I hate him. That's the first thing you should know.

The second thing you should know is that he was tall, slender frame and long black hair. He had yellow eyes and he looked a little like a cat, or maybe even a snake. But just a little.

The third thing you should know is maybe the most important. The third thing you should know is that he loved me, or at least he thought he did.

The fourth and final thing you should know is that he wouldn't take no for an answer.

There are many other things, of course, small ones. Like how his eyebrows were a half-shade lighter than his hair, silver-grey instead of jet black. Like how he always smelled like smoke even though I never saw him with a cigarette. Like how his teeth were pointy, like fangs, and like how his voice was low and gravelly but he sang like an angel. But none of those are as important.

All you need to know are these: I hate him. He was tall and looked like a cat, or a snake. He loved me, or at least he thought he did. He wouldn't take no for an answer.

Let's begin.