Monsters in My Bed

This is my contribution to the Halloween Contest 2021. Please remember to vote at the end and thanks for taking the time to read.

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Copyright (c) 2021 Ada Stuart, All Rights Reserved.

This work may not be published whether for fee or free without this copyright.

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"I like the name of your company," Ivy blurted out.

"Do you?" Darther Landon looked up from his papers. He looked as if he was finally seeing her as a person and not just another interview object he needed to suffer the company of. He was probably used to having women fawning over him and blurting out stupid sentences just to get his attention.

When she'd learnt that she had an appointment with the CEO, she had imagined a grey-haired older gentleman, not the sleek panther-like figure sitting in front of her. Maybe they were messing with her and sent one of their bodyguards to interview her instead. But then he'd opened his mouth, and his words sounded like any other businessman. Except that the deep baritone was making funny things happen inside her chest and mind. It was probably the reason why she spoke when she should have kept her mouth shut.

"Yes, who wouldn't? 'Monsters Inc' sounds both cute and dangerous at the same time."

He looked at her as if he wondered if he should feel insulted or laugh. He cleared his throat.

"Do you know what we do?" he asked in a neutral voice.

"No. But if I'm only here to answer your phone and sort the visitors, I'm sure I can survive."

He chuckled, revealing a handsome smile behind his stern features. "I certainly hope you will."

She gave him a broad smile, hiding her true feelings while she tried to behave like the most biddable woman he'd ever come across. She needed this job. Really needed it. It was the only way of finding out what had happened to Marcus. This was definitely not the right time to be dazzled by the hunky employer.

A week later, Ivy wondered if it was her stupid statement that had landed her the job. There had certainly been plenty of other temps that were interviewed, but for some reason, they had called her a few hours later and offered her the job. She'd felt so relieved she would probably have kissed the caller if they hadn't been on the phone. It would make it so much easier to do what she needed to do.

Besides, how difficult could it be to pretend to be a receptionist? She'd done plenty of secretary work for both her brother and father over the years. Plenty of legwork too, when they happened to find something that wasn't too dangerous. She had often wondered why they bothered to train her at all when they were always reluctant to let her do any of the more interesting tasks for the family business. It would have been useful now that she faced the biggest challenge yet.

And it was all Marcus's fault. After taking over the business when their father died, her brother had shared even less information about what he was working on. So when he vanishes without a trace, Ivy had to start from scratch and go over everything he'd done for the last few weeks. Everything pointed to a company called 'Monsters Inc', led by the Landon family.

For some reason, Marcus had been investigating them. Lurking in the shadows to learn more about their operations and the family leading everything. His carefully scribbled notes contained tons of details about their operations and the employees. It had to be the result of weeks of surveillance. For that reason alone, Ivy knew she was on to something.

Which was why she had decided to infiltrate them. Pretending to be a colourful young woman that was more interested in her fingernails than in their operations. She ran her hand down her skirt, smoothing out any non-existent wrinkles while she wondered if it was too short when she was sitting down. If it was, it would only do what it was supposed to. To draw attention to her legs and clothes and away from the fact that she was feeling terribly nervous. She checked her watch. She was punctual. Taking a deep breath, she entered the enemy's den.

"Welcome, Ivy," Darther Landon said as she stepped inside the building. "Let me show you around."

She greeted her new boss while she put on the role she was supposed to play. It was almost like she expected someone to jump forward and shout 'Action' or 'Cut', but it didn't happen. She could do this, she instructed herself. Because she had to. There was no room for errors when lives were at stake.

Darther watched the young woman stare as he showed her the equipment storage and all the different costumes his agents used when they were on stakeouts. It was apparent she'd never worked for a security company that resembled theirs before.

He hoped she was made of sterner material than she appeared. Her lithe figure was both appealing and a potential problem when dealing with difficult clients. Hopefully, the fact that she was young and appealing would outweigh the other drawbacks. He'd done what he always did and followed his gut instinct when he'd hired her.

"Gosh. This is so cool. Where are the monsters?" Ivy asked and ran her fingers over the nearest costume.

