Swooped up and thrown willfully into the night air, as a hypnotic aroma kissed both her and my cheeks. It was the smell I came all too familiar with; the kind of scent that made a terrible day into more of a magical one; one that could stop any evil within its tracks. The bearer of this soul levitating elixir belonged to him.

A creature - even worse - a dangerous being, whom which grew minute by minute; inching creepily further underneath my impenetrable coating. Before my own eyes, an admission loomed inside; a seed had been implanted into my subconscious: I had grown to dare care for him.

This all came to be for-a-fact known after a menacing scaled demon (not an accurately description - but, I'm not 'the one' to have exact details of origins) a few weeks prior came spilling out of an abandoned lagoon - with what most of the town nicknaming it a 'poo-poo pond' as there were several within the city limits - casting its audacious and raunchy activities for the wind to grab and spray towards Nik and I; she doing her ninja-quick-actioning and away from the demons defecating grip; I, as on a typical and unfortunate cue - took on a great running posture only to slip backwards on a bit of...well... feces.

Rolling on the moist ground with hands bracing as another set of feet, desperate to get away as fast as well... I could manage, the dung thing had the speed of the flow of water churning underneath the surface it had cracked out from. The smell alone, had caused a rupture within my own guts; the closer it loomed, the heftier the ache of regurgitation promised up and out.

Straddling my waist, pinning arms against hips, a shite eating grin slippering open between algae smeared lips, it leaned closer; sniffing at my 'never kill on the first-date' t-shirt, then moving candidly to my hard-pressed mouth. If I kept it closed NOTHING could come out, or IN!

Revolting odors tapped at my nostrils; stealing any clean air around. I was going to either reach my demise from this creatures' obvious hunger pains, or from the smell by asphyxiation. Where the hell is NIKKI!

As instantaneously as the thought had entered my panicking brain, I was drowned in liquid goo even quicker!

I couldn't help it... I had gulped in gasps for air and exposed my mouth, as every crevasse of skin swallowed more goop!

Was this from the CREATURE? What kind of eating ritual is THIS?

Sweeping an unexpected loose forearm across - what could only be described as luke-warm-soup - my eyes instantly had wished to not have known the contents of this SUBSTANCE!

IT. WAS...HAD... MATED. ON. ME!!

I dared not a scream as like the blaring shriek voiced in my head, as I had clammed up once more. Again, I found it impossible to breathe; with any means to get air to my lungs, I did what I felt plausible: forcing my nostrils free of the cloudy chowder.

I could barely make out loud muttering, with the gunk salivating both eardrums. I wasn't sure if was emanating from the creature or from another source.

There was a low bearing growl that shook the earth beneath my horizontal body; then an abrupt ease off my stomach; the creature had lifted from me entirely - had I'd been freed?

Both arms, now - could move; and with that notion of lucidity, I frolicked back and back and back; till I was sure I had hit the trunk of a nearby tree.

Spitting and spewing and frantically wiping away any remaining junk by hand. I reviewed the scene: Nikki had been busy with another similar demon from the same lagoon; so, who had helped me if it wasn't her? The answer coming swiftly as I caught sight of him. (Little was I aware, that that would be the last time he and I would have any more contact.)

I rose, assured I had been fully inappropriately mauled, no mind that a few splinters had begun tattooing my back. I chewed on the chilly night air like it was the best thing I had ever tasted. But something shook within me, something powerful and inciting - I wasn't satisfied that I was now free. I could practically hear the rage slapping my chest; the burning sweat on my palms - I craved for that demons' shitty head; and I wanted it dead for myself - by my hands.

I scanned the yard to find the perfect solution to end it. I ran. Ran as fast as I had ever been able to. Seizing the weapon of my solitude, I charged the fecal matter eating demon; my shrill wild; eyes scorching in fear, excitement and determination; the blades precise as the cut ruptured the left jugular vein and shattering into bits of bone; this time no warm chowder began erupting - it was quite the opposite - it was the matter that gives life and can as easily be taken away; it was - blood!

It felt as much intoxicating to fend for myself as similarity to that of experiencing a cosmic shattering orgasm.

It was the first time Nik hadn't saved me from a force of evil. I had saved myself.

**

"So, Aleato up and skedaddled quickly after that unusually fight." She interjected as we wandered into her dad's house, as I didn't comprehend at first her observation as I was still on the high from the kill; it was a big deal for me to have taken up for myself sense I barely did that against hardly in any area of my life - past or present.

