The apartment looked unkempt as every hiding place that couldn't be detected before with holding secret weapons now laid exposed by either being over-turned; ripped open or pushed aside.

My heart sank with the sight; gulping in saliva as it slithered between the walls my tightening throat.

I didn't need to look any further; I had already figured the answer to the burning question that had barely formed; but my feet maneuvered around the newly formatted obstacle course; call it curiosity, though my inner cat had used up its last life months ago.

"Don't go in there." He insisted steadily behind me. "If she's consciously capable of doing that to random people then there is really no telling what the hell, she may do to us!"

I assured with a waved hand. 'It'll be fine; if she wanted me or you consciously dead, then we'd be already under six or seven feet of dirt."

I only half meant that statement, as I wanted to keep him sane enough to stay with me and run off like most would do in these types of situations; course it could be said: I should take my own advisement; hell, I had no clue what was going in that brain Nikki's anymore – she may be quite ready to tase Ben in a static cloud of electromagnetic silver stingers from her self-made taser gun; or cover up a spectacular death of my own by hanging by the raptures of exposed beams that cross my bedroom ceiling.

The door creaked in obvious fashion; the darkened room split in half by the soft light breaking into the space.

The smell hit my nostrils instantly; I chewed on th distaste of it; swallowing all I could manage back down my esophagus.

"Sweet, jeez!" Ben huffed. "... what the hell is that?"

"It's sulfur Ben..." I explained. "... a demon has been here for sure – that rotted smell is a perfect warning for their manifestation into our world." We carefully watched our footing while investigating the equally shambled bedroom.

"Did she kill it here... or did it get her?" Ben quietly coaxed.

"I'm not quite sure... typically that smell isn't associated with demons being killed." I assured.

Can you make anything else besides hellish residue?"

I could hear him take in a deep guzzle. His breath even became silent in the small area.

"Ben... I don't care." I avowed. "... you can't have been around this hidden world without picking up a bit of tools for sifting clues from naturals to the supernatural... besides, what makes you... you... is all that I can ask for."

Blowing a sigh of relief, he seemed to relax as he met my gaze. "It's just... err... you never really know how anyone will react..." He sputtered.

I shook my head agreeing to that truthful statement. "You're a friend..." I began. "... all that I find to be important." I added as I picked up a discarded skirt, with further inspection turned out to be mine! Well thanks so much for leaving behind my clothes!

My eyes whipped away; quickly focusing from the article of clothing to the half open bathroom door; which was holding on to the frame by one bent hinge. Walking up to it, the top bearing missing completely; torn from the split molding.

That little orifice in my chest skipped a beat as it leaped mightily into my brain at full speed.

"There's blood in there..." Ben whimpered. "... a lot!"

I pushed the wood aside, the aroma; the scene plucked at all senses; overwhelming and iridescent under the moonlight streaming through the small window blinds. There were maroon substances ladling in strips along the left and back wall. I snapped to Ben, who wore worry like a pro; he was staid just behind the door frame; supposedly to keep from knowing or seeing more than needed.

I didn't expect him to be ok with any of this; I could barely tolerate it myself.

My pupils followed the origins of the obvious blood stains; a pair of slack covered legs dangled over the top portion from the bar of the acrylic shower door.

I swooped over; crowding over the crumbled limbs.

Of course. I frantically thought. I couldn't truly make out who or what it had been with all the oozing holes and cuts battered all about the skin surfaces.

I exaggerated a huff as I acknowledged the needed to resolve. Sitting on my leg, I lifted the torso towards me, brushing aside the wet and sticky auburn hair; instantly relieved that it had not been Nikki at all, but a rather very attractive male.

As that gratification pounced my thoughts; the body convulsed underneath my grip; whipping on my lap; animating itself from the assumption that he had been dead. HE'S NOT DEAD!

The noise rising from his throat, quickly escalated from gurgling to a scowling rattled rasp. As the comprehension prodded as to what was transpiring; my own body snapped backward, as he tackled me onto my back and splashing into metallic tainted liquid.

I braced every ounce of force I could muster against the newly manifested demon housing this body bag. Stradling me like a wrestler pinning their next victory. I yelled out against my assailant. His eyes menacing; red tainted with parallel slits of black pupil stared wildly yet amused. His lips and jaws upwards in grin; if he had been a normal guy, I would swear he was smiling.

For a second his grip was loose on my right hand; in that fraction of time, I flung whatever limb that could be used into one of those gnarly eyes; determined to rip that smirk off his ghostly white face.

The right eye ruptured beneath my thumb; spurting clear gel-like goo along the pillars of my lips; slightly smearing on them as one would tap melted lip balm. I grimaced; but I never letting my thumb falter from deepening further into this monster's parasitic brain.

The yelps he belled out synchronized with a roar that pounced around the walls in perfect acoustics. My gaze was reflected within the source of the loud yowl.

Ben; the perfected specimen he'd been secretly nicknamed by myself since day one of meeting him, bared fierce caramel to bronze layered eyes, the eccentric colors inches away as he whisked upon my aggressors' neck, ripping cavernously into the tissue. His high cheeks bones now lined of fine pillowy hair, that I could only assume traveled further down his face. This was who Ben had been afraid to share with the world; a were -something? With a thousand types these days, anything can be associated with the metamorphosing legend.

His bite went even further, and in doing so released an even line of candy apple which littered what little was left untouched of the laminate flooring; I essentially was now taking an unwanted bath in dead blood!

Have you ever smelled dead blood? What a strange question to ask – I'm sure not many can agree to have taken such joy in the pleasantries of 'the one's' favorite past time. Unfortunately, Ive had a many of favorite clothing to be writhed in the substance.

It's just about the same ripe odor of the first stages of decaying meat; it is incredibly overpowering.

I gasped at any clean air that was remaining, as I flitted my head to the side- attempting to keep anymore orifices from sipping on this guy's blood.

The heavy weight had quickly left my chest, as I watched Ben lift the guy by a single hand; slamming him into a vacant wall. I rolled over onto my side in anticipation of the male coming back for seconds but as I gaped on, Ben rushed towards the convulsing cadaver colored body; snapping the head clear off in one swooping twist.

My stomach lurched with the horrid sound of bone and tendons twisting. His alternate animal-like state had almost completely changed his appearance, yet those eyes still carried that twinkling sway. He had control – which was had almost always been impossible for anyone to maintain in their conversions; I was in awe or even possibly impressed at this remarkable feature.

"...find her." His voice ruffled under dark and rasped tone.

"Agreed." I bellowed getting up to my feet; kicking the dead...err guy in the ass. I scowled, and simultaneously cringed at Ben's determined teeth; sneering towards me, more like that of a Siberian Tiger, warning off other predators from snacking on his cattle; as if I were going to steal his price kill; what wrongs can be counted there?

I vaulted for the door at the sloshing and gnawing that had immediately commenced. After hearing and even more disturbingly, watching him begin to devour the few hours dead meat, it does make one question, even to the most seasoned non-one, the appealing aspect of vegetarianism.

I'd never packed so lightly nor so vigorously prior than tonight; though, at the baffled I may have started swirling in, who can remember those trivial things?