FURIE

I stared up at you on that rooftop, willing you to stop this. You wavered there, reaching out towards me, and for a terrifying second I thought - that’s it, she’s going to fall. 

You stepped off the edge, and I couldn’t breathe, my diaphragm seized up, fingers numb. I muttered your name as you fell, unable to believe it…

… and then you rose…

Your coat was gone, replaced by those shadow-wings that I love so much, made of smoke and fire and rage. Even from that distance I could see the red of your eyes, the snakes writhing in your hair. I knew then that there was something there - someone, a wrong-doer that you would punish as only a furie can punish someone. 

You flew to an adjacent building, smashed straight into a window, taking out much of the frame and wall surrounding it as well. Cursing, I pocketed my phone and ran for the front door, where people were already trickling out, screaming. I had to shoulder my way past them, up the stairs and into the clouds of smoke that only got thicker the higher I climbed. Strangers were coughing and choking all around me, but I breathed easy - I was already used to breathing in your ire.

I heard the snarling and screaming that signalled I was on the correct floor and pulled out my gun, kicked in the door separating us, ready if I was needed.

A man was cowering away from you but you had hold of one ankle with your sharp claws, and were pulling him inexorably closer to those jagged teeth you usually kept hidden. Your bat-like wings were looking tattered from their abrupt introduction to the window, and seeing your bright blue blood painting the floor made my own stir with hatred for the man before you. 

“Help me!” he cried, hyperventilating with terror, a bite wound already spilling blood from bicep to floor. The arm looked broken, his chest slashed, and I could picture you shaking him by the arm from side to side with your teeth, raking your claws across him.

You looked at me then, your other clawed hand raised. Your eyes were as smouldering coals, orange and red in the dark of the room, smoke continuing to billow around you to obscure us from the eyes of strangers. The glistening black snakes that wove through your hair turned to look at me too - hissing at first, then relaxing as they recognized me. Your chin was painted red with blood as you crouched over the man who you had chosen. Your expression was hungry, but I knew what you were waiting for.

You were waiting for my permission. 

“Please!” the other cried, perhaps thinking a mere woman such as myself would feel some sympathy. “Please, don’t let it hurt me!”

I stared for a second more into your eyes - eyes that were ecstatic to be able to express all your pent up emotions after keeping them banked for so long. You tilted your head, and I saw a flicker of a different kind of hunger then, and as your forked tongue emerged to lick the blood from your lips I thought - 

I would have you devour me, next. 

“Let?” I said, swinging my gaze back to the dead man on the floor. “No one lets her do anything. Were you committing a crime?”

The man started crying, and the snakes in your hair danced at the sound. You continued to watch me even as they turned their tiny eyes back to view their prey. The pathetic creature mutely nodded through his hysteria. Perhaps he thought it best to leave this life at least speaking the truth. 

“Then you deserve to be punished,” I said, and you smiled in dark satisfaction before you pounced. 

The screams and flails of the criminal will not haunt me. Later, when we are home and you allow me to tend to your wounds, you’ll ask me, as you always do, if this was all wrong. If the darkness and rage is too much for me. 

If this side of you is too much.

“It’s not enough,” I’ll say. 

And then I’ll kiss you.

by Arden Hunter

Arden hunter is an aroace agender writer, artist and performer. With an eclectic range of interests from the horrific to the whimsical, the theme tying all of their work together is an inexplicable and unconditional love of the ridiculous beast that is called ‘human’. Arden has words and art hosted and upcoming with Thi Wurd, Acid Bath Publishing and Masks Literary Magazine among other places. Find them on twitter @hunterarden and at https://www.ardenhunter.com/