Page 23 of The Monster of Darkspell Comics
I’m tempted to tell her what I’m really thinking, but I sink my teeth into my tongue, using the pain to refocus. The little vixen doesn’t need any help toying with me. Instead, I make an effort to tear my eyes from her and actually look at the display. A surprised grunt leaves me.
She selected several of my comics and set them out amid a curious little scene displayed at the front window of the shop. I see why she insisted I drag the small table and old, velvet-upholstered chairs that I stole from a castle during a very brief jaunt in the 1600s. A business trip, but one that I sufficiently rewarded myself with after delivering the commissioned nightmare personally. It was a stroke of good fortune that the nobleman whose room I was kicked into had some very nice, very luxurious things. I was quite happy to make a few choice selections. Among them were those two chairs and the small ornate table sitting between them. I also recognize the gold candelabra perched in the table and several ornately carvedboxes that lay open, overflowing with all manner of items. The majority of them are cheap props that she acquired in the mall; the rest are very expensive ones that she took from among my belongings.
The cheek!
What they never possessed was the fake webbing that clung to them from cotton batting that I watched her patiently stretching for the greater part of the morning. Nor the incense ash coating everything. That is going to be a nightmare to clean out of the upholstery, and I wonder which fiend in the mall I have to blame for supplying her withthat. Despite this, it looks... good. It looks exactly like a ghostly sitting room from a bygone era, complete with two plastic skeletons slouched in the chairs. Horror comic books lay strewn on the table and resting in the hands or on the laps of the skeletons. And there are more plastic spiders and bugs than I care to count.
Pulling my cock firmly against my body with my tail, I stand and wander over to get a closer look. It’s actually quite impressive. And it ties the concept of the holiday to the theme of the shop. It may even draw more customers to enjoy my nightmares. From the corner of my eye, I can see the excitement filling her. Now would be the perfect time to lie and tell her how much I hate it and just pop that joy so I can feast upon the sorrow and disappointment that would come rolling off her.
Strange how unappetizing the thought is when it comes to her. Instead of being aroused by the idea, my cock withers and my stomach lurches with distaste. I don’t want those emotions from Fanny. I enjoy her simple joy she takes in things—but only hers. So, I grunt and nod as surly as possible.
“Looks good,” I admit.
The squeal that comes from her makes me want to slap my hands over my sensitive ears, but I don’t have the opportunity because suddenly I’m being overcome by a little bundle offemininity hurdling against me. Throwing her arms around me, Fanny hugs me tightly.
“I just knew you would love it!”
That’s not what I said, nor what I implied, but I like her body pressed against mine too much to correct her. And I like her happiness best of all. My tail grips hard against my cock as the beast surges to life once more the moment I breathe in her unique scent of candy and spice. The rusty purr that rumbles from me is embarrassing. I’m just glad that there are no demons nearby to witness it or hear her soft, throaty laughter in response.
I don’t fail to notice, however, the human staring at us expressionlessly from the other side of the mall, his hands tucked in his pockets. Suddenly he smirks and turns and walks away, and I want more than anything to flatten him. Instead, I vibrate with rage at the rules confining me. It’s killing me. The fact that I have to wait for him to act first is going to end up getting my ass put in punishment right beside Dzik.
And that’s not happening. Most especially because I refuse to risk losing Fanny, but also because being stuck for a hundred years or more with Dzik is more punishment than I ever want.
Chapter 19
Fanny
Ituck my hands in my pockets as I walk beside Pashar. Really, it’s more of a stroll because for once he’s keeping his stride in check so that I’m not jogging to keep up with him. It’s almost romantic walking around and seeing the town all decorated and lit up for Halloween, and that brings a silly smile to my face. A beautiful man sits on the fountain playing a stringed instrument I don’t recognize in accompaniment to the melody played by a small group of musicians, and vendors set out delicious treats and wares for the crowd wandering through the Halloween bazarr and visiting booths to play games.
“This place really goes all out for Halloween,” I observe as I stop to buy a candy apple. “It looks great! I mean, the entire town square looks like some sort of haunted scene from the legend of Sleepy Hallow, or something. I know that we have the Trick or Treat Street that is coming to the mall, but this little weekend carnival is epic. Oooo, a psychic,” I squeal, pointing out the table set up at one end of the square with a big, glittery sign set up next to her.
Pashar’s gaze flicks to her, but he simply grunts in acknowledgement. I bump him playfully with my shoulder and nearly fall flat on my ass when I bounce off him. Thankfully, he catches my arm and steadies me before I can lose my grip on my candy apple. Squinting, he peers at me questioningly for a moment before we start walking again.
“What’s wrong?” I whisper before taking a large bite of my sweet, but he just shakes his head, his brows lowering further in a deadly scowl.
“All of this activity in town will not help us locate where that human disappears to. It’s ridiculous having to deal with this when we are always several steps behind him. And he just waltzes around out in the open everywhere without even trying to hide his presence. How is it that it is this hard finding where he is holed up?” he growls. “Vermin are easier to locate and exterminate than he is. I’ve flown over the town and the immediate surrounding desert looking for any hint of where he might be.”
Oh. I immediately deflate a little as I continue to nibble on my apple, though its appeal quickly vanishes. So much for the romantic stroll. “Oh, is that what we are doing?” I say as I crane my neck and look around, putting everything into it so that he doesn’t notice my disappointment.
Of course, that’s the reason. Don’t be silly, Fanny, I scold myself. Since when has Pashar ever done anything romantic? He’s a demon. It only makes sense that we are walking around in search of clues for where Creepo might be hiding. We do that most nights these days—except that usually we fly so that we can see the town from an aerial point of view, which is exciting in itself but also necessary. For some reason, though, tonight just felt different when he fell into step beside me. Maybe it’s because Pashar seemed unsettled earlier, though he refuses to admit it, much less talk about it. I don’t know. All I know is that now I’m feeling a bit stupid.
“Yes... no,” he grumbles surlily, but he snatches my hand in his as he petulantly draws me away from a group of people passing by. Something warm wraps around me, and though I can’t see it, I’m pretty sure it’s his wing. I shiver as his invisible corethi uncurl from beneath his wing and brush against me,their feather’s tips trailing over my skin. “We are also walking. I want to walk. With you.”
My lips twitch as I look up at him. “Yeah? Me too.” I tip my head back and breathe in the cooling night air. “It’s a really nice night.”
He grunts but tucks me a little closer to his side. “It’s not bad. It is not as nice as the nightmare realm.”
I arch an eyebrow at him and smile as I turn into him and hug his arm. “Oh really? You mean that pea soup fog filled with things that probably want to eat me?” I tease.
His expression lightens in response, and the corners of his mouth curve with amusement. “Perhaps they simply have good taste.”
“Are you saying that you want to take a bite out of me?” I whisper.
His step falters, his eyes darting toward me. His throat works, and I blink up at him. Did I actually catch him by surprise?
“Maybe.” Though he grumbles in reply, he looks very pleased with himself. His eyes slide to me and catch me watching him. “Eat your apple,” he says a little too gruffly.
I smother a smile and rest my head against his arm. Okay, so he’s a big, horrifying demon from one’s worst nightmares, and he wants me. I’m down for that.
