Soaring over the rooftops, the brisk night air lashed my face, whipping my hair wildly as my fingers dug into landing spots, scraping debris and sending it raining to the ground below.

  I listened to the muffled cries as Tyler hurtled through the streets below, stumbling and swerving as he tried to evade me through narrow alleys and shadowed walkways.

  It was never enough though. In my current state, I could practically hear his heartbeat, following it like a hunter to its prey, thumping loudly, painfully, as it exhausted all reserves to try to escape unscathed.

  It wouldn’t.

  Tyler descended down some steps into an alcove further up along the waterside. Obscured well, but not well enough. The scent of his fear was palpable on my lips, I could follow him to the ends of the earth...and I would. Unfortunately for him, that end was nigh.

  He breathed profusely, backing up against a concrete wall, the water roughly lapping the elevated ground a few feet away from him.

  Suddenly, I crashed from the heavens, the ground crumbling at my feet, and sending a screech up from Tyler as I closed on him. Nowhere to go this time.

  “What?” I snarled, my eyes bursting manically. “Not happy to see me?”

  “I—I—“ he stuttered. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

  “And how was it supposed to be?” I hissed. “Weave your story wisely.” I approached slowly, spotting him reaching for something in his robe.

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  Instantaneously, my arm grabbed his hand, twisting it, as he lurched forward unsuccessfully, a small knife clattering to the ground. My eyes followed it, before returning to his own as they wallowed in a quiet frenzy.

  “That oh so chivalrous behavior...where has that gone?” I grinned.

  “They promised us,” he started spilling out. “That everything would be fine.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Speak.”

  He gulped. “That we’d be safe in the new order. My father, and his father, they’ve always known Mr. Perrault. Family friends. They were protected by him, saved by ruin with his aid. It falls on us children to protect his legacy. It’s not without cost.” He blubbered. “He gains power with each sacrifice, and knows that soon he will have enough to usurp Lucretia himself. Through her rewards, shall he claim rapture in his own vendetta. She will fall...and with him...we will rise..." he stopped for a moment. "I’m sorry.”

  “You entice people for sacrifice? What do you think that demon will grant you?” I bellowed as he shirked away. “Look at me!”

  Tyler blinked away the tears, his eyes rolling up to face me. “Everything,” he whimpered, his voice echoing quietly within the small space, almost taking on a familiar tone of how Perrault was described, another monster born with his blessing.

  Growling, I wondering how he thought Perrault could beat a devil himself, poisoning New Orleans for such a selfish crusade, while my eyes burned an inferno as I looked upon a man I once felt something towards..“And today,” I snapped, raising my hand up to strike, “you end with nothing.”

  “Enough!” A familiar voice howled, as I felt a claw wrap around my hand and tug me back. At that instant, Tyler recoiled and bounced his head off the wall, falling down cold to the ground.

  “You have no right!” I hissed, twirling around to face Isaac and pushing him back with my free hand, sending him into the opposing wall with a crack.

  I pounced upon him, but he quickly snared both my hands and twirled me around against the cold wall.

  “Annabelle, please...” his voice broke, as his face shifted to his human form almost instantaneously within the darkened shadows that painted harshly over his face.

  I took in his scent and locked eyes with him, feeling sanity creeping back into my mind, tugging at the fringes. Control slowly ceded to me, as I looked into his eyes, entranced.

  Suddenly, I looked at his muscular and bare chest, wondering what else was bare, before I noticed his eyes on my lips. With that, he pushed me back against the wall and kissed me, while I was enraptured with him. The darkness of the night felt warm and magical, his lips were soft and tender upon mine, while my heart raced with passion pumping through my blackened veins. For the first time in a long time, I had felt life after death.