Back in her bedroom, Netta had been working at packing everything that she would need for the trip home.

After deciding that she had nearly finished with the essentials, she had to figure out what to do with the stuff that she could never abandon. There were some items that could never end up in a pawn shop when her roommate would inevitably decide to dig through whatever she had left for money. Worse yet, if he discovered even a hint of the importance of what she had, she could not risk some of her belongings ending up on some Cryptozoology forum on the internet. Probably in one that she frequented.

Fucking humans.

Wondering where it could have gone to, she turned to glance around the room, hoping to find the familiar red-bound spine of the one book she most needed to take.

And then she saw Ashwood, sitting on the back of her desk's chair as though the creature did not weigh a thing. In Its hands was a large, heavy book that It seemed to be reading intently.

Feeling cross - among other things - Netta stomped up to the creature and glared.

It raised Its finger - wait - and lowered that finger to hold Its place on the page. The creature raised Its head, blinking, nonplussed, at her.

"Can I help you? I'm trying to read."

Netta reached forward, took her book back. Before closing it however, she looked down and saw the opened entry in Namoiah Cloister's rare, first print run of The Din of the Natural World, a Bestiary which contained detailed information regarding the many known Monsters of the world. The entry that Ash had been reading - or pretending to - was the entry of the Deep King. Or, more colloquially know, the Traitor King.

Even better known to most Witches and even Monsters as a great big, fat urban legend, even among a world of magic.

"Cute, real cute," Netta muttered, shutting the entry on the famous drawing of the huge, horned beast man in his caped and crowned regalia.

Always a bit much, she had long held in her opinion of that character.

Ash raised Its hands up. Oh well. "Got everything you need for our roadtrip?"

And then it hit Netta. First came the realization that she would be trapped, with no other recourse to make Ashwood go away in a confined space. Not for less than twenty hours, at least.

Second came the sudden, guilt-inducing knowledge that she had forgotten someone.

Digging in her pocket, Netta's hand resurfaced with her clamshell phone and hurriedly called her most frequently called number, paused, then deciding against it, ended the call and sent a text message instead. She didn't trust how her voice sounded then and wasn't entirely sure how she could spin what she would have to tell if pressed to explain.

After she had hit the SEND button, she was aware that Ash had been looking over her shoulder the whole time when Its voice spoke clearly in her ear. ""Gotta go out of town for a week - see you when I come back." You know; I don't know why I never pegged you as a social butterfly, but I suppose, well - even you find people to talk to, share a donut with -"

Netta shut her eyes, dreading what she had to say. "It's my boyfriend, Wallace. I don't want him to consider breaking up with me just because I'm disappearing off the face of the Ear-"

"You have a human pet?" The snarling in Its voice threw Netta off, and she leaped away from It, turning around to see how the handsome, un-human man had hunched over slightly.

In a moment, however, the look - and posture - was gone.

The creature cleared Its throat, raising a hand up to smooth back Its thick, fashionable hair. "My apologies," It laughed, and it sounded - almost - easy-going, carefree. "I was just thrown off there. Did you just say that you have a boyfriend?" It tilted Its head to the side. The purples of the creature's eyes, for a moment, seemed to change.

If she did not know what Its eyes naturally looked like, she might have mistaken them momentarily for brown.

Netta slowly put the phone back in her coat pocket and felt, for a moment, real fear. Knowing that there was no way that It could do anything to her, she nevertheless saw what seemed to be an attempt on Its part to tamp down some seething rage. She remembered, then, moments when the creature's insistence that she take him had grown more primal - in an ungentle, aggressive way.

"Okay," Netta forced herself to stay calm. She put the phone down and had grabbed the clothes that she had picked out to wear and made for the door.

Why was her pulse beating such a heavy rhythm in her throat - she did not seriously think that Ash was capable of hurting her -

Was she?

She had more than enough time for a shower, based on her travel plans that she had made on her phone during the ride home. Grabbing a towel and taking some clothes, she tried to walk past Ash, but was stopped when the creature reached out to stop her.

