Page 34 of Creep (Vulture Hollow MC #2)

He’s like a puppy eager to make its master proud.

I’m surprised how easily he identifies items I might like, suggesting decor featuring all kinds of esoteric imagery.

He’s especially proud of the herbology-themed rug he tracks down at the back of the massive room, and he hoists it on his shoulder the moment I admit my feet were cold in the evenings.

Unused to another person caring about what I want, I can’t help but find it endearing, but there’s a desperation to Creep’s actions, which keeps me from fully enjoying myself.

I don’t want him to feel he needs to buy me.

I want for this thing between us to develop naturally, and for him to trust me.

So instead of browsing through the mirrors, as he suggests, I meet his gaze. “None of the things you pick is anything like the furniture in your cave. You should like my home too.”

“My… cave…” Creep repeats and it feels as if he’s looking right through me. “You don’t want that.”

I slide onto a big old sofa and sink into its cushions, smiling at him. “Well, I do like being in the sun, but I mean the way you furnished your room. I want you to feel welcome.”

He stands in front of me awkwardly, seeming crushed under the weight of the massive rug over his shoulder. “I feel very welcome. You made room for me. I liked the snacks too. I don’t need anything else.”

And yet I know he does, because he has a whole book collection in his cave, a comfy armchair, even art. I wiggle my fingers, inviting him to join me on the couch. “You put a lot of effort into creating your own space, so it clearly matters to you how things are set up.”

Creep sighs deeply, as if to make some point I don’t understand, but then finally puts down the rug and joins me. I love the way he smells now, of my shampoo and the apple soap.

I can now focus on the view before me and realize there’s a bizarre collection of furniture-sized body parts made of resin.

A massive hairy hand, a matching foot, and a head covered in skin only halfway, with the other side showing off bone and muscle.

To match is a fragment of the spinal column big enough to sit on, and a near-faceless mannequin with disturbingly detailed teeth.

“I didn’t decorate it the way it is because I like it.

I… recreated my aunt’s house to a degree.

The painting of the girls and the wolf is the original thing.

I stole it from her after I… killed her.

I must have been in some kind of frenzy.

I hid it, then picked it up when I left juvie.

I know it’s messed up, but it’s all I know.

Before I had the cave, I felt I was losing grasp on what I was.

I couldn’t find a place for myself, and as much as I hated my aunt’s home, I understood my place within it, so choosing furniture and décor she would have liked felt grounding.

But I also filled the cave with my books, my clothes, snacks I like.

And before you… I guess I never had to explain that, because no one else has been there. ”

That is… very upsetting, and I find myself shifting closer, until my knee presses to Creep’s thigh. “But… why? Why do you want to be somewhere that looks like her place?”

His dark eyebrows furrow as he takes his time thinking through it. “Maybe… it brings me pleasure that I’m in it, and she’s dead?”

I hope he doesn’t mind me stroking his shoulder, because I really need to.

It makes me so sad, that the terrible woman who took away his confidence has such a firm grip on Creep’s life even in death. He should start separating himself from her and finally heal.

“And what if I helped you pick something new… something that’s more to your taste. Have you considered what your taste is?” I ask as my fingers glide over bare skin while the sound system plays pop music a bit too loudly. It can’t ruin this intimate moment between us.

“N-no? I’m sorry,” he adds, but the last thing I want is to amplify his distress.

“Don’t apologize,” I whisper, reining myself in before I can give him a full-body hug. “It’s not a mistake. I just think… you might feel nicer if the items around you didn’t remind you of her every day.”

“Could I get… a picture of you? I’ve got some on my phone, but maybe I could get it printed?”

Sweet or creepy? Maybe both?

Excuse me, officer, but I’m melting.

“Oh… of course. We can even take one together and make two copies so I can have one at home, and there’s another in the cave,” I offer, squeezing his hand.

Creep catches my gaze. “Or… you could come live with me there? We can rearrange the cavern. You can bring your things too, and if something’s too large to fit through the tunnels, I can just disassemble or cut it into pieces and then put it back together.

It’s what I did with my wardrobe and bed.

Your tapestry could go on the wall, and since the wall is at an angle, we could put Friend behind it so you don’t have to see him—”

“Friend? What friend ?”

“Oh. My spider. He’s called Little Friend, but I just call him Friend.”

I’m at a loss for words, but if living with raging addicts has taught me anything, it was how to keep up a smiling face. “Oh, how old is Friend?”

“He’s at least five now, but tarantulas can live up to twenty, or even thirty years. I got him as a gift. Sort of. A kid in Vulture Hollow changed his mind about keeping a spider, and I thought it was cruel to just go kill it for such a reason. So I kept him.”

