Christine Rains's Blog, page 126

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!
Welcome to all my new followers!And hello to you guys that have been around a while.Chocolate for everyone!  I'm excited to be visiting my family in Canada this holiday.It's been four years and a baby since I've been back.I'll be gone for a week, and thus gone from the internet.Please don't think I've forgotten about you or the Challenge.I'll make up for it when I get back.At least you have Abby and Demetrius to keep you company while I'm gone.

A to Z Challenge - G is for Giggling Gorilla

I'm writing one story over the course of the month for this challenge.If you're just joining me now, please start at A is for Abby.
G IS FOR GIGGLING GORILLA

Abby sliced through the thick hide of the monster with the party hat. Copious amounts of black blood splattered her, but that wasn't what made her curse. The beast laughed as its wound stitched itself together within a matter of seconds.
It swung its meaty arm at her with the force and speed of a wreaking ball. Abby jumped to the side, trying to focus on an alternative method of killing this beast other than hacking it to bits. Her line of thought was interrupted as Demetrius roared and made another attack.
"Stay back!" Abby shouted and leapt back into the fray with her blades whirling.
"You get out of the way. Let me crush the beast." Demetrius growled as he brought his huge club down upon the monster. It squealed as it was struck, but it wasn't hurt that badly.
What is it with men and thinking they can solve all their problems with a big chunk of wood? Tawa said with her usual bitter bite.
"Let's not even go there. I need to find a way to kill it." Abby hissed as she was smacked across the face. There was a bright flash of pain before she forced it down. Warm blood trickled from her nose. She wiped it away with the back of her hand.
"Then leave it to me." Demetrius was like an animal when he fought. All brute force, instinctual, and deadly grace.
Are you ever going to let him pay his blood debt to you? Tawa sighed. Let him kill it. He'll eventually find a way.
"No. This is my job." Abby would not step away from her duty. Every monster she faced represented a child's life. She would end it as soon as possible. She dodged another flurry of blows.
Demetrius was noisy as he fought. Snarls and battle cries. Three days ago she had brought him home andm after resting the first night at her loft, he had gone to a nearby park and returned with his club. He claimed that it had to come from a tree spirit who willingly gave its limb for the purpose of being used against evil. It made one hell of a weapon, but it wasn't going to work quickly with this monster.
"Think like a child." Abby tore her gaze from the impressive display by the fae and zipped out of the way of the beast. She scanned the child's room. Books, lots of books, and airplane models. A row of hats neatly hung from a coat rack. Some other toys and a teddy bear with its eyes plucked out thrown into a corner. Monsters were always so cruel to the children's favorite toys.

Yes, what weakness would a child attribute to this beast? Bananas? Tawa sounded as frustrated as Abby felt.

Demetrius was thrown into her and they crashed into the wall. Chunks of plaster fell around them. He was quick to his feet and stood in front of her, bare chest heaving. He never lost hold of his club.

"Is it laughing at us?" He swung at the beast again.

Abby could hear a strange coughing noise and the monster was holding its shaking belly. She stood up and moved beside Demetrius. "It's giggling."

"I will not be laughed at by an overgrown monkey!" He roared and launched himself at the thing. He was promptly thrown against the other wall.

"It's a gorilla." The nightmares that came to life from children's minds never ceased to amaze her. Why the boy who lived there was afraid of a giggling gorilla, she didn't know, but it was sharper than the typical beast. It also had to have a weakness.

Head-on attacks weren't working. It was too clever to let her get behind it. It did a little dance as it and Demetrius exchanged blows. The polka dots on the hat sparkled in the dim light coming from outside.

The hat.
Abby darted forward. She did so without fear of the horrific beast or for her own life. Her only fear was that she so easily fell into working with Demetrius and liked it. Not that she'd ever tell him.

She swung with her left blade to distract the monster. When it dodged it, she brought the right sword down to slice through its hat. It howled. Its giggles turned into sobs. Abby rammed both her swords through its chest. This time, its wounds didn't heal. It sank to the floor with a pitiful sob and shuddered once before it died.

"The hat was its weak spot?" Demetrius scoffed. He rolled his shoulders, brushing off blood and plaster. "That makes no bloody sense at all."

"It does, but I don't expect a caveman like you to understand." Abby's glowing swords disappeared into her palms.

"Caveman? You're the one that snores." He shot back.

"You're the one carrying the club." Abby adjusted Tawa on her back and headed to the window.