"Hey - taking a shower already?" It smiled dazzlingly at her, quirking an eyebrow - apparently, her earlier reveal of having a "human pet" was forgotten. "You can wait to do that - after we're finished."

Netta took Its hands off of her shoulders and continued for the door. "You stay here - I'll be back in ten minutes. Or, wait, make that twenty. And I mean it - stay here." She could really use a soak - and a period to think about how she would have to deal with Ash for the next - well, surely less than nineteen hours at this point?

She didn't give Ash a chance to argue with her - she walked into the bathroom and started the shower up.

It was after she had begun the shower when she heard the terse banging on the bathroom door.

Bristling at the thought of Ash demanding to be let in, she stuck her head out of the shower and yelled, "I don't have time for this, asshole, let me relax!" She had returned to the shower, yanking the shower curtain back in place.

The banging on the door intensify.

Annoyed, Netta turned off the tap and wrapped herself up as best as she could in her towel. She walked to the bathroom door. Throwing the door open, she was ready to tell Ash exactly what she thought of him.

Standing in front of the doorway was not the creature, but rather her roommate, Curtis.

He was obviously surprised to see her in the shape that she was in.

"I - ah, I was wanting to apologize for you having to, erm, see that..." Curtis looked up and rubbed at the back of his brown hair for a moment before he continued. "I know we promised no sex in the communal, but Sierra's real kinky -"

It took Netta some time to even consider what it was that he could possibly be referring to. Then she recalled the day before, when she had found the pothead and his new girlfriend, with her riding him on the living room couch.

She had been wearing Netta's silk robe. The same robe that she had gotten as a birthday present, back when Japanese goods, once upon a time, had been next to impossible to procure. Importation laws and the like.

"Don't bother," Netta said, prepared to shut the door in his face. "it won't matter soon, anyway."

She regretted saying that as soon as she did.

Curtis reached forward and caught the door before she could shut it.

He scoffed. "You're not trying to say that you're going to leave because you saw me having sex, are you? You can't be that mad about the - her borrowing your robe -"

Netta was prepared to answer that when the sound of her bedroom door opening drew both of their attention.

Curtis looked at the door, and it took her a stupidly long moment to come to the full realization that he could not see the taller, blond man in her doorway.

Curtis turned to look back at her. In spite of his chuckle, she could see the fear behind his eyes. "You hear that?"

Ash grinned. "This the guy you were talking about from before? This your boyfriend?"

Netta looked at Ash, then back at Curtis. She became all too aware, all at once, that she was wet and wearing nothing but a towel.

She pulled that towel closer to herself, clenched her eyes shut, and said, "I have to go visit my family out of state. I don't know when I'm going to come back, but..." She saw the confused look on Curtis' face. All of a sudden, she was overcome with the sudden urge to explain what she had planned.

Like going cross-country, to the barren land of cactus flowers because she got a business card in the mail. A sign that seemed to suggest that it was time to, if for a brief moment, stop pretending to be normal.

Instead of saying any of that, Netta clenched her mouth tight, then grabbed onto the door, and before she slammed it shut, she said, "If I'm coming back, I'll be back in two weeks at most."

As she slammed the door, she heard Curtis crying out, "But - what about the rent?"

She didn't know why she failed to expect the tableau on her bed when she got back in her room. She stood corrected, if she had ever made the mistake of thinking that Ash was made of a single shred of decency.

Upon entering the room, she saw the creature reclined on her too-small bed, wearing only what looked like - satin black briefs?

Is this really what he thought, even for a moment, what I wanted to see - deal with - after the day that I had just gone through?

"Agh," Netta groaned, completing her head's transformation with her wet hair encased in a towel. "think of the children. Put your modesty back on."

When she raised her head, Netta was treated to the sight of Ash smiling broadly at her, still reclined on the bed.

He spoke lazily, in a smoked, lush voice. "You know, it occurred to me that you haven't seen me in the nude for a good, long while, since you went to the trouble of banishing me. Again."

