Page 71 of The Monsters Within

“Let’s get this cleaned up. Why don’t you get undressed while I get the first aid kit?”

I did as I was told. I owed everything to the Nyght Nymphs. When Syrena came back, she had me lie back on the bed. She talked me through everything she was doing as I stared at the ceiling.

I was so lost in my head, thinking about Val’s daughter and how Val had just left me without a word. Pushed aside now that she had found her real daughter.

“This will sting a little, but I’ll make it feel better. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you came downstairs, baby. I thought I could get done before you woke up.”

Her hands worked flawlessly. There was a small sting when she pulled the glass from my leg, but it didn’t hurt as badly as Val forgetting my birthday.

Syrena blew on the cut. I looked down at her, and she smiled.

“Does that feel good?”

I nodded, not really understanding what she meant. She placed the bandage over the cut and then rubbed my leg. Her hand slid higher until I felt her squeeze my thigh.

Something fluttered inside me, but I pushed it away. It reminded me of the man from the dumpster. But that had to be from me being upset. The Nyght Nymphs would never hurt me like he wanted to.

Especially not Syrena. She was always the nicest one. Whenever I was upset or sad, she held me in her arms. She never raised her voice even if I did something wrong.

I ignored the voices telling me to move. The ones that should have had me jumping out of bed and calling Val. I knew Val was busy. She had her daughter. She didn’t have time to listen to my wild thoughts.

Syrena’s hand moved higher, and I stared at the ceiling, waiting for her to stop. I let out a breath when her hand retreated. But my reprieve didn’t last long.

She lay down on my bed beside me and pulled me into her arms. Her chest was against my back, and she rested her chin on my shoulder.

“I’m so sorry Val forgot your birthday, Kytten. I would never forget.”

I knew she was right. Syrena loved me. She told me all the time how glad she was that Val had found me and brought me home.

Her precious little kitty, she called me.

She kissed my shoulder, and I tried not to squirm. Syrena was just affectionate. She always gave me a hug, or rubbed my arm to let me know she was there.

But when the hand on my belly began to move down, I tried to pull away. She held me tight against her.

“Shhh, it’s okay, Kytten. I have a special birthday surprise for you, baby.”

The arm that lay under me clutched me across my shoulders, holding me against her. She was bigger than me. Stronger. All I could do was lie still.

Her finger slipped under the band of my panties. My belly pulled in. Something didn’t feel right about what she was doing, but Syrena loved me. She wouldn’t hurt me.

I tried to relax, but my body was tense. My arms felt tight as my hands clung to the arm across my chest.

“Syrena, what are you doing?”

“I told you I would make you feel better. Just relax.”

Only I couldn’t relax. Her fingers were in a place they shouldn’t be. I had touched myself there; I had to when I showered. Sometimes I let them linger. It felt good.

This didn’t feel good.

This didn’t feel right.

Syrena persisted, probing me until finally she pulled her hand away. She had stopped, or so I thought. Instead, her hand grabbed onto my knee, pulling my leg back. Her leg swung over mine, holding it in place so I couldn’t close my legs.

Then her hand was there again. Feeling me, caressing me. A tear slipped out of my eyes, and I sniffed.

“Don’t cry, baby. I promise you’ll love this. But you can’t tell anyone. This will be our little secret. Val can never, ever know. She would be so mad at you if you told her.”