Half-Demon : First few chapters.

The rabbit looked up to the wolf and asked it, "What would you have of me?"

The wolf looked back to the rabbit, smelling of fear and looking of innocence and replied, "Why, all of you would taste wonderfully, I think. I will have all of you!"

"Hey, sweetheart? Jimmy is calling for you."

Interrupted again. I was never going to get this book finished. It was starting to really bother me, but it wasn't paying that well anyway. The younger generation wasn't reading much anymore.

"Tell him to call my cell, darling," I belted back out. I could use the distraction anyway. Thirteen seconds later, that distraction was ringing through to Metallica's 'Am I Evil?'. I can't help it; I love when that ringtone goes off in a crowded place. People just make room after that.

"Damned Christian," I answered.

"Damned Pagan," He replied.

"What's up, man?"

"Hey, I heard you're working for the paper, writing editorials now. Wanted to congratulate you," He over-cheerfully came up with.

"You sound awfully happy about a disposable job, and not to mention MY disposable job. What's up, Jimmy?" What can I say, suspicion is the natural enemy of the naive. I don't like being naive.

After a relatively long pause, considering Jimmy almost never stopped talking once he started, I began to worry.

"Hey, man, is everything ok?" It just wasn't like Jimmy to think during a conversation. More often than not, he was speaking before his brain had time to register the words.

"Hey, uh... I lost my job yesterday. Boss just told me that they were downsizing since the economy is crap, blah blah, and he'd call me when they were ready for me to come back."

And there it was. If there was a worse time for Jimmy to be without a steady paycheck, I'm not exactly sure what that time could be.

"Damn, man, I'm sorry. What are you going to do about the baby? Do you have any idea on another job?" I know it sounded alot more sympathetic than he would prefer...

"Don't pity me, you jerk. I'll do fine, I just wanted to ask if I could borrow some money to get by," the feigned hostility was practically dripping through the phone.

My last three books were just published, and as long as I finished this book before Fall, we would be fine. I figured it was a safe bet, considering I had a more steady job now that was at least a secured paycheck. Running a few numbers through my head real quick...

"You there?"

"Yeah, I was just running numbers real fast. I can loan you a couple grand if that'll get you through." I hated the fact that he had to ask me for money. Jimmy is about as much a man's man as it gets. Self-made and all that. It hurt him alot more to ask than it did me to give.

 You know when you can practically hear someone's relief through a phone? I guess it's a sigh, or something, I never really paid attention. It came through loud and clear, though, that whatever tension had built up was draining away.

 "You don't know what that means, Dark. I appreciate it. Jessie will appreciate it too. She just asked me to run to Sonic to get her some chili fries, and I was about to pull the purse strings a little tighter," and the last part of that sentence was shaky.

 "Hey, bro. Don't ever get so bummed about something as stupid as money. You know I'll give you anything I can. Keeping your pregnant wife happy is essential to your health."

 "Thanks, man. You want me to come by this evening, or you wanna swing by here," a little bit better with the confidence.

 "Better idea. Get your girl ready and around eight I'll meet you two at Mama Roja's. Me, Desire, and you two will eat out on us and she'll get the Mexican that I know she's craving." Desire deserved a night out. I'd been working entirely too much lately.