the back and the rest of the ‘fangs fell out with deadly precision. It struck me again the way they moved, the way they held themselves, the way their awarenessswept every inch of their surroundings. It marked them as what they were. Monsters who specialized in killing.

And yet, surrounded by them, I felt safer than I ever had.

Zeus led the way into the council chambers. The large space spanned the entire top floor. A chunky round table stood in the center, its textured surface reflecting the overhead lights.

The lone person in the room—a woman in a pantsuit—recovered from her initial shock and came forward, holding out her hand to me. I shook it as she introduced herself.

“Hello, I’m Corantine Bellanger. I’m the human representative.”

I returned her smile. “Hi Corantine. I’m Kendal McPherson, and these are the wyrfangs.” I pointed to each one. “Drym, Kragen, Roul, Thurl, Quin, and Cavi.”

She went to shake Drym’s hand but I stopped her with a hand on her forearm. “Their claws are like diamond and sharp as razors. Best not to shake.”

Her eyes went wide and she nodded quickly.

“Right. I’m sorry, and please, call me Cora.”

Kragen’s deep voice rumbled behind me. “Where are the others?”

“I’ll summon portals for them as they’re ready. We thought not to overwhelm the wyrfangs,” she chuckled, “but I see nowwe should have been worried for ourselves. Y’all are impressive.”

I smiled up at Drym. “They are, aren’t they?”

Her head tilted and the smile dropped from her face. “I’ll bring them through now. Would you like to sit?”

She waved a hand at the chairs around the table. Unlike the ones at Superhuman Security, these were one piece, with no space between the back and the seat.

I shook my head. “I’ll sit, but these chairs won’t accommodate their tails.”

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