He extracted the dead Were from his truck and carried the body deep into the garden. The plantoid sensed him coming. It uncoiled its tentacles, pulling them free from the damp earth and reaching for its tasty morsel.
Of all the Cryptids, the plantoids were the most alien. Their sentience was not well understood, and their ability to cross the boundary between plant and animal was a bit creepy, even for Kade. Most times, they behaved as plants, quietly absorbing carbon dioxide from the air and nutrients from the soil. But, on occasion, they loved a good chunk of meat.
He set the body down and watched as the tentacles wrapped around it and pulled the remains deep into the earth. One dead Were taken care of. Kade turned and made his way back through the garden. He was curious to learn more about this woman.
Would knowing more help him save her? Because being brave might help her with what was to come.
But it wasn’t going to be enough.
* * *
Jessie took a long gulp of her tea and grimaced at the sweetness. It was a welcome distraction from her thoughts.
Her tired brain buzzed in an unproductive fashion. Was she in shock? She had good reason to be. Werewolves and Cryptids. An entire underworld she’d known nothing about. One which she was about to join. And had unknowingly been a part of all along, according to Cara.
The woman in question bustled quietly around the kitchen, putting cookies on a plate and bringing it to the table.
Kade returned before Jessie’s tired brain offered a single useful question.
“That was fast,” Jessie commented, surprised.
“They were hungry.” He shrugged. “One less dead Dire to worry about.”
The garden was so beautiful; it invited strolling. But getting eaten wasn’t on her immediate agenda.
“Just how dangerous are these plants?” Jessie asked.
“Not at all, as long as they are well fed.” Kade twitched his lips. When Jessie didn’t smile, he added, “They wouldn’t harm a guest. But I wouldn’t want to try robbing the place.”
“A few have found it,” Cara pointed out.
“And few have left,” Kade purred.
Plants that consumed burglars? Add another question to the list. Jessie asked the most pressing one. “How long will I be staying?”
Kade yanked a chair back from the table, spun it around, and sat in it reversed, resting his big forearms along the back. “The next full moon is in six days.”
“Okay. Great. What does that mean?” Jessie took a steadying sip of her tea.
“The virus will make your body shift form on the night of the full moon,” Cara chipped in.
Jessie swallowed, wrestled her rising hysteria into submission, and met Kade’s gaze. “You said it might not work.”
“That is true.” He stared at her. His golden eyes glared out from beneath lowered brows, as if trying to pry free the secrets to her soul.
It was unsettling. And intimidating.
“Cut it out, Kade,” Cara said. “You’ll have her screaming and bolting for cover.”
He snorted but also blinked. “She doesn’t bolt.”
Released from his stare, Jessie shook her head. “I might if I had any idea where to bolt to,” she pointed out, pushing a hand through her hair. “Around here, I might get eaten by a plant.” When he said nothing more, she glanced at Cara. “Is that what you meant about me not being human? I’m now one of these Were things?”
Cara set her cup down. “One of my skills is that I can detect Cryptids. Some, of course, are obvious. But the humanoid ones have interbred with humans for thousands of years. They are so scattered among the population that many go from birth to death thinking they are a bit odd, but fully human.” She tilted her head to regard Jessie. “But you have Cryptid blood. I can feel it. I just can’t figure which morph you are, yet.”
“Oh, great. I’m a monster, but we don’t know what kind.” Jessie shot a look at Kade. “Sorry. I didn’t mean you guys are monsters. You seem very nice.”
“I’m not,” Kade assured, but jutted his chin toward Cara. “She is.”