"Perhaps I'm the one with the club, babycakes," Demetrius said as he hefted it over one broad shoulder. "But at least I resisted the urge to knock you out with it and carry you back to my cave while watching you towel off after your shower this morning."

Abby's mouth fell open and her cheeks flushed a brilliant crimson. There was little privacy in her loft and she had thought he'd been sleeping. She heard him chuckle as she hopped out the window. She slammed it shut and walked off without waiting for him.

A to Z Challenge - F is for Freakin' Fae

This is part of an ongoing story.If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.
F IS FOR FREAKIN' FAE
"You scared that girl more than the monster." Abby wiped her face with an old towel from her car's trunk. She ignored the blood splattered fae when he held out his hand for one.
"I did not. She saw how handsome and heroic I am and swooned." Demetrius snatched the towel from her when she was done. The black blood was like jelly, but the stench didn't whet the appetite in the least.
"You came barreling in through her window growling like an animal just as I had the monster. The girl screamed and fainted." Abby opened the driver's side door and unhooked Tawa from her belt. She tossed the hippo into the backseat. "I told you to stay outside and watch."
Hey! I don't care if you're mad at that brute, but be a little more gentle with me. Tawa complained.
"The beast was going to suck you dry. If I hadn't helped-" Demetrius threw the towel back into the trunk and slammed it shut.
"It was not! I could've tied its proboscis in knots, but I was going for the quick clean kill. You're the one that made it messy." Abby sat in the driver's seat and jammed the keys into the ignition. This night had gone to hell. First a pack of monsters in the attic. She'd never seen so many together. They were usually solitary creatures. Then this damn annoying fae had attached himself to her and gotten in the way of what would have been an easy kill. The mess from the fight was extensive, but all evidence of the monster in the closet would be gone as soon as the sun rose. The little girl would remember, but her memory would fade with time. Unfortunately Abby's would not.
Demetrius stood beside the car with his arms folded. The moonlight highlighted and complimented his profile. Even covered in filth, he still managed to look hot. Abby yanked her door closed and cursed herself for noticing.
"Well?" Abby glared at him.
"Well what?" He snipped back.
"I'm going home now." She couldn't believe she was waiting for him.
Neither can I. Tawa huffed.
"Where do you live? I'll meet you there." Demetrius said with a nonchalance that made Abby frown all the more.
"It's a bit of a drive. Just get in." Abby sighed.
"I'm not getting into an iron box for the second time tonight." He stood his ground.
Ha! That's right. The fae hate cars. Tawa laughed. Drive off and leave him in the dust.
"All right then. Can't say it was nice meeting you. Bye." Abby shifted the car into drive and pulled away from the curb. She saw him curse and snarl in her rearview mirror and then run up to grab the passenger side door.
"I'm coming with you." Demetrius sat down and shut the door. His hand gripped the handle and he seemed to be concentrating on not looking ill. Yet that expression alone made him appear constipated.
"Don't worry." Abby smirked. "I won't take advantage of you in your weakened state." She drove down the street and headed to the highway.
"You can give it a try, if you'd like, babe." His sly smile made hers evaporate.
"Enough with the pet names already!" Abby gripped the wheel tight in both hands. "Freakin' fae. Prancing around all fancy and pretty, thinking they can have any woman or man. I'm sure you all laugh about it at court and drink your fruity fairy wines. I will not be one of those humans. Flirt with someone else."
"So you think I'm pretty?" His smile was weak, but it was still there, still tempting.
Open the car door and kick him out. He won't have the strength to fight you. Tawa offered up her suggestion. You should have listened to me.
"Enough with your comments too." Abby shot a look over her shoulder at the hippo. Then she poke Demetrius in the arm with a rigid finger. "You're an egotistical jerk. You're only here because of your blood debt or whatever. Act like you're an honorable being, for goodness sake."
"My honor demands that I give my life for yours if the situation demands it. I will hold true to it. Do not doubt me." Demetrius' voice was quiet and serious. He swallowed thickly. "I'm not one of those, as you said, freakin' fae from the court. Those are distant cousins and I dislike them as much as you. I'm of the wild, a hunter. One of the best of my clan. No prancing, no fruity wines, no silly gossiping."No matter the chill of the night, Abby pressed the button to lower his window and let the fresh air wash over him. He breathed in deeply, looking a little less tense.
He's still an egotistical jerk. Tawa grumped.
"You're one of the Fearless. I have much to prove in your eyes it seems." Demetrius stuck an arm outside and rested his hand on the roof.
I wonder if he'll stick his head outside like a dog. The hippo chuckled, but it tapered off as she was ignored again.
Abby said nothing. Her gut told her he was being honest. He was also proving that he would risk a lot by riding in a car. It was clearly weakening him and making him sick. She sped up to get them to her place a little faster. She didn't know what she was going to do with him, but perhaps another person to fight with her with the increase of monsters lately would be a good thing.

