Page 132 of The Monsters We Are

Khloë hummed. “Well . . . they were weird. And powerful. A littletoopowerful.” She’d been able to feel it rolling off them.

Devon kissed her daughter’s head. “Did they scare you, baby?”

“She has good instincts.Killerinstincts.”

Devon’s eyelid twitched. “You just had to add that, didn’t you?”

“I’m not wrong.”

“My daughter is not a—” Devon’s words cut off as the hellpup wrapped her little hands around her mom’s throat.

“She’s not a what?” asked Khloë, watching dispassionately as her friend choked.

Her eyes widening, Devon moved her lips as if trying to communicate something.

“Sorry, can’t hear you.”

Fury flashed in those cat-green eyes, and her lips moved faster.

“Stillcan’t hear you.”

Devon thrust her daughter away from her just enough to escape her grip. She coughed, glaring daggers at Khloë. “I loathe you.”

“Hate is part of your love language, so I’m good with it.”

Her nostrils flaring, Devon angled her daughter toward Khloë. “Anais. Kill.”

“You can’t use her like she’s an attack dog on a—” Khloë cut off as the toddler grabbed her throat tight.

Devon grinned. “Sorry, I can’t do what?”