Would you like to see chapters of my books before they come out? Do you want to see cover art sketches and vote on which poses should make it to final production? Would you like to see even sexier versions of my covers? Would you like to get my audiobooks at a deep discount?

Of course you would! Join my Patreon here to get all these awesome benefits (or search for my name on Patreon.com).

You can also join my Facebook group right here. Then you’ll know when my books come out before anyone else.

Chapter 1

The sun beat down on the back of my neck as I walked as slowly as humanly possible along the sidewalk. There were still eleven minutes before I had to clock in at work, and I intended to use every damn second of it to get lost in the weighty, hardcover novel in my hands.

It was the last installment of the Galactic Warfare series before the author retired. Every page was filled with gorgeous alien babes, heroic duels, and shitloads of Martian gold. The epic story pulled me into a world full of adventure and excitement that was seriously missing from my life, and I loved every moment of it.

Reading was so much better than real life.

I knew every crevice of the sidewalk, and I could basically navigate my whole commute without having to look up. My eyes only left the pages to dart up and check I wasn’t about to stroll right into a businessman or beach girl enjoying the early L.A. sunshine. I patted my backpack to check I had remembered my lunch, and I wished I’d picked up sunglasses as the morning light stung my eyes.

My work was only a twenty-six-minute walk from my apartment, and the journey took me off of my shitty street and through the gleaming penthouses of San Pedro that towered up to the cloudless sky. I tried not to stare too much at the stainless steel and well-dressed doorman who held an entrance open for some residents. The view over to the distant water of Cabrillo Beach from those balconies was the stuff dreams were made of. But an expensive penthouse wasn’t exactly in my near future. Not with the meager I.T. manager salary I had been living on for the past two years.

My eyes rolled at the thought of the word “manager.” I was the only one in my department, so the only person I was managing was myself. But my boss, Roberts, clearly thought the new title would distract me from the fact he hadn’t kept his word to raise my wages.

I turned the page of my book as the alien war goddesses fought alongside their soldier hero, and I kept walking at my leisurely pace as glass office fronts came into view. Joggers and power walkers rushed past me, and I knew I would still have two chapters left by the time I reached work. I sighed as the towering office building cast a shadow over me and the street. Palm trees lined the sidewalk in front of it, and people in expensive suits puffed cigarettes as they clung onto briefcases.

It wasn’t a bad location to work. It just wasn’t exactly what I’d dreamed of when I moved out here from Ohio. I thought this accounting firm would be a solid job until I found something better. But Roberts had promised again and again that he would up my salary to keep me. By now, I had accepted the fact that was never going to happen, but job searching was so fucking dull that I could only ever scroll through a few pages before I was tempted back into a book or TV show.

The palm trees rustled in the gentle wind, and I reluctantly closed my novel as I flipped my lanyard out of my green flannel shirt. Roberts tried to make the company seem young and exciting by letting all his employees wear business casual, but I had yet to see any young person get excited at the prospect of an accounting firm. The loose shirts and sneakers didn’t add much to the overall depressing atmosphere of Roberts Incorporated.

I glanced in the glass windows of the building as I stepped toward the revolving doors. My dark blond hair was as disheveled as usual, and I had once again forgotten to shave down my stubble. I had pulled on some dark jeans along with my well-worn Nikes. The leather jacket I’d bought when I first came here was holding up well, and it was kind of heavy for most of the Southern California days, but the Midwestern part of my soul couldn’t let me walk outside without a jacket on.

I pushed into the lobby to see the security desk manned by one of the only people I liked in this whole building. Stan must have been almost sixty, and he had worked in security all his life. His dark skin was lined with wrinkles, but he could still dart around like a man half his age. I often came down to help him with the dodgy computer he had been given for his desk, and he would always grab me a coffee while I worked on it. Those jobs always ended up lasting hours longer than necessary just so we could chat about his younger years.

“Morning!” Stan called as I strolled up to the turnstiles to swipe in.

The security desk sat to the right of the lobby after you scanned yourself in, and Stan’s deep brown eyes would stare into your damn soul if you glanced his way. It was pretty rare that he ever asked anyone to step aside, and his eye for concealed weapons was insane. That had been proven the day one of the workers brought in his kid’s water pistol, and Stan called it the second the dude walked through the doors.

He wore a cop-like uniform as he sat back in his office chair, and his stern face broke into a grin as he waved.

“Hey, Stan.” I smiled as I headed to his desk. “Anyone suspicious this morning?”

“Pffft,” he snorted. “They’re all damn suspicious. Don’t trust a single one as far as I could throw ‘em.”

“Maybe one day Roberts will bring in a gun,” I said. “I would pay good money to see you bring him down.”

“You wouldn’t have to pay,” Stan said. “I would knock out that slimy asshole for free.”

His eyes darted down to my book, and he tilted his head to read the title.

“Last in the series,” I said as I showed him the cover. “Hoping I get to finish it today. If people can remember how to open their own files and turn their printers on.”

“Unlikely,” Stan chuckled. “You’re better than this place, Liam. You should be out in the wide world. That big brain and that good-looking face will get you places in a city like this. I’m telling you!”

“Yeah?” I asked. “I’m kind of hoping for that, too.”

“You’re wasted here,” the security guard said. “Don’t spend your life reporting to these assholes. Get out there and show us all what you’ve really got to offer. This is Los Angeles, baby! You can do anything you dream of here.”

“One day.” I smiled as I slipped my book into my bag. “I’d better get up there. Roberts likes to remind me that being one minute late is the same as being one hour late.”

“Fucking dipshit,” Stan whispered under his breath. “Off you go, boy. But you better not be here long after I retire! I mean it! Big things. You’re meant for more!”

He waved me off as I hurried over to the silver elevator, and I slipped inside just before the doors shut. A middle-aged woman in a red pantsuit gave me a weak smile as I hit the button for the eleventh floor, and I stared out at the bright lobby as the doors slid closed. The elevator gave a familiar creak before it shot upward, and several more people piled on and off at each floor. It seemed to take forever to get to my level, and I was the last one left when it finally came to a stop.

I prepared myself for whatever bullshit today would throw at me, and I was already dreaming of my lunch break.

Then the doors slid open to reveal my boss standing with his watch held up, and I almost jumped at the sudden appearance of his slimy face.

Roberts always wore a pinstriped suit, despite his insistence that his employees wear casual clothing. It felt like a power move. His black hair was slicked back with too much gel, too, and his mustache curled up at each end in a style that only young hipster guys could maybe make work. He was tall and lanky, and his beady blue eyes always lit up when he had the chance to tell someone what a bad job they were doing.

“Morning,” I sighed as I strolled straight past him into the landing.

The eleventh floor was decorated as depressingly as possible. There was a constantly-empty water cooler below a painting of dull fruit, and the carpet was a faded blue that hadn’t been changed in about fifteen years.

“Liam,” Roberts sighed as he hurried alongside me with his watch held out. “What time do you call this?”

I glanced at the ticking hands and raised an eyebrow as we walked through the open door to the main office space. The staff sat glued to their computers, and they all smirked at each other as I walked toward the time clock that we still used for some stupid reason.

I had told Roberts time and time again that I could easily set up a system on our own computers to keep track of all this. But he hated change, and so we were stuck with the pointless box that liked to randomly beep and hiss throughout the day.

“I call this nine,” I replied as we stopped at the machine, and I punched in my number on the dingy set of buttons.

“Work starts at nine,” Roberts said in a condescending tone. “That means you are late.”

“No,” I said dryly as the machine confirmed my login. “If I start getting paid at nine, then I clock in at nine. If you would like me to clock in earlier, then I’ll need my contract changed to reflect the extra time on my salary.”

I stood unflinchingly and stared at Roberts as he scowled, but he hurriedly replaced his expression with an insincere smile.

“Always the joker,” he said. “Have a good day, Liam. Make sure to man your phone, I expect we might need you a lot today!”

He spun around and marched into his small office, and I headed over to my desk in the back corner of the room.

I swung my backpack off and stuffed it under the table as I sat down on the uncomfortable swivel chair that was missing a wheel. My table was covered in bits of scribbled-on paper, and I tried to shuffle them together into some kind of organized pile. Tidiness wasn’t my natural strong point, but I tried to do a clear-out once a week to keep it relatively under control.

I had a few bobbleheads of science fiction characters beside my stacks of notebooks, and I had pinned a Star Trek calendar up on the back of the booth. There were two lock picking puzzles that I liked to test my picking skills on to pass some time, and a third lock I’d just bought that I was excited to get started on. I slipped the game into my jacket pocket so I didn’t forget it on my break if I finished my book.

The phone on my desk suddenly began to ring, and I sighed as I picked it up before I had even turned on my computer.

“Yes?” I asked.

“Liam,” Roberts said, and I glanced up to see him give me a wave through his glass walls.

His slimy face was stern, and he began to pace around as if he was delivering grave news.

“Uh-huh,” I said. “How can I help you?”

“There seems to be a breach in security in the office,” Roberts whispered. “I didn’t want to say anything in the middle of the office, but someone has been victim to a virus.”

“Okay,” I groaned. “Who?”

“It really seems like we need to up our security,” Roberts said. “Brian’s email address sent out a very rude picture indeed, and he swears he’s been hacked. It must be one of those Anonymous people! The ones who break in to steal secret information.”

“Someone hacked Brian’s email,” I repeated. “To send everyone in the office… a rude picture?”

“Well, it obviously wasn’t him,” Roberts scoffed. “Yes, it’s sick what youngsters do for fun nowadays. Get it seen to! He can’t work until it’s fixed!”

Roberts hung up before I could reply, and I looked over at Brian to see the guy sipping an iced coffee as he played his Nintendo Switch. He was a few years younger than me, and he was also Roberts’ nephew. I didn’t blame him for not giving a shit about the job, but he was such an entitled asshole about it. There had been a few times I’d tried to speak with the guy about what games he was playing, but he scoffed at me as if I was his fucking servant.

So the kid had clearly sent some gross or “sexy” picture out and accidently added Roberts to the recipient list.

What a thrilling start to the morning.

I placed the phone down as I ran a hand through my hair.

Who even sent joke emails out anymore? Maybe the stupidity of it was the funny bit.

I got to my feet and strode over to Brian’s desk, and he didn’t look up from his game as I stopped inches in front of him.

He had the same slimeball look that his uncle did, but Brian’s hair was at least less full of gel. His gray tracksuit was very much pushing the business casual rule, but I had no doubt that Roberts would never bring it up. The old guy was terrified of looking uncool to his nephew.

“Hey,” I said. “Roberts said somebody hacked your work email?”

“It would appear so,” Brian sighed dramatically as he stared at his Switch. “Such a shitter. Major bad vibes. Can you fix it for me, bruh?”

He slowly got to his feet without looking up from his game and strolled toward the break room. Presumably to take a breather from the exhausting work he had been doing all morning.

I sat down in his chair which was ridiculously more comfortable than mine, and I switched on his computer. His desk was filled with empty coffee cups and stank of his overpowering cologne. When I opened his browser, I could see he hadn’t even bothered to close any tabs or even delete his search history. The Instagram page of a bikini-clad influencer popped up, and I raised an eyebrow as I noticed he had left her comments on each of her selfies. She had two million followers, but Brian clearly thought his heart-eye emojis and requests for a direct message would be picked out from the thousands of others.

I closed the tab to see another open for a protein shake company, and another that actually had his work email. The outbox was full of shit-talking between him and other colleagues, mostly about his uncle and how they could get away with anything in this place. It didn’t take a lot of scrolling through each message to see that sending out pictures of topless models and photoshopped images of naked celebrities was a favorite pastime of Brian’s. The most recent one had Roberts added as the final recipient, and it was obvious that he had hit his name instead of Richard’s.

“I’m basically the fucking IT babysitter,” I sighed.

I liked beautiful women as much as the next guy, but you just didn’t do this shit at work. It was really unprofessional.

I glanced over at the window beside me and wished I was anywhere else on Earth but in this shitty accounting firm. Deleting some guy’s porno pics wasn’t exactly in my job description, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what Stan had said at the security desk. I knew I was meant for more than this, but I had no idea what I even wanted now.

I had dreamed of facing new challenges every day when I moved to L.A., but my brain hadn’t once been stimulated at work.

There was enough in my bank to just about last one month of job searching without any new income. Maybe I should risk it and quit? Surely I could find something else before my meager savings ran out? But if I didn’t, then I would be in a shittier position than I was now.

I would have to move back to my folks’ place, or crash on a buddy’s couch. Neither option was very appealing, and my mind wandered to those penthouses with balconies and the fancy doorman. I could just picture how spacious the rooms would be, and how I could sit looking out at the beach with a beer and a book.

“Liam?” Roberts asked as he suddenly appeared beside me.

“Yeah,” I said as I glanced up at his twitching face.

“Don’t dream on company time,” he said. “Did you find them? Did you catch the hacker?”

“Sure did,” I said as I clicked on the sent emails one by one. “It seems the problem is that your nephew likes to email pictures of tits to people, and he accidentally copied you in one of those emails.”

Several of my co-workers snorted with muffled laughter as I sat back in the chair, and Roberts’ face flushed as he glared down at me. He knew absolutely nothing about technology, but he was clearly desperate to find someone to blame other than his nephew.

“Bullshit,” Roberts hissed. “He wouldn’t do that! Brian loves this job! Did you check for hackers properly?”

“Sure did,” I sighed as I prepared to list off a bunch of nonsense he’d never pick up on. “And sadly, I went right into the hacker mainframe support system interface. It clearly said that nobody hacked this email address.”

“Really?” Roberts spluttered. “Are you sure you checked this mainframe properly?”

I tried not to laugh at his instant belief in my obvious bullshit, and I nodded solemnly.

“The hacker interface never lies,” I said. “You might want to have a chat with him.”

I got to my feet before my boss could say another word, and I strolled back to my desk. Brian was called into Roberts’ office, and I spent the rest of the morning answering questions that had more to do with common sense than IT.

How do I save a spreadsheet within a spreadsheet? Can I unsend an email I sent five hours ago and has already been read? What’s the best font?

Some of my colleagues were okay. Debs and Anita just quietly did their jobs each day, but the guys seemed to think they were in some elite club of accounting highfliers. Their booming laughter and snide remarks filled the office, and I slid my earbuds in to drown out the annoying noise. They all high-fived Brian when he strolled back to his desk, and I watched as he started watching Pornhub on this monitor.

Then I stared at the clock until it hit twelve, and I grabbed my bag as I headed straight for the break room door. The chicken wrap and book would take me away from this stupid bullshit for a little while at least.

“Liam!” Roberts called as he stuck his head out of his office. “Remember that lunch lasts forty minutes exactly! I need you back here the moment you’re done. I think someone hacked Richard’s email this time.”

I sighed as I pushed open the door, and I found that everyone else had already started their break. The guys were howling with laughter as they watched something on their phones, and I immediately knew there was no way in hell I was going to enjoy the last of my book in there.

I spun around and strode right out of the office before Roberts could call me for any other stupid tasks, and I headed out onto the stairwell to leave the carpeted landing near the elevator. The sudden silence was music to my ears as the door closed behind me, and there didn’t seem to be anyone else down the whole ten floors below me. I looked down at the endless maze of metal steps and enjoyed the peace for a moment. Roberts’ piercing voice faded from my mind, and Brian’s smug face vanished.

The twelfth, and top, floor of the building, was finally undergoing a renovation for the new lessors, so it would still be deserted for the next week or two. From what I’d heard, there was some kind of internet dating company that had just launched, and they were having their half of the floor torn apart to add bright carpet and obnoxious art installations. A stuffy law firm had rented the other half of the floor, though, and they’d chosen to keep their part gray and lifeless.

The guys working the construction job were away for a few days each week, so I started to head up to the top floor to find a quiet spot. I reckoned one of the rooms must be somewhat furnished, and I would even make do with a carpeted spot on the floor if it meant having a peaceful lunch.

The stairwell led out onto the horrific pink half of the floor where the dating app company would soon occupy, and the heart-shaped reception desk still had a plastic covering to protect it from the construction dust. When I turned the corner, I could see where the pink flooring stopped and became the dull gray of the future law firm. The main hallway was still a mess of half-laid carpet and discarded scraps of building supplies, and an orange Igloo water cooler had been left by the workers. There was a tarp draped along the floor where the most work was being done, and some dirty rags had been emptied into an overflowing trashcan nearby.

I stepped carefully over a pile of bent nails and drywall scraps on my way through the hall. The elevator sat on my right halfway down the hallway, and there was a reception desk for the law firm just past it. It was hard to say whether the unsightly pink or depressing gray was better to look at, but offices lined either side of the hall, and there were bathrooms on each end of the long corridor.

Every office space had a bright white door with name plaques already secured on the top, but they weren’t locked with regular handles. A key card swiper with a shiny number pad sat on the wall, and I clearly needed a code or card to get inside.

The only room that wasn’t locked was a small supply closet, and it was too stuffed with buckets and cleaning stuff to work as a reading spot.

I groaned as I stared in through the glass panels of a ritzy office at the huge chair sitting empty behind a desk, and I wondered if Stan would let me in if I asked. He probably would, but my lunchtime would be halfway over by then.

The temptation to quit this job was stronger than ever, but I knew I had to save up just a little more before that option could become a reality. I would have to rely on my breaks to keep me sane until then, and I just wanted to tear into the final chapters of my book.

The last door was right beyond the gray reception desk and at the very end of the corridor, and I wondered why it had been left dark gray amongst the other white offices. Maybe it was a supply cupboard or cleaning station.

Either way, if it was quiet, then it would do.

I strode down toward the final door and hoped more than anything that it was unlocked. Even a small room with a tiny stool would be better than that break room.

“Fuck yeah,” I hissed as it pushed open easily, and I stepped inside and switched on the light.

I frowned as I found myself standing in front of a set of metal stairs. It was another small stairwell, but that didn’t make any sense. The twelfth floor was the very top of the building. Had I somehow gone down?

“It must be the roof access,” I muttered to myself as I started to climb. It was a pretty nice day out, and the thought of reading out on the roof was worth the climb up the steps.

I took the stairs two at a time as I followed the curve around, and I stopped when I reached another gray door. The staircase was short, and I cautiously pushed the door open expecting to feel the warmth of the Southern California sun hit my face from the roof. But there was no roof in front of me.

There was another hallway.

It was dimly lit with no paintings along the drab walls, and only one door right at the very end.

“What the fuck?” I stared at it as my heartbeat quickened. What the hell was going on? This building had a thirteenth floor?

It wasn’t possible. I had been in the elevator hundreds of times and never seen anything higher than the number twelve. Not a soul had ever mentioned this before, and everyone always called the twelfth floor the top.

The distant door at the end of the hallway had a glowing light spilling out from under the bottom, and I felt a strange chill as I stared at it.

“Maybe that’s the exit to the roof?” I whispered to myself as I stepped into the hallway and slowly made my way down the corridor.

Even though I said the words, I doubted this was the roof.

Something really fucking weird was going on.

The echo of my footsteps was the only sound in the quiet floor, and I felt another eerie chill down the back of my neck as I walked. Why did this hallway feel so fucking weird? Probably because I had no clue it even existed. I tried to reason with myself why this level would have been kept a secret. Maybe the construction workers had to build a thirteenth floor for structural reasons, or for storage, and they decided not to tell anyone, so no one ever used it?

Yeah, that could be why.

I tried to quiet my footsteps in case there was someone listening on the other side of that door, and I suddenly wondered if I was about to discover something I shouldn’t. Was I about to end up on the news after uncovering some stolen heirloom or kidnapped daughter of a millionaire?

This job definitely wasn’t worth risking my life over, but I couldn’t stop walking toward the soft glow of light.

I reached the gray door and carefully pressed my ear against the metal. There was a bizarre whistling and muffled screeching sound on the other side. I tried to work out what it was, but I had never heard anything like it before.

Was it the wind? Maybe this door actually just led out to the open air. That could explain the glow of light. Was it some fire escape to climb down the side of the building? No, there was no outside fire escape. I would have seen it.

The silver handle didn’t budge when I tried to push it downward, and I tried ramming against it a few times before it became clear that action movies had lied about how effective that method was.

“Shit,” I muttered as I stared at the door.

There was no way I was leaving without finding out what was behind it, but I wasn’t about to go and ask anyone else for help. This was my find. Whatever the hell it was. Then I remembered I had the test lock and my picks in my pocket, but I very much doubted if it could work on a real door.

“Might as well try,” I murmured as I reached into my jacket and pulled out the padlock.

The picks and tension bar were attached onto a little metal loop on the puzzle, and I examined them before I crouched down to stare into the dark lock. It was tricky to see properly, so I used my phone flashlight to try and get a glimpse inside. The pins in there looked straightforward enough, so I grabbed my most often used hook pick and my tension bar.

“Hmm…” I hummed to myself as I slowly began to push up the pins inside the lock while I gently put pressure on the cylinder with the tension rod. The lock wasn’t very different from the test puzzle padlocks I was used to opening, so it took a few dozen seconds before I felt the last pin push upward, but then the door finally clicked open.

“Hell yes,” I muttered as I pocketed my tools.

The shrieking sound got louder as I grasped the handle, and I felt strangely wary of opening the door all of a sudden. I had a strong feeling that there was something dangerous behind it, but there was no way I was going to leave without taking a peek.

I took a deep breath as I swung the door open, and my heart stopped beating for a second as wind stung my face, and I stared out into the outside world.

But it wasn’t the outside world.

This wasn’t L.A.. It didn’t look like anywhere I had ever seen in my life, and I couldn’t stop myself from stepping out into it.

My whole body shuddered as I stepped onto the dark grass, and I was surrounded by towering trees with crooked branches and black leaves. The air was cold, and there was a strong stench of mold and decay being carried on the wind.

And the sky above the black treetops was alive with colors and screams.

Each cloud swirled in electric greens and deep purples, and there were winged creatures flying in hectic zigzags all around.

They weren’t birds. These animals were monsters that had green snouts and massive tails. The sounds they made caused every hair on my body to stand on end, and they soared over the trees in the hundreds.

I felt dizzy as I stared up at the grim chaos, and I began to process what had just happened.

This wasn’t Los Angeles, or America. It wasn’t even Earth.

The thirteenth floor door had led me straight into another world.

Chapter 2

I stared up at the striking sky with my mouth hanging open, and every hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Cold wind stung my face as I stared up through the black leaves, and I tried to process what I was looking at as I watched one of the creatures fly above me.

It was hard to see exactly how big it was from the ground, but I reckoned it must have been at least seven feet tall. The animal was bulging in every direction like an overfed alligator, and it had swampy-green scales that stretched across its flat snout down to its round belly. Thick, curled horns protruded from the top of its head, and wings that seemed barely able to support its weight flapped in a green blur.

That all would have been weird enough, but the creature was completely covered in golden chains and glistening gemstones. A ruby-red coat clung to its huge body, and it looked like someone had put a king costume on a fat lizard.

“What the fuck?” I muttered as I watched the creature fly slowly over the gnarled and black trees, and I took a deep breath as I shook my trembling legs out.

There was no way this was happening. I must have fallen asleep at my desk or something, but when I pinched the back of my hand, I was still standing in the eerie woods. It was real.

I had stepped into another world.

My stomach lurched when I turned to see the doorway had vanished, and it had been replaced with a solid, gray rock face on a small hill. But I could see a very faint outline of a rectangle in the stone, and I slowly pushed my palm against it to find that it moved. Relief flowed through me to find that the exit was still there, and I wanted to make sure I could still get back through.

Then there was a very nearby scream, and I quickly leaned my bodyweight against the rectangular area of rock to find that it flew open like a door.

I stepped back through the rocky hill and found myself inside the dimly-lit thirteenth floor.

The door shut behind me, and my heartbeat rang like a drum in my ears as I stared at it. I could still hear the faint cries from behind the metal, but I was once again standing on the carpet in my work building. There were no flying creatures or green skies. Just drab, off-yellow walls and a long, dimly-lit hallway.

“Fuck,” I said as my breathing slowed down.

How was this possible? This was an office building with bad air conditioning, twenty-year-old carpet, and a cracked asphalt parking lot. It was a perfectly average building full of ordinary people. Why the hell was there a portal to another world sitting on this mysterious top floor I had never seen before?

Had anyone else found it before I had?

The locked door made me think nobody had stepped through, and surely this would be all over the news if it had been discovered? It ripped apart everything we knew about physics and our understanding of the universe. Nothing about it made sense, and I felt everything I had ever learned turn to meaningless dust in my head.

Flying dinosaur things wearing gold? A green sky? Black leaves? Maybe I had finally let the mundane boredom of office life and love of fantasy books get to me, and I had suffered some kind of breakdown. That would explain it.

Kind of.

I paced back and forth as I tried to slow my mind down and work out what to do next. The responsible thing would be to immediately report this to the cops, or someone. Then the mysterious floor would be cordoned off and swarmed by a team of guys with guns. I would never see it again. Maybe nobody would, depending on what the government decided.

They could even keep it hushed up and make me out to be some crazy guy. Then I would have lost any access to this new world along with my reputation and dignity.

I couldn’t allow that.

Downstairs I had a desk and a slimeball of a boss waiting for me. But I had a whole new world right here. If I went back through that door, then I was going to be stepping into an entirely different universe. An unexplored world with grotesque creatures and an electric-green sky. It was kind of terrifying, but it was also everything I had dreamed of while I sat at my stuffy desk answering dumbfuck emails sent by my dumbfuck co-workers.

“You have to do this,” I said to myself as I zipped up my jacket.

There was no telling what lay inside this bizarre world, but I was not going to pass up my chance to find out.

I grinned as I put my hand back on the handle and pushed. It was time to explore an entire new universe full of adventure.

The cold wind hit my face again, but I barely even noticed as I carefully stepped back into the eerie wooded area. Each tree surrounding me had masses of twisted branches that curved up to the swirling sky, and seven of the flying creatures slowly flapped by far above me.

They were all covered with gold and jewels, and I wondered if there was some kind of royal family in this place.

I started to move through the trees, and I tried to be as quiet as possible as I walked. The ground below was covered in fallen black leaves, and it looked like I was at the top of a sloped hill. I moved just a few dozen yards before a blurry haze of light shone out from the trees, and I squinted to make out a city down at the foot of the hillside.

The woodland around me was dense, and distant howls seemed to echo out from every direction, so I made sure to stay out of sight of the flying beasts as I hurried down the slope. Something told me they would not be a friendly welcoming committee to the neighborhood.

My eyes were still adjusting to how dull the light was, and I fumbled in my bag for my phone. I had my book, my lunch, and a spray deodorant with me. My wallet only had cards, and I hoped I wasn’t going to come into any situation I needed cash for. Then again, I doubted my dollars would be of any use here.

Then there was a sudden flapping of wings that erupted from a tree nearby, and I spun around to see a flock of small gray creatures hurtling toward me.

They were the size of cats, with leathery wings full of tears and scars. Their faces were round with dark eyes, and rows of sharp fangs stuck out from their mouths at odd angles. It was like a group of demon bats had just woken up, and they had dried blood around their mouths as they cried out.

I began to run as fast as my legs would carry me.

The creatures behind me made high-pitched, screeching sounds as they flew after me, and I knew I was in trouble.

I shoved the cell phone into my pocket as I all-out raced down the hill. The muddy ground was slippery beneath my sneakers, and I felt a trickle of sweat run down my forehead. Screams echoed around the woodland as I ran, and I raced toward the city in the hopes that there would be some kind of shelter down there. But the creatures behind me were fast, and I glanced back to see one of them snapping its misaligned teeth inches away from my face.

“Fuck!” I yelled as I skidded on a patch of wet mud, and I reached into my bag to grab my hardback novel.

It wasn’t exactly an ideal weapon, but it was all I had.

The nearest creature flapped its torn gray wings seemingly at the speed of fucking light, and I swiveled around to see it hurtling right at me.

Then I slammed the heavy book into its ugly face, and I felt a gross crunch as the beast’s neck snapped. Its wings gave out instantly from the hit, and it tumbled down onto the muddy ground as it twitched horribly.

That seemed to seriously anger the rest of them.

The creatures screamed as they hurtled forward. I counted six of them left, and it looked like they were all going to reach me at the same time. There was no way my makeshift weapon would work against the whole group, and I looked around desperately for some kind of shelter. But there was nothing but twisted trees and thorny bushes on the hillside, and I tried to think about what else I could use.

I reached one hand into my bag as I ran and pulled out my saran-wrapped lunch.

The creatures suddenly went feral with screeches and fangs chomping, and it seemed like chicken salad wraps were extremely exciting to them. I launched the packed lunch as far as I could into the trees, and I glanced back to see three of the gray animals fly off to find it. They slammed into each other brutally as they all dove down to try and get a good bite of the food.

Three of the ugly fuckers kept their eyes on me, though, and I knew they weren’t going to stop until they caught me or got a face bashing from my book cover.

I skidded to an abrupt halt on the hillside, and one of the creatures almost flew right past me. But I swung my book just in time, and I caught it straight across the face. It slammed into the solid book cover, and there was a loud squelch as its head exploded from the impact.

“Fuuucking nasty,” I gagged as a rainstorm of thick blood shot everywhere, and I groaned as droplets splattered my face.

The creature flopped to the forest floor with a dull thud just as the remaining two reached me. They snapped their creepy teeth menacingly, and the stench of shit suddenly filled my nostrils. Then I grabbed the deodorant from my back and sprayed it right into one of their faces.

The gray bastard howled as it was blinded, and it tried to fly off before it soared straight into the gnarled trunk of a nearby tree.

One beast remained, and it snapped its teeth as it tore toward me.

“Shit, shit, shit,” I gasped.

The animal dove right at my face with a blood-curdling screech, and I stumbled slightly as I just managed to swing my book up to meet it.

The cover slammed into the creature’s gray belly and sent it flying upward into the black treetops. Then it quickly recovered and hurtled down, but I steadied myself as I waited.

Just before its toothy snout reached me, I sprayed my deodorant into its eyes and then slammed my book as hard as I could into its ugly skull. There was a crunch as bits of gray flesh flew everywhere, and the dead body of the animal crashed down onto my sneakers.

“Grosssss,” I muttered as I kicked it away, and its crushed head left a bloody pile of goop on my shoe.

My co-workers would definitely notice a bloody goop stain on my shoe.

But the rest of the animals must have still been distracted by the food, and I gave the small corpses one last look before I continued to race down the hill. I was pumped full of adrenaline as I ran, and I slipped my aerosol can back into my bag.

Even though a flock of bloodthirsty demon bats had just tried to kill me, I had never felt more alive.

“This is fucking insane,” I panted as a smile spread across my face.

I was almost at the outskirts of the city, and I grinned even more as I stared down at the towering buildings.

They were all made of dark gray stone, and there was a warm glow coming from inside the windows. Some of the structures were only a couple of stories tall with tiled roofs, but a few of them had little turrets that stuck up into the sky. Dark smoke spilled out of chimneys, and I could see a few of the houses were covered in green ivy.

I figured there must be some kind of beings that were less feral than the ones I had just fought. Maybe there were even humans in this land.

Despite my excitement, I made sure to keep a level head as I hurried forward. There was no telling what the intentions of these creatures were, and I decided to stay in the shadows of the tree-covered outskirts. I could walk around the perimeter of the town until I worked out what the hell other kinds of creatures lived there.

My book was splattered with blood and gray brain matter, but I didn’t even care as I tried to shake it off. I had been so excited to read the story of someone else having an adventure, but now I was the one living in one.

Suddenly, I was endlessly grateful that the break room had been full of loudmouthed idiots. Wanting to get away from them had led me here, and I pinched myself again to double-check it was all still real. My heartbeat was going a million miles an hour, and I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face as I stomped over the muddy ground with my bloody book clutched in one hand.

An unpleasant smell started to drift toward me as I got closer to the city. As I reached the edge of the dense woodland, I could smell spoiled milk and meat. The noises of the creatures inside was deafening, and I stood behind a thick trunk as I stared out into the wide street that lay just a few feet away from me.

It was hard to believe I was really seeing it all. The cobblestone streets were full of life, and none of the beings were like any creatures I had seen before.

There were shitloads of the huge, winged dinosaur-looking beasts I had seen earlier, but they were walking around now. Every one of them was covered in gold and velvet robes, and I figured they must be the most important species in this town. Their flat snouts had wonky teeth protruding from them, and I was stunned to see that some of these beasts seemed to be wearing wigs that they constantly had to readjust from sliding off their scaly heads. There were clearly females and males, and the women had terribly applied makeup on their scaly faces. Curled horns stuck out of their matted wigs, and the blonde curls they wore looked utterly unnatural on their swampy skulls. They swung pearl-covered handbags as they walked, and their talons made a scratching sound against the cobblestones.

“What the hell?” I breathed as I stared at the gaudy, scaled women.

I watched them waddle down the wide street, and I could see some kind of market further along the city. There was a row of tables covered in wares I couldn’t make out, and there were lanterns flickering around them.

Then the green and purple sky made deep, rumbling sounds as if it was about to rain, but it stayed dry as I hurried along the black forest to get a better look at the town. I carefully raced between gnarled trees until I could see into what I assumed was the main entranceway of the city. There was a wide pathway that led out of the town and away into the forest, and I crouched down just before the road to peer inside.

The marketplace sat between two of the larger stone buildings, and it was full of smoking food stalls, noisy customers, and more weird animals. Each table was set up with a ragged cloth underneath the displays, and a slightly more pleasant smell wafted my way as meat was cooked over an open flame.

There were plenty of the huge, winged beasts ambling through, and they grabbed items from stalls to hold up to their beady eyes. They picked up vases, slabs of meat, and loaves of bread without asking the stall keepers.

Each stand was manned by a different being, and I could tell that these workers were not in the same wealthy class as the winged ones.

Short men with huge beards stood with crossed arms behind food stalls, and their clothes were covered in layers of mud and grime. Skinny women with pale skin were carefully laying out pottery, and their frail arms shook as they placed down each piece.

The winged creatures snorted with laughter as a red vase fell to the ground, and they seemed to be delighted to watch one of the poor women rush to clean it up. A deep feeling of disgust rose in my chest as the huge creatures kicked the woman as she swept, and I waited for someone to react.

But the stall owners all kept their heads down, and the thin woman hurried behind her stall with the shards of clay in her bony hands. She kept her flushed face down as she went back to her display, and nobody around her spoke up or asked if she was okay.

Then my eyes fell on another set of strolling customers, and I was shocked to see a group of human-shaped men walking leisurely through the market. I could only see their backs as they wandered up to a bread stall, but there was something weird about the slithery way their legs moved. It was as if they didn’t have knees, and each foot was placed in front of the other too quickly. All of the men wore different colored suits, and they were perfectly tailored on their slim bodies. They all had black top hats, and I got to see their faces when they finally turned around to switch stalls.

Their thin faces were a mixture of pale human skin and blue scales.

“Whaaaat the fuck?” I muttered as I stared at their black eyes that didn’t seem to have any pupils or irises.

One of the men spoke, and a long tongue flicked out of his mouth. They looked like some insane human-snake hybrid, and it was hard to know which direction they were looking.

These men seemed equally careless about the stall owners, but they were much quieter in their displays of rudeness. One snake-man in a red suit quickly picked up a slab of meat from one of the tables, and he threw the whole thing into his mouth without stopping his strides. I could see the short, bearded man behind the stall glaring after the group, but he just quietly shook his head as they left without paying.

Then one of the other snake-men threw a handful of coins over his shoulder, and the stall owner had to fumble around on the cobblestones to grab the change.

I wanted to go over and tell the scaly fuckers to have some respect, but I knew that was not going to be a smart move. Was every customer in this city a rich piece of shit?

A high-pitched cackling caught my attention as a horse and a silver cart suddenly rolled into view. The horse was thin enough to see its ribs, and its limp mane was covered in golden ribbons. It sure as hell didn’t look like it should be pulling anything heavy, and I was surprised it was even able to stand up straight on its skinny legs.

Green jewels covered the front of the vehicle, and the silver metal reflected the swirling green and purple sky above. Then the side door swung open, and two long-haired old women climbed out as they shrieked with laughter.

They wore black dresses with frilly collars, and they each had silver necklaces that must have weighed a ton. The thick chains sat heavy on their collarbones, and it was obvious that they were another wealthy species that had arrived to cause fucking chaos.

I wondered why these stall owners bothered to set up at all, if every customer was a rich asshole that clearly didn’t care about their businesses.

The old women hurried over to the vase table, but I suddenly noticed there were new creatures with weapons approaching.

They had thick green legs like frogs, and their wide bodies were covered with bronze plates of armor. Each creature had a pointed face with red eyes, and they held sharp spears as they marched along the stalls. I felt a slight pang of relief that there was some kind of policing crew, and I hoped they would scare all the rich dickheads into behaving better.

But the stall owners seemed to lower their heads even more as the guards passed, and the armed creatures strode over to the group of snake-men. My stomach sank as I watched them exchange laughter and hisses, and it was obvious where the loyalty of the armed beings laid.

So there were clearly two classes in this place from what I could see. You were either a grubby worker, or you were a gold-drenched, bejeweled reptile-like bastard who strode around taking what you wanted.

Maybe this place wasn’t that different to Earth in some ways.

I wanted to see more of the city, but I didn’t want to risk running across the pathway to continue around the gnarled woodlands. It was hard to watch the golden-clad beasts stroll around and treat the stall owners like shit, and I decided to double-back to sneak around the other way. I needed to see every inch of this new world before I thought about heading back.

When I turned, I got a sudden shiver down my spine as if someone had just rushed past me in the shadows. I stood still as I looked into the gloomy trees, and I gripped my heavy book as I waited for more of the gray bat-like creatures to appear.

But nothing moved other than the rustling black leaves, and I started to dart back around the city. I stayed hidden in the outskirts of the forest as I went, and the shrieks of the winged beings rattled over the buildings. The city had looked so whimsical and grand from a distance, but it hadn’t taken long to see that there was some sort of fucked up class system in place. It made me want to go inside to investigate even more, but I hadn’t seen any regular humans in the streets.

And even if they did have guys like me, my clothing would give me away as an outsider immediately.

As I raced around the city, I could see that these armored guards were everywhere. They stomped over the filthy cobblestones as they peered into windows, and it looked as if they were searching for something.

My blood ran cold as I wondered if they were looking for me. Could they somehow tell that there was a stranger wandering around? Maybe the doorway triggered some kind of magical alarm system? It was enough to make me slow down, but I was determined to stay and scope out more of this place.

It wasn’t every day that I got to explore another world that wasn’t in the pages of a book.

I made sure to stay behind the widest trees possible as I stared into the city, and I couldn’t believe how much gold and jewelry the rich beings were wearing. Some more of the winged beasts flew far over my head as they made their way to the town, and they looked like they could plummet to the ground at any second from the sheer weight of their accessories.

Why were they wearing so much of it? I figured it must be how the wealthy distinguished themselves from the workers.

There was gold and riches everywhere. More bejeweled silver carriages rattled past, and too many well-dressed snake-men roamed the streets for me to count. Some had thick gold rings stacked on their slender fingers, and others carried canes that were topped with solid gemstones the size of a golf ball.

And I couldn’t help wondering just how easy it would be to get my hands on some of that loot.

Surely they wouldn’t notice if a few of their golden amulets went missing? I reckoned that just one of those brooches could pay for a month’s worth of rent, maybe even more.

My mind started to wander as I considered the possibilities of this world. Could this be my ticket to a whole new life for myself? The kind of life I had dreamed of when I moved to L.A. years ago? I tried not to get too ahead of myself, and I knew I would have to get close to those creatures to be able to steal anything.

But there was no way I was going to stroll into view.

These beasts clearly had no compassion for others, and I had a feeling that my hardback novel wouldn’t be enough to fight off those sharp spears, claws, and fangs.

Another creaking sounded nearby, and I swung around to stare into the eerie woodland.

“Hello?” I said quietly as I got ready to use my hardback weapon. “Is someone there?”

Nobody answered, and I decided it would be smart to move on before something did show itself.

I hurried further around the city until the hill was on the opposite side of me, and the smell from the city was somehow worse. It seemed like nobody took care of the city, and I could see brown rodents scurrying along the dirty cobblestones. There were piles of horse shit lying in the middle of the streets, and some of the windows were so dirty that it looked like black curtains had been drawn.

I wondered if there was any kind of government here, or if it was just every man for himself. Then again, who did the guards work for?

There was a horrific scream that echoed off the gray buildings, and I watched in horror as an armed guard dragged a purple-skinned man over the cobblestones.

He had pointed ears and wore ragged black shorts that were torn to shreds. His skinny legs were bruised all over, and bloody cuts covered his long arms. It was clear that he was not one of the wealthy species, and I could see the panic in his gaunt face as he was pulled by one of his thin arms.

“Please,” he whimpered as he tried to wiggle free. “I didn’t mean to insult them! I just asked if they could possibly pay full price for the food! Please! I have children!”

The guard didn’t even flinch at the man’s desperate begging and howls of pain. I had a feeling that the poor bastard wasn’t going to be seeing his kids again any time soon, and he was dragged around a corner as his screams continued.

There was no doubt that this place was incredibly dangerous to anyone who wasn’t a winged beast, snake-guy, or one of the long-haired women. If you weren’t rich, then you were in grave fucking danger.

Which meant that if I wanted to explore further, I was going to need some kind of disguise.

I glanced down at my jeans, and I wondered where the hell I could get old-timey style clothes from. Maybe just a cloak and plain pants would do? But then there was the issue of my human form. I couldn’t exactly blend in if I was the only one of my species in the whole city.

If I could find the most human-like beings, then I could try and copy them as closely as possible. Or maybe I should just stay in the shadows and watch this world from a distance.

But the gold and jewels were calling to me, and I knew I wasn’t going to be satisfied sitting and observing everything forever.

There was an extra-loud rumble above me, and I looked up to see some red had appeared in the swirling colors of the sky. A very light splattering of rain began to fall, and I was grateful that some of the stains might get washed from my sneakers. The wind picked up and ruffled my hair, too, and the cold sting of the air became wilder.

I decided I should go and get some supplies before I explored any further. Even if I couldn’t fully blend in, I would need something more useful than a book as a weapon.

A knife or something from the staff kitchen could work. Anything to make me feel less like a sitting duck in this insane new world. There was some equipment in the building gym that could work, too. If I sneaked out a dumbbell, then that could do some damage.

For now, I knew I might have to fight through more gray bat beasts on my way uphill, and I started to slowly head back around the way I came. My eyes darted around the dim woodland, and I kept my book ready in both hands to swing.

The creaking noise I heard before suddenly came again.

Then I stopped in my tracks as a young woman leapt down from the trees and landed in front of me.

At first I thought she was wearing a costume, but I quickly realized that the bizarre additions to her body were actually part of her natural anatomy.

She had chestnut-brown skin with bright golden eyes, and black hair fell over her slim shoulders. Her dark lips were plump on her sharp face, and her body was insanely lean and toned.

I knew this because the woman’s figure was fully on display in a pair of skintight, black short-shorts, and a matching top that barely counted as a bra cradled her large breasts. A thin belt was wrapped around her hips, and she carried a small weapon along with a silver pouch. The blade on her side was thin and curved, and I had no doubt that the dark stains on the metal were dried blood.

Her toned stomach and long legs were hard to look away from, but the strangest features she had were not human.

She had a black, furry tail flicking behind her, and pointed ears sticking out from her glossy hair.

I couldn’t tear my eyes off her as each ear twitched in turn. There was no denying that she was the most insanely gorgeous person I had ever seen in my life, but there was also no denying that she was not just any woman.

Her golden eyes felt like they were staring into my soul as she looked at me, and I was drawn to her in a way I couldn’t explain.

This woman was definitely not human.

She was part cat.

Chapter 3

The screeches around me seemed to dull as I stared at the beautiful cat-girl.

Her golden eyes looked me up and down, and I was suddenly very aware of how stained my sneakers were. I tried to tame my dark blond hair slightly as I ran a hand through it, but I had a feeling it wasn’t doing any good.

Her revealing outfit was difficult not to stare at, and I focused hard on meeting her gaze.

“Hello,” I said after a moment. “I’m Liam.”

I wasn’t sure if I was expecting a meow or a human reply, but she stayed silent as she watched me. The faint abs outlined on her stomach told me this woman was incredibly fit, and I glanced at her blade as I gripped my book. She didn’t have any gold or jewels, and the only accessory she wore was a black collar-like choker necklace around her neck.

All of these factors told me she wasn’t one of those rich fuckers strolling around, but I kept my guard up as I waited for a reply.

“You were fighting gremlins,” she said, and her voice had a raspy quality that almost sounded like a purr.

“Is that what those things were?” I asked. “Yeah, I did what I could. They’re violent little fuckers.”

“Yes,” she replied quietly. “I’ve never seen anyone kill them with a book before. Is that your favorite weapon?”

“Uh,” I said. “No. It does the job, but I think something sharper would probably work better. How did you see that anyway?”

“I’ve been watching you,” she replied with a hint of a grin. “Your clothes are strange. I could spot you from miles away.”

“The sneakers are normally clean,” I said as I tried to wipe gremlin blood onto the grass with my foot.

“Sneaker,” the woman repeated. “Hmm.”

She had a playfulness to her voice, but her golden eyes were dangerous and wild. I could see that she wasn’t sure what to make of me, and she started to pace around me slowly like I was a trapped mouse.

“You are not a leviathan,” she said quietly. “Or an elf, or a dwarf, or a warlock. What are you?”

“A human,” I said. “Just… a guy.”

“A guy human,” the woman purred. “What is this?”

I wasn’t entirely sure what to say to that, and I was now positive that there weren’t any more people like me in this world.

So much for sneaking into the city without raising any suspicion.

The cat-girl stopped in front of me again, but she was smiling properly now. Her full lips parted to reveal two sharp little fangs among her top row of teeth, and they were super crazy cute.

Even though they looked like they could probably pierce my jugular with ease.

“I’m Cleo,” she said in that almost-purr of hers. “Liam, are we going to fight?”

“Fight?” I asked. “No? Hopefully not? I’m just here to explore, I don’t want any trouble. Those gremlins attacked me first, that’s the only reason I killed them.”

“Mmmm…” The woman tilted her head as she studied me, and her nose wrinkled adorably as her gold eyes flicked up and down my frame.

“Why would we fight?” I asked.

“Where exactly are you from?” Cleo asked as she put her hands on her hips and ignored the question.

“L.A.,” I said. “Los Angeles. Well, Ohio originally. Earth?”

“Is that over the sea?” Cleo asked. “I have never heard of this Err-thh land.”

“Not really,” I said. “Kind of. But, no. It’s another place entirely, with its own sky and species.”

“Hmm,” Cleo said. “You guy humans are mysterious. Good looking, too. It will be a shame if I have to slit your throat.”

“You really won’t,” I said hurriedly. “I promise I won’t hurt you. Look, all I have is a book. It works on gremlins, but I have a feeling you’re a better fighter than them.”

Cleo laughed, and her black tail flicked from side to side as she did. Her tone was playful, but I still felt tense as she eyed me up. I imagined this was what it felt like to be a gazelle that’s just been cornered by a lion.

“Sooooo,” I said as I tried to lighten the mood. “Could you maybe tell me about this place?”

“I could, I suppose,” Cleo said. “What would you like to know?”

“Everything.” I shrugged. “What’s this world called? How big is it? What the fuck are those big flying things with all the gold hanging off them, and why are they dickheads to everyone?”

“That is quite a lot of questions,” Cleo purred with a raised eyebrow. “Do you really not know where you are? Did you hit your head on a rock?”

“It’s hard to explain,” I said. “But I’m… from another world? I have no clue what’s going on here, and I just want to know what all these… things are.”

“Another world?” The cat-girl’s eyes got even wider as if she couldn’t comprehend this. “What do you--”

There was a nearby scream, and I spun around to see that a dwarf was running from two of the spear-wielding guards. The bearded man stood no chance despite his solid effort at escape, and he was grabbed by each arm as his pursuers caught up. Then he fell back as they started to pull him along the ground, and his face reddened as he fought against their grasp.

“No!” the dwarf snarled. “That scaly bastard took the meat before I could cook it properly. That’s why he got sick! I tried to stop him!”

The guards ignored him as they dragged him off down the filthy cobblestones, and I winced as the bearded man’s back scraped against the ground.

“I swear it,” the dwarf said. “My meat stall has never gotten anyone ill before! It would have been cooked through if he hadn’t just grabbed it and shoved it into his slimy mouth! Please!”

It seemed like just about anything could get you wanted by the officials around here, and we watched in silence as the struggling dwarf was taken around the next corner. His screams died out as he was taken off to wherever they held prisoners, and I wondered what the punishment system was like here.

“Poor guy,” I mumbled. “I’ve worked out that there’s some kind of serious tier system with the power and wealth here? Some of these creatures get to stroll around like they own the place, and the rest of them get the shit kicked out of them by the guards if they argue.”

“Yes,” Cleo sighed, and she stroked the end of her tail as if she was comforting herself. “It has been that way for all of my life.”

“So like twentyish years?” I asked. “Twenty-five?”

“I’m a hundred and two,” Cleo said with a raised eyebrow.

“In cat years?” I asked as I stared at her youthful face.

“In Hollowfell years,” Cleo replied. “That’s what we call our world. But I am still curious how you don’t know that. You talk of other worlds… but this is the world.”

“Yeah,” I muttered and rubbed the back of my neck. “It’s kind of hard to explain, I honestly don’t know how this works, either. But this is Hollowfell. That’s good to know. And how big is it?”

The cat-woman studied me for a moment, and her golden eyes flickered over my jeans as she frowned. I hadn’t seen anyone walking around in denim, and I knew my clothes were enough reason for her to want to speak to me in the first place.

Apparently, I was the oddity around here.

But I could understand her hesitation. If some weird-looking guy had walked in front of me yesterday blabbing about other worlds, I would have crossed to the other side of the street.

“Hollowfell is a vast world,” Cleo said slowly. “It’s… too big to describe. You could spend many lifetimes exploring it all. There are too many Realms to name, and there are thousands upon thousands of towns and cities. It was once apparently so beautiful, but I don’t remember that far back.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “What happened?”

“The Downfall,” Cleo said with a slight hiss to her tone. “That was when the world changed. Have you really never heard of this?”

“None of it,” I said. “What was the Downfall, exactly?”

Cleo glanced over her shoulder into the gloomy black trees, and she gestured for me to step a bit further away from the edge of the woodland.

We shuffled back a few trees so the city streets were still visible, but we were more concealed by the darkness and twisting branches. An orange bug scuttled across my shoes, and I felt a small droplet of rain as the electric-green and purple sky swirled.

“Hollowfell used to work fairly,” Cleo said. “The world operated smoothly, and all stories of the old life are so happy and dreamlike.”

“Did your family tell you these stories?” I asked.

“They did,” Cleo said softly. “A long time ago. Farms were worked by generations of families. They would pile their wares up onto carts every day to take to the markets. Stores and apothecaries were full and busy. Everyone made enough to get by, and the taverns were crammed and filled with music at the end of each evening.”

“That’s not what things are like now,” I said as I glanced toward the grimy city. “It looks… awful.”

“There were beings that didn’t like it,” Cleo said. “Evil, vile, greedy creatures. They joined forces to rise up and wage war on every worker. Nobody was prepared for such a huge fight, and the evil ones stole and hoarded all the riches and magic they could.”

“So what are the huge things?” I asked. “Those ones that can barely fly with so much gold on them?”

“Gargoyles,” Cleo said. “There’s one family in particular that is the most wealthy in Stormgulf.”

“Is that this city?” I asked, and the cat-woman nodded.

“Duke and Duchess Sobbler,” Cleo said with a sour face. “The most repulsive creatures you will ever meet.”

She spat as she spoke, and I got the impression she had some kind of personal grievance with the rich family.

Learning about real-life gargoyles was blowing my mind, but I tried to stay focused on the facts.

“They live in the city?” I asked. “The gargoyles?”

“Some do,” Cleo replied. “But the duke and duchess live on an island out by the Coves. That’s where they hoard all of their riches. Stolen riches. Piles of it that they couldn’t possibly even keep track of.”

I wondered how much they had exactly, and my mind started to wander to the image of a whole island covered in gold.

Knowing that these beings were evil would make it a hell of a lot easier on my conscience to take from them.

“What about those snake-guys?” I asked. “Who are they?”

“Those… guys,” Cleo said. “They are leviathan… guys. Part man and part snake. They can shift whenever they like, so you have to be very careful around them. All of them are incredibly sneaky, they could be watching you at any time.”

I glanced down at the ground around us and shuddered at the thought of a snake-man staring out from the darkness.

“They live out by the farmlands,” Cleo said. “Leviathans took over the fields and crops during the Downfall. Now they get all the wealth that was once shared by those working families.”

There was a sudden ear-piercing cackle that echoed out over the trees, and the sound of a horse’s hooves slowly moved over the cobblestones. I looked toward the city to see the same skinny horse I’d seen in the market trot by with the silver carriage in tow. The two women inside were screeching with laughter, and the poor animal pulling them looked like each movement was pure agony. Its thin legs rattled over the cobblestones as the passengers in the carriage shrieked with glee.

“Banshees,” Cleo hissed as the vehicle rolled down the next street. “They own all the apothecaries now. That way the witches can’t help the poor folk with any potions that could start an uprising.”

I had thousands of questions about everything, but I was now very aware of how unarmed I was in this world. There had been some kind of war, and it was clear that these evil beings had no problems with being needlessly violent. My book might be good for squashing gremlins, but I didn’t want to end up face to face with a gargoyle without anything to defend myself with.

I shuddered as the banshees’ laughter carried out over the trees, and I glanced behind me to check for watching eyes or hidden snake-men.

A group of the spear-wielding guards raced by just a few yards away from us as they ran around the perimeter of Stormgulf, and I pressed myself against a tree until they were gone. I wanted to head back to the doorway to find some more supplies, but I also didn’t want to leave Cleo. She was fascinating as well as stunning, and I loved listening to her talk. Her almost-purr was like having velvet stroke my eardrums, and the way her otherworldly eyes glinted with such ferocity was hard to look away from.

But mostly, this world was clearly dangerous, and I wanted to know everything I could about it so I knew how to navigate my way around.

“Where do you live?” I asked. “Here in Stormgulf?”

“Of course not.” Cleo frowned. “That would be so dangerous.”

“Guuuaaaaards!” a voice suddenly rattled out nearby, and Cleo immediately crouched down into the shadows.

I ducked down beside her as she stared at the sky, and I looked up to see an extra-huge gargoyle woman flying around the outskirts of the city. She had a blonde wig that stuck out at odd angles, and her huge body was covered with a white fur coat. Red lipstick was smeared over her squashed snout, and each of her arms was crammed full of golden bracelets and diamond rings.

“Duchess Sobbler,” Cleo breathed as she recoiled even further.

“Guuuaaaaards,” the gargoyle spluttered. “I told you I want a new trophy! You aren’t looking hard enough! My display room is looking empty, and I shall not be made a fool of!”

A group of the frog-legged men hurried down the cobbled street with their spears waving, and I wondered what kind of trophy she was looking for. It sounded like she was hunting for something specific, and I wished I could get a glimpse of the treasure she was desperate for.

“I need to go,” Cleo said quietly, and she suddenly glanced at me with narrowed eyes.

“Oh,” I said. “Where to?”

“Away from here,” Cleo said, and she got to her feet as she kept her eyes on me.

Her hand hovered by her blade, and she stared up at the flying gargoyle.

“Maybe we can meet again,” I said. “I have to go back home for some supplies, but I’ll be back to explore as soon as I can. You’ve been really great, and I could buy you a coffee or something if I bring some coins. They might not look right, but I’m sure they must be worth something here.”

Cleo’s tail twitched as she stared out at the city, and I had an overwhelming urge to stay and help her with whatever she was doing. I could tell she wanted to keep clear of the city and the gargoyles, and I didn’t blame her. If she wasn’t in this elite, rich asshole club, then she was probably a hell of a lot safer sneaking around in the woods instead.

“You seem kind,” Cleo said in a quiet hiss. “But you know that I can’t believe all of this completely. I hope it’s true, and I wish you well… but you might just be a very clever hunter.”

“Hunter?” I asked. “Are people hunting you?”

Cleo tilted her head as she smiled slightly, and her ears twitched as I spoke.

“Liam,” she said. “I wanted to speak to you because you are obviously an outsider, like me. But it is very difficult to fully believe--”

“Cat-girrrrrl!”

I spun around to see the huge gargoyle woman floating just above us. She had flown around behind us over the trees and was now hovering in the green sky as she waved her arms. Her red-stained mouth was open wide as she screamed, and her wings were barely keeping her in the sky. She pointed at us with a crusty yellow nail as her voice echoed out over the woods.

Then Cleo hissed and began to sprint up the hillside, and I raced after her along the muddy ground.

“She’s escaping!” the gargoyle wailed. “Guards! Cat-giiiirl! Get her! I want that one! I waaaant it! Noooooowwwww!”

The Gargoyle sounded like a toddler throwing a tantrum over a candy bar, and her unbearable wails made me shudder.

There was a stampede of footsteps from the city behind us, and I glanced back to see hordes of the frog-legged men race over the cobblestones toward the woods. Their sturdy legs moved quickly, and they yelled at each other as they pointed at us.

“Shit,” I hissed as we ran upward.

Cleo’s lean legs raced at lightning speed, and she didn’t make the faintest noise as each of her brown boots hit the ground. She was so light on her feet that I couldn’t hear a single twig snap below her, and I understood how she had managed to follow me without being noticed. The girl had some serious stealth skills, and she was so swift that I had to watch for the flick of her black tail between trees to keep up.

