Page 40 of Stone Temptation

More giggling, more eyes popping to life down its stem. “I crave the taste of human flesh. Always. Always. Always.”

Monsters were not vulnerable to starvation, even with the lack of humans in their diet. But that didn’t mean they weren’t consumed by terrible pangs.

I shivered in the cold air, still only in my vest and boxers, nothing on my feet. “Great. Well, have fun.”

“I’ll smack it away,” Maren said.

“No. Leave it. Let Seth cut it down when he gets here.”

“He’s coming here?’” she questioned.

Oh, yeah. Forget to add that part earlier. “He is. Don’t worry.”

“Maybe I should stay with you until he arrives.”

“Does anyone have a hotdog bun for Luke’s thighs?” the monster spoke.

Seriously? “Please, Maren. Go about your business.”

She hesitated, the monster’s waffling a complete irrelevance.

“As long as you are sure.”

“Go.” I offered her my best reassuring smile.

She kissed my cheek. “See you later.”

Maren flashed the starfish plant both of her middle fingers then swam off down the peninsula.

“We are alone,” the monster said.

I slammed my front door in its face, going upstairs to get changed, wrangling my nerves as best I could.

Never give up.

After fixing my hair, applying black eyeliner, and dabbing some amazing concealer under my tired eyes to make them pop, I inspected my reflection.

The white suit screamed classy. It hugged me in all the right places, tailored to perfection. I’d never looked so good.

“You scrub up well,” I spoke Finn’s line to myself.

By the time I returned downstairs, the doorbell rang.

Oh. God. My belly flipped.

I opened the door, Seth standing there in a rich gold fur coat, everything about him bright and kind of gaudy. A gargoyle knight climbed out of the posh silver car, slicing the starfish monster in half. It made a gargling sound before it melted to death.

Good riddance.

Seth’s eyes roamed my body. “You look amazing.”

I flinched slightly. “So do you. Thanks for the suit.”

He checked his gold watch. “We should go.”

I locked my door, following him into the back of the car. A human drove, the knight in the passenger seat.

“Did you sleep well?” Seth asked.