🍆 just a little spice alert 🌶️

With Elias gone and Lowie with his dad, the emptiness of Selina's house came crashing down on her like a monsoon downpour. Her books were not interesting, all Netflix shows were lame, and her plate of pasta tasted drab. The only thing to do was have a good cry and there was only one place to do it.

She dragged her feet up the stairs to the room on top of everything. The attic room was dark, apart from a soft gleam streaming through the skylight and the magical glow of plastic stars and planets on the make-believe milky way.

Her breath hitched.

Huddled in a corner was a familiar shadow.

Floating tendrils and a big, bald head.

It couldn't be.

It was.

Her heart came alive with a jolt. "Elias? You're back?"

"I heard you needed someone to hold your fork."

The consolation of his voice washed over her like a warm tidal wave. She smiled at his remark. "It's true that the fork is getting sort of lonely. I hear its cutlery friends just don't cut it."

"Hm. I wonder if the fork needs something edgier?" The bogeyman flew near and wrapped his claw around her throat.

"Fangs." Her skin pebbled with goosebumps everywhere his breath landed. "It needs fangs."

Elias inhaled deeply. "Your fear, hazel eyes. Delicious."

"I'm not afraid."

"Of course not." His mouth crashed to hers and his body, solid parts and floating nightmares alike, backed her up against the door. The bogeyman kissed her hungrily and she obliged, wrapping her legs around his waist, searching for the most pressing part of him.

"Do you have condoms?" he asked, "Can I?"

He was as eager as she was. Good. "My room."

Their tumble down the staircase was far from elegant, their hurry to get a condom around his cock on par with their need to keep feeling each other up. Fortunately, the nightmares were so thoughtful to cushion Selina from bruising.

He ripped her clothes from her body and took her against the wall.

Hard, fast, glorious.

"Please tell me those are happy tears," he said with a crack in his voice when Selina's emotions got the better of her in the wake of her earth-shattering orgasm, "I'd hate to see you sad."

"I missed you so damn much."

"Same." His next kiss was tender. He carried her to the bed and curled up behind her in a warm embrace. "I missed you so much it hurt. I was certain I'd never see you again, never breathe you in, never hold you ... it was agony."

"I was right here. You could've ..."

"I couldn't have. It wouldn't have been fair. Not until I knew you wanted me to."

He had heard her. This afternoon in his old room. "You were there and you didn't show yourself?"

He pulled her closer into his lap. "I'm sorry, hazel eyes. Your sobbing broke whatever's left of my heart but I couldn't risk my mom seeing me."

"She'd be so happy to see you."

He dangled his talons in front of her. "Like this? I doubt it."

His self-deprecation was too sad to bear. She turned in his arms and took his face in her hands. "I'm happy to see you."

She was certain his mother would be too, but Elias was right not to jump that gun. Perhaps an introduction to prepare his mother could lessen the shock? Possibly, she could help with that, but first, other questions needed answering. "Did you find Sue?"

The question had an unexpected positive effect on his mood. He stroked cautiously through her hair, a tentative smile forming around his lips. "Sue moved to Ghent. She's divorced with two kids and is now in a committed relationship with her yoga instructor."

The laidback way in which he told her surprised Selina. "She is? How do you feel about that?"

"She seemed happy. Painting-flowers-on-happy-stones-and-growing-her-own-tomatoes-happy. She teaches art and  every Thursday after work, she goes out for coffee and cake with her friends. Honestly, Selina, an enormous weight has been lifted from my shoulders."

"That's good. That's really good." Something lifted from hers too. Nothing in his demeanor suggested he was hung up on Sue and that gave her hope. "Does that mean you're moving back in?" She bit her lip, her heart racing a thousand miles an hour. Please say yes. Please say yes.

"Actually, I found a new place to live."

Why was he still smiling? This wasn't good news. This was ... of course, he found a place to live. They hadn't seen each other in weeks. She should be happy he hadn't been on the streets, but what if this new place was better than hers? What if he had met someone new? What if ...

"Easy, hazel eyes. I feel an indigestion coming up."

"I'm not. It's not."

"Do you want me to kiss you or explain?"

"Explain ... and perhaps kiss me after." She freed her hand from their embrace to rub her temple, bracing herself for what he had to say. What if he had only come here to fuck her? What if he was going to leave her again?

"Shhh. I didn't. I'm not." He kissed her temple, which was slightly better than her fingertips but still not entirely calming. "What I wanted to say is, I moved into the movie theater. I lurk under the seats, like the monster I am."

"You attack people in the theater now?"

"No. I suck their fear in silence. They don't even know. It was you who gave me that idea."

"That's brilliant."

"And also twisted."

"Is it weird that I feel cheated on?"

"Selina Sardi, of all the twisted people, you are my favorite."

"And yet you won't come back to me." If she'd been less sad about that fact, she would've managed a pout, but all playfulness had fled from her.

He pushed his knuckle under her chin and stared into her eyes. "I want to date you first."

Date? Hope tugged at the corners of her mouth. "You told me bogeymen can't date."

"You changed my mind."

She pretended to contemplate his proposal. "There's this one movie I started watching but I couldn't finish it. It was too scary."

"Perfect. I'm here for you."

He was perfect. This could be perfect. "I should install a TV screen and one of those surround sound systems in here." She let her gaze drift through her bedroom, plans forming rapidly in her mind.

"That would be nice. All the jumpscares you're gonna get. Mmm. I'm going to be so full."

"I'm going to be so hot and bothered."

"Selina-h." He nuzzled her neck, his nightmares lighting up in delightful anticipation.

"And every once in a while, I can come visit you and we can watch a movie on the big screen."

"I'd like that."

"I like you."

He chuckled. "You like me? Oh Selina, you chicken shit, still too scared to say it."

"I'm not ..." He silenced her quickly with the tip of his talon.

"Then I'll say it. It doesn't scare me. I love you, Selina Sardi. I love you and if that scares you, I'm just going to have to kiss you. I'm going to have to kiss you over and over and over again."

Holy bogs, he loved her and if that scared her, he threatened to kiss her and kiss her some more. Monster or not, Elias Zwarteveen was her man and she loved him. It was terrifying.

"Bring it on, you fucking monster, bring it on!"

WC 1280 words
TWC 23623 words