Wings and Horns

Here's something a little different. Enjoy.

Wings and Horns

"Tell me you love me." Kristen says into his ear.

"Tell me."

Her breath is hot on his ear lobe and he can't help the shiver that passes through him like ice water through his veins.

The room swirls with various aromas uncommon for a bachelor pad. Instead of lingering body odor, stale incense, and spoiled milk, what mingled in the air and danced before his nose that of cinnamon, honeysuckle, a hint of vanilla, and something else he just can't put his finger on.

James smiles and breathes deep, taking it all in. He doesn't open his eyes. If he does, he fears, everything will disappear, even dear Kristen. Kristen his lover. Kristen, the angel. She isn't really an angel, of course, but he's unable to think of her as anything else at the moment. At the moment, if at any other, he truly does love her.

"I love you." He whispers int he gloom of his bedroom.

She giggles. It's a sound like, yes, angels singing to his ears.

"Say it again." She says.

"I love you." He repeats.

He hears her sigh, hot air blows into his ear and neck and he shivers again.

"Good." She says. Then-

"I'm gonna rip your fuckin throat out!"

James's eyes pop open in the darkness.

"What-"

"I said good." Kristen says.

Frowning, James turns int he bed to face his girlfriend. He waits a moment before speaking.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine, why?" She says, sounding bewildered.

"You said you were gonna rip out my throat." He says.

"What? No I didn't. I said good."

Silence drew out into the dark room. James ends it with a question.

"You sure?"

"Jesus James! I was just about ready to jump your bones, and now this? I never said that!"

More silence. James thinks about what he heard and decides to give it a rest. Besides, why would his angel say such a thing int he first place? Ridiculous. He wraps his arms around her naked body.

"You were saying something about jumping my-"

A hand shoots out of the darkness and claws his face. He shrieks and rolls away. Soon he feels warm liquid running from his cheek to his chin and patter on the sheets.

"Bastard! I'm gonna kill you! Kill you! I'm gonna eat your fuckin tongue out right now!" Kristen screams.

James rolls out of bed, breathing heavily and scrambling to his feet. One hand cups his injured cheek.

"James?" Kristen says. James pauses on his way to the door. He turns. What the hell is going on here?

"Where you going?"

"Um.." But he can't think of anything else to say.

He takes a step toward the bed. With the street light filtering in through the drape on the window he can see a dark, raised shape in his bed. Kristen is propped up on her elbow, looking at him. Trembling, he takes another step forward.

"You scratched me." He manages.

"What are you talking about? I haven't touched you? And where are you going naked?" Kristen says, her voice sounding both weary and puzzled.

James, utterly lost, steps backward to the door again. Something isn't right here. Some thing's wrong with Kristen, some thing's wrong with his angel. His angel has grown horns out of nowhere....

This is a start for a novella I'm working on. It began as a romance piece, my first, and then suddenly developed into something else. Just thought I'd share a glimpse of it here. Feel free to leave a comment on this. Thanks.