We had bigger problems than me being squeaky.
The gremlins were there and could talk.
Master let out a low breathy sound I realized was him telling me to hush and I clamped my lips together. I wasn’t going to be the reason the gremlins ate him or kidnapped him.
What would gremlins do if they were cornered?
“Save yourself if it comes down to it. I don’t care if they’re an endangered species.” There couldn’t be too many if they hadn’t made the news more often.
The only articles I’d been able to find on them had been completely unhelpful and were in random parts of the internet, so I knew we weren’t dealing with a huge population of the fuckers.
“You’re more important than gremlins or my stuff. Make good choices and remember you have to be bigger than them.” I’d have noticed magical creatures that were his size. “Don’t be scared.”
“What the fuck!” Master’s voice boomed through the phone and my heart nearly stopped. “Stop moving, fuckers, or I’m calling the cops.”
Could we do that?
How was I going to explain that?
I couldn’t end up on the news...I’d done some questionable shit in my attention-seeking youth.
“Knox. Knox!” Master’s slightly worried tone said I might’ve missed him calling my name a few times. “Kn—”
“I’m here. I’m sorry.” The last thing I wanted was for him to worry about me while he had the gremlins cornered. “I got distracted.”
Master let out a deep breath. “It’s okay. But I want you to come inside and identify the people who’ve been breaking into your house before I call the cops.”
People?
“You can’t call the police while we’re on the phone. And I can’t hang up because I have to be able to make sure they haven’t eaten you.” That was still important. “My gremlins have a human form?”
He tried to answer as I climbed out of the truck, but the gremlins had started getting worked up at the threat of the police being called.
“Stand against the counter or face the consequences, shitheads.” Master’s barked-out order had them going silent and reminded me that I was owed a bouncer story.
Before Master, I probably wouldn’t have gone into the house, but it definitely sounded like he had everything under control and had somehow managed not to get eaten.
He was amazing.
He was even standing in the doorway that led to the living room and kitchen as I walked in the door, obviously making sure they couldn’t rush me. “Freeze. I don’t care how old you are.”
Young gremlins were my raiders?
Were they old and needed to sit down?
If they were old, we probably should let them sit down even if they had been making me insane. It seemed rude not to.
“Come here, Knox. They seem to think you know them.” Master jerked his head and glared as one of them squeaked, but he had them under control with just a look. My heart tooka second to realize I was safe, though, and took its sweet time trying not to leap out of my chest. “Right behind me, Knox. Then I want you to look around me. If you don’t recognize them, you walk right out the front door and call the cops.”
How had my life gotten so interesting?
“Okay.” Taking a deep breath as I inched up closer behind him, I tried to sound more confident than I appeared. “I can do it.”
I hated doing it, though.
The panic should’ve gotten worse, but as soon as I pressed myself against his back and took in his scent, my heartbeat slowed again. “Yes. I can do it.”
I might’ve said that a few more times, but Rohan didn’t rush me. Eventually, I managed to actually do it instead of just talking about it, but as I finally peeked around his wide body, I was dumbfounded. “It’s my nephew and his asshole friends.”
