Page 23 of Monsters of Mayhem

The only way I could tell where Bale was, was by keeping my hand solidly on the invisible fur of his neck. Hoping he didn’t get any crazy ideas in his head of attacking humans.

Chapter 15

“Where in the hell is she?” The words came out of my mouth low, fierce and harsh. There was no way I was letting them get away with this. “I trusted you, Furla.”

We were sitting in Furlan’s pub before it was open. The place stank of stale beer.

Tony didn’t quiver in front of me; he didn’t retreat. Even though I was a demigod, he was still an ancient satyr. I was sure I wasn’t the first demigod he’d seen in a bad mood. Though bad mood was putting it pretty mildly. I was livid.

“Her dog killed one of my people,” Tony said.

I felt a pain in my chest when he spoke like that. Monsters didn’t exactly hang out in crowds. We were mostly solitary creatures because well, we didn’t stay on earth very long. That was not true for satyrs. They hung out in groups. In gangs. Gangs I would never have with monsters. Because, monsters did not belong on earth. I was an anomaly.

“I understand,” I said. “I will make reparations for the DGC.”

“You can’t replace someone’s life,” Tony said. “That satyr is gone for good. He didn’t have a wife or kids who need looking after, so you’re fine. What I’m telling you is, it’s not like we just let her walk out the front door. She got a hellhound and his poison is detrimental to my people.”

“What, the hellhound came back for her?” I asked. That was curious. “I’ve never heard of a hellhound who can talk to a human.”

“She’s not human. That’s the issue,” Tony said. “It’s a part you failed to mention when we first met.”

“I didn’t know she was a banshee,” I said, “but you still agreed to take on the job of watching her.”

“She wasn’t a banshee with a hellhound in tow when we made our agreement,” Furlan argued.

“She shouldn’t be too hard to find,” I pointed out. “How long has she been gone?”

“Twenty-four hours in a bit,” Tony said. “She disappeared in the early hours of the morning.”

“You don’t have a means to find her? Her clothes were left all over the room.”

“I took her shoes and I gave them to my people since they know her, but they can’t find her. There’s a big difference between knowing what you’re looking for and finding what you’re looking for,” Tony explained.

I felt the bristles on my neck rise up and I could feel Ratchet at my side with some of his flame starting to sizzle. It was not what I needed. I needed to stay calm at all costs, because when chaos took over me, that would not be useful for any of us. Not a single one. I couldn’t stop it. It was rising, dark and malicious within me. Angry and vital. The very blood rioting with the anger and rage I felt. Caroline was nowhere to be found.

“Why the hell did she run away?” I asked, muttering to myself. “If she would just do what she’s told this wouldn’t have happened.”

“If she’d done as she was told she probably isn’t the woman for you,” Ratchet muttered at my side.

I punched him in the arm, not too hard but still enough to sting. “Now is not the time, Ratchet.”

“He’s got a point,” Tony stepped back. “What man doesn’t like a woman who puts up a bit of a chase?”

“I’m not trying to hunt her down to date her,” I grumbled. “I’m trying to save her life.”

I said the lie quite easily. Part of the lie was very true - I didn’t want to date her, I wanted to own every part of her. Even if it wasn’t possible, it was still something I wanted and I couldn’t stop .”

I saw the look Tony and Ratchet exchanged, but I didn’t care. What I said was what I said and they would have to live with it. I wasn’t about to change my word or change my mind. Especially not to a demon and a satyr. We stood staring at each other in a standoff.

“Well?” I glared at Tony.

He knew exactly what I was asking. “Well, what?” He responded anyway.

“What are the next steps?” I growled. “What are you doing to find her?”

“We’ve scoured all of Alameda and haven’t been able to find her,” he said.

“She must be off the island,” Ratchet said.

---