'Right beside you,' Darther wanted to say, but he knew he could never admit it out loud. Not unless he wanted to get rid of her and start searching for another receptionist. And for some reason, he felt it more important to keep this one.

"What monsters?" he asked.

"You did that Disney movie, didn't you? I totally loved it."

"Ah no. That wasn't us."

"So what do you do? Are you event planners for Halloween parties?"

"Not exactly. We're security consultants."

"So you're more like 'James Bond?"

He forced a laugh. "Sorry to disappoint you, but our work is a lot more boring in real life. We usually give businesses advice on how to avoid cybercrime."

"Oh." Ivy did sound a bit disappointed. But then she smiled broadly. "That's still cool. So where do I start?"

'With me,' he wanted to say. "We need you to handle the front desk and direct whatever comes in. Nothing more."

"No problem. I have experience from secretary work too, in case you want to add to my task load."

"I'll consider it. But since you're new, we'll cut you some slack."

She giggled. "Not too much slack, I hope. I make the most amazing coffee."

"Do you always dress in yellow," he asked her.

"It's my favourite colour."

He'd noticed. The bright yellow colour mixed with her black belt made her look like a bee. A chatty bee, now that he knew her a bit better. But still a bee. He briefly wondered if the bee could sting if her boss forgot his manners and groped her ass. She probably would.

Ivy soon discovered that the job wasn't hard at all. She just had to keep tabs on the boss' schedules and make sure his guests felt welcome before directing them to the correct office. So far, so good.

But the staff were of a peculiar kind. Her boss had told her they usually did surveillance and were hired as bodyguards. It explained the muscular hunks hanging around the office. The way they dressed certainly made them stand out in a crowd. Some went for the dark and gloomy goth style, while others were more colourfully clothed. No matter what, she had difficulty imagine any of them being able to blend in anywhere unless they attended a rock concert or a trip to a different planet.

The benefit of it all was that it allowed her to dress just as freely as they did. Instead of going for her sombre work suits, she chose to wear her favourite colours instead. Usually, it was a bright yellow blouse with black trousers or a dark skirt. Too bad they hadn't hired her for more interesting tasks than handling their reception, but if she proved her worth, they might give her additional tasks.

Unfortunately, as a receptionist, she would also have to deal with the employees who considered themselves God's gift to women. Those that were convinced she would fall into their bed just by waving their hands. In reality, it felt more like they wanted to ruin her day, and she'd learnt to spot them a mile away.

The man strolling toward her desk was a clear example of the sort. She sighed. Before she started working here, she had no idea how tedious it could be when every man thought she was available and open to flirtation. It was the downside of the way she dressed, but it suited the role she wanted to portray, so she had to pretend to enjoy it.

The young man winked at her and grinned so widely he looked as if he'd spotted the last candy on the plate, ready for taking and eager to be swallowed by him. Ivy forced a smile on her face, hating what she had to do. If she'd met him at a pub, she would have shut him down instantly, knowing it was the only thing that would work.

These sort of men were the complete opposite of her boss' calm demeanour and the brief looks of approval before he managed to control his features. Why couldn't men copy him instead of going ballistic as if flirting was the only way forward? Despite him being her primary suspect, Darther Landon was a lot more tempting compared to the one trying to impress her right now.

As expected, the young man leaned too close and sniffed her neck. Just like a dog would take in the scent of another dog, she guessed. She took a step back, giving him a cold stare while hating the fact that she needed to lift her chin to meet his eyes.

"May I help you, sir?" Ivy asked, trying to be professional.

"Where did Landon find you?"

"I'm Ivy, the temp. Do you have an appointment?"

"You're a human."

"Last time I checked, yes."

He took a step closer. "You're a tasty morsel."

"And you're in my comfort zone," she fired back.

"Tasty. No doubt."

"Nope. I'm not edible."

"You sure about that?"

"Absolutely. What do you want?"

"Let me make a list."

"Camron!" Her boss bellowed as if he thought she was flirting with his guest. "Bring your ass over here. Pronto."

The man sighed. "I'll see you later, sweetie."

"Not if I can help it," Ivy muttered, not able to hide her discomfort.

