Page 171 of My Monster’s Keeper

My frown melts. How can I be mad at that? “Teach me to hunt bad guys.”

“As you wish, poppet.” Stix says.

Outside the window, Puppy pauses, flicking his tongue in our direction. The night is brisk and cold; the stars are out in their millions. My world is so much bigger than it was. So much better.

I have love. I have a family. I have a job that I also love. Who else gets to feed bad guys to their mates?

There is a bad guy out there doing the wrong thing, and it’s our job to stop him.

We are Earth’s only protection. I am the Omega Queen and all that stands between the monsters of the worlds and the slowly awakening humans that will need us in the coming days.

We are the gatekeepers of the worlds beyond this one. The fangs and claws that are keeping it from being overrun.

And we are hungry.

Chapter 47

Bonus Scene- Hartley

The huge red creature stands up and tips over, falling into the rubbish bins. I hold my gun trained on it, my eyes wide and disbelieving. It mutters and lets out an almost comical whine as it shakes a dirty diaper off its arm.

My ex-wife said I worked too much. I’m starting to think she was right. Clearly, all the late nights have gotten to me, and I’m having some kind of psychotic break.

It happens to cops, I’ve heard. We see too much. We live a hard and fast life and burn the candle at both ends.

I’m almost forty-four years old, and all I’ve got left to my name is a piece of paper with my divorce, a rental property with mice, a reputation that hasn’t driven me up the ladder, and a lifetime of regrets.

The red thing hisses and yowls as he drops to his knees, gripping his head. He’s in pain. I don’t know why I care, but I do.

He has horns.

What if this psychotic break is actually a person under this mask of illusion? If I shot him, I might end not just my career but my life. Three meals in jail. Tempting.

“Hey!” I shout.

It lifts its head, humanoid with huge red eyes, ringed with obsidian. His cheek-bones are prominent, his lips plush. He’s got what appears to be a mane of black hair that falls down to his ass. And when he gets to his feet, snorting smoke out of his nose, he’s easily over eight feet tall of pure muscle.

My mouth dries up. I have never ever seen anything as starkly male and as hot as this creature is. What is it? Desperation isn’t a good look on anyone, but I’m not surprised I’ve sunk this.

“Hey, are you all right?”

The thing closes its eyes, and I feel somewhat distraught that he’s not looking at me anymore.

“I am fine. If you could just tell me where I am?” His voice is deep, like gravel, holding power in every note. I shudder as his eyes drag down my body and back up. He sees me, I think with a touch of panic.

“Effusion City.”

“Planet?”

I scowl. This is going hand-in-hand with my delusions. Fine, I’ll play. “Earth.”

“Earth?” the creature breathes. “That’s not possible. No one should be able to get here.”

He’s not talking to me, but when he suddenly advances towards me, I stumble back, lifting the gun. He doesn’t even pay it notice as he crosses to the squad car and leans on it. The car shrieks in protest, bowing under his weight, but I’m looking at his naked chest, the veins that pulse slightly around the bulging muscles.

One of the tires explodes.

I gasp and shove my gun in its holster, rushing to the tyre.