We ran through the dense forest, but then I suddenly heard another group of footsteps coming from up ahead. I recognized the stamping of the guards as it rang out through the twisting trees, and I knew we were about to be sandwiched between two sets of the fuckers.

“Wait!” I yelled as I made a giant lunge and managed to grab Cleo’s arm. “I think there’s more of them coming toward us!”

We skidded to a halt as four more armed guards emerged from the trees in front of us, and I pulled Cleo off to the right just as they started to charge. The gargoyle woman howled with rage as she tried to fly and keep up, but she was far too slow to follow us, even with her wings.

“She is mine!” Duchess Sobbler screamed and barreled through the black leaves. “Cat-girl is mine! You will be punished if you don’t get her! Kill the other one, he is stealing her!”

The gargoyle swung her body around to try and follow our movements, and some of her heavy jewels flew off her thick neck. She shrieked as her accessories went flying, but there was still enough gold on her body to sink a ship.

Then something shiny tumbled down onto the forest floor ahead of me, and I bent down to snatch it as we ran.

I shoved the cold metal necklace in my pocket without slowing down, and there were now roughly thirty guards chasing us with spears. My book wasn’t going to get me out of this one, and I knew we couldn’t outrun these guys for much longer. I was relatively fit from walking to work every day and the occasional gym visit, but I would have to be an Olympic sprinter to escape these fuckers.

“Where are we going?” I asked as we raced across the black leaf-covered hillside.

“I have a hiding spot,” Cleo hissed. “Up one of the ancient trees. It’s only about two miles away!”

“Two miles?” I belted. “We can’t outrun these guys for two miles! I know somewhere much closer.”

“But I don’t know you!” Cleo snapped. “All this talk of being from another world? It sounds like a made-up story! Like a trick!”

“Maybe I’m the one that shouldn’t be trusting you,” I panted as I struggled to keep up with the swift woman. “Clearly you’re some kind of wanted person!”

“Get her,” the duchess spat from behind us. “She’s getting away, you idiots. I need her in my collection. She must be mine!”

Collection? Did this crazy gargoyle woman have a pile of cat-girls stacked up on her island? What exactly was she planning to do with Cleo?

“Why does she want you?” I asked. “And what the fuck does she mean by collection?”

Cleo opened her mouth to reply when a gremlin appeared out of the trees and soared toward her with its teeth smashing together.

“Shit, get down!” I yelled, and she ducked right as I swung my book.

The nasty gray creature slammed its whole body into the hardback cover, and there was a loud crunching of bones as it slipped down onto the ground. A flurry of gray wings to our right told me that the little fuckers had come back for revenge, and I fumbled to grab the deodorant can from my bag again. Cleo easily slipped her curved blade out as she ran, and then two more gremlins managed to catch up with us on their leathery wings.

“Watch your eyes!” I yelled as I pulled my aerosol out and pressed down on the button.

A cloud of oak-scented mist sprayed into the two creatures, and they both screamed as their eyes closed up. Then Cleo swung her blade in one swift motion, and she cut through their throats in one fluid swipe.

Both gremlins were beheaded before their wings had stopped flapping, and their bleeding bodies scattered to the ground with their detached skulls.

“Holy shit,” I snorted as I slipped the deodorant into my jeans’ pocket. “Nice!”

“We’re coming up to the creek,” Cleo hissed. “Get ready to jump.”

“Creek?” I asked. “I didn’t see a creek before?”

“It runs toward the Coves,” Cleo said. “Ready?”

I didn’t have time to ask what I needed to be ready for, but Cleo grabbed my arm as we suddenly reached a pale river. It was so dull that it almost blended into the dark ground, and it was about four feet wide.

We jumped over the river as we gripped each other, and I heard a sudden splash behind us. I glanced over my shoulder to see two of the guards had skidded into the water, but the rest of them didn’t even stop to help. They leapt over their fallen comrades easily, and I heard a crunch as one of their bodies was used as a bridge.

There were still a bunch of them in hot pursuit, but four of the fastest ones were just a few feet behind us. Their bronze armor gleamed under the green and purple sky, and I could see how deathly sharp the points of their weapons were. I knew we wouldn’t reach the doorway without them catching up, and my palms were sweating at the thought of fighting them off with a book.

“We have to do something,” I said through gasping breaths. “They’re about to get us.”

I spotted a thick fallen branch coming up, and I grabbed it from the ground as I spun to face the oncoming guards. They were close enough for me to smell their putrid breath, and I swung the length of wood right into their legs.

The thick branch smacked their knees, and two of them crashed down to the ground with furious snarls as their weapons went flying. Then I grabbed a spear that had fallen from one of their hands and leapt back as the two who were still standing jumped at us.

I held the spear in one hand and my book in the other now. My weapon game had just leveled up.

Cleo swung her blade expertly across one of their throats just as he raised his spear, and he gargled up blood as he fell to his knees.

I gripped the wooden shaft of my stolen spear as I stabbed the other attacker in the face, and I felt an unpleasant crunch as the blade penetrated his skull. My spear had smashed right through his forehead and pierced his brain, and the guard’s eyes rolled back as I clumsily yanked the blade back.

There was thick goop dripping down the weapon, and the stench of blood stung my nostrils.

“Gross,” I muttered as I smashed the weapon down onto one of the guards who was struggling to get up from the ground.

The spear pierced his shoulder in the gap between his chest plate and arm protection, and he wailed as blood oozed from the wound.

I quickly pulled the blade out and then delivered the final stab directly into his throat, and he flopped face-down onto the ground before I wiggled the spear free with serious effort.

Cleo kicked the other guard in the head before she slashed her curved weapon down on the back of his neck. Blood erupted everywhere as the guard died, and I wiped the droplets from my eyes with the back of my hand.

Then we spun around to keep running, and we had now put a good bit of distance between us and the next approaching attackers. Duchess Sobbler continued to wail off in the distance, but her screeches were too far off to hear properly.

“You fight well,” Cleo said as she glanced over her shoulder. “Have you used a spear before?”

“Can’t say I have,” I panted. “First time.”

“Where is this place you know of?” Cleo asked without missing a step. “It won’t take long for the guards to catch up.”

“Top of the hill,” I said. “We’re halfway there!”

All I could think about was getting Cleo to safety. Something inside me just desperately needed to get her away from those guards, and I was full of adrenaline as we raced up the hill. I had only just met her, but I wasn’t about to let her get captured by that gargoyle woman’s cronies.

Another gremlin dove out from the trees beside me, but I swung my book up instinctively to meet its face. Its head was just above the cover, but the impact against its body made its belly burst open in a rainstorm of guts. Something slimy hit my cheek, and I quickly wiped my face as the beast tumbled to the ground.

“I hate those fucking things,” I grunted.

“Me, too,” Cleo said. “But they’re everywhere in these woods.”

I glanced back to see the horde of guards racing uphill on their bent legs. We needed some kind of stalling technique, and I knew we might not get another chance to slow them down before we found the door. Then I spotted a boulder up ahead that looked just big enough to cause some chaos.

“Go to that rock,” I said. “We can push it down onto them.”

Cleo’s golden eyes widened as she spotted the boulder, and we raced over to the gray rock as the rain started to get heavier. Then I skidded to a halt, hastily shoved my book into my bag, and stabbed the spear into the ground. We both pressed the bumpy surface with our palms, and I grunted in the effort of getting the damn thing moving.

“It’s stuck,” Cleo grunted. “Liam, it won’t move!”

I kicked the dirt beside the boulder to loosen it as much as possible, and I shoved my full bodyweight against the large stone. The huge rock was dislodged from the mud, and it began to tumble down the hillside at an impressive speed.

I grinned as I saw the panicked guards stop in their tracks. The boulder smashed right through the middle of the group, and several of them screeched as their bodies and limbs were crushed into the ground.

It was like a bloody game of bowling as the rock crashed through the armed bastards, and it carried on rolling down the hill with no signs of stopping.

“Yes!” Cleo cheered as the armed men scrambled to get out of the way. “Marvelous thinking, Liam!”

A bunch of them were on the ground howling in pain with squashed feet and bloody legs. There were only about fifteen left in the group, and I let out a whoop of victory as I snatched my spear and started to run again.

I felt high on life by this point. I was starting to get the hang of this whole magical world thing.

“Nearly there!” I yelled as we reached the steepest point of the hill. “Just a bit further!”

Cleo hissed, and I looked over to see two guards had appeared from over the top of the hillside.

These fuckers really were everywhere. Their legs moved at a terrifying speed as they raced down the slope, and I grabbed Cleo’s arm to pull her to the left.

I could see the gray rock face just a few feet away, and the faint outline of the doorway was just barely visible. Part of me had been terrified that it might have vanished, but now I knew we were inches away from an escape route. The rain started to get even heavier as we trudged onward, and the ground below us became difficult to run on as the mud worsened.

“Follow me!” I yelled. “Just a few more steps!”

“That’s a dead end!” Cleo cried over the strengthening wind. “Liam! There’s nothing there!”

“Trust me!” I shouted.

We ran up the slippery hillside as the thunder of footsteps echoed out behind us, and I was about to push against the rock face when Cleo let out a furious, cat-like yowl. I looked over to see a guard had grabbed her wrist, and he pulled at her as the others tried to catch up against the wind and rain.

“Let go of her!” I shouted, and I yanked my aerosol deodorant from my pocket.

I didn’t trust my spear skills with Cleo so close to her captor, but I leapt at the armed guard with my deodorant can held out and ready.

He went to swing his spear, but I just beat him to it as I sprayed a cloud of mist straight into his eyes. The frog-legged creature howled and dropped Cleo’s arm to rub his red eyes, so I grabbed the cat-woman’s hand and shoved my body weight against the hidden door with all my strength.

We tumbled through the exit of Hollowfell, and I felt relief wash over me as my feet hit the carpet. The door slammed shut behind us, and I pulled Cleo down the hallway as we kept running. Our footsteps echoed out through the dimly-lit corridor, but then I realized there were no other sounds to be heard.

I slowed down just before we reached the end of the hallway, and I turned around to see we hadn’t been followed.

We breathed heavily as we dripped rainwater everywhere, and I slowly let go of Cleo’s hand to look at her. The beautiful cat-woman stared around the hallway with wide golden eyes, and her ears twitched as her gaze fell on me.

Neither of us spoke as we caught our breaths, and I stared over at the closed door with the glowing outline.

I was back on the thirteenth floor of my office building, and I had fought my way through a horde of monsters to get here. Hollowfell was real, and I had just saved a gorgeous cat-woman from what I assumed was going to be a brutal death.

I had wanted adventure, and I sure as hell had gotten my wish.

And as we stood dripping with rain and blood in the quiet hallway, I knew my life had just changed forever.

Chapter 4

If Cleo hadn’t been standing there with me, I would have decided I’d imagined the whole thing. But the soaked cat-girl and my bloodstained spear were proof that I’d just fought monsters in a different world.

My heart was beating hard against my chest, and the adrenaline pumping through my veins was off the charts. I wasn’t sure if I was about to start hysterically laughing or doing a hundred push-ups, but I had never felt energy like this before in my life.

The metal door to Hollowfell stayed shut, and it seemed like the guards weren’t able to see or get through it. Was I the only one who could use it? Surely one of them would have seen us vanish through the rock face? They must have tried it, too?

I hurried back down the hall toward the door, and I kept my book at the ready, just in case anyone emerged. When no one did, I reached out and tested the handle, and I found it had locked itself again.

“Crazy…” I breathed.

Then I wiped my hand over my face and turned around to find the beautiful cat-girl waiting for me.

Cleo’s ears were twitching wildly as she stroked her tail for comfort, and her eyes studied the dim walls suspiciously. We had both jumped worlds today, but at least I had done it by choice. I knew she must be just as freaked out and curious as I’d been after stumbling into Hollowfell, and I steadied my breathing before I spoke.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I came back over to join her. “That was fucking terrifying.”

“You took me from the guards,” Cleo said quietly. “But you have not taken me to a slave-pen to sell. You have taken me to… a tunnel? Is this the trap?”

“Of course not.” I frowned. “I’m not going to… sell someone. I did pull you into my world, though. That might be a bit of a shock to the system. It’s not a trap, I promise. Only a hallway.”

The cat-girl kept stroking her tail as it wrapped around her small waist, and her golden eyes didn’t blink as she stared at me.

“Sorry,” I said hurriedly. “I know pulling you into another world is a lot, but they were going to–”

“You saved me,” Cleo said. “Instead of selling me.”

“Why do you think I would do anything else?” I asked. “Is that something people do in Hollowfell? Sell each other?”

“The duchess has been looking for me,” Cleo said. “She spotted me around the farmlands a few weeks ago, and she has been hunting me ever since. Well, her guards have been the ones doing the hunting.”

“But why?” I asked. “I don’t get what they want you for, but I kept hearing that ugly-ass bitch screaming about a trophy. Are you the trophy?”

“Yes,” Cleo said as she gripped her tail tighter. “Ever since the Downfall, beautiful women have been hunted as trophies. All the various species fetch different prices. Mermaids, some types of nymphs, pixies, and some fairies.”

“And cat-girls.” I nodded. “But… why?

“To display ultimate wealth,” Cleo hissed. “The rarest trophies show that someone has hundreds of servant guards out hunting for them. We are chained up in their living rooms or gardens like a decoration. They drug us so we stay docile and still. Sometimes they like to pet us, because they know their touch sickens us so much.”

“Holy shit…” I felt sick with horror as I listened to Cleo, and I shuddered at the image of beautiful, female fantasy creatures arranged like a fucking floral bouquet in some gargoyle’s house. They already displayed so much wealth, why the hell did they feel the need to ruin living beings’ lives?

Cleo shivered, and I knew she must be cold after being drenched in rainwater. I could learn more about this horrific hunting ritual when I got her somewhere safe and dry. If we got back to my apartment, she could have a hot shower and eat something.

“Okay,” I said as I tried to slow down my thoughts. “How about we go back to my place… I really don’t feel right opening this door and sending you back out there when guards and gargoyles are after you. And I think I’ve got some food in the fridge, but we can order in if not.”

Cleo suddenly leapt at me, and for a split second I thought I was going to be on the receiving end of her swinging blade. But she flung her arms around my neck as she pressed herself into a tight hug, and I tried very hard not to notice how incredible her body felt against mine. She smelled like pine with a hint of blood, and her hair was incredibly soft against my cheek.

“Thank you,” she purred into my ear. “I have never met anyone who would not sell me if given the chance.”

“Of course,” I said as I patted her back. “No problem.”

Cleo smiled as she slipped from my grasp, and I glanced down at her blood-splattered stomach and legs.

My leather jacket had been washed mostly clean by the rain, but my jeans and sneakers were soaked with rain, dirt, and blood. The thrill of the adventure had made me completely forget that it was still the middle of my workday, and I had hours before it was time to clock out.

Roberts was probably seething in his office at me being late getting back from lunch.

“We need to sneak out,” I said. “Which is going to be tricky since you’re so… noticeable.”

A super-hot cat-girl drenched in blood and dirt would not blend into the drab suits of the office building. I could make up some bullshit excuse for leaving work, but Cleo was going to need a disguise.

“Here,” I said as I slipped off my jacket. “Put this on for now.”

Cleo wrinkled her nose as she sniffed the jacket, but then she smiled as she carefully pulled it on. The leather fell down to her thighs and just covered her black shorts. It wasn’t exactly a good fit, but it did cover her bizarre getup, and she tucked her tail up inside it like she was used to hiding this distinct feature. Her bare legs were still exposed, though, and her ears were extremely noticeable.

I remembered seeing a beanie hat collecting dust beside a random toolkit on the twelfth floor. One of the builders must have left it, and that would work for hiding her adorable ears until I got her home.

Then I suddenly realized I was holding a blood-soaked spear, and I hurriedly snapped it in half before I snapped the pointed end off completely.

“Better hide this,” I muttered to myself as I slid the sharp weapon into my bag. “Let’s hope Stan doesn’t suddenly feel like doing a security check.”

I laid the broken parts of the stick against the wall, and I made a mental note to take some kind of safe or storage box up here next time.

“This button is all wrong,” Cleo muttered.

She pulled at the zipper of my jacket with a scowl, and she wrinkled her nose as she tried to work it.

“Here,” I said. “Let me help.”

I bent down and showed her how the silver metal slotted together before I pulled the zipper up to hide her beautiful figure.

“Hmm,” she purred as she stared down. “I like the smell, and it is the same material as my outfit! Do I look like a human guy?”

“Not exactly,” I laughed as she held out the long sleeves that draped over her hands. “We still need a few adjustments.”

Cleo glanced over her shoulder at the gray door down the hall, and I could tell she was still on edge from the chase.

“Let’s go,” I said. “I’ll take you to my home, okay?”

“But Liam…” Cleo’s brow crinkled with only a small hint of worry. “Will others try to hunt me on the way?”

“Uh… no,” I said as my heart ached for the woman. “No one hunts cat-girls in my world. I promise.”

The cat-girl nodded as she swung her arms in the long leather sleeves. I knew her golden eyes were going to stick out no matter how she was dressed, but I just needed to get her out of the building so we could Uber home.

“Come on,” I said. “This way.”

We walked toward the hallway door, and Cleo stepped cautiously as we exited onto the short stairwell. I hurried down to the twelfth floor, and she narrowed her eyes as we stepped into the corridor. Then we passed the law firm reception desk, and Cleo ran a hand over the smooth surface. She spun around as she looked at the wall paintings and half-carpeted floor, and her eyes finally rested on the orange water cooler to inspect it.

“It dispenses water,” I said. “Like this.”

I grabbed a plastic cup that had been discarded, and I placed it under the lever as I pushed it.

“Like a hose,” she said as she slowly pressed the lever herself. “Yes. I understand.”

I spotted the wool hat on the floor nearby, and I hurried over to grab it as Cleo played with the cooler. The black beanie was covered in dust, and I shook it out before I offered it to her.

“Sorry it’s a bit gross,” I said. “You’ll only need to wear it until we get back home. Nobody on Earth has your kind of ears.”

“No cat-girls at all?” Cleo asked as she took the hat. “Or cat-men?”

“Neither,” I said. “Just humans. We do have cats, but they’re just animals. Like pets. But not trophies! We take care of them and let them wander around and stuff.”

“I know what a pet is,” Cleo purred with a giggle. “Don’t worry. Pets are different from trophies.”

She examined the beanie carefully, and then she pulled it over her pointed ears and slid it down her head. It looked slightly bumpy from the pointed triangles of her ears, but it was much less noticeable than her natural appearance. She looked like a very cute biker girl with her leather jacket, beanie, and boots. Now she could just about be any grunge-based L.A. woman, but her blood-splattered legs needed to go.

“Let’s clean ourselves up a bit,” I said, and I grabbed some paper towels from a roll next to the tools.

I dampened a few of them with the cooler water and turned back to hand them to Cleo, but I almost dropped them when I saw that she was already cleaning herself. She had crouched onto the floor and had her leg held up at a bizarre angle as she licked her own thigh. Her tongue lapped at the blood, and her chestnut-brown skin gleamed as the stains were removed, but what struck me most was how very intimate the whole situation suddenly seemed.

“Ummm,” I stammered. “Great, okay. I’ll just use these for me.”

I dragged my gaze away from the insanely flexible woman and dabbed at the blood on my sneakers. The worst of it had been washed off by the rain, but there were still noticeable red blobs that had sunk into the material.

“Shit,” I muttered as I rubbed at the blood. “These were expensive.”

They weren’t really, but rent in my area was close to soul-crushing, so spending any money on things that weren’t food, books, or video games seemed expensive. Sure, I would have loved to buy name-brand clothes, but most of my stuff I got at the Target clearance racks and wore until it was threadbare.

The worst of the dried mud came off my jeans after some hard scrubbing, but there was no way to hide the general dirtiness of my getup. It would have to do until I got home.

Cleo slinked back to her feet when her legs were cleaned up, and she began to lick the back of her hand before she rubbed it against her cheeks. Her cat-like cleaning process worked a lot better than mine did, and she soon looked so spotless that I wondered if her tongue was as cat-like as her other features.

“You look amazing,” I said. “I mean really clean.”

“I’m ready to see your house,” she purred. “Is it a cottage? Or do you have a farmhouse?”

“Just an apartment,” I said.

“Ahh-part-mint?” She tilted her head as she sounded out the words.

“Apartment,” I said with a chuckle. “It’s a small home stacked on top of other homes, but it’s fine. Come on, if we run down the stairwell, then we can just go and get a cab home.”

“Stairwell,” Cleo repeated. “Cab. Apartment. I do not know these words, but I am ready to slaughter anyone who stands in our way.”

“You won’t need to slaughter anyone,” I said hurriedly. “Just stick with me, and we’ll be fine. Your eyes and fangs are the only features that will stick out, so try and keep your head down when we head into the lobby… the busy area with people.”

Cleo nodded as she pulled at her beanie, and I began to lead her into the stairwell to take us downstairs. My feet echoed as they hit the metal steps, but Cleo was still barely making a sound as she hurried beside me. We raced down the stairs past my work floor, and we carried on down and down until we reached the sixth floor landing. I stopped in my tracks as I heard a whistling sound.

“Shit,” I hissed as we stared at the blockade, and the landing door swung open.

A portly construction worker who looked a bit older than me strolled out, and he sipped on an iced coffee as he adjusted his hard hat.

“Can’t go down,” he said as he spotted me. “Sorry buddy. You and… your girlfriend will have to use the elevator.”

His eyes widened as he looked Cleo up and down, but she stared at the floor quietly.

“Can’t we just squeeze through?” I asked as I side-stepped in front of her.

“No can do,” he said as he continued to stare at the cat-girl. “We are working on some broken steps. I could lose my job if I let you go. Hey, are you wearing contacts?”

“She is,” I said quickly. “Okay, thanks.”

I grabbed Cleo’s wrist as I hurried past the builder, and he spun around to watch us leave the stairwell.

“Shit,” I muttered. “Okay, we’ll have to take the elevator.”

“Elevator,” Cleo whispered. “What is the elevator?”

“Like a big box,” I said. “It takes you to different floors.”

“Fascinating…” she murmured.

The sixth floor was rented by some kind of food delivery box company. One of those businesses that sent boxes of overpriced vegetables and meat to their subscribers with complicated instructions to make them feel like professional chefs. It was all painted white with glaring fluorescents, and Cleo hissed as the obnoxious light hit us.

There was a glass-walled meeting room to our right as we hurried down the hall, and I kept Cleo to my left beside the blank wall. A woman in a tight pencil skirt was giving a presentation with pie charts, so nobody glanced our way as we walked past.

Then I hit the button for the elevator as I glanced behind us, and I saw the builder had wandered back through to watch us.

“Nosy fucker,” I muttered as I moved Cleo between me and the silver doors.

The builder slurped his coffee so loudly I could hear him from down the hall, and I willed the elevator to hurry the hell up. My stained pants and shoes were suspicious enough, and I didn’t even know how my face and hair looked. I probably looked like I had just fucking kidnapped Cleo.

My cell phone suddenly began to vibrate inside my jacket, and Cleo jumped as she yowled.

“It’s okay!” I said hurriedly. “It’s just my phone! I’ll get it.”

I reached into the pocket that sat at Cleo’s hip and pulled the cell out to see Roberts’ name flashing on the screen.

“Fuck,” I hissed, and I hit the answer button.

“Liam!” Roberts’ shrill voice snapped. “Where are you? You are extremely late from your break, and I’m afraid your pay will have–”

“I’m sick,” I said in a weak voice. “Sorry I didn’t come back to tell you, but I think I have food poisoning.”

Cleo tilted her head with a smile as she watched me, and I shot her a grin as I groaned the best I could.

“I must have not cooked my chicken properly,” I continued. “Seriously, it is a very gross time. I’m running to the bathroom every five minutes.”

“Well,” Roberts huffed. “Next time, let me know if you have gone home, and I expect you to be in tomorrow.”

He hung up without another word, and I rolled my eyes as I stuffed the phone in my jeans’ pocket. I had already decided I wasn’t going to work the next day. A mysterious cat-girl from another world had just appeared in my life, and I had a million questions to ask her. That was more important than showing Roberts how to forward an email for the hundredth time.

“Magic box,” Cleo whispered. “A man lives inside it? An angry man?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but the elevator finally pinged open to reveal three guys in suits, and one young blonde woman in beige pants and a white blouse.

“Let’s go, I’ll explain it later,” I muttered, and I guided Cleo inside to stand in front of the group.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on her exposed legs as I hit the ground floor button, and I tried to stand behind her to block her from view. But the blonde woman shuffled to the side as she looked at the cat-girl.

“I love your style,” she said. “Very biker chick! Do you spray tan or is that natural?”

Cleo glanced at the woman with raised eyebrows, and I knew she had zero idea what the fuck she had just been asked.

“She doesn’t speak much English,” I said quickly. “But her tan is natural, and she likes wearing contacts.”

“Oooh,” the blonde girl said. “That is so cool. What a bold look.”

The elevator seemed to take forever to get to the lobby, and Cleo received plenty of stares as people piled in and out. She kept her head down, but her golden eyes darted back and forth as she took in this new world.

“This is our stop,” I said as the doors slid open, and we hurried out into the crowded lobby.

No one needed a pass to get out of the exit turnstiles, so I ushered Cleo through the crowd of rushing business people coming back from lunch. I glanced over at Stan’s desk as we went, and he gave me a wave as he frowned at Cleo. He didn’t call me over, but he kept his eyes on us as I showed Cleo how to step through the exit barriers.

I knew he would ask me later what had happened to me, but I was grateful he’d left us to it for now.

“Fascinating,” Cleo whispered as we passed through the cold metal barriers.

“I have never personally thought that about turnstiles, but I suppose you’re right,” I said with a grin. “Come on, let’s get outside.”

Cleo wasn’t managing to keep her head down very well as she stared out at the California sunshine. She stopped in her tracks as we reached the revolving door, and I knew she was going to have to go in alone.

“There’s only room for one at a time,” I said. “You walk between the glass, and it moves. Okay? I’ll go first, and you follow after me.”

“Okay, Liam.” Cleo nodded. “I will watch how to navigate the enchanted doorway.”

“Follow right after me,” I said. “Just like this.”

I stepped into one of the revolving compartments and shuffled along until I walked out onto the sidewalk. Cleo was staring at the door with scowling determination, and she watched a few more people pass through before she jumped into one of the sections. Her golden eyes were wide as she went around, and she leapt out beside me with a huge grin.

“I beat it,” she purred. “I worked the enchanted Earth door!”

“You sure did.” I grinned. “Good job.”

Cleo looked up at the sky, and she purred softly as she basked in the warm sun.

“Your sky is so bright and hot and blue,” she gasped. “This is such a beautiful world. There aren’t any gargoyles, either! It feels strange to stand outside without having to hide.”

“I’m glad you like it,” I chuckled as I pulled my phone out. “We are kind of hiding, but not from gargoyles. I’ll get us a car to get us back home.”

Cleo kept her pretty face turned up to the sun as I ordered an Uber. I wondered if she had ever felt warmth like this before, and I couldn’t stop watching her as she enjoyed the sunshine.

Our car pulled up after a few minutes, and the driver grunted as I opened the door for Cleo.

“Just take a seat,” I said quietly. “This is like a carriage that doesn’t need horses.”

“More Earth magic,” the cat-girl breathed as she cautiously stepped inside.

I hurried around the other side, and the driver looked back at me as I climbed in.

“Is she high?” he grunted as Cleo hovered above the leather seat without touching it.

To be fair, she was hissing slightly at the radio, and she crouched as if she didn’t fully trust the seat.

“Uh,” I said. “No?”

“She’s high,” the man mumbled as he turned back to drive, and I gently pushed Cleo so her butt was on the seat.

We sped off down the road, and I reached over to latch the cat-girl’s seat belt. She watched in fascination as I gently pulled the material over her chest, and her eyes widened as I buckled it.

“To keep you safe,” I whispered.

Cleo prodded the black material with her eyes open wide, and the driver sighed at what looked very much like a girl who had been smoking too much weed.

I tried not to laugh as Cleo stared out in awe at the stoplights and tall buildings. She stayed quiet as she watched through the window, but she couldn’t hold in her gasp when an ice cream truck started to play music as it pulled in for a group of kids.

“Singing, magic carriage,” she muttered seriously, and I held in a snort of laughter at how cute she was.

It only took seven minutes to reach my apartment, and the car pulled up to the grubby sidewalk without any fanfare.

“Thanks,” I said to the disgruntled driver, and I helped Cleo out of her seat belt.

The sun warmed my face as I stepped onto the street, and I hurried around to help the cat-girl out of her door. But when I opened it, she leapt out of the car and stared at the gray buildings with her mouth open to show her fangs.

I showed her up to the front steps of my building, and I grabbed my keys from my pants’ pocket.

“Liam’s house,” Cleo said. “Your world is so full of amazing things! Why were the young human guys excited by the singing carriage?”

“It’s an ice cream truck,” I said as I unlocked the front door. “It gives them tasty food.”

“Ohhh…” she nodded. “I like tasty food as well.”

“I’ll get you some food as soon as we get into my apartment.”

“I am ready to slay any who stand in our path,” Cleo hissed as I pushed the door open.

“Again,” I said. “No slaying or slaughtering will be necessary.”

Cleo took one last look up at the sunny sky, and we stepped into the dingy courtyard of my building.

I couldn’t help feeling a bit embarrassed that I didn’t have a nicer place to bring the beautiful cat-girl.

The walls were covered in peeling beige paint, and the ground was littered with undelivered letters and empty beer bottles. There was always a faint smell of piss, and I had seen more than one dead rat in my time living there.

“Sorry,” I said as I kicked some trash out of the way. “I, uh… I live in a shithole. The apartment’s okay, though. It’s on the third floor.”

Cleo followed me up the winding stairs, and I was relieved that none of my neighbors ran into us as we went. The guy below me was okay, but he was loud as hell when his friends came over. The woman above me was seriously weird, and she stuck her head over the stairwell railing to silently glare down at me every once in a while when I came home from work.

I rammed the key into my lock and prayed I had left the place in a decent enough state. Cleaning up for a gorgeous cat-girl hadn’t exactly been on my to-do list when I left for work that morning.

“Home sweet home,” I sighed as I pushed the door open. “Come on in.”

It was very underwhelming after running through a magical world of monsters and green skies. My apartment had a small living room with an old, brown sofa, a kitchen the size of a shoebox, a bathroom with a temperamental shower, and a bedroom that barely held all my stuff.

The carpet was a dull green, and the walls were an uninspiring beige. I kept the place as tidy as I could, but I always had books lying around and half-finished puzzles on the small coffee table. There were a few dirty socks and takeout boxes lying around, but I had at least left the window open to air the place out.

Thank god for that window.

Cleo stood in the living room as she stared at everything with her mouth open.

I felt more self-conscious about the less-than-impressive space as the seconds passed, and I rubbed the back of my neck as I awkwardly shifted my weight.

“It’s not much, but–”

“It’s incredible,” Cleo breathed. “Such sturdy walls and a solid ceiling… and so much more space than the hovels I have used to hide in. You are a very fortunate human guy, Liam.”

I stared at her for a moment, and a slight grin came to my lips.

“Oh, uh… yeah, it’s not too bad. You can take that stuff off,” I said. “I’ll get you a towel if you want to shower.”

“What is this?” Cleo whispered as she crouched down to stare at the television.

It was probably my most expensive possession, but the flat screen was half the size of the one I really wanted. I grabbed the remote and turned it on, and Cleo gasped as a nature documentary flashed into life. A sloth crawled along a branch as the narrator spoke, and I handed the cat-girl the remote.

“You press these buttons to change the channel,” I told her. “See this one here? Just press that, and you can watch whatever you like. I don’t have all the good channels, but there’s enough.”

“Is it a wand?” Cleo asked as she sniffed the remote. “Is this cute animal inside the box? Is it stuck?”

“No,” I said. “It’s just a picture. There’s no animals inside it. You just watch stuff for entertainment. Like a book? But you can see the images instead of imagining them.”

Cleo stood glued to the floor as she pressed a button, and she gasped as the channel switched to the weatherman.

“A human guy,” she said excitedly. “He is inside the magic box!”

Cleo began to hit the channel button again and again, and she purred with happiness as the pictures changed. I couldn’t help chuckling at how cute she was, and I left her occupied for now as I opened my laundry cupboard and grabbed two fresh towels.

“You can go first if you’d like,” I said. “Shall I show you how to work the… cleaning room?”

“Yes,” Cleo said. “Liam, you have a very magical house! Do you have a singing carriage?”

“I’m afraid not,” I said. “The closest thing I have to a vehicle is the bike on the landing. I’m saving up for a car, though. Like the carriage we took here that didn’t sing.”

I led Cleo to the bathroom and pulled the light that always made a dull buzzing sound when it was on.

“This is the bathroom,” I said. “I’m guessing you know what a toilet is?”

“Oh, yes.” Cleo said. “But this one looks strange.”

“Well, this is the shower,” I said and gestured to it. “You get in to clean yourself, and you turn this handle to get the water.”

I pulled the lever to start the stream, and Cleo stuck a cautious finger underneath the flow.

“This way heats it up,” I said as I turned the handle. “This way cools it down. Use any of the shower gels you want, those are soap. Let me take the jacket and hat, and you can relax a bit.”

Cleo fumbled with the zipper until she managed to pull it down, and she slipped off the beanie so her furry ears popped back upright. I was once again blown away by her beauty as she stood in her revealing outfit, but I tried not to stare too much as I gently closed the door to give her some privacy.

“Will you still be here when I come out?” Cleo called, and there was a hint of worry in her voice.

“Of course,” I said. “I’ll be right here.”

“Will I have to sleep outside?” Cleo asked through the door.

“No,” I said and grinned. “You can have my bed, or I can get you a blanket for the sofa if that makes you more comfortable. Make yourself at home, okay?”

“Thank you,” she purred softly. “I will wash my body now!”

“Uh, good,” I coughed. “Take your time.”

Cleo sang softly to herself in a raspy purr as I heard her climbing into the shower, and I tried not to picture the glorious scene that was happening in my bathroom. I sighed as I sat down on my worn sofa, and I rubbed my face as the excitement and stress of the day caught up with me.

Holy shit. There was a portal to another world in my work building, and I had a gorgeous cat-girl in my shower who I had saved from being captured as a trophy.

I thought back to the screeching gargoyle duchess, and I remembered that I had grabbed something of hers when it fell. The leather jacket stank slightly of mud and blood, and I reached into the pocket and pulled out a golden necklace that was covered in green emeralds. It looked ridiculously expensive, and the sheer weight of it told me it was worth a shitload of money. I laid it down on the coffee table, and I wondered how much more I could take if I went back to Hollowfell with an actual weapon and a plan.

Those rich reptile fuckers had more than they needed, and I knew now that none of them deserved a single golden coin they possessed.

I glanced around at my dingy apartment, and I began to imagine the life I could have with just a few trips to Hollowfell. If I was clever with my moves, then I could loot enough gold and gemstones to pay for a year’s worth of rent.

Even better, I could move. Somewhere with a bigger living room, and a kitchen I could actually fit two people in.

My mind raced as I started to picture how different my life could be. I could afford a new TV, a new car, and sneakers without gremlin guts soaked into the material.

If Cleo wanted to stick around, then I could take her somewhere fancy for dinners.

Everything I had ever dreamed of was suddenly becoming possible, and I had the chance to live my own adventure.

It was terrifying and thrilling in equal measures. I would need to work out how the hell to sneak off during workdays, but I didn’t think bullshitting Roberts’ would be too hard.

Either way, I knew I had to go back to Hollowfell the next chance I got, and I would bring a real weapon.

I grinned as I heard Cleo humming in the shower. This was my chance to give myself the life I had always dreamed of. Everything was about to change for the better, and I couldn’t wait to get started.

Chapter 5

I was lost in my thoughts when Cleo came out of the shower, and she had wrapped the towel around her body like a dress while her clothes were tucked under her arm. Her silky black hair clung to her bronzed shoulders as drops of water ran down her sculpted calves. She took me by surprise every time I saw her, and it was like I kept forgetting someone could actually be that gorgeous.

“I worked it,” she said proudly. “The shower is very pleasing! Like a hot waterfall inside your house.”

“A hot shower cures all,” I chuckled. “Do you want me to wash your clothes? I’m presuming they have that delightful stench of gremlin guts.”

“They do have that.” Cleo grinned. “Do you have a river nearby to soak them in?”

“The building has a laundry room,” I said. “I can wash them for you, just throw them in that pile.”

I pointed at the overflowing basket beside the kitchen, and she carefully placed her soft black outfit on top of my old socks.

“You can borrow something of mine for now,” I said. “I’ll grab you some clothes.”

I got up and headed to the bedroom to see what I had clean in my wardrobe. Cleo’s tail wiggled under the towel as she studied the books on my crammed shelf, and her mood had seriously lifted now that she was clean and safe.

It was impossible not to smile as she purred, and her ears twitched as she examined everything in my apartment like it was a strange artifact.

I grabbed a shirt with a Metallica graphic on it, and a pair of blue board shorts that my mom had bought me which didn’t fit. They were too tight, and I had never gotten around to returning them.

“Here you go,” I said as I strode back into the living room. “You can wear these until we get your stuff cleaned up.”

Cleo took the clothes and immediately went to drop her towel. I spun around just as she grabbed the material, and I stared at the wall as I heard her climb into her new clothes. My face flushed slightly as I waited for her to be done, and I fought every instinct I had to turn back around.

“What are you doing?” Cleo asked curiously.

“Giving you some privacy,” I said. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were going to change right here.”

“Privacy,” the cat-girl said slowly. “Oh. I have never had this before.”

I imagined that life as a trophy on the run did seriously lack any kind of decency, and I had no doubts that gargoyles wouldn’t give a shit where their pets changed. It filled me with sadness to think of the life she had been living in Hollowfell. As much as I wanted to appreciate the naked beauty behind me, that wasn’t my decision to make.

“I have finished being nude,” Cleo announced, and I smiled at her strange turns of phrase.

When I turned around, I laughed at how cute she looked in my baggy clothing that draped down her slim body. Her large breasts filled the shirt out well, but it was still long enough to be a dress, and her tail popped out of the shorts at an odd angle. She slipped on her brown boots, and it wasn’t a bad outfit. Or maybe she was just hot enough to pull off anything she wore.

“You look great,” I said. “Is your tail okay?”

“It’s a bit squashed,” she said. “But it is fine, I like having clothes that smell like you, Liam.”

“Why don’t we adjust those shorts to have a tail hole,” I said as I grabbed a set of scissors from the cabinet. “They don’t fit me anyway. Do you want to do it, or should I?”

“You can.” Cleo smiled as she stroked the graphic tee. “These are very strange clothes.”

“Your little shorts are much cooler,” I chuckled before I could stop myself, and I crouched down behind her. “Do you mind if I touch you, so I know where to cut?”

“Nobody has touched me kindly before,” she said softly. “But I do not feel afraid of you, Liam. You can touch me.”

I thought of how long she had spent on the run from creatures that would only touch her with grabs, pulls, and violent shoves. She stood stiffly, but I knew how big of a step this must have been for her.

I ran my hand down over her spine, and my fingertips traced the curve of her back until I reached her tail. Then I gently held the waistband of the shorts she had tied tightly to fit, and I carefully cut a hole just below the stretchy material. Her ears twitched as I finished, and I gently guided her furry tail through the makeshift feature.

It wasn’t lost on me how much she must have trusted me to stand behind her with a pair of scissors, never mind touching her tail.

But holy shit was it soft. It was like nothing I’d ever felt, and calling it velvety almost didn’t do it justice. Her black tail was thickly furred, but reminded me of a panther almost, and I caught myself losing all focus by the time I’d finished getting it out in the open.

“There you go,” I said as I swiftly stood up. “Hopefully that’s comfier.”

“Thank you,” Cleo purred, and her golden eyes fluttered halfway shut. “I am quite tired. Are you sure nobody hunts cat-girls in this world?”

“I promise,” I said. “You can sleep wherever you’d like.”

Cleo stepped onto the couch, and she curled up so her whole body was contained on one cushion. Her silky hair cascaded over her cheeks, and her adorable ears twitched as her eyelids began to close.

I grabbed the fleece blanket that was draped on the back of the sofa, and I carefully arranged it over her body.

She purred softly in response, and I smiled as her breathing started to slow down. Then I reached down and softly stroked her soft hair, and the purring grew ten times louder at my touch. Cleo smiled as she fell deeper into sleep, and her full lips rested into a contented smile.

She must have been fucking exhausted from her weeks spent running from the duchess.

That scaly bitch’s voice still rang in my ears, and I had no doubts that she had a collection of beautiful women displayed in her mansion. She wasn’t getting her hands on Cleo, though.

Never. I would make sure of that.

The cat-girl shifted slightly, and she let out cute little purring snores.

I felt an enormous sense of protectiveness wash over me as she slept, and I triple-checked through the peephole on my door in case some of the frog-legged bastards had somehow managed to track us. But we were safe, and I carefully crept over to my bedroom as I hit the lights. It was only three in the afternoon, but every cell in my body felt exhausted, so I fell onto my bed and had barely even shut my eyes before my tired body was sent into an exciting, dream-filled sleep.

The next morning, I woke up to the sun blazing into my room. I had fallen into bed without closing the curtains, and I could hear Cleo moving around in the living room.

The events of the day before raced through my mind, and I grinned as the wave of excitement crashed over me all over again.

I’d never gotten out of bed so enthusiastically before, and I opened the door to the living room to find Cleo with her face pressed up against the window. Her golden eyes darted back and forth as cars passed, and her tail twitched every time a bird flew by.

“Morning,” I chuckled. “Enjoying the view?”

“It’s amazing,” she purred as she turned to face me. “Can we go and see more of Earth today?”

“Sure,” I said. “I want to hear more about Hollowfell, too. We could head down to the beach if you’d like.”

“The beach,” Cleo said slowly. “Sands?”

“Yeah,” I said as I headed into the tiny kitchen. “I take it you have them in your world, too?”

“They are where the pirates go,” Cleo said quietly. “The sands are covered with blood and bones.”

Pirates? Her world had fucking pirates?

“This one won’t have any of that,” I assured her. “There might be some loud kids, but no bones. Do you want breakfast?”

“I do,” Cleo said as she slinked into the doorway to watch me. “What is Earth food like?”

She leaned against the wall with a hand on her hip, and I wished I could offer her something super fancy. But she seemed to be amazed by my life as it was, and I was starting to feel less pressure to impress her.

“I have cereal,” I said. “Or I can cook you some eggs?”

“Hollowfell has eggs,” the cat-girl said. “I would like to try cereal!”

“Cereal, coming right up,” I said. “For the lady of the house.”

Cleo giggled as I bowed to her, and the sound seemed to light up the entirety of the tiny kitchen.

I grabbed some Cheerios and made sure the milk was still good before I poured each of us a bowl.

Cleo watched curiously as I made two cups of coffee, and I added a splash of milk to each one. She took her bowl and mug excitedly, and we walked back to sit on the couch. The cat-girl slowly crossed her legs on the cushion so she didn’t spill anything, and I pulled the coffee table closer for her to use.

It felt weird to sit down and eat breakfast after a day of running from magical monsters. But I didn’t have that bored, soulless feeling that had been sneaking into my mornings lately. Cereal and coffee was suddenly the most exciting meal I could have asked for, and I was actually chomping at the bit to start the day.

Suddenly, mundane, everyday tasks didn’t seem as soul-crushing as they had just days ago. Cleo made everything feel electric, and I couldn’t wait to hear everything I could about her world, or to show her even more of my own.

I glanced over at the feline beauty as she carefully spooned her breakfast into her mouth, and she purred as she ate.

“Cereal is good,” she said approvingly. “Thank you, Liam.”

“It’s just Cheerios,” I chuckled. “But you’re welcome. Do you have coffee in Hollowfell?”

“Steaming liquid,” she muttered as she picked up her cup. “We have tea?”

“We have that, too.” I nodded. “But I prefer the stronger stuff.”

“Stronger stuff,” Cleo repeated as she took a sip. “Oh! It tastes… odd.”

“Don’t overdo it.” I grinned. “Or you’ll be bouncing off the walls later.”

Cleo’s expression turned very serious, and she carefully set down the mug as she gave it a suspicious glare.

“Bouncing off walls potion,” she muttered. “I will not have too much.”

“I’d better call my asshole boss,” I sighed as I pulled out my phone. “If I pull a no-show, he’ll shit a brick.”

Cleo watched curiously as I hit Roberts’ number, and I was relieved when I was met by his voicemail.

“Hey,” I said in a weak voice. “The food poisoning is still going strong. No way I can make it in for my shift today. Sorry.”

I hung up and silenced my cell before I stuffed it back in my pocket. Roberts would still be livid that I was daring to miss a day of work, but he couldn’t do anything about it really.

We finished up breakfast, and I cleared our dishes away as the sun rose higher outside. It sent warm rays through the window, and Cleo purred happily as she sat in the golden glow. The light shone on her chestnut-brown skin and reflected a tiny little rainbow on her cheek.

“Okay,” I said as I rinsed off the last spoon. “I’ll give you a light jacket to hide your tail, and we can head out.”

I grabbed a thin denim coat from the hook on my wall, and Cleo slipped her arms into it. She looked adorable in another oversized garment, and her tail was tucked up behind the material.

Unfortunately, I knew it was going to be hot out, and a beanie would make her feel uncomfortable. She would be less hot in a baseball cap, but they wouldn’t fit over her pointed ears.

“I think I have a plan,” I said. “You can say your ears are a costume.”

“A costume?” Cleo asked as she tilted her head.

“Like a disguise,” I said. “But one that you wear for fun. We have lots of anime shows that have characters who look like you. Let’s pretend you’re dressing up as one of them.”

“Costume,” Cleo repeated as she stroked her ears. “My ears are pretending to look like a character. From the talking box?”

“You got it.” I grinned. “Just act confident, and we’ll be just fine. There are much weirder-looking people walking around L.A., trust me. Now that you’re not stained with mud, it’s a lot less suspicious looking. You just look like a hot cosplayer.”

“If you are sure,” Cleo said with a shrug.

We headed out of the apartment, and I grabbed my bike from the railing. Cleo raced down ahead of me, and I noticed she had slipped her pouch back around her waist.

“What do you carry in there?” I asked as we stepped out into the sun.

“Coins,” she said. “And food when I find it. Liam, what is this device? Another carriage?”

“Basically,” I said as I swung a leg over the bike. “Okay, you sit on the seat behind me. I’ll pedal.”

Cleo’s ears twitched as she swung a long leg over to join me. She perched on the black saddle, and I grinned as I looked back at her.

I was officially the luckiest guy on the planet at that moment.

“Hold onto my bag,” I said. “Or wrap your arms around my waist, it’s up to you. Then I’m going to start pedaling.”

Cleo leaned forward, and her arms slid around my body tightly so she was pressed against my backpack. I made sure her feet were off the ground, and I kicked off onto the street.

“Oh,” she gasped. “I see how it works! This is marvelous, Liam.”

“It’s a good workout,” I laughed. “And it gets us to the beach a hell of a lot faster than walking or relying on the shitty bus service.”

Cleo laughed as we sped down the street away from my dingy apartment, and the sun beat down on my face. I felt like I was on top of the fucking world as we raced toward Cabrillo Beach, and the gorgeous cat-girl purred behind me. Every stress about life and dead-end jobs was gone. My life was suddenly amazing, and I was just standing on the edge of an adventure I couldn’t have dreamed up no matter how hard I tried.

“This is wonderful!” Cleo yelled as we sped toward the coast. “I love this two-wheel carriage!”

“I’ll teach you to ride it yourself sometime,” I hollered back. “You’ll love that even more!”

I had never heard anyone be so excited about a secondhand, dusty bike. She really made me appreciate things in a new way, and I couldn’t wait for her to see the beach.

It wasn’t the biggest or most impressive in L.A., but it was always clean. I liked going down there at sunset sometimes to read, and I was glad to have someone I cared about to finally bring with me.

The blue water soon came into view as I turned a street corner, and Cleo gasped as I pulled onto the bike path beside the sand. Cabrillo Beach had two parts to it: The inner section within the harbor, and the outer area that faced the sea. The outer part was my favorite because you could watch the surfers, and the view of the waves was much more thrilling than the fishing boats.

“Liam,” Cleo breathed. “This is amazing. It’s so bright! I have never seen sand like this. There is no blood!”

“Told ya,” I chuckled back.

I slowed down and waited for Cleo to slip off before I swung a leg over my bike. The beach was relatively busy, but there was more than enough space to find a quiet spot. Volleyball players yelled at each other, and teenage girls took posed pictures on their phones. The palm trees rustled in the wind, and kids screamed as they chased each other across the white sand. People were lying on towels sunbathing, and a couple of surfers were further out in the sea waiting for the next wave.

“Where do you want to sit?” I asked, but Cleo suddenly jumped onto the sand.

She immediately bent down and pulled her boots off, and then she started to race toward the sea with an excited squeal.

I chained my bike up to the rails as fast as I could, and I grabbed her shoes before I raced after her. Cleo was just as light on her feet on the beach, and I could see people lowering their sunglasses to watch the cat-eared beauty. Her long legs flew over the white ground, and I laughed as I tried to keep up with her as best I could. Then we skidded to a halt right at the edge of the sea, and Cleo’s face glowed as she shuffled her toes into the lapping water.

“I can’t believe how bright it all is,” she sighed as she stared out at the horizon. “Is the sky always like this?”

“Not always,” I said. “It gets gray sometimes when it rains, but we’re in a sunny state for the most part.”

“Not a gargoyle in sight,” she said as she glanced upward. “It’s so quiet without them.”

“I’ve never thought of L.A. as being quiet before,” I laughed. “But compared to Stormgulf, it really is.”

We stood side by side as we took in the view, and Cleo’s golden eyes darted over every inch of the horizon and sea. After a few minutes, I sat down and kicked my sneakers off.

The sand was blissfully warm against the balls of my feet, and the cooling water only just reached up to my toes. Then Cleo lowered herself beside me, and we stared out at the distant surfers.

“You want to know more about Hollowfell,” Cleo said as she turned to me. “I don’t know why it excites you so much. Your world is so much more magical!”

“It doesn’t seem that way to me,” I said. “There’s no actual magic on Earth, it’s all science and technology.”

“I don’t know what those words mean, but it seems the same to me.” Cleo shrugged. “We don’t have talking boxes or singing carriages or waterfalls in our homes.”

“You mentioned magic earlier,” I said. “The banshees had taken over the apothecaries to stop people from having access to potions made by witches. Why?”

The cat-girl glanced up at the sky as if she was making sure no gargoyles had found their way to us. White clouds rolled on by, and Cleo smiled to herself before she spoke.

“The High Society are paranoid,” she said. “That’s what they all call themselves. They know how powerful some potions and enchantments can be, and they are terrified of the working people using them to start a revolution.”

“What kind of potions?” I asked. “How could they help the people?”

“There are many types,” Cleo said. “For instance, a dreaming potion can be used during an attack. It will put the enemy to sleep for a few hours, and trophies could escape the High Society homes. Or a deafening potion can unlock a sound so terrifying that it will pierce the eardrums of a chosen victim.”

“Whoa,” I said. “Do the High Society ever use them on the working people?”

“They don’t need to.” Cleo shrugged. “Nobody steps out of line because the threat of their punishments is enough. But some of the High Society like to keep punishment potions around, just to remind their servants who the boss is.”

It didn’t shock me that these assholes had found ways to use such amazing magic for evil, and I hoped Cleo had never been on the receiving end of such a punishment. I wanted to ask if she had ever been a trophy before, but I didn’t want to upset her.

“Gross,” I said eventually. “These fuckers really take joy in this whole thing, don’t they?”

“Oh, yes,” Cleo said. “I don’t know how long they can keep it up, though.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Are people planning an uprising?”

“No,” Cleo sighed. “But they are punishing the working people so much that everyone is running out of resources. If the farmers aren’t paid properly, then they can’t sow enough crops. The butchers can’t properly prepare the meat if they can’t afford to get new knives and keep their shops clean.”

“That will start to affect the High Society.” I nodded. “If they can’t get the food and supplies they want. So they must have realized that they’re bleeding the world dry?”

“They haven’t noticed anything,” Cleo said. “I think the leviathans are the smartest ones, so they might start putting it together eventually at some point. But gargoyles just strut around demanding things, and banshees are more interested in inflicting pain than anything else.”

A tall wave crashed out at sea, and the two surfers cheered as they rode the foamy water on their boards. One of them toppled over at the last moment, and the other gave him a playful boo.

If the leviathans were the smartest of this High Society, then I was going to make sure to stay the fuck away from them until I understood the world better. My plan to loot the rich would only work if I was clever about it, and I wasn’t about to try and outwit one of those snaky bastards if there was a chance they would catch on.

“Didn’t anyone try to fight back?” I asked. “When the Downfall first happened?”

“Oh, yes,” Cleo said. “I heard stories when I was little about how people tried to stop it. The working folk of the land were brave, and they did their best to protect their homes and property. But the High Society were too powerful together. Anyone who fought back was slaughtered in the streets, and families were torn apart. Mine was.”

The cat-girl’s golden eyes fell to her lap, and she dug her fingertips into the sand.

“I’m sorry,” I said gently. “Are they still… around?”

“Some are still out there,” Cleo said. “But we separated for our own safety. If anyone found out there were multiple cat-girls traveling together, then we would be hunted even more ruthlessly than ever before.”

“Are the men hunted, too?” I asked.

“Not for trophies,” Cleo said. “But the High Society organizes hunting trips to catch them for fun. They like to display their severed heads on walls.”

“Fucking hell,” I spat. “That’s disgusting, I’m so sorry.”

“I hope some of my brothers have managed to find a hideaway,” Cleo said. “And I like to imagine my sisters have found some peaceful stretch of land with no gargoyles to be seen. But I know that won’t be the truth.”

I could see her absentmindedly reach for her tail for comfort, but she stopped herself before she brought it out of the denim jacket. The urge to pull her close was overwhelming, and I just wanted to protect her from every fucker in Hollowfell that had ever made her feel scared.

“So,” I sighed. “These ugly fucks run the whole world? All of Hollowfell?”

“I believe so,” Cleo said. “But I suppose it’s rather impossible to know what’s happening over the seas. Other than what we hear from traveling sailors.”

“You never have to go back there,” I said. “If you want, you can just stay on Earth. Like I said, nobody is going to hunt you here. The sofa is yours to sleep on for as long as you need it. I could get you some better blankets, too.”

“Why are you doing this?” Cleo suddenly asked as she turned to face me. “You saved me from the guards, and you have given me so much in such a short period of time.”

“I just want to help you,” I said honestly. “It wasn’t what I had planned for that day, but I wasn’t going to let you get captured by those bastards. I know what it’s like to dream about having a better life.”

“Hmm,” Cleo purred as she studied me. “You are a very unusual human guy, Liam.”

We smiled at each other as the sea lapped at my feet, and Cleo’s ears wiggled happily as the sun made her eyes glow. Her plump lips parted slightly to show her tiny fangs, and my mind started to wander as I imagined leaning toward her.

“How do they do that?” a voice cut in.

I turned around to see a little girl with blonde curls staring at Cleo. She had a pink swimsuit on, and her mouth hung open as she stared at the cat-girl’s ears.

“Cool, right?” I asked hurriedly. “She’s wearing a costume from a TV show she loves. The ears are electronic.”

“My ears are to be a character,” Cleo said confidently. “They are not my real ears. I have different, real ears like human guys.”

“Coooool,” the girl said. “They look awesome! Mooooom!”

She raced off to tell her sunbathing mother about the cat-girl, and Cleo stroked her ears proudly.

“Nicely done.” I smiled. “I think you’re fitting into Earth really well.”

Cleo purred as she laid on her back, and she rolled up the baggy shirt so her toned stomach could be warmed by the sun. She closed her eyes as the sea tickled her feet, and I let her enjoy the warm day.

But the swirling green and purple sky she was used to was still on my mind, and I couldn’t wait to see it again. Everything I’d learned about the High Society beings made me want to punish them.

Hanging cat-men’s heads on their walls? Displaying fairy girls like prizes? It boiled my blood to think about how many women must be trapped out there. If I could improve my life while stealing from these High Society fuckers, then I knew I would be doing something right.

I let Cleo lie in the sun for as long as she wanted, and I watched the waves rise and fall hypnotically. The beach had never seemed as beautiful as it did with her around, and I grinned as I heard her little snore purrs start again. She must have been catching up after weeks of disturbed, restless sleep, and I was perfectly happy planning out my next Hollowfell journey as she rested.

“Liam…” she mumbled after a while, and her golden eyes fluttered open. “Sorry, the warmth is just so comforting. You make me feel safe enough to sleep outside.”

“I’m glad,” I said softly as she sat up, and she stretched her arms out in a very cat-like way.

The afternoon had rolled in, and my legs were slightly numb from being in the same position for so long. I stretched out my calves, and I noticed Cleo’s golden eyes watching my movements like I was somehow as fascinating to her as she was to me. Then there was a muted jingle behind us, and she suddenly leapt to her feet in a flurry of sand.

“The singing carriage!” Cleo hissed as she stared out at the street.

An ice cream truck had parked up by the beach, and children raced over with their parents in tow. It was just a beat-up old vehicle playing an out of tune nursery rhyme, but I knew how exciting it was to the cat-girl.

