Page 10 of Are You Scared, Krowe?

"I told them I was sick, but they didn't let me go."

"What's your name?" I ask her, trying to steer her back to reality.

She turns to me like she forgot I was there and blinks again, slowly, like she's searching for the information I just asked of her.

"Gianna."

Gianna.

Fuck, it's a beautiful name, worthy of a woman like her. She's a treasure, a fucking queen in her own right.

I'm in love.

"Gianna." Natalie says softly. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"I'll kill them." I assure her. "Every last one of them who hurt you. Hollow Night is wrong, but for things to go as far as they did..."

"He told me I was safe." Gianna says slowly, her eyes searching thin air, like she's seeing it all in her mind's eye. "But I think he drugged me."

That would explain the vomit, I suppose.

"He left you." I say, feeling suddenly territorial over this treasure I stumbled upon. "Tied up to the stake, to freeze."

"It was going to rain..."

Natalie and I exchange a look; it hasn't rained in Hollow Fields since spring. We're in a drought, technically. Everything is dry, arid.

"But they told me I was fine. They..."

She shakes her head.

"If they drugged you," Natalie says, "they may have just given you too much. Unless it's the cold that got you. I don't see any obvious wounds that would have been fatal."

"Fatal?" I huff. "Natalie, stop scaring her. Are you having a breakdown or something?"

Natalie and Gianna both turn their attention to me.

"Oh, Aiden," Natalie shakes her head. "You've forgotten again, haven't you?"

I narrow my eyes at her, but don't ask what she thinks I've forgotten.

She doesn't answer, sighing and rubbing a hand over her face.

"Get dressed, please, so the kids don't see you like this. Both of you. I'll bring something for you to wear, dear. And when you've gotten your bearings, come join us in the parlor."

"The parlor?" Gianna blinks.

"Aiden will show you." Natalie assures her, glancing at me with eyes brimming with concern before sweeping out of my room.

I find Gianna's eyes; they're the faintest shade of blue, like snowflakes.

I think idly of how cold she was when I brought her here and reach out to see if I've warmed her sufficiently.

But she dances out from beneath my touch before I can make a connection, and stares at me instead, until Natalie comes back with a folded-up dress and a pair of stockings.

The silence is heavy as Gianna holds the dress up, studying it wordlessly.

"They have vintage taste around here." I explain with a laugh. "But it should fit perfectly. Do you need me to do the zipper for you?"

Gianna blinks at me again, and I wonder if I'm in the twilight zone.

How strange this is.

I expected her panic, her fear, her distrust. Instead, she's acting like she's still drugged. And I suppose she could be.

"Yes." She finally says, dropping the blanket so that it falls in a pile on the floor.

There's a moment where she doesn't get dressed, and I should probably avert my eyes, but I can't.

I'm transfixed, unable to keep from staring at her body, the beautiful canvas of her soft flesh.

She doesn't seem to resent me looking at her so openly; in fact, she stares back at me for a moment, her eyes roving my body before she steps into the dress, fixing the sleeves in place.

The fit is perfect, and the pale purple is a lovely compliment to her delicate pallor.

It makes her look soft and sweet. And I suppose she is, because as I step around her back and grip the fabric in my hand so I can work the zipper in place, she doesn't meet me with tension.

She also makes no comment about my cock poking her, though I can feel it against the soft curves of her ass, only stiffening when I catch a drift of what I can only assume is her shampoo.

She forgoes the stockings, and I don't blame her for it. Her knees and shins are bruised and cut; I'd think something rubbing against it would hurt. And she doesn't deserve any more hurt.

I dress as she watches, keenly aware of how curious she is, how casual.

When we get downstairs, everyone is as curious about her as she is about them. Natalie has gathered everyone.

"Gianna," Natalie says softly. "I'm Natalie, and this is my husband Herb. This is our home."

Gianna looks around, taking in the quaint farmhouse. It's not elaborately furnished, mostly full of vintage decor, but it's clean and always smells like the best pastries.

"It's lovely."

I smile, proud of her graciousness.

Natalie and Herb have been excellent roommates. I live here rent-free, in exchange for taking care of the crows, and all they ask is that I'm kind and fair.

"And these are our children. This is our oldest, Laura," Natalie indicates the sallow blonde, who manages a small smile and an even smaller wave. "Our son, Benjamin,"

Ben grins, striding forward with a hand out, which seems to startle Gianna for a moment before she sticks her own out to shake his hand.

"And then Susie," Natalie beams, placing a hand on her middle daughter's shoulder. "And Lizzie."

"It's... nice to meet you all." Gianna says slowly, looking to me for an explanation.

"And this is Spade… Aiden… our friend."

I smirk at the title friend.

Natalie's more like an aunt than anything, but I'm grateful for them.

"Are you all..." Gianna cuts off, glancing at the younger two girls.

"Dead." Lizzie nods, a solemn expression on her little face. "Wanna see my trick?"

"Lizzie..." Herb warns, and I wonder which of her tricks she's up to now.

"Sure." Gianna says softly.

Lizzie grins, her eyes lighting up as she sucks in a deep breath through her nose.

"This is my favorite." Ben chuckles, winking at Gianna before winding his arm up like he's about to throw the opening pitch at a Royals game. He buries it in his sister's stomach, but I don't have a chance to be shocked about it because I'm too shocked by what happens as a result.

Lizzie's head sails off of her body, floating up into the air and flipping before floating back down, down, down to her headless body.

I stare in shock, trying to decide what I just witnessed.

When I finally get a little recognition, I turn to Gianna who looks similarly affronted, her eyes wide.

"Children," Natalie scolds. "You're scaring them. Settle down now."

Lizzie giggles, settling her head back in place on the stump between her shoulders and twisting it so that she faces us properly. "Sorry."

"If you think that's fun, you should see what I can do." Susie says, lifting the hem of her shirt and reaching for her stomach.

"Ah-ah!" Natalie snaps, and a chill falls around the room as Susie stops, scolded.

"What the fuck?"