A Most Terrifying Engagement (closed)

[Brandnewbuddy]

Mike smiled when Andrea offered him the cookies but held up his phone, which showed an app for the local pizza place saying his order was being made and would be getting delivered to Andrea’s house in the next 20 minutes.

“Hey, don’t worry about it, babygirl. I’ve got dinner covered tonight. Besides, Sheryl is out of town so I’m just by my lonesome tonight.”

He put his hand on her shoulder, giving a gentle rub “besides, way I hear it, you’ve been having a rough time of it. I think we should talk.”

Mike kept up his smile the whole time and before Andrea could respond, he had gently pushed past her to the kitchen where he pulled a conveniently stashed bottle of vodka he had snuck in while the Consultant was talking to Andrea. Before even asking Andrea if she wanted one, he poured two drinks into plastic cups and took a swig of one while holding the other out to Andrea.

“Come on, don’t let me drink alone Andrea. Let’s go to the dining room while we wait for our pizza and you can tell your god dad all about what’s on your mind.”

Mike had a system that had served him well since college. First he found a woman who was hurting or had been hurt and made a grand gesture to get them indebted to him even if only for the night. Then he made sure to steamroll the conversation, making plans without their input while twisting his intrusion to sound like it was a rational idea. Then he made sure to further take root in their space. Most commonly: have a stiff drink. After all, if they made him leave and he got in an accident, they’d share some of the blame, wouldn’t they?

He looked at Andrea as he held the drink out. He felt a little bad. No one had expected Andrea to get in such a bad relationship she would need a restraining order…but her pain was his gain. Just looking at her now she looked like she was completely without any support and just flailing around. It was clear she hadn’t eaten. A drink or two and she’d be putty in his hand. It had been fun being her godfather when she was little but the days before the house was sold would be the last chance he’d likely get to get in her pants…and with her dad in another state and her looking like this hurt while still looking like a 10, he’d be crazy to not take advantage of the situation.

 

[Poprockz]

He always had a way of sweeping one along in conversation when he wanted to, and she certainly felt it tonight. The man was very charismatic and sure of himself, and she could hardly argue with him. To push him out the door meant that he would have wasted his pizza money, and been snubbed after making a kind gesture. Reluctantly, she supposed she would let him stay just until they finished their pizza and then she would ask him to leave. It wasn't like she had any real reason she could refuse him either; she didn't have any plans later tonight nor tomorrow.

She tried to reassure herself that things would be okay. While she had overheard him on that replayed audio, he had never actually tried to cross any boundaries. If he did, then he knew she wouldn't hold back in telling her dad.

When did he get alcohol in here?! The woman stared at him in shock as he held out the cup to her, but that didn't last long. Tentatively, she took the cup and looked down into it. Maybe a couple sips would be okay and he would be satisfied enough to leave. Even if he got drunk, she could always call him an uber or something. She was NOT letting him stay, she told herself. Andrea would have to be firm.

"Um. Okay." The cup was brought to her lips and she took a little sip, cringing at the way it burned in her throat. It would be fine if she had a little- the pizza would soak it up anyway. With that, she walked with him to the dining room and pulled up a chair.

"I'm really fine, though. Seriously. Josh is behind me now, and I'm just trying to get things to fall into place, you know?"

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Mike was a little surprised at Andrea’s trepidation towards him. Sure she probably didn’t want a guy around her after how rough things ended with Josh but it seemed like she was being cautious around him. Not that he didn’t have some less than wholesome plans for his goddaughter but she shouldn’t know that.

Oh well, she’d sipped a little and even a small amount of alcohol would help the plan. Buzzed but not plastered would be best but Mike was flexible.

“Well cheers to putting that piece of shit behind you.” He knocked his glass against hers and took a swig, inviting her to drink with him but not forcing the issue. He had to keep things at least pleasant until the pizza got here.

“But Andrea, are you sure you’re all right?” He started rubbing her arm, a genuine looking expression of concern crossing his face, “You know how small towns are. People talk and I do a lot of work with everyone around here. Father Seth was saying some funny stuff this morning at the diner. He says, “That girl Andrea has been back one day and she’s already calling for an exorcism.” He was flabbergasted was shouting about it to everyone who’d hear him.”

He placed his other hand over hers, “and then I hear from Mr. Johnson. Y’know, the guy who lives across the streets. Well I guess you never met him, he moved in after Ms. Clover went to the retirement home. He said ‘that good looking girl was running out her door in just a nightie last night. Looked scared out her wits. Didn’t mind the view but somebody ought to check on that girl.’”

Isolate them Mike knew Andrea was already alone. Her parents were in another state and now he just had to make it seem like the whole town was othering her. Sure Johnson had run his mouth at the diner but almost no one was there, and Father Seth had come up to him to tell him about Andrea but it had been in confidence and out of genuine concern…but Andrea didn’t need to know that.

“You sure you’re all right?” He put one hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle rub, “Look, I know I’m just your godfather but I worry about you. Look, Sherryl will be back tomorrow and we’d love to have you over. C’mon girl, you can tell me anything.”