“Do you want an ice cream?” I laughed as I picked up my shoes. “Come on, let’s go.”

Cleo sprinted over the beach with her hair dancing behind her, and once again, I could only try to keep up as she ran. We slowed down to join the growing crowd, and the plump man in the van handed out cones and cups of ice cream.

Cleo’s face was glowing as we stood in line, and it hit me how much I wanted to make her happy. I had only known this cat-girl for one day, and she had already become such an important part of my life. She was my connection to another world, and I couldn’t wait to show her more and more of Earth as we got to know each other better.

The kids at the truck were blown away by her cat features, and they shrieked with laughter when she made her ears wiggle. Every time the parents eyed her, I sent them a grin and a shrug, and they seemed almost as amused as their children were.

Then I bought her a classic cone, and her face lit up as she lapped at the vanilla.

“I like ice cream,” she purred. “The singing carriage is excellent.”

“Well, we can stop by one whenever you want,” I chuckled. “My treat.”

We stood watching the people on the beach until she was finished, and she looked like a different cat-girl to the one I had met covered in blood the day before. Her face was glowing with happiness, and she bobbed up and down as if she couldn’t contain her excited energy. It was impossible to look at anything but her.

“We should head back,” I said as she chewed the last of her cone. “I need to have a serious think about what the hell I’m going to do for the next visit to Hollowfell. We need weapons.”

“I have a weapon,” Cleo protested. “My sickle has been by my side for years, and it has beheaded hundreds of beasts!”

“I’m actually going to look at guns,” I said as I swung a leg over my bike. “I can look for something for you, too?”

“My weapon is sufficient,” Cleo insisted as she slipped on behind me. “I have slaughtered many enemies with it. Much blood has been spilled.”

“Well, if you insist,” I chuckled.

We sped off from the beach, and I enjoyed the slight breeze through my hair as Cleo held her arms around me. She purred softly as we rode, and it felt good to know I had given her a good day after years of misery and torment. But I was getting restless, and I was itching to go back to that world of evil creatures and green skies. There was treasure waiting to be taken, and I needed to start forming a plan of how the hell I was going to keep my interdimensional trips up.

Sneaking out of work was one thing, but I wasn’t going to be able to carry shitloads of treasure back and forth without being noticed.

My mind raced through all the minute details I was going to need to address, and I was shocked when I turned into my street. I had barely even registered how far along the route we were, and I pulled up to a stop beside my building.

Cleo leapt onto the sidewalk, and she suddenly yowled into the sky as she put a hand on my shoulder. Her golden eyes were wide, and I was very fucking confused as she hissed and spat upward.

Was she having some kind of panic attack?

“Cleo?” I asked slowly. “Are you okay?”

“I give you my family’s honor,” the cat-girl purred as she lowered her gaze to meet mine. “On my ancestors, I swear that I will slay any who cross your path with ill intentions. You have saved my life, fed me, and shown me true safety. I am indebted to you, and all enemies who cross you will feel my blade across their throats. Their blood will flow in rivers!”

She yowled again as she gripped my shoulder, and I saw more than one curtain twitch as people peered outside. Luckily, Cleo quieted down as she lowered her hand, and she turned to slink up to the doorway as if nothing had even happened.

“What… was that?” I asked as I hurried after her with my bike.

“My family oath,” Cleo said. “I told you. You have shown me kindness and honor like nobody else. So I am destined to slaughter all who stand in your path.”

“You don’t need to do that,” I said as I unlocked the door. “Thanks, but I don’t need you to do anything crazy for me.”

“The oath has been proclaimed,” Cleo said as she raced up the stairwell. “It is the way of my people. I am your warrior now, Liam.”

There didn’t seem to be much point in arguing, and I had to admit that I liked how much she wanted to fight for me. The gorgeous cat-girl was clearly fiercely loyal, and I was glad to be on the right side of that murderous streak.

I locked my bike up before I let us into the apartment, and Cleo yawned as we stepped inside.

“You won’t be used to the sun yet,” I said. “It can make you really sleepy if you’re out in it too much.”

“Maybe I’ll lie down for a bit,” Cleo said as she sat on the sofa. “If that’s okay, Liam. I am very full of food and am warm.”

“Of course.” I said. “I’m just going to do some research.”

Cleo smiled as she curled up on one of the cushions, and I grabbed my laptop as I sat down beside her. The old machine made a dodgy, whirring sound whenever I used it, but I couldn’t afford a new one.

But maybe I would be able to very soon.

I grinned as I looked at the necklace on my coffee table, and I decided to send my buddy Elijah a message. We had been friends for a few years, and he would be able to help me appraise what the gargoyle loot was worth. His dad was one of the biggest jewelers in L.A., and I knew he had a slightly under-the-counter way of dealing with things. If a precious necklace suddenly turned up on his table, he would be fine with paying out and not asking any questions.

I sent Elijah a message on my laptop asking if we could meet up soon, and I pulled up a browser to have a look at potential weapons. Guns weren’t exactly my strong suit, but I had some experience at least, and I knew I would need one to stand any chance of surviving in Hollowfell. If I didn’t have magic powers or wings, then I would need something capable of blowing some gargoyle skulls off.

Because swords, spears, and sickles sure as hell weren’t anything I knew how to wield well.

My uncle had helped me practice shooting when I’d visited him as a kid. He had a huge backyard next to a forest, and I recalled him having a whole closet full of guns. But he was a good teacher, and I knew enough to not fatally injure myself. That was a good start.

I had no idea what to type into the search bar, though, so I just started to scroll through the basics of hunting guns.

There wasn’t exactly much information on shooting down flying reptile-monsters, so I figured I would start with something I knew I could handle. A pistol would do the trick, and it would be small enough to get past Stan at reception.

Hopefully.

The guy did have that insane eye for seeing concealed weapons, but I could surely stash it in my bag without arousing suspicion?

I sent my uncle a text message to ask about the application process for getting a pistol in California. He lived in Las Vegas now, but he’d lived in California before that, so he knew the gun laws backwards, forwards, and just about any other way possible. I already knew it would take ten days for the paperwork to go through, so I wanted to check if there were any sneaky loopholes that could speed up the process.

Ten days felt like way too long to wait, but I knew that sneaking back to Hollowfell unarmed wasn’t smart. I had only just barely gotten away last time, and I had a real mission this next time around: Stealing loot from those gross gargoyles to start building my new life.

I rubbed my eyes as the sun started to set, and I closed the laptop while Cleo snored. She stretched out in her sleep, and she shuffled over so her head was on my knee. I smiled as I looked down at the beautiful cat-girl.

The thought of riches and a better life was motivation enough, but I had a feeling that I had something much more precious to fight for.

Those gargoyle bastards were never going to catch their trophy. I was coming back armed and ready, and I would not hesitate to spill as much High Society blood as possible.

Chapter 6

The sun was starting to set as the evening crept in, and Cleo continued to sleep peacefully beside me. Her ears twitched as she dreamed, and I made sure the blanket was covering her properly. The sounds of traffic drifted through the open window as horns beeped and drivers yelled, but it didn’t seem to bother the beautiful cat-girl’s slumber.

My uncle had pinged me a message to say he was going to help me with the gun situation, and that made me feel more impatient than ever. Ten days was a long time to sit around, and it would turn out to be more if I waited until my uncle was free to help. It was going to drive me crazy sitting at my work desk when I knew the portal to another world was sitting just above me.

But it was the smart thing to do. There was only so far a book and an aerosol deodorant could take me. I reckoned the gargoyles would need something more powerful than a hardback to the face to get to their treasure.

There was a ping on my screen, and I glanced down to see a message from Elijah.

Hey there, buddy! I’m free tonight. 8 at Nick’s?

Nick’s was our favorite bar to meet at. It was a short walk from both of our apartments, and it was one of the last remaining places in my part of Los Angeles that didn’t take itself seriously or charge a week’s wages for a few drinks. I wanted somewhere quiet to show him the necklace, so the dingier the bar, the better.

Great, see you there.

I sent back my message and glanced at the time. It was just coming up to seven o’clock, and I badly needed a shower. The excitement of the day had made me forget I hadn’t even gotten to shower since the Hollowfell fight, and I carefully got up so I didn’t wake Cleo. Then I grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom as the beautiful cat-girl slept peacefully.

The image of her emerging from her shower was imprinted in my mind, and I almost groaned out loud as I replayed her moving to drop her towel right in front of me. I wondered if all the other cat-girls were ridiculously hot, or if she was just as uniquely pretty in Hollowfell.

My clothes felt stiff with sweat as I undressed, and I sighed happily as I stepped into the steamy water. I scrubbed myself down as the minty shower gel filled the air, and I shampooed my hair multiple times to get rid of any gremlin blood that might have gotten onto my scalp despite the downpour.

My mind raced with thoughts of my next adventure, and I hummed to myself as I imagined all the treasure waiting for me. That Duchess Sobbler probably hadn’t even noticed her missing necklace, and I wondered how easy it would be to get to that island Cleo mentioned.

It might be worth investing in some kind of cloak, so I would at least stick out slightly less if I was spotted. There was a pair of old boots under my bed that would fit into the world more than my sneakers, and I could just make sure to wear dark clothing.

The idea made me realize I would be just as out of place in Cleo’s world as she was in mine, and I chuckled at the idea.

Once I gave myself one final scrub down, I stepped out onto the slightly damp bath mat. My body felt re-energized, and I quickly brushed my teeth before applying a quick spray of cologne.

Then I walked into the living room to find Cleo had woken up, and her golden eyes roamed all over my exposed chest and arms. A smile played on her plump lips, and she purred slightly as I made sure my towel was secure. But I had to admit, I didn’t hate the way she was looking at me.

“Hey, I just thought I’d grab a quick shower,” I said. “Good sleep?”

“It was wonderful,” she said as her eyes stayed fixed on my chest. “I did not realize how tired I had been for so long. This chair is very comfortable to sleep on. Did you enjoy your shower?”

“Feeling fresh,” I chuckled. “Listen, I’m going to go out to meet my buddy for a bit. You’re welcome to come, but I can set you up with some food and TV if you just want to relax.”

“What is buddy?” Cleo asked. “Why are you leaving? Will you come back?”

“Buddy means friend,” I said as I went into the bedroom. “And of course, I’m going to come back. I’m going to see if he can find out how much that necklace is worth. His family knows about that sort of thing, and I want to get some idea of Hollowfell treasure value.”

I pulled on some ripped jeans and a red flannel, and I tried not to think about how the cat-girl’s eyes had flickered over my body. She was probably just curious about what humans looked like under their clothes. But I couldn’t help feeling like there had been a flicker of desire in her golden eyes.

I felt a chill run down my spine at the thought, but I told myself I was dreaming. Cleo was clearly happy to be with me, but I’d never drawn any attention from a woman as hot as her in my life. She was infinitely more fantastic than anyone I could hope to end up with, and I needed to not get carried away with any hopes for a relationship.

I strode back into the living room as I rubbed some moisturizer on my face, and I realized I had once again forgotten to tame my stubble.

“Hmm,” Cleo said as she pulled the fleece throw blanket up to her neck. “I am very comfortable here. Perhaps I will stay while you visit your friend? Unless you think you might encounter ruffians, then I will come to slay them.”

“I’ll be fine.” I grinned. “Any ruffians I meet will be so liquored up that they won’t be much of a threat anyway. Just relax here for the evening. You deserve it.”

“If you are sure,” Cleo said. “Perhaps I could enjoy the magic… no. The…”

She gestured to the TV as she tried to remember the word, and her face was scrunched up in adorable concentration. I let her try to remember it for a moment, and she hissed quietly to herself as she thought.

“The television.” I smiled. “TV for short. Here, I’ll show you the buttons again.”

I gave her a demonstration of the remote, and she practiced until she was able to switch the channels and adjust the volume. Cleo happily flicked through the options until she found some crime drama with a female agent standing over a decapitated body.

“Fascinating,” she purred as her tail flicked. “I will watch this.”

“I guess you like the bloody stuff,” I chuckled. “This channel is just full of these shows. So keep–”

There was suddenly a very loud knock at the door, and Cleo leapt up in a swift movement, grabbed her sickle, and crouched with narrow eyes as she watched the door. “It’s okay,” I said as I gently pressed her arm to lower the weapon. “It will just be a complaining neighbor or something. The woman upstairs likes to tell me I’m too loud about once a week. Even though I live alone and usually listen to my laptop with headphones on.”

“Not foes?” Cleo asked suspiciously. “Ruffians? Liam, I am ready to fight for you like you fought for me. I hope you know this in your heart.”

“I appreciate it,” I said as another grin tugged at my lips. “But just hide that weapon for now, okay? We could get into trouble if anyone sees it. I won’t let anyone bad get to you, I promise.”

I waited until Cleo had slipped the sickle under the waistband of the board shorts, and she covered it with her baggy shirt.

“You’re safe,” I said. “It could even just be a pizza guy at the wrong door.”

I stepped up to the peephole, but I ended up suddenly slightly more concerned than before. The man on the other side was nobody I recognized, and he kept glancing around as if he didn’t want to be spotted. He was very thin, and his dark coat went right down to his ankles. A dark hat hid his hair, and he had leather gloves covering his hands.

This guy was dressed like it was snowing outside, and my mind raced through all the possibilities of who the hell he could be.

I hadn’t ordered anything, and he didn’t exactly look like a door-to-door salesman. There was no Bible in his hand or a vacuum to try and pawn off on me. He wasn’t any neighbor I had seen before, and he was definitely acting shifty.

My heartbeat quickened as I wondered if someone had tracked us here. Did somebody know that an otherworldly cat-girl was inside my apartment? What if someone else in my work building knew about the portal, and he had seen us leaving the thirteenth floor?

Shit. I needed to protect Cleo.

“Liam,” the man called as he knocked again. “Your uncle Spencer sent me!”

I paused as I hovered my hand on the lock. He knew my uncle’s name, so that was a good sign. Or he had researched my family, and he was some kind of superspy. Was the FBI here to try and take Cleo?

I shook my head to try and stop the crazy line of thoughts building up.

“Stay back,” I said quietly to Cleo. “I don’t know who this is. Put the jacket and hat on.”

The cat-girl slipped on the denim coat and wool beanie, and she tucked her tail up out of sight. Cleo scowled at the door as her hand hovered near her waistband, and I grabbed a hardback book from my shelf. Then I carefully opened the door, and the man shot me a crooked smile.

He smelled heavily of spicy cologne, and his sunken eyes flickered over my shoulder.

“Hey, Liam,” he growled. “Remember me? Davey!”

I stared at the gaunt face trying to work out if I did actually know him, and a sudden memory came back to me from my uncle’s place. He always had friends over, and I remembered one very skinny guy from L.A. who was a hell of a shot.

“I… do actually,” I said with some confusion, but I relaxed slightly. “Yeah, you visited Spencer a few times when I was there. Are you okay?”

“Let me in, boy!” Davey hissed as he glanced around. “Come on.”

“I know him,” I called to Cleo as I opened the door further. “He’s friends with my uncle.”

“Hmm,” Cleo said as she kept her hand by her waist.

Davey hurried in, and he shot the cat-girl a wide smile as I shut the door.

“Hello there,” he said with a nod. “Pleased to meet ya. Spencer didn’t mention you’d have a beautiful lady around.”

“This is Cleo,” I said. “She’s a friend from out of town.”

“Davey,” the thin man said. “Nice contacts. I’ve seen you youngins are into that stuff now, pretty cool. Are you into those vampire shows?”

Cleo nodded slowly, and she held a blank poker face perfectly.

Davey turned back to me and flung open his long coat to reveal a black gym bag hooked over his shoulder. He was so skinny that the bulge had just made him look like a regular-sized guy, and he quickly pulled it off and placed it on the ground.

“What is this?” I asked. “Is everything okay with my uncle?”

“He’s fine,” Davey said with a wave of his hand. “Spencer just asked me to drop off some gear for you. Said to keep it hush-hush since we are in Commiefornia. Anyway, I’d better get out of here. Keep safe, Liam. Enjoy your stay, Cleo.”

He shot us both a toothy grin before he slipped back out of the door, and he vanished almost as quietly as Cleo could.

“What… the fuck?” I muttered as I stared down at the bulging bag.

What had Uncle Spencer sent to me, and why was it delivered like some sort of Seinfeld-inspired drug deal?

My stomach flipped as I considered that Davey might have actually just dropped some bag of illegal substances off to be rid of it. Just because he used to be my uncle’s friend, didn’t mean he still was. Maybe he just knew where I lived, and he needed somewhere to leave a bag full of illegal shit.

Fuck, my mind was in spiral mode lately.

“What is inside the bag?” Cleo asked as we stared down at it. “Maybe ice cream? Does Davey work in a singing carriage”

“I don’t think it’s ice cream,” I muttered as I carefully poked the bag, and I was surprised to feel a bunch of hard boxes.

Shit. What had I just gotten myself into?

I carefully unzipped the bag, and I pulled out the largest cardboard box. Brown tape sealed it up tightly, and I peeled it off to throw open the lid.

Then I almost dropped it when I saw a Glock 19 sitting inside. It looked brand-new, and the black metal glistened under my living room light.

“What the fuck?” I mumbled as I stared down at the weapon.

“What is it?” Cleo breathed as she crouched down. “Is it something bad?”

“No, it’s a gun,” I said. “The one I was going to buy.”

“Oh,” Cleo said. “So the man brought you one? From your uncle?”

“Seems that way,” I said.

“I like your uncle.” The cat-girl nodded. “He sent his minion to deliver you weapons. He is a good uncle.”

“Yeah, he is,” I chuckled as I opened another one of the boxes to find that it was crammed full of magazines.

There were about eleven boxes in total, and I ripped a few open to find more of the same.

Uncle Spencer had given me a fucking armory. That crazy bastard had seriously hooked me up.

It was amazing, but I guessed it was very illegal, especially since all the magazines looked like they held over ten rounds, and I was slightly concerned that he’d just handed all this over without even asking what I needed it for.

But that was just Uncle Spencer’s general approach to life. The fewer questions, the better.

On the other hand, this was definitely a state crime. If anyone found out about this, then I was going straight to jail. Then again, I was already keeping a cat-girl from another world inside my apartment. I’d technically killed a few sentient creatures in cold blood yesterday, too. Not to mention the fact there would hopefully be piles of stolen loot around here soon.

Maybe an illegal gun wasn’t really much worse? It wasn’t like I was going to use it to hurt people here. I wouldn’t even fire a shot on Earth.

“It looks like I’m going to need a safe,” I sighed. “These boxes need to go somewhere secure. And this weapon is coming to work with me tomorrow. Fuck, I never thought I’d be saying that.”

I cringed a little at the sound of it, but then I reminded myself of my real intentions: steal from the evil assholes, get stupid rich, give Cleo a fucking awesome life.

“You are going to Hollowfell tomorrow?” Cleo asked with wide eyes.

“Looks that way,” I said. “Can we talk about it when I get back? Maybe we can go through routes for me to take? I need to go meet Elijah right now, but I’ll hide all this first.”

I grabbed the bag and carried it into the bedroom as Cleo watched. It was really heavy, and I wondered how much ammo was sitting in my hands. I stuffed the bag under my bed and placed a bunch of books and shoes around it.

That would have to do for now.

I would need to send a message to my uncle, but I wasn’t sure if “thank you” was the correct response to having a guy appear with a bag full of illegal weaponry. At least I didn’t have to fill out any paperwork and wait ten days, though.

“Don’t touch the stuff in that bag,” I said as I checked that the bag couldn’t be seen from either side. “It’s really dangerous, okay? Like… really, really dangerous.”

“I will stay on the comfortable seat.” Cleo nodded. “I will watch the television stories.”

Cleo climbed back onto the sofa after she took off the beanie and coat, and she smiled as another gruesome murder appeared on the screen. It looked like she was about to become addicted to trashy crime shows, but even this was super cute, and I was happy she was finally getting to enjoy some downtime.

“I’ll be back soon,” I promised. “Don’t open the door for anyone, okay? Help yourself to anything in the kitchen if you get hungry.”

“Thank you,” Cleo purred. “I feel safe here.”

I smiled at the beautiful cat-girl, and her own fanged smile widened as I momentarily got lost in her mesmerizing gold eyes. Knowing she felt safe with me sent a heavy dose of pride buzzing through my veins, and it wasn’t until I noticed the soft purr emanating from her that I realized I was staring at her like a love-struck puppy.

I abruptly cleared my throat and looked away.

Then I slipped the gargoyle’s necklace into my inner jacket pocket before I stepped outside.

The sound of the crime show theme song faded from my thoughts as I raced downstairs, and I kicked empty beer cans aside as I strode to the front door. I wasn’t worried about leaving Cleo by herself. She had fought her way through hell for years, and she was finally curled up like a regular woman enjoying some TV for the evening. If anything, I pitied anyone who picked my apartment to try and rob. Cleo would most likely slit throats first and ask questions later.

The sky had dimmed to a navy blue as I stepped outside, and the air had cooled to a pleasant temperature. I hurried down the sidewalk as I triple-checked that the necklace was secure, but I was hyperaware of how expensive it must be as I made my way through the streets toward the bar.

I’d never just casually carried a piece like this around the streets in my life.

Nick’s Bar was in the direction of the beach, but not as far. I debated what to tell Elijah during the whole walk, but I knew it was best to keep Hollowfell to myself.

I had met my friend when I first moved to L.A., and I went into his dad’s shop to buy a watch to celebrate landing my shitty job. Elijah had been behind the counter, and it turned out all he had to offer were all insanely expensive pieces I’d never be able to afford, but we got along so well that we agreed to meet up later.

We had gone out to some trashy bar that night, and he had quickly become one of my closest friends as we drank the night away. It turned out he was into the same series of books I was currently obsessed with, and we spoke for hours about the Galactic Warfare series. Elijah told me I was the least obnoxious guy he had met in L.A. so far, and I laughed as he described the douchey idiots who tried to pawn off their cheap watches at his stores. He was really easy to talk to, and it was certainly worth the hangover the next day.

Elijah was one of those genuinely good guys. He would always be there when I needed him, and he was fiercely loyal to his family. Not to mention, he was an excellent contact to have if anyone came across any expensive loot they wanted to sell.

So I trusted him, but I had only just discovered this new world of magic and monsters. It would be a bad idea to start telling my friends about it before I had any real grasp of the situation. Besides, I would sound batshit crazy if I described it without evidence.

I would keep Hollowfell to myself for now. It was the safest thing for everyone.

A group of girls who were out for a bachelorette party screeched from a sunroof as they drove by in a limo, and a guy in luminous spandex raced by on an evening run. The sky was clear as the few stars began to peek out, and I turned the corner onto the street Nick’s was on. It wasn’t a super busy spot, and the bar wasn’t very well displayed. The sign didn’t light up like most other places in the area, and the old guys smoking outside didn’t scream that it was a cool, young place to hang out.

There was usually always a free seat on a weekday night, and I had grown to like the quieter spots.

The old men nodded at me as I passed, and I shot them a quick smile as I coughed through their smoke.

I strode through the front door as it creaked loudly, and the smell of booze and burgers hit my nostrils. Nick’s had a few booths around the front room with red leather chairs, and the tables each had a plastic food menu taped down. There didn’t seem to be any rules when they served food, but they were usually always out of whatever I wanted.

The back room had an old pool table surrounded by biker guys, and Tom Waits was playing on the sound system. There was a young, tattooed girl behind the counter who I recognized, and she gave me a friendly wave as I looked around for Elijah.

He was sitting at one of the booths near the back with a beer in hand, and he was engrossed in his phone as I slipped down into the seat opposite him. Elijah always looked well put-together, and his dark slacks and shirt were as unwrinkled as ever. Gleaming leather shoes tapped the floor, and a pair of bright orange socks poked out to liven up the outfit. There was always a ridiculously expensive watch on his wrist, and his brown beard never had a hair out of place. His thick glasses were a trendy, rectangle style, and his dark brown eyes glistened as he spotted me.

My fancy Jewish pal looked completely out of place in this crusty dive bar, but I knew that was why he liked the place so much.

“Hey,” I said. “How’s it going?”

“Liam.” He grinned as he put his phone down. “Good to see you, man! I’m all good! How’s tricks?”

“Really good,” I said honestly, and I couldn’t remember the last time I had given him that report. “Things are actually going awesomely.”

“Drink?” the tattooed girl asked as she appeared beside us.

“Modelo, please,” I said. “And another for my buddy.”

The girl nodded and went back to the bar, and Elijah raised an eyebrow at me.

“Who is she?” he asked.

“What?” I asked. “Who?”

My friend sat back and folded his arms as a grin spread over his friendly face.

“Whoever the fuck is making you this happy, that’s who,” he snorted. “You are the grumpiest motherfucker I know. This is not the Liam I know who hates his job, hates his apartment, and is dreaming of running off into some adventure land at all hours of the day.”

“I’ve barely said two words to you!” I laughed.

“And I can already tell,” Elijah said. “She must be seriously hot and into sci-fi novels. It’s the only explanation.”

I laughed as the bartender brought our beers over, and I had to admit that the girl in question was undeniably hot. She might not be into the books I liked, but she looked like she had just stepped out of one, and I felt my cheeks grow hot at the thought of it.

“I do have a new friend,” I sighed as I sipped my beer. “Her name is Cleo, and she’s… great. But we’re just friends.”

“Sure,” Elijah snorted. “Maybe if you tidy up that stubble, she might notice there’s actually a handsome guy underneath. I can send you my barber’s details for the hundredth time. Cleo won’t be able to contain herself.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I sighed as I rolled my eyes. “How’s business going?”

“Way to change the subject.” Elijah smirked. “It’s better than ever, honestly. Lucy insisted on making an Instagram account for Dad’s shops, and it’s drawn in shitloads of influencers. You know the kind who film themselves everywhere they go and get dressed for just one photo to post? Yeah, those chicks are chomping at the bit to buy our shit now. Turns out my little sister is a marketing genius.”

“Nice,” I said. “I was actually hoping you could take something to your dad for me.”

“Yeah?” Elijah asked. “What have you got?”

“This,” I said as I leaned forward, and I carefully took the necklace out and placed it in front of Elijah.

My eyes practically burned from how fucking nice and sparkly this necklace looked, even in the dingy lighting, and I swallowed hard as I glanced around to make sure no one was watching our table.

“Liam,” he muttered as he picked it up. “Where the fuck did you get this?”

“Cleo’s family,” I said. “They gave it to her, and she wants to sell it. I told her I knew just the family to help figure out what it’s worth.”

Elijah leaned forward to study the necklace, and he muttered to himself as he examined the emeralds closely. He squinted through his thick glasses and shook his head slowly. I sipped my beer as I checked once again that nobody was watching, but everyone was preoccupied with their own conversations.

“Liam,” he said quietly. “This is seriously valuable. Is she sure she wants to sell it? This must be a real family heirloom.”

“Positive,” I said. “She didn’t like the person it belonged to, so she just wants the money.”

Elijah carefully put the necklace into his pocket as he glanced around, and he rubbed his beard as he studied me.

“I’ll give it to my dad tomorrow,” he said. “Have you got her bank details?”

“You’ve got mine,” I said. “Just put the money there, and I’ll transfer it to her.”

“Sure,” Elijah said. “Damn, so she’s rich? Where the fuck did you find this girl?”

I laughed as I sipped my drink, and my spirits were even higher now that I knew the necklace was definitely worth something. There had been a small part of me that wondered if Hollowfell treasure could basically just be Monopoly money here, but a trained eye had gotten rid of that doubt.

Just the thought of how much money this one item might get me made it hard to focus on my conversation with Elijah, but I was buzzing so much that we had a good few laughs throughout the evening. He kept coming up with ways I could get rid of this “friend” dynamic with Cleo, and I kept coming up with other topics to discuss instead.

But half my mind was already in planning mode.

I had a late start tomorrow at work, so I could swing by a store to grab some ear protection to use with my gun. Maybe I could get Cleo some more clothes, too. As adorable as my stuff looked on her, she deserved human clothes that would actually fit her.

Mostly, now that I had a gun, there was no reason to put off my next Hollowfell trip any longer. I knew the treasure in the magical world was worth something here, and I knew there was shitloads of it just waiting for me behind the door on floor thirteen.

Cleo could tell me where I needed to go for the best chance at looting, and I was already prepared for how terrifying the creatures were going to be. As long as I packed enough ammo, then there was no reason why I couldn’t fight any of those High Society fuckers who got in my way.

I waved the bartender over for another round of beer, and a rush of adrenaline swept through me as I made my choice. Everything was falling into place, and I had everything I needed to make my next moves.

I would go back to Hollowfell the next day, and I was about to have a hell of a lot more loot to sell.

Chapter 7

I couldn’t stop grinning as I walked home from the bar. Elijah had taken the necklace home to show his dad, and I was about to come into my first paycheck from Hollowfell.

The expression on my friend’s face had said it all. That necklace was going to put some serious money into my starving bank account.

My mind raced with what I could do when I started to bring back bag-loads of gargoyle treasure.

That tiny apartment wouldn’t hold me down for much longer. I could get somewhere with a balcony, like those penthouses I walked by on my way to work. Somewhere with one of those fridges that took up half the kitchen, and I had seen a guy on YouTube who had heated floor tiles in his bathroom.

I knew Cleo would love that. She could get a room with a walk-in closet, and one of those shoe display things that rich girls have.

I realized how much of my daydreaming involved spoiling the cat-girl, and I hoped she wanted to share this all with me. She seemed more than happy to live in my shitty apartment, and I chuckled as I imagined moving her into a new place that was five times the size.

Then a Porsche sped past me as I turned down the street from the bar, and I realized that I could actually start thinking about cars. I had previously gotten excited about just replacing my bike, but I was going to be able to invest in a real ride.

Something sleek and sporty.

Cleo would sit in the passenger seat, and she could bask in the warmth with the sunroof down as we drove. I could just picture her laying back with her black hair dancing in the wind, and I would be the envy of every guy we sped past on the PCH.

A sweet ride, and the hottest girl in the universe? I was going to be unstoppable.

The dullness of my street didn’t seem nearly as depressing as normal as I turned the corner. I practically flew over the sidewalk as I hurried to my apartment building, and I hoped Cleo was still awake inside. She would be able to tell me the best spot to loot on my next trip to Hollowfell, and I wanted to tell her the good news about the necklace.

Elijah’s words about her becoming more than a friend kept ringing in my ears, though, and I couldn’t help wishing that would become the case.

But I was happy to share this all with the cat-girl regardless of where our relationship went. Her safety and happiness was all that mattered. Well, that and stepping into a new life of riches and excitement.

I whistled as I hurried up the stairwell, and my upstairs neighbor’s door creaked as she shuffled out to glare at me from over the banister. Her wrinkled face looked like she had just smelled sour milk, and her gray hair stuck up at all angles.

“Hey!” I called cheerily as I glanced up at her. “Lovely night, isn’t it?”

That seemed to make her scowl even harder, and I snorted as I stuck my key into the lock. Then I swung the door open, and Cleo leapt at me with her blade swinging.

“It’s me!” I yelped, but her sickle was already against my throat as her face was inches away from mine.

The wildness in her golden eyes softened, and her face spread into a huge grin as she lowered her weapon.

“Sorry, Liam,” she purred. “I thought it might be scoundrels trying to steal your things. They wouldn’t have gotten far.”

“Clearly,” I nervously chuckled.

She kept herself pressed against me as the blade fell to her side, and our eyes stayed locked for a moment. Her woody scent filled my nostrils, and I wanted nothing more than to grab her curved hips and pull her even closer.

But I took a deep breath and closed the door, and Cleo seemed to realize how close she was as she took a step backward. She grabbed her tail to stroke it, and I wondered if she had been feeling the same energy between us.

“Soooo,” I said as I cleared my throat. “I gave the necklace to Elijah, and he reckons it’s worth shitloads of money. He’s going to take it to his dad, and he’ll send the money to my bank when it’s been valued properly.”

“That’s wonderful!” Cleo gasped as her ears twitched. “So, you can get Earth money for Hollowfell treasure?”

“Exactly.” I grinned as I went to the fridge. “You want a beer? I could probably go for another one before bed without getting a headache in the morning.”

“Beer?” Cleo asked curiously.

“You must have something like it,” I said as I grabbed two bottles of Budweiser and uncapped them. “It’s alcohol?”

“Oh!” Cleo said as she took the bottle and sniffed. “Ale!”

“Technically, it’s a lager,” I mumbled under my breath, but I figured a cat-girl wouldn’t care about the difference.

She happily hurried over to the couch, and she climbed onto a cushion as she gestured for me to join her. I loved how comfortable she had made herself in my place, and I jumped onto the sofa hard enough to make her shoot upward slightly.

“Liam!” Cleo laughed as she fell backward into the cushions. “Don’t make me spill ale on your nice furniture! This chair is so big!”

She sipped her beer, and her eyes lit up as she licked her full lips. I had never seen anyone so excited about a cheap lager before, and she shuffled around so she sat cross-legged facing me.

“So,” I said. “I need your expert advice for my trip to Hollowfell tomorrow.”

“Our trip,” Cleo corrected. “I’m coming, too.”

“No,” I said hurriedly. “I’m not putting you in danger. Just tell me the route, and I’ll work it out. There is no way in hell I’m taking you back to risk being spotted by one of those gargoyle shits.”

“Liam,” Cleo said seriously. “I have sworn my oath. We are bonded by it, and I will spill the blood of any who seek to hurt you.”

“And I would do the same for you.” I smiled “But that doesn’t mean you have to come. This mission is my idea, and I won’t let you put yourself in danger.”

“I’m your woman,” Cleo purred with a dangerous grin. “There is nowhere else I want to be more than by your side.”

“Uhhh, my woman?” I felt a hot flush on my face at her words, and I was starting to realize how much I meant to her.

“Yes. I go with you.” Her golden eyes stared at me unblinkingly, and I knew she was serious about her offer. Plus, Cleo wasn’t just hot and sweet. She was a brutal warrior at heart, and her fighting skills would be extremely valuable in my otherworldly heist.

“You won’t take no for an answer, will you?” I grinned, and she shook her head.

“I will come with you,” she said softly. “Then we can carry more treasure, too.”

“I like your thinking,” I laughed. “This is going to change everything for me.”

“What will change?” Cleo asked as she sipped her beer. “You already live in such a magical house. The television, and the huge chair! The large box that holds such very cold ale…”

“Well,” I said. “When I get to sell this loot, I can afford a bigger place. Somewhere with more rooms, and better… magical things. Although, we call them appliances. I can have a television as big as a wall, and one of the sofas that reclines backward when you want it to.”

“As big as the wall?” Cleo muttered with wide eyes. “This is possible?”

“Oh yeah,” I chuckled. “And I could get a whole new wardrobe of clothes that I haven’t been wearing since college. You could get a really nice room, too.”

I watched her carefully to see her reaction to the idea, and her full lips broke into a huge smile.

“A room for me?” Cleo asked. “I can come with you to the big house?”

“Of course,” I said. “If you wanted to.”

“I want to stay with you,” she purred. “My place is with you, Liam. But there must be loads of maidens who you want to live with in your big house, so I would only go if—”

“You’re the only one I want there,” I said before I could stop myself. “I’ve never met anyone as cool as you. I would be honored for you to stay with me, seriously.”

Cleo’s golden eyes welled up as she looked at me, and her tail flicked back and forth erratically. I hesitated for a moment, and then I gently placed a hand down on the black fur. It was so velvety against my skin, and I began to slowly stroke her tail in a comforting motion.

“Ohhhh… myyyyy…” Cleo’s eyes closed as she started to purr, and her whole face glowed as I petted her. It felt extremely intimate, and I watched her eyes flicker open as she gave me a sultry smile.

“You like that,” I whispered.

“I have never let anyone pet me before,” Cleo breathed. “It feels wonderful when you do it, Liam.”

“Good,” I murmured. “I love how soft your tail is.”

The cat-girl’s ears twitched happily as I stroked her tail, and I felt on top of the fucking world knowing that she wanted to join me in my new life.

But my mind started to wander to where else she would like me to touch her.

“You know what the best thing would be?” I asked. “The cherry on top of the cake? If I was able to really keep this up, and I saved enough over months and months? I would never have to go back to work again. Hell, I could own a house, and a car, and be debt free. Wow. That would be amazing.”

I sat back and groaned at the glorious thought, and I pictured handing my resignation to my slimy-faced boss. He would be so pissed at having to hire again, and he would no doubt be green with envy that I was financially secure enough to leave at my age.

“You do not like work?” Cleo asked as she leaned closer. “Why do you want to leave?”

“Because my boss is a dickhead,” I said. “Most of my co-workers are, too. The work is boring as hell, and it doesn’t require a single one of my brain cells.”

“What is a dickhead?” Cleo asked as she sipped her beer.

“Uhhh…” I hummed. “It’s… not important. They’re just not people who I like to be around.”

“You are not happy there.” Cleo nodded. “Then you must leave! As soon as we have enough loot for the big house.”

“Exactly,” I chuckled. “Then we can go on a shopping spree. I’ll take you to the fanciest stores in L.A.. You can pick out a whole wardrobe, and you can get any jewelry you want.”

“I like this plan!” Cleo said excitedly. “I have always wanted a bracelet with gemstones.”

“Then you’ll get it,” I said. “One in each color. Whatever you want. You just need to tell me where we can start looting from.”

The cat-girl nodded as she wrinkled her nose, and she tapped the side of her bottle as she thought. I drank my beer as I watched her, and my hand ran over her black tail methodically. It was soothing me just as much as it was soothing her, and I couldn’t stop touching her velvety fur.

“Down at the coves,” Cleo said slowly. “That should be the place to loot. It is where the pirates keep their treasure.”

“Pirates,” I said with a slight chuckle. “I can’t believe you really have fucking pirates in Hollowfell.”

“Oh, yes,” the cat-girl said. “They are horrible, violent men. Not as dangerous as the gargoyles, but they will happily spill the blood of anyone who even looks at their piles of gold.”

“Piles of gold,” I said. “I like the sound of that.”

“We will need to be very careful,” Cleo said. “The pirates are rich because of their arrangement with Duchess Sobbler. Every trophy they bring from overseas fetches them piles and piles of gold. They have an agreement with her, and they carry all the trophies they can catch back on their ships.”

“Bastards,” I spat. “They trade girls for gold? Then they definitely deserve to have every fucking coin taken from them. But you really don’t have to come, Cleo. I know you want to, but this is going to be really dangerous.”

“I know,” she said. “But I can fight, and I want to help get us the big house.”

The way she spoke about us like a team made me burst with happiness. It sounded like this was going to be a deadly mission, and I knew two fighters would be better than one. Having someone to watch my back could be vital, and I would protect Cleo with my life. If a pirate glanced her way, I would shoot the fucker dead on the spot. Besides, everything was more fun with her around.

“So the coves,” I said. “How far are they from where the doorway is?”

“About three miles,” Cleo said. “Maybe slightly less, but we can get there quickly enough. The guards will be hunting me, though. We’re going to have to be very careful.”

“Got it,” I said. “Luckily I have enough bullets to kill an army. Are you sure you feel safe going back with just your weapon? I’m sure Uncle Spencer would send another weird guy here with a second pistol if we needed it.”

“My sickle is my trusted weapon,” Cleo said with a solemn nod. “It will slit any pirate’s throat if necessary. She is a very loyal blade.”

“If you insist,” I said with a grin.

The cat-girl stretched as she put her beer down, and I felt my eyelids growing heavy.

“You can take the bed,” I said. “I feel bad letting you sleep on the couch.”

“Do not feel bad,” Cleo said. “I like the big chair. It is more comfortable than anything I have had before, and I can hear you sleeping in the next room. That makes me feel safe.”

“You can hear me sleeping?” I asked. “So you have crazy good cat hearing, too?”

“I have many skills.” Cleo smiled. “Which is why I will accompany you tomorrow.”

“Okay,” I chuckled as I got to my feet. “Tomorrow we can swing by some stores before work. I’ll come in after lunch, so we can get some ear protection for the sound of the pistol. I’ll get you some new clothes, too. Something that actually fits.”

“But we don’t have the pirate loot.” Cleo frowned. “We need the gold before we go spreeing to shop.”

“It won’t be a fancy store,” I chuckled. “No shopping spree just yet. But I can afford to get you something that’s actually designed for women. As much as you rock the oversized t-shirt look, you deserve something nicer.”

Cleo yawned as she curled up into a ball, and I gently placed the throw blanket over her. I wished she would come and share the bed with me, and I had a feeling she would say yes if I asked, but I didn’t want to presume anything, so I gently stroked her head before I left her to sleep.

I set the alarm on my phone for the morning, and then I sent an email to Roberts explaining that I was feeling a bit better, but I wasn’t going to be in ‘til noon tomorrow. I knew he’d be annoyed that I emailed instead of called, but he’d be annoyed if I called, or showed up on time, or really did anything. The jerk was in a constant state of having a stick up his ass.

Thoughts of the necklace money hitting my bank account washed over me when my head hit my pillow, and I drifted into a blissful dream of my future filled with fast cars and flashy watches from Elijah’s store.

I woke up to hear the shower running, and I sat up to see my phone’s alarm was still a few minutes from going off. The sun had barely started to rise, and I silenced my cell as I swung my legs out from under the sheets. I slid onto the ground to look under my bed, and I pulled out the shoes and books I had used to hide the gym bag.

The black sack had already started to gather dust, and I pulled it out to carefully unpack it. I grinned as the zipper fell apart to reveal the boxes of ammo, and I picked out the container that held the pistol.

Uncle Spencer had given me eight magazines. I had no idea how many I would need for one trip but it seemed smart to overpack, so I grabbed all of them and began to load them up with the included speed loader.

“That ought to do it,” I muttered as soon as I finished loading everything, and I placed the equipment on my bed before I hid the bag again.

I pulled on some clothes, opened the living room door, and found Cleo’s blanket neatly folded on the cushion. The bathroom door swung open a split second later, and I looked over to see her emerge in the same baggy clothes I had given her the day before. Her inky hair was dripping wet, and her face glowed from the steam of the shower.

“I hope you don’t mind,” she purred. “The water just feels so nice and warm.”

“Of course not.” I smiled. “Just wait until we get a nice, expensive showerhead. The water pressure will blow your mind.”

“I feel no pressure from this water you have,” Cleo sighed happily as she hugged herself. “I feel only calmness and relaxation.”

I chuckled as I grabbed my leather jacket and backpack, and I carefully packed my unloaded Glock and magazines in the pack. It didn’t look suspicious or too bulky, but I was still paranoid about walking around with weaponry on my back. I took a shirt from my laundry basket and carefully packed it on top of the gun and mags so no one would see it immediately if they opened my pack.

“You are bringing your uncle’s gun,” Cleo breathed as she stared at the backpack. “Do you think it will kill pirates well?”

“It definitely will,” I said. “Guns are ranged weapons that fire small projectiles out and can be used at a variety of distances to kill something. Well, as long as I’m not too out of practice. I used to shoot a lot with my uncle, and I was pretty damn good, but it’s been a while.”

“Hmm,” she purred. “I will enjoy seeing you use it against our foes. You will look powerful.”

“Ready to go shopping?” I asked as I swung my bag on. “You can pick some new outfits, and we can wash your all-black outfit on our way down.”

I grabbed my laundry basket as I headed for the door, and Cleo hurried after me as she licked the back of her hand. She slinked out onto the landing as I unlocked the apartment, and I ran down after her while she raced toward the ground floor. Her tail was tucked out of sight under the denim jacket, but her ears were wiggling freely on top of her silky hair.

The whole anime girl excuse seemed to work great yesterday, and I wondered if showing her tail would be a step too far or not. It would definitely draw more attention, but she was hot enough to be a believable professional cosplayer.

“I’m just going to use the washer,” I called as Cleo hurried to the door. “It’ll take two minutes.”

The small laundry room in my building had two washing machines that doubled as dryers. It smelled of dampness, and there were always suspicious stains in the puke-green floor.

I emptied my basket into one of the machines and used the almost empty detergent that sat on top. Cleo rushed over to watch me, and she crouched down as the drum began to move.

“It cleans the clothes,” I said. “I’ve put it on the wash and dry cycle, so they should be ready when we come back tonight. If anyone else needs it, they’ll just shove my stuff in my basket. The people here are weird, but I haven’t had any clothes stolen yet.”

“Fascinating,” the cat-girl muttered as she watched the clothes spin around. “Human guys have really made amazing progress.”

“Come on,” I laughed. “We can grab some breakfast on the way if you’d like.”

Cleo jumped up, and we hurried to the door and stepped into the early morning California air. It was another glorious day, and there was barely a cloud in the sky as the sun poked over the high-rise buildings.

“There’s a cafe this way,” I said. “We can grab something to eat, and I need a coffee.”

We strolled down the sidewalk, and a group of teenagers pointed excitedly at Cleo’s ears. The cat-girl shot them a beautiful smile, and she seemed to enchant anyone she looked at. I felt adrenaline pulse at my fingertips as I thought about our looting mission, and for once I couldn’t wait to walk into my work building that afternoon.

We stopped at the little cafe a few streets over, and we headed inside to grab some food. The place was dingy with plastic chairs, but they made the most delicious breakfast bagels around. I ordered us each one, and Cleo opted for tea over coffee.

Then the gruff man behind the counter gave us our food, and we took it to go as we stepped back out into the sunshine.

Cleo purred as she bit into her egg and bacon sandwich, and her eyes lit up as she sipped her tea.

“Thank you, Liam,” she said through a mouthful of bread. “You have given me so much, and your Earth food is delicious!”

“You must have similar food,” I said. “Eggs, meat, and bread?”

“We do.” Cleo nodded. “But it is not so easy to come by in Hollowfell, and this circle bread without its core is very different!”

I felt the hit of caffeine as I chugged my coffee, and I planned out the best route for our shopping trip. We needed ear protection, shooting equipment, and new clothes for Cleo. I wondered if there would be anything suitable to hide her cat ears, and I hoped we could figure it out without seeming too suspicious. The store assistant would surely ask why the fuck we needed protection for a pair of fake ears, and I wondered if we could explain it off as something for her cosplaying.

“We’ll go to the clothes stores first,” I said. “Nothing too fancy for now, I’m afraid. But I’m sure we can find you some cool stuff.”

“I will be happy with anything you provide for me,” Cleo said as she sent me a flutter of her dark eyelashes.

“Making you happy makes me happy,” I said, and then she leaned against my arm and rubbed her forehead against me just like a cat would.

She even purred a bit.

We finished off our breakfast as we strolled along the sidewalk, and Cleo stopped at the window of the first clothing store on the street. She stared at the mannequins in their tight dresses and sky-high shoes, and her golden eyes widened as she took in the shiny materials. I knew she would look drop-dead gorgeous in anything she tried on, and I was excited to see her wearing something besides the baggy shirt.

It was a crime keeping that figure hidden away in the warm sunshine.

“Let’s go and have a look,” I chuckled, and she practically broke down the door in her enthusiasm.

There was a young girl perched on the register counter, and she was wearing one of the skimpy outfits displayed in the window. Her blue eyes widened when she saw Cleo, and she blew a bubble with her gum.

“Whoa,” she drawled. “That is so super cute. Cat ears are everything right now. The contacts rock, too.”

“Thank you,” Cleo said proudly as her ears twitched. “I am in a costume.”

“Ya,” the girl said. “Are you like a cosplayer?”

“Exactly,” I said. “She is.”

“What’s your TikTok?” the girl asked as she grabbed her cell phone. “Instagram? I’ll follow you.”

“They’re not launched yet,” I said quickly. “We’re waiting on some more, uh, brand deals to come in first.”

“Good call,” the girl said with a lazy smirk. “Kay. Give me a shout if you need, like, help.”

Her phone buzzed, and she left us alone as she started to type at the speed of light on her screen. We walked around the store as Cleo gently stroked everything, and I tried to work out what would best hide her tail.

“Let’s get you a jacket,” I said. “Something long, but not too heavy for the sun. Then you can grab whatever else you’d like to wear underneath.”

“It must take many slaves to create such glorious clothing,” the cat-girl whispered. “I have never seen so much displayed in one shop alone.”

“Oh, uh… we don’t have slaves making these,” I quietly muttered. “Well, hopefully. My world operates a bit differently, so these clothes are made all over the world and then sent to the stores.”

“Fascinating…” Cleo murmured, but she was already wandering off with wide eyes.

Cleo browsed the racks as her eyes continued to grow wider, and she collected a bunch of items as she raced around the store. As soon as the cat-girl had about twenty hangers’ worth of clothes, she carefully examined the pieces in her hands, and she put back a few until she had only two pieces left.

Cleo had picked out a long, black jacket made from a super light material. It had a cloth belt and golden buttons down the front. She also picked a black minidress that had tiny straps and a very low cut. The back of the garment had a huge scoop that went down to the ass, and it would probably let her tail poke out perfectly.

“Get some pants and a comfortable shirt,” I said. “Since we are going to be doing some… walking around and stuff.”

“Oh, yes.” Cleo nodded, and then she found a pair of tight black leather pants, a wide studded leather belt, and a black leather crop top.

The store girl waved Cleo into the changing room, and I leaned against the wall until she emerged in her new outfit. Then I felt my stomach do a flip as the cat-girl walked out.

“Dammmnnn…” I whispered when I saw how the black dress clung to every inch of her sculpted body.

The material supported her huge breasts and showed off an impressive amount of perfect cleavage. Her tail was tucked inside the jacket, and she spun around to show off the full look. The brown boots added a touch of grunge to the sexy getup, and I was blown away at how stunning she was.

“You girlfriend is fucking hot,” the store girl whispered to me. “Duuuude, you’re like the luckiest guy in the world, you realize that, right?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I’m super lucky.”

I grinned as my eyes roamed all over the stunning cat-girl, and she shot me a look that I swore was flirtatious.

“I… can’t really put on the pants.” Cleo pointed at her tail.

“Ahhh!” the shop girl sighed. “I’ve got some scissors and thread. I could totally cut a hole out for the tail so she can keep cosplaying, but you have to buy it first. Then I’ll stitch up the edging real quick so it doesn’t fray.”

“Sure,” I said as I pulled out my card.

“Awesome,” the girl went back behind her counter and then grabbed a pair of impressive-looking fabric scissors and a small sewing kit. Then she gestured for Cleo to follow her back into the changing room.

I waited for about ten minutes while I heard them both whispering, and then Cleo came out wearing the tight pants, crop top, and thick leather belt. She looked like a goddess superhero, and I realized my mouth was hanging open.

“You like?” Cleo asked as she spun around. “It is simple.”

“Damn,” I panted. “Yeah. I love it.”

“I just had to cut the stitching a bit in the back,” the shop clerk said as she came out of the dressing room. “Then I stitched it up so the hole won’t widen anymore.”

“I do love this outfit,” Cleo said as she smiled at me, “but I like the dress more. Can I wear that outfit some more, and then change later?”

“Sure,” I said, and then Cleo walked back into the dressing room.

A few minutes later she came out, and she fluttered her dark eyelashes at me as I let my eyes roam over her dress-clad body.

“Wow,” I said as I took my old clothes from her. “You look amazing.”

“And fierce?” Cleo checked.

“Toootally,” the shop girl gushed. “Fucking fire, girl.”

“I… see,” the cat-girl said with some confusion.

“Do… uhhh… you both want to hang out some time?” The store clerk said as she blushed at me. “Nothing… uhhh, weird or anything… like… I don’t know what you guys are into… but you are both really hot, sooo… if you are into it…”

My mouth hung open as I stared at the girl. She was actually pretty cute, now that I was paying attention to her, but I’d never had a woman make a pass at me. Like this. Or at least, I kind of thought she was hinting that she wanted to get with Cleo and me.

“I… uhhh… we’ll come back and talk again,” I fumbled through the words, and I guessed I was blushing harder than the girl was.

“Cool. Cool. Cool.” She winked at me and then began to ring up the clothes.

I paid the girl as Cleo admired herself in a mirror, and then I put the bag with Cleo’s new pants, belt, and top in my backpack. Then we headed back out onto the street. It was nearly impossible to tear my eyes off her, though, and my throat felt slightly dry as I watched her sculpted legs move below the hem of her sleek dress.

“Do you really like both outfits?” Cleo purred as she spun around beside me.

“They are perfect,” I said. “Which is your favorite?”

“The dress,” Cleo sighed as she reached a hand down to rub the fabric at her hip. “It is so feminine and graceful. I’ve never owned a garment as fine as this. It makes me feel beautiful.”

“Even without the clothes, I think you are beautiful,” I said.

“You say those words, but I saw your face when I first put this on.” Cleo grinned at me.

“Yeah…” I chuckled as I felt my cheeks flush. “Your other clothes will be clean when we get back, so you have a bit more variety now.”

“You are very kind to me, Liam,” she purred. “I am so happy to be with you.”

“I am happy you are with me, too.” I had to drag my eyes away from the low cut of the dress, and I saw several men’s necks almost break as they did a double-take when they spotted Cleo. The cat-girl strutted along in her new outfit like she owned the whole street, and I felt smug as hell walking beside her.

I had a feeling some of the guys who looked at her didn’t even notice her ears. It was hard to look at anything other than her sculpted face and long legs.

“Thank you again,” Cleo said after a moment of walking. “You didn’t have to buy me anything. Let alone things this fine”

“I wanted to,” I quickly assured her. “Besides, I get to enjoy how beautiful you look. So it’s really a treat for me, too.”

“You think I’m beautiful?” Cleo asked as she stopped walking, and I turned to look into her golden eyes.

“Are you kidding?” I laughed. “You are the most stunning person I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Then we must look very good together,” Cleo purred softly. “Because you are the most handsome human guy there is. I have seen enough of them now to know this. These other human guys have the look of peasants in comparison. They don’t smile as wide as you.”

She stepped away to continue walking, and my head raced at how those wide eyes had stared up at me. Her gaze had flickered down to my lips for just a moment, and I knew she wanted to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss her.

She’d called these other guys peasants, for crying out loud. And half of them were in pretty decent suits.

We walked past a few more stores, and I pointed out the size of the television I could buy when I had more money. Cleo was stunned that screens could be that big, and she stood glued to the window as a superhero movie played on one of the largest flat-screens I had ever seen.

There was a massive Dick’s sporting goods store at the end of the street, and a little bell rang as we stepped inside. Three middle-aged guys in camo vests stood in the corner, and one of them grunted at me in a casual greeting. He had a white beard, and his faded name tag showed that he was the manager of the place. It was clearly some of his buddies that had come in to hang out, and their eyes hovered on Cleo as she looked around.

I wasn’t worried about their lingering stares. She was perfectly capable of defending her own honor, and they looked away hastily as she spun around.

I walked past the fishing gear and spotted a wall display with shooting earmuffs and headphones. They all looked vaguely the same to me, and I picked up a couple of packs to read the back.

“Need help?”

I turned to see the bearded man had shuffled forward a bit, and his friends were examining a fishing rod in the corner.

“I need earmuffs for when I’m at the range,” I said. “Also a belt, holster for a Glock 19, and some mag pouches to go on the belt.”

The bearded man stomped forward to join me, and he reached for a box just above my head that had fancier packaging than the rest. It was sleek silver, and the earmuffs displayed inside were matte black with thick padding around the ears.

“These are the best ones,” the man grunted. “More expensive, but they’re electronic. Means it blocks out shooting noise almost fully, but you can still hear sounds around you, like voices.”

I studied the back of the box, and it did seem that they were much more luxurious than the others. Being able to still hear my surroundings could save my life, and I decided it was worth the extra fifty bucks.

“I need in-ear ones, too,” I said as I glanced at Cleo. “For my girlfriend.”

“These are good,” the man said as he pointed a stubby finger at a foam pair. “They are in-ear, but they have a little hole, so you can still hear sounds around you.”

“Perfect,” I said. “I’ll take them both.”

“Belts, holsters, and mag pouches are going to be over on aisle four,” he said as he nodded back behind me. “I’ll hold these earmuffs over at the counter until you are ready to pay.” The man took the items over to the counter, and we turned to walk to aisle four.

“There are very strange things in this place,” Cleo whispered as we walked past a basketball display.

“Yeah,” I chuckled. “I’ll explain them all to you one day.”

We got to the correct part of the aisle, and I quickly found a shooting belt that looked easy enough to put on and felt stiff enough to hold up the weight of my gear.

Even though this was an “outdoors” store and not a “gun” store, the Glock 19 was the most popular handgun sold, so I easily found a black Kydex one to attach to the belt, and then I grabbed four Kydex double magazine pouches.

She studied the fishing bait inside the glass counter as we checked out, and I stuffed the new hearing protection into my bag. Then I thanked the man, and I hurried Cleo out of the shop before he could ask any questions.

It was eleven-fifteen, and I knew we should start heading toward my work to get there by noon. We started to make our way down the street, and knowing it would only be a few short hours until I was back in Hollowfell put a bit of a spring in my step.

It wouldn’t take much to come up with an excuse to leave my desk. People in the building called me all the time for IT help, even though it was not in my job description to fix other companies’ computers. Roberts seemed to feel superior when he “loaned” me out to the other companies in the building, even though he clearly did not have a fucking clue what my job even consisted of. Plus, he never seemed to be aware of where exactly I went when I snuck off for extra breaks.