A to Z Challenge - E is for Exactly

I'm writing a story spanning over all the days of the challenge.If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.
E IS FOR EXACTLY
"If you don't stop following me, I will kill you." Abby marched along the dark street. She ignored the fact her body was very aware of him keeping pace beside her, arms nearly brushing. Or at least tried to ignore it. She should have left him in the trunk.
He's going to be hard to get rid of, you know. You should have listened to me. Tawa said in her lecturing voice. Maybe you could let the next monster eat him.
Abby softly grunted wanting to agree, but knowing she couldn't let such a thing happen. Being one of the good guys sucked sometimes.
"No, you won't." Demetrius smiled, breathing in the night air as if they were taking a casual stroll. "I've always wanted to see one of the Fearless in action."
"And what do you know of the Fearless?" Abby couldn't deny her curiosity. Tawa had taught her the history of what she was, but it was suppose to be a secret. Only a few privileged others were suppose to know of their existence.
"The Fearless." Demetrius pronounced the name in a deep dramatic voice and made a grand gesture with his arms. "Chosen by the gods to protect the children from their fears made real. They're given blessed weapons, magical sight, and superior strength and dexterity. They're rumored to be fierce beauties." He eyed her with a smirk. "There's truth in that one. It's also said that since they are fearless, they die young because they lack the wisdom to know when to retreat."
"You never run away." Abby huffed with a shake of her head. Trying to compliment her and call her stupid at the same time. He was the idiot. So he knew a few things, but he didn't know her. She was smart. Yet she refused to think of running away when there was the life of a child at stake.
"Exactly." Demetrius looked smug. "Lucky you have me with you now."
Yeah, lucky you. Tawa snorted.
Abby turned right and headed up the driveway to her second stop of the night. For the longest time, she only fought once or twice a week. Then this last year, the number of monsters had rapidly increased. She had been unsuccessfully trying to find out why. Even with Tawa's guidance, the answers eluded her.
"You want to see one of the Fearless in action? Here's your chance. Just make sure you don't get in my way." Abby went around to the back of the house and scanned the second floor windows. Thick shadows rimmed one in particular. Making sure Tawa was secure, she climbed up onto the roof above the porch and crept over to the window. She paused to peer into the dark room through the slats of the blind and startled as she felt his warm breath near her cheek.
"Nasty beast in there." Demetrius moved to remove the screen and see if the window would open. "Best let me go first."
"And you best not set off the alarm." Abby pushed him aside and placed her hands on either side of the window. They began to glow and the tiny light she had seen blinking in the top inside corner of the window went out. She slid the window up and didn't look at him as she slipped into the girl's room to dispatch the monster in the closet.

A to Z Challenge - D is for Demetrius

This is part of a continuing story. Please start from my post A is for Abby.
D IS FOR DEMETRIUS Run, Abby! Run!
"Did you just call me cookie?" Abby folded her arms and lifted her chin. She felt even more riled when he chuckled softly.

"I did." He stretched out his long legs and ran his hands along them. Then he eased himself up to stand in front of her. He was pure muscled grace. He was about ten inches taller than her five foot six.

Abby found herself staring at his broad chest and his fascinating tattoos. She had a few of her own that weren't visible at the moment, but nothing as big and intricate as his. The ink amplified his natural physique and exotic features, making him even more sexy. Oh man, she could not let herself get taken with a man she saved from monsters. She had no room in her life for relationships.

Damn right you don't. Tawa interrupted her thoughts. I told you to run, but no. I mean, who listens to an old spirit with centuries of wisdom? Maybe if you had a G.I.Joe as a favorite toy when you were a kid, I'd be stuck in a figure you'd actually pay attention to.

"Shut up." Abby hissed at the hippo.

"Are you telling me to shut up?" The stranger blinked.

"No. It's-" Abby grumbled as she cut herself off. "Who are you? How did you get captured by the monsters?"

