Page 36 of Monsters of Mayhem

“Now you have a hellhound?” Ryder said, folding his arms across his chest.

“You know I always wanted a dog,” I pointed out. “You never wanted me to have one. Well, now I have one and because we are not together, I can keep it.”

“I don’t know if you can keep a hellhound,” Ratchet said, “I think the demons might have something to say about it. They’re supposed to stay in Undirheim.”

“This one wants to stay with me and I want him, too,” I said forcefully.

Eunice shrugged. “It’s not like we can’t use an extra row of teeth to deal with this problem.”

“ Bale likes me,” Laney said. “So, I’m staying too.”

“I still don’t think that’s a really good idea,” I said, worried for my friend.

“Caroline and I will be your token humans,” Laney said, hooking her arm through mine. “Don’t worry about it.”

I glanced at her nervously, but no one corrected her.

“Fine,” Ratchet said, looking around the room. “What’s the plan then?” His eyes settled on Ryder.

Ryder stared around the room for a moment deep in thought almost as if he was holding his breath, but then he stopped and exhaled deeply. “Okay. The first thing we’ve got to do is get out of here,”.

“Where do you suggest we go?” I asked.

“The sanctity of our space has been broken so even though Alameda is safe, I’m sure the monsters know we’re here now. We can go to Mount Diablo. I have a stronghold there. We’ll go there and then we’ll make a plan.”

“Can we bring some of the satyrs?” I asked.

Ryder’s gaze narrowed on me. “Why?”

Ratchet raised his eyebrows and lowered his mouth as he looked back-and-forth between me and Ryder.

I was half tempted to tell Ryder I kind of had a thing for Tony Furlan. Not that any woman wouldn’t have a thing for Tony Furlan; he was pretty hot, but I felt guilty. “Bale killed one of their people, but they’re good people and I feel like I kind of let them down by running away.”

“The less people know where we’re headed right now the better,” Ryder said. “For now, let’s just get to Mount Diablo.”

“One portal coming up,” Ratchet said, holding his hands up as fire erupted from his palms and created a circle of flames in the room. “That will take us to the stronghold in Mount Diablo.”

Ryder motioned us through and one by one everyone passed through until Ryder and I were the only two left in the room.

Chapter 21

“You need to go through the portal.” I looked at Caroline. She stood in front of the burning portal, about to cross the threshold.

“I’m sorry I ran away,” she said, looking up at me. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about it and I know you were just trying to do the right thing.”

“I’m so sorry, Caroline. I tried to keep you out of all this mess,” I stated. “It was never my intention you would be caught up in this crazy world of mine. I always just wanted a normal life with you.”

“It was hardly a normal life with you never there,” she pointed out.

“I know,” I whispered. “I’m sorry about leaving. I didn’t mean to abandon you.”

“It’s a little different now I know exactly why you were doing it.” She reached out and stroked my arm.

“I had hoped one day you would understand,” I explained, “but it seemed so highly unlikely.” My eyes glanced towards the portal. “They don’t last forever. We need to go.”

“I’ll go,” Caroline looked up at me, pale blue eyes wide. “I just need to know one thing. Our marriage. Was it real?”

I swallowed hard at the innocence in her eyes. I wanted so much to pour my heart out to her, to tell her everything was meaningful to me. I wanted her to know she was my world, but now wasn’t the time.

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