Her, Saving Grace

20

Damon

There would come a time when I'd find myself walking along Harper St. at two in the morning.

I've been doing this since I was fourteen. Of course back then, I was with a search party. Not for missing people. I'm sure you knew that from Catherine's occasional humming of a theme song from some old ghost  movie.

I received a call from Benjie saying they found nasties lurking around these streets for days now. And where there were nasties, there were lost souls.

It was dark (obviously) and there were hardly any lampposts on this side of town but I could see perfectly fine.  There's something about the nature of what I do that gives me this extra feature of sensing souls nearby. That's how Benjie and the others found me.

It wasn't long before I found three figures huddled on a nearby tree. Now during this situation, you gotta think of a way to approach them because lost souls are usually people who don't know their dead yet. I can't just go and tell them to come with me now, can I? That would make me what. A kidnapper.

Look who's here.

I smirked and turned around to see the same group of men Catherine approached that one time we went to the club. They all wore the same attire. Classy suits, crisp ties and polished shoes. You wouldn't suspect them to be the kind that takes women's souls. Two of them were leaning against a statue of an angel while the one who spoke sat on the statue's feet.

"Aaw come on fellas."  I said this out loud. The nasties can't talk. That privilege was taken away from them for joining the dark side. Now they just sort of get into your head. Literally.

Take the children. Leave the woman to us.

They tend to exaggerate when saying the letter "s". Kind of like snakes. They didn't have scales or anything. But their eyes turn white and their tongues into the likes of a lizard when they're looking for prey. Oor when their prey is being threatened to be taken away. Nasty #2 bared his fangs and took a step forward. The other held onto his shoulder.

"How about...You leave them all to me and you just leave."

Nasty #1 jumped off of the statue and stood in front of me.

We're not idiots.

I nodded. Completely understanding that they wouldn't let me have all of the souls. "Of course. BUT just think about it. If you turn her into one of your kind, you'll have competition. And you fellas know the difference between  supply and demand now, don't you?" I risked a glance to see the woman wrap her arms tighter around her children. I need to get to them fast.

She will be of great use to the females.

I winced to see Nasty#1 grinning. Of course they hated the succubi. They have mocked them for years and I still don't get why. Maybe because they succumbed to these fellas and got turned to soul-eating harpies when they got too carried away themselves.  What better way to piss them off than to give them another of their kind. After all,those she-devils have done the same to them before.

"D'aaaw guys you know I can't give them all to you. Now why don't we just pretend this never happened and go on with your sexual lives?"

You can't fool us child. We have lived many years before you.

Without warning,Nasty #2 launched towards me, his claws showing.

I sidestepped just in time when he aimed for my chest. He's just going to go for the kill. No karate chops. I didn't give him time to retaliate as I grabbed his neck once he turned towards  me, probably thinking of trying again. He did get a chance to rip my shirt's  sleeve.