Page 14 of Guarded By a Monster

She stumbled to a stop and froze; her face a blank mask, her eyes wide. The towel fell from her fingers and her wet hair dropped into her face. Her mouth was open, and I could hear her breathing, but everything else had gone still. It was as if someone took a picture and now we were eternally trapped in our positions.

I startled, and Jade jumped when Kendal broke the silence.

“Jade, this is my friend, Thurl. Thurl, this is Jade.”

nine

The doctors told meI had a mild concussion, but this was one hell of a hallucination. The beast in my kitchen couldn’t be real.

My fingers tingled and I dropped my arms, pushed my wet hair off my glasses and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the familiar smell of my house. I was home. I was safe. My new friend Kendal was standing by my stove. And there absolutely wasnota massive creature hunched on my floor.

I opened my eyes, but the scene hadn’t changed. Whatever it was still crouched on my floor, clearly apprehensive and ready to bolt.

It was hard to make out details in the dim stove light. The overhead fluorescent tube should have been replaced a long time ago, but I never seemed to get around to it. Dark gray fur covered its body. Its eyes shone red. A white scar ran through its eye, down the side of its face, curving to a stop at the corner of its muzzle.

Its arms were wrapped around its middle, its back hunched forward but I could tell its chest was broad and those arms were powerful from the hard muscle evident just under the skin.

As I stared, it seemed to try to make itself even smaller. My heart kicked in my chest and I swallowed. I glanced at Kendal, who was smiling. My instincts told me this creature was more scared of me than I would ever be of it. There was no danger here.

To us, anyway.

My voice came out in a squeak. “Hello.”

Its—no, it was definitely a he—his voice was barely more than a whisper. “Hi.”

“You…” I cleared my throat and tried for more confidence. “You saved me.”

He nodded and my eyes caught on wicked looking horns rising from his skull. I took a step back and his eyes cut to Kendal.

“This was a bad idea. I should go.”

She laid a hand on his arm. “Just wait. You’re a lot to take in. Give her a minute.”

He resumed his efforts to squeeze himself into a small ball.

“You’re very brave.”

His head tilted as he studied me, his confusion clear on his features.

I nodded. “I know you’re scared, and it took a lot to come here. Out of the shadows.”

Whisker McFluff darted into the kitchen and rubbed against his legs, purring louder than I’d ever heard. He unwound one arm and gently stroked the cat with two of his fingers. I snorted a nervous giggle when I realized his claws were covered in larger versions of the silicone caps I used to keep the more vigorous scratchers’ damage to a minimum.

His head swiveled to the other side.

“Your claw caps are quite handsome.”

He lifted his hand and inspected the glittery purple coverings. “Thank you. Kendal makes them for us.”

“There are more of you?” My voice was shaky and I fell against the wall.

He shifted and his hands reached for me but stopped short.

Kendal took charge of us both. “Why don’t we go into the living room where Jade can sit down?”

She ushered me to my couch and I watched him shuffle after us, keeping himself small. He reminded me of a domesticated former feral cat—skittish and prone to bolt in any new situation. I tucked my legs under me and relaxed into the back cushions.

“You can stand up, you know. You don’t have to crouch.”

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