I reran what I could from her sentence through; trying to analyze as best as I could as I hadn't given it much thought. He had become slightly more of an acquaintance than someone (or thing) I knew well enough by their schedule habits.

"I suppose..." I added. "I mean, that's his typical M.O.?" I concluded.

"He did say he was leaving." She pointed out.

My heart fluttered at the thought. What! I thought there was electricity brewing between us! Why would he up and leave without a goodbye... was getting that smelly thing his last hurrah to me?

"What!" I bluntly blurted.

"Danni... you can't have a relationship with the supernatural, it's... err... well... unnatural!" She quipped; adding a rather degrading insult to the statement.

"Me on the other hand... have had many and let me tellya..." Her tone quickly changed from enthusiastic to three or four dials down to somber as my face showed no signs of finding her pleasing.

"Excuse me..." I unintentionally blurted. "You are not the queen of the universe and I am not some side swipe... second rate of a being to be overlooked." I corrected. The mere claim she spit out sent a spiraling volt up my ass. "You make it sound like I don't deserve any type of passion... it's all for Nikki 'the great!'"

"I wasn't meaning it to come out..." she began.

"It's fine..." I grumbled, cutting her off.

I will be the first to admit, in retrospect - of course - I was a bit bitchity to Nik; but I went downhill or possibly dumbfounded after hearing Aleato was leaving; with no explanation; no fidelity to me.

To the evidently untrained eye of my friend 'the one,' I had been with the 'supernatural,' - Aleato to be precise.

**

Aleato had asked me along for a night of sparring and (for me in particular) running around gravestones like a rabbit evading a coyote's hungry trap.

If I had only not been so smitten with him; I would've thought otherwise but the notion of being alone with him won over all other cautioning alarms; I suppose, it could also be said the walloping excitement played a part in my tagging along.

I ran (like always) searching for a perfect spot to catch what a little breath I had left in my inflamed lungs.

I rounded a rather tall tombstone, only to stumble directly into the mouth of an open grave; of course, being dark as a black cat's fur didn't help matters as I lay flat on my face; spattering out bits of hard clay but even with a mouthful of grit, I was utterly relieved as there wasn't a freshly peeled coffin. This town was considerably close to the world record for the many deaths that keep taking place. Yet, old age; flu; or some other unexplained medical phenomenon was to blame; forbade if the lack of blood; or in some cases, the missing body parts or organs were conveniently overlooked. Damn politicians and their inexplicable talents of covering truth for absolute rubbish.

"Mmm... Mmm... look at what the caretaker delivered to me." the gruff voice teased.

The semi outlined body stood and jumped into the pit. Stradling over me; as he tore open my blouse; ah - virgins are always the best to appease my appetite... at least tonight it is... perhaps tomorrow, I will track a young college frat chap..." he gasped in delight.

I was repulsed to be in the situation I was in, but also for the fact, he was contemplating another kill while haven't even gotten to me yet - was I that forgettable?

As he stared blankly; taping his lips at the contemplation of another kill; splashes of rouge and crumbs of chilly flesh and heart fell about me like an expertly crafted sprinkler for a Haunted Halloween Attraction.

Instantly, I plopped my forearm across my face, in hopes to refrain from this dead head's mutated chromosomes transmitting to me.

The obviously impure bred vamp flopped in an instant dry heap on top of me; as the neck snapped but hung down and to the left of my own head as the skin extended beyond its means. The regurgitation patty caked the lining of my stomach.

I could hear a chuckle belonging only to him as the sound had become familiar to me.

"Only you would manage to fall down into a hole... be covered in complete slop and goo and yet, still look incredible to me." he declared, reaching in for my hand. I took it only because I knew it would be impossible or embarrassing (I imagine) getting my own self out of here.

"Oh... shut-up." I hummed.

"You... shut-up..." he joked, pulling me up with barely an effort.

"I'll shut it when you shut it... which means no one's shutting up!" I teased, as he drew me nearer.

He did what anyone would do when having a playful yet, flirtable moment - he kissed me.

**

I stormed out of the living room and up the stairs to the bathroom; undecided of how to express the flood of emotions bamboozling me all at once. I was in an imminent display of waterworks as I glared out the window of the bathroom. The beams flattered the yard and the skyline reaching the outline of the town's buildings; but I had fallen under a bit of moon rage.

What a way to ruin a perfectly good romance (even if the said passion was based loosely in my head). Bravo, asshole; you've collapsed what heart there was; what the cold hadn't already frozen.