On one hand, sure, it’s cute how Creep lights up when speaking about it, but on the other… it’s a fucking tarantula.

“That’s very kind of you. I would be too scared to live with it,” I say, adjusting my hair as I chuckle. “A monster with eight legs? Count me out!”

I hate the way light dies in Creep’s dark eyes, but it had to be done. I lo— like him, but I can’t live in a cave. I love the sun, and it freaks me out to be so deep underground. And it’s also nice to have running water and electricity.

“Okay. Friend is pretty nice, even if strange,” he mumbles, slouching. “But I understand.”

I lick my lips, stroking his hand. “Wouldn’t Friend enjoy sunshine too? Both of you could chill on the porch each morning, and we could drink coffee together if you moved in with me,” I try, because if I am to pluck Creep out of his shell, he can’t live in the caves.

“Didn’t you just say you can’t live with a monster?” Creep starts tapping his foot a bit too fast. I wish I knew what was going through his head. “It’s fine, I’ll visit for now. I get sunburnt too easily, and I like my shadows.”

I lick my lips as I feel him drift away from me.

“The monster can sleep in the cave. You can still visit him every day,” I whisper.

“You don’t need to decide today,” I add to take the pressure off him.

The messed up world he created for himself in the cave is clearly a safe space, so moving in with me might feel like a bit much.

Creep gets up. “So, would you like the rug?”

“Only if you let me buy you something too.” I shoot to my feet, flustered by his behavior. Is being with him just another case of me choosing badly? I swear he’s unlike any man I’ve dated.

Creep rubs his forehead, looking around with a thoughtful expression. “I… I’d like a medium-sized box. Would you choose one for me?”

I immediately feel more at ease and grab his hand, feeling like I’ve misstepped somehow.

I hate hurting people’s feelings, and while I’m allowed to not want to move to a cave, I still feel guilt over upsetting Creep.

I take my time in the area dedicated to small storage and choose a medievalish chest made of dark wood.

It has intricate carvings on all sides, and even locks.

“How about this one? I want you to like it.”

Creep inspects it from all sides with a growing smile that brings me relief. “I love it. I… I like fantasy books. Especially with dragons, and this reminds me of that kind of thing.”

Aaand, now I know how I’ll try to refurnish the cave. “And werewolves? Like Kargle?” I tease about the book I read in his cave on that first day.

He scowls. “No. Not like Kargle. It had so many plot holes. And he wins ? Against the Crystal Knight?”

It’s only fair that my Creep was rooting for Ser Tarragon, considering he’s my knight in shining armor. “In that case, we should go to a renfaire together. I want to see you in big metal gauntlets,” I say, maybe a bit flirtatiously as we make our way to the cash register.

Unfortunately, I have appointments back in Vulture Hollow, and while I’d love to spend more time with Creep, we’ve been here longer than I thought we would.

“No.”

I cock my head, surprised how strongly he feels about that. “No? Okay, no gauntlets then—”

“I’d be a rogue.”

My smile stretches, and I poke him with my shoulder. “You are so right. I can help you dress up. Now… what should I be—” I mutter absentmindedly as we wait for someone to show up at the counter.

My heart flutters at how he seems to light up about fantasy costumes. This scary-ass biker is nothing like Domino. “A magician of some kind.” Creep leans down to my ear, so close his warm breath tickles me. “Or a courtesan.”

Am I blushing? Maaaybe… A costume would provide an excuse to get new earrings.

I let out a high-pitched chuckle. “Either way, I’m going to wear robes. Yay for easy access, right?”

We’re interrupted by the saleswoman joining us at the register, and after what feels like the slowest checkout on the planet, we’re out.

Creep offers me a trip to more shops, since he will be visiting the town tomorrow to pick up our shopping anyway, but I can’t bail on hair appointments when I’m trying to establish myself in Vulture Hollow.

I’m growing giddy not only about the things we bought, but also about mounting the bike again and hugging Creep.

He hands me the helmet, but doesn’t get on yet, instead toying with his own.

“There’s this biker rally next week. Would you come with me?”

Excuse me? After sleeping with Domino, I was content none of the bikers threw an F-slur my way. And now he feels ready to take me to a motorcycle event as his plus-one?

That’s…

That’s really sweet, and I itch to agree until the ever-present shadow of Domino reaches me, and I shake my head. That fucker could be there, and the longer he doesn’t know where I am, the better.

“It’s not really my scene.”

Creep nods and puts on his helmet, which makes reading his emotions impossible. But I’m pretty good with auras, and his has just darkened.