"Ah yes, proper introductions are in order. My name is Demetrius of the Darkwood clan." He dipped his head, smiling again. He held out his hand to her and raised an eyebrow as she hesitated.

Darkwood. Even worse. Tawa grunted.

"Abigail White." Abby paused again, considering Tawa's comment. Yet shaking his hand couldn't hurt.

She reached out to take his hand, but as her palm almost settled into his larger one, he slid his hand up to clasp her upper forearm. Her immediate reaction was to grip his as well and shift her body back as his moved closer. Abby willed her swords to be at the ready, but her hands didn't even spark with a glow. At least she was reassured he wasn't a threat. Not in the traditional I'm-going-rip-off-your-head-and-eat-you monster kind of way at any rate.

"Well met, Abigail White." His voice had lowered an octave, graveling in her ears in just the right way.

"Yeah, uh, nice to meet you too, Demetrius of the clan Darkwood." Did he see her eyes drop down past his beltline when she said Darkwood? Why did she have to look down there? Pulling her arm free, she took a few steps back. "Tell me how you came to be here."

"Ah, well, unfortunate incident. I tracked this pack of beasts here, and I would have killed them all, but the boys stumbled into the mix. I let myself be captured for the sake of the children, but I didn't expect the beasts to put me into that box." Demetrius shook his head and threw a dirty look over his shoulder at the steamer trunk. "I don't suspect they knew they had me contained quite so well, but that they did."

"But it's just a trunk. You could have kicked through the lid." Abby didn't believe the trunk, no matter how heavy it was, could trap him inside.

He couldn't kick through it. The trunk is ribbed with iron. Tawa pointed out, and when Abby didn't react, she went on. He's one of the Fae. If you remove your eyes from his crotch for a few seconds, you'll see the pointed ears.

"You're a freakin' fairy!" Abby yelped and shook her hands as if she could somehow make her swords come out. Still nothing. She could see the whole of him now. The pointed ears and fine features. His fingers and legs were a little longer than what would be normal for humans. His black pants looked almost leather, but weren't quite anything she recognized. The matching boots went to his knees and then there were the strange tattoos. Black ink and yet something more than regular ink. Something that seemed to subtly flow beneath his skin.

"Well, fairy's not exactly the right term, but human minds are limited. Yet I'm pleased to see you worked it out on your own." Demetrius smirked and then he was down on his knees in front of her. His hands lay on his thighs as he looked up at her. His eyes were the color of twilight so close to night.

"Abigail White, one of the Fearless chosen by the gods, you have saved my life this night. My life is yours until I can repay blood for blood and breath for breath." His tattoos shimmered with his words. "I, Demetrius of the Darkwood clan, will not leave your side until my blood debt is paid. My body and soul are yours."

Abby swallowed. His soul and, oh, his body were hers. Her mind went off on a little erotic adventure with that. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. No way. The Fae were always bad news, especially since he knew what she was.

"I release you from your debt. I don't need you following me around. I've got work to do." She turned and walked to the stairs. She had to get out of there, get away from him. "You go home, or wherever. Whatever. I need to leave."

"It's not that easy to rid yourself of me, baby doll." Demetrius whispered near her ear with a quiet laugh. Abby hadn't even heard him come up behind her.

I did tell you to run. Tawa sighed.

Teaser Tuesday with A Million Suns

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that pageBE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!The first book in Beth Revis' trilogy pulled me immediately in. A Million Suns has done the same thing. I don't know what is truth or lies, or who to trust. It's great!
Here's your teaser:
I feel the hands around my throat, crushing my windpipe. I swallow dryly. He's not here. Not anymore. He killed her and left. (page 105)

Today is also my husband's birthday. Happy birthday, baby! He already has his birthday present, and we'll be going out to the restaurant of his choice (Joe's Crab Shack)  next week.

