He raised his hands up non-threateningly.
“Why did you threaten an innocent man?” I asked coolly, surprised at how level my voice was.
Creeper was standing off to the side, watching me carefully. Even Bug had stopped pacing.
“I need the money,” the man said after a moment.
“Enough to kill a man?” I growled.
The man just drew in a breath as he glanced at the exit.
“No. I wasn’t going to kill him. I just… I need the money,” he hissed, looking like he was actually pained.
I rolled my eyes over him again.
He didn’t look like he was on the drugs. Maybe he was just a man doing it tough.
I glanced at the Rolex glinting from his hoodie pocket, and he caught me staring before gritting his teeth.
“Get out of here. And don’t ever come back. Got it?” I barked.
He just stared at me as he ever so slowly pulled himself up straight, his hands still up in surrender.
“What about my gun?” he dared ask.
“You don’t need it. Find a better way, get a job. This is your second chance. I could put a bullet in your knee and you’d never walk right again. But I’m giving you a chance. Don’t fuck it up,” I said, my voice unwavering.
He just stared at me, glancing at Lionel before focusing on me again. A few tense moments passed before he nodded.
“Okay,” he mumbled.
I didn’t lower the pistol as he slunk away, keeping his front to me until he reached the door.
And then he was gone, darting away into the street outside like a terrified mouse.
“You okay?” I asked as I dropped the pistol to my side, carefully disengaging the pin I’d been holding back.
“Yeah,” Lionel breathed after a moment.
“Good thing this thing is a piece of shit,” I smirked as I tapped on the register.
“How’d you do it?” Lionel asked instantly.
“Do what?” I responded dumbly.
“I saw him look in pain as he started to fall. And he was limping. Then you did… whatever you did, and you took his gun. How?”
I just stared at him, then at the pistol still in my hand.
I lifted it up, carefully placing it on the counter.
“To be honest, I have no idea. I just did it,” I murmured. It was all I could say. Not about Creeper helping out, but about the moves to disarm him.
It just happened.
“Thank you, Lily. That safe, it doesn’t have much in it. But just today, a woman had to pawn off her mother’s ring. I wanted to hold it there until she could come back for it. She was determined to get it back. Most of my special items like that are in there. Along with the most expensive jewelry,” Lionel sighed.
“You need to hide it better,” I stated as I eyed the pistol.
“I normally have it covered up. But forgot to after this morning. I’m getting old and forgetful,” he muttered as he shook his head, clearly upset with himself as he trailed a still shaking hand down his face.
Poor thing was still in shock.
“He took the watch, can you do anything with this gun?” I asked once he’d taken a few calming breaths.
“He obviously needed the watch more than I did. I will deal with the pistol. It’s nothing fancy or good. The watch was worth more. But hopefully he takes the chance you gave him,” Lionel said as he slumped back onto his stool. He shakily took off his glasses, his hands wavering as he cleaned them before sitting them on the counter.
“I hope so too. Here,” I sighed, reaching into my pocket and pulling the notes out to hand over.
“No, darling, that’s yours. You sold me the watch,” Lionel refused.
“Yeah, but you don’t have it now,” I frowned.
“No, but you potentially saved my life. That’s more than fair I think,” he managed a soft smile. “Now you best get moving, someone will have heard that and reported it. And I’m betting you don’t want to get caught up with the law.”
“What will you tell them?” I asked as I glanced at the camera.
“That it was an accident. Man came in wanting to pawn his gun. Didn’t know it was loaded. Ran when it went off. I’m not pressing charges,” he shrugged.
“You should think about putting yourself in one of those glass boxes,” I suggested.
“Maybe,” he chuckled, before flicking his head towards the door.
I nodded as I slipped the money back into my pocket.
“Thanks, Lionel.”
“No, thank you. You’re a mysterious girl, Lily. But I’m glad you came in today,” he said as I turned and headed briskly for the door.
Creeper followed after me, along with Bug.
Despite everything, my mind jumped to something else.
I managed to mumble a goodbye over my shoulder as I exited the shop.
But all I could think about was how Creeper had helped.
Three
“How’d you do that?” I hissed as we walked down the street back towards my apartment building.
Creeper didn’t make a sound as he kept in step with me, gliding along silently like an eerie ghost.
Bug had disappeared again, and I wondered if the other two would be at home when we returned.
But mostly, I wanted to know what the hell just happened.
I was glad Lionel was okay, I was still trying to figure out how I knew to do what I did. Had I just seen it in a movie?
“Creeper?” I growled.
I mostly wanted to know how Creeper, whom I was sure was a figment of my imagination or schizophrenic brain, had inflicted an injury on the man and given me an opening.
Creeper just grunted, and I mentally slapped myself. They couldn’t speak.
But my mind was now blown.
The man had limped afterwards. Maybe…
No. Someone with schizophrenia had reality warped. I must’ve done it somehow without knowing. Maybe I’d kicked him?
Yeah, that made more sense.
“I’m crazy, thinking you did that, you’re not real,” I sighed as I looked up at the sky. The sun was setting now, and I was hoping I’d be home before nightfall.
