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The area I lived in was once decent, but now it was struggling.
A dwindling economy does that to a place. Most businesses that were once thriving were forced to close and those who could afford to leave, did just that.
Others stayed but they also struggled. I otherwise had the luxury of this apartment belonging to my grandparents so the mortgage was long settled, leaving me behind with only the regular bills to pay.
Most of the people that lived here did their best to just get by though, so for the most part it was safe.
But then the break-ins started to happen more often.
So maybe it was a blessing that I had a literal live-in demon cohabiting with me.
Keeping an eye on the things that went bump in the middle of the night.
Not that I could trust it. I still couldn’t bring myself to do so. Not one bit.
I woke up earlier during the night to a strange sound, though. I was a lighter sleeper than Midnight and would at oftentimes wake up to subtle sounds. This was initially annoying to me, but I quickly learned that as long as Midnight remained asleep, then there was nothing ever to worry about—so I always just dozed off again.
It was something about instincts, he said. If he’s awake during the night along with me, then that’s when I can feel worried.
I woke up to a noise just now, either way.
My eyes parted slowly, feeling the curl of his tail that looped around my legs. I could sense his breathing change and as he almost jolted awake. I shuddered at the sensation of his stare intensify at the back of my head as his body stretched, pulling me closer towards his chest.
Tonight, his instincts were on high alert.
“Quiet,” he whispered, noticing that I was awake too.
My voice remained hushed as I turned to face him, “Is someone else in here…?”
“Not yet,” Midnight replied, slowly bringing himself up to a sitting position, reluctantly letting go of me, “stay in bed.”
Something dangerous stirred within his presence and I harboured more fear for Midnight than the prospect of an actual intruder. It was as though his words were laced in something much more sinister, like a threat.
When the lock to the front door finally gave in, I could feel a change in the atmosphere almost right away. Midnight kept me grounded in bed by pressing his one arm behind him, locking me into place against the mattress. The way that he seemed to be guarding me felt territorial once again.
I remained deathly quiet as I felt the air continue to grow heavier; some type of droning sound playing from Midnight’s lips. His body reacted on instinct, almost, as his head jerked in slight movements—as though he was tracking something, or someone.
The hum slowly phased into a low growl, filling up the space with an unsettling aura that wafted through the confines of my home.
It was as though Midnight was making his presence known to send a warning.
People were reckless though. That’s what I started to understand after just a couple of weeks with him. Humans acted unpredictably, especially if influenced by fear.
So, perhaps he was just trying to strike enough unease into this person into leaving, but this didn’t seem to be the outcome just yet.
Midnight was gentle with me up until this very moment. He spent the last couple of weeks trying to gain my trust but he seemed to have a different priority right now. The way he seemed so tense during his investigation was quite jarring, especially now that he seemed hostile. Malicious, even.
Closer to an actual demon than ever before.
I felt afraid.
Noticing this, his demeanour softened for a moment, although it felt forced. He turned to face me, sensing my unease.
Cupping my face into his palms, he leaned in with a sedating kiss, “I’ll be right back.”
While his tone seemed calmer and while his touch bordered feather light, it was that same type of kiss that dulled my senses like all of those other times before.
Usually it was used as a nightcap for when I couldn’t get to sleep or for the earlier days when I couldn’t bring myself to relax within his company. However, it seemed to be for something else tonight.
Something seemed off.
His body language was different—almost erratic.
I drifted off into a fabricated sleep and phased on and off back into lucidity against my control. Certain sounds played in my mind, like screaming and low drawn out whines. Like bones waning and cracking. Faint imagery burnt into my mind of bloodied flesh and torn skin.
Under any other circumstance, I would have shaken that off as a vivid nightmare but it felt all too different this time.
Especially since the atmosphere since then felt even heavier than before and to an extent, almost suffocating.
My breath locked in my throat as I felt an anchoring presence settle over me, sinking me further into the mattress. I writhed just a little bit as my body tried to readjust into comfort, but I couldn’t move much at all.
I knew Midnight was on top of me, that much was clear.
I opened up my eyes once again, feeling the sedative finally fade. It was almost a jarring sensation, as if the ease washed away along with it. The air continued to thicken but now tinted with the smell of copper, my senses recoiling as something warm dripped from his lips and onto mine.
(Blood…?)
I couldn’t see him too clearly, but from the brief moments that the moonlight shone through the blinds—I could see it. He looked feral, almost as if he was drunk on something.
My breathing remained shallow as I felt some sort of innate fear settle deep within my core. I was starting to slowly understand why I felt so terrified in this very moment—my eyes widening in panicked realisation. I finally got it. My breath caught in my throat again as the dream-like stupor finally faded away, replacing itself with striking lucidity instead.
Midnight was savouring the taste of something.
Or someone.
Yet, despite catching onto my suspicion, he tried to brush away my almost overwhelming concern.
“Please don’t worry,” he cooed, that same soft tone returning as he finally settled, the one that carried the same facade as before, “go back to sleep, it will be okay.”
“But-“
“—the danger is gone, I promise,” Midnight purred as he stroked my cheeks with his fingers, leaning in closer as he licked the dried blood off of my lips, “in fact, the intruder isn’t just dealt with, he’s…”
“You didn’t?” I asked, finally able to say something. My voice sounded hoarse, almost dry.
Midnight simply smiled, his pointed teeth momentarily illuminated by the passing moonlight. He wasn’t going to elaborate even if he did suspect you knew. Instead, he fed you a cryptic response, sealed with yet another soothing kiss.
“Let’s just say that… he’s gone for good.”