Page 2 of Things Get Dark

“Please, just take whatever you want!” she yelled, hot tears streaming down her cheeks.

There was a low chuckle. “Now there’s an offer that’s hard to refuse. You probably shouldn’t be sayin’ things like that to one such as me.”

Eidie whimpered as she heard floorboards creaking beneath slow, steady footsteps. She was frozen in fear, curled up tightly in a ball between the doorway and her chest of drawers.

A dark shadow loomed over her. She could hear the intruder breathing; he was so close. The smell of him was strangely familiar, and yet also like nothing she’d ever experienced. It was as if he’d been stroking a bonfire all night, the acrid, cloying smell of fire and charcoal engulfing her as the stranger crept closer.

“Please, don’t hurt me,” she whispered, jolting as the backs of disconcertingly warm fingers were brushed over her cheek.

“Hurt such a pretty face?” The man clicked his tongue in disapproval. “That would be criminal.”

Eidie wasn’t sure how to take those kind words. They seemed genuine, but fear gripped her insides. What was this man here to do to her? Eidie cracked open an eye, shying away as she took in the two elaborate horns perched atop the stranger’s head. She couldn’t make out any details, but the faint light of the moon spearing through her blinds was just bright enough to see by. Not a man, as she had first assumed, but acreature.

“C–Cernunnous?!” she gasped, the blood chilling in her veins. Cernunnous was one of three deities that wiccans drew power from. Hundreds of times she had spoken the god’s name in vain on her channel, but never in her lifetime had she ever expected he was a reality. Was he here to seek retribution? To make her pay for profiteering off the religion he was founded within?

The creature laughed loudly, throwing his head back. Eidie held her breath as he swiped a finger beneath his eye, wiping away a tear of mirth.

“Fuck me, not even close darlin’,” he purred. “Cernunnoswisheshe was me, fucking hippie bastard.”

Despite her terror, Eidie had to admit Cernunnos being likened to a hippie was highly amusing. He was a nature god, with the horns of a stag, who was often depicted in books as loitering in forests with the animals. Who was this strange creature in her flat?

“Wh–who are you, then?” she stammered.

“We’ll get to that soon enough.” He stood and Eidie craned her neck back. He was huge, standing at least seven feet tall, possibly more and built like an athlete. When he held out a hand to her, she almost took it, until she recoiled from the black talons perched at the ends of each finger.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she hissed.

To her surprise, the creature shrugged. “Suit yourself. I was in the middle of an exceedingly interesting book when you rudely interrupted,” he replied, his huge, hulking frame disappearing into Eidie’s living room once more. She stared after him for a moment, wide eyed and confused. When her lamp burst to life, casting a column of warm, rosy light into the darkness of her bedroom, morbid curiosity ate at her. On shaking hands and knees, she crawled to the open doorway and peeked into the lounge.

The stranger, despite his large stature, was barely visible, having made himself at home on her sofa. Eidie could just see the top of his head and those dark, monstrous horns from her position on the floor. With better light, she determined they were more like those of a ram, ridged and curved, sloping back away from his face before tapering to sharp points.

“Now, where was I,” he muttered. When Eidie heard the pages of a book turning once more her eyes bulged. She craned her neck, a hot flush spreading across her cheeks as she noticed her dirty romance book was no longer on the side table where she’d left it. Without thinking, Eidie leapt to her feet, almost forgetting to hold her towel in place as she did.

“H–hey!” she snapped. “What do you think you’re doing?! That’s my—” Her voice caught in her throat when impossibly dark eyes locked with hers over the edge of the book. In an instant, her fear was vanquished, replaced with blistering lust. Eidie’s knees shook, and she stumbled, reaching out to steady herself against the wall before she fell.

This man, creature, whatever he was… She had never seen anyone so devastatingly handsome in all her life. The unnatural dark grey hue of his skin did little to distract from his powerful brow, elegant nose and wide jaw. Deliciously plump lips stretched into a sinful smile, revealing a set of long, sharp fangs.

“Try not to get so wet you make a mess, eh?” he teased, dark eyes boring into her, reading her as easily as the book he held in his hands. “I’ll sate you soon enough. This…” He nodded his head towards the romance novel. “This has piqued my interest.”

Eidie felt her face growing steadily hotter. She wanted to argue, to deny this monstrous stranger had had such an immediate effect on her… But damn it if he wasn’t right. Eidie pouted and subtly crossed one leg behind the other, squeezing her thighs together as she grew warm and wet between them.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

The creature didn’t look up from the book, flicking over a page. “Asmodeus. You can call me Az.”

Eidie stared at the stranger with disbelief. “What kind of name is that? As–what–eous?”

“What kind of name is Eidie?” he countered; gaze still fixed on the book.

“Who told you—”

Az let out an irritated sigh and frowned at her. “Alright, let’s clear a few things up, eh? I see you’re not going to let me enjoy myself until we do.”

Eidie spluttered with an incredulous laugh. “Excusemefor wanting an explanation after you, creature of nightmare, turned up—”

“You’re too kind,” Az interrupted.

“—uninvited, in the middle of the night!” Eidie continued, crossing her arms beneath her bosom. It was quite a feat to remain angry in the face of such a terrifying individual, never mind when one was only wrapped in a towel, but Eidie was determined.

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