Short Story Collection

Protect

I am warning you now that this chapter contains topics of abuse, please read with caution if that is a trigger for you.

I sigh staring at the 15th resignation notice that has crossed my desk in the past week. I don't understand, why is this 6-year-old giving my monsters such a hard time. I drum my long white fingers on my desk, the stiletto black nails clicking against the mahogany wood. I decide that there is only one thing left that I can do. I am assigning myself to this case.

Ever since I have started this company I haven't done any of the scaring, just assigned monsters to do the scaring. As I stand I let my black feathered wings unfurl, I run my tongue along the razor-sharp teeth in my mouth.

I walk over to my office door and poke my head out, I see my secretary Chris sitting at their desk.

"Chriss, I'll need you to hold down the fort for a bit," I say.

They turn around focusing all eight of their eyes on me.

"Of course, but may I know where you're going, ma'am?"

"Rosabella Hill," I answer.

They stare at me and blink their eyes one at a time.

"You mean the girl who can't be scared?" They ask.

I nod with a smile spreading across my face.

"Best of luck Mrs. Morrigan," I nod at their words and duck back inside, I lock the door behind me.

I look down at my clothing, I am wearing a black suit with a red silk shirt and killer stilettos. Not the best clothing for scaring. I click over to the closet tucked in the corner of my room.

This is where I kept my old scaring garb, I pull open the closet and inside is my prized possession. A black and scarlet Victorian-style dress, a pair of black ballet flats, and all sorts of jewelry. I pull it all out and put it on my desk.

I kick off my heels and pull off the rest of my clothes, I put on my dress and shoes and start on the silver jewelry.

First, there are the pointed ear cuffs that accentuate my already pointed ears, then hook some chains through it and attach them to the helix ring. Next there is the black choker with silver accents, I pull on the finger gauntlet on both of my pointer fingers.

I look in the mirror and smile, I look just as I did when I was young, the clothing paying tribute to my vampire roots and heritage. I smile, my sharp teeth press against my already black lips. I pull the hair pins out of my black hair letting it fall to its natural position hitting me on the lower back with pieces framing my face and half of my face obscured by the bangs. I pin the bangs up with the silver pins revealing my mismatched eyes, one is the color of melted gold and the other shines like silver jewelry.

"Perfect," I say.

I open my door again, I let my black wings drag slightly on the floor.

"You look amazing my dear," I look over to the voice.

My wife is leaning against the wall in a grey silk dress, her tail swishes lazily on the floor.

"Claris, what are you doing here?" I ask. I walk over to her.

"Just came to see you, I heard the great Morrigan was going to scare again, and I had to see for myself," She says, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"Well it is true, there is a little girl who has had 15 of my best monsters resign, so I decided it was time for me to give it a try," I tell her, kissing her forehead.

"Well then best of luck mi amor," She says, dropping her arms.

I give her a quick kiss before turning and walking out of the lobby towards the doors.

I reach the door marked Rosabell and walk in, I appear in the middle of a little girls room. I hear footsteps outside the door and get into position. I stand in the corner in between a pile of stuffed animals and a crib that is holding an already asleep baby, I spread my wings wide and smile letting the minimal light in the room glint off my teeth.

The door opens and a little girl with curly brown hair walks in, she looks over at me and I see something register in her eyes and I go invisible and move to another part of her room.

I become visible again and repeat this cycle until she has gotten up into her bed and curled up under her quilt. I slip next to her bed still invisible and run my hand over her cheek, nothing.

Her blue eyes are still open but no fear is glinting in them. I mentally sigh and flap my wings so that I am over her and go visible again. Still nothing, I go under the bed to plan for how to scare this girl. While I am under there I hear a door open and slam shut somewhere in the house.

Footsteps grow closer to the door. The little girl gets up, runs over to the crib and then comes back to her bed with the baby in her arms. She gets on her knees and puts an arm under her bed her little hand touches mine,

"Move over," She whispers as she pushes her way under the bed, not even fazed that she is now touching one of the most feared monsters in the world. My forehead crumples wondering what she is doing, then the door slams open.

I am instantly overwhelmed with the pungent odor of alcohol, I see a pair of mens boots by the door, they enter the room a little shaky. A hand goes under the bed and wraps around the little girl's ankle, she pushes the baby towards me with a plea in her eyes. I cradle the still sleeping infant to me, as the girl is pulled out from under the bed.

I hear the swish and smack as a hit lands somewhere on the girl's body, then the final piece of the puzzle clicked in my brain.

The reason this girl fears none of my monsters is that she lives with one on a daily basis. My blood boils and I get out from under my bed the fires of hell burning in my eyes. I lay the baby on the bed behind me before turning to the man holding the little girl by the front of her shirt, his arm poised to strike again.

"Put the girl down," I growl.

The man drops the little girl, smart move, smart move.

I push the little girl behind me and protect her with my wings.

"You will never put another hand on my children, have fun burning in hell " I spit letting myself grow to my full size. I am now towering over this man.

The man is as white as I am, and is shaking. I grab the little girl and the baby and with a swift turn on my heel vanish in a cloud of black smoke, back to the realm of monsters where these children will be cared for and loved.