“Hey Nick, hows the cut purse biz’ goin’”

  He was taller than me, I had nowhere to run to. I pulled out some coins from my pocket. He punches me in the gut. He jams his own hand in my pocket and takes the rest. I'll have to go to my stash to have enough to eat.

  “Told ya, not to hold out on me.”

  He leaves me in the alleyway. I get up when I think he is gone. Returning to my stash.

  -----

  I was wrong, he wasn't gone. He left me beaten. He left with my stash. I cried. When he was gone. I went looking for a rock.

  -----

  The rock comes down, there is a cracking sound. The boy wakes up swinging his arms out. He is unable to get up. Whatever I broke made him struggle with it. I drive the rock further into the spot that grows steadily softer. He is dead. I slam the rock in again. I feel better. I lost the feeling when he had no money on him.

  I wander out of his hovel. A green lady loomed over me. She picks me up before I can flee. I had no energy left.

  “You knew he was one of min’ don'tcha? Brough’ in mone’.”

  The green matron stares at me.

  I mumbled. She slaps me.

  “I ain’ an elf, speak up.”

  “Was my mone'.”

  “No dearie, it's all my mone’. You belong to me.”

  I was hers.

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  -----

  “Aw good dearie, keep bringin’ the mone’. Bring in twice as much next time.”

  I nod, her words are part of me. Cut purses won't do.

  -----

  I found a woman late at night. I pull her into an alley. Her screams die quickly. Mostly due to the knife I stole. She bleeds out. I searched her body. As I do, my urges grow. I never had a chance to see before. I look at her without her clothing. I feel things but I run away when I hear others.

  The green matron was annoyed, I didn't have much to show that night. She huffs and leaves me be with another of her compels to do more.

  I end the night masterbating. The woman's body clearly in mind.

  -----

  I find women don't scream as much when they see the knife. I push them down and rape them. They whimper as my knife is at their throat. As I explode, I draw my blade across their throat. It was an accident the first time. It was my passion the next. I can't quite end it right without them dying.

  I get better at it every time. The system tells me how much better I am. I earn plenty for the green matron.

  -----

  Green matron is dead. The adventurer trio killed her. I was still looking for the third when the third found the green matron. Load off my ass to be honest. Her compels were weakening. I was becoming too much. Usually that meant a ditch for me. She had used me to kill those who broke free before. But she dead and I ain’.

  I find another woman. I took my time.

  -----

  Guards be searching for someone. They usually didn't bother coming down this way. Guess the green matron's death emboldened them. I look for new grounds.

  I find a woman sitting at the shore of the river. Her knees are to her chin as she stares out at the water. It's a secluded spot, it's as if she was serving me up. They always beg me to do it, don't they? When I am almost on top of her, she turns to me.

  “Stop.”

  I do. My mind blanks.

  “Have you come to rape me.”

  “Yes.”

  “To murder me.”

  “Slit your throat so we both explode.”

  She nods at that. The clothing on her disappears. I continue to stare into her cat eyes. Her body shifts and she grows in size. She has a scaled lower half with spider legs. Her backside swells blocking the view of the river. She picks me up as if I weigh nothing. My lower body is being enveloped in blood red silk.

  She waits. I regain my senses. Before I can say anything her jaw clamps on my throat. She guzzles my blood. I don't die. I know this amount of bleedin' should kill me. She just keeps drinking. The once myriad colors of scales on her darken growing blacker as she drinks. Her body grows. What were scaled legs became chitenous. Monster.

  I murmur the word. She hears me.

  “It is as you say.”