From the Heart of a Villain (MxM)

Chapter 2 - Club Phoenix

It was nearly two in the morning when Marzanna found Samael alone in Central Park lying face down under a tree. The park closed during the night, so it was quiet and secluded. Only small birds and rodents could be heard scattering about, and the wind stirred the leaves of the canopy above.

        Since Samael met Brett that morning on the bridge, he hasn't stopped thinking about it. The man was fixed on his mind like a tick to a deer, draining his thoughts of everything except the brief moment when he thought about the possibility of rejection. He'd never felt such distaste for himself, but why did he care? Brett was just a man, a simple, insignificant human. He was not spectacular at all. He was nervous, quiet and barely said a word to Samael. The only thing that Brett was is a talented artist. The images he drew of people and places were so realistic that they could almost pass for photographs. But, even that puzzled Samael. With a perfect sunrise on the horizon to illustrate, why cover it up with him? He was so distracted by his dilemma that he didn't even notice Marzanna's presence until she spoke.

        "Samael?"

        "How long have you been there?"

         "Not long. I was looking for you all day, I waited in your apartment but you never came."

        "I spent the day in my thoughts." He rolled over to sit up as Marzanna sat beside him. "I met a human on the bridge today."

        "You meet one nearly every day."

        "He was just different somehow."

        "Hmm," Marzanna signalled for Samael to elaborate further.

        "He drew me, not the sunrise." Samael closed his eyes. "And I hated that it wasn't me. The real me."

        "Sam-"

        "And I nearly lost it, I was ready to shift. But then I looked at him." Samael took a moment to relive the encounter. "He was so peaceful and inviting, unlike anything else."

        "Did you stay with the human?"

        "I was going to, but then he said goodbye."

        "You didn't follow him?"

        "No."

        "Why?"

        "I should have, I just didn't know what to do in the moment. I've never met a human with such influence. Ever." He shook his head, "and then he was gone."

        Lights danced in their direction, someone was approaching.

        "Hey!" a man's voice shouted. "You're not supposed to be here!"

        A tall dark man in a police uniform stood above them.

        "I'll have you arrested for trespassing!" he boomed, "get up!"

        Marzanna and Samael counted to three between themselves before they both shifted into whatever nightmarish beasts they could imagine. Samael's eyes glowed red, long curved horns sprouted from his head as his ears stretched to a point and his mouth twisted sharply to reveal large serrated teeth. His skin began to darken and ripple with orange and red waves, his fingers sprouted into long and sharp claws while his body grew in height and build to break out of his tight-fitting clothes. 

        Marzanna's skin erupted with scales, her smile grew sharp and the strands of her long black hair transformed into eel-like creatures that hissed and struck the air around them. The two beasts towered over the officer, bellowing a monstrous power.