Coming Out Monster

By Erin Lee and Rena Marin

Every creature fantasizes about being the best of their kind. But what happens when your one supernatural talent is the thing that makes no sense to you at all?

A vampire who faints at the sight of blood.

A werewolf who believes every day is Hump Day.

A mute banshee.

A Wendigo afraid of the woods.

A vegan zombie.

A witch afraid to curse.

A monster afraid to get under the bed.

A demon with a conscience.

An angel with a dirty secret.

A shapeshifter who got stuck.

A sex addict ghost with an obsession.

Enter a fantastical other world of, well, f@ck ups with only one way to ever fit into their molds…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crazy Ink
• Release date: Oct 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393731542

Erin Lee

Erin Lee lives in Queensland, Australia and has been working with children for over 25 years. She has worked in both long day care and primary school settings and has a passion for inclusive education and helping all children find joy in learning. Erin has three children of her own and says they have helped contribute ideas and themes towards her quirky writing style. Her experience working in the classroom has motivated her to write books that bring joy to little readers, but also resource educators to help teach fundamental skills to children, such as being safe, respectful learners.

Book preview

Dedication

For the monsters in each of us.

Chapter One

Jasmyn, the Vampire

Ican feel the hunger . It’s burning deep inside again. If there’s one thing I hate about what I am, that’s it. The constant need to quench this unbearable thirst that sets my throat ablaze every night.

Slowly, I walk through the darkness. The streets of town are always busy at this hour. It’s the best time to hunt. At least, that’s what others like me say. They use these streets to feed on the homeless or the prostitutes that the world doesn’t seem to miss. That part is hard for me. I’ve yet to successfully complete my first kill.

Seeing a man turn down one of the alleys alone, I decide this is my best chance. He’s obviously drunk. I can smell the booze from here and the way he stumbles gives him away.

I adjust my cleavage, hoping to use my assets to my advantage. That’s one of the perks to being a vampire I suppose. Everything good about you gets better when you’re turned. My knockers, well, they rounded to perfection and my ass had a lift overnight. My complexion cleared almost instantly, my red hair became vibrant, and my eyes took on a sparkle they’ve never had before. I guess I can’t complain about that part. It’s other parts of what I am that give me issue.

My nose curls as I enter the alleyway. I can smell the week’s old garbage in the dumpster at the far end. My prey is holding to the wall with one hand, his junk in the other, as he takes a piss. I roll my eyes at the way he stumbles around, whizzing on his own boots. Finally, though, he looks up, seeing me watching him.

You like what you see, baby girl, he calls out giving his little pecker a shake in my direction.

My immediate reaction is to tell him there’s nothing to see, but I don’t want him angry. They claim the blood is better when they are calm. Instead, I slap on my best fake smile and strut my way toward him.

I guess you do, he smirks as he straightens himself and waits for me to make my way to him. What’s your name, baby girl?

Jasmyn, I tell him as I step closer. Even I can hear the sexy purr in my voice. It’s natural now. Before I was turned, I sounded like a yelping cat when I tried to be sexy.

Well, Jasmyn, I can give you a good time if that’s what you’re after.

I glance down, seeing his little thing has already hardened. Poor guy, if that’s all he has to offer a girl no wonder he’s drunk. I’d be drinking too if I was a man with a baby dick. That sounds like a plan, I whisper as I reach out, running my hands up his chest to his shoulders. I push him back against the wall playfully, trying to keep the fear from setting in.

Oh, you like to be in charge, huh? Have at it, baby. I’m all yours.

His words are the welcome I need. Without hesitation, I open my mouth wide, revealing my fangs. They throb from the need coursing through me.

Fuck, hold up a minute, he yammers out as he pushes me away from him quickly.

For a minute, I think he notices what I am. I’m wrong though, majorly wrong. Instead, he doubles over and starts puking on my new high-heel boots.

Sorry, he announces after he spills his guts. He throws himself back against the wall, obviously expecting me to still be in the mood. His head bounces off it like a basketball and a familiar smell assaults my senses. Fuck, he mumbles as he reaches around to check the wound.

I take a step back, already feeling the unease set in. When he pulls his hand away, it’s covered in his own blood.

I rush back even farther, trying my best not to let the sight unnerve me. I need to feed. The hunger is killing me. I can’t though, it’s not possible. Just the sight, the look of the blood, it’s too much.

What’s wrong, baby? he asks holding his hand out toward me. It’s just a little blood.

I’m done. Yep, being a vampire who can’t stand the sight of blood is not the way to go in this new life I’m leading, I think as I feel the weakness in my legs and the world turns black around me.

I FEEL SOMETHING HIT my face, hard. Automatically, I snarl, upset someone is being so rough.