But before I could run away with thoughts of pirates and loot, we had to get my gun and beautiful cat-girl up to the thirteenth floor. I also needed a reason for the sudden appearance of a stunning woman, so I decided we could say she was an IT student intern. Stan could give her a guest pass if I said I was showing her around, and we could go straight up to the twelfth floor in the elevator. Cleo would have to wait there until I managed to get away, but the workers weren’t due back for another two days.

“Okay,” I said. “When we go in, we have to go past the security desk. Remember the barriers you liked? Stan works there, and he’s a nice guy. We’ll say you’re thinking about doing an internship with me, and you’re taking a day to scope the place out.”

“Internship,” Cleo repeated slowly.

“It means you would be learning my job,” I said. “Like an apprentice. If they ask what school you go to, it’s UCLA.”

“Yooou Seee Elll Aehh.”

“Close enough,” I chuckled. “If we can get you a guest pass, then we can sneak you up to hide on the twelfth floor until I can get out of work. You’ll take my bag with you, and that way you can hide the gun.”

“Will I be alone?” Cleo asked. “On the floor with the bright colors?”

“Yeah,” I said. “But I promise I’ll come up as soon as possible. Just lie low, and you’ll be fine.”

“Lie low?” She tilted her head at me.

“Like… be sneaky,” I said.

“I can be sneaky.” Cleo grinned. “Cat-folk are experts at going unseen and unheard.”

“I know that,” I chuckled. “Which is why I’m trusting you with such a huge part of the job. Okay, remember to stay calm. You’re an intern from UCLA.”

“I am an intern!” Cleo declared proudly, and a man in front of us glanced over his shoulder.

My glass office building came into view as we turned the street corner, and I felt a rush of excitement as I counted up the twelve floors. No sign of a thirteenth was visible from the ground, but Cleo was proof enough that I hadn’t imagined the strange hallways and door, and I couldn’t wait to step out into that monster-filled world.

I pulled the black beanie from my bag, and Cleo slipped it on over her head. Cosplaying was a good excuse most of the time, but I needed her to blend in a tiny bit more when she was meant to be an IT student.

“Ready?” I asked.

“Ready.” She grinned.

We hurried past the men on their cell phones at the doorway, and Cleo stepped expertly into the revolving door. She confidently strutted through like this was a victory in and of itself, and several heads turned to watch her as she reached the lobby in her striking outfit.

I took a deep breath before I stepped into the door compartment, and I tried to not think about the bag of illegal weaponry on my back.

If anyone opened my backpack, I would probably be arrested. No more Hollowfell. No more adventures.

No more beautiful cat-girl to pet.

A bead of sweat trickled down my neck, and I tried to force my expression into neutral disinterest. Then I stepped into the moving door, and Cleo smiled at me as I came out.

“Maybe pull your jacket shut,” I mumbled as I joined her. “You are so beautiful that it stands out. That’s not a bad thing, but we don’t want to draw any more attention than we already are.”

Cleo pulled her coat shut and tied the belt. I grinned in approval as we walked over to the turnstiles, but my palms were sweaty as I adjusted the straps of my bag, and I tried not to make eye contact with anyone.

“Wait here,” I said as I swiped my lanyard. “I’ll go and talk to Stan.”

I walked up to the security desk, and the old guard leaned forward in his seat with a grin. Even though there was no reason for him to check my bag, I couldn’t stop my heartbeat from racing at the thought of it.

“I thought I saw you leave with a pretty girl the other day!” Stan chuckled. “Who is the lucky lady?”

“That’s Cleo,” I said casually. “She’s thinking of interning at the firm, so I need a guest pass for her today.”

“Interning?” Stan snorted. “Here? No offense to you, but she should be out modeling or some shit! Holy hell, she would make serious money!”

He chuckled to himself as he started to print out a pass, and he gave Cleo a friendly wave. She waved back cautiously, and I sent her a reassuring smile.

“Here you go,” Stan said as he handed me the pass. “It will just work for today, though. So she’ll need to come and get her photograph done if Roberts hires her.”

“Roberts,” I said slowly. “Yeah, I’ll let you know.”

I gave the security guard a wave as I headed back to Cleo.

She would have to meet my slimy boss at some point, but if she did, it would be a lot easier to sneak her in and out.

“A magic card!” Cleo gasped as I handed her the pass. “Just like yours!”

I showed her how to scan it, and she hurried through the turnstiles with a grin. It was infectious how happy everyday things made her, and she practically flew over the ground to run for the elevator.

A red-haired man held the door for her, and I raced behind her just in time to jump in. Then I hit the twelfth floor, and we were the last ones left in the elevator as we reached the quiet landing. The doors slid open, and we stepped out onto the silent floor in the middle of the hallway. I glanced down both the gray and pink sides of the corridor just to double-check we were alone. It didn’t seem like anyone had been up here since I first went to Hollowfell, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I realized I had successfully snuck my weapon upstairs.

The plan had worked so far.

“Okay,” I said as I swung my backpack off. “All I need you to do is take care of this. I wish I could just stay with you and go now, but I can’t.”

My eyes flickered down the hall to the doorway at the end, and I was dying to just race over with Cleo into the secret stairwell.

But I still needed my job for now, and I didn’t want to draw attention to myself by clocking in late. Roberts wouldn’t let me out of his sight if I did. He would stand with his stupid watch and time my fucking breaks if I was even thirty seconds late for a shift.

“I’ll just be downstairs on floor eleven,” I said. “You know how the elevator works if you have an emergency?”

“I know.” Cleo nodded. “You press the buttons, and the carriage goes down or up.”

“Exactly,” I said. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay? I just need to show my face down there, and then I’ll try to come back. Probably five minutes. Thirty minutes at the most. That door over there is a bathroom, you can change into your pants and top in there while you are waiting.”

“Yes, Liam.” Cleo smiled. “I will change. Hurry back. I will miss you.”

Her golden eyes bored into mine as she smiled, and then she glanced around at the abandoned floor.

I had to force my feet to walk back into the elevator. I gave the beautiful cat-girl a wave as the doors slid shut, and my watch told me I still had three minutes until clock-in time, and I groaned at the thought of seeing Roberts’ face instead of Cleo’s.

Then the doors slid open to lead me onto my work floor, and I stepped out to find the office mostly empty.

I glanced at Roberts’ office to see a group of the workers crowded around his desk on their swivel chairs.

Fuck yes. They were having one of his pointless meetings he liked to run every week. He would go over accounting shit like numbers and stats that meant very little to me, and he made it clear that only client-facing staff were invited to these little gatherings. That was more than fine with me. It was the perfect way to slip out unnoticed.

I walked over to the time-clock, and Brian emerged from the break room with a Diet Coke in hand. He scowled at me as he leaned against the wall, and I ignored him as I punched my numbers in.

“I wasn’t invited to the meeting,” Brian drawled. “My uncle says you made up some bullshit lie about my emails.”

“Lie?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. “Did you even attempt to cover your tracks? You could have at least closed your browser.”

Brian’s face flushed pink, and he started to sputter out a reply.

“I’m needed down on the fifth floor,” I interrupted as I waved my hand to dismiss him. “Their printers have gone to hell again. Can you pass that on to your uncle when the meeting’s over?”

I spun around without waiting for a reply, and I strode straight back out without even stopping at my computer.

This day had been fucking perfect, and it was about to become a whole lot more exciting. A beautiful cat-girl was waiting for me upstairs, and we were about to go on a treasure-looting adventure together. Plus, Cleo had made it clear that she wanted to stick around with me, and I felt slightly weak in the knees when I thought of how she looked in that dress.

I stepped into the elevator with a forced calm expression on my face and went up to the twelfth floor. Hopefully Roberts wouldn’t have any reason to go looking for me for a while, and I wondered if I could say the food poisoning had come back if he did.

The silver doors slid open after a moment, and I stepped out to see Cleo had pulled off her black coat and changed into her incredibly tight leather pants and crop top. Her six-pack abs were exposed and looked delicious enough to lick for hours.

“Liam,” she breathed as she jumped into my arms, and she planted her full lips on mine.

Holy shit. I didn’t even try to pull back from this one, no matter how confused I was.

The world felt like it was spinning as I gripped her small waist, and we kissed deeply for a moment. I felt intoxicated by lust, and her large breasts pressed against me as her warm mouth met mine. She tasted incredibly sweet, and she purred as she leaned into me, so her whole body seemed to vibrate against me.

“Hmm,” she moaned as she slowly pulled back. “I was hoping it would feel that amazing kissing you. I was right. Let’s go and kill some pirates!”

“Wha… uh… yeah,” I managed as I swallowed hard. “That was… what just–”

The gorgeous cat-girl ran a hand down my chest, and then she grabbed my belt buckle, pulled on it, and just marched us over to the stairs leading up to the thirteenth floor.

My heartbeat was thundering in my chest as I watched her, and a huge grin spread across my face.

All the riches in Hollowfell couldn’t make me feel the way that kiss had.

But I was officially about to go on my first magical world raid, and I had the hottest cat-girl imaginable by my side. This was the most incredible day of my entire life, and it was about to get even better.

Chapter 8

I was lightheaded from Cleo’s kiss as we hurried down the hall toward the Hollowfell door. We hurried past the law firm reception desk, and the cat-girl pushed open the last doorway in the hallway. She had stashed my backpack in the corridor, and I barely even registered what I was doing as I set up my pistol holster and magazine pouches on my new belt. My doubts about her liking me back were officially gone, and I couldn’t stop reliving how she felt pressed up against me. Her soft lips had met mine so hungrily, and my hands were desperate to explore more of her perfect body.

“Liam,” the cat-girl purred as she glanced over her shoulder. “You are very quiet.”

“Sorry.” I grinned. “I just kissed the most beautiful girl in existence, so I need a moment to recover. We are definitely going to be doing more of that when we get back from this trip.”

“Yes, please.” Cleo’s wide smile showed off her tiny fangs, and she purred as her tail flicked. The velvety fur swung from side to side from the hole in her tight leather pants right above her sculpted ass, and I knew concentrating on the looting mission was going to be seriously difficult.

Cleo wanted the same intimacy I had been craving since I first met her.

The thought of taking our relationship further made me get hard, and I felt my heart hammer into my chest as I pictured carrying her into my bedroom.

One step at a time.

I had some serious monster ass to kick before I could think about the feline beauty. There was a dangerous world to loot, and I had to be on high-alert if I wanted to stay alive.

We walked down to the glowing door as I finished adjusting the way my belt wrapped around my hips. Then I pulled the Glock out of the holster, checked to make sure a round was chambered by pulling back on the slide a bit, and took a moment to get used to the weight of the loaded weapon in my hand. I went over the steps my uncle had taught me when I was younger, and I knew that calm breathing and a steady hand were the most important tools. There were enough bullets in my bag to bring down the whole city of Stormgulf, and I knew I wouldn’t run out of ammo.

Then I holstered the Glock again and took a deep breath.

I could do this.

“Here,” I said as I pulled the earbuds out of my backpack. “You can put these in your ears to help with the noise of the gun.”

Cleo examined the buds before she nestled them in her ears, and she clapped to gauge how well she could still hear. She nodded approvingly, and her tail twitched as she smiled at me.

I took my headphones out of their sleek packaging and slid them over my head. Everything was slightly muted, but I could still hear our footsteps and the echo on the walls. I slid the headphones down around my neck as we reached the door, and I pulled my little puzzle from the side zipper of my backpack.

Cleo watched curiously as I crouched down to pick the lock, and I felt the satisfying bump of each pin moving. The door clicked open, and a rush of electricity shot through me as I stood up with a grin.

“Time to go back to Hollowfell,” I said. “Ready to steal from some pirates?”

“Oh, yes,” Cleo purred. “I am ready to steal gold to buy our big house.”

“We stick together,” I said. “Stay low and keep an eye on the skies.”

“Slay any who cross our path,” Cleo hissed with narrowed eyes. “I will bring my blade to the throats of any who seek to hurt you.”

“Then let’s go,” I said as I slowly opened the door to the other world.

The rush of cold wind hit my face as I peeked through the doorway, and I couldn’t see any movements in the dull trees. I stepped through carefully as I checked each direction, and the sounds of various screams and howls rang out through the wind.

The purple and green sky swirled above me, and the ominous clouds threatened to open up and dump rain at any moment. Cleo slinked out beside me as her golden eyes darted around every inch of the woodland. The rock face behind us looked just as inconspicuous as ever, and the faint outline of the door was only visible when I squinted really hard.

I felt a rush as I breathed in the sharp air of the fantasy world. I was itching to get going.

“This way,” Cleo said quietly as she gestured left, and we started to head down the opposite side of the hill that I had taken to the city before.

The black leaves rustled as we walked, and I grabbed Cleo when I spotted the looming shape of a gargoyle in the sky. Then I pulled the cat-girl into the cover of twisting branches as the huge beast snorted and snarled above us.

The gargoyle woman wore a blonde wig that had been messily pleated, and her pink lipstick was smeared all over her snout. Her red dress bulged in every direction, and there was some sort of furry creature draped around her neck like a scarf. She wore so much gold on each finger that it seemed to be weighing her down, and she struggled to fly on her tiny wings. Her breathing was heavy enough to hear over the wind, and she swung her thick neck from side to side as she scanned the ground.

It was obvious she was looking for something, and I had no doubt it was Cleo. The sighting of a beautiful cat-girl would have stirred up excitement for these scaly bastards.

Rage pulsed through me at the thought. They probably had every guard in the area out searching for my new friend, and they must have been foaming at the mouth at the thought of adding her to their morbid collection.

I was strongly tempted to shoot the fucker down there and then, but that would draw unnecessary attention to us, so we stayed pressed up against the rough bark until the gargoyle had vanished from sight, and then we started to run back down the slope again.

The trees were even denser down this side of the hill. I couldn’t see out to whatever laid below us, but Cleo carefully led us down the muddy ground before she suddenly skidded to a halt and held her arm out to stop me.

“I can hear something,” she breathed as her gold eyes darted from side to side, and I gripped my pistol as I studied the gloom ahead

The cat-girl’s sensitive ears twitched, and I was impressed her hearing was still so strong with her earbuds in. We stayed silent and still as we looked around, and Cleo’s tail swung from side to side as we waited.

There was a sudden explosion of footsteps behind us, and I spun around to see three of the frog-legged guards leap out of hiding. Their bronze armor gleamed under the electric sky, and they swung their long spears toward us threateningly.

“The cat-girl,” one of them growled. “Get her for the duchess!”

“We’ll be rewarded,” another snarled. “Imagine the gold when we bring her in.”

I swung my pistol toward the biggest one as I took a deep breath, and my finger pressed against the cool trigger. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as I focused on my posture, and I took a shot right at the bastard’s face.

My aim was only slightly off, and the bullet soared into the guard’s neck rather than his skull.

It did the job, though.

Blood erupted from his jugular as his red eyes rolled back, and his bent limbs flailed as he tumbled backward. The guard’s bronze armor was splattered with dark blood as he fell, and Cleo leapt at one of the two remaining creatures.

She swung her sickle in a flash of silver, and the blade swiped clean across the frog-legged beast’s throat. The cat-girl moved the blade up next, and she sliced the fucker’s face clean in half. She cut right between his eyes, and his head slowly peeled apart in two different directions in a horrifying mess of skin. It was like watching someone take a mask off, but with the added sickening sight of brain matter. His body shuddered as the spear fell down, and his frog legs buckled as he toppled over.

I aimed my Glock at the remaining guard, and he raised his spear just as I pulled the trigger. My bullet soared directly into his forehead, and his skull burst apart. I was splattered with bits of bone fragments and blood, and the guard’s headless body crumpled into a pile on the ground.

“Muuuurder!”

I spun around to see the flying gargoyle woman had circled back and spotted us. She pointed down as she shrieked, and she waved her stumpy arms to attract as much attention as possible. Her blonde wig almost fell off her head as she moved, and her screams echoed out over the black leaves like a fucking siren.

“Cat-giiiiiirl!” she howled into the sky. “Guards! He’s got her! Over heeeere! Stop them! She is for my collection!”

The gargoyle bitch was going to lead more guards straight to us, and I raised my pistol up as I aimed at her huge belly. I figured she was about fifty yards away, and I didn’t know if I was a good enough shot to hit her with the handgun, but I had to try.

The scaly beast opened her mouth to scream again, and I sent a shot right into her midriff. Blood shot out of her bloated stomach and all over her body like a popped water balloon. The furry animal around her neck was splattered with red, and her wings suddenly stopped moving altogether.

Then she gave one final hiss as she plummeted down. Her head smacked against a tree as she fell, and it snapped backwards like a PEZ dispenser. I guessed that if the gunshot hadn’t killed her, that impact with the tree would have, but then her huge body plopped into the mud a good dozen yards from us with a thud that shook the ground beneath my feet.

Yeah. Pretty sure she was dead. Her bloated body slowly bled out from the bullet wound while her blonde wig fell off to reveal her scaly head, and her curled horns stuck out at odd angles.

“Loot everything you can from her body,” I hissed at Cleo as I holstered my Glock, raced forward, and started grabbing what jewelry I could from the disgusting corpse.

Her thick wrists held so much gold that it was impossible to count the bracelets, and I began to stuff everything into my bag. Cleo bent down to help, and we slid every heavy ring from her cold fingers. I couldn’t help grinning as I imagined handing the haul over to Elijah, and I knew I was holding more money than I would make in a month at work.

“Footsteps,” Cleo hissed as her ears twitched. “Someone’s coming from behind us. We need to go.”

“Almost there,” I whispered as I snatched the last earring off the corpse and threw it in my pack. Then I grinned as we shot off into the trees. The weight of the loot hit against my back with each step with a satisfying smack, and I guessed this trip had made me a few hundred thousand dollars.

Hell to the yeah.

Loot.

“Your black hand weapon is amazing,” Cleo said as we ran. “You control it so well. It is like a tiny ship cannon!”

“I guess it is,” I chuckled. “And your skills with that blade are incredible. How did you learn to move like that?”

“Years of being on the run,” Cleo replied. “I had to learn how to defend myself, or I would have been caught as a trophy a long time ago. My people are naturally gifted fighters, but I have learned moves that would shock even my ancestors.”

“They would be proud,” I said. “It’s not every day you see someone’s face get sliced clean in half.”

Cleo shot me a sultry smile as she wiped the blood splatter from her cheek.

There was an echo of howls and screeches behind us, and I was pretty sure the bodies had just been discovered. Maybe it was another group of guards, or it could be other gargoyles who were desperately searching for Cleo.

“Let’s get out of here,” I said as I pulled on her arm. I was a complete newb with fighting, but I’d played enough military strategy games to know that positioning was everything, so as long as we stayed far enough away from these assholes, we’d either escape detection, or I’d be able to pick them off with my Glock.

Luckily, Cleo’s feet moved so elegantly over the mud that I could barely hear her, and she held her sickle tightly as we ran.

Then I saw something out of the corner of my eye, and I grabbed the cat-girl’s arm just before a huge snake shot out in front of us.

It had blue scales, and its eyes were horribly human-looking. They looked up at me as its long tongue flicked out, and I guessed it must have been about fifteen feet long.

“Shit!” I swung my foot up as it lunged toward me. Fortunately, the toe of my sneaker connected with the snake’s face, and it went flying as it bared its sharp teeth.

“A leviathan,” Cleo hissed, and she swung her blade down as she jumped toward the creature. “They are also hunting us!”

The snake’s body was chopped in half before it hit the ground, and its pink insides started to spill all over the grass. Its human eyes glazed over as its tongue flopped out, but then its halved body gave one final death shudder.

“Fuck,” I breathed. “That really came out of nowhere. I see what you meant about them being sneaky bastards.”

“They’re everywhere,” Cleo said as she kicked the scaly head. “They won’t stop searching until they find me.”

“Wait, the leviathans want you, too?” I asked. “I thought it was only the gargoyles?”

“Liam, I am a cat-girl.” Cleo gestured to herself as if this fact alone made everything obvious. “I am considered one of the rarest trophies the High Society can capture.”

“They won’t get you,” I growled. “We’re leaving this place with a bag full of loot, and they can hunt all night as you come home safely with me.”

The cat-girl purred at my words and gave my cheek a quick kiss with her full lips.

I was instantly overwhelmed with the desire to pull her back for more, but I made do with admiring the view of her tight pants and crop top as she smiled up at me. My eyes lingered down at her cleavage, and the cat-girl giggled as her golden eyes glinted.

It still blew my mind how hot she was, and the fact that she was one of the most hunted races in her world made a lot of sense. She was absolutely incredible to behold.

I let out a deep sigh as I focused my mind back on the mission. We started to run again, but it felt like the sky had erupted into a jungle of noises. Screams of gargoyles combined with the calls of guards, and the echoes of frog-legged footsteps rang out as the woodlands were searched.

The forest really was crawling with the bastards, and despite the cold knot of terror in my stomach, I chuckled a bit when I realized I still had a ton of ammo left in my mags.

“Are we close?” I asked between breaths as sweat trickled down my back.

“Halfway there,” Cleo replied, and she seemed perfectly fine as she moved quickly through the trees.

Her cardio had clearly been built up over years of running from guards, but I had to put every effort into keeping up with her long sculpted legs.

We raced along in silence as we reached the bottom of the hill, and the land flattened out below my feet. Huge trees still towered above us as Cleo led us through the woodlands with confidence. A few huge bugs scuttled past my feet, and a green lizard raced up the bark of a nearby tree.

Then we suddenly stepped out into a huge clearing that had a swampy lake in the middle. The brown bubbles let out a putrid smell, and it was made up of a thick substance that rolled like tiny waves. The clearing had a thin mist that drifted around the liquid, too, and the stench of rotten eggs and mold made me gag.

I wrinkled my nose as we started to make our way around it.

“Gross,” I muttered and eyed the dead toads that floated on their backs, and I made sure to step carefully as we hurried along to the other side.

Then Cleo suddenly yelped behind me, and I spun around to see a bony arm had shot out of the swap.

It looked completely skeletal, and there were only thin remnants of torn flesh left on the limb. The hand gripped tightly onto Cleo’s ankle, and she swung her other foot over to kick it. But another arm shot out of the swamp, and it grabbed a hold of the cat-girl’s attacking leg.

I raced over to her as she started to get pulled into the brown lake, and I grabbed her tightly by her waist. The cat-girl’s boots were stuck in the vise-like grips of the bony fingers, and whatever the creature was, it had some serious strength. I couldn’t see any signs of a head, there were only the two arms that tried to wrestle Cleo from my hold.

“Liam,” she gasped as she flailed her legs wildly.

“I’ve got you,” I grunted as I put all my effort into pulling, and I kicked out at one of the bony limbs.

My boot slammed against the arm, and there was a loud crunch as the bone snapped. Then the hand let go of Cleo’s ankle, and the other limb dropped her boot quickly after.

A howl came from below the surface of the swamp, but I was able to tumble backward with Cleo in my arms. She gripped me tightly as we fell against a tree, and I watched in horror as more arms started to emerge from the swamp.

“What the fuck?” I muttered as the bony limbs slipped out of the lake, and they all started to move toward us. “Is everything in this world trying to capture you?”

“Yes!” she hissed, and a nearby howl told me that guards were still hot on our trails, so I pulled Cleo along the side of the swamp.

The slow sloshing of the moving limbs followed us as we ran, and I shuddered to think what the fuck those arms were attached to. I glanced back to see all the bones sticking out of the swamp had gathered around to swing uselessly after us, but then they started to sink back down as we hurried into the trees.

It didn’t seem like they could come onto land, and I felt relief wash over me as the horrific sight vanished. That image was going to be burned into my brain for a long time.

“What the fuck were those?” I asked as I checked that Cleo wasn’t hurt.

“Swamp sleuths,” the cat-girl said. “They pull you down into their lairs, and you will never be seen again. Nobody even knows what their faces or bodies look like. Anyone who sees them ends up dead. I think they drown you in mud before they eat you, but who knows.”

“Great,” I said. “Swamp sleuths. I’ll add them to the list of fucking nightmarish creatures I’ve met so far in this world. This place is crazy.”

“There are things much worse than them,” Cleo said, and I absolutely believed her.

We had been attacked a bunch since coming back to Hollowfell. I knew part of this was because everyone was still looking for Cleo, and I figured that killing enough of these fucks would probably lower interest, but I also knew my pistol wasn’t going to cut it for every looting mission I would go on. I was going to need to upgrade to a shotgun or a rifle as soon as possible so I could hit shit from farther away.

I’d check back in with Uncle Spencer when he was home from his trip. If I sent him over a bit of the money I earned from the looting, I was certain he would have no issues with providing me with more guns, and I would just have to work on how to conceal all this shit in the smartest way possible when I moved in and out of my office building.

Hollowfell was going to test every strength and sense I had, but I was ready for the challenge. I felt an unbreakable high from the thrill of the mission, and I knew how fucking incredible the reward was going to be.

My backpack was already heavy with gold, and my mind raced with the thought of what I could buy first. Rent problems were already becoming a distant memory, and I couldn’t wait to take Cleo to the swankiest bar in the state. My wildest dreams were within reach, and all I had to do was move quickly, keep my mind alert, and slay some nasty fucking assholes with my superior firepower.

I could already practically feel the breeze on the penthouse balcony I would soon have, and the wind through my hair as I drove a sweet convertible along the California coast.

The trees started to thin out around us, and I could smell salt in the air as we slowed down. I glanced back to make sure there weren’t any flying gargoyles nearby, but I could only see a few distant dots in the air far off toward the city. Their screeches managed to travel right across the woodland, though, and I wondered how the people of Hollowfell didn’t go insane from the noises of these fuckers screaming like angry toddlers all the time.

“We’re almost there,” Cleo said. “This is going to be the most dangerous part yet, Liam. I meant it when I said pirates are deadly. They would slit your throat the second they saw you, so you must be prepared to be as fast as you possibly can with your loud weapon.”

“I’m ready,” I said. “Let’s see how much gold I can cram inside my bag without toppling over. If they think they can make money from hunting some poor, innocent girls, then I’m going to take everything I can from these fuckers.”

We crept through the sparse trees as the coves came into view ahead. They were white caves that lined the coast, and I could suddenly see why Cleo was so amazed with the beach I had shown her. The one in front of us wasn’t exactly an ideal holiday destination.

Piss-yellow sand ran along the choppy water, and there were dark oil stains and piles of bones littered everywhere. Rotting corpses were sprawled out along the beach, and the gray water lapped at the decaying flesh of elves and dwarves.

I wondered if they had all tried to steal some treasure, or if they had just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One decapitated body had been tied to a wooden pole in the sand, and I reckoned it was meant to send out a warning to anyone tempted to come close. There were even the bodies of frog-legged guards, and it was clear that the pirates had no loyalty to anyone but themselves. Or anyone who paid them well enough.

A wooden dock stretched out alongside several huge ships that reminded me of the ones from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. They were slightly bigger than the yachts I had seen rich guys lazing around on in California and much taller. Their black sails towered above the tallest of the woodland trees, and they were built from dark wood. Carved mermaids stuck out of the front of each ship, but the statues had been beaten and chipped away by the harsh winds.

The boats’ decks were all loaded down with huge barrels and glass bottles, and the sound of yells and stomping feet echoed out over the gray water. Each ship was tethered to the dock by a thick rope, and black cannons peeked out from gun ports on the lower decks.

There was a strong smell of alcohol lingering in the salty air, and we crept forward until we could see the entrance to one of the coves.

My heart leapt into my throat as I saw the gleam of gold, and there were literally piles of treasure sitting just inside the cave like small sand dunes. Dark red rubies and emeralds sparkled amongst the gold, and the whole floor of the caves was covered in the loot.

I wondered how many trophy girls they had to have handed over to gather this much treasure.

But there was also a crowd of beings moving around the coves, and I got my first look at Hollowfell pirates. These were not like the bearded characters I had read about as a child or the guys in the Johnny Depp movies. They were humanoid beings that looked like the sea had thrown up on them.

The Cronenberg-looking pirates had the features of various sea creatures, and some of them had shark fins sticking out of their spines. Others had tentacles swinging under their human arms, and one even had the head of a shark sticking out of his pink neck. His black eyes looked soulless as he stomped over the golden ground, and his wide chest had a gray tint to the skin.

Barnacles and seaweed covered all of the pirates’ exposed arms, and they wore torn shirts and black pants. Huge swords hung on their golden belts, and they all had rings and chains around their necks. Just like the other assholes I’d seen around here, they were dripping with riches, even despite their worn-out clothing, and they snapped and growled at each other as they counted coins.

The creatures were a horrifying mix of sea monsters and men, and there was no way we were getting into the coves to get at that loot without them seeing us.

Chapter 9

We scurried back around the edge of the cover by the woodland so we couldn’t be seen, and we kept going until we reached a quieter part of the beach that was far from the eyesight of the nasty pirates. The gray sea stretched out to the horizon, and I wondered how many other lands lay out there. Cleo had said that Hollowfell was a huge world, and I had a brief fantasy about exploring all of it in the search for awesome loot. But I could tell that the water got choppy further out, and it wasn’t a journey that could be taken on anything smaller than the pirate ships.

There weren’t as many of the man-sea monster hybrids as we got further from the dock, but there were still massive piles of treasure stacked up inside the white caves. The gleam of gold shone out from every entrance, and I was itching to get my hands plunged right into it. It was hard to fathom how much it was all worth, but I could just picture Elijah’s face when I dumped a bag full of the loot in front of him.

“What about that one?” I asked as I pointed to an unmanned cave back toward where the pirates were operating. “There is no way we can get all the treasure in even one of those caves, but we can at least fill up my backpack.”

The cave I pointed at sat at the end of the white coves, and it was slightly smaller than the rest. But it was still crammed with treasure. It was the closest one to us, and it was as far from the busy dock as we could get.

“It looks quiet,” Cleo muttered as she eyed the sand. “I don’t think the pirates will leave any of their storage spaces unguarded for long, though. Especially if they see us running across the sand to get in there.”

“We have our weapons,” I said quietly. “We’re not going to get out of this without running into some of these fuckers. Let’s go. Put your ear protection in. I might have to shoot someone.”

Cleo nodded, and then we hurried down from the grassy mound at the edge of the woods back toward the beach. I had to carefully step over piles of bones as we went, and I tried to avoid as much of the dried blood as possible. The sounds of the pirates nearby carried over the coves, and their voices echoed around the stony walls.

We raced toward the entrance of the last cave on the line, and I grabbed Cleo a split second before we stepped in.

In the gloom, there were three pirates standing over a pile of gold. They muttered to each other as they counted coins like Scrooge McDuck on Christmas Eve, but they had been far quieter than the other groups shouting at each other from the docks. One of them had a red starfish sticking out of the side of his head, and its legs wiggled slowly against his ear. The other two both had fins coming out of their backs, and I could smell the stench of gutted fish from where I stood. Their curved swords sat on their sides, and they hadn’t noticed us sneak in, so I figured it was time to take the initiative.

I aimed my pistol at the starfish pirate’s head, and I pulled the trigger before any of them could turn around. The moment the bullet hit his skull, I swung my gun around to the next guy, put the “ball” of the Glock’s front sight into the “bucket” of the rear sight and pulled the trigger again. I shot right into his neck before any of them had time to react.

The final pirate spun around with a shocked snarl, but I acted before he even had time to draw his weapon. His barnacle-covered face erupted in an explosion of fish-scented blood, and he crumpled down on top of the two other bodies.

“Amazing!” Cleo gasped. “You are so powerful!”

“That noise will have attracted some others,” I said as I raced deeper into the cave. “Let’s get packing.”

“Duck!” Cleo hissed.

I dove on to the gold-covered ground just as two huge pirates raced into the cave with swinging blades aimed at my skull, but I’d ducked in time for them to sail over my head.

One of the pirates seemed to have a miniature octopus attached to his chest, and it swung its green legs around as he moved. The second guy was mostly human looking, but he had black fish scales all down his neck.

“Haiiiieeee!” Cleo leapt at them as she swung her sickle, and her blade slid right through the first one’s neck before she kept going on to the next. With one fluid motion, she had beheaded the two men, and their skulls fell to the ground before their bodies did.

“Holy shit,” I breathed as I slowly got to my feet. “You are unreal.”

“I will keep my oath promise,” Cleo said sweetly. “They swung blades at you, so I cut their throats. Do not try to hurt my Liam. He is my human guy. Mine.”

I grinned as Cleo strutted over the bodies, and I swung my bag off my shoulder to unzip it. The cave was completely covered in gold, and I didn’t know where to start looting. I felt like a kid who had woken up on Christmas morning to find every toy imaginable under the tree.

There were thousands of shining coins, jewelry covered in rubies, tiaras, and literal blocks of gold. Gemstones of every color were piled up amongst the coins, and I started to grab what I could to shove into my pack. I made sure to take a couple of the gold bars, and I was amazed at how heavy they were. Handfuls of chunky gold chains went in my bag as well, along with two chalices that had emeralds encrusted on the handles, and a bunch of bracelets and bejeweled necklaces for good measure.

I was going to get a serious shoulder workout carrying it all, and I could practically see cartoon dollar signs in front of my eyes. It was euphoric to be around this much treasure, and I packed until there was no room left. Cleo had scooped up as much as she could carry, too, and I finally straightened up as I swung my loaded bag on.

It must have weighed nearly eighty pounds, and I could feel the straps straining as they dug into my shoulders.

I was going to need a better pack for the next trip for sure.

“Let’s get out of here.” I grinned despite the weight. “Are you okay carrying that?”

“I can manage,” Cleo said as she adjusted the strap of her pouch. “But I think we are about to have company.”

Her black ears twitched, and we spun around as the sound of footsteps thumping over sand got louder. There were several grunts as the group got closer, and I gestured for Cleo to hide behind one of the huge gold piles. She ducked down just as two shadows appeared outside, and I pressed my back against the wall so I wouldn’t be spotted right away.

Two pirates swung around into the cave, and their faces made my skin crawl. One of them had seaweed growing out of his flesh, and I could see from his unbuttoned shirt that his whole body was tinged a shade of green. The other guy had two tentacles protruding from his ribs, and they made a horrible, slimy sound when they moved.

Both pirates had their curved swords drawn, but I already had my arms braced against a pile of gold and my sights set on them.

Then I shot right at the seaweed bastard’s face, and there was an explosion of green and red as his skull broke apart.

The tentacled pirate screamed, and he managed to leap out of the way just before I could shoot him. Then he lunged at me with his blade swinging, and I fired a shot right into his rib cage. The pirate howled as one of his tentacles was blown off, and the flapping mass of gray flesh went flying. It looked like a huge slug had just been sent through the air, and the fishy smell was making me gag.

“Shit!” I ducked down right as he swung his sword at my head, and I only very narrowly avoided the blade. As I moved, I took aim at his face and shot another bullet right into his eyeball. There was a wet pop as jelly exploded everywhere, and I felt bits of soggy iris land on my cheek.

“Gross,” I muttered as the pirate crumpled down. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Cleo didn’t move. Her ears twitched as her golden eyes widened. She looked like a cat that had just spotted a mouse, and I froze to listen for whatever she had heard.

The only sound was of the far off pirates, and a steady drip of water at the back of the cave.

“There’s someone else nearby,” she whispered. “I heard a whimper.”

“Huh?” I asked as I glanced around at the piles of gold. “What do you mean? It’s just us here, Cleo.”

She bit her lip, and I stared into the gloomy back of the cave to make sure we were alone.

“Come on,” I said. “Let’s get out while we still can. Maybe you just heard a creature in the woods.”

The cat-girl nodded, but she still looked worried as we crept to the front of the cave. I peeked out to look down the coves, and I was relieved to see that the distant pirates on the docks were busy loading up one of the ships. They slammed heavy trunks down onto the wood, and the bangs and yells must have covered up the worst of the gunshot noises. I slipped my headphones down to listen out for anything else, but the roar of the pirates was the only sound that echoed out over the sand.

They looked like they were preparing to sail out, and I hoped that meant they wouldn’t be paying much attention to the coves for now. The cave beside us was only a few feet away, and I noticed there was something odd sitting in the darkness.

Beside piles of gold, there was a huge rectangular box that had been covered up with a filthy black cloth. There was a silvery light spilling out from underneath the material, and I couldn’t seem to stop staring at it.

“What the hell is that?” I muttered, and Cleo peered out to look.

“I am not sure,” she whispered. “Perhaps we should check?”

I wanted to get out of the pirate-infested beach as soon as possible. We had bags crammed with golden loot, and there were already several dead bodies waiting to be discovered. If we ran now, then we could be back up the hill before anyone realized what had happened. But something about that glowing box was calling to me.

I had to know what was inside it.

It was clearly something important enough to be hidden, even if the dark cloth wasn’t exactly providing much protection. If they kept their piles of gold just sitting around, then it must be something unbelievably valuable to be locked up like that.

I had lost count of how many shots I’d fired, so I pulled out a new mag from my belt pouch, ejected the old one from my Glock, and then switched them out so my weapon was full. Then I took a deep breath and checked the pirates in the distance.

“Stay low,” I said quietly. “They’re loading up that ship, so they’re distracted. Let’s see what’s in there, and then we can get the hell out of here.”

Cleo nodded silently as her golden eyes studied the ships, and we raced from the cave entrance as we crouched down low. The position made my back scream from the weight of the treasure I carried, and I added “working out” to my list of shit to do along with getting another backpack and a rifle. I felt my palms sweat as we were out on the open sands, but then I leapt into the next cave as quickly as possible. Cleo was right behind me, and we waited a beat to see if there would be another stampede of footsteps.

“I don’t think they noticed us,” Cleo whispered.

Then we stared at the glowing box that was pressed up against the cave wall, and I slowly stepped toward it. I was aware that there could be some kind of vicious animal inside, but there was no growling or movement.

“Be careful,” Cleo hissed, and she crouched down with her sickle ready to swing. “This is what I heard whimpering or whining.”

“How can a chest whimper?” I reached a hand toward the black cloth, and I gently pulled it before taking a step back. The grimy material began to fall from the container, and my breath caught in my throat as I realized what I was looking at.

There was a woman standing inside a cage.

She blinked at me from behind the metal bars, and she was absolutely beautiful, but definitely not human. Sparkling blue eyes stared out from her pale face, and she had pastel pink curls that fell around her shoulders. She was very petite, and a purple dress hugged her tiny frame. The most incredible part of her was her wings, though. They were barely visible at first. But I realized that they seemed to have tiny silver stars all over the iridescent membrane. She was dazzlingly gorgeous, and she tugged at her pink hair nervously as she watched me.

“Uh,” I managed eventually. “Hi? Shit. Are you okay?”

“You’re not a pirate,” the girl breathed, and she had a songlike voice.

“No,” I said as I glanced at the cave entrance. “Are you being held captive… I mean, obviously you are.”

“She’s been captured,” Cleo hissed. “She’s a dusk nymph.”

I remembered the list of desirable women that the cat-girl had given me earlier, and my stomach flipped as I realized what was happening.

“You’re being sold as a trophy,” I breathed. “Fuck that. No way.”

I grabbed the puzzle set from inside my jacket, and the girl in the cage whimpered as I stepped forward.

“I won’t hurt you,” I assured her. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

“You are?” she squealed. “Do you own the cat-girl? Are you adding me to your collection? The pirates will be very angry if you don’t pay.”

“Of course, I’m not adding you to a collection,” I said. “Cleo’s my--”

“Liam is my man,” the cat-girl interrupted. “He’s a good human guy. I love him, and he will protect you just like me. Okay? Okay.”

“Okay…” the nymph nodded as she nervously glanced back at me.

But I was staring in shock at the beautiful cat-girl.

She loved me?

It didn’t feel like a strong enough word to describe what the cat-girl meant to me, especially after that kiss. But “love” was a word I could use, and she just did. We could swap more in depth introductions later. Getting the nymph out of her enclosure was the only thing that mattered in that moment.

“I’ll keep watch while you free her,” Cleo hissed as she raced back to the cave entrance.

The lock on the cage was tougher than the one on the Hollowfell door, and I grunted as I tried to maneuver the pin inside. The nymph hummed quietly to herself as I worked, and I felt a violent anger as I noticed the cuts and bruises on her slender legs and arms. She’d probably tried to fight back and escape, but the pirates obviously had no issues with putting a stop to that.

“Liam,” Cleo hissed. “A couple of the pirates on the dock keep glancing this way. Hurry!”

“Oh, my goodness,” the winged woman whimpered as she jumped from foot to foot. “Please! Don’t let them sell me to the gargoyles!”

“I won’t,” I grunted as I wiggled the silver tools. “You’re going to get out of here, okay? I just need to get these stupid pins right.”

My palms had started to sweat from the stress, and I heard Cleo quietly growl as her tail flicked from side to side. The cat-girl crouched as she drew her sickle, and I heard the sound of voices getting louder.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Relief washed over me as the lock finally clicked, and I swung the door of the cage open. The beautiful nymph stared at me in shock as I offered her a hand to help her out.

“Hurry,” I said. “We need to leave immediately.”

The woman grabbed my hand, and I helped her out of the cage and onto the gold-covered ground. Her blue eyes were wide as she stared me up and down, but then I heard footsteps break out into a run outside.

“Shit,” I breathed. “We have to go.”

We raced to the cave entrance, and I saw a group of seven pirates running over the blood-covered sand. Every one of them at the dock had stopped to watch, and I knew I would not be able to shoot them all if they attacked at once.

“Run!” I hissed, and we shot out onto the beach.

There was an explosion of shouts and screams that confirmed the pirates had spotted us.

My heart was in my throat as we began to race back onto the muddy hillside, and I didn’t even feel the weight of the treasure on my back as I ran. The nymph girl used her wings to hover just above the ground as she stayed beside us, and I glanced back to see the horde of pirates on the ship starting to run.

“Go!” I yelled. “Go, go, go, goooo!”

The sand slowed them down enough for us to get a good head-start, and Cleo darted in and out of the trees as we weaved our way up the hill. The yells of the pirates were definitely going to draw the attention of other Hollowfell creatures, though, and I worried that all the asshole gargoyles were going to start flying this way.

The door back to Earth suddenly seemed a hell of a lot further away.

“We can do this!” I called as we ran. “Just keep hidden and keep moving.”

I was reassuring myself as much as anyone else while my calf muscles, back, and shoulders burned from sprinting up the muddy slope with the backpack full of treasure. It seemed ten times steeper on the way up, and I could still hear their furious roars and a sudden howl from down at the beach.

“The trophy!” a grizzly voice screeched. “They took the trophy!”

“Fuck,” I hissed, and the blood-curdling screams from the pirates sent a shiver down the back of my neck.

“Trooophy?” a gargoyle voice cried out in the distance. “Someone took a trooophy? Wheeeere?”

I glanced back to see a huge gargoyle woman had glided over the beach. Her pink dress was about to burst at her gut, and there were countless pearls strapped around her neck. She had clearly heard the pirates, and she began to screech at the top of her lungs like a foghorn.

“Stolen trophy!” she screamed. “Fiiiind them! Find her! Everyone! Emergeeeency!”

“These scaly bitches are such a pain in the ass,” I growled and pumped my legs faster.

There were multiple distant screams, and I felt a sense of dread as the lumbering frames of more and more gargoyles appeared in the sky. They shot up on their small wings, and their howls to each other grew louder as the alarm was raised.

“Son of a bitch,” I groaned.

“They’re going to find us,” the nymph tugged at her pink curls as she flew, and her purple dress shimmered against the gloom of the trees. “There is no way we can be free.”

“We have an escape route,” I panted as a stitch stung my side. “It’s at the top of the hill.”

“Just stay with us,” Cleo hissed. “You can come through to our other world. Liam is a savior of our kind! You will love him!”

I was going to object to the overblown compliment, but I had to save every breath to fuel my running. If Cleo wanted to brag about me, I didn’t exactly mind.

The nymph didn’t seem to be struggling to keep up at all. She zipped between the twisting branches like a hummingbird, and the silver stars on her wings twinkled even in the dark.

The gargoyles had started to form a swarming group in the sky, and they were flying low over the trees as they searched for their runaway trophy. It was going to be very fucking difficult to reach the portal without being spotted, and I tried to keep my eyes on the electric sky as we moved.

The pirates hadn’t managed to follow our trail, and their screams became more distant as we got further up the hill. But the gargoyles had quickly amassed a small army. They were hurriedly making their way around the hill as they swooped and screeched, and from what I could tell, the group was a mixture of both male and female beasts.

And all of their huge collections of jewelry slowed them down as their tiny wings worked.

“They’re so horrible,” the nymph whimpered as she glanced up. “Oh, dear! Maybe we should just hide somewhere?”

“We have to keep moving,” I said. “If we stop, then we’ll die.”

“Never,” Cleo hissed as she deftly sprinted through the gnarled trees.

The backpack full of treasure felt like it weighed a fucking ton, and my aching back was damp with sweat. I had two beautiful girls who were being ruthlessly hunted, and a whole backpack full of pirate loot in tow. It was a hell of a lot of pressure to put on a guy, but I couldn’t deny the thrill of adventure was strong.

Despite the pain in my entire body, I’d never felt so alive before in my fucking life.

But the hill seemed to go on forever, and I groaned as I glanced up to see we were only about halfway up.

“They’re splitting up!” Cleo hissed.

I looked up to see the gargoyles had started to break off into smaller groups. Their thick necks swung from side to side, and they drooled as they scanned the ground for their lost prize.

“Guards!” a gargoyle man boomed. “Cover every inch of the ground! Find them! The man who catches them will be rewarded!”

Fuck. Adding the frog-legged guards to the mix was going to make this last stretch nearly impossible.

“Cleo,” I gasped. “Do we have to go through the swamp again?”

“We don’t have to,” she said. “It will add a couple of minutes on, but we can go around it.”

“No,” I said. “Let’s not go around it. These fuckers are nearly above us, and we might be able to trap them. Hey…”

I gestured to the nymph, and I realized I didn’t know her name.

“Kali,” the pink-haired woman squeaked.

“Kali,” I panted. “I’m Liam, that’s Cleo. Can you fly over the swamp when we reach it? But not low enough to be grabbed by those swamp sleuth fuckers?”

“Of course,” she said. “Why?”

“I’m hoping that–” I began, but I was interrupted by the most ear-piercing shriek as a blonde-wigged gargoyle woman spotted us.

“Theeeeere!” she howled. “The stolen trophy! He has the cat-girl, too! Miiiiine! They’re both mine! I claim them! Bring them to meeeee!”

“Cleo!” I yelled. “How far are we from the swamp?”

“It’s right ahead,” the cat-girl said. “Look!”

We skidded to a halt as the eerie clearing came into view, and I shuddered at the thought of the bony-armed creatures below.

“Go over,” I hissed to Kali. “We’ll go around.”

The beautiful pink-haired woman nodded, and she was clearly putting all her trust in me as she soared over the bubbling swamp.

“Get her!” a male gargoyle yelled, and I glanced up just as three of the huge beasts descended.

I raced with Cleo around the swamp, and we were careful not to go near the edge. Kali hovered right above the center of the brown liquid, and she yelped as the gargoyles dove down toward her.

“Move, now!” I called when they were inches away from the nymph, and she bolted out of the way on her shining wings.

My plan had worked.

The three gargoyles didn’t have time to slow down before multiple hands swung up from the swamp. Bony fingers gripped onto each of the gargoyles’ arms and legs, and then onto their thick snouts. The gold-covered beasts howled as the arms began to drag them below the surface, and I glanced back in time to see the female gargoyle’s blonde head vanished into the depths.

“Excellent, Liam!” Cleo purred as we continued to run. “Right where they belong. Rotting at the bottom of a swamp.”

“At least they get to find out what the sleuths look like,” I said.

None of the other gargoyles seemed to have noticed the sudden disappearance of the trio, and my whole body was drenched in sweat as we raced to the top of the hillside.

“Where are we going?” Kali asked desperately as she looked around. “There isn’t anything here!”

“Trust me!” I called. “I know we just met, but I have a secret tunnel. They won’t catch you if you stick with us.”

The beautiful nymph bit her lip, but she didn’t have much choice. I had already saved her from the pirates, and I figured that was enough for her to weigh me up as the better option.

“He saved me, too,” Cleo called. “You can trust him. I know what it’s like to be hunted. But we will persevere! Liam will save us! Trust in my human guy!”

“Your what?” Kali screeched.

“Me!” I belted back.

We finally reached the top of the hill before she could argue further, and I groaned with relief to see the outline of the doorway on the rock face.

“Go!” I yelled.

“Go where?” Kali asked as she spun around beside me.

Cleo leapt at the portal, and her whole body vanished into the cliffside. Her furry tail was the last bit to disappear, and it was bizarre to see it from the Hollowfell side.

“What just happened?” Kali squeaked, and I reached out for her hand. “Where did she go? Are you a warlock? Are you–”

“Come with me,” I said urgently as the sound of the gargoyle screams got louder.

I glanced up to see an entire army of the fuckers had descended onto the hillside, and they were pouring out of the city to find the two beautiful women.

Kali gasped as I pulled her through the doorway with me. Then we tumbled into the dimly-lit corridor on the other side.

“Shit.” I caught my breath as I stared at the doorway, and I slowly slid the heavy backpack off.

“Are… are they going to come through and get us?” Kali gasped. “Where are we?”

“We are in my world,” I said. “And I don’t think they can make it through.”

“Let’s wait and see,” Cleo said.

“Yeah,” I replied as I pulled my Glock out of my holster. Shooting anything inside the building would be loud as fuck, but there wasn’t anyone on the twelfth floor to really hear.

The three of us waited in a tense silence for ten minutes, and then I slowly lowered my handgun and put it back in my holster.

“I think we are safe. If they were going to come through, they would have by now.” A huge grin spread over my face as my heart rate slowed down, and I realized I was standing with two of the most beautiful girls in Hollowfell.

And on Earth.

There was a bag of pirate loot at my feet, and we had gotten out unharmed.

My first heist in the new world had worked, and I was about to become rich beyond my wildest dreams.

Chapter 10

“You are sure we are safe?” The dusk nymph’s blue eyes were wide as her wings twitched, and she swayed on the spot for a moment. “Can you explain what has happened? We are in your world? Is that what you said?”

She was the second girl in a week I was going to need to explain Earth to, and I hoped she eventually adjusted as well as Cleo had so far.

“Sooo,” I said. “I know this is a lot, but I’m a human. You’re now on Earth. It’s a different world that can be reached through this door, but it seems nobody else can get through it.”

“Oh,” Kali squeaked. “Earth. Human. Right.”

She tugged on a pink curl, and it was obvious she was still petrified.

“You are safe,” Cleo said gently as she put a hand on Kali’s shoulder. “Liam does not care about collecting trophies. He just likes gold like any normal person! Earth has amazing magic, too. You’ll get to see it all back at Liam’s house.”

“I can come to your house?” Kali asked. “You won’t leave me?”

“Of course, I won’t,” I said. “I’m not going to just yank you from your world and send you out into the night. Or whatever time it is.”

“Right,” Kali said as her sparkling eyes bored into mine. “Thank you for saving me. This is all just a bit… alarming. So strange, but I’ll take any life that isn’t in that horrible pirate cage. Still… Earth? This is so strange.”

“I understand,” I said. “I thought I’d gone crazy when I first stepped into your world. We’ll take care of you, though.”

The dusk nymph nodded, and she closed her eyes as she took a deep breath.

It was going to be tricky getting her out without being noticed. Stan would surely be suspicious if yet another beautiful girl arrived by my side. The sparkly fairy-like wings were going to catch a lot of attention, and it wasn’t like I’d showed up this morning with both Cleo and Kali as interns.

“We’re going to have to do this carefully,” I said as I tied my windbreaker over my gun belt so it was hidden. “Your wings are going to stand out, and your outfit and hair will, too. Only because we’re in a dingy office building, and people don’t dress that flashy to come in. We don’t have nymphs here.”

“Oh,” Kali said. “Should I change?”

“Did you bring other clothes?” I asked as I glanced around for a bag.

“She’s a dusk nymph,” Cleo stated.

I was about to ask what that was or what it had to do with anything, but Kali suddenly started to glow silver. Little beams of light danced over her pale skin, and it looked like hundreds of fireflies were racing around her.

Her pink curls began to fade to blonde, and the purple dress became longer and darker. The silver stars on her wings faded until they had vanished completely, and she looked like a normal girl in a black dress. An exceptionally beautiful girl, but a human one. Granted, her blue eyes were still dazzlingly bright, but she didn’t look strange.

“Holy shit,” I laughed. “That’s amazing! This is going to be much easier now.”

“You are very pretty,” Cleo said as she studied the nymph. “In both forms.”

“Thank you,” Kali said shyly. “I can only shift when I am not touching steel or iron, like the cage I was trapped in.”

“Oh, so that affects your magic?” I asked.

“Yes.” She nodded. “Is there much steel and iron in your world?”

“Yeah,” I said, “but we can avoid most of it, I think. Or I can buy you gloves and shoes. At any rate, not being able to see your wings will help. We can sneak out easier now.”

I swung my backpack on again, and I pulled out my cell phone to check the time. It was almost five, and I was relieved that everyone would be heading home. But there were about ten missed calls from Roberts, and I groaned when I realized I was going to get an earful from him eventually.

Cleo picked up the shopping bag that had her new dress and jacket inside, and then we walked down the dim corridor, toward the exit.

“This is so strange.” Kali glanced over her shoulder at the Hollowfell door.

“You can always go back,” I said.

“I’m not very sure I would want to go back,” the nymph said. “It depends how bad the trophy hunting is here.”

“There isn’t any,” I said. “You’re safe on Earth.”

“It’s true.” Cleo nodded. “They do not even have cat-folk or nymphs here.”

“Really?” Kali gasped. “Nobody will hunt me?”

“Nope,” I said. “It’s just humans like me, and nobody is even going to be looking for you.”

The nymph smiled for the first time, and her blue eyes lit up as she clapped happily.

I was slightly worried that Stan would notice how bulging my backpack was, but I just needed to make sure we got out of the building as fast as possible. Getting caught with a bag full of gold and weaponry would not end well.

We hurried down to the twelfth floor, and Cleo grabbed her long jacket she had left there. She pulled the black beanie from the pocket and adjusted it over her ears.

This made me remember how she had looked seconds before she kissed me, and I couldn’t wait to pick up where we’d left off.

Cleo had told Kali she loved me.

My eyes lingered on the cat-girl’s impressive cleavage as she zipped up her jacket, and I felt a warm flush on my face as I pictured roaming my hands over her sculpted body.

Suddenly, my body was buzzing with heat.

The high of the chase was still pumping through my veins, too, and I had never felt that level of adrenaline before. Between stealing a shit-ton of gold and kissing a beautiful cat-girl, I’d just had the best afternoon of my fucking life.

And now I had an actual nymph coming home with me as well.

Kali stared around at her new surroundings as we walked down the corridor. She eyed the half-pink, half-gray carpet curiously, and she lifted an eyebrow at the bright wall displays further down the hall.

“Liam,” Cleo said as we passed the doors to the bathroom. “I do love this leather pants outfit, but wearing the dress makes me feel so wonderful and feminine. Do you mind if I change back into it?”

“That’s totally fine,” I said as we stopped.

“I’ll also help Kali use the sinks,” Cleo said as she grabbed the other woman’s hand. “You’ll love this. It pumps warm water magically!”

“Amazing,” the nymph gasped, and then they both went into the bathroom.

I set my backpack down again, stretched my back and calves against the wall, and then did a few low squats to open up my hips. I checked my phone after it felt like ten minutes had passed, but then the doors opened and the women came out.

Cleo looked fresh and stunning in her tight dress, and she fluttered her eyelashes at me as she put on her jacket. Kali also looked like she’d cleaned every scrape of dirt and blood off her amazing skin, and it seemed like the sparkles in her eyes cast a light that was even more powerful than the recessed light bulbs above us.

Wow. They were both stunning, and I couldn’t believe I was about to take them both home with me.

“This will take us downstairs,” I explained once we had walked down to the elevator door. “We’re high up, so we need to get to the bottom floor to go outside. Just try not to touch any of the metal. I’m not sure what is steel or aluminum.”

“Okay… I trust you… Liam.” The dusk nymph nodded as I hit the button, and she gasped as the silver doors eventually slid open. We piled inside, and I kept checking over my shoulder to make sure my backpack hadn’t ripped open. The last thing I needed was for a bar of gold to tumble out in front of the whole lobby. I took a deep breath to calm myself, and I checked that neither of the girls had any giveaways of their true forms visible.

Then I groaned as the elevator stopped at my work floor. I just hoped it wasn’t Brian who was about to step inside. Although, it would be amusing to see his reaction to the stunning women I was with. I could just picture his face seething with jealousy as they left with me.

The doors slid open, and I almost swore out loud when Roberts’ face appeared. He was with a tall guy in a suit who I didn’t recognize, and they stepped into the elevator to join us.

“Liam…” Roberts stared at the girls as he got inside, and his eyes flickered down to Kali’s pert backside. “I’m just showing the health inspector back downstairs. Did that printer job take all day?”

“Yup,” I said as calmly as I could. “They needed a full rewiring job. It seems to be working fine now.”

“I see,” Roberts said, but he was clearly only paying attention to the girls.

His beady eyes lingered on their bodies, and I was slightly worried Cleo was going to bring out her blade if he kept it up. Her golden eyes narrowed as she watched him, and I had a feeling she would be as quick to protect her own honor as she was with mine.

“This is Cleo and Kali,” I said hurriedly. “They are interested in an IT internship.”

“Yes. We go to Youuuu Seee Elll A.” The cat-girl nodded as she adjusted her beanie, and I wished the elevator would hurry the fuck up.

