Monster House

By J. M. Jordan

  Isadora 'Isa' Vargas is a young orphan trying to make sense of her unique abilities that include heightened senses and immense strength. At school, she is the brunt of kids' jokes and cruel teasing, and also the distrust of the teachers and other parents around her. As she grows, her appearance changes—she still looks mostly human, but not completely.

    By the time she is eighteen, and has faced many challenges in her unusual life, Isa meets a pair of beautiful twins who can see she is different, just like them, and they tell her about the Monster House. They promise her answers, ones she has been seeking her whole life, but more than that, they promise her a safe house after graduation, a place where she can truly be herself.

  On the card given to her by the twins she notices the words—No Humans Allowed—and all the doubt she fought to push into the back of her mind rears its ugly head again as she realizes she is NOT human.

  Isa falls in love with a disproportional monster named Mordecai and she finally feels accepted and cared for, her life traveling a new and happy path. But she knows she is still a danger magnet, risking her own life in order to keep any sense of normalcy.

  Will she learn the truth of her origins? Or will she put herself in harm's way, trying to hide her true nature?

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. M. Jordan
• Release date: Jan 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201353544

J. M. Jordan

J. M. Jordan is a California native with a passion for cryptids. Jordan, an animal lover and foodie at heart, began her experience in writing at eight years old and is now taking the next step in her career to become a published author. Jordan writes passionate paranormal romances set in contemporary novels. Shapeshifters, zombies, witches, and merpeople are just some of the things Jordan has written about. 

Book preview

Prologue

It was a warm summer night and a young woman with jet black hair danced the night away at a packed nightclub. She swayed and moved, dipping her hips to the song blasting through the speakers. She felt someone brush past her and her gaze snapped to his. His eyes were like ice against rich, dark skin. His hair was cut into a neat fade and as her eyes drifted down to his lips, he flashed a perfect smile that threw off her rhythm. The man’s gaze softened into amusement, and she desperately tried to catch the beat before embarrassment could set in.

The man stepped forward, moving coolly to the song, and got so close she could smell his cologne. He asked, Care to dance?

His voice tickled her ear and her hands found his. They danced, they embraced, they kissed.

The woman with the jet black hair found herself in a cab with the man giggling about the night. Then she was clutching his solid shoulders as he lifted her off her feet. Her heels slid off and hit the soft carpet of his apartment. What’s your name? she asked breathlessly, holding his icy gaze. His hands held her rear, and he carried her as if she were weightless.

Gabe, he said with a deep breath, almost as if he was sniffing her. And yours? he asked and drew closer.

Alex, she said with hooded eyes, and she was ready to taste him again. He laid her onto the bed, and they entwined their bodies that night.

Alex saw Gabe exactly twice after their first night together. On the last night she would ever see him again, he was cold. She found him walking fast through town, and she quickly jogged to catch up. Hey, Gabe, she said with a bright smile and was met with only some interest. He sniffed in her direction and wrinkled his nose. What? she snapped, growing upset. She didn’t smell.

Alex– Gabe hesitated and for a moment he appeared sad, but it was only a moment. I’m sorry, he said, turning away from her, but paused and added, goodbye, before he left. He just... left.

Alex stood there, shocked and hurt. She hardly knew the guy, but they had shared so much in such a short time. Bye... she said barely above a whisper and kicked at the sidewalk. Whatever. He was just another hot man in a sea of hot men.

Months passed and Alex found herself pregnant. When she made any attempt to terminate the pregnancy, she couldn’t find any doctor willing to touch her. One hinted at another behind his reluctance, but that was all she got. Defeated, she sat at the edge of her mattress with a wire hanger and sighed. She tossed it aside. She’ll just leave it at the hospital. Yes, that’s what she could do. Have the baby and hand it over.

As time passed and her belly got bigger and her stomach grew sicker, she actually found that she wanted the little goblin, as she affectionately named it. ‘Maybe a baby wasn’t so bad.’ she thought as she left her apartment and made her way down the alley for work. She made it to the door for the parking garage before she fell to her knees, clutching her stomach. She gasped for air to she could scream for help, but only managed whimpers as pain tore through her. She cried and gasped. She tasted metal, and she began to choke. Blood poured from her mouth as the skin on her belly stretched and ripped. She laid in that alley looking like a grotesque flower. A baby screaming at the top of her little lungs laid in the center of the gore.

Chapter 1 

‘Alexandria Serena Vargas 23, found mutilated in an alley only 30 feet from her home. No news on who may have done this to her or her baby. The baby is healthy and unharmed after being ripped from her mother’s belly. The first responder who found the lucky girl named her Isadora. Police haven’t named any next of kin yet, but the investigation is still underway.’

