Jake Mason and the Human

Natalie Is An Actual Assassin

It was amazing how little damage was done to the house. Other than a few marks on walls, a ruined painting, and sandy floors, it was spotless.

Once we were all done cleaning, Natalie flopped down onto a couch in her family room.

I didn't feel comfortable just laying out on any of her other chairs, but I also felt awkard just standing in front of her.

"You sure you're okay?"

Her head came up from under a pillow. She tried to give me a nice smile.

"Yeah, I'm just worried. They know where I live now."

I didn't know what to say to that, she was right.

What were we supposed to do? It wasn't like I could just take her back to camp.

"I, uh...I'll get ahold of Connor tomorrow. Maybe we can get Katie down here too."

She gave me a tired nod, one that made me feel horrible. "Let's get your bed ready."

Natalie put me in her guest room and told me if I kept the door closed, nobody in her family would even know I was there.

Once everything was settled, she clapped her hands. "Well, I'm going to bed and will probably stash a few knives under my pillow, just in case we get anymore visitors tonight."

I thought she'd said it to be funny, but I wasn't sure if I should laugh.

"Alright, well..." she waved a hand. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," I told her, but something was still bothering me as she disappeared into the hallway.

I didn't know why I did it, but I stepped out of the room and called, "Wait, Natalie."

She turned to me with her hands in her hair and a hair tie in her mouth. She dropped the hair tie and responded, "What's up?"

"I just...I just wanted to apologize. I never wanted you to have had to fight anyone."

She took a few steps closer with her hands on her hips. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"No, I'm here because you can't get hurt and I couldn't enforce that today."

Natalie rolled her eyes like I was talking jibberish. "What are you talking about? I'd be dead if you hadn't come today."

"But-"

"Jake!" she gasped, grabbing my arm. "Lady!"

"No, actually I'm a-"

"No! My dog!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Where is she?"

"I don't know!"

Natalie took off sprinting down the steps and I followed after.

I hadn't seen the dog during the fight, had the manticore done something to her?

"Lady?" Natalie started calling throughout the house. "Lady?"

"Hey," I said, touching her shoulder, "I'll check the backyard."

She gave me a nod and resumed her search.

There was a sliding glass window that led outside of her kitchen.

Seeing as it was pretty late at night, it was almost impossible to see anything. "Lady?" I tried calling.

There was rustling in the bushes against the house, it almost scared the pee out of me.

"Lady?" When I pulled away the branches the dog was there, trying to scratch her way into the house.