Page 123 of My Monster’s Keeper

A cat came to the window and walked inside. I tracked its progress, intending to protect it from Puppy, but the midnight-coloured creature ignored all of us and went straight to the dog and curled up with him. Puppy, who loves Song, could no sooner hurt it than he could hurt Becks.

So, we adopted a dog, and our dog brought home a cat, and now we’re this family unit? I think?

My throat gets tight whenever I think about it too hard. I don’t belong here. I was thrown away into the wilds. I’m a loner.

The cat that Becks has fallen in love with despite Puppy’s protests has been named Her Highness Saucycat, Pitch. Night. Blackhole with a blackhole. Asshole or Grim Bait, depending on who you talk to in the house. I’m going with HRH Saucycat or Sauce for short. It seems to be constantly making this grumbling sound, except when it meows. I find it fascinating and notice it tends to follow me and Wilder around the house often.

“Are you hiding?” Becks asks and plops down on the window seat beside me.

“Little bit.”

“Diablos rang.” She reaches out and takes one of my hands in hers. Immediately, I have to focus on not freezing her delicate skin.

“What did he want?”

“He said he’s getting alarmed by what he’s hearing and what we keep finding. He says that it’s happening too often. We’re being called to a meeting tomorrow with other teams, where he will discuss at length the issues and what’s going on.”

Her thumb brushes the inside of my palm. I shiver and go still, focused only on that touch. All the words and conversation fall away.

“Frost?”

I blink and find her staring at me. Her smile isn’t innocent, it’s seductive, it’s knowing. She leans towards me, holding there, hesitating, waiting for me to bridge the gap.

I can’t resist her any longer.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” I say before our lips touch.

“So stop hurting me and take me,” she whispers back. “Make love to me, fuck me, mark and mate me. Whatever you want to call it, Frost, but I need you.”

Fuck!

I breathe ice into her and then fire. She answers with a warm tongue curling around mine. I’ve never before done this, anything like this. I grip the back of her neck, holding her still, while I shuffle closer to her.

She murmurs something into my lips and wraps her arms around me. My determination, my willpower, melts. I breathe her in and exhale me into her.

The air around us freezes and melts, over and over. She whimpers, and I rip my head back, searching for any sign of pain, but she pulls me back to her.

“Does it hurt?” I growl.

“So good,” she murmurs.

I’m confused, but there’s no mistaking the way her fingers clench on my shoulders, pulling me down to her. She’s so soft and pliant everywhere. I've never felt anything like this before.

Her hands slide down my chest and tear at the shirt. As soon as her fingers touch my skin, I know I won’t stop unless she tells me to. Her fingers are both hot and cold, soft and firm. They leave my skin tingling with the memory of her passing. I had no idea I was this responsive.

Her eyes open, and there is a ring around them that is both new and strangely right on her. “You’re holding back, Frost.”

I make a sound in the back of my throat. It’s the only answer that I have. I don’t want to explain.

“I can’t.”

“You can,” she says and steps back out of my reach. In view of the window, she slowly slides the straps of her sundress down her shoulders and lets the material pool on the floor.

She’s beautiful. I’ve seen her before. But not like this. Not on display for me, waiting for me.

My mouth waters, and the heat inside me burns me inside out. I growl, fighting it.

“Let go, Frost,” she murmurs.