“You want to work in IT?” Roberts asked as he leaned closer. “Surely a woman of your beauty would try her hand at acting? I’m sure the directors would eat you up if you walked into an audition room.”

“I would like to work with Liam,” Cleo clearly had no clue what the hell had just been said to her, but she kept her poker face as she nodded slowly. “The televisions are particularly interesting.”

“Pardon?” Roberts frowned.

“She’s Spanish,” I said hurriedly. “Her English isn’t fluent yet, but she’s amazing with tech stuff.”

“I want to work with Liam. He is the best human guy.” The cat-girl nodded seriously, and Roberts’ gaze fell on Kali next.

“Kali’s from the same program,” I said. “So you might need to sign some forms for them to get their lanyards when they’re in next time. That is… if you approve of their interning here–”

“Of course,” Roberts said at once as he ran a hand over his gelled hair. “Of course, I approve. I would personally loooove to give you both a tour. Next time you stop by, I can show you how things run around here. I’m the owner of the company, you see.”

“Sounds great,” I said as we finally reached the lobby. “See you later!”

I stepped out the second the doors slid open, and the two girls hurried after me. Luckily it was now five, and the lobby was crammed full of people heading home. Stan was talking to an electrician, and he didn’t even glance in my direction as we hurried through the crowd.

“I do not like that man,” Cleo hissed as she glanced back at the elevator. “He looks at me like the gargoyles do. As if I am a trophy he can own.”

“He thinks he can,” I sighed. “But he’s a dickhead, remember?”

“Dickhead.” Cleo nodded seriously. “Yes.”

“And you are certain there are no trophy hunters here?” Kali squeaked. “He seemed very much like he’d like a trophy girl.”

I paused before responding because I didn’t know how to explain that Kali was probably right, just not in the way she meant. But then I decided not to expand on the idea. It was only her first day in my world.

“Fuck,” I groaned as the thought of Roberts’ shitty personality reminded me of something crucial. “I didn’t clock out.”

“Clock out?” Kali asked. “What does that mean?”

“It’s just a way of finishing the workday,” I said. “Will you two be okay to wait here for a few minutes? I’ll be right back.”

“Of course,” Cleo purred. “I am very good at blending in with the humans now.”

The cat-girl was too astonishingly beautiful to blend in anywhere, but she looked so proud that I didn’t argue. Kali’s blue eyes were as wide as saucers as she glanced around, but I knew she would be safe with Cleo.

“Wait here,” I said. “I’ll be as fast as I can.”

I spun around and hurried back to the elevator as casually as I could with a bag of loot on my back, and I groaned as I saw it was back up at the tenth floor.

“Liam,” Roberts called as he appeared from behind me. “Back again already?”

“I forgot to clock out,” I sighed. “Unless you can just let me off since you know I’m leaving right now?”

“If only I could,” Roberts sighed dramatically. “Sadly, I can’t bend the rules just for you. Then I would have to bend them for everyone.”

I knew the smug bastard was perfectly capable of noting down my hours, but he loved anything that gave him the smallest sense of power. He hummed as he stood beside me, and it was clear I was going to have unwelcome company on my journey back up, too.

“Are the ladies not joining us?” Roberts asked as he looked over his shoulder.

“No,” I said through gritted teeth. “They’re going to hang around here for me. Shame to keep them waiting.”

“It is,” Roberts said. “Maybe they’ll get bored and leave. You must admit, you’re not the best company for women of their league, Liam.”

“Excuse me?” I raised an eyebrow.

“It’s just that…” the asshole sighed with exaggeration. “You are just a… computer tech. What’s in your backpack? It looks full. You aren’t taking home computer parts, are you?”

“I have some backup drives I have to reformat,” I lied quickly. “Off the clock. I figured I’d save you some money.”

“Oh, that’s good.” He nodded. “Look, I don’t mean to insult you, Liam. You are a fine computer tech, but that’s all you’ll ever be, so just focus on your work more. Okay?”

The silver doors finally slid open before the urge to punch my own boss could overwhelm me, and we let the crowd of suited men out before we stepped inside. I hit the eleventh floor button with a restrained vengeance, and we stood in silence as the elevator shot upward.

“How did those beautiful creatures find us, anyway?” Roberts suddenly asked. “Why aren’t they looking into an IT company? Not that I’m complaining. The view in the office will drastically improve with those two around.”

“Uh,” I said as my mind threatened to draw a blank. “I… think they just had to pick somewhere nearby. I had filled out the UCLA intern request form a few months ago. I figured you wouldn’t mind more unpaid help.”

“Good thinking,” Roberts laughed as he slapped my backpack. “Just a word of warning, kid: Don’t try to get too cozy with them. It won’t end well for you with women that beautiful. Best to keep things professional.”

I stayed silent as I bit my tongue, but I was dying to rub it in my boss’ face that I had passionately made out with the chestnut-skinned beauty this very day.

And she’d even let me pet her tail.

But Roberts was clearly going to try and hit on them every chance he got, and it filled me with a smug satisfaction to know they would never glance his way. Maybe I would pull Cleo in for a kiss next time she visited the office, too. Just to stake my claim a bit for the cocky bastard.

The elevator finally slid open on our floor, and we stepped out into the office. Then I strode over to the stupid time-clock and punched in my number before I hit the red button to signify the end of my shift.

“Dammit,” Roberts muttered as he stepped into his office. “Liam, I forgot my briefcase in the car. Leave those drives on your desk so I can borrow your backpack to carry my paperwork downstairs. There’s far too many important documents to just be waving them around in broad daylight.”

“Uhh…” I hesitated as the man’s eyes focused on my backpack again. “I really can’t. If I remove them from their cases, they might get demagnetized, and that could cost you thousands of dollars.”

“What?” Roberts gasped.

“Yeah,” I cleared my throat. “Backing up data drives and, uhhh… reformatting them… It’s a big deal. Think about all your emails and client files disappearing. It’s going to take me all night to do the maintenance, so I have to get started on it.”

“Okay,” he said. “That does sound important. You’d better get to it, then. I’ll just use something else--”

“I gotta go!” I jumped in the elevator before Roberts could join me, and the doors slid shut as I loosened the grip on my bag straps. People piled in on every floor, and I was grateful when we finally reached the lobby once more.

The doors slid open, and I couldn’t help grinning when I stepped out and saw Cleo and Kali. The two gorgeous women had moved over to the waiting area that had two seats and a coffee table. They were perched on the chairs and holding magazines, but Kali was holding hers upside-down. Cleo was nodding seriously at the article in front of her, and their attempt at blending in was adorably terrible.

They were both drawing plenty of looks from their sheer beauty alone, but then they shot up when they spotted me heading over, and the light of the lobby seemed to highlight every part of their beautiful bodies.

“Did we look good?” Cleo muttered as we headed for the exit. “Did we look like human girls being human?”

“You did,” I chuckled. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Okay,” Kali muttered nervously. “This is all very strange.”

“You’re safe, just follow our lead,” I said to Kali. “We’ll be out of here in no time.”

The disguised nymph nodded, and Cleo strode confidently over to the turnstiles. The cat-girl slid through them first, and I followed behind her. Then I looked back as Kali tentatively pushed her way through the silver barrier, and I smiled encouragingly.

There were people in suits rushing past as if they were scared to stay in the building a minute past five, and I knew Kali would be practically shoved into the revolving door if she took too long. She was much smaller than Cleo, too, so I was pretty sure we could fit in one of the compartments together.

“Come here,” I said gently. “We’re going to step into one of these glass–”

“No!” Kali whispered as she froze. “It’s a cage! I can’t go back in a cage! Please, please, please.”

Cleo and I stopped to comfort her, and an annoyed-looking businessman shoved past.

Kali looked petrified as she swayed on the spot, and I wanted to take her into my arms and soothe her. She was so sweet, and I hated how scared the assholes of Hollowfell had made her. I couldn’t imagine what she’d gone through to be that scared of cages, but I knew her trust issues had to be through the fucking roof.

“It’s just a door,” I assured her. “You can watch Cleo go around first, okay?”

The nymph bit her lip as she stared over at the glass, and she pulled her blonde hair nervously.

“You will not be in a cage again,” Cleo said. “Look. I will go through the turning doorway. I’m very good at it.”

The cat-girl skipped over to the entrance, and she stepped into one of the compartments confidently. She even turned and gave a wave as she shuffled along, and she leapt out onto the sidewalk with a grin.

“See?” I asked gently. “It’s safe. We’ll go in together.”

“Okay,” Kali said quietly. “Can… can you hold my hand?”

“Yeah,” I said as I wrapped my fingers around hers.

We walked back to the door, and I put my other hand on her lower back as I guided her into the compartment with me. It was a tight fit with both of us, but she was slender, and we made it work.

“Everything is fine,” she breathed with every other step. “I am not in a cage. I am not in a cage.”

“Almost there,” I said. “Here we go!”

We stepped out into the fresh air, and Kali shuddered as she hurried away from the door.

“Amazing!” I said. “You did it!”

“That wasn’t so bad, I suppose,” The nymph squeezed my hand. “But… what is all this?”

She stared up at the towering glass building, and her blue eyes widened as her gaze moved to the sun.

“Earth has a bright blue sky,” Cleo purred. “No gargoyles, either! No High Society here, in fact.”

“How is Earth so pretty?” Kali breathed. “I had no idea there were other worlds!”

“Neither did I,” I chuckled as I adjusted the straps of my bag that were digging into my shoulders. “It’s been a shock for all of us. Why don’t we walk back so you can get a good look at everything.”

The girls nodded in agreement, and I already felt more relaxed now that we’d made it out of the building with my bag still on my back.

We began to head to my apartment, and Kali stopped every few minutes to stare at cars, postboxes, and people’s outfits. The nymph got really excited when she saw a skateboarder, and she cheered as a teenage girl swerved past us on an electric scooter. Kali was undeniably adorable, and I caught myself chuckling every time she couldn’t stop staring up at the dimming sky.

“No gargoyles,” she muttered. “Not even leviathans or banshees. The colors are so pale and calming!”

“Yes, Liam’s whole world has nice colors in it,” Cleo agreed. “You will like the way the sky looks in the mornings, too, I think.”

“So pretty!” Kali squealed.

“How did you end up with those pirate fuckers?” I asked.

“They captured me when I was asleep,” the nymph sighed. “I had forgotten to shift because I was so tired, and they spotted my wings. That’s the giveaway for telling a dusk nymph. Silver stars. They took me back to the coves, and they set up a gargoyle buyer to come and collect me later. You found me just in time.”

“Were you alone?” I asked. “Before you were caught?”

“Yes,” Kali said sadly. “My family sent me away when they realized how dangerous having me around was. I could disguise my wings, but word always gets out when a dusk nymph is born.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked. “Weren’t your parents dusk nymphs? Wouldn’t they have been hunted also?”

“Oh, no,” Kali said as she smiled slightly at me. “Most nymphs are just… normal nymphs who love the forest. Every so often, maybe one in every twenty births, an elemental nymph is born. Often water or air. Sometimes fire, ice, or earth. The time nymphs, like the Night, Dusk, Dawn, or Day, are much rarer. Only one in a hundred thousand children will be born with those powers.”

“I see,” I signed. “I understand why they hunted you.”

“That’s awful,” Cleo said. “So you have been traveling alone, too. Just like me. But not anymore. Liam will take care of you like he takes care of me.”

The cat-girl purred as she nuzzled into my side, and I slipped an arm around her waist. I felt little sparks of electricity as she cuddled against me, and the angle of her body pressed against mine gave me an incredible view of her cleavage. Cleo clearly knew what she was doing and shot me a playful look with her golden eyes.

“You are both sweet.” Kali smiled. “I am so glad it was you two who freed me. This all feels like a dream. If it is, I hope I never wake up.”

I had to agree with that. The events of the day had been unreal, and I was on cloud nine as Cleo planted a lingering kiss on my cheek.

The weight on my shoulders was brutal, though, and I was starting to regret not jumping in a cab. But Kali was enjoying the walk, and it felt right to let her see some of the world she had been pulled into.

My stomach rumbled loudly, and Cleo chuckled as she poked my side.

“Maybe we can eat food soon,” she said. “It sounds like you need it!”

“Running from pirates works up an appetite.” I grinned. “I’ll cook us something when we get back to our apartment.”

“Oh!” Kali said excitedly. “I can cook for you! As a small thank you for what you did for me. I am free because of you, Liam.”

“Sure,” I said. “You really don’t have to, but I won’t say no to a private chef.”

We turned onto my street, and the sun had started to set now. It cast a golden glow over the buildings, and when Kali started applauding the view, I decided it almost made up for the trash that littered the street. Then I pulled my key out as we walked up the front steps, and I led the girls into the stairwell.

“Just a few floors to go,” I said. “Then we can relax.”

I jogged up the steps, but I couldn’t wait to get the heavy bag off my shoulders. The stairwell was quiet, and we reached my place without any interactions with my neighbors. Then I opened the door and immediately swung my heavy backpack off with relief.

I’d done it. I’d gotten the loot, saved the girls, and got home.

Cleo and Kali piled in behind me, and I stretched out my aching shoulders as I closed the door. The apartment didn’t seem so dingy and terrible now that I was so close to leaving it. It felt like a temporary stopping point for the first time, and I was dying to get on my laptop and browse bigger places in the area.

After I figured out how to sell all my loot.

“This is amazing,” Kali breathed as she studied my tiny kitchen. “How does it all work?”

I showed her how the microwave and stove operated, and she clapped excitedly as her form shifted back. Pink curls replaced the blonde, and her tight dress slid back up her slim frame to expose her pale legs. It really was the most beautiful girls who were being hunted in Hollowfell, and I tried not to stare too much at how her purple outfit hugged her supermodel curves.

“Use whatever you want,” I chuckled, and the nymph began to rifle through my food cupboards.

“Rest yourself, Liam,” Kali insisted. “I am going to show my gratitude by preparing a feast fit for a brave human guy like you.”

“Thank you, that sounds nice,” I chuckled, and I dragged my gaze away from the adorable pink-haired nymph.

Cleo had dragged the backpack over to the sofa, and she grinned as she slowly unzipped it. I sat down beside her, and on an impulse, I ran my hand over her velvety tail. She purred as I stroked her and sent me a soft smile, but then we peered into the crammed backpack.

It was hard to comprehend how much gold I was looking at. It felt beyond bizarre to have it sitting in my shitty apartment, too, so I sent Elijah a text to ask if we could meet, and he said he would swing by later that evening.

“I can’t believe we did this,” I said as I ran a hand that wasn’t stroking Cleo’s tail over the golden coins. “This is going to change everything.”

“A big house,” Cleo purred as I petted her. “Lots of places to kiss, and… do other things.”

“Other things?” I whispered as I raised an eyebrow.

“Make… kittens?” She flicked her hair as she shot me a sultry glance, and I gently stroked her cheek. Then I pulled her closer, and her lips hungrily landed on mine.

Our tongues met as we kissed, and I felt heat wash over me as she pressed herself against my chest. My hand roamed down her back, and she moaned quietly as I touched her. I had to force myself to break off the kiss, and I found Cleo’s face was flushed as she looked at me.

Kali banged pots and pans in the kitchen, and she hummed to herself as I heard multiple packets being opened. Then the microwave pinged, and the smell of burning wafted through to the living room.

I had no idea what she was making, but gray smoke started to drift through the air.

“I do not think she is making very good food,” Cleo sighed softly.

“It’s the thought that counts,” I chuckled as I got up to pull the window open.

“Um!” Kali called. “It’s nearly ready! But Earth food is very different from Hollowfell. I’m not very sure if I made it right.”

“I can’t wait,” I said as darker smoke continued to drift out of the kitchen.

The nymph appeared with a huge mixing bowl clutched in her hands, and she shuffled over with splatters of food all over her arms. Then she placed it down on the coffee table.

I had to stop myself from laughing as I looked inside.

There was a pile of uncooked rigatoni pasta that had been mixed in with cornflakes. Slices of cheddar cheese were carefully placed on top, and there was a blackened circle that I was pretty sure used to be a frozen burger. It was all topped off with a scoop of black currant jelly, and a handful of coffee beans.

Kali wore a huge smile as she looked down at her creation, but Cleo wrinkled her nose as the burger continued to smoke.

“Thank you,” I said after a moment. “This was very sweet of you, but I’m not sure this quite works together.”

“Ohhhh,” Kali pouted. “I did think it looked a bit wrong.”

“It’s… inedible.” I grinned. “But you are so kind for trying. This means a lot to me, really.”

“You are so welcome, Liam.” Kali smiled and clasped her hands under her chin. “But what shall we feast on now?”

“Definitely not this…” Cleo poked the burger suspiciously, and her ears twitched as she took out a cornflake. Kali started to giggle, and her songlike laugh was infectious. I snorted as I looked down at the pile of mashed-up food, but then I pulled my phone out to go on a delivery app.

“I’ll order us dinner,” I said. “Let’s go with pizza. That’s a safe option.”

I ordered a cheese and a pepperoni pizza, and Cleo was still eying the burned burger when I finished. Then Kali sat down beside us, and it wasn’t lost on me how most guys would kill to be sitting between two gorgeous, otherworldly women.

The cat-girl proudly turned the TV on herself, and she demonstrated to a stunned Kali how it worked. I loved how confident Cleo had become in my world, and she showed the nymph her favorite crime show. Then Kali took a turn flicking through the channels, and she jumped a mile high when the buzzer went off.

Cleo’s hand instantly shot to the sickle on her waist.

“It’s just the pizza guy,” I said as I got up. “Don’t worry.”

The two women stared at the door as I buzzed the driver in, and I opened the door to the smell of pizza wafting up the stairwell.

A teenage boy with greasy hair raced up the steps and handed me the boxes with a grunt.

“Thanks,” I said as I handed him a scrunched-up ten as a tip. “Have a good night.”

I closed the door and brought the pizzas over to the table. Then I grabbed some water bottles from the fridge while both women leaned over to inspect the meal.

“That smells incredible!” Kali said excitedly. “How did you make that happen?”

“Someone brought it to our house,” Cleo said in awe.

“Are you certain you aren’t a king?” Kali gasped. “You said you wanted food, and then it just appeared! He seems like a very loyal servant.”

“Anyone can get food delivered in my world,” I laughed. “Dig in.”

I flipped the boxes open as I sat back down, and the women carefully picked up slices of pizza. Cleo’s eyes lit up as she bit into her pepperoni slice, and Kali made contented little hums as she chewed.

The nymph nibbled on her food like a mouse, and she bounced gently as she enjoyed the meal. It was seriously adorable, and I was so grateful I had gone over to investigate the cloth-covered cage. This was the evening she deserved.

“This is delicious,” the cat-girl muttered between bites. “Liam, Earth food is amazing!”

“Better than ice cream?” I asked, and Cleo thoughtfully nodded.

“Maybe equal,” she said. “Thank you so much for caring for us.”

“My pleasure,” I said with a grin. “Just let me know if there’s anything else you want.”

The cat-girl sent me a sultry smile, and I did my best not to choke on my pizza as her eyes roved over my chest and then headed lower.

We ate our food as we watched TV, but I kept glancing down at the gold-filled backpack the whole time. I felt on top of the world as I ate pizza between the two magical beauties, but knowing I was about to come into some serious cash made it hard to believe this was my reality now. The sky darkened gradually outside the windows as the evening set in, and I was starting to feel tired when the buzzer went off.

“Must be Elijah,” I said as I got to my feet. “Do you mind if my friend comes in? You’ll need to hide your, uh… nymphness.”

“Oh,” Kali said as she played with a pink curl. “I don’t mind… but I’m not sure I know enough Earth words to blend in properly!”

I could see the nymph was nervous, and I didn’t want to overwhelm her on her first day in a new world.

“Why don’t you both hang out in the bedroom,” I suggested. “Elijah won’t be here long, and you can lie down and rest if you want to, and there is another TV in there.”

“Okay.” Kali nodded. “We will… hang out. Thank you, Liam. You are really kind.”

“He is.” Cleo smiled as she ushered the nymph into the bedroom.

I tried not to let my mind wander at the thought of the two beauties lying on my mattress as I buzzed my friend into the building.

Elijah whistled as he came upstairs, and I knew I was about to blow his damn mind. He looked as polished as ever when he reached the landing, and a new watch glistened on his wrist.

“Yo!” he called as he reached my floor. “Good to see you!”

He slapped my shoulder as he walked in, and he helped himself to a slice of pizza before he sat down.

I smirked as I recalled the first time I’d seen my Jewish friend wolf down a BLT sandwich. I’d asked him if he didn’t go in for that Kosher diet like some Jews did, and he’d sent me the most deadpan expression I’d ever seen in my life. Then he asked me why the hell he’d torture himself like that, and we’d left the topic to rest.

“Two pizzas, huh?” Elijah laughed through a mouthful of food. “Someone was hungry!”

“I have company.” I grinned as I gestured to the bedroom.

“Holy shit,” Elijah hissed. “Is Cleo here? Can I meet her? There’s no way you can bullshit me that she’s just your friend now.”

“She’s napping,” I chuckled. “I just have some… uhhh… more stuff to take to your dad.”

“Really?” Elijah asked with some surprise. “He’s back in town tomorrow morning, so I’ll be dropping the necklace off then. Is it another thing of Cleo’s?”

“Kind of,” I said. “Okay. I need you to not freak out.”

“That makes me nervous,” Elijah said as he crammed the pizza crust into his mouth. “But okay.”

I heaved my backpack off the floor and placed it down beside him, and he raised an eyebrow. Then Elijah almost choked when he unzipped the bag, and his eyes bulged behind his glasses as he stared at the pile of gold.

“What the fuck?” he breathed as he lifted out a gold coin. “Liam, what did you do? Holy shit! Did you rob a--”

“Don’t worry,” I interrupted. “No person is missing it, and no person got hurt.”

That wasn’t technically a lie. A bunch of otherworldly monsters got hurt, but no humans were going to appear at my doorstep looking for the loot.

“I…” Elijah stuttered as he carefully picked up an emerald-encrusted goblet. “Liam. Is someone gonna murder my dad and me if they find this?”

“Nobody is looking for it,” I said firmly. “Dude, I promise. Look, it’s a long story that involves Cleo’s family. Please don’t ask me anything.”

Elijah narrowed his eyes at me, and I kept my expression completely casual as his stare practically dug through my soul. Several long seconds passed, and then a full minute ticked by while he didn’t say or do anything. My best friend just kept on staring me down like I might crack at any moment, but when I didn’t, he offered me a curt nod.

“Fine,” Elijah said. “But… like… What the fuck, man? This is a ton of gold and jewelry and… shit, dude.”

“Can your dad sell it?” I asked, and I did a poor job of keeping the worry out of my voice.

“Can my dad sell it?” he snickered. “Can my dad sell it? Dude, we’re a bunch of Jews with a sixty-year-old shop in the Jewelry District of Los Angeles. My great-great-great-grandpa was a fucking jeweler, and half of my family tree is living in Antwerp. Gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, fucking whatever, man. It’s in our blood. My dad will get you the best price, but you gotta tell me what the fuck is going on with--”

“Look, dude,” I sighed. “I can pay you and your dad. How about five percent for you to bring it to him, and then another five percent for him. I promise you on my life that this shit is clean, and no one is going to bother you or your dad for moving it for me.”

“Well… shit…” he said as he looked at all the gold. “This… is like a shitload of gold and gems and… jewelry. Like, maybe a few hundred grand worth of stuff.”

“Yeah,” I said, “so if it comes out to two hundred thousand, you just made ten for taking it to your dad. Just be very fucking careful with this bag. It weighs like a hundred pounds.”

Elijah didn’t respond. He just sat staring at the loot for a moment more, and he stroked his beard as he took it all in.

“Liam,” he said slowly. “I’m afraid I do have one question.”

“Yeah?”

“Just one,” he promised, and I nodded reluctantly. “Am I going to continue to get these bags of gold? Or is this a one-off thing?”

“This… is only the beginning,” I said a little nervously, and I braced myself for Elijah to immediately back out of the deal.

But he didn’t.

“One more question,” he said. “This isn’t from Cleo, is it? She’s involved, but I know you well enough. This is yours, right? How?”

“Bro…” I sighed… “I’ll tell you everything eventually, but for right now, can you just trust me? Yeah, this is my stuff, and Cleo helped me get it, but that’s all I can say right now.”

“Do you realize what this means?” Elijah chuckled. “If you keep bringing me this shit, then your whole life is about to fucking explode. The cars, the food, the apartments. You bring me a couple more bags like this, and you won’t need to step foot in that bullshit accounting firm ever again. Bro, you could buy your own place and--”

“I know,” I interrupted.

“You could get like a fucking Ferrari--”

“I know,” I interrupted.

“Whatever clothes or girls you--”

“I know,” I chuckled, “but I’m already into this girl…”

“Cleo?” he asked.

“Yeah.” I smiled at him. “I can’t wait for you to meet her. Soon. Okay?”

“Yeah. Ohhh, fuck!” My buddy swung the backpack over his broad shoulders and staggered to the side a bit. “You weren’t kidding. I’m going to throw my fucking back out.”

“Do you need anything else from me?” I asked as I suddenly realized I was trusting my pal with a massive hunk of loot.

“Nope. I got you, bro,” he laughed and grabbed another slice of pizza as he headed for the door.

“What is your dad going to say?” I asked as I opened the door for him.

“My dad’s going to lose his fucking mind,” he snorted. “I’ll message you tomorrow with all the information, but I expect your bank account is going to explode by mid-afternoon.”

“Thanks.” I grinned with a sigh of relief. “I appreciate it.”

“I don’t know what you’re doing,” Elijah said. “But keep it up. You’re changing your future, man. Cleo is clearly your lucky charm.”

“She is,” I said. “She’s just tired right now. You’ll meet her soon.”

“And Liam,” Elijah said as he opened the door. “For fuck’s sake, you can definitely afford to get that stubble handled now. If you’re growing it out, commit and get the damn thing in hand.”

I snorted with laughter as he vanished into the stairwell, and his words raced around my head.

Leaving my job had always been on my mind, but hearing someone else say it made it feel more real. Elijah’s dad was going to pay me tomorrow. This magical gold was going to turn into real dollars in my account. It was happening.

I started to pace as I wondered how quickly I could realistically retire. It all depended on how much appeared in my bank the next day, but I knew I couldn’t be hasty. If I quit my job, then I would have no access to the door to Hollowfell. Working at that building was the only way I could get in and out without being suspicious.

That meant I would need to keep my job until I could work something else out. Then it dawned on me that I would one day be able to rent a floor of the building if I wanted to. The twelfth would be ideal, but I knew a company had literally just started renting it. I would have to come up with serious funds to offer, but that wasn’t going to be a problem.

Then I started to think even bigger. Years from now, I could have enough to own the entire building. That would require crazy, insane levels of money, but it was possible.

Anything seemed possible now.

The fact that that level of riches was in my future made me feel high with excitement, though. If I owned the building, I could use it as a storage unit for all the gold we would loot. I could fill each room with countless piles of weapons, gold, gems, and finery, and I would never need to stress about sneaking around again.

My mind was going a million miles an hour as I collapsed onto the sofa.

It was all starting to become real, and I was about to receive my first Hollowfell paycheck.

Chapter 11

Kali and Cleo looked tired when they both came back into the living room. The otherworldly beauties yawned as they climbed onto the sofa with me, and Kali shivered slightly beside the open window. I got up to close it, and then I grabbed a hoodie from my room to give to the nymph.

“Here,” I said. “You can wear this if you’re cold.”

“Oh,” Kali said as she took it. “Thank you, Liam. That is so kind!”

She pulled the hoodie over her slender body, and it draped over her like an oversized dress. It looked adorable on her, and she stroked the material happily.

“Did your friend take the bag?” Cleo asked as she glanced around. “He is the one who will make it into Earth money?”

“That’s right.” I nodded as I sat back between them. “We’re about to be rich. It’s actually happening.”

I couldn’t stop grinning as I pictured checking my account. It was going to be impossible to focus on work when I suddenly became wealthier than I had ever been in my life.

“You look happy,” Cleo said. “I like it. The pirate gold will help to buy the big house you want.”

“It will,” I said. “Those seaweed-smelling fuckers were good for something.”

“You took some of the pirate loot?” Kali asked slowly. “Is that why you came to Hollowfell from your world?”

“Yeah,” I said. “After Cleo told me about those High Society bastards, I figured I could find much better uses for all that gold. It’s going to make our lives here so much better.”

“Liam is going to get a big house,” Cleo said. “I’m going to live in it, too!”

“That sounds wonderful,” Kali said as she pulled at my hoodie.

She tugged the sleeves down past her hands, and she gazed out at the sky with a smile. Her blue eyes seemed to study every detail of the world outside, and just seeing the innocent sense of wonder on her perfect face gave me the overwhelming urge to protect her.

“You can come, too,” I said to the nymph. “I don’t know what your plans are. But if you don’t want to go back to Hollowfell, then you can live with us.”

“Really?” Kali asked quietly. “I can stay?”

“Of course,” I said gently. “It’s great having you around, and I’m not going to send you back to be hunted by those fuckers.”

“You don’t want to get rid of me?” Kali asked and bit her lip.

“Hell no,” I said. “Why would we not want a shapeshifting nymph around?”

“Because it is so dangerous to keep me near you,” she murmured. “Nobody is safe from the High Society with a dusk nymph around.”

“You are part of our group,” Cleo said proudly. “It is still quite a new group, but we’re doing well. And Liam is not afraid of the High Society. He really is the best human guy.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Kali whispered as her blue eyes watered. “Nobody has ever wanted me to stay before.”

The nymph wiped her eyes hurriedly, and I had a strong urge to drop-kick the family who had sent her away.

“You’re with us,” I said. “Like Cleo said, part of the group. Part of the pack.”

“I like that.” Kali smiled as she dried her cheeks. “How could I ever repay you, Liam? You saved me from a miserable life as a trophy, and you are letting me live with you. It’s so much to do for someone you just met!”

“You don’t need to do anything,” I said firmly. “Just knowing you’re away from those pirates is payment enough. There was a ton of gold left behind in those caves, but the pirates are going to be looking for us now. We’ll have to come back in a month or so to get more of it.”

It was a bit mouthwatering to picture all those riches sitting in the pirate cove waiting for me to take them, but I knew the pirates would probably triple their guards. Hollowfell was crammed full of gold and jewels and fine carriages. The ridiculous amount worn by the High Society was enough to prove that. There was a whole world to explore, and I had two experts who could steer me in the right direction.

I’d come back to the pirates’ coves one day.

“I know a place with treasure,” Kali said. “But it is perhaps too dangerous, especially for you.”

“What do you mean? Especially for me?”

“I heard the pirates talking,” the nymph said. “When they moved my cage to the cave. There was talk of a strange-looking man who had stolen a cat-girl. I think there is a big reward for the one who captures you.”

“Seriously?” I asked. “Shit, so they know who I am. That makes it trickier.”

“It’s a bit exciting,” Cleo purred. “You’re an outlaw in Hollowfell, Liam! My very own handsome criminal.”

The cat-girl twirled a strand of inky-black hair, and her golden eyes glinted as she looked at me with obvious admiration.

If being a wanted man was a turn-on for her, then I was sure as hell fine with that. But it was going to make my trips more dangerous if the creatures were looking out for me. It wasn’t like I could blend in very well without pointed ears or scaly wings.

“Where is this place, Kali?” I asked. “Is it another pirate storage spot?”

“No,” Kali said. “The pirates never go there. Nobody does except the duchess and the duke’s family. They have an island where they keep all their treasure. It’s in a house the size of a castle!”

“The gargoyles,” I said. “They’re the only ones on this island?”

“Them and the guards.” Kali nodded. “I bet there’s even more guards there than in the whole of Stormgulf. They are the most powerful family in the city, so they will have very impressive security.”

“I have heard of this island,” Cleo said. “Duchess Sobbler keeps her trophy collection there.”

Both women shuddered, and I petted Cleo’s tail softly. She purred as I stroked the velvety fur, and as I watched her shoulders instantly relax, I felt incredibly connected to the feline beauty.

“We could steal so much treasure,” Kali said. “If we all went together, then we could fill three bags. That would get you enough to buy the biggest house you could ever want!”

“Whoa, hold on,” I said and held up a hand. “I can’t make you come back to Hollowfell after the shitty time you had there. You escaped from so much, I’m not going to make you go back.”

“Make me?” Kali frowned. “No, Liam. I want to help! Besides, I can shift into a disguise now that I’m not caged in iron! Without my wings or hair, nobody will even notice me.”

She seemed so excited about being part of the group that I didn’t want to say no, and it really would be great to have more hands to carry the gold.

“Okay, well…” I said. “Why don’t you take the night to think about it? You can always just stay here when we go to Hollowfell, if you would prefer.”

“No,” the nymph said firmly. “I want to help! You saved me, and I know my way around the land. It is repayment for everything you did. For freeing me from a horrible fate. For assisting me in a glorious escape and bringing me to this strange world of beautiful colors and food that arrives at your home.”

Her adorable face scrunched into a pout, and I got the feeling I wasn’t going to be going anywhere without her.

She was going to need a weapon for our next trip. Especially if we were going to try and get to this island the duchess owned. There would be frog-legged fuckers everywhere, and I would need more than a pistol to keep us safe.

“I think we need to set up some storage space at work,” I said as I thought over all the details. “We can’t keep sneaking the pistol in and out of the building, it’s too risky. But I don’t want to just leave it in an unlocked corridor.”

“But nobody else goes up to that floor,” Cleo said. “It is always empty.”

“The builders will be back soon,” I said. “But maybe I can get a safe or something up to the thirteenth floor. I have no idea how I would do that without being noticed, though.”

I rubbed my face as I tried to work out how to store my gun subtly. There were plenty of supply closets on the twelfth floor, and they would sit unused until the builders left. Maybe that would be the safest place to store the pistol for now. I would just need to make sure it was hidden in a spot that couldn’t be seen from a casual glance. Surely the builders wouldn’t have much reason to go poking around in the cleaning supplies? But things would get even tricker when the new business did eventually start up.

That would have to be a problem for future Liam. One step at a time was all I could do for now.

Cleo stretched out as she yawned, and Kali’s eyes were starting to flutter closed. The sky had darkened outside, and the nymph smiled as she glanced out at the city lights.

“It’s so twinkly,” she said sleepily. “Even at night, the sky is pretty.”

“Perhaps it is time to sleep,” Cleo said. “I can curl up so there is room for us both on the big chair.”

“No,” I said with a firm shake of my head. “You’re both sleeping in my bed. I’ll take the couch tonight.”

“Oh.” Kali frowned. “You don’t have to do that, Liam. You have already done so much for me.”

“I insist,” I said. “Both of you deserve a good night’s sleep on a real mattress.”

The beautiful women got to their feet, and my hoodie sleeves swung down by Kali’s sides in the cutest way.

“Good night,” Cleo purred.

“Yes, sleep well, brave Liam,” Kali said with a sweet smile.

I smiled back as they stepped into the bedroom, and I reveled in my last glimpse of their long legs before the door closed.

Part of me wished I was climbing into bed with the cat-girl right this second, but I knew Kali needed to get some proper rest. She had probably been terrified to sleep when she was with the pirates, and I wanted her to be fully energized if she was coming to Hollowfell with me.

I wouldn’t let anything happen to the beautiful dusk nymph.

But as I thought about the island she had mentioned, I knew we would need to do some more planning before we could think about making that trip. Getting there would require a boat, and I had a feeling the pirates weren’t going to willingly lend us one. Stealing a ship that size would be impossible, especially from the pirates right after I’d just stolen some of their booty, but maybe there would be smaller rowboats available somewhere.

The next issue was my gun. My pistol had done well on our first trip, but it was still considered a “sidearm.” I couldn’t help thinking I needed an AR-15 or the like. If I was going to sneak onto a gargoyle-infested island as a wanted man, then I was going to need to bring something badass along with me if I hoped to actually make an escape.

Last time, it had been a mad dash to the door while the reptile bastards scrambled to get our asses, and we’d be much further from our exit this time.

I wasn’t taking any chances. Bigger weapons meant I could ensure a definite escape for me and the girls, even if that meant gunning down whole fleets of those ugly bastards as we made our exit.

Which also sounded like a hell of a way to conduct our business.

I smirked to myself as I recalled the way Cleo had purred when she called me an outlaw, but then I pulled out my phone to message my uncle. I asked if he was around for some gun advice, and when my cell started to buzz a few seconds later, I glanced down to see he was calling me back.

“Hey,” I said as I hit accept. “How’s it going?”

“Hey, kiddo,” Spencer growled. “Everything’s just peachy with us. Did my boy Davey get you hooked up okay?”

“He sure did.” I grinned. “But I was wondering if you could give me advice on something.”

“You need another gun?” Spencer asked bluntly.

“Yeah,” I said slowly. “Something… bigger? I’m not asking you for anything, but I was just hoping you could advise me on what to buy.”

“Pffft,” Spencer snorted. “You don’t need to buy a damn thing, son. I got plenty of friends around your way that owe me a favor or two. Davey ain’t even come close to paying me back.”

I decided not to ask what exactly Davey needed to pay him back for, but I was glad he was willing to help.

“You hunting?” Spencer asked. “Or is this for some kind of job? Are you getting into three-gun like I suggested?”

“Not yet,” I chuckled.

“Nephew,” he sighed. “You are a natural. Every time you come shooting with me I tell you this, don’t I?”

“Yeah,” I said.

“I’ve been around plenty of shooters. I’ve trained some of the best snipers in the world. Rangers, Marines, Spec ops, and those SAS guys. Did I ever tell you about them?”

“Yeah,” I repeated.

“And ain’t none of those boys picked up shooting as well as you did,” he continued. “First time I put a Glock in your hand, you hit that target well out past a hundred yards. Remember that?”

“I was just a kid then, Uncle Spencer,” I chuckled.

“Yeah! That’s my point! Now, your father and I didn’t want you going into the military like us two idiots, but I still wanted you to train your talent, and--”

“I just really liked computers,” I cut in before he could give me the same lecture I’d gotten at least a dozen times now. “But, yeah, here I am now. Asking about guns.”

“Well, I’m fucking excited, is what I am,” he laughed. “You just tell your uncle Spense what you need, and I’ll hook ya up.”

“I’m not really sure,” I said. “I haven’t done a bunch of research. Do you have any AR-15s?”

“Do I have any AR-15’s?” he cackled. “Does a duck have fucking feathers, Liam? What kind of AR do ya want?”

“I’m not quite sure…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Spencer said with an amused snort. “Your Uncle Spencer will hook you up. I’m gonna send you lots of stuff. You’re gonna shoot ‘em all, then you tell me what you like. Now, I gotta bounce, but I’ll keep you posted.”

“Thanks,” I said. “Really, you can just send me a model name, or just tell me what to get, and I can go buy it myself.”

“Hell no,” Spencer grunted. “Waiting times and paperwork are bullshit in California, and ARs have to have all these wacky modifications to be legal there. Nawww. Let your favorite uncle take care of you.”

“But if I get caught with--”

“Just don’t get caught,” he interrupted. “The ATF doesn’t fuck around. Shoot on private land, okay? Keep everything locked up otherwise. Got it?”

“Got it,” I said.

“You gotta get out of California,” he sighed. “Fucking bullshit state.”

“Yeah, I know,” I laughed.

“Talk to you later!” He hung up, and I felt like I had no more answers than when I started the call. I had a feeling I was going to get another visit from the skinny man with a bag full of guns, though, and I would need to watch some YouTube videos to filter out how to use whatever he gave me.

The pistol was easy enough to handle, but anything with more power behind it was going to take some getting used to.

I wondered what the hell was going to get dropped off at my apartment, and I hoped it was something I could figure out with YouTube videos. Then maybe Kali could use my pistol when I got an upgrade, since Cleo would probably want to stick with her sickle. Maybe I could eventually convince her to upgrade to a gun, too, but I had a feeling she was stuck in her ways with that blade. She was certainly incredible with it, but I had a feeling she would grow to love shooting if she just gave it a try.

The idea of the sexy cat-girl clutching a semi-automatic firearm in her tan grip sent a pleasant warmth through my limbs.

Then I yawned as I fell back onto the sofa, and I pulled the throw blanket down over me as I silenced my cell phone. My eyes closed as the traffic noises drifted through the window, and I fell asleep dreaming of a treasure-filled island and an outlaw cat-girl with an AR-15 strapped to her back.

I woke up when I heard the shower going, and I opened my eyes to see Cleo perched at the end of the sofa. She was back in her skintight short-shorts and bra, and I enjoyed the view of her toned stomach as she stretched. Her inky-black hair tumbled down over her large breasts, and she smirked at me as my eyes roamed all over her.

“Good morning,” she purred.

“Morning,” I yawned as I sat up. “What a beautiful sight to wake up to.”

“I showed Kali how to use the shower.” The cat-girl gave me a smug grin.

“That’s awesome,” I chuckled. “And you got your stuff from the laundry room?”

“I did,” she said proudly. “Earth ways are becoming easier.”

“You’re killing it.” I grinned.

“No, I have respected your wishes and not slaughtered anyone this morning,” Cleo assured me.

“No, I meant–” I started, but then Kali emerged from the shower with a towel wrapped around her body.

Her pert breasts were barely covered by the material, and it didn’t help when she bounced excitedly into the living room. It was hard to believe how stunning the Hollowfell beauties were, and I still couldn’t quite believe this was my life now.

“That was wonderful!” Kali cooed. “The steam felt amazing, and I can’t believe you can control how hot it gets!”

The nymph patted her damp pink hair, and she tightened the towel when it started to slip down her pale frame.

“Glad you liked it,” I said as I tried not to stare too much. “Uh… What are you ladies going to do today when I go to work?”

“Are we not looting today?” Cleo asked. “What about the island?”

“I need to wait for another gun,” I said. “My uncle is getting a bigger one dropped off for me, and I have to work out where to store our stuff today. I’ll scout the top floor to see what I can do.”

“I heard your uncle speak with you last night,” Cleo said. “Is he a blacksmith?”

“You heard that conversation?” I asked. “Your hearing is amazing! But he’s not a blacksmith, no.”

“But he is able to supply us with even more of these loud metal weapons.” Cleo frowned. “How does he have so many if he does not make them?”

“Firearms are a big business on Earth,” I explained. “But I won’t be heading back to Hollowfell until I’ve gotten an upgrade. I’d feel a lot better if I knew our means of escape was absolute when we’re pulling off bigger jobs like the island. So you guys can just do whatever you want today.”

“I want to walk with you,” Kali said. “There is so much to see on Earth! The sky is bright again, and I am finally free! No more cages! No more stinky pirates!”

The nymph spun around, and her pink curls bounced as she twirled. Her towel was dangerously close to slipping again, and even Cleo seemed to be enjoying the view of the pink-haired beauty.

“Okay,” I chuckled. “We can all walk to work together. I’ll give my spare key to Cleo, and you can come back here whenever you want to.”

“Brilliant,” Kali squealed. “I’ll go and get dressed!”

She hurried through into the bedroom, and I got up to make some coffee. Knowing that Elijah’s dad was going to pay me soon made it feel like every holiday had been rolled into one. I felt dizzy with excitement, and I tried to decide what to buy first when the money hit my account.

Most of it was going straight into my long-term savings goals, but there was going to be plenty of play money if I could keep up these Hollowfell heists. I heated the water for some coffee as I considered what kind of car I could get, and I pictured rolling up to work in a vehicle that cost more than my entire apartment building was worth.

My sneakers were begging to be replaced, too. The girls could go on a real shopping spree. I could get Cleo some lingerie, and I groaned at the thought of the sexy outfits I could buy her.

Holy shit, I could even be the kind of guy who just hands an American Express card to his woman and says, “Get anything you want.”

The thought brought a giddy smirk to my face, and I wondered what kinds of lusty looks the cat-girl would give me then. Or if she’d maybe come home and want to model all her expensive outfits for me in our enormous living room…

“What are you thinking about?” Cleo purred as she appeared at the doorway.

“The money we’re about to have this afternoon.” I grinned. “What would you like to buy? Anything you want.”

The words made Cleo’s yellow eyes flash with intrigue, and a soft smile curled across her full lips.

“Anything?” she asked.

“Yeah.” I nodded as I grinned a bit more.

“Hmm,” the cat-girl said thoughtfully. “Pizza?”

“All the pizza you want,” I laughed. “I was thinking about some new clothes for you, too.”

“You just bought me clothes!” Cleo laughed. “I do not need more!”

“You deserve it all,” I said. “And I want to see you in something even more revealing.”

“Hmm,” the cat-girl purred. “Liam, you want to see more of my body?”

I was about to respond to her flirty question, but Kali opened the bedroom door again. Cleo smirked as she adjusted her thin black bra, and I could tell she knew full well how distracting she was. So I didn’t bother to drag my eyes away from her distracting figure, and she was purring softly under my gaze when Kali came back into the kitchen.

Then I poured my coffee as I noticed the nymph had shifted into her human disguise again. Her beautiful face was framed with blonde curls, and the black dress clung to her petite curves.

“That’s an impressive trick,” I said. “Getting your wings to disappear like that.”

“Thank you,” Kali said as she spun around. “If only I had remembered to do it before the pirates caught me.”

“Then we never would have met,” I said, and the nymph’s face lit up.

“I suppose that’s true,” she giggled. “I am very lucky to have met you both!”

I drank my coffee as I went through to the bedroom, and I grabbed another backpack since Elijah had the one full of loot. It was still nerve-racking to think about sneaking my pistol into the building, but I was becoming more confident now that it had worked last time. I carefully wrapped a shirt around the weapon as I placed it at the bottom of the bag, and I made sure the magazines were just as secure in a rolled-up hoodie. There was no reason Stan would decide to do a search, but I still had to play everything safe.

“Okay,” I called as I pulled my jacket on. “Ready for the sunshine?”

“Yes!” Kali squealed. “I can’t wait to see more of Earth!”

“We should show her the beach,” Cleo said. “She would love it!”

“Sure.” I smiled as we headed for the door. “We can go tomorrow if you want. I’m going to head to the store anyway.”

“What for?” Cleo asked as we stepped into the stairwell.

“Everything.” I grinned. “Sneakers, boots, pants, shirts. Plus anything you ladies desire.”

“We get clothes?” Kali giggled. “Like a new dress?”

“Whatever you want,” I assured her as the words seemed to send a wave of dopamine through my body, and we raced down the steps together.

The sun warmed my face as I stepped onto the street, and Kali tilted her head back to enjoy the heat. I felt like I was on top of the fucking world as we started to walk toward my work, and I knew it was going to be impossible to concentrate on anything until I got that notification from Elijah’s dad.

“It’s simply unbelievable,” Kali sighed as she spun around. “Not a gargoyle in sight! The air is so peaceful and quiet without them!”

“That feeling of not being hunted anymore…” Cleo smiled. “It took a bit before I could truly stop checking over my shoulder, but I have come to realize we really are safe here with Liam.”

“There are still bad guys around,” I clarified. “But at least no flying fuckers are hunting girls.”

Cleo had put her jacket on to hide her ridiculously hot outfit, and she had the beanie stuffed in her pocket if she needed to be more subtle. But her ears twitched freely as we strolled down the street, and a group of teenage girls stopped to tell her how cute she looked. The cat-girl smiled at the awestruck kids, and they fangirled even harder when they noticed how blue and sparkling Kali’s eyes were.

“Where do you get those contacts?” one of the blonde girls asked. “I need them!”

“Umm,” Kali said as she glanced at me. “Liam? Do you remember the… contacts?”

“An online store,” I said. “Just search for glowing contacts, and they should come up.”

“Awesome,” the girl sighed. “You two are super-hot. Are you IG models?”

“No,” Cleo said confidently. “We are Liam’s. Not this eye geee thing.”

We left the slightly confused teens to stare after us, and I loved how Kali’s body language had started to change already. She was no longer the hunched-up, fidgeting nymph we had found in the pirates’ cove. Kali held her head up as she strode beside Cleo, and she flicked her blonde curls like she was in a shampoo commercial. I was pleased with how well the two girls were adjusting, and I couldn’t deny I had really struck gold with my Hollowfell companions.

Both of them were so eager to be safe here with me that they seemed to embrace all the strangeness with open arms and absolutely stunning smiles.

My phone buzzed, and a message from Elijah popped up on the screen.

Dad just got home. Going to head over with the stuff now. Get ready for that moooooney!

“Fuck yes,” I muttered. “Nothing can ruin this day. Even Roberts’ slimy face won’t get me down today.”

The glass building came into view, and for once, I actually grinned as I stared up at the upper floors. It was never going to get old knowing that a secret portal lay up there, and I was the only one who knew about it. Well, along with the two beauties who had joined me from that world.

“You are definitely not going to Hollowfell today?” Cleo asked as we crossed the street.

“Not today.” I nodded. “We’ll see how quickly my uncle’s next delivery comes by. As soon as I have a bigger toy in my hands, then we can plan our next heist from this island. Maybe you could show Kali the beach while I work?”

“Good idea,” Cleo purred. “I can remember the route very well in my mind, but we will miss you!”

“I’ll miss you, too,” I chuckled. “Trust me, I would much rather be at the beach. But you both should go and enjoy the day.”

“I can’t wait,” Kali gushed. “It will be so wonderful to spend the day with you, Cleo. And we can come and see Liam when he finishes work.”

“Exactly.” I grinned, but my smile fell when I glanced into the lobby through the glass.

There was a long line of annoyed-looking businessmen and women waiting to get through the turnstiles. I thought they must be broken at first, until I looked further ahead and saw what was happening.

Stan wasn’t at the security desk, but there was some new guy standing beside it.

He was built like a tank with bulging muscles and a buzz cut. And he was checking everyone’s bags before he let them pass to the elevators.

There was no way I would be getting my pistol inside.

Chapter 12

The new security guard’s face was stony and expressionless as he peered inside every bag that went past. He reached in to rummage through the larger ones, and it was clear he was doing a thorough job. I had never seen the lobby so packed, and not a single person was getting through the turnstiles without being stopped.

“Shit,” I hissed as I ran a hand through my hair.

“This man is looking for something?” Cleo asked as she folded her arms. “Where is Stan?”

“Must be off sick,” I muttered as I stared inside. “There is no way I can sneak past him without being stopped. Fuck.”

The guard clearly didn’t care about the line he was causing, and the lobby was packed as people waited to be searched before the turnstiles. I supposed I could always just call in sick again, since I wasn’t going to Hollowfell that day anyway. But I wanted to find somewhere to store my weapons, especially if I would have something more substantial to smuggle in when Uncle Spencer sent his delivery. Stan might be off for a while, too, and I was going to have to face this new guy at some point.

“Can we help?” Kali asked.

“Maybe,” I said slowly. “If you could distract him long enough for me to get through the turnstiles, then I would be able to get to the elevator.”

“A distraction,” Cleo said with a nod. “We could do that!”

“Definitely,” Kali agreed. “Maybe we could sing really loudly?”

“Or have a violent fight,” Cleo said calmly.

“Um,” Kali squeaked. “Well… perhaps.”

“A fight,” I said. “That could work. I don’t think a song is going to do much to distract this guy, sorry, Kali.”

“No problem,” the nymph said. “So… we actually have to fight each other?”

The nymph’s blue eyes flickered up and down Cleo’s lean body, and she tugged on a blonde curl nervously.

“Not really,” I said. “Just pretend. Don’t actually hurt each other, but make it look like you’re trying to. Can you do that?”

Cleo nodded solemnly, and Kali’s blue eyes flickered over the cat-girl’s lean body once more. I had no idea what the nymph was capable of, but I had seen firsthand how deadly Cleo was. It wasn’t a surprise that Kali would feel intimidated.

“Make sure you don’t hurt each other,” I said to Cleo more than Kali. “I just need enough time to get to the elevators, okay?”

The two women nodded, and I felt the back of my neck prickle with heat as I stared in at the huge guard. This was going to be a serious risk, but I knew the girls would do anything to repay the favor of being saved from Hollowfell.

“Okay,” I said. “I want to get in soon, so I have time to search the twelfth floor before my shift starts. Are you both comfortable doing this?”

“As long as it’s definitely a fake fight,” Kali said with a final glance at Cleo. “Then yes, Liam. It’s exciting to be able to help!”

“We will be a big distraction,” Cleo purred as she tightened the belt of her jacket. “Then we will see you after your work?”

“Exactly.” I nodded, and I pulled my apartment key and a credit card from my pocket. “Here, keep these. If you want to buy anything, just insert the card in the card reader. You can head back to my place whenever you want.”

Cleo examined the card before she slipped it into her pouch, and we stared in at the slowly-moving line.

“Ready?” I asked, and the women nodded.

“I can do this,” Kali muttered. “I can use the cage door, and I can pretend to fight!”

“Hell yeah,” I said. “I believe in you.”

We began to make our way through the revolving door, and I felt a bead of sweat on my forehead as I stepped into the crowded lobby. People with briefcases and coffee cups were muttering and rolling their eyes as they waited in line, and the security guard towered above everyone. I gripped the straps of my bag as I tried to look as nonchalant as possible, and I gave a quick nod to Cleo as I went to join the back of the line.

Then I slowly inched forward with the others, and my heart rate only increased as the number of people ahead of me slowly dwindled.

I was ten people away from the guard when the cat-girl suddenly yowled, and I spun around to see her leap onto Kali with a feral howl.

Cleo pinned the nymph to the ground, and they began to scream and deliver light slaps to each other’s faces. I could see Kali almost giggle, but then she hid it with a deep scowl. It was oddly hot to watch them writhe around together, but I tried not to get distracted from the mission.

“Hey!” The security guard raced through the waiting crowd, and his huge body parted the line easily. He stormed toward the fighting girls, and he grunted angrily as they shrieked and slapped.

Then everyone began to hurry through the turnstiles, and I was glad to not be the only one eager to get by. I scanned my lanyard as I raced through the metal barriers, and I glanced back to see the guard had reached the two girls.

He was trying to grab a hold of them, but Cleo was moving Kali around like a professional acrobat. She made sure to smack the nymph’s ass a few times in the process just to keep the scene going, and every time Kali yelped and smacked her back, I could’ve sworn the cat-girl smirked.

I raced over to the elevator, but it was already crammed full with people desperate to get away from the tedious bag checks. The door slid closed as a crowd piled up to wait for it again, and I started to feel slightly nauseous as I glanced back to the fake fight. The guard had managed to grab both women, and he pulled them apart with an angry grunt. Then Cleo looked over to see me still waiting, and she hissed viciously at the huge man.

“Get out,” he grunted as he started to lead them over to the revolving door.

I kept pressing the elevator button manically, but I knew it would be opening at every floor for the huge crowd inside.

“Come oooon,” I muttered as the girls were escorted through the lobby.

Cleo was trying to put up a fight, but the huge man didn’t even flinch as he held her by the arm. Kali seemed to be arguing loudly and saying all sorts of stuff about being allowed to read magazines, but he was ignoring her just as much.

“Stay in the lobby,” the guard yelled over his shoulder. “If you haven’t been searched yet, then don’t even think about heading upstairs.”

There was an angry grumble throughout the crowd, and I felt my stomach flip as I watched the two Hollowfell women being shoved into the revolving door. They reluctantly began to move through it, and they glanced back at me just as the elevator pinged. There was a rush of people pressing against me as everyone tried to pile in, and the security guard began to yell as he raced back through the turnstiles.

“Hey!” he shouted gruffly. “You can’t go upstairs without being searched.”

I was pressed right into the back of the metal walls, and more and more people attempted to cram inside. The last person to step in was Roberts, and I tried not to groan as his eyes met mine. Then he gave me a brief nod as he hit the eleventh floor button, and I knew my chances of exploring before work were gone.

There was still a crowd of people trying to get on the elevator, but there wasn’t an inch of spare room left inside. They all moaned and swore as the doors began to close, and they reluctantly turned back to the huge guard as he reached them with a red face.

“Get back there,” he grunted as the doors shut, and my whole body felt weak as I leaned against the back wall.

That had been too close for comfort.

But it worked. I could find somewhere to hide my pistol, and then I wouldn’t need to worry if the guard decided to do searches at the end of the day. The elevator started to quiet down as more and more people got off, and I was eventually left with Roberts as we went up to the eleventh floor.

“What a morning,” he sighed as he slicked back his gelled hair. “I didn’t quite see what was happening. Was someone fighting?”

“I think so,” I said. “A couple of drunks from the street or something.”

“Ah,” my boss said. “It sounded like girls.”

“Yeah…” I cleared my throat. “I didn’t really see it, either. Could have been drunk girls. Los Angeles, am I right?”

“Hmm…” he nodded. “You’re early, Liam. Not exactly usual for you.”

His beady eyes narrowed as he looked at me, and I glanced at my phone to see my shift didn’t start for another fourteen minutes.

“Yeah,” I said. “I wanted to get in early because I’ve got to fix those drives I told you about last night.”

“So, you won’t be in the office again today?” Roberts asked. “What about those interns? Are they going to be in the office?”

“Uhhh… not today. I was going to do those drives and then help one of the companies upstairs,” I said. “They emailed yesterday, apparently the guys on the fifth floor gave them my contact information, and they asked if I could start setting up their new computers and internet. It wasn’t the kind of thing interns need to see, and they have other classes in the morning.”

“Oh.” Roberts frowned. “Aren’t they still working on the floor? Why do they need the computers set up already?”

“They just want to get things moving.” I shrugged as the elevator stopped at the eleventh floor. “They’re an online dating company, so working Wi-Fi is basically vital. The owner just wants to know everything is moving along, and he knows I’m the go-to IT guy around here.”