Then she heard him chuckle as he walked into her boss' office.

A few days later, Ivy heard the same voice as she bent over her table to reach for a pen.

"Nice ass."

She sighed before she turned and wrapped her arms in front of her. "Nice pecs," she said as she ran her eyes all over his chest. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Not yet. But he'll see me."

"Camron, wasn't it?"

"You remembered. I made some impression on you, didn't I, sweetie?" He sounded smugger than he should.

"Only of the wrong kind," Ivy admitted. She sat down and pressed the intercom. "Sir? Mr Camron is here to see you."

"Let him wait," Darther answered.

Ivy shrugged her shoulders and looked at the young man. "I guess not."

"No problem. I'm sure you can entertain me while I wait."

"Please take a seat, Mr Camron."

"You can skip the 'Mister'. What's your name, sweetie?"

"I told you the last time we met."

"I must have been too busy looking at your lovely face."

She gave him a cold stare before she returned to her work.

He walked toward her. She felt him looming over her. "He hasn't claimed you yet. Interesting."

"What are you talking about?"

He looked surprised and laughed. "You really have no idea what we are, do you?"

"Maybe you'll be so kind as to enlighten me?" she asked sweetly.

"We're monsters, sweetie. Fucking real-life monsters." Then he turned and barged into her boss' office.

"Gee! That makes me so scared," Ivy sighed, feeling bored. Well, if that was his version of the last statement to turn up the tension, he should get another script next time. Monsters, huh? They behaved more like 'Pussycats' circling the feline in heat. She chuckled softly.

No sounds came from Landon's office. She saw that Camron had closed the door behind him. She waited in case her boss would throw him out, but it didn't happen. Maybe the boss wasn't opposed to Camron letting himself in without an appointment. She didn't know him well enough to know the rules around here, but he would probably inform her if she'd failed to do what he expected of her.

"When are you going to claim your mate?" Darther heard Camron ask after he'd closed the door behind him.

"My mate?" Darther stared at his agent. "What mate?"

"The one in your reception. She smells just like you."

"Really?" Darther knew that Camron's sense of smell was way beyond any other shifter. "Are you sure?"

Camron settled lazily on a chair, looking as relaxed as ever. It was quite the opposite of what Darther was now feeling. The agent was probably enjoying the situation immensely. It wasn't often Camron had the upper hand when they met.

"Of course, I'm sure. She's tried to disguise her scent, but it's clear once you get close enough or she gets agitated."

"What did you do to her?" Darther sneered at him.

"She hates flirting. That should have given you a clue since she dresses to invite the flirting that she hates. Besides, something else is off about her. She's too scared."

"Maybe you behaved obnoxiously?"

"Not at all. Just get closer to her, and you'll smell the same."

"I will."

"One more thing. Her smell is like your and Thorn's."

"Thorn? What's he got to do with this?"

"You both smell the same. Guess it's only fair you have the same mate, eh? Or don't you fancy sharing, boss?" Camron grinned widely.

Darther wanted to throw the man out the door, but he wanted the weekly update before he could do that. "I don't think we smell the same."

"On a molecular level, you do. Makes sense since you're twins."

"No, it doesn't." Darther didn't like the way this conversation was turning.

"You should claim her before someone else does. She's a tempting thing."

"Just stay the hell away from her."

Camron smiled. "Oh, I know she belongs to you. But the others won't know, would they?"

"Just give me the information and get out," Darther sneered.

"It's just friendly advice...boss."

The young chit was getting on his nerves, Darther thought. He was waiting for a reaction. Any reaction. Probably so he could gloat about it later that their level-headed boss had lost his temper for once. Darther took a deep breath and felt calmer. He would get this over with so he could check on his so-called mate. Then he would figure out if her scent was the right one or not.

"Did he bother you?" Ivy heard her boss ask after Camron had left.

"Who?"

"Camron."

"Not at all. I've developed a thick skin."

"Have you?"

"I can take care of myself, Mr Landon."

"Just let me know if he misbehaves. I won't tolerate my female staff getting harassed."

