Page 50 of Monster's Pet

“She’s a manducare,” I retorted, not looking away from Moonbeam’s swirling purple eyes. “We don’t know enough about them to know whether she understands or not. I’m hoping she’s got some intelligence, like a toddler. Moonbeam, stay.”

“Mmmrrp,” Moonbeam responded.

“Good enough for me,” I said, putting her down in my lap and petting her head.

She rolled onto her back, exposing her soft belly.

“Oh no, you don’t,” I said, pulling my hand away. “I’m not playing claw-the-Siobhan today.”

Aiden chuckled and kissed the top of my head as he rolled out of bed.

I eyed his bare skin as he wandered around his room, hunting for a change of clothes and his shower caddy.

“I’m going to have to do the walk of shame back to my room to get my clothes for the day,” I said.

“Sounds good. Why don’t you give Moonbeam her breakfast before you head out?” Aiden suggested before he left the room.

“All right.” I retrieved one of the magic generators and turned it on, placing it inside one of the toys we had created for Moonbeam’s enjoyment.

Moonbeam’s gaze tracked every movement I made, making me glad that the magic generators were impotent when off, or else she would attack the box and eat them all before the day was over.

“And now for your solid food,” I said, opening the latch on the mini-fridge we had enchanted in the corner of Aiden’s room. Inside, were several prepared meals for the kitten, full of the dietary needs of a growing magical creature, according to Rhiannon. I chose the tuna and scraped it into a little plastic dish. A second dish was beside it, a quarter full of water.

“You need more,” I said to Moonbeam, carrying the dish to the sink and filling it with water and placing it back beside the tuna bowl. The water dish had a splash-proof enchantment on it, because we didn’t want Aiden’s things to get moldy from water.

I got dressed in my gauzy dress from the night before, after dealing with the litter box that we had tucked away in the bathroom for her to use, flushing the clumps down the toilet.

“I’ll see you later this afternoon,” I told her. “Be good. Stay here.”

Moonbeam looked up briefly from her tuna, licking her whiskers. I hoped that was an acknowledgement of my words.

I saw a few people in the hallway between Aiden’s room and mine, but nobody I knew well. They all wore expressions of amusement when they saw me, but I didn’t really care. I knew it was considered a walk of shame, but I felt no shame in having spent the night with my soulmate. We were meant to be.

Professor Dunlop was standing in the middle of the foyer, his arms crossed over his broad chest. “Miss Doyle,” he said.

“Hello Professor. Need me to get a message to Grandfather for you?” I replied nonchalantly.

No shame, but we technically weren’t supposed to sleep in any bed that wasn’t our own.

“Should I be congratulating you on your nuptials?”

“It’s a foregone conclusion,” I said with a shrug. “Besides, my presence eases Aiden’s soul bond.”

“Surely, he can manage for one night without you,” the professor said dryly.

“One, probably. But with the ley lines missing, and his magic going haywire, we thought it was prudent for me to stay nearby.” I smiled innocently.

Professor Dunlop buried his face in his hands. His shoulders shook for a moment before he got himself under control. “I can’t make an exception for you just because your grandfather is my best friend.”

I shrugged. “You’re not. You’re making an exception for me because my soul bond helps keep my boyfriend’s magic stable.”

“He’ll pass his underwater test tomorrow?” The professor’s shaggy eyebrows rose.

“His magic is much more stable,” I reassured him.

He sighed heavily. “Don’t rub this in other people’s faces. I don’t want the headmistress to hear about this. I might lose my job.”

“We’re not advertising it,” I said seriously. “I’m sure your job is safe. You’re looking out for your student, and I’m certainly not being pressured into anything.”

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