Andy's POV

Once I had my pants on, I found I was strong enough to wink directly from the bedroom to just inside the balcony. I could scarcely believe the difference; relatively speaking, I felt invincible! Still feeling energetic and lively, I pulled a pair of gloves from my domain and slipped them on. I was astonished that, even then, I didn't feel winded in the slightest!

At this rate, assuming (Y/N) continued to accept my affections, allowing me to orally pleasure her, I’d have to ask her to buy me some storage containers . I had never heard of giving a prey item pleasure causing excess weight gain! That usually came from extreme grief.

But it made me more than a little wary that my genitalia appeared to be fully healed just from rubbing (Y/N) with lotion! Her reaction to me was abnormally powerful. I had never tasted such a force, which raised even more questions. For just a moment, I pushed them aside.

I fetched a cigarette from the bag of goodies (Y/N) had purchased for me and headed out onto the balcony. I temporarily slipped off one of my gloves to light the deadly thing, careful to only let it touch the glove's surface. I’d have to belch some fire afterwards, and maybe even brush my teeth, before allowing myself the luxury of another kiss from (Y/N)’s velvety lips.

I didn't want to taint (Y/N) with my filthy habits. She was human, that sort of thing could kill her. Just the thought that she used to be a regular smoker, that I had tempted her with it again, made me feel almost physically ill! How irreversibly damaged was she already? I should never have offered her that cigarette when we first met; what if she wanted one again from me at some point? What would I do? To fulfill her wish would be to injure her tissues, her genetic material… Curses! What if she started smoking again because of me? What if she died early, suffering terribly? I wondered if there were any bargains I could make with my Father to buy her time, take away illness… I didn’t like the idea that (Y/N) was mortal. I refused to think on it.

Agitated, I exhaled smoke through my nostrils, glad (Y/N) wasn't there to see me twitch neurotically. I was so keyed up! I felt like I wanted to climb up the cursed walls!

Just now, kissing (Y/N)… The chemicals her brain had given off hadn’t made sense! I had read happiness, true satisfaction! Even, clear as crystal, the thought that everything was exactly as she had always wanted it to be. But then, out of nowhere, there were jolts of panic, distress, resignation, and acceptance of some sort of appalling fate! And she had been trying to hide all of it, I could tell!

I shook my head. (Y/N) knew nothing of a terrible fate, whatever it was she thought the Furies had sent her. For just a few moments, there, alone, I allowed myself the indulgence of mourning whom I had been, before (Y/N).

Andrew, the master manipulator of desire, the unchallenged expert, was no more. I had managed to get several contracts signed that had made me infamous, sought out. One in particular was completely unrivaled, and had even, briefly, made my Father wince before he seemed to veritably burst with pride.

I took another drag from my cigarette as, unwillingly, I started to piece together some of the strange similarities between that very same mark and (Y/N). I found a strange lump forming in my throat as I thought about it, about her, but only a fool would deny the connection that was obviously there.

Lola, who had loved me as a equal with all her being, had been the only woman to taste like vanilla out of hundreds of thousands, and for good reason. She, too, had lovely, black hair and warm, brown eyes. I tried to conjure up her image in my mind, but it had been so long, the memory was faded.

Even so, the resemblance was unquestionable. They smelled the same; they tasted the same. They looked similar, I was sure of it. I knew it was impossible for me to be in Lola’s presence, our contract prevented that, even if she had somehow lost her memories of me. Only one logical explanation remained. (Y/N) had to be a descendant of Lola’s.

That meant that Lola must have lain with another man, to have birthed offspring. I felt a horrible, pressing pain in my chest, paired with a terrible, jealous rage. Lola was MINE! I couldn’t stand the thought of another man’s seed in her holy place, much less impregnating her! Filthy, unworthy, human scum!

Desperate to maintain control, for (Y/N), to refrain from destroying her things, I held absolutely still, as I shook with the strength of my anger. Smoke from my nostrils clouded my vision; I ignored it. I closed my fist around my cigarette and crushed it to ash, willing myself to calm.

Lola was lost to me, forever. There was nothing I could do about it. Instead, I had done everything I could to forget, but I never had. Nothing had been the same; no woman had been her match. No one else had ever made me feel like I wasn’t hungry anymore, like there were things in life worth a damn aside from feeding and mind games. Until now.

Perhaps (Y/N) was my second chance? But at what? Was that the nature of my illness? Now that I reflected back on my past, though I felt great vanity at having done well, and I was ashamed at having failed to bed (Y/N) now… I also felt regret, a need for something more. That must be what the Dark Lord said I would wish to discuss. I had to be changing, somehow.

I thought about all the grief and pain I felt, even now, coming to me. It no longer seemed savory. I remembered it all came from living women; that I was the cause. Perhaps they would be happy if I had never gone to them. I was feeding off of them. I was a parasite, on women who had loved me, some who probably loved me still.

I realized I had those very suffering women to thank for keeping me alive, when I had lost all hope of gaining (Y/N)’s affections, and felt… discomfort. The feeling grew, almost as though I had swallowed too hot a human beverage, or maybe as though I had the trots from human food, but it was stuck high in my bowels; a terrible, terrible disquiet.

Was I inherently actually evil? If I tried, could I avoid being a leech? Could I serve (Y/N) well? Find that existential ‘something more’ I was looking for, despite our contract? Could I overlook her heritage, forget about Lola?

I resolved, from that moment, that the sickness (Y/N) was instilling in me had to be for some cause. Perhaps it was just the long-lasting effect of being around so many damned women. Regardless, I would use it to my advantage. If it had made me a puny, soft, effeminate wretch: so be it!

If I ended up actually enjoying watching horrible romantic comedies and soap operas, then I would embrace it! If (Y/N) took me to stores to try on endless clothing that all looked the same, I would go, damn it to the Pits! Let this new sickness consume me, if it meant I would be with (Y/N)! I belched a small fireball, full of new determination.

This time, I would not run away. I would not let my ego drive me to make the same mistakes. (Y/N) was MINE, and I would never leave her.

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(Y/N)’s POV

As soon as Andy disappeared, I stripped the bed of its cover and sheet and threw them in the hamper. The hole in the sheet wasn’t major, if anything it made me giggle, thinking of Andy actually feeling the need to choke one off while snurffling into my pillow. After making the bed again, I obediently laid down, so as to ‘let the lotion set in,’ per Andy’s request.

As soon as I had time to reflect, I started feeling pretty stupid. I had been determined not to fall in love with the slinky, stylish Andy-man, and it had taken him all of, what? Twenty-four hours? I snorted. That was completely obscene! What kind of mental reserves did that demonstrate? Granted, I knew it was just a puppy love, the kind you get when you are dazzled by something new and shiny. But still, I was mortified. What if Andy had sensed it?

I supposed there wasn’t much to be done about it, though. Feelings were feelings. Andy was so charming and charismatic, and he seemed so sincere! And he had been dying!

It was just that, something about him felt so perfect. He was everything I wanted. Of course, that made no sense at all, because Andy wasn’t human. But I couldn’t think of a thing I’d want to change about him. He was nutty, for sure, but I found it endearing. And his every touch set me on fire.

I frowned to myself. I just needed to keep in mind that, at any point, he could just be gone from my life forever, and I would never hear from him again. At most, I had a month with him. I felt a strange mix of panic and resignation at the thought.

I pondered if it would be rude to ask Andy to say goodbye before he left? If he really was going to take the rose with him, or if that was just part of an elaborate ploy to get me to fall for him? Well, regardless, he had succeeded. In record time, no less.

Notes

Is Andy doomed to a life of soap operas? Stay tuned!