She really shouldn't be capable of blushing any longer at what Ash did, but nevertheless she did. "I - that doesn't stop you from filling my dreams with you in delecto." Why did she mention them?

For one thing, it wasn't as though she ever remembered them - whatever it was exactly that happened in them once she awoke. Save, perhaps, for roused emotions that were shockingly potent. Still, if she could go without talking about them with him, she thought it possible that she could be content enough in his presence.

Ash stared her down. After a pause, the hand that was not holding its neck traveled down to push Its briefs away from skin, smacking against Its skin with a rubber band's snap.

"We could acquaint ourselves with each other in a way that I know you would just adore. I mean, based on the way that you feel when you wake up from our nice dreams together."

The smile that tugged, knowingly, at Its mouth burned Netta in anger. Ash continued, saying, "Plus - I don't think that I need to remind you that all you need to do is give in. Just - give in - and then we can finally see what kind of magic you're made of, finally." It licked Its lips and, in one swift movement, the creature wrenched himself up, then down on the bed in a writhing movement.

The bed leaped, then slammed down.

Netta rushed the few feet that separated her and the bed. "Stop that!" She did not really ever think that Curtis was intelligent enough to figure out that she was not of the fully human persuasion. Nevertheless, she feared answering questions, loathed having to come up with answers.

She discovered her mistake too late as she was pulled across the creature's chest. Splayed out, Netta tried to wrench herself loose, only to feel Its grip, gentle.

Netta felt the breath fail to stir in her lungs. A hand crept up behind her head, pushed her so that her face was resting in the curve of Its neck, her chin pressed to Its collar bone. The creature's chest expanded and she heard as It took in a deep intake of breath.

Ash breathed in her ear, Its voice containing that rough quality to it that it always had when the creature spoke softly.

"Oh, all of the times that I could have held you, pushed you past your breaking point. I could have forced you into an insane asylum a hundred times before now - have you acting erratically in front of Them, the humans. Pushing away phantom hands, have you acting in that indignant way to nobody after I tell you what I would like nothing more than to do to you -"

When It finished abruptly, sweeping a burningly hot tongue against the conch-like ridge of her outer ear, Netta jumped.

"You won't be able to hold onto me like this forever," Netta said, trying to make herself feel triumphant in that knowledge.

What she was actually feeling was an unforgotten burst of recognition that rang like a bell, deep inside of the confines of her subconscious.

It said nothing at first, then said, "No, I cannot.

As soon as the creature's power waned, Netta pushed back, rushing to her feet.

Huffing and trying to straighten her clothing, Netta looked away from the false man splayed out on the bed.

She did not look away before she saw the changed state of how Its underwear pulled away from the crotch in a strained tent.

Finally, she managed to say, "Enough of that. I don't even know what to do if Curtis somehow manages to - if he finds out that I'm -"

Ash rolled Its eyes, then cut her off. "You're adapting to the humans. We've talked about this before, Lovely, if anyone needs to adapt, then it's the vulgarly unmagical."

Netta sighed, feeling an aneurysm coming on. "When was this conversation? Twenty, thirty years ago?"

Ash smiled smugly, relaxed further on Its back. The creature's feet had to dangle off of the edge of the bed, making the bed look like a kids' cot. "Eleven years, seven months and two days ago. The meet-up for coffee that ended in me going in for a kiss and you looking like a crazy woman when you fled the shop."

"You memorize all of that, don't you?" Netta felt a sudden pang of something unexpected - empathy?

Ash frowned. "Why wouldn't I? The only part of my life happens to be you."

Why couldn't this creature be this fixated on someone - anyone - else?

Relieved It could not read her mind, Netta set about acting as though the half-naked, aroused Monster in the bed was not there. The whole situation gave her an understandable feeling of deja vu.

Netta tried to bluster beneath a flurry of pulling her outer winter clothes on. Not able to locate her scarf, she tried to take a last moment to look for it. She tried to make quick work of bending to peer underneath the bed, and when she bent up, she realized that the man that had been reclining on her bed was no longer there.