Isa sat on a bench near the orphanage and watched the other kids play on the playground. She didn’t know a lot about her past; she knew that her mother was dead, her grandparents were in another country, and she had no one able to take her in. She brought a stale peanut butter and jelly sandwich to her mouth and took a bite. She was four years old, so she didn’t know she was in unusually good care at this particular orphanage. All she knew was that kids avoided her and the adults didn’t like looking at her too long. She did have striking eyes. They weren’t from her mother. She had a picture in her bag of her mother, smiling with dark brown eyes. Isa had blue eyes so bright they almost appeared white in some light.

Hey! Isa cried out as her sandwich fell from her hands. She jumped to her feet and shouted, Leave me alone! at the giggling boys. Her eyes narrowed, and they froze.

Shut up, freak! one boy called back, and another one shoved her. She sprung back and hit him, making the other kids fall silent. The boy began to cry and Isa felt her face burn. She turned and ran back into the building.

On a cool night, Isa slid out of bed. She could hear a voice that didn’t belong to the kids. She walked into the hallway cautiously and spotted a man. She froze. He peered down at her with striking blue eyes and looked shocked. He crouched down to her and, without a word, held out a box.

What’s that? she asked softly.

A gift, he said. His voice was soft and kind. Take it Isa and hold on to it, he told her as he sat the box on the ground, and then he turned to leave. She watched after him until she heard the door close and ran to snatch the box. She ran to a far corner and opened it. A gold crescent moon hung from a thin gold chain and she looked it over. She’d never had jewelry and didn’t know what to do with it. She put it back in the box and went back to her room, walking on the balls of her feet as to not wake the others. After opening her bag, she slid the box to the bottom. Isa pulled out the picture of her mother. There wasn’t any emotional attachment to her, just the knowledge that she was mom. She tucked the picture in her bag and climbed into bed.

When Isa was school age and ready to go make friends, the orphanage told her she had to leave. That, a very kind person, had paid for her to go to boarding school. She packed her few things and was led to a car with a woman. Hello Isadora, I’m Rebecca Blake, Rebecca said with a kind smile on blood-red lips.

Hi, Isa said softly, turning to look out of the window. Adults didn’t like looking into her eyes too long. Where am I going? she said, mumbling like kids did when they were uncomfortable.

We’re going into the mountains to a prestigious school, Ursa Academy, she said kindly, but none of that made sense to Isa. It’s a school you’ll live at. You’ll have a room there and be able to eat and go to class there, she said a little softer and Isa looked at her.

I can go to class? she asked, brightening, and watched Rebecca flinch. Her smile fell, and she turned back to the window. Will I see kids like me? she asked without looking.

Yes, of course, Rebecca replied, not understanding.

They arrived and ushered Isa into the building with her things. They gave her a room with another little girl the same age. Her bed was neatly made with several black and gray uniforms at the foot. Well, this is where I leave you, Rebecca sang.

Goodbye, Isa said and waved with a weak smile and this time she didn’t flinch. She looked around the room and then to the little girl, who only stared in silence. Hi, she waved. I’m Isadora, she said, and gave a small smile.

Hi Isadora, the little girl said, and a smile pulled at her lips. I’m Delilah, she said with a cheerful grin showing teeth, and Isa noticed the freckles on her cheeks. Are you in kindergarten, too? she asked, and went back to unpacking her school bag.

Yes, I think, Isa said, walking over to the other bed and following the girl’s example.

No way! You act like a big kid, she said with shock. I’m new here too. My mom said it’d be fun, she laughed and Isa watched her. She had a mom. She wasn’t an orphan like her.

Is it fun here? she asked, placing the box and her mother’s picture in a drawer. The school year had already begun, Isa would be two months behind the other students.

Delilah shrugged her shoulders. Sometimes. There are a lot of rules, she said while walking over to Isa’s side of the room to help her put her uniform away. We always wear the uniform when going to class. Always, she said in warning, and Isa nodded. Don’t talk back to adults, ever, then she took a deep breath and said, And absolutely never ever fight.

Isa crossed her arms. That’s only three rules, she said, knowing how to count all the way to one-hundred.

Three is a lot, Delilah said with a shrug of her slim shoulders.

Nuh-uh, one bajillion is a lot! Three is a little, Isa said, smiling to herself and Delilah giggled.

You’re funny, Isa, Delilah said with a smile. She ran over to her bed and pulled out a stuffed sunflower. Here, she offered Isa the flower.

It’s so pretty, Isa said as her face brightened, and she hugged the flower to her chest.

Your eyes are bright like the sky. They remind me of sunflowers, she smiled brightly again and Isa blushed. Delilah added, Keep it, with a smile, and Isa pulled her into a tight hug.

Thank you. She was so happy to be at Ursa Academy.

Chapter 2 

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