“Makes sense. The others do rely on our IT man, don’t they?” Roberts sighed. “Luckily, they will have a true businessman working right below them as well. I’ll be able to offer my knowledge if they need any help when they get here.”

“Yeah,” I said as the doors slid open. “They’ll appreciate that.”

It was very hard to bite my tongue as Roberts bragged, but I needed him to be in a good mood so he didn’t ask too many questions. If I pissed him off, then he would no doubt check up on me throughout the day to make sure I wasn’t taking a single minute longer for break time than I should.

We walked through the office side by side, and Roberts hummed as he switched the fluorescent lights on.

“When will the ladies next be in?” he asked as I strode over to the time-clock. “I will need to do a thorough interview with them. You know, just so I can get a real… feel for their hopes and dreams in IT. They will need a proper mentor to groom them into the perfect little businesswomen. I really wouldn’t mind expanding the IT department here at the company. Especially with such attractive prospects.”

“I’m not sure,” I said as I punched in my number. “Maybe tomorrow?”

“Excellent,” Roberts muttered as he headed into his office. “I’ll make sure to get the paperwork ready. Perhaps I’ll schedule a haircut, too. Must look presentable for new talent.”

Roberts hummed as he sat down at his desk, and I headed into the break room to make a cup of coffee.

There wasn’t anyone else in yet, and I enjoyed the silence as I pulled out a chipped mug that said “CPA: Weapon of mass deductions.” Brian had brought in one of those Keurig pod machines, but he got very touchy when other people used it, so I smirked as I chose the most expensive-looking pod. Then I pulled up the banking app on my phone.

My account still held the same uninspiring number as it had the day before, but I didn’t think it would have switched over quite yet. Elijah would be with his dad any moment now, though, and it would probably take a while for them to get the money wired.

I strolled back through the office as anticipation rolled over me in waves.

Four co-workers piled out of the elevator together and we said good morning to each other.

A phone rang.

A printer began to hum.

Work was starting.

I hammered out a few emails to people to let them know to try rebooting their computers, and then I decided to slip out before Roberts gave me some menial task to complete.

I hurried up to the twelfth floor through the stairwell. I sipped my coffee as I went and thought about Cleo and Kali, and how they would be out enjoying the sunshine somewhere right now. Even though I knew they were probably as happy as could be, I couldn’t help smirking at the thought of being able to treat them to the very finest things in life soon. I stepped out of the stairwell into the brightly-colored landing, and the heart-shaped reception desk was still covered in plastic wrapping to protect it. The vile pinkness of it all was still jarring to look at as I hurried around the corner to the main corridor.

The locked offices sat in darkness around me, and it made my options severely limited for hiding spaces. I hurried down past the elevator, and I crossed over into the gray half that would soon be a law firm.

I made my way over to the supply closet I had briefly glanced at the first time I came up, and I swung it open to find the light didn’t even work properly. The bulb needed changing, and it flickered like a horror movie set as I stared into the dark corners. I had no idea where I could store a pistol, belt, and mags here, but it was the only room that could work at the moment.

Hiding the gun in one of the cleaning supply boxes was too risky, so I stood staring at the tiny closet as I tried to figure out what the hell to do. Then I glanced up at the drop-ceiling, and I hurried back into the corridor to grab a ladder that was left near a pile of tools.

“This should work.” I brought the ladder into the closet, and I set my coffee down on a shelf as I climbed up to reach one of the styrofoam panels.

It was tricky to lift the panel without breaking it, and I hoped nobody would notice it had been disturbed. After lifting the panel out of the way, there was a large open area exposed that held the wiring and ductwork for the twelfth floor. The space would be perfect to hide my pistol and belt.

I swung my backpack off and stuck my head out into the corridor to check that I was still alone. The hallway was quiet as I pulled my belt-holster-ammo pouch rig. Then I slipped it into the ceiling along with the five extra boxes of ammo I had packed.

“Okay. Cool.” I carefully replaced the panel, and it didn’t look suspicious or misplaced as I climbed back down the ladder.

It was beyond tempting to sneak up to the thirteenth floor as I carefully stepped back out into the hallway and returned the ladder to its spot. The door at the end of the corridor was just sitting there, and I started to wonder if other people would be able to see it when the new companies opened up.

It was obvious that nobody else seemed to know about Hollowfell, but I had no idea how long that would last. If other people found the thirteenth floor, they would surely investigate it. Picking locks wasn’t a unique talent, either, so I knew there was a chance someone else could step out into the magic-filled world.

I wondered if I could get a lock fitted onto the door that led up to the thirteenth floor itself. Maybe everyone would assume it was for roof access, and nobody would question why it didn’t open? But the new lessors would be bound to ask at some point, and they could end up finding the secret I was fighting so hard to keep.

“Liam?”

My heart leapt into my throat as I spun around to see Gavin poking his head around the corner that led to the stairwell. He was one of the accountants from my floor, and he was glancing around suspiciously as he stepped into the main hallway.

Gavin was a tall, lanky guy with a shaved head. He wasn’t one of the most annoying idiots I worked with, but he always seemed a bit dimwitted and slow. He also clung onto every word Roberts said, but he never seemed to cause any major problems.

“Hey,” I said quickly. “Uh, what’s up?”

“My computer is acting up,” he said. “Roberts said you were up here working on the Wi-Fi.”

“I was,” I said hurriedly as I walked away from the ladder I’d just propped against the wall.

Gavin glanced down at my empty hands, and I cursed myself for not bringing tools or something to look like I was working on “IT stuff.” The silence was deafening as the tall man peered down the hallway, but he didn’t seem to take any interest in any of the doors. It made me wonder if he could see the end doorway at all.

“So,” I said. “Your computer. What’s up with it?”

“It’s making a funny noise,” Gavin said with a dimwitted shrug. “I can’t do any of my spreadsheets because it keeps beeping at me.”

“Okay,” I said. “Let’s go check it out.”

I felt my heartbeat in my throat as Gavin glanced past me to the door of the supply closet behind me, but he didn’t seem to have much interest in asking more questions. He always looked a bit dead behind the eyes, and I reckoned he would forget about the whole thing in a few seconds.

“You’re always sneaking out of the office,” he said as we turned the corner of the main hall, and we made our way into the stairwell. “Do you not like it there?”

“I get called to other floors,” I said quickly. “Not every company has an IT department, so I help out all over.”

“Ohhh,” Gavin said slowly. “Right.”

I wiped my sweaty hands on my pants as we walked back into the office, and I felt like there had already been too many close calls that day. Between the security guard and Gavin, I had almost been caught with my pistol twice. I needed to have a serious think about security measures.

The office was buzzing with chatter as I went to Gavin’s desk, and I barely thought about what I was doing as I rebooted his computer. I felt a buzz in my pocket as the screen turned back on, and my heart leapt when I checked and saw Elijah’s name pop up in a message.

Dude. Call me. NOW.

My heart rate jumped up to probably two hundred beats a minute.

I double-checked that Gavin’s computer was playing nicely, and then I hurried over to my desk in the corner.

Nobody looked at me as I sat down on the broken chair, and my hands shook as I fumbled with my phone. After several accidental button presses, I finally got Elijah’s number pressed, and I held my phone to my ear with a shaking arm.

“Duuuuude!” he shouted.

“Dude?” I whispered. “I’m at work. What’s up? Is there something wrong with the--”

“No, dude,” he whispered to match me. “Are you sitting down?”

“Uhhh, yeah?”

“You’ll wanna stand up for this. No, wait. Keep sitting down. Dude. Dude. Duuuude.”

“Uhhh… what’s goin--”

“Okay,” he breathed. “The weight of the gold in your pack came out to like sixty-four pounds. Then you had some jewelry and gems and other stuff in there. If dad just like… melts all the gold and sells it, you are looking at one-point-eight, but he thinks he can get more if he just sells the jewelry on the market. Some of it is really cool-looking, and--”

“One-point-eight?” I asked as my brain tried to make sense of the number.

“Yeah,” Elijah said. “That’s like… before our cut, but like I was saying. He thinks he can get more. Maybe even get us up to like two-point-five. He’s calling around and stuff to see who can buy it off him, but--”

“Two-point-five?” I asked. “Like… two--”

“Million,” Elijah said. “Two and a half million dollars.”

My heart stopped beating.

The air froze.

The world stopped spinning.

“Dude?” I heard Elijah say, but it sounded a million miles away

A million dollars away.

“Dude, are you okay?”

“Uhhh… yeah…” I realized I was hyperventilating, and I tried to take some deep breaths.

“He’s on the phone right now,” Elijah continued. “But he wanted me to ask you if he could get you the money in some payments. He’s got eighty-five thousand he can give you right now, but he’ll need a bit of time to sell all of this and then pay you. I need to make sure that’s okay, and then he said he wants to talk to you in the next few days so we can work out more details of how you are getting this stuff and how we can help you sell this. Isn’t this fucking awesome?”

“Dude… Eighty-five thousand?” I asked.

“But more later!” he blurted. “My dad doesn’t keep a ton of cash in his account. It’s tied up in various investments, but he’s really, really, really interested in working with you. I told him you had a lot more to sell. As soon as we start moving these pieces, we’ll send you more money. Is that cool? I just want to make sure.”

“Uhhh, yeah…” I said. “That’s totally cool. I honestly can’t believe it. This is more money than I thought I’d ever have.”

“I know, bro!” he laughed. “Okay, so I’ll have his accountant send you the money right now, she’s actually across the office from me. Then we’ll set up a time for us all to sit down and talk, maybe over food or something. It’s gonna be awesome. Dude, your life is about to change. All our lives are about to change! Can you believe it?”

“No, I can’t,” I rasped.

I was seriously forgetting how to breathe.

“Okay,” my friend said. “Check your bank account. We just wired the first payment.”

“Hold on,” I said as I pulled up my app and hit refresh on my account.

I already had a bit over three hundred dollars in my checking account, and I immediately saw the eighty-five thousand wire hit.

Then I damn near puked up all my morning coffee.

There was eighty-five thousand dollars in my account.

Eighty. Five. Thousand.

From one heist.

I stared at the number. It couldn’t be real.

My whole body felt a rush of warmth, and I was dizzy as I checked the number again and again. Was this my account? Had I accidentally signed into someone else’s? Nope. My name and number sat at the bottom of the page, and the most recent transfer was from Mr. N. Cohen.

“Dude?” my friend asked.

“I see it…” I whispered.

“Awesome!” he cheered. “Okay, I’ve gotta go help dad take pictures of this stuff and send emails. I’ll call you back once we’ve figured out a bit more. Love you, bro”

“Love you, too,” repeated without thinking, since I was so busy staring at my phone screen.

It was real.

The money was real.

I was going to be rich.

The Hollowfell loot could bring me in over two million dollars, and I had more money than I ever thought was possible from a single day of work, and it was only the very first payment.

From one backpack full of gold and loot.

But there was an endless supply of loot waiting for me in that magical world, and I had the perfect buyer.

The shock turned into mind-blowing excitement as a grin spread over my face, and I wanted to scream with happiness. I spun around on my creaky chair, and I was desperate to go and find Cleo and Kali. The knowledge that I could go out and buy almost anything I wanted was completely new to me. I had never had access to anything like this before.

There were still hours left on my shift, but I suddenly didn’t care about the bullshit office job.

Fuck.

This.

Job.

For real.

But… I needed to stay for access to the building. That was all, though. It didn’t pay my rent anymore. It didn’t put food on the table. Roberts was no longer the man who controlled whether I could pay my bills or not. That was all me. I was in charge of my own future.

And it would be a hell of a lot more luxurious than I ever imagined for myself.

The rest of the workday was the most surreal of my life. I drifted through it in a complete daze, and I spent most of it searching for new apartments online. The options that were available to me now were endless, and I stared at the huge balconies and ocean views. I kept checking my banking app to make sure I hadn’t imagined the money, but it was always there.

Eighty-five thousand dollars.

I needed to buy the biggest rucksack I could find. The ones people took camping to cram full of cooking and climbing gear. Or the ones our soldiers wore into battle. If I got one for each of the girls, then we could take an obscene amount of loot back with us. The girls probably couldn’t carry as much as me, but if each of them could pack in thirty pounds, and I had a better pack that could allow me to take eighty, then we could pull in almost five million dollars with one trip.

Holy shit. We could have such an amazing life with five million dollars.

I was shocked when people started getting ready to leave, and I realized I hadn’t even taken my lunch break. The thrill of browsing apartments had taken up my whole day, and my stomach growled as I leapt to my feet. Then I swung my bag on as I hurried to clock out, and I was pleased to see Roberts was too preoccupied with a phone call to ask what I had been doing all day.

Some of the office guys were going on about the bar they were heading to that night, and I barely even listened as I stepped into the elevator with them.

“We would invite you,” Brian cooed as he glanced at me. “But accountants are on a different salary level than IT guys. So sorry. I just don’t think you could afford the drinks at this place.”

His slimy face spread into a grin, and the other guys snorted with laughter as they scrolled through their phones.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I would rather do literally anything else on the fucking planet than have to listen to you assholes outside of work hours. Even this elevator ride is pushing it for me, and the next time any of you idiots need your computers fixed, you can ask the other IT guy.”

“We have another IT guy?” someone in the back whispered.

“Nope,” I answered.

Everyone fell silent as I smirked, and I whistled as the doors slid open to let more people in.

Being called poor might have bothered me a few weeks ago, but now I was one hundred percent positive I had more money in the bank than any of these idiots, so their insults were more amusing than anything else.

The silver doors slid open, and I spotted the security guard standing with his arms crossed by the turnstiles. He glared at everyone who stepped through, but he didn’t seem to be doing any more checks. Maybe someone had told him he was holding everything up, but I was still glad to not be sneaking my pistol past him this time.

“Sooooo,” Brian snorted as we spilled out into the lobby. “What are your plans for the night, Liam? Going to sit alone in your shitty apartment and cry over your keyboard?”

“Sure.” I grinned as I strode to the turnstiles. “I’ll probably make a little collage of your face, too. Just wishing I could be as cool as the guy who works at his uncle’s firm because he dropped out of college and can’t get hired anywhere else.”

“The fuck you just say?” Brian spat. “You talk to me again like—”

“Hey!” the security guard barked. “You trying to fight someone, boy? You lower your fucking voice.”

“Do you know who I am?” Brian growled.

“You are a bitch-ass punk who is about to get smacked,” the big guard huffed. “I don’t care who you are. The owner of the building is paying me to keep the peace in this lobby. You are in my world now, kid, so hurry your stubby little legs out of here.”

I glanced back to see Brian’s face flush red, and his buddies kept their heads low as they scanned through the barriers.

It was pretty obvious that no one wanted to fuck with this big guard.

It was still light outside, and I was about to pick up the pace so I could hurry home to my girls, but then I was surprised to see Cleo and Kali standing on the sidewalk outside the building waiting for me. They waved as soon as they saw me, but they were keeping away from the security guard’s line of sight.

“Are those girls waving at Liam?” one of my colleagues muttered as we headed for the door.

“Don’t be stupid,” Brian said. “They’re like models. I mean, probably more on my level.”

I pushed through the revolving door, and I grinned as Cleo and Kali leapt at me. They smelled like salt water, and Kali had bits of sand in her golden curls.

“Hey!” I laughed as I hugged them. “What are you doing here?”

“We couldn’t wait to see you!” Kali squealed. “Cleo took me to the beach, and it was the best thing ever! The water is so nice and blue, and the sand doesn’t have any bones!”

“We got ice cream,” Cleo declared proudly. “I used the beeping card to buy it for us from the singing carriage!”

“Amazing.” I grinned, and I enjoyed the thought of the bizarre way she would have ordered it.

Then Cleo suddenly scowled, and I followed her gaze to see Brian and his buddies staring with open mouths. Their eyes roamed all over the two Hollowfell beauties, and Brian hurriedly slicked down his hair.

“Why are you looking at me?” the cat-girl demanded, and most of the guys shuffled off with their heads hung low.

“Uh,” Brian said as he cleared his throat. “I’m Brian, and I’m kind of one of the most important entrepreneurs in this place. Would you lovely ladies join us for drinks this evening?”

Cleo’s golden eyes narrowed, and Kali tilted her head in confusion.

“Why would we do that?” the nymph asked.

“We are staying with Liam. He is our human guy. We do not need another.” Cleo waved a hand dismissively, and I snorted with laughter as Brian turned from red to purple.

“Liam is not the kind of guy you want,” Brian said through gritted teeth. “He works in tech. It’s not even worth trying to describe how lame his job is. But I can show you a good time, and I can actually afford to buy you some cocktails.”

“No,” Cleo said simply. “You are a strange, silly man, and you are not nearly as handsome as Liam. Goodbye.”

With that, the cat-girl took my hand, and she started to march across the street as Kali slipped her arm into mine. Strolling away from a furious Brian and his douchebag friends was the cherry on top of an already incredible day, and I felt like I was walking on air as we strolled down the street.

“Did you manage to hide the gun?” Cleo whispered. “Did our pretend fighting work?”

“It did,” I chuckled. “I stashed it in the ceiling on the twelfth floor, and I also got paid today.”

“You did?” Cleo gasped. “From the pirate loot?”

“Yup,” I said as I let the ‘p’ pop on my lips. “There are going to be more payments, but it looks like we are going to be rich!”

“Hooray!” Kali squealed and did a little twirl right in the middle of the sidewalk, and Cleo squeezed my hand as she sent me an adoring glance. Then the two prattled on and on about how they never dreamed of being as well-off as the High Society, and they asked me multiple times if I was really certain I was rich now.

It felt bizarre to say out loud, and I couldn’t stop smiling as we walked home. The late afternoon sun warmed my face as we turned onto my street, and my mind raced with all the different cars and appliances I would be able to afford.

Cleo and Kali were in giggly moods as we hurried into my building, and the cat-girl couldn’t seem to keep her hands off me. She gripped onto me tightly as we raced up the stairwell, and she kept planting kisses on my cheek.

Then my phone buzzed, and I saw a message from my Uncle Spencer pop up.

A buddy is gonna swing by early tomorrow morning. Make sure you don’t keep him waiting outside. Dude is a bit weird. - Your Uncle Spencer.

It was a slightly ominous message, and I had to laugh a bit at how old people signed their text messages, but it meant I would have my new gun for tomorrow.

“Yesssss,” I hissed. “We can go back to Hollowfell tomorrow!”

“Another heist!” Cleo gasped. “At last! Are we going to the gargoyle island?”

“That’s the plan,” I said.

“It will be tricky,” Kali warned. “We will have to steal a boat. But I have seen how brave Liam is, and I know he will keep us safe!”

Cleo slipped off her jacket to reveal her skintight short-shorts and bra, and Kali glowed silver as her nymph form came back into view. The two girls were distractingly beautiful as they stood with cat tail and wings on full display, but even without those features visible, I knew people would pay them a lot of attention in the office.

“Tomorrow is going to be a huge challenge.” I nodded. “Not just when we get to Hollowfell. One guy at work kind of caught me hanging out near the door to the hallway.”

“Can anyone go in?” Kali asked. “What if someone else finds the Hollowfell door?”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” I sighed. “I might try and get a lock installed until I can work out something better.”

“What about a locking charm?” Kali asked. “That would stop anyone but us from getting inside!”

“Those exist?” I asked and furrowed my brow. “Shit. Yes, that would be perfect! Can we just buy one?”

“It’s not that simple,” Kali said as she sat on the sofa. “There won’t be any at the market or in the apothecary.”

“The High Society,” I sighed in understanding. “Those fucking banshees stopped the sale of magic, right?”

“The Sobblers will have one, though,” Cleo said. “Their mansion will be filled with potions along with their gold. Everyone in the High Society has magic supplies. Just to feel superior to all the working folks.”

I started to pace as everything fell together in my mind.

If we managed to get to this island, would I really be able to steal treasure and magical potions in one fell swoop? Riches and bottled enchantments? It felt too exciting to be true.

“Will we be able to use the magic?” I asked. “I don’t have to be a wizard or something?”

“No,” Kali giggled. “Anyone can use magical potions or items. That’s why the High Society finds them so dangerous.”

The nymph stretched as she yawned, and Cleo handed her the throw blanket. I could tell that the day at the sunny beach had tired Kali out, but I had never felt so awake and energized. The money hitting my account, the two women meeting me at work, and the thrill of sneaking past the guard… all of it was buzzing through my veins better than any alcohol I’d ever drunk.

I grabbed a bag of chips from the kitchen, and I brought up some of the apartment listings I had looked at on my phone. Cleo stood next to me as I showed them to her, and she gasped as each one became more extravagant than the last.

“Liam,” she breathed. “This could be your next home?”

“Our next home,” I corrected her. “You can help decorate, if you’d like. I’m not very good with colors and stuff, so you could pick out the paint or wallpaper?”

“I would love that so much.” The cat-girl looked up at me with a grin, and her tiny fangs sparkled in the dim light. Then there was a small snore from the sofa, and I glanced over to see Kali had fallen asleep stretched out under the blanket. The silver stars on her wings glowed, and pink curls fell into her adorable face as she dozed.

“Busy day?” I chuckled.

“We did a lot of beach running, dancing, and skipping,” Cleo chuckled. “She can’t believe how lucky she is to be here. Neither can I.”

She put a hand on my chest as she leaned up to kiss me, and I felt myself get lost in the softness of her lips. My hands gripped her waist, and she gave a little purr as we made out for a long moment. Then Kali mumbled something in her sleep, and it was clear that the sofa was taken for the evening.

“You take the bed,” I said as I stroked Cleo’s hair. “I’ll grab a blanket for the floor.”

“No,” the cat-girl whispered. “Come with me.”

“Come with you,” I repeated. “To… the bed?”

“Yes. I would like you to be with me. We can do more kissing, and… other things…” She ran a hand down my chest as her golden eyes bored into mine, and she bit her lip as she turned to the bedroom.

The riches I had gained from Hollowfell suddenly didn’t feel like the most exciting part of the day, and I had a feeling I was about to experience something much more valuable.

I hurried after Cleo as I quietly shut the bedroom door, and I was ready to win the most valuable treasure in Hollowfell.

Chapter 13

I kept my eyes on Cleo as she spun around with a sultry grin. The thin little shorts and top clung to her body so perfectly, but I was desperate to see what was underneath them.

“Liam,” she purred softly. “I have been dreaming about this. Being alone with you.”

“Me, too,” I said. Her words sent a warm sensation down my spine, and I stepped toward her to grab her waist.

“Ever since we first kissed, I have been dreaming about becoming even closer to you.” She ran her hands over my shoulders, and I leaned down to kiss her neck.

I pressed my lips to her soft skin as she moaned quietly, but my mind was instantly spinning as I began to run my hands from her hips to her ass. Then I squeezed her sculpted cheeks through the skintight shorts, and I felt her velvety tail brush against my thumbs.

“Mmm…” She shuddered as I gently caressed her. “Liam, that feels nice. I want your hands to touch every single part of me.”

Her words damn near made my head explode, and I quickly kicked off my shoes and socks. Cleo slipped her brown boots off, too, and she bit her lip as she looked up at me.

“You are so beautiful,” I said as I stroked her cheek. “And I’m going to make you feel amazing.”

“Yes,” she sighed. “I have never let anyone get close to me like this before. But I trust you completely. The way you saved me, and the way you take care of me. It feels right. I want to give myself to you, and I want you to take me over and over again.”

I was stunned to hear she had never been intimate in this way before, and it made me realize how important I was to the gorgeous cat-girl. My gaze roamed down over her perfect figure while I struggled to comprehend how lucky I was, and I couldn’t believe I was about to see the cat-girl in her full glory.

Cleo giggled as she started to tug at my shirt, and I swiftly pulled it over my head as she gasped.

“So handsome,” she breathed as she kissed my chest, and I shuddered at her soft touch.

“Your turn.” I grinned, and I gently pulled at the straps of her bralette.

She quickly slinked the top over her arms, and within seconds, she stood topless before me. Her large breasts had pink areolas and pert nipples, and they sat perfectly over her sculpted six-pack stomach. She looked like a tanned goddess or some kind of otherworldly supermodel, and I practically started to salivate as I took in the view. Then I softly grabbed two handfuls of her incredible breasts, and I felt my cock spring to life as I held her sweet flesh.

“Oooh,” Cleo gasped. “Liam, I love you touching me. That feels sooo nice!”

“You’re telling me,” I growled.

I pulled her in for another kiss, but I kept my hands roaming over her perfect boobs. Every inch of her was gorgeous and soft as hell, and I hungrily met her tongue with mine. But when I lightly pinched each nipple, the cat-girl gasped with delight.

“Liam,” she moaned. “Please, keep touching me!”

“I will never stop.” I grinned as I leaned down to run my tongue over her nipples.

The cat-girl purred as I licked each breast, and I was practically high with excitement as I enjoyed her body like I’d been dying to since I’d met her.

“Can we do the next part?” Cleo asked breathily as she tugged at my waistband. “I want to see all of you.”

“You’re eager,” I chuckled as I stood up straight. “Are you sure you want to?”

“Please,” she whimpered. “I want to feel every inch of you. Intimacy like this is the talk of legends in my world. Pleeease share that with me…”

I groaned as she helped me out of my pants, and her golden eyes were wide as she stared at my boxers. My rock hard erection was pressed up against the fabric, and she tentatively reached out a hand. I loved how eager she was to explore me, even if this talk of “legends” was slightly intimidating, and I couldn’t wait to rip her shorts off.

“Go on,” I said gently. “You can touch me.”

The cat-girl softly placed her hand on my shaft through my boxers, and I felt a shock of pleasure rush through my body at her timid touch.

“Mmm,” she breathed. “It feels so much bigger than I thought it could be! I want you to see my body, too. Tell me if you like it.”

Cleo smiled seductively as she began to wiggle out of her shorts, and my heartbeat quickened as she finally stood naked before me.

She was fucking perfect. Her beautiful pussy had a small and delicate wisp of dark hair above it, and she spun around to give me a perfect view of her backside. Cleo’s peachy rear sat taut just below her tail like it was waiting to be devoured, and I was actually shocked at how anyone could be so genuinely stunning.

“Fuuuuck,” I breathed. “You’re amazing.”

I scooped her into my arms and gently placed her on the mattress. Cleo giggled as I massaged her tits some more, but then I slowly roamed a hand down her toned stomach.

“Oh,” she whispered. “Please touch me down there, Liam. I feel like I’m burning for you…”

“I’m going to make you feel so good,” I said, and I kissed her as I laid beside her and worked my fingers down to her pussy.

I made sure to take it slow, since I knew this was all a new experience for her. But it drove me wild to know my hands were the first to touch her like this, and I looked deep into her golden eyes as I explored her body.

Cleo gasped as my hand finally reached her pussy, and I watched her beautiful face flush when I ran a finger gently over her slit. Her slick juices seeped out from one small touch, and I felt like I was in heaven as I slowly slid a finger past her labia. Then the cat-girl moaned as she gripped onto my shoulders.

“Liammmm,” she panted. “Oooh, I have never felt this way before.”

“It’s going to get even better,” I whispered.

“There’s even more pleasure to have?” she gasped, and I grinned at the raspy purr in her voice.

Then I gently began to rub her clit with my thumb, and I slid my middle finger in and out of her soaked tunnel. She was so warm around me that I could barely focus, and I was dizzy at the thought of feeling that velvety heat around my cock.

I kissed her neck and chest as I touched her, and her whole body writhed with pleasure below me. Then Cleo’s ears twitched as I sped up my pace, and her breathing quickened.

“Liam,” she whispered. “I feel–”

She was interrupted by her own orgasm, and I felt her shudder as she climaxed on my hand. A soft mewling sound resonated in her throat as she curled against me, and as I felt her juices run down my fingers, I realized I was becoming feral with lust.

“Wh-what?” Cleo breathed as she caught her breath. “Liam? What was that?”

“You orgasmed.” I grinned as I slid my finger out of her. “See? That wetness means you are ready for me to be inside of you.”

“I am very ready for you to mate with me.” Her golden eyes met mine as her tongue lapped at my finger, and I couldn’t wait another second to fuck her.

I quickly slid off my boxers, and Cleo stared down at my hard cock with longing in her eyes.

“You’re so handsome,” she whispered. “I… I don’t know the human word for your manhood.”

“That’s my cock,” I chuckled as I kissed her cheek. “I’m going to fuck you deep in that perfect pussy of yours.”

“Mmm,” Cleo breathed as she reached down to touch my shaft. “Yes. I want your cock inside my pussy. It is very wet and hungry for you.”

She picked up the words like a pro, and I gasped as her warm palm wrapped around me. My entire body felt electric as I guided her hand to move up and down, and I leaned in to kiss her beautiful face. She moaned as I pressed my weight against her some more, but then I gently helped her guide my cock to her soaked entrance.

“I’ll be gentle,” I whispered as her breath caught in her throat. “But you tell me what you want me to do, okay?”

“Yes,” Cleo breathed. “Please… fuck me with your cock, Liam. I want you inside me so much. I’m burning for you.”

“Anything you want,” I groaned and started to ease the head of my erection into her tunnel.

I gasped at how tight she immediately felt. The cat-girl may have been a vicious and practiced fighter, but her pussy felt completely pure and untouched. Fiery pleasure sparked all over my body as I slowly slid further in, inch by agonizing inch, and her walls gripped me like a slick vise that threatened to drive me insane with lust.

“Ooooh,” the cat-girl groaned. “Liam, you feel so big and amazing. I… I cannot believe you can fit all of yourself inside me.”

“You’re so fucking tight,” I moaned, and I forced my cock to slide as deep inside her as I could.

We both gasped as my full length finally bottomed out insider her, and I began to slowly fuck the gorgeous cat-girl. I took my time as she gasped below me with every thrust, but then I grabbed one of her breasts as I started to speed up the pace.

“Yes!” Cleo whined. “Faster, please! I love feeling your cock deep and hard inside me!”

It was no surprise to me that she was confident enough to say exactly what she wanted, and I was more than happy to oblige. Her slick pussy was everything I could have dreamed of and more, and I felt so connected to her as I slid in and out of her untouched body.

I thrust faster and deeper, and every movement sent shudders of bliss throughout me. The world spun as I plunged in and out of her soaking wet depths, and I watched her heavy breasts bounce beneath me. I wanted her to experience more than one position, though, so I carefully wrapped my arms around her while I was still inside her.

“Here,” I panted, and I adjusted so I was sitting against the headboard with Cleo in my lap.

She knelt facing me, and her golden eyes were wide as I began to help her move up and down on my length. I felt like I had been waiting for this night my whole life, and I gripped her curved hips firmly as she started to bounce.

“Fuck,” I growled. “That feels incredible, Cleo.”

“Mmm,” she whimpered. “This position makes your cock go soooo deep! I think I’m going to… climax again.”

“Me, too,” I breathed. “Do you want me to do it inside you, or out?”

“Mmmm, inside, pleeease,” Cleo said confidently. “I want to feel your seed inside me!”

“Fuck, you’re so sexy.” I thrusted up to meet her movements, and her huge breasts bounced invitingly as I licked at her pink nipples a few times. Her chestnut-brown skin glowed like gold in the moonlight, and I roamed my hands over every inch of her perfect body as the tension in my spine began to heighten. A heady warmth built up in my cock as we fucked more fervently, and I pulled her nipple deep into my mouth when she suddenly shuddered.

“Ohhhhh!” Cleo purred. “Liam! I’m cumming!”

Her pussy walls convulsed around me, and I was sent into my own explosive climax. My whole body erupted with pleasure and electricity as I came deep inside the cat-girl. I gasped as the euphoric sensation moved through my veins in violent waves, and warm streams of my cum shot into Cleo’s eager pussy.

Then we held each other tightly as our orgasms subsided, and I kissed her shoulder softly as I caught my breath.

“Holy shit,” I said. “Cleo, that was amazing.”

The cat-girl slowly slid off my cock, and I gasped as the cool air hit me. She nestled beside me immediately in a cute little ball, and I put an arm around her.

“I didn’t know I could feel that,” she whispered. “It was so much pleasure and excitement, so much more than what the legends spoke of. But I felt safe and loved at the same time. And the feeling of your warm seed inside me… ohhh… Liam… it is so wonderful. I am filled with you. I know you care so much for me.”

“Of course, you’re cared for,” I said as I kissed the top of her head between her ears. “I would do anything for you, Cleo. Getting to be that… intimate with you is definitely a bonus, but I just love having you with me.”

I reached down to her sleek black tail, and I pulled it across my lap as I began to stroke her. Cleo purred deeply as I petted the velvet fur, and that moment felt perfect as I looked out at the moon. It was clear that our relationship was at a whole new level now, and I was thrilled she wanted it as much as I did.

And the fact that I was the first guy she’d ever trusted to be this close with made my whole chest buzz with a possessive kind of pride.

Then we laid down together as I pulled the sheet over us, and Cleo rested her head on my chest.

“We fit perfectly together,” she purred. “This is my favorite spot.”

“Mine, too,” I whispered, and as I continued petting her tail with slow, methodical strokes, I felt her breathing become heavier and slower.

Falling asleep with my cat-girl lover was not how I had expected the day to end, but I couldn’t think of a more perfect conclusion. Cleo was mine in every sense now, and I knew I was the luckiest guy in how ever many worlds existed. My eyelids became heavier as I held my exotic lover against me, and I drifted into a dream filled with nothing but Cleo and treasure.

I woke up as there was a sharp knock on the front door.

I shot upright while I still felt half-asleep. Cleo was curled up beside me, and I was overwhelmed with adoration as last night’s passionate activities replayed in my mind. She was stunning, badass, incredible, and she was my lover?

Life really couldn’t get any better.

The apartment door thrummed again, and I snapped out of my lustful daydream as I jumped to my feet. I pulled some clothes on as I stumbled out of the bedroom, and Kali was stretching on the couch as she opened her blue eyes.

“Morning!” I called. “This must be my uncle’s buddy. Are you okay for him to come inside?”

“I am ready.” Kali nodded as she slipped into her human disguise.

Blonde curls replaced pink, and her outfit changed to the sensible black dress. She sat upright as she folded the blanket, and I looked through the peephole to see another strange man glaring back.

He was the complete opposite of Davey. This guy was tall, wide, and his dark hair was tied back in a greasy ponytail under a baseball cap. He had a black goatee, and he clutched a full-on suitcase at his side as if he was off for summer vacation. I slowly pulled the door open, and he grunted at me before he pushed past into the living room without asking.

“Morning,” he said gruffly to Kali, and I was surprised to see him take his cap off to greet her.

“Hey,” I said as I closed the door. “You’re… my uncle Spencer’s friend?”

“JJ,” he said as he stuck out his hand.

“Liam,” I said, and the huge man wheeled the suitcase toward me.

“Your uncle’s a good man,” JJ said. “He said we’ve got to make sure you’re protected here.”

“We?” I asked. “What do you mean?”

“He’s got contacts.” JJ shrugged. “Here. You or your lady ever get into trouble, you call your uncle’s buddies. Equipment. Documents. Backup.”

The huge man pulled a card from his inside pocket and handed it to me. It had three different phone numbers embossed on a black background, and none of them were named.

“Riiiiight…” I said. “Uh, thanks very much. That’s… good to know.”

I didn’t really have a clue what he meant, but I was starting to think my Uncle Spencer had ties to men that nobody in L.A. would want to mess with. It could certainly come in handy if anything ever went wrong with moving the loot or guns.

“So,” I said as I eyed the suitcase. “What exactly is in here?”

“Tea,” JJ grunted. “As far as I know. Legally. It’s tea. Mint tea. Gift from your uncle.”

“Tea?” Kali piped up. “But I think Liam wanted weapons.”

I glanced at the innocent nymph, and she looked genuinely concerned that there had been a terrible mix-up. She bit her lip as she twiddled her thumbs, and JJ actually shot her a smile. He had several gold teeth, and he gave a deep belly laugh as he shook his head.

“Good one,” he chuckled. “Right. I’m off. Enjoy the tea.”

The huge man stomped toward the door, and he gave me a final nod before he disappeared into the stairwell. Cleo emerged from the bedroom, and she had pulled on her black dress with the low scoop in the back. She looked devastatingly beautiful as she smiled at me with slightly-pink cheeks, and she began to purr as her tail swished from side to side.

“Good morning,” I said as I sent her a lopsided grin. “Did you sleep well?”

“Best sleep I’ve had in years,” the cat-girl murmured. “It was a magical night, Liam. I love you so much.”

“Yeah…” I sighed, but then I cleared my throat when I realized I practically had little hearts bobbing around my head as I stared at my lover.

“Never mind the sleeping and the loving!” Kali said as she jumped to her feet. “Why did your uncle send you tea?”

“He didn’t.” I smiled. “JJ didn’t want to say what it was, because he’s being careful. Let’s open it up.”

The nymph eyed the suitcase suspiciously, but she shuffled forward as I crouched down to unzip it.

There were four long cardboard boxes inside, and I pulled them each out before I grabbed scissors from the coffee table. Then I slid the blade over the carefully placed tape, and my stomach did a flip as I stared down at the semi-automatic rifle that lay there. It was placed on top of five smaller boxes, and I peeled one open to find four magazines inside.

“Holy shit,” I breathed as I examined the gun.

I recognized it as an AR-15, one of my Uncle Spencer’s favorites. The black metal was cool and weighty, and I knew I was going to need to watch a bunch of YouTube videos before I fired this new gun.

“It’s huge,” Cleo said as she studied the gun. “You look so powerful, Liam. Like a dangerous outlaw. I like it.”

Her golden eyes glistened as her ears twitched, and I could tell she was getting excited at the new weapon in my hands.

“Is it even more deadly than the other gun you have?” Kali asked. “It’s so much bigger!”

“Yeah,” I said. “This is going to take some getting used to. My uncle gave me a few trial runs when I was younger, but I haven’t held one in years.”

“What’s in the other boxes?” Kali asked.

“Probably more ammo,” I said. “Let’s find out.”

I sliced open the other three boxes, and my jaw dropped as we opened them to find three more AR-15s of various barrel, sights, and shoulder stock setups. The one with the longest barrel had a larger scope on top, and the two with the shorter barrels had compact red dot sights for quick target acquisition. Uncle Spencer had been serious about hooking me up. How many favors did these L.A. guys owe him?

“What the fuck?” I muttered as I stared down at the armory on my living room floor. “Whaaaat. The. Fuck. That’s… a lot of guns.”

“Hmm,” Cleo said. “Yes, he has sent many.”

“Yup,” I said and swallowed hard. “So, I guess… um… Do either of you want to learn how to shoot?”

“Oooh!” Kali squealed. “Can we really try them?”

“Of course, as long as you’re very careful,” I said. “I’d feel much better if you learned to use a really solid weapon. But this means we can go back to Hollowfell today…”

“Yes!” Cleo hissed as she smiled at the AR-15s. “I do still believe my sickle is the ultimate weapon, but… I don’t want to be the only one who doesn’t have a human gun.”

“Okay,” I chuckled, and I immediately considered the image of the sexy cat-girl with a semi-automatic weapon once again.

Except this time, she was as naked as she was last night, and the look in her eyes was twice as lusty.

I glanced at my phone to check the time. I was going to be late for work if I didn’t leave now, but I knew I wasn’t going to get fired if I showed up late again. There was enough time to grab some bigger backpacks for the trip, and to work out another distraction if the replacement security guard was there again.

But I doubted he would be. I’d never known Stan to miss more than a day of work at a time. It was a point of pride with him. And if he really was out for another day, I could always turn right back around. If I wasn’t positive I could get past the replacement guard again, I’d just drop the guns back at the house and show up a little late for work. Better to put off my plans for a day than get fucking arrested.

The sun was sending golden rays through the window, and I leapt to my feet as the excitement of the day settled in. I had more money than I had ever had in my life, my beautiful cat-girl lover was by my side, and I had just been given everything I needed to go on the ultimate Hollowfell heist.

“This is going to be a fucking awesome day,” I laughed. “Once we get you both approved by Roberts, we can play it off like we’re working, and then spend the rest of the afternoon planning everything out. You can tell me about the layout of the island, and we can have a strategy in place before we get to it.”

“This is so exciting,” Cleo purred. “Our first three-person trip! We will slay so many gargoyles with a band of outlaws like ours. The High Society will feel my blade like the most perilous justice.”

“And our bullets.” I grinned as I pulled on my jacket. “I’m going to need to break apart these rifles so they can all fit in the bag.”

“Break them apart?” Kali asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “I’ve never done it before, but I remember my uncle doing it. Let me look on YouTube.”

I went to everyone’s favorite teaching tool on my computer, and I quickly found a video on disassembling AR rifles. As soon as the girls saw the guy on the video press the take down pins to separate the upper and lower receivers, we each took a rifle and did it.

“That was easy!” Kali gasped as she held up the two pieces of her rifle.

“Yeah, it was,” I said. “Let’s wrap the parts in some dish towels and then stuff them in the gym bag.

I took the gym bag from under my bed and packed it with the six pieces of our rifles wrapped in towels, the twelve rifle mags, and a bunch of boxes of bullets. The bag weighed a good fifty pounds when we were done and looked suspiciously bulky, but it was the best we could do with what I had.

I grabbed us some Pop-Tarts for breakfast, and the women watched in amazement as I slotted them into the toaster. Kali jumped when they popped back up, and Cleo’s golden eyes lit up when she tasted the sweet treat.

We each jumped in the shower, and I felt smug as hell when Cleo paraded back through in her towel. She shot me a sultry glance as she dried her hair, and I couldn’t wait until the next time I could see her naked body.

It was fucking unbelievable that a woman as sexy as her had been moaning my name over and over last night while I fucked her.

“What shall I wear?” Kali asked once we were all dressed.

The nymph had slipped into her blonde curls, but she kept switching to different colored dresses. They were all wildly sparkly and formfitting, but none of them really screamed office wear to me.

Cleo’s outfits were insanely sexy as well, but her sensible coat covered that at least. Kali would need something equally as unnoticeable, although there was going to be no hiding her pretty face and sparkling eyes.

“Try something muted,” I said. “Not shiny.”

The nymph nodded, and silver glowed all over her as she appeared in something that resembled a potato sack. It was brown, baggy, and draped right down to her feet.

“Maybe not that muted,” I chuckled. “Can you do pants and a shirt? Like what Cleo is wearing.”

“Yes!” Cleo spun around so we could see the tight leather pants from all angles, and then she tapped her six-pack under her crop top with her fingers. “This outfit is very easy to run in.”

“Oh, no,” she laughed. “I can only do dresses for now. Maybe one day when I am more powerful I can do other outfits. It takes too much concentration to make the material appear on my legs.”

“Okay,” I said. “Maybe one like the black one you used on your first day here, but maybe easier to move in?”

“Sure!” The ugly material faded, and Kali stood in a little skater dress that swung invitingly when she moved. It was a dark blue that complimented her eyes, and she even had navy shoes to match. A black belt sat on her slim hips, and she spun around to show off the look.

“Beautiful,” I said sincerely. “You look great.”

“Very pretty.” Cleo nodded. “Heist time?”

“Heist time,” I said.

The gym bag was seriously heavy as I swung it over my shoulder, but it wasn’t a far walk to the sporting goods store. We headed out of the apartment and into the sunny morning air, and it was a hotter day than it had been for the past week. Cleo purred as the sun warmed her face, and Kali spun around as she held her arms out.

“It’s a beautiful day for getting treasure,” Cleo said as she sent me a sultry smile.

“Yes, this will be so fun!” Kali cheered, but then she frowned. “And dangerous… but fun! But still super dangerous… oh, I don’t know how to feel! Liam, you will protect us, right?”

“Always,” I promised and smiled at the cute nymph.

“Then I feel excited,” she sighed. “And soooo, sooo happy.”

“Me, too,” I said.

We walked a slightly different route toward work so we could swing by the sporting goods store. Knowing that I could afford whatever I wanted from the store still felt bizarre, but it was definitely a feeling I could get used to.

I stepped into the small store with the two beautiful women at my sides, and I nodded as the middle-aged man behind the counter as we headed for the backpack stand.

There were quite a few models to choose from, and I grabbed the biggest padded one available in plain black. Cleo took a dark blue one that had golden zips, and Kali carefully selected a purple pack that matched her dress. The girls’ packs would fit a good amount of loot without being too heavy to run with, and mine was almost double the size of the bag I used before. We were going to fit shitloads of treasure inside, and my mind raced to think of the numbers that would appear in my bank account over the next few days.

The ARs hadn’t come with slings, so I found three on the aisle next to where I’d gotten the belt, holster, and mag pouches the last time I was here, but when we were walking back to the register to pay, I saw a bunch of clothes racks filled with rugged pants, shirts, and boots.

“We should get Kali some better clothes for running around… you know where,” I said.

“Ohhhh,” the nymph said as she reached out to touch a nylon vest. “There are so many to choose from.”

“Do we have time?” Cleo asked. “I would like to help her select fun adventuring clothes, but last time you and I went clothes shopping, it took us an hour or so.”

“We should do it tomorrow,” Kali said. “I know we are all eager to go heisting, and I am used to wearing this dress. Really, you don’t have to waste any time on me.”

“It’s not a waste of time,” I chuckled. “But yeah. The weekend is coming up, and now that I have plenty of money, the three of us are going to buy a bunch of new clothes. I’m going to spoil both of you. Okay?”

Both of the beautiful women smiled at me, and their eyes were filled with adoration.

I could really get used to this.

I paid for our bags and the rifle straps, and after we had bought everything, I shoved my heavy-as-fuck gym bag inside my new rucksack before we stepped out again. Roberts might ask why I had such a huge pack with me, but I knew he would be too distracted by the two women to focus much on the answer.

This might actually work out perfectly.

As we approached work, I started to plan what we could use as a distraction if the stand-in guard was still there. Cleo and Kali needed to come inside, so we couldn’t stage another fight. I decided I could call the front desk and ask the guy to check out something suspicious in the parking lot around the back. It was a risky move, but it could work to get him out for a few minutes.

“I need to teach you some words,” I said as we strolled along the warm sidewalk. “Roberts is going to ask you questions to approve your ID cards, so you need to know some basic things.”

“Internship,” Cleo said loudly. “You see elll ayye!”

“Well remembered,” I chuckled. “That’s what you call the program you’re pretending to be in. It means you are coming to study my job, so you can learn to do it, too.”

“Internship,” Kali muttered. “Yes! I will remember.”

“You are students at UCLA,” I continued. “It’s short for University of California, Los Angeles.”

“UCLA,” Kali said perfectly.

“You’re first years working toward a degree in Information Technology,” I said.

“Information technology,” Kali said slowly. “What is that?”

“IT,” I said. “It’s all got to do with computers and everything inside them.”

Cleo and Kali nodded slowly, and I knew this must be an impossible concept to grasp for someone who had never touched a computer before in their lives. I went over the words several times until the women could use them in sentences, and I was proud of how quickly they were picking up life in their new world.

“Roberts thinks you’re Spanish,” I told Cleo. “There is an Earth land called Spain, so that’s where you’re from. It helps with explaining why you don’t know all these words. People from that country also tend to have tanner skin and dark hair.”

“What about me?” Kali asked. “Where should I be from?”

“Hmm,” I said as I studied her pale face. “Let’s say Sweden. They tend to have fair hair and skin like yours.”

“Sweden,” Kali repeated perfectly.

We finally reached the towering glass building, and I felt the familiar prickling heat of nerves as I clutched my heavy bag of guns. I would drop them off in the hiding spot first thing, and then I could start planning the logistics of our trip.

Stealing a boat wasn’t going to be easy, but I felt fucking invincible at the moment. I had already seen how much I could get from a small bag full of loot, and I planned to bring back as much as we could carry.

We crossed the street to the office building, and I felt relief wash over me as I peered through the glass to see Stan behind the security desk. The people in the lobby were moving as quickly as normal, and nobody was being pulled aside and searched.

“Yes,” I breathed. “That huge dude isn’t in. Let’s go and get you guys some day passes.”

We strode through the revolving door, and I waved at Stan as we approached him. He smiled at me as he glanced up from his computer, and he gave the two women a nod.

“You’re back,” I said as I leaned on his desk. “Good to see you again.”

“Had an appointment yesterday,” Stan said. “I heard my stand-in managed to cause fucking chaos in my absence.”

“He did.” I grinned. “My interns have got their interviews with Roberts today, can we get them day passes to scan in?”

“Sure,” Stan said as he typed on his keyboard. “You going camping?”

“It’s just some old stuff from my courses for the girls,” I said. “I thought I could bring it in to save these guys hundreds of dollars’ worth of textbooks.”

“Good man,” Stan chuckled. “Enjoy the day, ladies. You’ve got one hell of a teacher.”

“Thank you,” Kali called. “Have a lovely day!”

“You, too, miss.” Stan smiled, and he sent me a raised eyebrow as the two girls hurried toward the turnstiles.

I showed Kali how to use her card, and she squealed excitedly when the green light pinged to allow her through. Cleo behaved as confidently as possible to look like she was very used to this sort of thing, but I didn’t miss the smug smirk on her face when she was also granted access.

We strode to the elevator, and the nymph glanced around with wide eyes as we waited. It was busy, but not nearly as crowded as it had been the previous morning.

Then the silver doors slid open, and we stepped inside with a group of well-dressed workers. A few of them discussed some recent sales report as we shot upward, and Kali watched intently as they chatted, but Cleo kept her gaze straight ahead.

We were soon the last ones left as the elevator reached floor twelve, and we stepped out into the main hallway. I showed the girls my makeshift hiding spot, and I shoved our bags up into the drop-ceiling of the supply closet. Then we hurried back to the eleventh floor just before my shift started, and Roberts was waiting right at his office door with his watch held out.

His face fell slightly when he saw me, but he adjusted his expression to a smile when he spotted Cleo and Kali, and I could tell there was more gel in his hair and mustache than normal. The slimy bastard had on a red tie with his pinstriped suit, and he strode over as I punched in my employee number.

“Morning,” he said airily. “Fine day for an internship introduction! We’ll just need to have a little chat in my office.”

“Let’s do it,” I said.

“Your presence will not be necessary, Liam,” Roberts scoffed. “It’s just the young ladies who I need to speak with.”

Cleo glanced at me with wide eyes, and I knew they were going to need my help to get through his stupid questions. He was bound to ask some ridiculous shit I hadn’t prepared them for.

“I actually have to be there,” I said quickly. “The university’s policy is very strict. More than one employee from the chosen company must be in the onboarding interview, and since I was the one who filled out their internship papers, it has to be me.”

I delivered the improvised sentence as if it was a rule I had read from their handbooks, and Roberts’ scowl told me he’d bought it.

“Very well,” he groaned. “Let’s proceed.”

He spun on his heels and strode back to his office, and we followed after him as more people started to pile in from the elevator. Roberts had only set up two chairs, and I noticed he had brought his own out from behind the desk. I knew it was to be closer to the beautiful women, and I tried not to roll my eyes as I grabbed another seat from the corner. Roberts hastily moved his chair back behind the table, and he shot me a scathing glare before he sat down.

“Well,” he sighed as he opened a red folder. “Let’s see. Cleo and Kali. Are you both from the same program?”

“Information Technology,” Cleo said clearly. “We are first years at the Yoooouu Seee Elll Aeee.”

“That is where we study,” Kali added. “In first year. We are in year first.”

The Hollowfell beauties smiled at each other proudly, and Roberts didn’t seem to notice how bizarre their phrasing was. He was obviously blinded by their glittering smiles.

“Lovely,” he said without writing anything down. “Cleo, you’re Spanish? I can’t say I recognize the accent.”

“Yes. I am from Spanish. Spain.” She nodded as she quickly corrected herself. “People from there often have my skin and hair color.”

“Your English is wonderful.” Roberts gave her a sickening smile. “Really. Very impressive.”

His eyes flickered down to her jacket-covered chest, and I cleared my throat as he continued to stare.

“Kali,” my greasy boss continued. “Where are you from?”

“Sweden,” the nymph said. “I came here to learn about computers.”

“Very different weather than Southern California,” Roberts asked. “Are you enjoying it?”

“Yes,” Kali said slowly. “I am. The weather is different in Sweden. Very different. You are correct.”

She didn’t say anything else, and Roberts quickly scribbled something on his forms.

“Okay,” my boss muttered. “Who will be the professor you’re reporting to?”

“Henderson,” I said quickly. “That’s what you told me, right?”

“Yes.” Cleo nodded. “Henderson.”

“Fine,” Roberts said as he scribbled. “Liam, the ladies are capable of answering for themselves.”

“Sure,” I sighed as I sat back. “My apologies.”

Roberts continued to ask them questions that had less and less to do with the fake internship, and he eventually had written several paragraphs onto his forms.

“Well,” he said. “That should do it for my interview. It is wonderful to have you both here, and I can’t stress enough how happy I am to help you with anything at all.”

“That’s nice,” Kali said. “Thank you.”

“Last thing,” Roberts said. “I just need a picture of you both to send down to security. Then you can get your passes.”

He pulled his phone out and gestured for the women to stand up. They glanced at me, and I nodded as I got to my feet. Then I watched carefully to make sure it stayed above the shoulders. Having me stand about three inches behind him seemed to keep him focused enough, and the second he’d snapped one image of each woman, I abruptly motioned for the girls to move away.

“I’ll get this sent down to Stan,” he said as he examined the photos. “Please ask if you need anything at all. I am always available to anyone in this office, at any time. No question is a silly question when it comes to work, so please… let me know what I can do for you.”

“Thanks,” I said for the women. “We’ll see you later. Come on, ladies. Let’s get to work.”

The office had filled up in the time we had been with Roberts, and everyone stared at the two Hollowfell beauties as we walked by. I smirked as Brian’s face flushed, and he suddenly busied himself with his computer so he wouldn’t have to relive his rejection from the day before.

Everyone was quiet as we headed for my computer, and I pulled up a couple of extra chairs so they could sit with me. I pretended to show them something on my screen until everyone started to talk amongst themselves, and I glanced over to see Roberts with his face practically smooshed up against his glass door to creep on us.

“He is a very strange man,” Kali whispered as her blue eyes flicked in his direction. “Why does he keep staring at us? Does he know we’re from Hollowfell?”

“No,” I sighed. “He just thinks you’re both pretty and doesn’t know how to not be gross.”

“These other human guys do not seem as respectable as you, Liam,” Cleo muttered, and I smirked as we exchanged a glance.

We sat for an hour or so as everyone became submerged in their own work. I put on some tutorial videos on one of my many spare laptops for shooting semi-automatic weapons, and the girls each took turns listening with headphones. The information Uncle Spencer had taught me started to come back to me, but I watched each of the videos to make sure I’d be able to quickly reload the magazines.

Time went quickly as we hunched around my desk, and I decided it was time to move just before lunch. Roberts was on a video conference call, and he had closed the blinds in his office for privacy.

It was go time.

“Okay,” I said as I got to my feet. “I’ll show you the different kinds of tasks we deal with when we get called to other floors. Let’s go.”

I made sure to speak loud enough for my co-workers to hear me, and the girls hurried after me as I stepped out to the elevator.

It was time to go upstairs and plan our attack. The biggest heist in Hollowfell was about to begin.

Chapter 14

I couldn’t stop grinning as we stepped out onto the twelfth floor, and we hurried across the gray carpet past the law firm’s reception desk. Kali shook her limbs out as her skin shone with silver, and her wings and pink hair fell back into place. She kept her new dark blue work dress, though, and it looked even cuter in her natural form.

“Okay,” I said as we made our way to the supply closet, and I grabbed the ladder along the way. “First thing’s first: Where are we going to find a boat?”

“There is a small harbor,” Kali said. “If you keep following the coastline away from the pirates’ coves, it leads you to the fishing boats.”

“They will be guarded,” Cleo said. “The High Society keeps a tight schedule of when folks are allowed to use fishing privileges.”

“Privileges?” I asked as I swung the closet door open.

“Yes,” Kali sighed sadly. “The fisher-folk aren’t allowed to just sail out whenever they want to. Otherwise they could sail away and leave the High Society of Stormgulf with fewer workers.”

“Of course,” I said. “Those fuckers really do make things as miserable as they possibly can, don’t they?”

“That’s why we are stealing from them.” Cleo grinned. “They deserve it.”

I carefully climbed the ladder and moved the ceiling panel to reveal my gun belt and all our rucksacks. Then I placed everything down on the ground, and I opened my rucksack full of AR parts. I reassembled one of them before I attached a rifle strap to it, and then I slung it around my shoulder so the weapon sat at my front.

“So,” I said. “Do you two think you’re ready for one of these yet?”

“Maybe,” Kali said nervously. “I listened to the videos and everything, but I’m just not sure. It’s so big. Also, isn’t it metal?”

“Oh, yeah,” I said. “Does it hurt when you touch metal?”

“It’s a bit uncomfortable,” Kali said, “but it’s more that I can’t use any magic.”

“We’ll have to buy you some gloves to use,” I said. “The pistol is plastic everywhere except for the top slide, so I’ll give you it for now, and you can take it in turns to use it. That will be a lot easier for your first time shooting, and Cleo always has her sickle.”

“Good plan,” the cat-girl said. “Then we can use the big guns next time!”

I handed over the smaller weapon to the nymph, but before I could give her the belt, a small holster appeared on her outfit.

Silver magic sparkled around the black fabric, and she slipped the new weapon in with a smile. It was still mind-blowing to see magic in action, and the idea of magic even existing at all made me even more excited to have a potion or enchanted item to use for the hallway.

