Read Online Object of My Affection by Tracey H. Kitts - Free Book Online Page A

brilliantly covered up by the people in charge, but people like Richard knew the truth. People who knew the truth had a way of disappearing. Like another professor who had been forced into an early retirement when he tried to make the issue public.
    Mallory Monroe had been one of the people who did her best to keep a diploma from ever reaching Lisa Johnson. Lisa had already been through two schools where they tried their best to ruin her reputation among the other teachers before she even began work before finding her way to the quiet little school where she was currently teaching.
    “Sure, I remember Lisa,” I answered.
    “Well, I have it from a very reliable source that Mallory is spreading that I’m having an affair with Lisa!” his voice kept rising in pitch.
    I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just stared at him open mouthed.
    “Yeah, that’s right,” he continued. “I’m doing all my students and my former students, too.”
    “Richard, I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be. Just being able to get this all off my chest is a big help,” he said this just before taking a massive gulp of his coke and rum.
    “You might want something stronger than that,” he pointed at my water.
    “Why?”
    “Because now they’re saying that I’m sleeping with you, too.”
    “What?”
    I could hear my heart pounding in my ears as my pulse raced with the injustice of it all.
    “It’s not enough that these simple minded bastards around here are saying I’m screwing everyone that I speak to? Now some jackass has to start something like this!” I roared.
    I began to pace beside the kitchen table. If there was anything I hated more than ignorant people, it was ignorant people who didn’t know how to shut their mouths. I had never liked Mallory Monroe. Indeed, I didn’t like anyone Richard worked with, from the moron in charge, to the slutty secretary that was banging the entire faculty except Richard.
    My blood pressure’s upward climb halted for a second when I looked back at Richard. He had gone a deathly shade of pale and his eyes were wide.
    “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
    “It ... a ... your, um ... your eyes. It’s your ... your eyes,”
    he stammered.
    In the six years I had known Richard Stacey it had never occurred to me that he hadn’t seen me change. Although my transformation was only partial, it was still frightening to someone who was not used to seeing anything along those lines.
    “I’m sorry,” I turned my head and made an effort to slow my heartbeat. I felt the burning behind my eyes begin to cool before I faced him again.
    “I didn’t mean to frighten you,” I whispered.
    “You didn’t, I mean ... well, yeah you did. But that’s ok,”
    he added the last part quickly. “I knew about ... everything ...
    I just.... “He gulped.
    “It’s alright, Richard. I’m not going to eat you,” I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice.
    “I’m not afraid of you,” his voice sounded stronger and very clear.
    I looked him in the eye.
    “I’m a monster, Richard. What do you think of that?”
    “I think I work with the real monsters. You’re just Lilith to me.”
    “You really mean that?”
    “Of course. How long have we known each other? I knew what had happened to you. It’s just ... this was the first time I’ve ever seen wolf eyes in your face. I didn’t grow up with a dad who hunted werewolves, remember?”
    He had a very good point.
    “I’m sorry. Under the circumstances, I’d say you handled that quite well. But the question is, do you want to see something really scary?”
    He gulped again. “Like what?”
    Richard was both a scientist and a self confessed comic book nerd. I knew if anyone would appreciate the unusualness of my situation, it would be him.
    “You’re a scientist, what do you make of this?”
    As I stretched my right hand across the table toward Richard, I let my claws extend to their full length. They were at least six inches