Chapter Three

"What on Earth is that?"

Lounging on a large flat rock in a habitat which was only separated from us by a thick sheeting of glass was the most beautiful and terrifying creature I had ever laid eyes on. She – I could tell the creature was female since she lounged naked – had skin that was the colour of violet silk with shoulder length deep purple hair that shone beautifully in the light and poking through her hair were elegant twirling obsidian horns.

She sat up and looked straight at me with eyes as black as the darkest depths of space which seem to just suck you in and I found myself inexplicably drawn to her; whether or not it was out of curiosity or disbelief at what I saw, I couldn't tell. She had a body that most men would die for with large breasts and wide hips that gave her a kind of vase shaped figure, but her looks didn't end there since she had a stunningly structured face with high cheek bones, a small chin, a straight slender nose, lush pouty plum lips, slender deep purple eyebrows and almond shaped eyes with black or perhaps deep purple lashes.

I had so many questions bubbling around in my head. The first one was what in the hell was she? The next was why was she naked and kept like an animal in a tank? What weird shit was Kyriel into and was she naked because he refuses to clothe her? Lastly and most importantly, how crazy must I be to be seeing this shit? Dream or no dream, my mind was taking me on one hell of a delusional ride. It had to be, there was no other explanation that I could believe.

"So, you can see her?" Kyriel said, breaking me of my mesmerized stated.

"Huh? Ja, I can see her," I said, feeling slightly drunk.

"So, what are your thoughts now?"

"That I'm completely insane and beginning to see things like flesh eating monsters, whatever that is and the shadowy smoke behind your back, and the pulsing light behind that other guy's back, like wings," I stepped back from the glass, now realizing I had moved closer when I was studying the creature.

Kyriel's voice softened, "You're not crazy and, in fact, I didn't think you'd developed enough to see our 'wings' as you call it."

I glanced at Kyriel. If he wasn't a figment of my imagination, then how delusional was he? Did he force this woman to paint her skin and parade around naked with horns stuck in her dyed hair? Was he a psycho? Was he going to put me in a habitat and make me parade around as some strange creature? Maybe I was overthinking things, maybe this was just a dream... or maybe I was just going insane.

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm crazy, I must have knocked my head way too hard when I collapsed these last couple of days," I nodded to myself.

"Collapsed? What do you mean collapsed? Like you fell unconscious?" Kyriel sounded concerned.

"That's exactly it," I answered, still staring at the woman.

"Tell me exactly what happed with these collapsings," Kyriel took me by the shoulders and studied my face.

"Well the first time I was woken up by dreams of silver teeth and claws and a sense of being dragged to the surface of a lake to a carnage that surrounded me with blood and bodies and the second time, same dreams and I woke up to a cell in a police station with a monster gorging itself on a woman's leg," I explained, searching his blue eyes for any signs of a psycho; not that I knew what to look for.

"Shit. This is definitely going to make things more difficult," Kyriel cursed.

"Make what more difficult?"

Kyriel ignored the question and instead said, "I think you've been collapsing because your powers are fluctuating, causing distress to your body and I believe the dreams are your body's warning system telling you that danger is nearby. I also think that the reason these monsters, as you call them, are appearing and killing where you are is because your energy is being pulsed out like a beacon and I'd say that the reason you haven't been killed by these creatures is because the beacon turns off when you fall unconscious."

"Powers? Beacon? Also, why would me collapsing turn this 'beacon' off?" I asked, feeling like I should be running far away from this man.

"Because I couldn't sense you until just before you walked in on the beast feeding on that woman's flesh," Kyriel said.

Before I could respond that I thought he was as crazy as I am, an unearthly female voice that seemed to be followed by chilling whispers filled the room. I felt a shiver that was uncomfortably thrilling run through my body at the sound of the voice, causing me to turn and face the purple skinned woman while she spoke.

"Well, well, Kyriel. What a tasty treat you have brought me here, even if she is not quite my type, but I'm willing to try her out for you."

The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood up as I stared in a kind of fearful awe at the source of the voice. The mesmerizing purple woman was leaning against the glass, her breasts pressed up against it, and was staring at me with those dark eyes. I felt as though I was being sucked into those black orbs; I wanted to look away, but I found myself wanting to step forward instead, trapped by her intense gaze.

"Back away from the window, beast," Kyriel snarled, snapping me out of whatever trance the woman had tried to put me in.

"Oh, Kyriel, how you wound me with your harsh words." the woman chuckled playfully, "Although, I could be a beast if you wanted me to, as long as you promise me a little fun."

"I'd sooner lay my hands on this child than lay them on you," Kyriel growled, irritation coating his voice with venom.

The woman's gaze travelled me up and down, "Oh, I have no doubt that you would love that. Such a lovely young thing, even though my preference is men, she could definitely get my motor running if she showed a little, or maybe a lot, more skin."

"What the hell are you?" I asked as an unwanted thrill ran through my body at the thought.

"Oh my, she doesn't know what she is. How delightful, that would make things so much more... delicious," a hungry smile pulled at the woman's perfect plum lips.

"She's what humans would call a succubus," Kyriel answered for her.

"A succubus?" I echoed in disbelief.

"She's an infernal demon of lust, borne of the sin of a fallen angel and a human's lust for each other," Kyriel explained.

"Fallen angels?" I stumbled backwards, my head filling with more questions and a throbbing pain I couldn't explain.

"Are you okay?" Kyriel said straight faced, but a glimmer of concern shone in his beautiful deep blue eyes.

"She is fine, Kyriel, her powers are just fighting a small war in her gorgeous yet fragile body," the succubus said.

I couldn't respond as pain hit me in crushing waves and I fell to my knees, clutching my head with one hand while wrapping my free arm around my aching ribs. I felt like I was in the middle of a beating and I was being hit and kicked from all sides. HARD. Shadows swirled in my vision and it was almost a sweet relief when I collapsed, the wooden floors cool against my heated skin and the pain ebbing as my consciousness faded.