“Oh my gods!” A shriek flew through the air.

“What is it? Are you okay?” Panicking I lept up and wrapped by body around Eladren to pull her away.

“Hey, calm down! You’ll hurt it!” She pushed me off of her.

Hurt it? What in the world did she find?

“Aren’t you just the cutest thing?” she continued.

I looked down and saw Eladren coddling a small three eyed bat. Its fur was dark with a thicker mane around its neck. In the center of the mane it had a spot that looked a bit like a keyhole. I have to be imagining that. Its just my mind putting something familiar in the pattern. The creature was staring up at us with curious crimson eyes.

“Damn it. It must have flown into your bag by accident during the swarm,” I said. I began examining the top of the cavern looking for openings it could fly back through. “Luckily, its just a baby so if we let it go, it should find its way back to the roost easy enough without attacking us.”

“You’re mama is probably missing you, huh?” Eladren cooed at the bat rubbing her face on it. She let out a few unintelligible words while scratching its belly. An almost purring noise came out of the bat.

Did I suddenly become a ghost?

Attempting to pull the bat away from her to let it go, it revealed rows of sharp teeth and bit down on my finger.

“Oh no, you spooked it!” Eladren scolded me and looked back down at the bat. “You gotta go back home to your mama now.” It started whimpering and clinging even more to Eladren.

I’ve never seen a three eyes bat be so docile. I wonder if the key is also effecting it on some level. I thought I was the only one down here fully under the curse since he lets the other monsters out sometimes, but maybe not. My mind went back to the spot on its fur. Surely not? I’ll have to keep my eye on it, though its probably nothing. It would be too much of a risk to share with Eladren. The less she knows, the easier this would be on both of us.

“Their species doesn’t care for their young long honestly, only about a week and judging by those teeth,” I said shaking my hand and looking at the bite on my finger, “he’s about a month old. So, he’s been alone for a while.” Damn, that hurt.

“Poor baby,” Eladren said squeezing the bat close to her face. It made a pitiful cooing sound and wrapped its arms around her. “You can come with us then!”

“Nope! Not happening. You know those things get big and scary right?” I said crossing my arms and looking back at her.

“Well, you’re big and scary and I don’t mind that.”

Thump.

My heart lept in my chest and my jaw dropped. Quickly collecting myself I turned away. I could feel my face burning. Hopefully, she was too focused on the bat to notice.

“Fine then, but don’t cry to me if it mauls your face off in the middle of the night,” I said as I went back to tending the fire. If she wants to add to the risk we are already taking, that’s on her.

She didn’t mind it? What did she mean by that. Hope entered my chest. Looking back at her briefly from the flames, my cheeks became hot again. There’s no way she could be having the same confusing feelings that I am. She was just teasing me. I don’t have any right to sunlight.

For a while, I kept my gaze to the fire letting my mind get lost in the flickering dance before me.

“Hey, we’ve got to get moving soon so don’t let that thing keep you up,” I said calling out to her. No response. I looked up. She was sleeping soundly with that fuzzy bastard curled tight in her arms. Her lips formed a soft smile.

It is kind of cute.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Adult three eyed bats kind of look like vampire bats but with an extra set of actual arms and not just wings.

I also wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for over 100 subs! It means the world to me and I’m thankful for your support. I’ve got lots planned for this series. I hope you continue enjoying it!

I’m going to go cuddle my cat now who inspired our new companion <3