A to Z Challenge - C is for Cookie

For the A to Z Challenge this year, I'm writing a story spanning the entire 26 days.If you're just joining in now, it would help if you started with A is for Abby.As for the name of this post, I couldn't resist!
C IS FOR COOKIE
Abby made sure each of the monsters no longer had heads before she retrieved her grumbling hippo. Her swords had retreated into her palms. As they didn't glow any longer, she knew the danger had passed.
That beast could have torn me to pieces. Tawa huffed as she was hooked onto Abby's belt. Now I'm covered in blood. Again. How many times in the past week has that happened?
"I'll run you through the washer. Now be quiet a moment." Abby cocked her head, listening.
The washer? You're a cruel woman, Abigail Grace. You know the washer makes me sick.
"Shush. I need to find the children." Once the hippo quieted, Abby's acute senses picked up the ragged sounds of breathing. Poor things were so scared, and rightly so. There were three steamer trunks against the far wall. She opened the lid of the first to find the two boys. The littlest one cried out and curled up against his brother."It's all right now. The monsters are dead." Abby liked to think she was good at being comforting, but only time would help erase this nightmare from their memories. And eventually for most kids, it was forgotten or at least passed off as an imagined event from their childhood.
The boys didn't move at first. The eldest peeked over the edge of the trunk and saw the black heaps. He silently urged his brother to stand up with him. The littlest boy clutched a book to his chest.
"Don't worry. They can't hurt you now. Go back to your room." Abby didn't bother with a smile, but stood back to give them space. The eldest boy glanced at Tawa on her hip and stood a bit straighter. With his arms protectively around his little brother, they went to the attic stairs and started down. He then paused."Hey, are you Mark's math tutor?""Yes, but let's not mention tonight to anyone." Abby put a finger to her lips. "Yet if you hear of any other kids having problems like yours, give Mark a note to pass on to me."
"Okay." The boy urged his brother to go down the stairs and then pointed to the other two trunks. "They caught the man that tried to help us. I don't think they ate him yet." Nodding, he disappeared downstairs.
A man? Tawa piped up. That's not possible.
"Could be someone like me." Abby argued and opened the second trunk. She dropped the lid seeing the bottom covered with dead rats. The third trunk was the largest and heaviest. "Damn iron monstrosity. How did people ever travel with these things?"
The only people like you are woman. Men aren't fit for such gifts. Tawa sniffed. Is anyone really in there? I can't see.
With the lid open, the moonlight streamed through the single window and onto the unmoving occupant of the trunk. He was curled up awkwardly, being a very tall man. His dark hair covered his face, but it moved with his breaths. He was well muscled and shirtless.
"Oh yeah, there's a man in there." Abby couldn't stop staring. He was bruised and scratched up, but otherwise intact. There was a bit of blood, but it was his exotic whorled tattoos that drew her eyes over his bare skin.
You're gaping. I can tell you're gaping. Let me see.
Abby turned Tawa to face the trunk and directed her stuffed head down.
Close the trunk and leave now. Leave now. Tawa's voice rose as if trying to push Abby with it.
"I'm not leaving the poor man after he tried to help the boys." Abby shook her head and reached in to hook her arms under his shoulders. He was warm and heavy as the trunk's lid. She slid him inelegantly onto the floor and pursed her lips as she debated what to do next.
Okay, you helped him. Let's go.
"We shouldn't really leave him. He'll wake up and likely startle the boys, maybe wake their parents. It'll be messy. Maybe I should try to rouse him-"
Abby! Tawa cut her off with a growl. No. Listen to me for once. Leave now.
"I can't just leave him." Abby hissed back.
"And I thank you for that, cookie." The man stretched and propped himself up on his elbows. He grinned a wickedly gorgeous grin at her. "It saves me having to track you down to settle my blood debt."

Flashes of Foxwick

Please join Cherie Reich during the A to Z Challenge for herFlashes of Foxwick.Twenty-six great pieces of flash fiction from her Kingdom of Foxwick's fantasy world.
Cherie will be publishing her flash pieces in a collection,and they will be available mid-April.It will include a bonus story entitled "Lady Death."You can mark it to read on Goodreads.
If gifting us with her great fantasy stories isn't enough,Cherie is also featuring authors participating in the Challenge from A to Z this month.You can check out the writers at Surrounded by Books.Thank you, Cherie, for all you do for the writing community.

A to Z Challenge - B is for Beheading

I'm doing one story throughout the Challenge.If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.

