Home for Horny Monsters - Book Five

Love and Loss

Beth stood just as the glow coalesced around Neferisfet's palms and flared outward.

"Shit!" She raised the Grimoire in time to block the magical bolt, but the force of it knocked her backward and through the railing. Screaming, she fell a couple of feet before Tick Tock's blades slammed into the wooden floor, halting her descent. The magical tome tumbled to the floor below.

Up above, Neferisfet was summoning green light into her hands again. Her decaying face twisted into a grin as she pointed her fingers at Beth.

Kisa appeared in the corner of the hall and leaped onto Neferisfet, causing the spell to fire into the wall and send green flames along the wallpaper. Neferisfet cried out in alarm as Kisa scratched her face, causing the flesh to hiss as if being burned.

The priestess pulled a knife out of her belt and tried to stab the cat girl, but Kisa dropped to the floor, scrambled forward and picked up the lamp. Beth grunted as she and Tick Tock pulled her back onto the third floor.

"Give up," Beth declared. "There's nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide."

Neferisfet drew a second knife and sneered at both of them as she backed down the hall. "I haven't survived this long to just—"

The attic door opened hard, the ladder swinging down and catching Neferisfet in the back of the head. The priestess stumbled forward, and Kisa rammed her in the gut with the floor lamp, sending her over what was left of the railing. Beth swung to one side to get out of the way and then watched Neferisfet as she fell to the floor below with a scream.

"C'mon, get up here." Kisa grabbed onto Beth's wrist and pulled. Jenny and Reggie came down the ladder. "I've been hiding from her ever since she attacked everyone. Was just waiting for the perfect moment."

"Where's Opal?" Beth asked once she was safely on the floor.

Kisa pulled the cracked vial out of her pocket and handed it to Beth. "Still in here. When that bitch attacked us, she sucked what was left of herself back inside and I brought her with me."

"Thanks." Beth pocketed Opal's vial and looked over the railing. Down below, Neferisfet was getting to her feet. The priestess looked over at the Grimoire, then stumbled toward it.

Beth pulled off Tick Tock and threw the mimic down. Tick Tock sprouted mechanical legs and landed in a crouch on top of the Grimoire, pausing long enough to gobble it up.

Neferisfet let out a shriek and blasted the mimic with more of her green fire, which sent him out of view. Beth and Kisa were already running down the stairs, but came to a stop when Neferisfet looked up at them.

Her leathery features were oozing pus from the wounds that Kisa had inflicted. Neferisfet hissed at them like a cornered animal and ran toward the front door.

"Oh, no, you don't."

Kisa vaulted the railing and ran after her. Neferisfet opened the front door and the house was filled with the sound of Murray's eerie cry. Kisa tipped over and crashed into the closet as Neferisfet limped out the front door.

"Kisa!" Beth stumbled toward the door and kicked it shut, closing out the angel's call.

"Damn, I didn't expect that." Kisa winced and put her hands on her ears. "Feel sick already."

"We cannot let her escape," Reggie called from above. "She will make it back to Earth and possess someone there."

Beth groaned and looked down at Kisa. "Close the door behind me."

Kisa nodded, then put her hands over her ears. Beth yanked open the door, jammed her fingers into her ears and ran outside.

The swirling mists were bubbling along the edges of the property. Murray was hovering in place, shrieking in that dissonant tone. Above him, the angel's wings were spinning, as if it were a giant engine powering the process.