“Shit,” I muttered. “I only packed ear protection for two of us. I forgot to buy some for you at the--”

“That was just pushing my magic.” Kali smiled as her face suddenly sparkled silver, and a pair of blue fuzzy earmuffs appeared on her head. “But it’s technically part of my outfit, so it worked.”

“Pushing your magic?” I asked. “What does that mean?”

“It stings a little,” she said. “If it’s something too complicated. But these will be worth it!”

We spent the next ten minutes loading up all the magazines for the rifle and pistol, and then I double-checked Kali’s equipment before I hoisted the supplies we wouldn’t be using today up into the ceiling. I made sure the ceiling tile was placed back perfectly, and we stepped back into the quiet corridor. Then we adjusted our empty rucksack straps, but I couldn’t wait to feel the weight of loot on my back once more.

“So, we head to the fishing harbor?” I asked. “Will we be visible to many people from land?”

“Not unless other fishermen are there,” Kali said. “There isn’t much on that side of the coast. The land just curves back around to the coves on one side and leads to the city on the other.”

“We’ll be exposed out at sea,” Cleo said. “Fishing boats usually have a small cabin, but there isn’t anywhere else to hide if we’re spotted.”

“Have either of you sailed before?” I asked. “Your boats will be different to anything I’m used to. They probably don’t just have huge sails like the pirate ships?”

“I can sail,” Kali said proudly as we strode toward the stairwell door.

“You can?” I asked. “When did you learn that?”

“I had to teach myself,” the nymph said, and her smile suddenly dropped. “When my family sent me away, and I wanted to hide the fact that I was a nymph altogether. I would disguise my wings and use other methods of transport.”

Kali tugged at a pink curl as she stared at her feet, and I wanted to pull her into my arms to comfort her.

“The news still got out about me,” she continued. “I was being hunted everywhere I went, so I had to sail away from my land for good.”

“That’s terrible,” I said. “I’m so sorry that happened, but you’re going to save our asses with this mission. Sailing is an amazing skill to have.”

“Really?” Kali asked.

“I don’t know how to do it.” Cleo nodded. “You are very brave.”

The nymph’s porcelain cheeks flushed from the compliment, and she obviously valued the respect of the tough as nails cat-girl.

“So, we are good on the boat sailing,” I said as we hurried up the stairs. “What can we expect from the island itself?”

“That’s the tricky part,” Kali said. “Nobody goes there other than the Sobblers and their High Society friends.”

“And guards,” I added.

“And trophies,” Cleo hissed.

We stepped into the thirteenth floor corridor, and I was filled with as much excitement as I had been the first time I saw the dimly-lit hall. Then I adjusted my camping bag so it wasn’t going to be flapping around too much, and I gripped the strap of my rifle that hung at my chest.

Cleo and Kali both looked fired up and ready to go as we strode down the hallway, and I was honestly just as amped up for this next adventure. I was already picturing the number that would be in my bank account the following week.

“Are you sure you both want to do this?” I asked as we stopped at the door. “I really won’t mind if you turn back and head home. This is going to be really fucking dangerous.”

“We know,” Cleo purred. “That’s why we’re coming with you, Liam.”

“A team.” Kali nodded. “I have never had a group that actually wanted me around before.”

“I’m ready to slit some gargoyle throats,” Cleo added. “Let’s go and steal more loot!”

I grinned as I pulled my lock picker out, and I was much faster now at adjusting the pins until they clicked. The door unlocked, and I pocketed my tool as I took a deep breath.

“Showtime,” I said, and I carefully opened the door to the other world.

The noise hit me like a tidal wave as I stepped through into Hollowfell. It sounded like every gargoyle in the land was wailing at the tops of their lungs. Banshee shrieks carried on the wind, and a deep hissing echoed around the black leaves. The wind was going at an insane speed, and Kali almost blew away when she stepped through.

I grabbed the nymph to steady her, and I looked up at the swirling sky.

The colors had darkened since my last visit, and the green and purples were almost black. Bursts of blue lightning shot around the sky like spiderwebs, and it looked like the whole land had been put on dark mode. The noise was deafening, and the eerie sky made my skin crawl.

“What the hell is going on?” I asked as Cleo joined us.

“The sky is angry,” she muttered as she looked around. “This happens when the High Society is furious.”

“Yes,” Kali shuddered. “Nobody knows how they can control the elements like this, but it is one of the reasons everyone is so terrified of them.”

“Holy shit,” I said. “They can actually control the weather with their emotions?”

“That is how it seems to be,” Cleo said. “I have not seen a storm this terrible in a long time.”

It was slightly disorientating to be standing in the middle of so much chaos, and I gestured for us to race under the cover of some thicker branches. The sky was filled with gargoyles, but from what I could see, they seemed to be mostly circling in the direction of the city.

“They must be searching for us,” I said. “So they haven’t figured out about the door. That’s a relief, but they probably think we wouldn’t be around the cove we robbed, so we have that working in our favor, too.”

“Oh!” Cleo gasped, and I spun around to see her pointing to a nearby tree.

There was a piece of stained parchment nailed into it, and we hurried over to see there were two faces drawn in black ink.

It was me and Cleo.

Our stern faces glared out from the page along with a scrawl of text I couldn’t understand. It curved and spun in odd directions, and I had a feeling it was some promise of a reward for catching us. The portraits of us were very accurate, too, and I had to admire whoever had actually drawn it.

But this was bad news. Everyone would now know what we looked like, and I could already see several more of the posters from where we were standing.

“I love it,” Cleo breathed as she stared at the picture, and I did a double-take. “Liam, we’re outlaws together! How wonderful!”

The cat-girl’s tail flicked happily, and she carefully tore the picture down from the tree like it was a rare work of art.

“You look so handsome,” she purred. “We look perfect together, don’t we? The most deadly Hollowfell couple of all time! Liam, we are famous!”

“Glad you like it,” I half-chuckled. “But this means we are in a hell of a lot more danger than we first thought.”

“Yes,” Cleo said as she carefully tucked the picture into her rucksack. “But we look so lovely and fearsome together! We have a picture!”

I couldn’t help but smirk at the heavy dose of pride in her voice. I also made a mental note to show her how to take selfies later, but I hadn’t missed the way she had called us a couple. The cat-girl was truly serious about her devotion to me, but any sweet thoughts of us marauding around like a pair of love-struck bandits were quickly shoved aside by the piercing screams around us.

“Let’s get moving,” I said as I glanced around. “The woods are probably crawling with people trying to find us. How much is that reward for?”

“A pouch of gold coins,” Kali said. “That could feed someone for months!”

We hurried down the hillside, and the nymph led us through the twisting trees in roughly the same direction the coves had been. She veered off just when the peaks of white sand came into view, and I heard something flying nearby.

The sound of wings above us got louder, and I pulled the two women right into a tree trunk as a male gargoyle appeared in the sky. His massive frame slowly bobbed along in the stormy sky, and he had drool slipping out of his flat snout. The beast was wearing so many golden chains that his neck tilted forward, and he snorted and howled like a drunk man who had just stubbed his toe as he scanned the forest floor.

We pressed ourselves against the tree as he flew overhead, but I put a hand on my rifle just in case. Then the gargoyle’s slobbering sounds began to fade as he continued on toward the coves, but I knew we wouldn’t always get so lucky.

“Come on,” I muttered. “Let’s keep going.”

We stepped carefully over the muddy hillside as the choppy sea came into view. The gray water seemed to stretch out forever, and mist and dark waves covered the distant depths.

I hoped Kali’s sea navigation skills were up to scratch.

We slowed down as we neared the water and then crouched down behind some thick bushes to study the harbor ahead.

There was a stone wall that sat around nine boats that bobbed in the water, and only one break in the wall on the far side led out to open water. They were the size of regular fishing boats, but they each had a small sail that stuck out from the cabins. There were wooden wheels in each of them, and they all looked very battered and old.

Our biggest problem was the five patrolling guards who stomped along the wooden walkway of the dock, though. They clutched their spears menacingly as the wind shook the boats.

“Which one?” I asked Kali, and the nymph pointed to one of the furthest away boats that had a grubby red sail.

“That is like the one I sailed before,” she said. “We just need to get there without being stabbed.”

“Are you going to use the rifle?” Cleo asked with an eager grin.

“Let’s try and kill these bastards off quietly,” I said. “The noise would attract anyone nearby, and we’re only just getting started on this mission. Guns are very much for the grand finale, or we’ll never even make it to the treasure hold.”

“But it’s so stormy,” Kali said, and I realized she really was having to raise her voice a bit to be heard above the wind. “I can barely hear anything.”

A huge crash of thunder only backed up her point a moment later, and I knew the sound of gunshots wouldn’t carry far with the deafening sound of the storm swirling above us. But it was still a last resort when we were somewhere so heavily populated, and I didn’t want to just go trigger-happy if it would endanger us and cost us our loot.

“I need to get one of those spears,” I said. “Cleo, can you kill one of these bastards with your sickle?”

“Of course,” the cat-girl purred. “He won’t even hear me coming.”

“Perfect,” I said. “Kali, keep the pistol as a last resort. Stay with me, and we’ll get to that boat.”

“Got it,” the nymph said.

We waited until the guards had their backs to us, and Cleo raced forward silently with her sickle grasped tightly. The agile cat-girl leapt onto the nearest frog-legged beast, and she sliced her blade over his throat with a practiced swipe. He gurgled slightly as he flopped down, but she grabbed his spear just before the others spun around.

Then Cleo threw me the weapon as I raced toward her.

We braced ourselves side by side as the four remaining guards attacked, and I gripped the wooden handle of my weapon.

As one of the guards lunged at me, I ducked just in time. His blade only narrowly missed my head, and I stumbled backward as his spear swung down into the dock. It became embedded into the wood, so I used his moment of being unarmed to put my blade to use. I stabbed it right into his eyeball, and there was a wet pop as I pierced through what felt like jelly and bone. Then the guard flopped down dead, and I used my foot to dislodge the spear from his face.

Cleo had already leapt at the next guard, and she’d thrown her sickle straight into his face. The silver metal was still lodged into his skull, but the cat-girl raced forward to retrieve her weapon as I realized his blood had erupted everywhere.

Two more guards were left now, and they snarled wildly as they jumped for us. One went for Cleo, and the other launched himself at me. He swung his spear at the same time I did, and he stabbed my weapon right in the middle of the wooden shaft. It snapped apart in my hands, and I was left with a stumpy stick attached to the pointed blade.

“Fuck,” I hissed as I leapt out of the way, and I swung my foot up toward his leg.

My sneaker smacked against his scales, and I kicked him toward the edge of the dock with every ounce of strength I had. He flailed wildly as he stumbled, but I delivered another kick to his lower half, and the guard was launched backward. Then he fell into the water with a loud crash, and I leapt forward as he tumbled to throw what was left of my spear right at his skull.

The pointed blade fell right below his chin, and it pierced the flesh as he flailed in the water. Blood oozed out of his neck, and he fell still as he began to sink into the dark abyss.

I spun around just as Cleo brought her blade down into the remaining guard’s face. He toppled backward as his nose was split in half, but he was dead before he even hit the wooden planks beneath him.

The dock was stained red with blood now, and I caught my breath as I checked to make sure the guard in the water had sunk.

“Fuck yeah,” I hissed. “Let’s get going before any more arrive!”

We raced over to the boat Kali had picked out, and we jumped off the dock onto the sea vessel.

It was filthy, and wet fishing nets covered the back half of the deck. The red sail was so faded that it was almost orange, but it would do the trick.

“I’m going to look inside real quick!” Kali raced into the small cabin.

There was barely enough room for the three of us, and the nymph opened up a compartment beside the wheel. She rummaged around until she pulled out a wide, glass vial that was full of purple liquid. Then the nymph slotted the vial into a circular hole beside the wheel, and there was a sudden whirring noise from under our feet.

“Yes!” Kali cheered. “There’s enough sailing fluid for the trip.”

She pulled a rusty lever to the right of the vial, and the little boat began to chug away from the dock.

“What is that?” I asked as I glanced down. “It sounds like an engine?”

“I am not sure what that means,” Kali said. “But the fluid creates a small churning current below us. The potion seeps into the boat and reacts with the water in a way that helps propel us forward faster. You can use just the sails of course, but this makes it quite a lot speedier to get out of this docking area, don’t you think?”

“I guess, but I’m surprised the gargoyles allow that,” I said. “They don’t let working folk use magic usually, right?”

“Fishing boats are one of the few exceptions,” Kali said. “The fishing benefits the High Society, so they allow it as long as they strictly monitor how much potion is given out. That way no fisherman could sail off to another land before being caught. I certainly wish I’d had more when I was making my escape, because it was very tedious and scary traveling without any and while I was all alone. But it’s super helpful for us to have some just now! Heists are supposed to go fast, right?”

“You’re fucking amazing,” I chuckled as I ran a hand through my hair. “Sailing a stolen boat to pull off this mission? What a badass.”

“Ohhh.” Kali blushed. “I’m not sure what a badass is, but it’s nothing special.”

“None of that,” I said. “You’re awesome, and you’re vital to the mission. Captain Kali runs this ship. Give us some orders, my beauty!”

The nymph giggled, and Cleo nudged her playfully.

“Liam is correct,” the cat-girl purred. “I could never sail this ship. You are in charge here, and also beautiful.”

“Very well,” Kali laughed. “Cleo, lower the sail so it’s at full capacity!”

The cat-girl raced to the long rope on the floor, and she began to pull at it with determined grunts. It straightened out further as bits of dirt fell from the folds, and the boat suddenly sped up as a gust of wind propelled us forward even faster. We sailed straight out of the harbor, and I cheered as we left the screeches of the land behind.

“Liam!” Kali called. “Make sure we are not being followed!”

“Aye, aye, captain!” I said with a salute, and the nymph giggled so hard that her wings vibrated.

I raced to the back of the boat and peered through the mist. There was no sound of stampeding footsteps or magically chugging boats, and it looked like we had made it. I could hear the distant sound of the gargoyles in the city, but the mist began to swirl around us and conceal our little boat.

It looked like the storm might actually work in our favor.

The water was seriously choppy, though, and I couldn’t see much in the distance as Kali carefully adjusted the steering wheel. She looked super focused as she glanced up at the hazy sky, and she flipped open a hidden compartment to reveal a bronze compass. The nymph studied it for a moment and then prodded the lever near the vial before she turned the wheel slightly to the right. It was amazing to watch her seamlessly operate the boat, and I stood admiring the beautiful woman until she took a deep breath.

“Okay,” she said. “We’re on course, Liam.”

“You are so impressive,” I chuckled. “How did I manage to end up with the most incredible women in the whole of Hollowfell?”

The two girls exchanged grins, but then there was a sudden thump under our boat. It rocked back and forth, and Cleo clung to the cabin as she glanced around.

“What was that?” I hissed as I cautiously peered over the edge of the boat.

“Probably a sea snake,” Kali said. “Hopefully that’s all it is.”

“The waters hold deadly creatures,” Cleo told me when she saw my wide eyes. “Some things below are larger than any creature you could meet on land.”

“Got it…” I said slowly as I eyed the sea. “So… no falling overboard, then.”

Kali kept checking the sky and compass as she adjusted our course, and I kept my rifle in hand in case I had to shoot the fuck out of some terrifying sea monster. There was no way I’d dick around with blades against that kind of beast.

Our boat got bumped against a few more times, but it didn’t seem like anything was trying to topple us over at least. I saw a jagged green fin slowly emerge at one point, but it slipped back underwater silently.

My mind ran wild imagining what could be living in the murky depths, and I hoped I never had to find out.

As we got further from the mainland, the sky remained stormy and dark. I could hear far off screams, and I was worried some flying brigade of guards had caught up.

“Almost there,” Kali said. “I can hear them.”

“I hate that sound,” Cleo hissed as her golden eyes studied the mist.

The shrieks got louder, but I started to see a huge mass of land come into view through the fog. Then Kali slowed the boat down as we crept closer, and she steered us away from the main dock that sat nearby.

The nymph guided the boat around the western side of the island. It looked like we would have to scramble up some cliffsides to get onto solid ground. There was a tiny patch of sand where the boat could be tethered up, but the screams of the gargoyles were sickeningly loud now.

None of us spoke as Kali sailed us right onto the island, and I was surprised to see the water didn’t seem to get any shallower as we approached. It was just a constant pit of dark terror, even when we were almost touching the yellow sand.

Then the nymph pulled the purple vial from its port, and she carefully tucked it into her backpack. As our boat slowed to a crawl, she grabbed a rope and fluttered over onto the sand, and she began to peg down the rope with a black stick that had an ominous glow.

“Is that going to keep it here?” I asked as she slammed it into the ground.

“Oh, yes,” Kali said as she dusted the sand from her fingers. “It’s a tethering stone. One of the only other pieces of magic allowed for fisher-folk, but a very important one in waters such as these.”

I leapt onto the island, and Cleo stealthily landed next to me without making a sound. It looked like there was only one way up to the higher ground of the island, and it was a very steep path that twisted up the cliff. But the sky above us seemed even more violent now as the blue lightning crackled every few minutes.

“Let’s do this,” I said as I stared at the ominous pathway. “Ready?”

The two women nodded, and I started to lead the way up from the choppy shore. It was a killer workout on my calves, and my leg muscles burned with each step. Kali fluttered along easily, but even Cleo grunted with the effort of the climb after a few minutes. Sweat trickled down my forehead as we finally neared the top, and I was glad this would be a downhill trek once we had our bags full of loot.

But the closer we got to the top, the louder the noise became. It was hard to tell if the sounds were mostly laughter or screams, but it sent a shiver down my spine either way.

Then the ground finally began to flatten out, and we reached a thin line of trees that gave us a view of the rest of the island.

It was huge, but relatively even. The grass was short and dark, and there was only one building on the whole island. It was made of dreary black stone, and it had four questionable turrets that stuck out at wonky angles. The structure looked to be about four stories tall, judging by the windows, and the grounds around it were the size of my whole neighborhood. I could see ugly sculptures and spluttering water features dotted around, and I stared in awe and disgust as the overwhelming stench of fish wafted through the air.

“Sobbler Manor,” Cleo breathed.

The house was a crazy sight on its own, but my stomach flipped as I stared out at the creatures around it.

Gargoyles bigger than I had ever seen stomped about on their chunky legs, and frog-legged guards patrolled in groups of six. It looked like they were throwing some kind of party, and more gargoyles spilled in and out of the double doors at the front.

But these beasts didn’t just wear gold. They had silver crowns, velvet capes, and clothing that was encrusted with gemstones. The women clutched glittering purses as they waddled like overdressed dinosaurs, and the men held canes that shone like diamonds.

It was clear that the duchess and duke were taking no chances with their security, and I couldn’t even count how many guards and gargoyles were around.

But I somehow didn’t feel defeated. This was a challenge like I had never faced before in my entire life, and I had the perfect team to pull it off. The reality of a better life had only just begun to really settle in my mind, and I wasn’t about to give up on it now.

There was an unimaginable amount of treasure inside those looming black walls, and I was more than willing to kill to get my hands on it.

Chapter 15

We stared out at Sobbler manor as the wind howled around us, and the snorts and cries of gargoyles echoed over the stormy island.

“There are so many of them,” Cleo hissed. “How are we going to get inside?”

“Maybe there are other entrances,” I said quietly. “You said they have servants? They might have their own entrance.”

“That’s a good plan,” Kali said. “Gargoyles hate even looking at the servants. There is bound to be another door so they don’t have to mingle.”

“We just need to get there without being spotted,” I said. “There’s a tall hedge over that way, and it looks like it curls right around the back of the manor.”

The line of trees made a curved perimeter right around the rim of the island, and I figured they might have been an indicator of where the steep cliffside began. We carefully started to move around behind the thick branches, and as I kept my eyes on the overdressed gargoyles, I realized they were beginning to all move into the manor.

They waved their stumpy arms dramatically and waddled through into the huge building. Then something that sounded like a dying cat wailed out from the open door, and I shuddered as the sound pierced my ears.

“What the fuck is that?” I asked as we crept around the trees.

“Gargoyle organ,” Kali said. “It is the instrument they always have at parties.”

“They refuse to use any instrument that isn’t gargoyle made,” Cleo added. “There are very skilled musical instrument makers in Hollowfell, but the gargoyles are not part of that group.”

“Clearly,” I muttered as we carefully stepped along the precarious cliffside.

The manor was not as lively around the back side, and the garden was full of more bizarre statues that had been carved from what looked like gold and bronze.

It was clear that the artist had been talented, but I had never seen these creatures before. They were tall and lean, and the clothes they wore were perfectly fitted suits and corsets. Many of them had crowns, and the women all had flowing hair that tumbled around their beautiful metal faces. Their wings were spread wide, and each one was decorated with a swirling pattern of silver.

“Are those statues of leviathans?” I asked as we slowed down to a halt.

“No,” Cleo said. “They’re gargoyles. That’s what they think they actually look like.”

“I heard about the first sculptor they hired,” Kali said with wide blue eyes. “He carved the gargoyles as they actually appear, and they threw him into the sea with bricks tied to all of his limbs.”

“Shit,” I muttered. “That’s a new level of delusional. Seriously. Fuck these guys. What a bunch of narcissists.”

The grounds that stretched around the back of the manor were full of the awful statues, huge fountains with stone carvings, and massive shrubs that sprouted black-and-green flowers.

Then we found a small archway carved into the stone at the back wall, and it looked like it might be a very small entrance.

“I think that’s the servants’ door,” Kali said.

“Yeah, it’s sitting back here like an afterthought,” I muttered as I glanced around the strange statue displays.

“But how will we get through?” Kali asked.

“You can shapeshift,” I pointed out. “Could you make yourself into a guard?”

“Sadly not,” the nymph said with a frown. “My powers can alter my disguise, but I can’t change my body shape or size.”

“Well, shooting is a last resort here,” I said. “At least until we get the loot.”

The small doorway suddenly swung open, and a tired-looking creature stumbled through with a bucket in her hands. She was skinny with blue skin, and her dark hair was pinned up in a messy bun. Tiny horns curled out from the sides of her head, and she wore a dark dress with an apron on top.

“Poor thing,” Kali sighed. “She’s a pixie, and the gargoyles like picking them for servants. They’re strong enough to do the chores of the houses, but not strong enough to fight back.”

“They’re also not really rare enough to make into trophies,” Cleo added as her expression darkened. “Perfect targets for slave labor.”

“We might not get another chance,” I said. “Follow my lead.”

The pixie stumbled toward a flowerbed with the bucket, and she started to pour the water out onto the plants. I stayed low as I raced out from the trees, and I kept a careful eye on the grounds as I hurried toward the doorway.

Then the stomping sound of patrolling guards suddenly echoed out, and I grabbed the two women as I pulled us behind one of the fountains.

It was full of moldy-looking water, and the stonework was chipped and cracked. We only barely fit behind the sculpture, and I peeked out to watch the group of guards jog around on their thick legs.

The pixie froze as the guards raced past, but they didn’t give her a second look as they patrolled the manor. They clutched their spears as they looked from left to right, and I ducked back down until they had moved back around the side of the building.

“Go!” I hissed, and we jumped up to start running again.

Then the pixie glanced our way as she held the empty bucket. Her mouth hung open as her eyes fell on Cleo, and she raised a hand to point at us silently, but I gestured wildly for her to be quiet.

My legs moved as fast as possible, and I sprinted toward the arched doorway. But the pixie raced back to the doorway, too, and Cleo leapt onto her with serious agility.

“Shhh,” the cat-girl hissed as she covered the small servant’s mouth. “Come inside with us. If you scream, I will slit your throat.”

“That’s a bit mean…” Kali frowned as we skidded to a halt at the doorway, and we piled inside as I closed the door behind us.

We were standing in a dingy stone room that was filled with buckets, cloths, and brooms. There was one candle that flickered on the wall and a set of steps that led up to a brighter area.

Cleo stood behind the pixie with one hand on her mouth while the other held her waist, and I gestured for her to ease up on the woman.

“Promise not to scream?” Cleo hissed, and the servant nodded furiously.

The cat-girl slowly slid her hands away, and the pixie breathed heavily as she stepped to the side.

“Hi,” I said hurriedly. “We’re not here to hurt you.”

“You’re the man from the p-poster,” the servant stammered. “The one with the strange clothes, and you’re… you’re the trophy Duchess Sobbler wanted.”

“Don’t call me that,” Cleo hissed dangerously. “I am no trophy.”

“S-sorry,” the pixie squeaked. “I think it’s horrible what they do to your people. All the beautiful women being held here are so sad.”

The servant nervously pulled at her apron, and her eyes darted to the staircase as the organ noise drifted down. But nothing about her body language made me think she was eager to escape our company, or even eager to give us away to her masters.

“I’m Liam,” I said gently. “What’s your name?”

“My name,” the pixie said slowly. “Nobody has asked that in a long time. It’s Astren.”

“Nice to meet you, Astren,” I said with a nod. “If you can tell us where to find something, then we will be in and out like we were never here.”

“Find something?” Astren bunched up her eyebrows. “I don’t think so. The duchess–”

“The duchess is evil,” Cleo snarled, and she pulled her sickle from her waist. “Tell us where the treasure room is. Now.”

The cat-girl took a threatening step forward, and Astren raised her hands in surrender before I could blink.

“It’s on the s-second floor,” she spluttered. “The huge room right at the back of the manor. That’s where they keep their treasure.”

“And the potions?” I asked.

“The same room.” Astren nodded vigorously. “It’s all there, but you need to be silent. They’re having a party.”

“A party?” Kali asked.

“Yes,” the pixie said. “They invited all their family. It’s to plan their next… h-hunting trip. Since they’re all so furious about losing you, miss.”

Cleo and Kali’s faces fell, and the cat-girl lowered her blade.

“Hunting trip?” I asked. “What does that mean?”

“For the males of our species,” Cleo said in a tone so low, I could hardly hear her. “They don’t keep them as living trophies, but the High Society plans hunting trips to stalk and kill them. This is how they get their heads to mount on their walls.”

“It’s horrible,” Kali said as her lower lip trembled. “They think it’s fun.”

I felt sickened to imagine those beasts tracking down cat-men and nymphs as if they were animals. The fire in my chest roared, and my seething hatred for the gargoyles intensified tenfold.

“This will punish them,” I said quietly. “If you keep quiet, then the Sobblers will get some justice tonight.”

“And we know we can trust you,” Kali said with a sweet smile. “You look as brave as you are pretty.”

Astren’s face lit up at the kind words, and she smiled at the beautiful nymph. Then she wrung her hands for a moment as she glanced back up at the stairwell.

I held my breath as I tried to be patient and let her decide, but I let out a huge exhale when she suddenly nodded.

“I can show you some of the way,” the pixie said. “But I can’t be seen out in the open with you. It’s too risky.”

“Of course,” I said. “That’s amazing, thank you.”

“This way,” Astren whispered. “But stay silent.”

The pixie began to hurry up the stone steps, and I followed close behind her with my rifle clutched at my chest. Cleo’s threats and Kali’s kindness seemed to have been a good combination, and I could tell that the servant was just as terrified for her life as she was eager to have a friend.

The smell of fish started to waft down toward us, and we came up into a large, deserted kitchen filled with bubbling pots and baskets of meat and vegetables. The stone counters had golden goblets laid out, and trays of filthy bowls sat by a basin waiting to be cleaned. A cauldron full of green liquid and floating fish heads sat over a fire, and I wrinkled my nose as the putrid smell filled my nostrils.

“Most of us are out serving,” Astren said as she anxiously checked that no one else was here, and then she hurried over to a wooden door on the opposite side of the room. “The gargoyles get furious if there aren’t enough of us carrying trays of food. They are holding the party in the front ballroom, so you might be able to get up the stairs without being seen. If you move fast.”

“Okay,” I said. “So up the stairs toward the back room?”

“That’s right, but if they find you, it will end terribly.” She fidgeted with her apron, and it was clear she wasn’t going to step outside with us.

“Thank you,” I said. “You’ve been really helpful.”

Astren smiled, and she hurried over to the cauldron to start stirring the fish heads around.

“Okay,” I said quietly as we stood beside the wooden door. “We head straight for the stairs, and we stay quiet. That’s all we need to do. One step at a time.”

“I’m ready,” Cleo hissed. “These beasts wanted me for their display. I will slay and steal all I can.”

“Me, too,” Kali said as she stomped her foot. “They are evil! It is revenge time.”

“Then let’s go and get some gargoyle loot.” I grinned.

I grabbed the black door handle and very slowly began to push it open. The noise of the party spilled into the kitchen, and I winced as the hinges gave a small squeak. Terrible music filled the air along with the laughter of the gargoyles, and I peeked out to check whether the coast was clear.

The corridor of the ground floor was enormous, and gray marble covered the floor. Suits of armor complete with swords lined the walls, and massive golden chandeliers dangled from the black ceiling. Paintings of gargoyles in crowns sat crooked on the red walls, but I could see the main doorway right at the end of the corridor. The staircase was on the left of the hall, and it sounded like the main ballroom was off in that direction, too.

But a frog-legged guard stood with his back to me beside the stairs. He rigidly watched the front door with his spear clutched at his side, and I glanced at the suits of armor around us.

Then I had a crazy idea that might just help us attack silently.

Cleo’s sickle was deadly, but we couldn’t rely on only her when we needed a quiet attack.

“I’m going to get one of those swords,” I whispered. “Cleo, can you take down the guard while I do that?”

“Of course,” the cat-girl said. “It will be stealthy and silent.”

“Kali,” I said. “Stick with me, and we will head upstairs right after.”

“Yes, Liam,” the nymph whispered.

I took a deep breath before I slipped out of the kitchen door, and the two women followed right behind me. Then Cleo began to sprint silently over the marble, and I hurried over to the nearest suit of armor.

The silver metal gleamed, and I was amazed with how beautiful the sword was. It had a golden handle encrusted with emeralds, and the blade was thick and sharp. I carefully began to pull back the fingers that had been curled around the hilt, but then the armor squeaked loudly.

“Fuck,” I hissed as I grabbed the sword, and I spun around to see the guard turn with a growl.

Cleo leapt onto him with her blade swinging, and she brought it straight over his throat when she landed silently. She grabbed the bulky beast as he started to fall and carefully laid him on the ground so his armor didn’t make a sound.

I let out the breath I’d been holding as I raced over with Kali by my side. The weight of the sword felt comforting in my hand, but there was also a semi-automatic rifle on my chest.

I felt fucking invincible.

There was a small broom closet right under the stairs, and I flung it open before I hurried toward the dead guard. Then I slipped my arms under his body as Kali picked up his legs. We shuffled to the closet and shoved him in amongst a collection of mops and dusters.

Once I silently closed the door, we crept around to the main staircase. The sound of the party echoed throughout the lobby, and I could see the doorway of the ballroom when we peeked around the steps.

It was a huge double door that was closed, and there was stained glass around the top. The sound of the awful music and laughter pierced through the barricade and into the hall, but at least we had a chance to get upstairs unseen.

We started to run up the wide staircase, and the red carpet muffled our footsteps the whole way. I took the steps two at a time as sweat dripped down my neck, and my heart rate accelerated while I registered the sounds of gargoyles echoing around the manor.

We raced onward to the second floor and only skidded to a halt when we arrived at a circular landing with five doorways around us. Two wooden doors were on each side, and one golden one was at the very back of the floor.

“That’s gotta be it!” I hissed. “Let’s go!”

Then we started to sprint over the marble, but I spun around when one of the wooden doors to our left flew open. My stomach sank as an enormous gargoyle man stepped out, and I ran toward him before I was able to form any kind of structured plan.

He towered over me in his ill-fitting navy-blue suit, and the gold around his thick neck sparkled under the chandelier light. A putrid stench of sulfur and fish wafted from him as he flung his arms up, and his beady eyes widened.

The gargoyle opened his mouth to scream, but I reached him just in time. I swung my sword as hard as I possibly could, and it smashed directly into the bottom of his face.

The blade sliced through his scales and cut his snout clean in half. Blood erupted everywhere, and several fangs fell out of his broken jaw. His long tongue flopped around, and his eyeballs rolled back as his body shuddered when I pulled the sword back. Then I stabbed my blade directly into his thick neck, and he immediately fell still.

Cleo and Kali helped grab him, but he was almost too heavy for the three of us to hold. We lowered him to the ground so he didn’t shake the whole manor, and I felt slightly ill as I looked down at his sliced-open face.

“That was amazing!” Cleo hissed. “You work a sword so well, Liam.”

“Do I?” I muttered as I grimaced at the corpse below me.

“Soooo much blood,” she purred. “You look incredibly handsome and strong with a sword, too. Just like a powerful outlaw!”

“Thanks,” I said as I wiped blood from my face. “Let’s see if we can stuff him back in this room.”

I pressed my ear against the door, but I couldn’t hear any signs of life. The hinges were silent as I carefully pushed the entrance open, and it was almost completely dark inside the room. There was a bed the size of a truck in the middle, and another two chandeliers hung down over the red carpet.

It took a serious amount of effort to drag the gargoyle’s body, and my arms burned as I pulled at his large, bloated body. But we managed to get him just inside the room, and I kicked at his arms so I could close the door. He caused a blockage if anyone tried to get inside, but a trail of blood was smeared over the marble.

“Fuck,” I muttered. “This is turning into one of those first-person sneaker video games. Hold on.”

I quickly slipped my bag and jacket off, and I pulled my shirt over my head as I crouched down. The material did a good enough job of scrubbing the blood from the floor, and I stuffed the filthy shirt into the side pocket of my pack. Then I put my leather jacket back on, and Cleo’s eyes widened as she stared at my bare chest.

“That looks… so good,” she purred, and I had a feeling this dangerous quest now had a lot of elements involved that were a serious turn-on for her.

“Thanks,” I chuckled as I realized Kali was also looking at me like she was starving, and I was the turkey at Thanksgiving. “Come on. It’s looting time.”

“Oh, good!” the nymph whisper-cheered.

We raced over the second floor to the golden door, and I pushed it open as slowly as I could. Then I stepped into the room, and I froze in shock from the view.

“Hooooly fucking shit,” I breathed.

The room was five times the size of my apartment, and every inch of it was stacked with treasure. There was a tall window at the back wall that was almost completely covered by the piles, and only the very top of the glass showed the stormy sky outside.

Piles of coins were carefully arranged by gold, silver, and bronze. Gemstones were crammed into golden boxes, and stacks of crowns, chalices, jewelry, and gold bars were in every direction. There was a black cabinet on the left wall, too, that was packed full of bottles that glowed a rainbow of colors. Each container was labeled, and they were a variety of different sizes.

“Potions,” Kali gasped. “Oh, my goodness! I have never seen so many in one place before! They must have everything. This was a very, very good idea, Liam.”

I could barely nod in response because I was too filled with adrenaline as I stared around the room, and it was overwhelming to be surrounded by so much treasure. It took a moment for me to come to my senses, but then I swung my rucksack off with a grin.

“Let’s get packing,” I said to the girls. “Kali, can you stock up on the potions? Look for anything that could be useful to us, and remember the locking charm.”

“Of course,” the nymph said, and she hurried over to the huge cabinet.

“Cleo,” I said. “Take whatever you can carry.”

The cat-girl smirked as she made a beeline for the gemstones, and I began to stuff solid gold bars into my backpack. I felt a rush like never before as my ruck-sack was filled up with treasure, and I made sure to stack the heaviest items at the bottom as I considered the wild fleeing scene we’d endured last time.

But it was hard to show any restraint, even though I knew I had to be realistic about what I would be able to carry home.

I couldn’t stop grinning as I filled my pack, and I had it three-quarters of the way full in a matter of minutes. There was more room, but I was only just going to be able to run and fight with the amount I had in my pack already, so I forced myself to rein it in.

Cleo and Kali had just finished filling their smaller bags, and they rushed over as I carefully swung mine over my back.

“We got so much!” Cleo purred. “Liam, you are going to be the richest man on Earth!”

“Maybe not quite,” I laughed. “But I’m sure as hell on my way. Let’s get back to the boat before the party finishes up.”

We hurried back to the golden door, but then I glanced around at the mountains of treasure that were left behind. The gargoyles wouldn’t even notice we had been there until they found the bodies. We’d nearly pulled off the perfect crime.

I smirked and carefully checked that the second floor was empty, and then I gestured for the women to follow me.

I snuck out onto the landing and raced toward the stairs as fast as I could. My heart was pounding as the gargoyle snorts and music carried up the steps, but I peeked down to see the door to their ballroom was still closed.

There was no replacement guard for the one we had killed earlier, either, and it looked like we hadn’t been discovered at all.

We ran down the stairs to the lobby, and we spun on our heels to continue on back toward the kitchen. I glanced at the cleaning cupboard as we went, and it was still closed shut with the dead guard presumably inside.

A fresh wave of adrenaline pumped through my veins as we raced down the stone steps and burst through into the kitchen. But Astren was inside with another pixie now, and they both jumped as we exploded into the room.

The second pixie gasped when she saw Cleo, but Astren shushed her quickly.

“Thank you!” I called as we raced to the servants’ entrance.

But then I slowed my pace, reached into the side pocket of my bag, and pulled out a golden bracelet encrusted with rubies.

“Here,” I said as I threw it at Astren. “Sell it. Run away or something. You’re incredible! Bye!”

I nearly flew down the last set of steps and flung the arched door open, and the violent wind stung my face the second we got outside.

“Come on,” I panted. “We’re going to run back to the boat! Let’s go!”

“We’re right behind you!” Cleo said with a nod.

Then I bolted into the grounds just as a guard turned the corner.

He hissed as his frog legs propelled him toward me, and Kali shrieked as she shut the door behind us.

I leapt at the oncoming guard with my sword swinging. He tried to block me with his spear, but the wood snapped easily when it met my blade.

Then I pierced my weapon right into his jugular, and the beast spluttered up blood as he dropped his spear. He crumpled to the ground in a pool of red, and I spun around to start running again.

We tore over the grounds toward the cover of the trees, and my heart was in my throat as we passed the fountain and hedges. The howl of the wind was so loud that I couldn’t even hear the gargoyle party anymore, and I skidded to a halt as we finally reached the trees. We stepped behind the thick trunks and began to jog around to the cliffside path.

Sweat poured down my back from the weight of the loot, but I didn’t care. The amount of money that rested in my rucksack was going to blow our last heist out of the water, and I couldn’t wait to bring it back to my apartment.

“We did it,” Kali squealed as we hurried around the trees. “I can’t believe it! We have so many potions!”

“Now we just need to sail back to the mainland,” I panted. “Maybe we should take a different route, so we don’t head straight back to the harbor?”

“I can do that,” Kali said with a nod. “I feel like I can do anything now!”

“You absolutely can,” I chuckled and sent the beautiful nymph a grin.

We slowed down as we approached the footpath, but I stopped in my tracks as I stared down at the dark sea.

The yellow sand had dozens of huge footprints on it, and the boat was on fire. It burned as it bobbed on the water, and the black smoke got lost in the thick mist.

A knot twisted in the pit of my stomach as we stared down at our destroyed escape route.

The gargoyles knew we were here.

Chapter 16

My heart pounded in my chest as the boat flickered with orange flames, and I knew we were in more danger than ever before. Our only way off the island was gone.

We were trapped.

I tried to focus on the next step to get us out alive. Cleo and Kali were not going to get hurt. That was all that mattered at the moment.

“Maybe we can swim?” Kali said weakly.

“Nobody can swim that far,” Cleo said. “If the waves didn’t kill us, then the sea monsters would. Kali, maybe you should fly back to the doorway. You could get there safely at least.”

“No,” the nymph said firmly. “I am not leaving you both. We are a team! We are a family!”

“We have to find another way off,” I said. “They must have boats here, too. The gargoyles surely don’t fly off the island every time they want to travel? Half of them can barely hold themselves in the sky.”

“They have a boat.” Kali nodded. “But I think it is around the other side of the island. That’s where all the fishermen have to go to restock their magic supplies. I heard some of them talking in the market about how foul the guards on duty there are.”

“It will be heavily guarded,” Cleo said. “Especially now that they know we are here.”

There was a crack in the cat-girl’s usually cool voice, and I knew being caught by the Sobblers was her ultimate fear. She had been on the run from them for so long, and the threat of becoming a trophy loomed above her as we watched the boat burn. I hated hearing her afraid, but it gave me another kick of adrenaline and determination.

This was the time for figuring shit out. I could freak out over how deadly the situation was later. All that mattered right now was getting the women off the island.

“Okay,” I said as I looked around. “We need to be stealthy and stay alert. Every guard on the island will be out searching for us.”

“Yes,” Kali said as she pulled a pink curl. “They are all out in this storm looking for us!”

Her blue eyes sparkled with tears, and she looked just as distressed as Cleo.

“Listen to me,” I said quietly. “Both of you. I have never cared about anyone the way I care about you two. I have a rifle, a sword, and a fucking death wish for anyone who wants to hurt you. We’re going to get out of here. Understand?”

The two women nodded silently, and I was even surprised at the fiery passion behind my tone. Then there was a sudden ear-splitting crash as a blue fork of lightning struck the island, and we leapt backward as a nearby tree erupted into flames.

“Whooooaaa!” I yelled as we stumbled back from the burning embers. “These ugly assholes really can affect the weather. Come on!”

I started to run through the trees to try and weave around to the other side of the island. Rain began to pour down from the dark sky, and the mist across the sea grew heavier with every passing second. The storm was going to make it ten times harder to find an escape route, but it would also make it more difficult for the guards to find us.

Cleo and Kali grabbed onto my backpack so we didn’t get separated in the wild weather, and we raced around behind the tree-covered perimeter.

Then I heard the scream of several gargoyles carried in the wind, and I skidded to a halt when I saw the distant shape of a moving group up ahead. The mist had started to spill onto the island, but I could make out the frog-legged outlines of at least ten guards sprinting around the island’s perimeter.

“We have to go into the middle of the island,” I hissed. “There’s too many guards headed our way!”

“But Liam!” Kali called. “The gargoyles will be everywhere! Especially near the manor!”

“We have to risk it,” I said. “You can do this.”

The nymph slipped her delicate hand into mine, and I gave her a squeeze as we changed direction. We sped away from the trees and started to race down into the center of the island. I could just make out that we were around the servants’ doorway, and the rain battered against the wonky stone turrets.

Kali was right about how risky this was, but we didn’t have another choice.

The gargoyles’ boat was our only chance to get away. It didn’t matter how many guards were there, we would have to fight them eventually. We just had to make sure we reached the boat without being seen. Then we could shoot the fuck out of anyone who tried to block our escape.

I crouched down as we began to weave through the grounds of the manor, and I heard a stampede of footsteps over at the island’s perimeter where we had just been.

“Get down!” I hissed, and I pulled the women directly into one of the huge shrubs that sprouted black flowers.

Tiny thorns pierced my pants, but we stayed silent as we hunched in the prickly hedge. My palms were sweaty as I peered out and saw a huge group of guards moving through the mist. They raced along the cliffside with their spears gripped by their sides, and I wondered exactly how many of them the island was crawling with.

Cleo nudged me, and she gestured up to the furious sky. I looked up to see the silhouettes of three gargoyle men flying along behind the guards, and they swung from side to side as they scouted the island. The huge beasts screeched and snorted as they went, and we waited until they were out of sight before we moved.

I didn’t speak as I helped the women out of the hedge. Then we began to sprint over the grass as fast as we were able to. Kali fluttered alongside us, and the weight of my rucksack was making my back ache by now. It was impossible to tell how far we had to go until we reached the other side of the island, though, so I kept barreling onward until we finally left the huge black manor behind us.

Then a screech split through the air above us, and I could see the shape of several gargoyle women flying through the mist. Messy curls slipped off the sides of their heads, and their pointed talons stuck out as their thick arms waved and pointed.

“Fuck,” I hissed as I looked around desperately for a place to hide.

The land around us was fairly empty, and we were far away from the cover of the manor. I gestured for the women to get under a tree, and I darted over to the statue once they began to run.

Cleo and Kali were relatively well hidden as they pressed their slender bodies up against the trunk, and they stayed perfectly still as they looked up at the sky.

The bottom of the statue didn’t have much cover, but the sculpture had the gargoyle holding out his cloak proudly. I clambered up onto the base and crouched under the stone cloak so I was practically in the gargoyle’s armpit. It only just covered me, and I had to bend my legs in a painful squat, but I was pretty much fully concealed. Something in my backpack was poking into my spine, but I ignored that and how much my shoulder blades were on fire from carrying the loot.

“Wheeeere?” a gargoyle screamed. “Troooophy! Bring the troooophy to meeeee!”

“Bring me his head!” another screeched. “Thief! Thiiieeef!”

I shuddered as their awful voices carried out over the howling wind, and I watched their shadows bob over the grass just in front of me.

Cleo and Kali held hands as they made themselves as small as possible under the branches of the tree, and I held my breath as the gargoyles passed over us. Their foul stench wafted down to sting my nostrils, and I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from gagging.

Still, we stayed hidden and silent as their shadows slowly bobbed away, and their voices became drowned out by the storm. I waited a beat after they had vanished from sight just to make sure they were truly gone. Then I poked my head out to scan the area.

Forks of blue lightning pierced through the dark green clouds, but no gargoyles were in sight, so I jumped out from my uncomfortable hiding place. I raced over to the women and slammed myself under the cover of the branches.

“I can hear a whole group of them,” Cleo hissed over the wind. “Liam, if we keep going this way, then we’re going to run into too many of them to fight.”

The cat-girl’s ears twitched violently as she scowled ahead into the mist, and I knew her insane hearing was one of the best defense tools we had right now.

“I think that’s where the boat must be,” Cleo continued. “The sound of waves is getting louder again, so we must be near the edge of the island.”

“We need to distract them,” I said as I looked around. “Come with me, there has to be something we can use.”

My mind raced with potential strategies as we veered right. I knew if I shot my rifle, I’d get everyone’s attention, and the women would be able to race to the boat as the guards chased me. Maybe I could break them apart enough to be able to shoot my way through them? There had to be another way to lure the guards from their post long enough for us to secure our getaway.

I suddenly noticed a strange glow nearby, and I realized it was a group of glowing green eyes. The mist had begun to roll out around the grass and cover everything that wasn’t a few feet away. For a moment I thought I might have imagined it, but the glowing orbs blinked slowly as we got closer.

“What the fuck?” I hissed as I slowed down. “Be careful, we have no idea what this is.”

I was ready to fight whatever the fuck was waiting for us, and I envisioned a group of banshees ready to leap out. Maybe it was a whole new species I hadn’t met yet. Who knew what kinds of awful beasts the gargoyles had recruited into their army?

“Stay behind me,” I muttered. “Be ready to fight.”

We inched forward through the mist, but then I realized I was looking at a pack of chained-up creatures.

They were the size of Shetland ponies, and they had lizard-like bodies that were covered with different-colored scales. Some of the animals were a deep ruby-red, others were a glistening lilac color, and one of them was a dark blue. Their faces were sharp with long snouts, and there were thick chains around each of their necks. Pointed tails swung at their rears as the creatures swayed from side to side. I could tell the animals were distressed by the way their thick talons clawed into the dirt, and they struggled against their chains with gruff whimpers.

“Dragonlings!” Kali gasped. “Oh, no! Poor things.”

“Dragons?” I asked. “Seriously?”

“Dragonlings,” Kali corrected. “Very different to dragons. They are much smaller, and they actually–”

“We do not have time to talk about dragonlings!” Cleo snapped. “They are prisoners. Liam, can we help them?”

“We must.” Kali nodded fervently. “We can’t leave these beauties all tied up.”

I stared at the scaly creatures, and I felt a pang of sympathy as they struggled against the thick chains.

“Yes,” I said as a sudden thought came to me. “We can help them, and maybe they can help us.”

“What do you mean?” Kali asked as we stepped closer to the dragonlings.

“Are they friendly?” I asked. “They’re not going to spew fire in my face or anything?”

I eyed their sharp talons, and I could tell these beautiful creatures were definitely capable of doing some serious damage.

“If you are kind to them,” Kali said. “Dragonlings do not seek to hurt anyone who is not harming them. They are proud creatures.”

“What is your plan?” Cleo asked as we inched closer. “What do you mean they can help us?”

“Their wings,” Kali said slowly. “Oh, Liam! Are you going to ride them?”

“Yup,” I said as we stopped a couple of feet away from the creatures. “If they’ll let me. It’ll be better than taking a boat.”

The dragonlings stared at us, and their green eyes studied me carefully as I pulled out my lock picking kit. They were incredible-looking creatures, and their folded wings glistened under the blue streaks of lightning.

I cautiously stepped closer as if I was approaching a large dog, and their tails flicked as I held up the tools. It was hard to say if they were looking at me with suspicion or intrigue, but I had to try and communicate.

“I’m going to help you,” I said slowly. “This is going to free you from these chains, but we also need a ride out of here. Is that okay? I help you, and you help us?”

The dragonlings tilted their heads, and I figured that was as much of a green light as I was going to get.

“Liam,” Cleo hissed. “I can hear guards drawing closer!”

I took a breath as I stepped up to one of the red dragonlings, and I braced myself to be attacked as I crouched down with my lock picking kit.

The creature remained still as I grabbed the chain on its neck, and I began to work the padlock. It was stiff and rusty, and my tools were only just strong enough to maneuver the workings inside. Luckily, the lock was rather primitive, and it only took a few moments to get the three pins in the correct spots to open the lock.

The first chain fell open, and the dragonling stomped its feet excitedly as the scarring on its neck was exposed. Bruises, sores, and bloody scabs ran around its throat in an awful circle.

“Oh, no,” Kali said sadly. “Poor thing! You must have been chained up for so long. But you are free now! Liam has freed you, just like he freed me!”

I started to pick the locks of the remaining dragonlings, and Cleo stood over me with her sickle held out. Kali spoke soothingly to the creatures as if they had been friends for years.

One by one, I managed to free the dragonlings. They stayed quiet as they watched me work, and it became clear that they wouldn’t fly until they were all free. The blue creature was the last one to go, and it looked at me with a bizarrely human expression of gratitude as I fiddled with the padlock. It seemed to be the oldest chain of them all, and the rust made it difficult to maneuver.

“Liam,” Cleo hissed. “They’re here! The guards are on their way!”

Sweat ran down my forehead as I forced the last pin upward, and the final chain fell loose around the blue dragonling. Then the creatures suddenly stretched their wings out as they began to take flight, and I heard the cries of gargoyles along with the heavy stomping of guards approaching quickly.

It was time to put my plan into action.

“Go!” I yelled, and I grabbed Cleo’s hand as I pulled her into me.

Thankfully, the blue dragonling lowered its wings for us, and I helped the cat-girl onto its back. Cleo grabbed onto the scaly creature, but then I heard a disgusting snort behind me.

I spun around to see two enormous gargoyle women, and they waved their arms manically as they pelted toward us. Their blonde wigs were clinging on by a few threads, and their pink lipstick was smeared so far down their snouts that it stained their double chins. Bulky pearls strained across their necks, and their fur coats were soaked with rainwater.

They opened their mouths to scream, but I grabbed my rifle before they could make a noise, raised it up so I could peer through the red dot on the scope, and pulled the cold trigger for the first time.

The bullet went right where my dot had been aimed, and an explosion of blood came out of the first female monster’s bloated chest as she stumbled back.

“Yippee ki-yay, motherfuckers!” I pulled the trigger of my rifle just as soon as I lined up the dot of my sight, and my next four shots all hit their targets as easily as playing a first-person shooter video game. I was using the AR with the longer barrel, and I realized the scope was at a 1.5 or 2X magnification, so I had a bit of help hitting the fuckers that were flying high up in the sky.

My headphones were in a constant state of noise-suppressed silence as I made my rifle unload round after round of bullets into the gargoyles. Their massive bodies exploded in a volcano of guts and wet fur coats, and I groaned as blood splattered my face.

Cleo yelped as the dragonling bucked in fright underneath her, and I saw her trying to steady the creature as she gripped it with her thighs. It spread its wings out as it swung around to escape, but I’d managed to down our incoming enemies, and I promptly slid on gargoyle guts as I tried to grab onto the fleeing dragonling.

“Liam!” Kali cried. “There’s more!”

Two huge shapes loomed from the mist, and a male and female gargoyle screeched as they saw the mess of blood all over the ground. I waited until they were a foot closer, and then I fired with a quick double tap.

Both of the gargoyles were struck in their faces, and their eyeballs exploded into puddles of wet jelly. Their golden chains somehow broke apart and went flying everywhere, and they fell to the ground with loud thuds.

“Get on!” Cleo yelled, and I scrambled onto the dragonling as my feet slid on the blood-soaked ground.

I swung my leg over the creature’s back and only just managed to hold on as it shot off the ground.

“Sheeeeeettt!” I groaned as my stomach took a second to catch up to my body, and I glanced around the wing of my new steed to check on the progress of our enemies.

All the scaly creatures had flown into the sky by now, and I checked that Kali was with us, too.

The nymph soared upward with an impressive speed, but her voice was lost to the sound of the wind rushing past my ears.

We were really moving fast.

Cleo gripped onto my bulging rucksack, and I clung onto the dragonling’s neck as we catapulted toward the sea. It felt like the most extreme roller coaster imaginable, and the cold wind stung my eyes as we flew. I felt my breath catch in my throat as the howling wind fought against us, and I could barely see through the mist, so it was absolutely terrifying, but it also made me feel so fucking alive.

“Liam!” Cleo yelled over the wind. “Where is this thing taking us?”

“I have no idea!” I shouted over my shoulder. “But we’re going off the island, look!”

I could see the distant dark sea below us as the worst of the mist cleared up. The terrible storm seemed to be focused on the island now, and I could hear the crashing of waves below us.

I felt a rush of relief to know we had escaped the island, and the dragonlings called to each other in songlike melodies. It was enchanting to watch them fly as they darted across the grim and choppy waters. I never expected to be riding a tiny dragon, either, and I took a second to appreciate the bizarre thrill I was experiencing.

“Hey!” I called. “Could you drop us off at the woods, please? Uh… that way?”

I tried to steer the dragonling slightly like a horse, and I gently tugged at its shoulders to guide it. To my surprise, the creature swung itself around to change course, and the flock all soared toward the mainland.

“They listened to you!” Cleo called. “Liam, that’s amazing!”

I could see the bumpy outline of the land stretching out ahead, and my heartbeat was in my throat as the dragonlings started to descend. The blue creature we were on dipped down as the others stayed higher in the air, and then it landed right in the middle of the hillside that led to the door.

I leapt off the dragonling and helped Cleo down, and Kali landed beside us with a wind-flushed face.

“Thank you,” I said to the scaly creature. “You saved our lives, uuhhhh, dragon dude.”

The dragonling’s green eyes bored into mine, and it nudged its head against my hand gently.

“Stay safe,” I whispered as I petted its head. “Don’t let those shithead gargoyles catch you again. Go live your life.”

I watched the dragonling fly up to its flock, and I felt a strange sadness to watch it go. They soared off into the dark sky with gleeful calls and wagging tails.

But my mind was dragged back to the danger at hand when a horrendous noise filled the air.

A shrieking siren that was even louder than the storm rang out, and my blood ran cold. The ground vibrated from the volume, and the whole sky was alive with the warning.

“Go!” I yelled, and we began to move up the hill with a speed I had never been capable of before.

“What is that sound?” Kali cried as she darted along beside us. “The sound feels like it’s punching my brain!”

“The almighty siren,” Cleo hissed. “It means the guards must abandon all their other duties to follow one particular order. The siren can only be activated by the most powerful members of the High Society in Stormgulf.”

“I can guess what that order is,” I growled. “To find us.”

“Do they know we’re off the island?” Kali asked.

“It seems that way,” I said. “The guards probably found the unlocked chains and worked it out. Duchess Sobbler must have sounded the alarm. Come on, we can do this!”

Every inch of my body burned with pain, and the loot on my back made running ten times harder. The muscles in my calves were on fire as I raced up the hill, and I felt nauseous from the constant sprinting. I knew that dropping the loot would make this easier, but I hadn’t come this far to lose my winnings. This treasure was coming home with me.

“I fooound you!” a voice hissed, and I spun around to see a huge blue snake grinning at us.

“Leviathan!” I yelled, and the beast launched itself at me with an open jaw.

I swung my rifle up and unloaded three shots straight into the beast’s open mouth. The bullets collided with the leviathan’s jaw and ripped straight through its skull. A rainstorm of blood and fangs fell to the ground, and the thick body of the snake wobbled before it crashed down to the ground.

Bits of scale splattered on my cheek, and I blinked as innards stung my eyeballs.

“Fucking gross,” I groaned, but I was definitely loving how effective my new arsenal was in this crazy world.

We started to run again, and the siren felt like it was piercing through my eardrums and consuming my brain. The ground was slippery from the rain, and I could hear voices nearby. Guards yelled at each other over the alarm, but the wind made it impossible to tell where they were. It sounded like they were all around us as the voices bounced off the trees.

“Cleo!” I shouted. “Can you hear which direction the guards are in?”

The cat-girl’s ears twitched as she looked around desperately, and her golden eyes studied the gloomy surroundings.

“Not properly,” she said. “The wind is carrying their voices everywhere!”

“They’re going to catch us!” Kali cried. “Liam, I’m scared!”

“I will protect you,” I snarled. “Nothing is going to hurt you.”

A sudden rustle of leaves told me we were about to be ambushed, and I swung an arm out to stop the women in their tracks. Seven guards leapt from the bushes, and I jumped in front of Cleo and Kali.

