"I don't want to be here," Melissa said.

He took the gun out of his pocket, making sure the barrel remained pointed at the ground. "Here, take it."

She shook her head.

"Okay." He put the gun back into his pocket. "Just stay where you are. I'm going over to him, and when you feel comfortable, you can join us. If you don't feel comfortable, we'll go home and try again some other time."

"Let's try again some other time."

He smiled and gave her a quick kiss, then slowly walked toward Owen. "How've you been, buddy? This is my friend that I've told you all about. She's beautiful, isn't she? She's really wanted to meet you, and I think you two are going to get along great."

"Toby, be careful!"

"I am, don't worry." He returned his attention to Owen. "See, Owen, you probably thought I was making her up, didn't you? You thought Melissa was a fictional character. I had to drag her all the way out here through the snow to prove to you that she existed."

He stood right in front of Owen. Owen gave him a big hug.

"Yeah, I missed you, too."

"He's hugging you," said Melissa.

"Yep, he does it all the time. He's pretty affectionate for such a horrific monster."

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"Positive. Owen, show Melissa how you feel about people who I care about. Care. Show her care."

Owen balled his fists together and put them over his heart.

"That's right. And who's your best friend?"

"Toby."

Melissa gasped. "He talks!"

"Kind of. Not really. That's pretty much his whole vocabulary. But we're working on other stuff. I tried to teach him to say Melissa Melissa, but it hasn't worked yet. Owen, can you say Melissa Melissa? Melissa Melissa?"

Owen gave him a thumbs-down sign.

"Try it. Melissa. Melissa."

No.

"That's okay. It's not your fault, is it?" He looked back at Melissa. "I think he likes you."

"How can you even tell?"

"Oh, I can read him pretty well. You like Melissa, right? Do you like Melissa?"

Yes.

"See?"

"That's incredible," Melissa said. "You taught him that?"

"Yeah. It's been slow, but it helped that I didn't have any other friends. He doesn't learn new signs that well anymore. I think his brain is full. Is your brain full, Owen? Do you have a full brain?"

"I can't believe it. This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

"You don't want to miss out on your chance to pet a monster, do you?" Toby asked.

"No. Actually, I don't."

She slowly walked over to join them.

CHAPTER F FOURTEEN.

"Don't freak out if he hugs you," Toby warned.

"I guarantee you I'll freak out if that happens."

With about ten feet separating them, she hesitated.

"It's okay," said Toby. "He's totally calm, see?"

Melissa took several deep breaths, the cold air misting in front of her face, and then walked over to them.

"Melissa, this is Owen. Owen, this is Melissa."

"Can he understand you?"

"Yeah, some of it." He gave Owen the friend friend signal, and Owen did the same. signal, and Owen did the same.

"Have you told anybody else?"

"No. You're the first ever."

"And when did you meet him?"

"It depends when you start keeping track. But talk to him instead of me-I think you're confusing him."

"Hello, Owen." Her voice was quivering, but she didn't look as if she were going to lose control.

Owen placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, shit."

"It's okay. He won't hurt you."

"His claws are huge."

"So are your fingernails. You're kindred spirits."

"We need to go now."

Toby nodded. "That's fine. Owen, let go."

After a moment of apparent indecision, Owen removed his hand from Melissa's shoulder, and then lowered his head.

"He wants you to pet him."

"I can't."

"You don't have to."

Melissa clenched and unclenched her fists several times, and then removed one of her gloves and stroked the top of Owen's head. He let out a soft, contented growl.

She slid her hand over his hairless cheek. "It feels weird."

"Well, he's a monster."

"No, I mean it feels almost like a human. I didn't think it would be this soft."

"He's cuddly."

"Yeah."

"He really likes you."

"I can't believe I'm doing this."

"It's cool, right?"

Owen smiled, showing off all of his teeth.

Melissa flinched in terror, scraping her fingernails across his cheek.

Owen grabbed her arm.

"Tell him to let me go," she said, her voice rising in panic.

"Owen, let her go."

"Let go go!" She pulled her arm away before Owen had a chance to release her.

"It's okay, it's okay," Toby insisted. "Everything's fine, right, Owen?"

Owen signed: Hurt. Hurt.

"I know, but she's your friend. Tell her that she's your friend. Friend, Owen. She's my friend, and she's your friend."

Owen signed: Friend hurt. Friend hurt.

"She didn't mean it. She just got scared. Show her that you're still friends."

After a moment of hesitation, Owen reached out his enormous arms to give Melissa a hug. She shrieked and slashed her hand across his face. This time her fingernail scraped his eye.

Owen howled in pain as Melissa pulled away from him.

Toby screamed, "You hurt him!"

Owen lashed out, his claw smacking the side of Melissa's head. She cried out and fell down into the snow.

"No! Owen, stop it!" Toby reached into his jacket pocket, fumbling around for the gun. "Just stop!"

Owen growled, the loudest, most ferocious growl Toby had ever heard from him.

"Get him away from me!" Melissa screamed.

Toby pulled out the gun and pointed it at Owen, who squealed in fright and covered his face with his hands.

"Get out of here," Toby told Melissa. "Just go!"

Melissa got up and ran.

Owen moved his hands away from his face. Blood trickled down his cheek. He howled in misery, and then lunged forward and slashed Toby across the chest, his talons ripping through Toby's jacket, exposing the cotton insulation.

Toby pulled the trigger.

Blood sprayed from Owen's arm. The monster howled again and dropped to his knees.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" What had he done? How could he shoot his best friend? What kind of horrible, heartless person was he?

Owen looked enraged. Animalistic.

Toby ran after Melissa, calling her name. He'd been so stupid. This could never have worked. What sort of lunatic brought his girlfriend out into the forest to meet a goddamn monster with jaws?

Movement behind him. Coming fast.

The impact knocked him to the ground, landing facefirst in the snow. Owen's claws dug into his back. He cried out, barely feeling the pain but knowing that all ten talons pierced his skin. He deserved it, but didn't want to die.

Owen withdrew his talons, then raced ahead.