Creeper growled in annoyance, clearly unimpressed with my words.
“You’re just a part of my illness,” I murmured.
Creeper let out a soft, sad growl at this, and I gave him a sad smile.
“I’m glad I have you guys though.”
He looked over at me, his red eyes gleaming in the last rays of sunlight.
My monsters.
I cursed at the message on my phone as I went about making dinner.
Fired. I’d lost my job after yet another ‘sick’ day.
“Jack, you fucking bastard! I got fired!” I shouted, not caring if my neighbors heard me.
Not that Jack was even around. I’d gotten home with Creeper to find him gone.
Creeper had disappeared as I’d started rummaging around for some dinner. I’d stashed the money from my find today, a total of fourteen thousand and thirty three dollars, in the Pringles tin in my cupboard. I guess that would be rent and bills for the next few weeks until I found a new job. Or stole more.
My mother would be so ashamed of me. But I had to do what I had to do in order to stay off the streets.
I couldn’t end up out there again.
I wouldn’t.
A grunt behind me made me turn to spy Chumley sitting at my pathetic two person dining table.
“Tell Jack he can get fucked, got it?” I said firmly.
Chumley just nodded with a grunt.
Good. The bastard had caused yet another job loss.
Ugh.
“You know, it’s my birthday tomorrow. I turn eighteen. It’s meant to be a big, special thing for me. In Australia, that’s the age you can start drinking. These fuckers are all retarded, with the whole twenty-one thing,” I growled as I moved to the fridge. Not that I’d been a good girl and never drank.
I needed some re
al food. Not more noodles.
Chumley made some soft growling sounds, but I disregarded them as I snatched out a banana and an apple from in the fridge. They lasted longer if I stored them in there.
I didn’t want to think about my birthday.
Birthdays sucked. I thought about my mother, and how no one cared. How I had no one.
Except for my monsters.
“Will you guys celebrate with me?” I asked as I shut the fridge and leaned on it while taking a bite of my apple.
Chumley sat up straight, excited growls rising from him.
I just laughed, smiling at him.
“Thanks,” I sighed. “It’s nice not always being alone. Even if you guys are monsters.”
Chumley’s growls dropped off, and he narrowed those glowing red eyes at me.
I just shrugged as I moved to sit at the table with him.
“You know, for a moment there, I actually thought Creeper helped me out today. But that’s not possible. But what I do know, is that I took that guy’s gun away. And I knew how to use it. How’s that even possible?” I asked him as I leaned my elbows on the table, a banana in one hand, and the apple in the other.
Chumley just cocked his head at me, the shadowy wisps rolling off his shoulders.
“Guess I’ll never know,” I sighed as I took another bite out of my apple. Chumley growled softly, and I grinned at him after swallowing.
“Another Netflix night?”
I awoke, groggy after staying up late with Chumley. I groaned as the morning light flooded through my broken blinds, and I yanked the blanket over my head.
I didn’t have work today. Or any day, not until I found a new job.
“Happy birthday, bitch,” I muttered to myself.
I’d hoped by eighteen I’d be somewhere better in life. Maybe have a decent job, a decent apartment, maybe even be finishing my school.
Nope, I was unemployed, lived in a dingy one bedroom apartment with faulty water pipes (my water would cease to work some days, and I’d just accept that I’d have to skip showers and survive on bottled water until it sorted itself out) and hadn’t even considered schooling.
A harsh grunt greeted me, and I just groaned.
“Go away, whichever one you are,” I mumbled through my blanket.
Another grunt, and this time my blanket was yanked off of me.
I blinked away the sleep as I spied Jack standing at the side of my bed, staring down at me.
“Fuck off, cunt. You got me fired. Again!” I growled as I rolled to face the wall and curled the pillow over my head.
Another muffled grunt through my pillow.
And then he yanked my pillow away.
“All right, what is your problem?!” I snapped as I stood up.
Jack just stared down at me in amusement. I knew I was not threatening in any way, being so much shorter than him and wearing my grey nightgown.
He grunted again, this time holding out his hand.
I dropped my gaze down, frowning at the envelope.
Since when could they touch and move things? And why was he going through my mail?
“I’m crazy,” I muttered, but I reached out to take the blood-red envelope from him.
He let out a satisfied growl as he dropped his wispy, clawed hand to his side.
‘Lily Mordov’ was scrawled on the front in gold cursive writing.
I flipped it over, biting my lip as I inspected the golden wax seal with wings stamped into it.
How interesting. My schizophrenia was obviously getting worse.
Maybe Lionel was right, and I needed to go get help.
I glanced up at Jack, who was watching me intently.
“I’m getting worse, aren’t I?” I asked him softly.
He growled, a confused sound, before pointing at the envelope with a clawed finger.
I sighed. Had I really been expecting an answer?
I broke the seal, opening it and pulling out the carefully folded cream piece of paper.
I opened it up, eyeing the shield in the corner with wings and the words ‘Everwood Academy’ along the bottom.
Definitely getting worse. But I might as well entertain it.