“Take this,” I yelled as I swung my sword behind me, and Kali grabbed the weapon by the hilt.

Cleo didn’t miss a beat before she slid my ear protection onto my head from my neck, and I was grateful for the seamless teamwork.

The frog-legged men were already leaping forward with their spears at the ready, but I grabbed my rifle and swung it toward them. I didn’t have time to prepare myself for my first shot. I just pulled the trigger at the same time I fixed my stance and posture.

Then I pulled the trigger again and again, and my new weapon spewed out a tidal wave of bullets into the guards as I felt a violent shock through my body. I swung around left and right to make sure I’d hit all of the frog-legged fuckers, and they erupted in an explosion of blood and guts. Their bronze armor wasn’t bulletproof, and their body parts went flying in all directions as I mowed them down.

The AR-15 did its job incredibly well, and it took a second to realize I had managed to kill the whole group of them.

“Amazing!” Cleo cried. “Liam, you killed them all!”

“That weapon is incredible,” Kali breathed with wide blue eyes. “It is like a cannon you can hold in your hands!”

“Come on,” I said as I switched out the mostly empty AR mag for a full one. “There are going to be shitloads more where they came from!”

“Oh!” Kali squealed as we began to run again. “Look!”

The nymph pointed upward, and I followed her gaze to see that hundreds of gargoyles were spilling into the sky from the direction of the city. More and more flapped into the air as they screamed, and their voices combined with the siren made my head hurt.

Yeah… I didn’t have quite enough ammo for all these assholes.

It was clear that every High Society member and guard was out for our blood, and I could hear the sound of yelling over the wind. But we were getting close to the portal, and my aching body was running on pure adrenaline at this point.

“Almost there!” I yelled. “We can do this! Come on!”

Cleo grunted with effort as her lean legs sprinted, and Kali’s wings were a blur of silver as she flew. The twisting branches gave us a small amount of cover as we ran, but the mass of gargoyles were drawing closer as they flew from Stormgulf.

“There!” Kali cried. “I see the doorway!”

The rock face came into view as the ground began to flatten slightly, and I laughed with relief as we neared the top of the hill.

“We did it!” Cleo yelled as she punched the air. “Liam, we made it!”

“We’ll celebrate when we get through,” I panted. “Come on, let’s–”

My heart stopped for a moment as a huge gargoyle burst through the trees to our right. He wore a stained, blue robe that stretched around his body, and his golden mass of jewelry rattled as he moved.

“I found them!” he boomed into the sky. “The theeeeif! The troooophies! This way! At the top of the hill!”

“Crap!” I yelled, and I swung my rifle up as he launched himself at me.

The enormous bastard flew right at me, and I only just managed to pull the trigger in time. My body shook as I unloaded three rounds of bullets into his belly, and he burst open like a gore-filled balloon.

Bits of bloody goop and flesh flew everywhere, and his golden chains slammed into the nearby trees. He fell to the muddy ground with a thud before his corpse began to slide down the hill. Then I jumped out of the way as I pulled Cleo with me, and he tumbled down like a bowling ball until he smacked against a thick tree.

“Liam!” Kali screamed, and five frog-legged guards erupted from the trees on our right.

They raced forward and leapt at Cleo with vicious snarls. I jumped in front of the cat-girl as I aimed my weapon, and I did my best to line up the dot of my sight on each one before I pulled the trigger. The last one got almost ten feet from me before I put a bullet through his skull, but there was no time to celebrate the kills, though. It was clear that guards and gargoyles were descending on us from every side.

But I’d sure as hell came prepared for this kind of shitshow this time.

I knew I couldn’t risk anyone seeing us vanish through the doorway, and two more gargoyles had begun to descend into the clearing. Four guards raced out from the trees, and I steadied my stance to bring every one of the bastards down.

The frog-legged fuckers snarled as I swung my rifle toward them, and I fired right at their ugly faces. There was a bloody explosion as their skulls erupted, and the nearby gargoyles screamed as they were splattered with brain matter.

The huge, winged beings tried to turn back to escape, but I wasn’t letting them go anywhere.

I shot at their enormous bodies as they struggled to fly off, and they burst open as their innards rained down on the black leaves. Twisting intestines flopped down onto the branches, and a thick arm was sent flying in my direction as the beasts were turned to goop and chunks of flesh.

Then I glanced at the sky and saw that we finally had no gargoyles in sight, and we might not get another chance to make our escape unseen.

“Go!” I yelled as I clutched my rifle at the ready. “Get to the door!”

Guard corpses littered the ground as we jumped the last few steps toward the rock face, but then I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.

A leviathan in snake form launched itself at Kali, but the nymph was too close for me to use the gun, so I dropped my rifle on its sling and jumped at the beast with my hands held out. Cleo screamed as I grabbed the snake by its neck, and I tightened my hands around it as it hissed. But the beast was ten times heavier than I’d expected, and it took every ounce of my strength to hold on.

“Kill it!” I yelled as I struggled to keep the leviathan’s fangs away from my face, and Kali swung the sword down into its neck as she let out a shriek.

The snake’s head was chopped clean off, but it took a moment for it to stop hissing. Its tongue hung out as its eyes glazed over, and even more blood poured onto my boots. I didn’t really give a shit about the shoes anymore, though.

I just threw the dead fucker to the ground because we were inches away from the hidden doorway.

The siren was blasting so loud that I could no longer hear anything else. Even the wind and screams of the gargoyles were drowned out, and I practically flung Cleo and Kali through the rock face. They vanished through the solid surface, and I didn’t look back as I leapt behind them.

Then we all tumbled onto the carpet of the thirteenth floor in a pile of soaked clothes, heavy backpacks, and blood-soaked limbs.

My face was pressed against the carpet as my ears adjusted to the silence. It took me a few moments to regain my bearings, but then I slowly pushed myself up and collapsed with my back against the wall.

Cleo and Kali groaned as they sat up opposite me, and slow smiles began to appear on their faces.

The reality of what had just happened began to settle in, and I slipped off my heavy as all hell rucksack. Then I unzipped it slightly so the gleam of golden treasure was visible, and I started to laugh.

Every muscle in my body ached, and there was monster blood all over my clothes. But we had made it. We had looted the wealthiest gargoyle family in Stormgulf and made off with three bags full of treasure.

Holy shit.

Cleo suddenly launched herself at me, and she flung her arms around me as we kissed deeply. Her warmth pressed against me as I gripped her waist, and my body suddenly ached a hell of a lot less. Next to us, Kali shot into the air with an excited scream, and she began to jump up and down on the spot.

“We did it!” Cleo purred as she pulled back to look at me. “Liam, you got us off the island!”

“And saved us from the guards,” Kali cheered. “I can’t believe it! What a rush! I love our little group! I love looting!”

The nymph grabbed Cleo and pulled her up to join the excited jumping. I burst out laughing as I watched the Hollowfell beauties celebrate, and I ran a hand through my soaked hair.

Rain, blood, and dirt covered every inch of me, but I didn’t care. There was already eighty-five thousand dollars in my bank account, with at least another million and a half more on the way, and I had just looted way more gold than I had the first time.

How much gold did we bring home? Five million? Six?

Ten?

I was going to be beyond rich, and I couldn’t wait to watch my bank account grow.

Every pain in my body was replaced with a burning sense of accomplishment, and I knew life was only going to keep getting better from here on out.

I got to my feet and pulled the two beautiful women into a hug. They giggled as we held each other, and I basked in the knowledge that I was more than capable of giving them the lifestyle they deserved.

Cleo and Kali were safe with me, and I felt unstoppable.

But it was time to bring my Hollowfell heist loot to Elijah, and my bank account would be unrecognizable after this haul. That shitty apartment would be a distant memory before I knew it.

It was time to celebrate.

Chapter 17

Kali started to giggle as she pushed her blood-covered curls from her face, and Cleo grinned as she wiped mud from her tail. I was so high on the thrill of our adventure that my soaked feet and aching muscles were barely noticeable.

“We did it,” I said in slight disbelief. “We fucking did it!”

“Can you believe it?” Kali asked. “The Sobblers’ manor? The dragonlings? That was incredible!”

“And we have so much treasure,” Cleo purred. “Liam can buy his big house, and we can come with him!”

“Always.” I smiled. “Now that I’ve seen how awesome you two are in heists, you’re not going anywhere.”

We had managed to get through without being seen, and the portal between worlds was still my secret.

For now.

I glanced down at the far off door at the end of the hallway, and I knew I needed to make sure it stayed that way.

“Kali,” I said. “Let’s have a look at those potions you got! We can set up the locking charm if you know how to use it.”

“Of course,” the nymph said as she crouched down to open her bag. “They’re very simple to use.”

She unzipped her backpack to reveal that it was crammed full of glass bottles. The deep colors swirled around like mist, and she carefully picked through them until she took out a deep orange container. It was the size of a soda can with a brown cork at the top, and there was a layer of dust that Kali gently wiped away. The nymph held it up to her face, and she grunted as she tried to pull the cork out. It seemed really stuck in there, and her pale face flushed pink as she tried to open it.

“It’s stuck,” she grunted. “Liam, can you try?”

She handed me the bottle, and I pulled as hard as I could with no luck. The cork wouldn’t budge, and I couldn’t even loosen it from its spot.

“Do we need a special tool?” I asked. “Something to pull it out, like a corkscrew?”

“The banshees…” Cleo said slowly. “They must have put some kind of spell on the potions so only the High Society can open them.”

“Shit,” I groaned. “There must be something we can do? Can we smash it?”

“It won’t work,” Cleo said. “If they really have put an enchantment on the bottles, then we will need some kind of enchanted tool to open them.”

“Oh,” Kali said and tilted her head to the side. “I’ve seen some banshees carry something on their belts. It looks like a little stick with a curled top. Could that be it?”

“Possibly.” Cleo nodded. “That means we will have to try and steal one the next time we go through.”

I looked down at the sealed bottle and felt a wave of determination rather than defeat. After what we had just accomplished, stealing some magical corkscrew from a banshee seemed totally easy in comparison. It did make me want to schedule another Hollowfell heist as soon as possible, though. There wasn’t much time before the new companies moved into the twelfth floor, and I had to seal up this place as soon as I could so no one else came up here.

“Okay,” I said. “So we have to get a magical corkscrew? Then we can use the spells?”

“It seems that way.” Cleo nodded as she studied the bottles. “Look. This symbol here represents that it has been closed with magic. I bet it is to stop the working folk from using any of them.”

“Fucking banshees,” I sighed. “But it just gives us a reason to go back for another heist as soon as possible. For now, we have to get all this loot back home.”

I wanted to create some kind of storage space on the thirteenth floor corridor, but it would only work once the hallway was sealed off. If I had a huge safe, then I would be able to sneak out the treasure I stole in much smaller quantities. But that would be a task for our next adventure.

For now, I had to get three rucksacks full of treasure out of a crowded office building. Not to mention the fact we were all covered with blood and dirt, and our clothes were soaked from rain. We could not look more suspicious if we tried.

“How the fuck are we going to sneak out?” I muttered as I stared at Cleo’s drenched jacket and blood-stained boots.

Kali started to glow silver, and the tiny flickers of magic shot over her skin as she changed into her blonde disguise. All of the filth from the mission vanished, and she was once again a beautiful, spotless woman.

“One down.” I grinned.

My mind raced as I felt leviathan blood trickle down my cheek, and I remembered the bathrooms on the twelfth floor. If they had working hand dryers installed, then we would be able to clean and dry ourselves off enough to not be as noticeable. Or at least to not stick out in a lobby full of office workers.

“Let’s go to the bathrooms.” I swung my rucksack over my shoulders, and I was amazed that I had managed to run uphill with the weight on my back. It was heavier than anything I’d ever lifted at a gym, and the blocks of gold had dug into the base of my spine.

Still, we hurried down the corridor and left filthy footprints as we went.

“We’d better take our shoes off,” I said as we reached the door. “They just laid the carpet, and they’ll notice if there’s suddenly three sets of muddy footprints on it.”

“Two.” Kali grinned as she showed off her spotless shoes.

“Two,” I agreed with a chuckle. “We don’t all have amazing shapeshifting powers.”

I slid my boots off, and Cleo pulled off hers as well. My socks were stiff with rain and blood, and I peeled them off before we stepped out onto the gray carpet. The hallway was quiet, and we hurried down to the first bathroom which was the ladies’ room.

Knowing there wouldn’t be any shocked workers inside, I went in with Cleo and Kali to scope out the hand dryer situation.

“Hell yes,” I hissed when I spotted a row of dryers lined up beside the sinks, but they were the kind that you have to slide your hands between to activate.

“We’re going to have to put our clothes inside them,” I groaned. “This might take a while.”

“Inside them?” Cleo asked suspiciously as she peered over one of the dryers. “What do you mean?”

I ran one of my filthy socks under the tap to get most of the stains out, and then I put it into the hand dryer to activate the hot airflow. The machine sprang to life, and Cleo and Kali jumped as it started to buzz. Then I slowly ran the soaked cloth through the hot air until it began to dry out.

“See?” I asked as I showed them the sock. “Let’s wash up and dry off what we can.”

I slid off my bag as I started to run the taps, and the water ran dark with dirt and blood. Cleo watched me for a moment before she took her jacket off, and we filled the new sinks with filthy water. I glanced at Kali as I unbuckled my pants, but she was preoccupied with sticking her hands in and out of the dryer and gasping every time they turned on. So I figured I didn’t have to worry too much about modesty.

We got cleaned up the best we could, and the worst of the guts and filth washed down the drain. My jeans took forever to dry out section by section, but it was worth it for the safety of not being caught.

Then Cleo pulled her coat back on, and she pulled her trusty beanie over her adorable ears. I thought I saw Kali’s blue eyes flicker over my body as I got dressed, but she was probably just curious what humans looked like under their clothes.

I strode back into the corridor with our newly dried outfits, and then I hurried over to the supply closet to hide the weapons. I used the ladder to climb up to the ceiling panels again, and there was only just enough room for the addition of the sword, but it took a bit of Tetris-ing, and I knew I needed to come up with a better solution.

And soon.

Once we’d stored all our gear, we walked back out into the corridor, and I tried to work out the best way to logistically get downstairs without drawing too much attention to our bulging bags.

“You two look after the treasure,” I said as we headed for the stairwell door. “I’ll tell Roberts that I sent you both home after being so helpful today, and we’ll just have to act as casual as possible on our way down.”

“What about security?” Cleo hissed as we made our way down the stairwell. “Will Stan ask about our bags?”

“He might,” I said. “I’m going to grab a couple of folders from the office, and we can say you’re both taking some things home to help you study. You’re both super eager to learn, and we’ve crammed bags full of books and files to study.”

It wasn’t a bulletproof plan, but I knew Stan was unlikely to question me. He hadn’t had any trouble from me in all the years I’d worked here, and I knew he enjoyed our morning chats. But I was going to need to work out a plan for days that Stan wasn’t there. We’d been cutting it close with the replacement guy before, and I knew Stan was close to retirement.

But just like the potion opener, the idea didn’t worry me. I felt like I had been craving these puzzles to stimulate my brain, and I had real-life treasure hanging in the balance.

It was everything I had ever wanted my life to be.

“Wait here,” I said as I slid my bag off. “I’ll be right back after I’ve clocked out.”

“Hurry,” Cleo purred. “I want to get home with our treasure!”

“Me, too,” I chuckled. “I’ll be as fast as I possibly can.”

I moved out of the stairwell and onto the eleventh floor, and I zipped up my leather jacket to my neck to hide my bare chest. People had started to pack up for the day, and I felt a massive wave of relief as I saw Roberts’ blinds were closed. A few of the accountants were still on their phones, but nobody glanced up as I hurried over to the time-clock. I was as casual as possible as I selected a few binders from the stationary supply shelves, and then I punched in my number as soon as five o’clock hit.

“Liam!” Roberts called as his door suddenly swung open, and I tried not to curse as I spun around with a fake smile on my face.

“Hey,” I said. “I was just heading out, what’s up?”

“Where are the ladies?” Roberts asked as he peered over my shoulder. “I was hoping to have a little chat with them about their first day.”

He stepped closer to look around, and I was hit with the stench of pungent cologne. I tried not to cough at the assault on my nostrils, and I hid a smirk at his obvious attempt at hitting on the Hollowfell women.

“They’re heading home,” I said casually. “They had a really intense day getting to grips with everything, and I grabbed some supplies for them to use.”

“I see.” Roberts frowned. “Well, you really must ask me next time you feel the need to send my staff home. They are under your care, but they are my employees.”

“They aren’t employed here,” I reminded him as I tried not to roll my eyes. “But I’ll make sure to let you know next time.”

“Yes,” Roberts muttered angrily. “Good.”

He stepped back into his office and slammed the door shut. It was hard to control my smirk as I hurried back out of the office, and I checked that nobody was watching as I slipped into the stairwell.

“Let’s go home.” I grinned as I grabbed my heavy rucksack.

“Yes!” Kali cheered as we ran down to the next floor. “I can’t wait to get a good look at all the treasure we took!”

“So much gold,” Cleo purred. “I can’t stop thinking about how strong Liam looked when he killed all those guards with his Aye Arrrr! So much blood and violence. I adore how powerful you were. You are perfect. The perfect warrior. The perfect mate. The perfect human guy for Kali and me.”

The cat-girl’s sultry tone and adoring eyes told me I was in for a serious treat when we got home, and I could sense that the thrill of the adventure had hyped her up. My feet couldn’t move fast enough as I pictured Cleo peeling her skintight shorts from her toned thighs, and I couldn’t wait to hear those pleasure-filled purrs again.

We strode out onto the tenth floor and hurried over to the elevator. Cleo slipped her hand into mine, and Kali took my other hand, and I couldn’t stop grinning as the doors slid open. There was nobody else inside as we stepped into the elevator, and Kali hummed to herself happily as we started to head downstairs. More people piled on at each floor, so I was grateful to be hidden at the back of a large group, but pretty much nothing could dampen my mood at this point.

This had hands down been the best fucking day of my life, and it wasn’t even over yet.

When we got to the lobby, we stayed as close as we could to the huddle of office workers as everyone marched toward the turnstiles. Stan was engrossed in his computer as we strode to the barriers, and when he did glance up, he didn’t look our way. A few people banged into my stuffed rucksack as they pushed past the crowd, but nobody gave me a second glance or a suspicious glare.

That was the one saving grace of working in an office building. When five o’clock came around, nobody gave a damn about anything other than getting home.

We hurried through the revolving door, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I stepped out onto the warm sidewalk. The sun was still glaring down from the blue sky, and Kali threw her arms out happily as she soaked up the rays.

“Let’s go home.” I grinned as I spun Cleo around. “We’ve got gold to count.”

I felt like I was walking on air as we crossed back through the gray street. The whole walk home, we kept going over the gruesome details of the heist, and it was clear the women were just as excited about it as I was.

But my mind raced over the cars, watches, and gadgets I would be able to buy whenever I wanted.

If I felt like going shopping? I could. If I wanted a vacation? I just had to decide on where.

Life felt so much more colorful and vivid now, and the world had opened up right in front of my feet.

Then we turned onto my street, and Cleo suddenly yowled as her hand slipped from mine.

I spun around to see some muscly guy with a gaunt face pulling at the cat-girl’s bulging rucksack. He had red-rimmed eyes and a thick scar right down the side of his face. There was a small knife sticking out of his fist as he tried to rob Cleo, and I felt a familiar rush of adrenaline and fury as the scumbag pulled at our loot.

That was my cat-girl, and that was my well-earned treasure.

“Get away from her!” I spat, and I instantly lunged at the guy with my fists clenched.

The asshole’s eyes widened as I came flying toward him, and my hand connected with his nose with a sharp crunch that sounded like snapping celery. He toppled backward as his knife went flying, and Kali grabbed it as he fell.

“Don’t ever come here again!” I hissed as blood poured from the mugger’s nose, and he stared up at me with wide eyes.

The man winced as he tried to cup his face, and he scrambled to his feet before he raced off down the sidewalk. Drops of blood spilled onto the street as he scurried away with his head hung low.

My fist stung a little, but it was worth the thrill of defending my woman and gold. And I was honestly a little surprised at how quickly and thoroughly I’d jumped into action.

Hollowfell had certainly worn off on me.

“Liam,” Cleo gasped. “That was amazing.”

“Lowlife.” I shrugged. “He was nothing compared to the monsters we just fought in Hollowfell.”

“You are so brave…” Cleo purred as she sauntered closer to me, and she planted a soft kiss on my lips that sent a thrill of heat through my veins.

“He really is,” Kali sighed. “I want to thank you for everything, Liam. I’m going to try cooking again. I’ll make something really tasty for us tonight to show how very much I appreciate you!”

“You don’t have to,” I chuckled as I stroked Cleo’s adoring face.

“I want to,” Kali insisted. “You deserve to be treated like a king!”

“He does,” my cat-girl murmured. “He is our king…”

Then we hurried up my outside steps, and Cleo kept grabbing my arm as we went. I hastily opened the door as we piled into the dingy building, and I could practically feel the excited heat from the cat-girl as we raced upstairs.

“Hurry,” Cleo whispered as I fumbled with my keys. “I want to be close with you, Liam. You were sooo brave and strong with that ruffian man. My fierce outlaw.”

I couldn’t open the door fast enough, and I slid my bag off as the women hurried in after me.

Cleo’s golden eyes were wide and dangerous, and she swiftly pulled her rucksack off as well as her beanie.

“Kali,” I said as I cleared my throat. “I think me and Cleo are going to… lie down for a while.”

I had no idea how to explain our absence, but the nymph just nodded happily as she skipped to the kitchen.

“Take your time,” she said. “I want to make this meal perfect!”

“Okay,” I said as I slid my phone out. “But just in case it doesn’t go as you plan, let me show you how to order food.”

I carefully went through the takeout app with the nymph, and I was very aware of Cleo stepping into the bathroom. Kali watched closely, and she eventually picked up how to click through the pizza place menu as I heard the shower turn on.

“I understand!” Kali cheered. “Liam, this is all so exciting. Thank you for letting me stay.”

Her dazzling blue eyes stared up at me adoringly, and I couldn’t help reaching out to gently stroke her pink curls. She really was beautiful, and she had proven how much of a badass she was on our adventure. It felt right having her with us, and I wanted nothing more than to make her feel comfortable and safe.

“You’re home,” I said softly. “We need you here.”

“I like… being here… with you.” The nymph blushed as she smiled up at me, and then she hastily began to pull packets out of the food cupboards. “You take your time! I’ll get us something amazing for dinner! Even if I have to use the magic box.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” I chuckled.

Cleo emerged from the bathroom in a towel that barely fit around her large breasts. Her lean legs dripped with water, and she shot me a sultry smile as she strode into the bedroom.

“I will wait in here,” she purred as she turned to close the door behind her. “Come join me after you bathe, Liam.”

I practically tripped over my feet as I raced into the bathroom to clean up, and I peeled off my clothes to climb into the shower. The hot water was a welcome relief on my aching joints as it cascaded down my stinging shoulder blades. I scrubbed hard at the encrusted filth on my ankles until my whole body smelled of coconuts. My hair was stiff as I shampooed it thoroughly, and clumps of filth were dislodged down the drain.

I stepped out once the water finally ran clear, and I dried myself off at a breakneck speed before I wrapped a towel around my waist. There was some cologne in the cabinet that I dabbed on, and I did a quick sniff check to make sure I was presentable.

Kali was singing to herself and spinning in the kitchen when I emerged from the steamy room, and she gasped slightly when her eyes fell on me.

“Oh,” she squeaked. “Sorry, Liam. I didn’t expect to see… um… you.”

Her blue eyes hovered on my arms before she hurriedly turned back to the stovetop, and I wondered if I had detected a hint of lust in her expression. She had looked at me back in the office bathroom, too, but surely I couldn’t have two Hollowfell monster girls fawning over me?

The nymph shook her pert backside as she continued to dance, and I found that my eyes wandered a bit as I took in her petite figure.

I shook my head after a moment, because I had a towel-clad cat-girl waiting for me in my bedroom.

I left the nymph humming to herself in the kitchen, and I turned on my Alexa so she had music to listen to. There was a chance the bedroom was about to get noisy, too, so I didn’t want her to be left with nothing but the sounds of my passionate cat-girl lover.

My playlist began, and I left the nymph to dance around to some Alice Cooper as I hurried into the bedroom.

Then I felt my jaw fall open as I walked in and found Cleo completely naked on the bed. The cat-girl was lying propped up against the pillows, and her legs were crossed over to hide her beautiful mound from me. Her full breasts were displayed perfectly, and her golden eyes glinted as I quickly shut the door.

“Holy shit,” I breathed. “This is the best reward I could have dreamed of from that trip.”

“Liam,” Cleo purred. “I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done. The way you fought the gargoyles today was just amazing. Then you punched that man who tried to steal my loot…”

Her words were low and breathy, and she played with a strand of her inky-black hair as I took in the glorious sight in front of me. I strode over to the bed, and I was in awe of how stunning Cleo looked. Then she smiled up at me, and I hungrily grabbed her by the hips as I pulled her toward the edge of the bed.

“You are so beautiful,” I breathed. “And I’m going to show you how amazing I can make you feel.”

“Yes,” Cleo breathed. “I get to climax again?”

“As many times as you’d like,” I said, and I knelt between her thighs as I uncrossed her lean legs.

I was met with the sight of her glistening pussy, and I could smell her sweetness as I began to kiss her legs. Cleo moaned softly as I caressed each thigh, and she laid back onto the mattress to get comfortable.

“Liam,” she breathed. “What are you doing?”

“Worshiping you,” I replied. “I’m going to make you feel so good with my mouth.”

I kissed right up to her pussy, and she gasped as I ran my tongue over her wet slit.

“Liam,” Cleo breathed. “That feels… Oooh!”

She groaned as I pushed past her labia, and I began to lap at her sweet juices with enthusiasm. Cleo’s fingers gripped the bedsheets tightly as I ate her out, and she shuddered every time I lapped at her pussy. I softly gripped her thighs through it all and kneaded the supple muscles of them, but then her breathing quickened as I focused on her clit.

The cat-girl began to shudder as I licked her sweet spot, and she let out a soft groan as her legs shook around my head.

“Liam,” she breathed as her climax hit. “I’m cumming! Oooh, that feels so good.”

The cat-girl writhed in my grip as I coaxed her through her orgasm, but the moment she finished, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, and her golden eyes were wide as she caught her breath.

“I did not know you could do that with your mouth,” she said. “Can I use my mouth on you?”

“Fuck yes,” I groaned as I got to my feet, and she quickly positioned herself on the ground below me.

She knelt on the floor as she hungrily pulled down my towel, and I felt lightheaded with lust as she stared at my hard cock. Cleo licked her lips, and I groaned as she reached out to take me in her hand.

“I do not want to do it wrong,” she breathed.

“You won’t,” I assured her. “Take my cock into your mouth as slowly as you need to. Just lick and taste it like it’s a treat.”

“The most delicious of treats…” Cleo purred as she gently reached her tongue out, and she began to lick me up and down as a wave of heat shot through me.

I moaned as I gripped her soft hair, and a violent tingle ran up my spine as I realized her tongue was slightly textured. Not as much as a normal cat, but just enough to send a thrill of pleasure through my cock like I’d never felt before.

Then the cat-girl became more enthusiastic with her licks. She moved up and down my shaft with excited whimpers, and she started to wrap her lips around the head of my erection.

“Fuck,” I hissed as she looked up at me, and she lowered head down.

I guided her movements with my hands in her hair, and she started to slide her head up and down just the way I wanted. The warmth of her velvety-soft mouth made my skin tingle with pleasure, and I couldn’t get over how hot she looked on her knees below me.

My cat-girl lover sucked me off as her tongue danced around my shaft, and I groaned as she moved her head faster and faster. She felt like heaven, and I was lightheaded as I felt myself get closer to my climax.

Then Cleo purred, and it sent vibrations down my cock as she slid her lips right down to the base.

“Fuck!” I groaned, and I came inside the cat-girl’s perfect mouth.

Every inch of my skin prickled with euphoria, and sparks shot through my veins as I shuddered. I gripped Cleo’s dark hair tightly as the blissful feeling took over me, and I moaned softly as fiery pleasure consumed me. Streams of hot cum shot down her throat over and over again, but then I finally loosened my hold on her hair so she could slowly slide her lips off me.

She drove me wild as she licked her full lips, and she purred happily as my gleaming cum trickled down her chin.

“That tasted so good,” she whispered. “I like it when you release inside my mouth, Liam.”

“Fuck,” I muttered as I stared down at her. “You are so unbelievably hot.”

Cleo smirked and slowly licked the last bits of cum from my cock like it was her favorite desert and she wanted to savor it.

I began to get hard again as I watched her full tits sway with each movement. Her peachy ass stuck out as she cleaned me off, and I moaned as my cock gradually sprang back to life at her touch.

“I’m going to fuck you so hard,” I growled, and I finally pulled her to her feet as she giggled.

“Yes, please,” Cleo whispered as she pressed herself against me. “I have tasted your cock and your seed, and I want it inside me next. Deep inside of me.”

“Then get ready,” I growled.

The cat-girl gasped as I pinched her pert nipples and massaged handfuls of her full breasts while we made out. I felt wild with pleasure and excitement, and I kissed her neck for a few moments before I turned her around.

Then I bent Cleo over at the waist, and she supported herself with her hands on the mattress. She looked over her shoulder with a sultry stare as I cupped her perfect ass cheeks in my hands.

“Please,” she breathed as she watched me. “I want to feel your manhood thrusting inside me!”

“You are filthy,” I chuckled. “Tell me how much you want it.”

“I neeeed it,” Cleo purred. “Please, Liam. Fill me up with your seed! I want to be stuffed with you.”

I lined my cock up with her soaking wet slit, and I gripped her curved hips as I teased the head of my erection just past her folds. Cleo groaned as she tried to thrust back onto me, and I chuckled at her eagerness.

“My kitty,” I growled, and Cleo purred at the pet name.

Then she bucked her hips more wildly as I started to ease my cock inside her pleading pussy. I groaned as her warmth enveloped me inch by inch, and her tunnel walls gripped me tightly.

Every inch of my body buzzed with pleasure, but then I finally slid my whole length inside the stunning cat-girl.

“Fuck,” I said, and I began to slide in and out of her.

“Yes!” Cleo purred as she threw her head back. “Oooh, you are so hard, Liam! I love how you fill me up with your cock.”

Her words just added to the intense sensations, and I thrust in and out of her faster and faster. My head spun as I fucked my beautiful cat-girl, and she whimpered as I got deeper and deeper. The view of her sculpted ass drove me wild, and I felt fireworks go off in my veins as I plunged into her perfect pussy.

“Liam!” Cleo cried. “You feel sooo good!”

“So do you,” I growled. “I want you to cum again.”

“Mmm,” Cleo moaned. “I’m going to! I can feel you so deep inside me. It feels so wonderful.”

My whole body was on fire as I fucked her, and I knew I was close to my second climax. Our bodies writhed together perfectly in sync, and I gasped as Cleo’s walls suddenly clenched around me. Then she moaned deeply as her orgasm washed over her, and she shuddered enough to send me over the edge.

My second climax hit me like a tidal wave, and an electric current of pleasure crashed through me. The room spun as I came deep inside the cat-girl, and I felt high on dopamine as I gripped her plush hips. My limbs shook from the sheer bliss as my mind felt clear and peaceful in a way I’d never experienced before, and the soft mewls of my cat-girl lover filled my mind as I slowly came down from my high.

“Liam,” Cleo breathed. “That was amazing.”

“Fuck yeah,” I gasped as I held onto her and caught my breath.

We both gasped as I slowly slid out of her warmth, and Cleo spun around to face me with wide eyes. The beautiful cat-girl immediately snuggled into me, and I pulled her close into my arms. Then we caught our breaths as we held each other, and I couldn’t ever remember feeling as fucking happy as I did in that moment.

“You are wonderful,” Cleo breathed against my chest. “My outlaw king. I love you.”

I smiled as I pulled her tighter against me, and I planted a gentle kiss right between her ears.

“I love you, too,” I whispered, and I stroked her velvety tail gently.

Cleo couldn’t stop smiling as we laid down together, and she rested her head on my chest as her breathing got heavier. I had never felt such an intense connection to someone before, and I held her tightly as I ran my fingers over her luxurious skin.

“I want to have kittens with you,” Cleo whisper-purred. “Sooo… many kittens… I hope your seed finds my womb fertile enough… You poured so much inside of me…”

“Can we even have babies?” I asked, but instead of feeling terror at the thought of having kids, the idea only excited me. I was going to be rich enough to take care of tons of kids, and I’d always wanted some cute little ones.

“We will try over and over and over until I give you some,” Cleo purred, and then I felt her body begin to drift off to sleep.

Kali was still singing in the kitchen, and I smiled at the sound.

Because I knew the two Hollowfell women were safe and happy with me. It gave me a rush of pride to know I had pulled them from such a horrific life into one full of love and excitement. And I vowed to make sure they were cared for for the rest of their lives.

But I couldn’t just doze off now.

I waited until Cleo was sound asleep before I carefully got up, and I grabbed my laptop from the bedside table. A rush of joy poured through me as I typed a message to Elijah, and I couldn’t wait to get our latest haul over to his dad.

I had more treasure than I was able to carry, and I’d just had mind-blowing sex once again with my cat-girl lover. Life had never been this amazing before, and it was only going up from here.

I grinned from ear to ear as I asked my buddy when we could meet, and then I closed my laptop and slid back into the warm bed with Cleo. I knew I would have to get up soon to go eat with Kali, but I just wanted a few more moments of snuggling with my beautiful lover.

I was about to become a whole new level of rich, and my life was officially more exciting than any book I had ever read.

Chapter 18

I held Cleo tightly as her soft ears tickled my chest, and she stirred when someone loudly knocked on the front door of my apartment.

“Liam,” the cat-girl mumbled as she lifted her head. “Sorry, I fell asleep.”

“It’s been a long day,” I chuckled as I kissed between her ears. “I’d better go see who that is.”

Cleo stretched adorably as I swung my legs out of bed, and I hurriedly pulled on some clean clothes before I stepped out into the living room.

To my surprise, Kali had already opened the door. The nymph had shifted into her blonde disguise and was smiling at the teenage delivery boy who had five pizza boxes.

“This is just amazing!” Kali gushed to the bemused kid. “I asked for these, and you just brought them right over! How incredible!”

“Uh,” the boy said with a raised eyebrow. “I guess?”

“Thank you ever so much,” Kali said. “I hope you have a wonderful evening, but be careful of the evil street men! They might try to take your backpack full of loot!”

“I… will,” the boy said as he raised another eyebrow, and he hurried down the stairwell as Kali sniffed the pizzas.

The nymph sent him a cheery wave as she closed the door, and she spun around to carry the food to the sofa. Kali could barely hold all the boxes at once, and I rushed over to help her with the enormous pile of takeout containers.

“Sooo,” the nymph said chirpily. “I have decided that perhaps I need human cooking classes. All the options were just too confusing, and I didn’t want to waste any of your supplies. But I remembered how to have the food delivered to us!”

Kali shook herself as silver magic danced on her porcelain skin, and her true form appeared once more. Her shimmering wings twitched on her back as pink curls fell around her face, and she did a little spin in her purple dress as Cleo emerged from the bedroom.

The cat-girl had pulled on one of my baggy shirts over her thin short-shorts.

“I hope you do not mind,” she purred. “I like how it smells of you, Liam.”

“You look adorable,” I said as I placed the food on the coffee table. “Kali ordered us dinner!”

“Excellent,” Cleo said as she hurried over to the sofa. “Thank you, Kali!”

“My pleasure,” the nymph said as she jumped beside Cleo. “I didn’t know what all the options were, so I just pressed a few of the pictures to try them.”

The women excitedly opened the various different pizzas, and they examined the toppings carefully. I flipped open the last box to find a Hawaiian pizza, and I grinned as I offered them both a slice.

“The ultimate Earth test,” I said. “You have to decide if pineapple belongs on pizza or not.”

The women instantly looked serious as if their lives depended on their decision. They each took a slice and sniffed the yellow fruit suspiciously before they took a bite.

“Ew,” Cleo said with a wrinkled nose. “This is not my favorite.”

The cat-girl immediately put the slice down and picked up a safer cheese option.

“Mmm,” Kali hummed as she took another bite. “I love it! So sweet! Does that mean I’m the one who passed the test?”

“I did not fail the test,” Cleo quickly cut in. “I do not fail any tests, I only said--”

“No one failed the test,” I laughed as I sat between the Hollowfell beauties. “Whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza is one of the long-standing arguments in my world. There’s no wrong answer.”

“See?” Cleo sent the nymph a smug smile, but Kali didn’t seem at all invested in the competition.

The beautiful nymph just giggled and continued eating her Hawaiian pizza, and I grabbed a pepperoni slice as the evening sky became more dim outside. We enjoyed the hot food while cozied up together, and Cleo pulled her rucksack over to search through her loot.

“Let’s see what you got.” I grinned as I dusted crumbs from my shirt. “My outlaw queen.”

Cleo smiled so widely that her tiny fangs poked out, and she unzipped her rucksack to show the impressive haul inside. She had swiped more than I expected, and her bag was crammed full of precious gemstones embedded in necklaces and bracelets. There were piles of golden coins shoved into every crevice, and she took out a ring with a giant ruby to hold it out like a prize.

But then she pulled out the carefully folded wanted poster of us, and she sighed happily as she stared at it.

“We look so good together,” she purred and batted her eyelashes at me. “The outlaw couple of Hollowfell! I will keep this wanted poster forever.”

“It is a beautiful picture,” Kali said with a little pout. “I wish I had one!”

“I can help with that,” I chuckled. “It won’t be the same, but we can take a photograph together.”

The women looked at me curiously as I opened my camera app, and I held it out in front of me with the front-facing camera on.

“Whoa,” Cleo breathed. “It is a tiny mirror!”

“Sort of,” I said. “This will take pictures of us that we can keep. Watch.”

I took a photo, and I pressed the image to show to the women. They gasped as our faces appeared on the screen, and Kali clapped excitedly, but I couldn’t help snorting at the image. I had a subtle smirk on my lips, but both of the beauties’ mouths were hanging open in awe, and their wide and dazzling eyes seemed to glow like we had some weird filter on.

It was probably my favorite picture ever with me in it.

“Such strong magic,” Cleo hissed. “Can we do it again?”

“Sure,” I chuckled, and we took several more selfies as the women shrieked with laughter.

Cleo and Kali swooned over the photos as I flicked through them, and their expressions only got cuter and cuter while my grin spread wider with each one.

There was a time not so long ago that I never would have dreamed girls as beautiful as them would be cuddling with my shoulders for this many pictures, but something about the images looked so natural.

Even with the wings and cat ears, the three of us fit together perfectly.

I assured them that I could print them out to keep. Then the cat-girl carefully put our Hollowfell poster on the coffee table, and she began to look through the glinting treasure that shone from her backpack.

“It is all so beautiful,” she sighed. “Liam, you are going to get so much Earth money for this!”

“Look at that one,” Kali breathed as she picked up a delicate silver necklace with a tiny blue gem in the middle.

The nymph studied it carefully, and I smiled as she went to put it back.

“Keep it,” I said. “It matches your eyes, and you deserve it after being such a badass today. Both of you should pick something to keep.”

“Oh!” Kali squeaked. “I wasn’t trying to hint at that at all! It’s your loot, Liam!”

“Yes, are you sure?” Cleo asked. “I have never had anything as precious as these jewels are. We stole them for you to sell.”

“Yes,” Kali said with a nod. “This is for the big house and all the other things that are going to make your life amazing!”

“I insist,” I said gently. “Please. I want you both to have something. You deserve it way more than those gargoyle bastards do, and it won’t even make a dent in the amount of money I’m going to get for all of this.”

“Oh, my goodness!” Kali cried. “Thank you! I love it!”

Cleo picked through the bag carefully, and she eventually decided on a golden cuff bracelet with black gems embedded around it. I helped her slip it on, and she purred as she held it up to the light.

“It is perfect,” the cat-girl whispered. “I will think of you every time I look at it.”

“A beautiful bracelet for a beautiful girl,” I said as I kissed her cheek softly.

Cleo’s purrs deepened at my touch, and her tail flicked contentedly behind her. Both women admired their new accessories proudly while I admired how happy they both looked, but then I felt a buzz in my pocket.

I pulled it out to see a message from Elijah responding to my meet-up proposal.

Hey man, how about we meet at Sessions since you’re made of money now?

Sessions was a fancy bar I had never set foot in before, and I felt a rush of excitement at the thought of bringing Elijah my new haul of treasure. He was going to lose his damn mind when he saw how much gold I had for him.

“I’m going to go meet my friend,” I said as I sent a quick reply. “Will you two be okay here if I take the loot over to him?”

“Of course,” Cleo said. “We have pizza and a warm house. You have given us everything we need to be comfortable.”

“And we know you will come back.” Kali smiled. “Because we all belong together!”

“Exactly,” I said as I smiled back. “There is nobody else in the universe I would rather come home to, and I’ve been to more than one universe now, so I’m allowed to say that.”

I stood up and slipped on some shoes as Cleo carefully zipped up her rucksack again. It was going to be a serious effort to carry hers as well as mine, and I decided to call a cab to be safe. If another street mugger appeared, I didn’t want to risk losing a single coin.

“I’ll be back soon,” I said. “Just stay inside, okay?”

“Of course,” Kali said as she pulled the throw blanket over her and Cleo’s laps. “We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!”

“Be safe,” Cleo said. “Please watch out for any more horrible men on the streets.”

“I will,” I said. “Don’t worry about me. Enjoy your mountain of pizza, and I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Liam,” Kali raised her hand shyly. “Can… Can I tell you something?”

“Uhh… yeah?”

“Well…” The nymph took a deep breath and looked at Cleo, but the cat-girl just nodded and grinned.

“I… am very thankful that you are letting me live with you,” the pink-haired beauty started. “I… have feelings in my heart for you, but what I want to talk to you about isn’t my love for you.”

“Love… for me?” I repeated in shock like a dumbass.

“See, Liam,” she continued. “I know you have a lot of loot and money now, and I am grateful you are letting me love you, but I worry you might not go back to Hollowfell once we find a way to open the potion bottles.”

“He’s going to want to go back after that.” Cleo nodded. “Liam loves adventure. We must continue to build our reputation as fearless outlaws together.”

“And there are many other women just like Cleo and me,” Kali said as she clutched her hands. “These women would love you as much as we do. They need a hero. They need a savior. I feel so grateful that you have brought me here, but I worry about all the other women who are prisoners.”

“Ahhh…” I said. “Yeah… I’ve thought about that, too.”

“Soooo… maybe… we can keep going back?” Kali asked as she fluttered her long eyelashes. “Maybe… even after we have the big house and the nice food and I know how to cook? We can still help save others like Cleo and me? Please?”

“I don’t even need to think about it,” I said. “Yes. I’m going to do whatever I can to save more trophy women, and I’ll bring them here. The money is great, but you’re right, I don’t want to forget that I have the power to be a hero and save innocent women.”

“See?” Cleo laughed as she rubbed Kali’s arm. “I told you you didn’t need to be worried! I knew our human guy Liam would agree!”

“Yes, you know him well.” Kali smiled at the other woman.

“I should head out now,” I said, but before I could turn, Kali had thrown her arms around my shoulders.

Then her perfectly soft and moist lips were on mine.

We kissed for just half a moment, but it was enough time for her tongue to press between my lips and shower my taste buds with the ripe taste of delicious apples. Then she broke away from me, and my head was left spinning.

“Thank you, Liam,” the dusk nymph whispered, and then she turned her blushing face away from me and jumped on the couch next to Cleo.

“Have fun selling the loot!” The cat-girl grabbed the remote for the TV, and she looked like a natural now at finding her favorite crime drama channel, but both women looked so cute cuddled up under the blanket.

I was already looking forward to joining them again.

It was a challenge to slip my rucksack over my back once more, and the straps dug into my shoulder blades painfully. Then I grabbed Cleo’s bag in one hand, but I had already begun to sweat from the effort. Kali and Cleo waved as I slid out onto the landing, and I left the two gorgeous women to happily eat pizza and watch TV.

It took longer than usual to get downstairs, and the gold bars dug further into my spine with every step. But the pain was more than worth it for the reward. Every gargoyle fight and guard shoot-out had led me to riches I could barely even carry.

My taxi was already waiting when I eventually stepped into the cool evening air, and I slowly made my way down to the street from the apartment building. The taxi driver was one of the silent, grunting types, and I was grateful not to have to make conversation about my bags. As soon as I was seated, I slipped them off for a few minutes of relief, and I texted Elijah to meet me outside when I arrived.

For a moment, I worried about how much the cab would cost, but then it hit me that it didn’t matter. A fifteen-dollar ride wasn’t going to make a difference to my week’s budget. Not anymore. That was a feeling I could get used to.

I was rich.

I sat back with a grin as the gray building sped past outside, and I knew it would take a while to fully get used to my new lifestyle. Not worrying about ordering food or cabs felt unreal. It was like I had stolen someone else’s life.

But it was all mine to enjoy, and every worry I’d ever had was melting away before my eyes.

Elijah was waiting on the sidewalk when the cab pulled up to Sessions, and I thanked the driver before I swung my door open.

“Heeey!” Elijah called. “Why did you want me to… hooooly shit.”

His eyes widened behind his glasses when he spotted my bags, and I swung Cleo’s out to give to him. Then I climbed onto the sidewalk with my heavy rucksack in tow, and I grinned at my buddy’s stunned face.

“Liam,” Elijah said with a hardened expression. “What the fuck?”

“Let’s go inside,” I said. “I don’t want to talk out here.”

My friend followed me silently as he swung the super-heavy rucksack over his shoulder, and we made our way toward the bar. It was a matte-black building that looked like something out of a sci-fi novel. The windows were tinted glass so you could only see out of them, and the glowing blue sign was completely unreadable.

A bored-looking bouncer waved us in as we strode past, and we were hit with a drone of techno music as we went inside. The space was huge, and it was mostly lit by neon signs that flickered in green and red. Groups of trendy-looking young people perched on barstools with bright cocktails, but I made a beeline for an empty table right at the back of the bar. It was away from the excited chattering of everyone else, and it had two red armchairs instead of regular seats.

I sighed with relief as I swung my bag off, and the chair was more comfortable than any furniture I had ever owned. The velvet felt like heaven under my tired arms, and I sat back with a deep sigh.

“Holy shit,” I snorted. “This place really is fancy. How much do you think these chairs cost?”

“Never mind that,” Elijah hissed as he sat down beside me. “What the fuck is all this?”

“Guess.” I grinned.

“More?” Elijah asked as he glanced around. “So soon? Holy shit!”

He stared at me for a moment before he started to laugh, and he rubbed his neat beard as he kept the bag tightly between his calves.

“My dad lost his fucking mind the other day,” he said quietly. “We have found a bunch of buyers for the other stuff, so we should be able to wire you another payment next week. How is that new bank account balance treating you?”

“I’ve barely had time to process it all,” I said with a light chuckle. “I’m going to try to enjoy it over the weekend. I’m going to go look for a new apartment, new clothes, new everything.”

“Hell yeah,” Elijah said. “Get out of that shithole and straight into somewhere classy. You deserve it. I can give you a rough estimate for this lot if you want?”

“Really?” I asked. “Sure, give it to me!”

Elijah glanced around again before he pulled open the zipper of Cleo’s bag. His expression gave nothing away as he rummaged around carefully, and he did the same to my huge rucksack. Once he had taken some time poking through the contents, he made sure both packs were closed and safe before he looked at me with a massive grin.

“Liam,” he said quietly. “I don’t know how the fuck you’re doing this, but I’m gonna lowball the number just to be safe. This is serious shit. The bars of gold? Are you kidding me?”

“How much?” I asked eagerly as I leaned forward.

“Okay,” Elijah sighed. “This is probably three times what you brought me before…”

“Sooooo?” I stared at my friend as the techno music thudded dully in the background. My throat felt dry, but I wanted to yell with excitement.

“Maybe six,” he finally said. “Probably closer to seven, but again, we are going to need some time to move all this metal and jewelry.”

It didn’t feel like a real number. Six million dollars on top of the two or so I was hoping they could get me for the first bag of loot. I was going to have that just sitting in my account, and it would keep creeping up as long as I kept the Hollowfell heists going.

Screw renting a new place. I should just buy one.

“Soooo,” Elijah said. “I’m going to grab us some drinks. I’ll leave you to think about what kind of car you’re going to buy first.”

He got up and headed over to the bar as I tried to slow down my thoughts. I needed to be smart with most of this money as well as splurging on fun stuff. If my life was going to completely change, then I needed to make sure I was investing in the right stuff.

A thought suddenly crossed my mind that made my stomach flip. I had sixty thousand dollars left in student loans, and I had always assumed it would follow me to my grave. There was no way I could get out of that debt on an IT manager’s salary from my shitty job. I had given in to the thought of paying a measly amount of the debt every month until I retired.

But I could pay it off now.

All of it.

Every fucking cent that I owed.

“Holy shit,” I muttered as I pulled out my cell phone, and I pulled up my account as Elijah returned with two beers.

“Hey,” he said as he sat down. “So, what’s the first move, Mr. New Money?”

“I’m going to pay this off.” I showed him the screen of my debt page, and he whistled.

“That is some big money,” he chuckled. “But that’s nothing compared to what you’re going to be raking in soon enough.”

“I can’t believe this,” I muttered as I stared down at the website. “This doesn’t feel real. I can just press a button, and all that debt goes away. No more stress and worrying about when it will be paid off.”

“The start of a new life.” Elijah grinned as he sipped his beer. “Go on, then! Get those student loan payments gone from your life!”

He started pounding his fist on the table enthusiastically as my fingers hovered over the screen. It was the first huge step into my new life, and it didn’t feel real as I typed in the full payment amount. My fingers shook as I hit the submit button, and the website loaded for a moment before it displayed a green message of thanks.

My debt balance was zero.

I stared down at the screen as it sank in.

“You okay?” Elijah chuckled.

“Fuck yeah,” I said slowly. “Holy shit. I just paid off my student loans!”

Adrenaline suddenly hit me, and I couldn’t stop laughing as I stared down at my account. I refreshed it again and again just to watch the zero balance message appear. It was real. My debt had been paid off with money I’d stolen from a bunch of rich monsters.

“That’s just the beginning,” Elijah said. “What’s next for Liam and his new lifestyle?”

“The apartment,” I said. “For sure. I’m getting somewhere with a balcony and one of those fridges that can make ice.”

“Now you’re getting it,” Elijah chuckled. “It’s all going to be yours, Liam. Just keep bringing this shit to me, and every day is going to be better than the last. You must have quit that shitty job by now?”

“Uh,” I said as I rubbed the back of my neck. “Not yet.”

“Seriously?” Elijah asked. “It looks like you’ve found a fucking gold mine. You never have to see that asshole boss again if you don’t want to.”

The thought of handing in my notice was so tempting, but I still needed access to the building. I had no idea how to explain that to my friend, but I knew he was just as happy with the deal as I was. Five percent of my haul was still big money, and he didn’t even have to fight any gargoyles for it.

“I’m just playing it safely.” I shrugged as I sipped my drink. “I never thought I would be in this position, so I have to take my time while I figure it all out.”

“You’re a smart man,” Elijah said. “But if you keep bringing me hauls like this, then you won’t need to sweat about leaving a dead-end job. You can be on one of those magazine covers with guys who retire before their thirtieth birthday. A millionaire by twenty-eight.”

“Great,” I snorted. “Nah. I want to keep this shit to myself for now. The cars will speak for themselves.”

We spent the next hour discussing all the ridiculous shit I could buy with my money, and I started to get used to ordering drinks without thinking about the price. I was high on life as I kept checking my student loans app to make sure it wasn’t all just a dream.

Elijah gave me tips on the best areas to live in around here, and we started to plan an insane Vegas trip for the future. I pictured Cleo and Kali coming along with us, all dressed up in sparkly outfits. They could wear their natural forms without being suspicious in Vegas, and we could rent one of those luxurious hotel rooms that cost thousands of dollars a night. Everything that had always seemed like an impossible dream was within my grasp.

Damn, it felt good to be a Hollowfell outlaw.

“I’d better call it a night,” Elijah said as it grew closer to nine o’clock. “I’m helping at the shop tomorrow, and I can’t handle customers when I’m hungover.”

“Fair point,” I chuckled. “Are you going to be able to carry all this?”

“I’ll take a cab.” Elijah nodded. “Dad’s going to lose his fucking mind. I knew it was a good idea to become your friend.”

“You played the long game,” I laughed. “I’m glad it’s finally worked out in your favor.”

I helped Elijah pull on the heaviest rucksack, and I carried Cleo’s one over my shoulder as we headed out into the night. The buzz of music and drunken laughter faded as we stepped onto the street, and the very few visible stars had poked out through the navy sky.

“Hey, man,” Elijah said as he ordered an Uber. “If anyone deserved to have this happen to them, it’s you. I mean it.”

“Thanks,” I chuckled. “It still doesn’t feel real, but I think I’m getting used to it.”

“Good,” Elijah said. “Invite me over to the new place when you get it. Maybe I’ll finally get to meet Cleo.”

“And Kali,” I said.

“Kali?” Elijah asked and did a double-take. “Who the fuck is Kali?”

His ride pulled up to the sidewalk, and I couldn’t stop laughing at his bulging eyes.

“She’s a friend,” I said as I opened the door for him.

“A friend?” He raised his eyebrow.

“Yeah…” I cleared my throat.

“Dude,” he hissed. “Are you banging two girls?”

“No--”

“Do they know about each other?”

“Well, yeah, but it’s--”

“Holy shit, dude!” he elbowed me in the shoulder. “Okay. Look. I need to move this back to the safe in the office. Then we are going to talk this weekend. Okay?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Are you sure you can manage all this camping equipment?”

“Yeah, I got it. I’ll see you later, man. I’ll let you know what dad says after he looks at this new haul.”

“Great,” I said as I handed him Cleo’s bag. “Take care, buddy.”

He slammed the door shut and gave me a wave as the car pulled off into the night. The fresh air was refreshing on my face, and I was grateful not to have the weight of gold bars digging into my spine anymore, so I decided to walk home.

I couldn’t stop smiling as I pictured walking into my house with my two monster girls waiting. They could help me pick my next apartment, and I knew they would be so excited to see how awesome human apartments could be.

Then my mind began to wander to our next heist. I wondered if we could get another one in before the twelfth floor started to get busy, because I didn’t have long until the new companies moved in. That was going to bring a whole new set of challenges to our missions.

But if I kept up the pace with my looting, then it wouldn’t be long until I would be able to rent the floor myself. I wasn’t exactly sure of the logistics of it all, but I figured I just had to be able to outbid the current renters. It could happen in as little as a few months if I kept bringing sacks of gold to Elijah.

Then the entire twelfth and thirteenth floors would be my domain. The thought of a corridor full of gold sent a shiver down my spine, and I would even be able to afford security. Some huge dude who would only let me, Cleo, and Kali onto the floor.

The thought of Roberts’ expression when I quit was pure gold, and I couldn’t wait until that day came. Saying goodbye to that sniveling asshole who had treated me like shit throughout my entire employment was going to be sweet.

But for now, I would need to rely on using the locking enchantment on the thirteenth floor doorway. We needed to get one of those banshee tools as soon as possible, and I would be able to store our loot in the thirteenth corridor.

The idea of heading back into Hollowfell filled me with excitement. I had only seen such a small area of the world, and there were still endless lands to explore.

Maybe we could head out past the city next time. If we were careful enough, then I could see what other towns were like in the strange world with the green and purple skies.

Cleo and Kali were so determined to stay by my side, too, that I knew they’d be up for any adventures I proposed. I had really struck gold with my Hollowfell sidekicks.

Knowing that they were waiting for me at home was worth just as much to me as the treasure, though. I was still in shock that the beautiful cat-girl was my lover, but both of the otherworldly beauties had become so important to me in such a short span of time, and I was going to protect them every step of the way.

A gentle gust of wind rustled my hair, and I turned the corner onto my street with a huge grin on my face. The shitty apartment buildings didn’t faze me anymore. My life had become something bigger than these grubby streets.

I had spent so many years getting lost in books because their stories were always better than my reality. But now, I had battled monsters, saved beautiful and exotic girls, and stolen treasures that were making me rich beyond my wildest dreams.

My life was finally more exciting than any book I had ever read, and it had only just begun.

There was a whole other world that only I knew of, and it was only a matter of time before I stepped back under the swirling sky.

Hollowfell and all of its riches were waiting for me.

End of Book 1

End Notes

Thank you for reading Looting the 13th Floor! I’ll start working on book 2 as soon as this one hits 100 reviews, so please leave a review right here. Thank you!

Don’t forget about my Patreon! You’ll get advanced audio chapters (for your ears) or written chapters (for your eyes), and nude/sexy versions of my covers (for your… uhhh… well…) I also have an audiobook subscription so you can get 3-4 of my books every month at a discount along with all the other stuff. Check it out here! Or search for my name on Patreon.com.

Amazon doesn’t update readers when an author comes out with a new book unless you follow that author on the store. Make sure you click this link and then click on the follow button. Then Amazon will update you a few weeks after my next book comes out.

If you want to get notified of my books the day that they come out, make sure you follow my Facebook author page and join my Facebook fan group. If you don’t follow me on Amazon or join my Facebook page, you’ll never get alerted that the next book is out.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2022 by Eric Vall