Don’t pull that shit with me, I hear a voice demand. Get your ass up. Now. You can’t be out here in this alley at daybreak.

My eyes flutter open, and I see a woman staring down at me. Her eyes are the same crystal blue as mine. Her lips are stained red. I can even see the tip of her fangs barely peeping out over her bottom lip.

What happened? I ask.

You passed the hell out, she scolds as she pulls me up just a bit. What? You’re a vampire who can’t handle blood? Seriously?

I pull myself the rest of the way up, then give her a go to hell look. What’s it to you?

Nothing. I mean honestly, it’s just more for me, but you’re young. Have you ever fed?

Just the first night. Since then, no.

How long have you been one of us?

Almost a year, I tell her then shake my head. I’m assuming I’ll keel over eventually, right?

Waste away, she explains. Your body will just dry up like an old leaf or something.

Great, I have that to look forward to.

I can see by the look in her eyes she feels sorry for me. I can’t say I’m a fan of the expression, but if she can help me, I’ll take it.

I’ll get you something tonight. Hell, I’ll put it in a cup or something, so you don’t have to look at it.

I can’t stop the smile that lights my face. I’ve thought about doing it this way before, but passing out every time I look at the blood doesn’t make putting it in the cup easy.

After that, you need some help. Real help, she says as she stands and reaches in her pocket. This place helped me. I had some issues myself when I first turned. It’s only open at night, so you’ll be fine. Tell them Tara sent you.

I take the card and laugh at what it says. Coming Out Monster, really?

Trust me. You’ll thank me in the end, she chuckles as she gets to her feet. Now, let me find that guy with his cock out. He doesn’t deserve to roam the streets with that little dick.

IT’S TAKEN ME DAYS but enough is enough. Tara, the vamp I met a few nights ago, kept raving about this place while I downed the cups of blood she brought to me. It took her awhile to find a straw I couldn’t see through but eventually, I finally fed. I don’t want to go back to feeling shitty like I did before baby dick gave me the sustenance I’ve been needing.

The building isn’t anything special. It’s brick with a couple of windows out front. The only signage I see simply says, Therapy.

Seriously? This can’t be real, I say to myself as I feel someone run into me from behind.

Sorry about that, he says quickly, then starts past me. You new?

Uhm, well, I don’t know.

You’re a vampire, that much I can tell, but what’s your issue?

That’s none of your business, I tell him before catching his scent. I’ve never encountered something like him before. What are you?

A Wendigo, he smiles then drops his head nervously. And you better hurry if you’re coming to group. They don’t like waiting around. Punctuality is important, he adds before heading through the green set of double doors.

I shrug my shoulders. What the hell, I sigh. It’s not like I have anything to lose.

Chapter Two

Morgan H. Flutterby, Psy D, LMFT, former fairy princess and, later, circus freak

E veryone settle down ! We can’t be making introductions until the yammering stops. Don’t give our new friend a bad impression, I say, trying not to roll my eyes. Pulling my wings tight to my back and wishing my hoodie wasn’t so loose, I smile at the group as my clients—monsters and freaks—take their seats.

After a decade of the same old midnight group therapy, it never fails to fascinate me how much seating reveals. Like a fortune teller’s crystal ball or even tarot cards, where my monsters land is always step one on my compass to treatment plans.

Jasmyn, the new girl, of course, plops in the only empty seat by me. I wonder how long it will last and what Mason—our resident, socially awkward ghost—thinks of that. Mason, who still hasn’t had the courage to appear to us, will later gripe to me about being sat on. They’ve become as predictable to me as my own quirks and mannerisms—things I’ve learned to hide from them only to keep the group moving.

Still standing, I extend my hand to Jasmyn, who drops her hand from her mouth to shake it. Her grip tells me nothing—not too limp, not too firm. Welcome to Coming Out Monster, I say, pulling my hand back and taking my seat.

I spend the next ten minutes acclimating our newest group member to the dynamics. Running through the basic rules—treating others with respect, only offering feedback when asked, etcetera—I can’t help but wonder what her problem is. Normally, I can pick it up immediately. If I had to guess, she’s a vampire. The way she carries herself, how she has not once parted her lips, and the tightness of her skin tell me this. But I don’t ask. It will come out when she’s ready. Rule 48.

Okay, with that out of the way, who’d like to check-in first today? Brenda? Any luck with the curse?

Witchy Brenda, who never speaks first and has been working on her confidence, smiles shyly.

Um. Okay. I guess, she says. I can go first, I mean. Not the curse. The curse is going horribly. I can’t seem to get it. And it’s not memorizing it. It’s the whole concept of—

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Joe sliding out of