Friends with the Monsters (Friends with the Monsters, #1)

by Albany Walker

“I checked on her a handful of times. You’ve both been with her all along?” Calix accuses.

“I never exposed myself to her. Not until he broke the covenant.” Grim points a finger at Gunnar.

“I was ambushed by a coven. I thought I was finally fucking dying, so I jumped here. It wasn’t even intentional.”

Just like the wave of anger crashed into me, I use the same wave to push them away.

but the door slams open and he loses traction. I don’t feel guilty at all as I watch his large frame go sailing out the door and land on the driveway.

He turns with a smooth grace and bounds out the door, but the wind still lifts him at the last second and he crashes next to Gunnar on the driveway, then rolls onto all fours.

I open my eyes to see Grim stepping backwards into the portal. “I’m sorry,” he manages to say before he disappears.

With the flick of my wrist, I slam my front door,

Bloody Mary

I’m thirty years old.”

It’s funny to watch a woman with blackened, sunken eyes that bleed and who has a slashed-up mouth look affronted.

“And he just let you talk to him like that? The Grim?”

Mary smooths down her blood-soaked bodice as if she’s making sure it’s presentable. How the stains never get anywhere but the front of her dress, I’ll never know.

I can hear a shushed argument as I approach the door. “Ring it again,” Gunnar demands. “No, you fool, she’s coming,” Calix replies harshly. “Shut up, the both of you,” Grim intones.

Gunnar’s mouth opens and closes a few times. “I don’t even know what to do with that comment. I’ve never been accused of trying to be cute.” He sounds completely baffled.

“I’m not going to make you any hot cocoa.” I give him a sinister smile, as if it’s the most horrible harm he could suffer. “Ooookaaaay.” He eyes me. “Is that code for something else?” he questions, not understanding what an amazing experience he’s about to miss.

“About thirty-one years ago,” he supplies, not sounding very happy, “it was decided that we would be your guardians.”

“We also decided that we would be your guardians from afar,”

“So, let me get this straight. You three were charged to be my guardians and thought the best way to do that was to dis-a-fucking-ppear from my life. Only, this idiot almost gets himself killed and somehow ends up bleeding to death on my bedroom floor.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you guys suck at this? I mean, really, who put you in charge of being my guardians? Seems kind of irresponsible.” I purse my lips to show my distaste.

when you were born here, it changed some things,” Grim supplies.

“Well, once you were born, things shifted. We’re no longer just your guardians.”

“Once you were born, the connection between us changed. We all felt it.” Grim draws in a deep breath.

“Occasionally, the connection between a guardian and their ward can shift, forming a bond, if you will.”

“Berserkers can be unstable,” Grim agrees easily.

“I am not unstable, you asshole, and you know it,” Gunnar spits.

“Listen, Kitten, we only have room for one drama queen, and that’s me, thank you very much. So ta...

“I am trying to explain our situation to you. Neither of these two seem to be willing to help, and you are interrupting me.”

I watch as his light gray eyes swirl, until it looks as if he has tiny fissures of lava running through his irises.

“She has no sense of self-preservation,” he announces to the room.

“Yes, you and I are bonded, but…you are also bonded to the Nemean and the Berserker.”

“Were you an angel?” I ask Grim. “Can you focus for like five minutes?” Gunnar tilts his head back, groaning.

“And a Nemean is?”

“A lion.” Calix stands a little taller, his chest puffs out a bit.

“You watched me…” I cover my eyes with my hand, not wanting to look at him or think about what he seen me doing.

“Watched what?” Gunnar prods. “Nothing, never mind,” I rush out. “Then why is he smiling like that?”

I peek up at Calix from under my fingers, and he is, indeed, smiling. It’s lecherous.

“Quite simply, it means we’re all connected to you. Fated, if you will,” he answers. I drop my hand from my face and into my lap. “Fated for what?” Calix takes a few steps closer to our group. “Fated mates,” he announces.

Three, why should I have to choose only one? I mean, if you’re all connected to me…” I shrug my shoulders.

“Do you know who came to me first?” I lower my tone and practice his calm demeanor. “It was the Will-o’-the-Wisps, then Uncle Skinny Legs,” I tell him, before he can answer. “Imagine being a child and longing for my mother to hold me, just so I could have some comfort while I was starving to death, and he comes slinking into my room.”

“Everyone leaves, Dami. Better you leave them than they leave you.” That’s what I tell myself

“Jeez, it’s like everyone is scared of him or something.” “Because they are.” Grim steps into the doorway

“We had a bargain: no one would leave until all your questions are answered. May I?” Grim steps into the middle of the doorway, asking for entrance into my bedroom.

“Would you like some hot cocoa? I’ve been practicing your recipe.” I finally hear a note of something in Grim’s voice, something other than his quiet calm.

“The drink?” Grim’s brow furrows as his eyes scan from left to right quickly. “I thought it would make you happy. Does it not?”

“So, she doesn’t know we’re not leaving?”

“She did not,” Grim deadpans. “I thought we should ask her instead of tell her.”

“Well, it was your idea actually,” Calix coaxes. “Yesterday, when we made the deal to stick around until all your questions were answered.”

“And that translates into an invitation for you to move in how?”

“Works out perfectly, really.” Gunnar lifts his lips in a mockery of a smile. “We can answer your questions, you can get to know us, and we can go from there.” Grim lets out a soft sigh.