Dear Lily Mordov,
I’m writing to you to extend our deepest wishes for your birthday. I hope it has been a pleasant one.
I also wish to inform you of your right to become a student of Everwood Academy, an Academy for demonic creatures who retain their souls. We have watched you over the years, and believe you would be a wonderful fit for our Academy.
We wish to invite you into the Academy immediately, to make yourself at home and begin the studies of all that lay in the shadows of this world.
Kindest regards,
Dezikiel
I laughed. I full-on laughed at the absurdity of it.
Perfect. I was going to have to check in to a mental institute now. Before I became a danger to others.
Maybe I already had, considering what I’d done yesterday at the pawn shop. Maybe that was just the beginning, and Lionel got lucky. Maybe I saw the whole thing in a twisted reality way.
I slumped onto my bed, resting my arms on my knees and holding my head, the letter still in hand.
“Maybe I am a danger to others now,” I sighed. “I thought I could just live with this, with you guys. But I need to get diagnosed and get help. Before someone gets hurt.”
I hoped Lionel was okay. My conversation with him didn’t seem off, but now I wasn’t sure if any of it had been real.
I was losing my mind.
Jack growled in frustration at this.
“Look, I’m glad I had you guys and all, but it’s time I accept the truth.”
Jack grunted again, and held out his clawed hand.
“What?” I muttered, raising an eyebrow at his hand.
He just grunted, stretching his hand out more, like he wanted me to take it.
“You’ll burn me,” I stated, but then sighed. No. Just another figment of my mind. Might as well see this through then.
I took his outstretched hand, gasping as his body exploded in a cloud of black smoke that swirled around me. I couldn’t move, and Jack still stood before me, those glowing red eyes boring into me as the shadowy wisps blackened out everything around me.
I heard it whipping around me wildly, not just smoke, it was something solid, and I couldn’t see my crummy room now, just darkness.
And Jack’s glowing eyes, burning with an inner fire as he held my hand tight.
His grip didn’t burn me.
I just stared at him, frozen inside the tornado of darkness, the sound reminding me of both fluttering wings and something slithering.
But I wasn’t afraid.
I was never afraid with my monsters.
Four
I gasped as I collapsed to the floor, the air rushing out of me as all the darkness around me exploded, and Jack released my hand.
I stared down at the deep red carpet beneath my hands, drawing in shallow breaths as I recovered from whatever the hell just happened.
I didn’t have red carpet.
“I see you arrived, although Jorkan clearly didn’t make it easy.”
I turned my head, my eyes widening at the man standing over me.
“Jorkan?” I mumbled as I climbed to my feet, realizing I’d A. Not brushed my teeth, and B. I was still in my flimsy nightgown that showed a little too much leg.
“Happy Birthday, too. I bet this wasn’t what you were expecting,” the man dodged my question, instead smiling at me.
He had dark grey hair that was crew cut and deep brown eyes that were nearly black that glossed over me, not seeming to care about my attire. His high cheekbones, sharp nose, and angular jaw made me stare a little. Honestly, my first thought was that he was a friend’s hot dad, considering he looked quite muscled yet lean under that navy blue suit.
Except I had no friends.
“Where am I?” I murmured as I rubbed my arm. I glanced around me, realizin
g I was in a foyer of a large mansion with a high ceiling. With a lot of wooden features. The walls looked to be some kind of wood, the staircase behind him that split to both sides of the second story were wooden, along with the railings.
The ceiling, on the other hand, almost looked like radiant marble, with a chandelier that lit the room with a cool white glow.
What bothered me was the lack of anyone else.
More specifically, my monsters.
“You’re at Everwood Academy, didn’t you read your letter?” the man frowned, glancing at the floor.
I followed his gaze to my dropped letter, and he bent to pick it up before handing it back to me.
“My name is Dezikiel, I am the caretaker and headmaster of the Academy,” he said warmly.
I just blinked slowly at him.
This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. How’d I even get here?
“You must have plenty of questions, come, let’s sit in my office and I’ll do my best to answer any questions you have,” he said as he beckoned to the doorway to our right.
Questions? Definitely. Mostly, I wanted to know just how much of this was real and what was actually going on.
He led the way, and I gingerly followed him, looking around desperately for one of my monsters.
Where were they? What was going on?
Dezikiel sat down behind his mahogany desk in the large room, and I crossed the plush cream rug to sink into the chair across from him.
Like the rest of the mansion, the walls were wooden here too, with a high cream ceiling in here and a chandelier.
I didn’t care about any of that as I focused on the strange man across from me.
I stared down at the letter in my hand, noticing just how much my nightgown rode up and wishing I’d had time to change.
Who was Jorkan too? Something about that name made me feel weird.
“So, as per the letter, we wish for you to move in to the Academy and take up the studies here,” Dezikiel started.
“What studies?” I asked softly as I rubbed my arm awkwardly. This was all crazy. I’d really lost the plot now, but I’d entertain my mind a little.
Once I was able to, I’d check myself in somewhere. Yep, that was the plan.
Wicked Souls: A Limited Edition Reverse Harem Romance Collection Page 82