She discovered where he was a moment later, when a lean arm reached around her stomach, lifting her up to raise her onto the bed. As he placed her on the bed, bent ever so slightly, he pressed his head to the back of her head. In a breath, the towel that wrapped her hair up dropped to the ground like a dried flower petal. He did not need to touch it, as it unwrapped itself smoothly and quickly from her hair.

She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, feeling as he buried his face against the mass of her hair at the nape of her neck.

When that moment ended, she brought her right elbow back, hard, feeling it connect with his chest. Although not particularly physically imposing in this form, when she felt her elbow connect, it was plenty enough to make her relieved that she could fend It off.

The presence behind her left, reappearing facing her on the bed. Back on the bed with Its legs folded and hands balancing so that It leaned forward, Ash's head was head bent down so that he was looking into her eyes. She could smell Its breath - forcing her mouth shut so that she did not take in an overwhelming dose of those glamor pheromones thatIt breathed - would prove disastrous if she overdosed on.

"Harsh, don't you think?" The creature blinked at her, an enraging look of innocence on his face.

At that moment, hearing that voice that she had long tied to an older-looking male with a harsh face, his voice sounded in his new form, she decided then, ill-fitting.

Its voice sounded coaxing, purring. "You know, learning what you like - when to press forward, when to play it coy - is the true mark of my abilities as a man. And you don't make it easy." The creature lickedIts full lips, smirking.

Netta ignored the Monster, pulling away from the bed, hoping that her every emotion wasn't on her face, in spite of her attempt at hiding them.

"What are you doing right now, Lovely?" It asked in a lazy voice.

"Getting packed."

Netta pulled on an unmatching set of socks and shoved her feet into the set of sneakers that she had worn to death. She was beginning to look for her scarf one last time when she was stopped suddenly by Ash, grabbing a hold of one of her hands.

"Now might be a good time to have whatever conversation you were planning on with me. Whatever ultimatum that you think you have over me."

"Oh, right." Netta had tricked herself into saving that bit - the worst bit - for last. Sighing, she looked up into Ash's vivid eyes. "We've been... sorta friends for closing in on a hundred years now, but I think that I can't be the only one who thinks that it's been a long time coming. We've been involved in whatever this relationship is and nothing's happened for decades upon decades. I need you to agree to leave me alone - find some legitimately pretty young thing to fuck their life up, because I need to go back to the Homestead." She added, then, horrified for a moment for having forgotten about him, "And - I'm dating someone now. I know I promised you - a long time ago - but I - I don't think I can keep this up."

She had to look away from him then - even with those different eyes looking back at her, she was, overwhelmingly, aware of the fact that she was talking to her old, old friend, no matter what he turned out to be. And now...

There was hardly a moment of hesitation before he answered, "You'll have to kill me before I agree to leave your side. If it was my choice, I mean." Gone from his voice was the playfulness, the banter. Now there was only something cold, but in it, passion, truth that was unbending, unyielding, even to sense.

Netta's back knotted up, tensed headily. "You know that I can make that happen, don't you?" She had to dig her hand into the fabric of the socks that she was holding to stop her shaking from being visible to this predatory man.

Ash laughed - a sound, not of cold cruelty or with any tinge of hollowness to it. "Lovely, we both know that you never got that far in your dealings with magic to hold that much power in your stead, and besides, knowing you, if you tried that sort of antic, it would just blow up in your face. No - the best you can do is banish, and then wait for me to find you. And I always will, always - have." The creature leaned forward, surprising Netta with the sensation of Its long fingers on her face. It was an unwanted caress, lied as itspoke of tender intimacy.

A frisson of anger shot through her as she met Ash's eyes. She reached up, took that hand - almost overwhelmingly warm, long-fingered - and threw it off.

She took a moment before she spoke, choosing what she had to say carefully. "I don't want to destroy you, but I can assure you that I don't have to ask even all that nicely for one of my Sisters to take care of you for me. For now I am content simply with banishing you again."

