Leslie is walking back into the barn as I leave the bathroom.
“Mystery’s out with the herd, and everyone is calm,” she says.
“Thanks,” I reply, voice thin.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks again. “You look like you saw a ghost?” She sharply inhales. “Did you?” she whispers. Leslie and I have gotten close over the years and she knows the truth about me. Well, some of it.
“Bob is always here.” I force a smile. “I’m good. Thanks again for taking Mystery. I’m having dinner at my parents’ tonight, so I should head out.”
It’s an awkward exit, I know, but fuck. I need out of here. I can’t get the image of that thing out of my head. I’m fully aware of how much humans crave normalcy. How much people are willing to overlook the obvious and give things “logical explanations”, and part of my brain is trying to tell me what I saw was just some ugly, inbred, deformed dog.
Because monsters don’t exist.
Just like how ghosts don’t exist…and how vampires didn’t until a few years ago. I know what I saw, and I know it was something not from this world. Something evil.
So, what the hell did it want with me?
Chapter Four
“Anora?” Dad says in a tone that makes me think it’s not the first time he’s said my name.
“Sorry, what?” I look up from my salad, realizing I’ve completely zoned out. It’s either that or feel my pulse race as I think about what happened in the woods. I want to make sense of it but just can’t.
“I said, you’re quiet tonight.”
I stab a piece of spinach with my fork and shrug. “Just thinking about work.”
“How are things at the clinic?” Dad asks.
“Busy as always. We got seven of the dogs that were rescued from the hoarder in Camillus.”
“I read about that in the paper. How are the dogs doing?”
“Overall okay. Two will be ready for adoption soon,” I say.
“Don’t even think about it,” Mom tells Dad. “One dog is plenty.”
I laugh and take another bite of salad, making it a point to try and talk with my family. Mom will take my silence as me still being upset with her, and that woman can hold a grudge like it’s nobody’s business.
About an hour later, Harrison and I walk out of the house together carrying Tupperware full of leftovers. Hunter trots along next to me, waiting patiently as I balance the food on top of the box full of gifts from Aunt Estelle.
“Be careful tonight,” Harrison says, opening the door to his BMW.
“I will be,” I promise, though I could really fucking use a distraction tonight. “Night, Har. Love you.”
“You too.”
I get all my stuff piled in the passenger seat and then buckle Hunter into the back. I turn on my classic 80s rock playlist, calming my nerves a bit as I sing along to Def Leppard. I’m not the best at managing time, and should have left Mom and Dad’s a good twenty minutes before I did. Now it’s a mad rush to shower, get dressed, and do my hair and makeup.
I left the door unlocked so Laney can come in once she gets here, and Hunter lets out a soft woof when the door creaks open. Maybe it’s naive to rely on him as my sole protector, but he’s rather large for his breed and I have no doubt he’d fight to his literal death if it meant keeping me safe.
“In here!” I call, and a moment later Laney appears in the bathroom doorway.
“I thought you said you were ready.” She puts a hand on her hip and looks at me, amused.
“You should know by now that I’m ready means I need at least ten more minutes.” I look at her reflection in the mirror. “Just like I’m on my way means I haven’t even gotten dressed yet.”
She laughs. “That is true.”
“You look cute tonight,” I tell her.
“Thanks.” She wiggles her hips. “It’s not too much?”
“Hell no.” I wrap another section of hair around the curling iron. “I kind of hate you for being able to pull off something like that.” Laney is several inches shorter than me and has been genetically blessed with an hourglass figure and very ample breasts. I’m lacking in that department and have considered breast augmentation a few times since it’s something I’m rather self-conscious about.
“You could, though speaking of outfits, do you have something picked out or are you planning on going to the bar in your Slytherin bathrobe?”
“I wouldn’t be caught dead in public in this. I was placed in Gryffindor and must represent the house colors.”
She lets out a snort of laughter. “Want me to pick something for you?”
“Yeah, that would be great. I pulled out a couple of options and put them on my bed.”
“Want something slutty so you can get laid tonight?”