In The Moonlight

Excerpt

Note: This is an excerpt from the novel.

"Well, I don't want any pets, especially one that mauls people, so you can have it."

Brooke shakes her head. "Nope. Not how it works. You put the collar on her, so she's yours."

"Then I'll take the collar off, and you can—"

"No!" Brooke reaches with one hand like she's going to slap me, then she clutches it back to the steering wheel. "Don't ever take the collar off. She might act like a pup now, but once it's removed, she will go after her owner first."

I shrink down in my seat. "That's comforting."

Silence fills the car, and it's even more nauseating than the dog breath. I don't want to be here, especially with a dog that's apparently my new buddy but is just waiting for the opportunity to kill me. That's too complicated for my sleepy brain. So I pull at my leggings, letting them softly pop against my skin.

Finally, Brooke speaks. "So, what are you going to name her?"

I look up from my lap. "I didn't realize I needed to."

"Cujo? Diablo? Brutus?" She laughs and smacks the steering wheel. "Get it, like 'Et tu, Brute?'"

"Glad this is amusing you," I grumble.

"Look, I'm just relieved we didn't lose an arm in the process of catching her. But you probably should name her, because I imagine she's going to be hanging around for a while."

"Daisy."

Brooke shoots me a questioning look.

"Yep." I sit straight. "If I'm stuck with this—this—beast then I rather call her by a name that won't remind me she wants to kill me."

Brooke clicks her tongue. "I'm not sure that's something you should want to forget." She glances back at the dog. "She certainly won't."