I like the premise of this story: that the monster that has lived under Janey’s bed since she was a little girl is actually real! And he has feelings, and becomes an essential friend and confidant to heroine Janey as she grows up, so much so that she is pleased when he follows her as she moves out of her parents’ house.
Rick (as Janey calls him) is still a monster, however, so he doesn’t manage his feelings well. He becomes very protective of Janey and tends to go into violent rages whenever anyone mistreats her. Over the years, Janey has learned to “soothe” him by, at first, stroking his arm; then eventually giving him hand jobs. (We can assume that she was of age before things got sexy.) What will they do next?
The premise is original (as far as I know), and the writing is pretty good, though it does fall into standard porn cliches at the moment of truth. I’m guessing Shay’s readers don’t mind that.
I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the theme of a woman preventing male violence by sexually servicing the male. While Janey is presented in this story as a willing participant, I think this is an idea that often underlies sexual violence and coercion in the “real world.” I wouldn’t want to dictate how a story should be told; but I do think it’s worth pointing out the implications of ideas when they lead in a different direction than the author probably intended.
There is another way to read this story, however. I can see Rick as an embodiment of the childlike id. He hides under the bed; he’s uncontrollable and powerful and therefore terrifying. Janey gains strength by befriending him, but struggles to control his rages, particularly when faced with male violence. If the monster represents a part of Janey, then it’s of particular interest that she manages his emotions through sex. I’m not sure where that leads us, though I imagine a psychologist or psychoanalyst would have lots to say about it.
But, I don’t suppose most readers of monster erotica care to examine such literature through a Freudian, or feminist, lens. To each her own. If you just like a story that turns a childhood fear into a fun monster romp, you won’t be disappointed.
Crea DelRand 