B IS FOR BEHEADING Another coming behind you! Tawa shouted. And it's a big one!
"A little busy with the two in front." Abby hissed as she ducked under a massive set of claws as they raked through the fetid attic air. Still crouched, she spun to hamstring the first monster with one glowing sword and thrust the second blade up into the gut of the other beast. The blood was hot and black as it splattered over her, making her stomach churn.
What did you want me to do? Stare him down my my unblinking button eyes? Tawa snorted.
Abby twisted around to slash the injured monster's bulbous eyes and face the third ugly thing behind her. It was indeed a big one. Likely the original monster in the attic. She circled around it, stepping over the twitching bodies of its pack. Its gigantic fish eyes followed her every move.
"Big eyes all the better to see me with and big claws all the better to tear me apart. These guys are fast and wary. Any suggestions, boss?" Abby was panting. She had taken five down already and she didn't think they were dead. If she didn't take out this huge fellow swiftly, the others might rise and she'd be their next meal.Take off its head. It's the only way. This one's powerful. The stuffed hippo's tone was tense. Abby grunted for want of more info. Get behind it. It can't get you with either the claws or fangs that way.
"Yeah, so easy. It's totally going to let me do that." Abby could feel her skin prickling. If she didn't make her move very soon, the monster would come at her. She wouldn't win that fight. There was no way to behead it in one smooth move either.
With the tips of her blades, she cut the straps to the carrier that held Tawa on her back. Having an unassuming second pair of eyes had saved her life several times. As the hippo slipped, Abby caught her with the flat edges of her swords and threw Tawa at the monster.
Tawa shrieked and the beast's first instinct was to catch her. As it did so, Abby leapt to one side and somersaulted to stand behind it. She rammed her swords into its neck and yanked them outwards. The monster's garbled wail rattled the single window, but she didn't hesitate in slicing one blade through the top of its spinal column and severing the behemoth's head from its body. The head hit the floor with a meaty thud.

A to Z Challenge - A is for Abby

Today is the first day of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Yay! Every day in April (except for the Sundays after this one) participants must write a post for that day's letter of the alphabet. It can be about anything you wish as long as it has to do with the letter of the day. Hundreds people are participating. Make sure you set aside a little time to visit their blogs. It's going to be a fantastic month!

I'm writing a story that will stretch over the entire month. Hopefully I can pace it right to have it end on the 30th. Please sit back, read, and enjoy!

A IS FOR ABBY
Abby White was seven years old when she killed the monster under her bed.

At first, the monster only made weird noises. It sounded like it was sick. Abby's mother told her that she was hearing her father's snoring from down the hall.

Then the monster began to talk. Dark and silly rhymes, and rude things about her mother. Abby's mother told her she was having bad dreams.

The next week, the monster tugged at Abby's blankets and pulled her hair. It told her it was going to eat her toes first. Her parents ignored her screams and pleas. When she tried to sneak out to sleep in the living room, she was locked in her bedroom. She hid under her blankets clutching her stuffed hippo Tawa and stayed up until the morning sun rose.

Abby wore her father's steel toed boots to bed the next night. The monster growled it was going to eat her fingers first instead. It was another night without sleep.

Abby put on the boots and her mother's mesh gardening gloves the night after. The monster snarled and said it would just eat her head. It yanked the blankets off her and wiggled out from under her bed.

She was exhausted and terrified. More so, she was furious. No one had believed her. She had fallen asleep at her desk at school and the teacher yelled at her. Her friends laughed when she missed the ball she intended to kick and fell on her rear in gym. Her parents looked at her as if she were sick like her Aunt Hilde who lived in that special hospital. It was all the monster's fault.

Screaming as she leapt off the bed, Abby threw herself onto its thick and hairy body. She kicked at it with the too big boots and threw off the awkward gloves before pounding on it with her little fists. Her hands began to glow. Soft and blue.

The monster's tentacle wound around her middle and it laughed at her attempts, until it noticed the glow. Both she and it stared at her hands as they grew brighter. A shining blade slowly emerged from each of her palms. Abby barely had time to grasp the ornate hilts when the monster's grip tightened and she rammed the swords into its neck.

An inhuman screech left her ears ringing and she was flung back onto her bed. The monster crumpled into a black heap on her floor.

The blades disappeared back into her hands and the glow winked out. Just in time for her parents to throw open her door.

"What's going on in here?" Her mother demanded.

"Just a nightmare, mom." Abby gathered up her blankets and hugged Tawa. Neither of her parents turned on the light or entered the room to come hug her, and thus they didn't notice the dead monster. Her throat tightened and a small sad sound escaped her.

"All right then." Her mother nodded and shooed Abby's father away before closing the door.

Abby buried her face against the softness of her hippo's big head and cried.

Get all the tears out, girl. You're safe now. Tawa said without moving her mouth. She made a few comforting noises, and when Abby stopped crying, she added, It's about time you killed that bloody monster. Listening to it trying to spin a good limerick was pure torture.