Page 39 of Monsters of Mayhem

“You don’t want to get the demigods involved in this,” Eunice advised.

“No shit,” Ratchet said with little deference to Eunice’s age.

“The demigods have a way of over handling business,” Ryder explained to me. “When they’re having a peace talk and it needs a punch, they’ll drop a bomb. So, they’ll wipe out Alameda if they think that’s where the monsters are causing problems.”

“How do you know it’s a monster?” I queried. I knew that is what the witches had said also, but I wasn’t sure why Ryder was so positive it was a monster.

“They’re after the rings,” Ryder said.

“What rings? “I asked. Then it suddenly dawned on me. My eyes opened wide and my hands fluttered to my throat where I used to keep my wedding ring on a necklace.

“Our wedding rings?” I asked. “How are those involved in this?” My voice was breathless.

“Your man made the rings out of his dad’s stone,” Ratchet explained. “They belong to Typhon. They are made of a metal that can open all the rifts on earth and bring all the monsters here.”

“There’s a problem in the monster homeland,” Ryder clarified. “They’re running out of space and they need a new place to live.”

“They think earth is the right place for them to live?” I questioned.

“All we can assume is there’s another intelligent monster around and he wants to become some sort of lord of the monsters and rule over them on Earth.” Ryder explained.

There was a rumbling in the side of the room. We all turned in surprise as a portal formed.

“What the fuck? Isn’t this place warded?” Ratchet asked.

“It should be fine.” Ryder stepped toward the open portal and switched into his monster form. There was something about his monster form that really did it for me. It made me think he was vulnerable and powerful all at the same time. Black hair formed on his arms. I thought about taking his hand and standing with him but I knew that would go against what he was trying to do, which was protect me. I needed to tread carefully in this new world and not take on too many assumptions. I needed to be kind and generous to him and stand by his side without being a risk to him. So, I stood back next to Ratchet knowing that would give him some feeling of security. That I was at least being looked after.

The shimmering light went up against the portal and Ryder lifted his hands. His long talons reached out, ready to grab whatever it was that was coming through the portal.

When the shimmering light died down, a tall, blond man stepped through the portal.

“Magnus!” Ryder, Laney and I cried.

Magnus stood there smiling, his hands on his hips as if he had just conquered the world.

“How did you find this place?” Ryder asked, his talons still raised as he glared at the man who stood before us.

“How do you know him?” I asked.

“How do you know him?” Ryder returned the question to me.

“He’s my boyfriend,” Laney said, rushing forward and throwing herself into Magnus‘s arms. “Please tell me you’re part of this magical world,” she said. “I’m the token human here, so it would just be perfect if you were.” My gaze flew to Ryder with a quizzical expression.

“How do you know him?” I asked, not wanting to tell him I’d been on a date with this guy. A sinking feeling hit the pit of my stomach.

“He’s my brother,” Ryder said.

“Eek,” Laney squealed in excitement.

“We’re going to be sister wives,” she said to me, jumping up and down. “I mean not like sister wives, sister wives like married to the same guy, but we’re like sisters already and now we’re going to be wives of brothers.”

I was watching Magnus and I wasn’t sure that was exactly what he had in mind, but I didn’t want to say anything to ruin Laney‘s enthusiasm. Ryder was still on edge.

“How did you find this place?” he asked his brother.

Magnus had his arm around Laney‘s waist as he smiled at his brother. They looked eye to eye, but they were almost the exact opposites of each other. Both handsome in their own way, but where Ryder was dark and black and still in monster form, Magnus looked like a tall blonde Viking, but a friendly one more like a college football player who wanted to do good in the world.

“I’m not welcome in your home, brother?” Magnus asked.

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