For even dragons should have a right to exist in this world. Even if they, on occasion, killed.

A sarcastic smile came onto Ash's face. "You mean to tell me that you would want one of those harpies to take care of your problems for you?" The creature rubbed at Its perfect chin for a moment, feigning deep thought. "Mmm. I seem to recall a young witch telling her mother that she would rather beg for help from a clergymember to get rid of her powers than to come crawling back..."

Netta tore away from him.

She decide that she did not care what else she had left in the room - or if it would even be there when she finally did get back.

She was about to walk out of the room when Ash appeared in her way just as her hand was reaching out to the door. Her hand brushed against Its chest.

"Now, Lovely, don't do anything drastic -"

"Out of my way. Now." Netta drew her hand back, as though burned.

"Me? I'm doing nothing of the sort." Ash crossed Its arms over Its chest, settling his legs further apart.

Netta had to stop herself from stamping her feet on the ground in sheer frustration. "Yes you are. Please, step aside so that I can get moving -"

Ash laughed. "In what? A blizzard?"

"What are you talking abou-" Netta, feeling at first that the crreature had to be deceiving her, nevertheless turned. When she turned, she was astounded by the sight of the moving wall of dark white that poured past the window outside.

She dropped what she was holdingto turn, staring fully at her uncovered window. She walked towards it and looked out of it in disbelief.

It looked outside as though the building, and the street below it, had been encased in a thick but loose layer of writhing cotton. As she payed attention to it, she could hear the dull rumbling of the wind tossing snow against the wall. The cold pouring off of the window pane seemed to seep into her bones.

Staring out at the window in disbelief, Netta said, "You did this, didn't you?"

"What?" That bark of patronizing laughter was an extra layer of ice on Netta's skin. "You think that I'm capable of - that? That would be more in one of your Sisters' wheelhouse and you know it." Ash leaned back against her door, Its arms crossed, a patronizing smirk on Its face. "How do I know that this isn't some cheeky scheme to get out of having to come up with some reasonable means of getting me to spend the night pleasuring you?"

When It reached down to trail Its index finger down Its smooth chest, she got a sudden reminder that Ash was close to naked.

Netta paused, closing her eyes. "Okay. So - the weather's taken a turn." She clacked her jaw, took a moment to think of what to do next. "I won't - the bus I bought a ticket for - I need - I need to get going, maybe, because it might get worse shortly, and the weather might be better out of the city-"

Gone was the seductive burr beneath Ash's voice, replaced by a serious tone. "Don't joke with me about going back out into that, Netta," It said, arms crossing. "You go out there and you're going to end up with me having to rescue you, if I feel up to saving you."

Netta moaned. "I don't have time for this -"

"Why are you in such a rush to leave? Just what do you need to go back for that it's worth risking a blizzard for?"

She looked up at the Monster, licked her lips slowly, nervously. Her heart felt like it was beating a thumping rhythm that she might as well name after its cause - Ashwood - and reached down to pick up her phone. She flicked to the clock app, stared at the timer that she had set.

It read, twelve hours, twenty-nine minutes. Damn herself later for it, but she saw that she had gotten a message from Wallace and she ignored it.

"What are you looking at?"Ash asked it lazily, a slow smile on Its lifting face.

Even though it was a foul idea to, she could not stop herself from saying, "I have a timer. Once it goes off, I'm going to banish you. Again." She bent down, picked her luggage back up. "And I'll do it on the road."

Ash crossed Its arms and shook Its head, that smile only spreading further on its face. "But you're going to have to spend a night with me first, aren't you? No matter where you are..."

Netta stared at It, clutching the phone to her chest as though it were her last chance - a saving grace that she had to protect.

"Not if I don't fall asleep. Then you can't influence me, can you?"

Ash stared at her, unblinking. Finally, Its lips parted slightly, then It said, "I can influence you plenty awake, unless you forget."