The bogeyman's cum was on Selina's panties and part of her thighs. It was white and gooey. In fact, it was underwhelmingly normal. Her relief came in a raspy snort. She got up from him, unable to speak or think coherently, too shocked by what she had done.

"Hold on, hazel eyes, no need to panic."

She heard him and at the same time didn't hear him, nightmares of what could've happened tumbling through her mind. She was losing it.

"Selina?" His talons reached for her face. His fucking talons. She drew away from him, trying to regain control over her breathing.

"You're scared of me ..." A hint of sadness laced his words. Why? It didn't make sense. None of this made sense.

More specifically, they didn't make sense.

That this realization came with a pang of sadness of her own, angered her enough to be very, very afraid. "Of course I am. Isn't that the whole point?"

"Not now it wasn't. Let me take it away. I can eat it."

"No!"

"Selina." He whirled closer. "I can kiss it away. Let me ..."

"No!" She fought the tears pricking behind her eyes. "I don't need you to take it away. I don't need you."

Understanding dawned in Elias' crystal blue eyes as he slumped back to take her in. "Oh, Selina."

"Oh, Selina what?" she hissed.

He gave her a knowing look that made her insides squirm. "I don't think you need me to explain your fears to you."

Whatever he was trying to convey, she didn't like it. Not one bit.

All she needed was to get a grip. Focus on the deal. Get through the week, kick him out, and move on. But even as she thought it, unspeakable panic spiraled in her chest.

"Selina," he whispered again, "let me help, it wouldn't be that big of a deal," and when she didn't react, he deftly wrapped a claw around her wrist and pulled her in. The swirls of rats, zombies, and spiders graciously parted for her and before she knew it, she was back against his chest and the nightmares closed around them in a protective cocoon.

It was frightening how much that place soothed her.

He cupped her face, scraping her scalp lightly in the process. "I know you don't need me, hazel eyes. Never assumed you did. None of this is about what you need. It's about what I need, and right now, I'm hungry." He tipped up her chin with the knuckle of his talons and gave her a once-over. "Must be that orgasm you gave me."

Without the smallest concern for her reaction, he put his mouth on hers and kissed, kissed and plundered and sucked until all thoughts cleared from her head and she had no more reason not to kiss him back.

She kissed the bogeyman and the bogeyman kissed her and in that moment, everything was perfect.

She floated ... they floated, off the bed, under the starry sky, swaying with the absent breeze that made the stuff of nightmares waltz through the night. She was too enraptured with the sensation to notice where they were going, but when he let go of her lips, she blinked.

Compared to the cozy lighting of the attic room, the light in her bathroom was harsh and cold, but Elias smiled and her head was free of worry.

"Are we really here or am I making this up?"

"We're really here. You feel sort of sticky. I figured you might wanted a change." Elias twirled her around, then looked into the mirror and winced. "Bogs. Look at me!"

His prompt remark on seeing his reflection was so unexpected that a nervous laughter erupted from Selina's throat. "Don't like what you see?"

She watched the bogeyman swarm in on the mirror to get a better view of himself. He reminded her of a teen studying a freshly formed pimple while contemplating the best way to get rid of it.

"You're not laughing at me, are you?" He turned around and grabbed her waist, not in anger but in jest. She could tell as much from his crooked smile, his scarf bungling loosely round his neck. The blue of his eyes had a twinkle that was rather mischievous than mean.

"Are those crow's feet?" She stood on tiptoes to stroke the branching wrinkles near the corners of his eye with her fingertips. Some sort of soot rubbed off.

"I haven't seen a bathroom in ages."

"Why not?"

"I told you. It takes a lot of energy to change rooms, but you've fed me well."

Unsure of what to make of that information, her heartbeat picked up pace again. "What does this mean? We made a deal. Seven nights. We're not adding nights because you ..."

"Hey, hey, hey, hazel eyes. A deal's a deal. I'm not changing anything. As I said, you've fed me well."

"Oh."

"You're pretty when you oh."

She shot him a dead glare, hoping he'd interpret the flash of heat she felt washing over her face as anger. It was high time she put some distance between them. "So you wanna wash up?"

"I flew down here for you, but yeah, actually ... can I?"

Selina nodded, took some towels and a washcloth from the cabinet under the sink, and pointed him to the soap. "I'll get out of your way. Take as long as you need."

"I don't want to inconvenience you. It's your bathroom." He pointed again at the mess he had made all over her thighs.

As if she would forget.

She tugged at her nightshirt and shrugged. "Not a problem. There's more than one sink in this house. My fresh clothes are in my room anyway.  You ..." She almost said, 'make yourself at home', but miraculously, a last shred of common sense reeled the words back in and shoved them deep down her throat where they belonged.

For an awkward moment, they stared at each other, trapped in this unprecedented situation. What were the rules now their relationship had moved on from mere animosity to ... to what exactly? Selina had never felt the need for a textbook more urgently.

She could use something like 'A Quick Guide To Bogeyman Psychology', or 'Do's & Don'ts When Befriending Your Bogeyman', or 'Bathroom Etiquette For When His Cum Hits Your Fanny.'

She didn't think that last one.

"My my hazel eyes, you're even prettier when you blush."

His crooked grin did it, the nonchalance of his scarf bungling loosely round his neck, not even an attempt to hide his sexy fangs. This was getting way out of hand.

"I really should go and change."

"Will you be back?" He laced the words with promise, his tongue carefully placed to his teeth at the end. Elias was a monster that could take her to paradise. She had no doubt about that, but paradise was a dangerous place to be. Especially if somebody else took her there.

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow night in the attic room. A deal's a deal and all that."

"Right."

If the bogeyman felt any disappointment, he didn't let it show.

"Five out of seven?"

"Only two nights to go."

"Two nights to go."

"Selina?" He stretched his arms in an open invitation, the nightmares cocooning around him. She couldn't resist stepping in for a goodnight hug.

When later that night, she had changed and washed up in the privacy of her bedroom, she sat on the bed, coaxing herself through a series of deep, long breaths.

The memory of his plush mouth on her forehead was too real to allow her any sleep that night and she wasn't sure about any of the nights that would follow.

The crazy things Elias did to her heart.

This bogeyman had to go.

WC 1302 words
TWC 14324 words