Home for Horny Monsters - Book 4

The New Girl

"Good. Let's try again. What's your name?"

"I..." Her own name was even farther away than the man's name had been. Why was that? "I don't know."

"Interesting." Ratu arched an eyebrow. "Do you know where you are or how you got here?"

"Um... " The images in her head didn't make sense, but she decided to be honest. "I was in a fight. I think. With a statue."

"A gargoyle," Ratu corrected her. "You were trying to escape and Abella knocked you out. You've been unconscious for a couple of days now."

"I have?" She felt the back of her head. Sure enough, there was a large, painful lump buried beneath her fur. "Where am I?"

"You're in my labyrinth. I brought you here for safekeeping because I have some questions for you, though I doubt you'll be able to answer them if you don't even know your own name."

"Oh." That made sense and the memory of her attempt to flee the house became clear to her. She saw the faces again, her memory settling on the snarling visage of a green goblin. The fur on her neck stood up, and she smoothed it back down.

"Well, I won't waste your time much longer. Why did you attack Mike?"

"Mike?" Ah, right. That was the man's name. "I was trying to sneak out and he found me."

"And why were you sneaking?"

"I was... scared." That answer felt right, but if it was true, why wasn't she scared now? Her situation seemed far more dire, but an odd sense of relaxation had settled over her. Even now, she could see Ratu's skin shifting in the lantern-light, but it didn't even bother her.

"Scared of what?"

"I don't remember. It just felt like I had to escape. I needed to escape. I think I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I just..." She let out a sigh. "Am I a prisoner here?"

"More like a guest. If you were a prisoner, you'd be in chains. But do keep in mind that the nature of your status can change in an instant." Ratu smirked, then held out a hand. "Are you hungry?"

She nodded, and let the woman help her up. They walked together to another room where some food had been set at a small dining table. Ratu asked her a series of questions, most of which she had no answer for. She ate until she was full, a move that was almost instinctive on her part.

Ratu conducted a small series of tests after they ate, most of which involved a hovering ball of light. When they were done, Ratu led her out of the building into a large, subterranean chamber with a floating crystal up above.

"So, what now?" she asked, looking up at the crystal. She could feel the heat coming off of it like a tiny sun.

"Well, from what I can tell, your memory has been completely wiped. I don't know whether that's from a magical injury or a physical one. As for your physical condition, are you sure you don't remember anything about your transformation?"

She touched her throat involuntarily again and remembered the young woman in the mirror. If that really was one of her memories, then how did she become this way? "I really don't."

Ratu nodded. "Well, now that you've your wits about you, I think it's time we go upstairs and speak with the Caretaker, and—"

At the word caretaker, a throaty growl formed in the back of her throat. She cut it off and stared at Ratu, appalled.

"I have no idea why I just did that," she said. "Please don't lock me up."

"Tell me, do you mean to harm Mike?" Ratu had crossed her arms in a manner that had placed one of her hands up a sleeve.