Passion

Prologue

Cold air wafted through the worn vents and into the humid building, threading its way through the darkness and onto any surface. Water trailed down the old walls and slipped into the small puddle forming at the base.

Something landed heavily in the center of the room and began to pace restlessly, shuffling its silky wings uncomfortably. The room seemed too small when this enormous beast was present, even the walls seemed to have inched closer to each other. Its hawk eyes darted from one corner of the room to the other, inspecting every wooden crate, every metal box. Its talons scratched the concrete floor as the beast shifted on its haunches.

Ryan contacted Diana via blue tooth as they hid behind the crates on opposite sides. They had been called in minutes ago; as soon as the monster had appeared in the area. It had been reported in their briefing that the monster had made short work of everything and everyone in its path. As it had been to their dismay, they were the only specialized group close enough to get rid of this nuisance before it got out too of hand. Both had managed to get inside when the demon had tried to rip the wall apart with intentions of getting out, and they quickly hid to wait for it to calm down before they made a move and got trampled as a result.

Diana's eyes narrowed as she watched the creature lumbering from crate to crate. Her body posed and ready, itching to make a move now that her break had been so rudely interrupted. Ryan was simply ready to get back to the hotel and sleep.

"I'll distract it." he said, attempting to stifle a stubborn yawn, "And you kill it."

"You make it sound so boring." Diana whispered back, "You're going to make me fall asleep."

Ryan rolled his dark eyes and moved towards the side of the crate to get a better view of the monster. Right now it was spinning restlessly in the middle of the warehouse in search of an exit.

The third Eclipse in this city this month. He thought looking at the beast. After a few moments he replied, “Good, since you need to sleep once we get back to the hotel. Don't forget the food sampling we're doing tomorrow."

Diana let out a purr of delight as she licked her lips. "How could I forget?"

"So let's kill this thing and get back to our sleep shall we?"

"Let's do it." She said while pulling her brown hair back with her fingers and tying it into a bun so it wouldn't get in her way. "Burn it will you?"

Ryan stood up, not minding in the least if the Eclipse saw him at this point. He extended a hand towards it and blew out. Fire danced off his finger tips. The flames turned into whips as they stretched towards the Eclipse. When the fire touched its feathery hide, it outstretched both black amethyst-colored wings and cackled loudly, flapping wildly in a futile attempt to fly away.

"Going somewhere?" Ryan said, now moving his fingers to control the fire whips. They responded to his movement and latched onto the Eclipse, binding it to the floor, and causing it to scream in pain.

Diana swept out of her hiding spot and casually strolled towards the thrashing Eclipse. "You," she spat at it, distaste evident in her voice, "ruined a great dinner." A metallic long sword solidified in the palm of her hand and when she was close enough, she put on a show of spinning the sword a few times before bringing it down on the Eclipse's chest.

The beast growled in pain and promptly fell to its side as it began to die.

She stretched, feeling smug at her accomplishment. Ryan stretched calmly not giving her or the Eclipse a second glance. Bed was his only thought at the moment.

"Look at this pitiful thing." Diana said with a smirk. "If it didn't kill people in such thoughtless manners I might just have kept him as a pet." she sneered.