She looked at him, trying to figure out if he was goading her or being honest. He looked honest. But he seemed to study her more meticulously than he'd done on the interview. Did he suspect anything? She knew they could smell fear, but she tried her hardest to hide it.

"Yes, Mr Landon," Ivy said.

"Good," he said and leaned closer to her.

She smelled his cologne, and before she could prevent it, she took in a deep breath. He made her want to sigh in contentment. She jumped back. Wondering if he'd caught her uninhibited weakness.

"Very good," he repeated while he looked just as surprised as she did.

She feared he would do something out of the ordinary. Feared he would grab her and throw her out for coming on to the boss. But he didn't. Instead, he looked her over before turning and walking away. That gave her all the answers she needed. It was a one-sided attraction. Nothing more. She would have to remember that. And stay the hell away from him.

Besides, he was the enemy. Why would she even consider him attractive?

It was about time she did what she was supposed to be doing. Her brother might be right when he hadn't included her in the operative part of their business. Not when her mind had a tendency to forget who Darther really was. The main suspect. Damn.

Ivy moved slowly and methodically. Opening the door lock had been a lot easier than she'd expected. The office was dark. Just as she had expected since all the staff had gone home hours ago. She tiptoed over to her boss's office and walked over to his desk. The piles of paper would take a while to sift through, but she was sure the answers would be among them. Somewhere. She aimed her flashlight at the first stack of papers and started searching.

"You want to explain what you're doing?" A cold voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

Ivy whirled around and saw something large and dark. He stood still, watching her. Despite the darkness, she would have recognised that voice everywhere.

"Mr Landon. Oh gosh, I'm so sorry," she burst into giggles, acting her part.

"What are you doing here?"

"I lost my hairband. I've looked everywhere, but I thought I might have lost it here."

"Really?" He didn't seem to believe her at all.

"Have you seen it? It's yellow with black stripes. It's my favourite."

"Your favourite, huh?" Judging by the tone of his voice, she knew he wasn't fooled for a second.

He hit the light switch before he took a step closer. His large size was a definite problem if he wanted to subdue her. There was nothing left to do but to reclaim control.

Ivy pulled up her gun and pointed it to his chest. "Stay right where you are, Landon," she said in a neutral voice.

He chuckled. "So the little bee can sting after all. I should have known."

"It would have been better if you stayed at home this evening."

"Do you know how to use that thing?" He didn't seem too nervous about the gun she held.

"Of course I do. What part of you would you like me to use as target practice?" Ivy asked sweetly.

That seemed to shut him up. Making him look focused and more deadly than before. He was obviously a man that was used to people shooting at him.

"What were you searching for?"

She might as well come clean with him and get some answers at the same time. "Tell me where my brother is."

"Your brother?"

"He was tailing you when he vanished. His name is Marcus Hunter."

"I see."

"Should I shoot first, or would you like to say something?"

"You believe he's dead?"

"A wolf hunter lost in werewolf land? Of course, I believe he's dead. Do you know what happened to him?"

"He tried to kill the wrong people."

"Don't tempt me."

"What, are you also a killer? Must run in the family."

"My father hunted werewolves all his life. He trained us to follow in his footsteps."

"Too bad he didn't teach you to distinguish between werewolves and were shifters."

"Who cares?"

"We do. We're shifters. Not people going crazy every time there's a full moon."

"Just cut the speech. Where's my brother? And in case you're wondering, I'm using silver bullets."

He whistled. "Quite bloodthirsty, aren't you? And here I thought you were all sugar sweet."

"Only when I want to."

"I like that. I've spent the entire day wanting to bend you over my desk and fuck you senseless."

"You want me to shoot your dick first?" she asked, refusing to let him bait her.

"Your brother is alive."

"Really?"

"Some small injuries but nothing serious."

"I don't believe you. He was on a mission to kill all of you."

"He wouldn't have stood a chance if our healer hadn't taken a liking to him."

"Your healer?"

"She claims he's one of her mates."

"Prove it."

"I need to call her to do that."

"Go ahead. But don't try anything stupid." She nodded but kept the gun toward him as he found his cellphone and made a call. Setting it on speakers, she heard a woman's voice.