Gifted

III

Damien smiles and takes my hand before leading me into a fancy sushi restaurant. He's never really liked sushi, but I've always loved it. Its my favorite.

I hold his arm as we enter. "Damien... You don't ha-" he cuts me off with a kiss.

"I know I don't little firefly... My treat on saying congratulations." He smiles, kissing me again.

I pull away, giggling softly. "Stop with the nicknames or you'll end up with a burnt tounge" I tease as we're seated.

When seated, he takes my hands and sighs softly "you know I love you, right?" He asks, looking up at me with his big, blue eyes. "Ever since I met you at school, and when my family adopted you after the accident..."

I look away, a bit saddened by that memory, but I quickly shake it off. "What's this about Damien?" I ask.

"Well... You see..." He reaches for his pocket and gets up, bumping into a waiter. Sake gets spilt all over the place.

I get up and give a slight chuckle. He was drenched. "C'mon, klutz. Let's get you to a bathroom" I apologize to the waiter and go to the bathroom to get towels.

I start patting him dry. "Damien..." I giggle, reaching up and pecking him on the lips. "Let's get back to the table. Order some of those Dragon sushi rolls that I like, and how about some sake too?" I offer, knowing he will calm down and relax after a drink.

~~~

Hours pass of non-stop silliness, fun, and Damien trying to act like the hot sushi sauce wasn't making him sweat like a pig.

He gets up the same time I do. "Ana? I want to ask you something..." He says softly.

"Hold on. I need to run to the little girls room. Ask me when I get back?" I peck his cheek and head downstairs. The closest bathroom in this place was the bathroom at the club 1 story below.

As I walk in, there's an awkward couple making out on the sink. I sneak past, and into a stall.

As I sit down, the smacking of lips just... Disgusted me. I had to tune them out...

'Okay. Let's think about something else.... Damien. What's wrong with him? He seems... Strange today. Well... Stranger than his usual strange. He's flustered too... Oh, he's so cute when he's flustered... I wonder..'

I stop, and listen.

Silence.

No lip smacking.

No moans.

No whimpers.

No.... Nothing... But I can still see his legs.

I pull up my pants and close the toilet lid to peek over the top of the stall....

The lady is dead on the counter top. Her neck is sliced open, showing the bone. Blood is all over the place....

Blood is all over the man in front of her. I duck down to hide as the door open.

"Hey Sebastian. What's taking so long? How long does it take to kill a lady and steal her Shit??" A deep, husky voice growls in a whisper.

"Shut up. Did you plant the bomb?"

'Bomb?? Oh Shit. Shit Shit Shit!' I think, slightly panicking.

"Yea. Let's-"

I yelp, slipping off the toilet lid in my thoughts of escape.

They kick down the stall door to see me, laying there, looking up at them with a nervous smile.

The taller of the two men, the one covered in the whores blood, picks me up by the collar of my shirt. "My my... What have we here?" He chuckles as I struggle nervously.

"Quit playing Sebastian. She heard everything. Kill her before someone comes in!" The one who planted the bomb orders.

I gulp 'Hurry Ana. Do something...' I watch as he brings up his knife.... 'Do it Ana.... Its for self defense'

I take a deep breath, and blow fire into Sebastians' face. He screams and drops me on the toilet, causing me to bash my head open on the side.

Sebastian backs away, screaming, trying to put out the fire. In his attempts, he lights the dead woman on fire.

"You bitch! You're one of those freaks! Monster!" the smaller man backs away. "I didn't sign up for this Shit!" he pulls out a gun.

I get up, scrambling for the door as his gun grazes my shoulder. I bust out and scream "EVERYONE OUT! THERES A BOMB!" Screams erupt all around me and everyone panics. I try making it upstairs through the mob of people. 'Gotta get to Damien....'

"There she is!!!" I hear the smaller man's voice as I run upstairs. As I turn a corner, I hear more than one gun shooting.

'Shit Shit Shit!' I think, running to Damien. "Damien. We have to leave. Now." I try pulling him to the doors.

"What's wrong Ana? Calm down... I have to ask-"

"Ask me later. There's a bomb in the building!"

I hear various voices rise in question as people start to rush for the door.

BANG! BANG!

Gunshots are fired into the air as many scream and rush out.

"Damien! Run!" I push him forward, running right behind him.

I get thrown forward as a large explosion errupts around us.

Screams are heard all around... But I feel nothing. Fire, people burning... And I feel nothing.

I look forward and see Damien burning too. I grab him and rush out, trying to get him away from the flames.

'No... No no no!!! Gotta get out!!" I whimper, looking around desperately before spotting a window. I rush, full speed ahead, and break through.

I close my eyes, feeling us plummet to the ground off the 2 story building.

When I hit the ground, I scream in agony, and collapse beside Damien.

He's horribly scarred and his hair is burnt to a crisp.

"Damien...." I whimper, hearing sirens in the distance. "Don't die on me...." I try getting up, only to see frightened faces looking at me.

"M- Monster!"

"Demon!"

"She killed him!"

I don't even realize they mean me as I try approaching them. "Help...." I cringe as they take pictures with blinding flash or step away from me..

I turn away to avoid the light, only to see myself in the reaction of the burning buildings window.

My red hair looked like fire itself, horns coming from my forehead. My eyes were a deep, blood red, as scales formed on my face. My outfit was torn and battered, making me look even scarier.

I am a monster.