Radley's Home for Horny Monsters by Annabelle Hawthorne (chromebook ebook reader TXT) 📕

“What do you have to say for yourself?” Emily asked. “I saw the mess you left in the garden.”

“I’m really sorry,” Tink said. “I just wanted to know how the magic box work.”

“And because of that, we don’t have a magic box anymore. Everybody is quite cross with you.” Tears flowed slowly down Tink’s cheeks now, but she remained silent. “You need to find a way to make it up to everybody. Something big, something that will make everybody forgive you.”

“I’ll try. I’ll try really hard, you’ll see!” The young goblin walked out of the room, sniffling and wiping away her tears. Emily sighed-Tink was such a pain in her ass. She was covered in dirt most of the time, and insisted on living in the weird crawlspace below the garage.

Picking up the pail full of raw burger on the counter, Emily walked out back. She blew a kiss to Naia, who floated in the fountain. Naia caught the kiss, then blew back one of her own.

Walking toward the greenhouse, Emily shook her head. The Mandragora’s vines had pushed the door open in their impatience. “Hey there, sweet pea.”

The vines twitched, then unraveled like a giant bundle of snakes. One large vine slithered its way to her, sitting up like a dog. Emily rubbed her hands lovingly along its leafy surface and the vines shivered in delight. She tossed chunks of raw meat to the plant, which coiled up around each one and dragged it back into the greenhouse. She eventually handed the big vine the bucket, which carried it away, closing the door of the greenhouse behind it.

Off to the side was yesterday’s pail, licked clean by the Mandragora. Emily picked it up, swinging it casually as she carried it back to the house.

Abella swooped down from the roof and landed gently on the grass. The gargoyle folded her wings against her body, creating the illusion that she wore a cloak. “Emily. There is someone in the front yard staring at the house.”

“That’s weird. I wonder who it could... oh no.” Emily knew exactly who it was. She dropped the bucket and ran through the house, then dashed out of the front door. Cecilia stood at the top of the steps, her arms spread wide to prevent him from going any further.

“Garrett,” Emily said.

The man on the front walk wore a black blazer over a white button-up shirt with dark jeans. His hair was combed back, his gaze predatory. “Call off your watch dog. I’m only here to talk.”

“I’ve got this, Cecilia.” The banshee threw Emily a dirty look before vanishing. “I thought you said you were never coming back here.”

“Well, I’ve changed my mind.” Garrett’s expression was particularly smug today. Emily couldn’t help but notice that the thin, academic man she had once known looked stronger somehow, like he had been working out. He was far more attractive than the last time she had seen him two years ago.

“You don’t get to change your mind. Not after what you did.”

Upon inheriting the house, Emily had spent a couple of years traveling the country, trying to track down research on the monsters that lived within. Garrett had been an expert in European mythology, and during one drunken night of fairly tepid passion, Emily had invited him to come back with her to see her home. Upon walking through the door with her permission, he was immediately able to see the different creatures within.

What started as a potential relationship quickly soured. Garrett became obsessed with some of the books in her library and the creatures under her care. What was supposed to be a chance to allow Garrett to pursue his life’s work had turned into an addiction regarding the magic that her monsters possessed.

She came home one day to discover that Garrett had tossed some sort of salt into Naia’s pond, which had weakened her, and had tried to force her into a sex act to gain the nymph’s blessing. Emily had Abella break Garrett’s arms, but didn’t have it in her to drown him in the fountain.

“I think you’ll find that I get to do a lot of things now.” Garrett walked toward the house, his eyes on the windows above. “I see your zoo is still as nosy as ever.”

Emily crossed her arms. Even though she had kicked him out, she couldn’t undo the permission she had originally granted him. “Don’t be an asshole. You aren’t staying long.”

“Oh, I think you’ll find that I’m staying for as long as I want.” He was close to the steps when Abella landed on the ground in front of him. A deep growl escaped her lips, and her claws were primed and ready to rip Garrett apart.

“You need to leave.” Emily crossed her arms. “Or I will have Abella make you leave.”

Garrett smiled at Abella. “You’re going to wish that you had taken me out when you had the chance.” An ivory wand slid from his sleeve into his hand. Abella lunged at him, but a single tap on her stony hide froze her in place, and a thin sheet of ice formed over her entire body.

“Garrett?” Emily’s arms fell to her side. “How did you do that?”

“The simple knowledge that monsters are real turns your mind, you know. Every bit of mythology became my instruction manual. I used the last of my money to travel Europe, looking in every nook and cranny, finding entire dungeons beneath castles, mere feet away from where tourists tread. I discovered beings that have hidden for centuries and added them to my collection. I have uncovered truths that you could only imagine.”

Cecilia reappeared now, the air filling with electricity and frost. Garrett threw a handful of powder at the banshee, making her puff out of existence. “Every monster in this house is just another specimen to be collected, another knick-knack to store away, to take out and study. You see, I’ve uncovered truths about the creatures here, about the things