Page 15 of Dark Panther's Desperate Beauty

I see red at this point. I feel hounded. My God, he just won’t let it drop! “Fine, I’ll tell you why. Because everyone I’ve met while pursuing my dream has been a fucking scary asshole! And running into those guys that night? Well, they could’ve killed me. I could’ve died that night, Erik!”

“But you didn’t.”

“Yeah, I didn’t because a giant fucking panther showed up and saved my fucking life! How many times do you think that’s going to happen? Huh? You think I’m just going to be able to send out the Panther signal and it’s going to show up any time I’m in danger?!”

I realize I’m getting loud now, but I don’t care. I feel all my fear from that night and all my anxiety and depression from weeks with the band hit me full force. I start to cry, but I can’t stop any of it.

Erik shakes his head and pulls me into a hug. “Is that all that’s keeping you from singing?”

He kisses the top of my head and then steps back. “A giant panther,” I whisper. “Damn, you must think I’m crazy. The day before I met you, there was…”

He is undressing. “What are you…” I panic. “Erik, what the fuck are you doing? You’re going to get me in trouble. Or kicked out of this place!”

“Just trust me.” He gives me a small smile as he takes off his pants and boxers.

He’s fully nude for a brief moment and then, he blurs. My eyes can’t seem to focus on him properly.

It’s just a brief moment and then, the panther is there.

My panther.

It’s my panther!

Erik is my panther?

Erik is…

Erik is my panther!

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