 

[Poprockz]

Another polite sip had been taken when he toasted, accompanied by another cringe. Alcohol was certainly better when mixed with something sweet, that was for sure.

When he started talking about things he had heard, her shoulders tensed. Her eyes went wide and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as he finished, the woman averting her gaze from him and refocusing down into her cup. The whole town probably thought she was crazy, talking about exorcisms and running around scantily-clad in the middle of the night. She wouldn't blame them- it had been a crazy couple of days after all.

Andrea took a bigger swig of her drink and swallowed it with difficulty, her eyes watering slightly from the burn. Maybe not just from the burn. She was thinking about Vanta again, and it made that same glumness return to her that she had been fighting off all day.

"You'd never believe me..." she mumbled, fiddling with her cup. "You'd think I was nuts, like legitimately nuts."

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Mike was intrigued. He had figured Andrea had just been spooked by a creak on the stairs or the house settling. He remembered her always being a bit of a scaredy cat. Talking about a shadowy man that sat on her bed. It was cute then…and thinking of the buxom beauty in front of him shivering was a much more appealing prospect.

But the look in her eyes, the way she was now taking bigger swigs: something was going on and it intrigued him.

“Go ahead Andrea. Give me a shot. The world is a crazy place, absolutely loony sometimes.” He poured some more vodka, filling his glass and then putting a little more in hers. “Why don’t you tell me everything?”

 

[Poprockz]

He truly would think she was crazy if she told the real story, so she decided to alter it a little bit. “So you know when I was little how I used to say that there was a monster that came to scare me every night? I… I’ve been having the most vivid nightmares about it. Like I dreamed that it lured me down into the basement and grabbed me, and that it almost ate me with thousands of teeth. Then I had a dream that it got angry and locked me in a room that was just…” She shuddered at the memory, “like, creepy, inky flesh. It had tons of red eyeballs and it hurt me.”

Andrea took another healthy swig from her cup, finding that it seemed to help a little bit. Perhaps the sting of the vodka was keeping her grounded. “It just- it just felt so real. Like I legitimately felt pain, and- and I just. I think it was real.”

She looked at him before looking away awkwardly, “I know. That sounds crazy, or like I’m having some kind of mental breakdown. If I am, it’s because of a friend of mine. He isn’t from the US, so he didn’t really know how to act here and he ended up being a jerk even though he was really trying to be sweet to me. I didn’t know that until later when they read a few pages of his diary at his funeral. He got hit by a car on the way to see me when I was having a hard time and I… I can’t help but feel responsible.”

Andrea’s eyes welled up further and she started to cry, unable to hold them back. She took another drink from her cup and shuddered, sniffling sadly. “I just feel… really shitty right now.”

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Mike reached over and hugged Andrea to his chest, rubbing her back as she cried while breathing in her scent as he played the comforting godfather, "Shhh, it's okay babygirl, it's okay." He rubbed her back, "Hey, feeling shitty sometimes is a big part of life and girl, you've been getting an elephant sized pile of shit thrown at you lately.” He patted her on the back and then reluctantly leaned back to his chair, and took hold of Andrea’s hand and began massaging it.


“I’m sorry to hear about your friend, Andrea.” He said, “I’m not good with that complicated stuff but I bet that, since he was your friend he’d be okay with you crying over him for a bit but I bet what he’d want you to do is be happy, enjoy your life, and live a life full of great experiences: enough for both of you.”


“And if one of those experiences is with your doting godfather , all the better,” he thought to himself.


The pizza arrived and Mike got up. He made sure to be extra polite, make small talk, and give the delivery driver a big but not suspiciously big tip. If things suddenly went south, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a witness who could say “oh Mike? Yeah, I know that guy, real nice. WHAT? No, he couldn’t do something like that.”


He brought the pizza, a supreme to play it safe, over and opened it up, picking up a piece for himself and then turning the open box towards her.


“Y’know, I used to dable in Psychology, and if you don’t mind me positing a theory, I think I can explain that nightmare you had.” He said, taking another drink of Vodka and pointing the slice of pizza like he was using a laser pointer at a lecture hall. “I think your dream was a combination of your time with Josh and your friend’s death all wrapped up with your memories of that bogeyman you dreamed up when you were little.”

He took a bite, “you say it lured you down to the basement? Well, and stop me it you want-It’s like how Josh lured you into a relationship with him where he hurt you? The mouths could be your fears or memories about how he tried to consume your life and him trapping you in a room could be representative of how he isolated you, the red eyes: when he would get angry with you, and the cold would be how you felt he was to you.”

He finished his pizza, “Now the flesh I’m not as sure on, maybe it was the physicality of your relationship, or maybe the monster represents your friend: shadows are the unknown truth after all: you and your friend had a misunderstanding and you didn’t understand him and he didn’t understand you so the hurt he caused and the hurt you felt all got swallowed up into this beast which you formed out of from a half remembered bogeyman from your childhood.”

“Am I warm at all?” He asked, grabbing another slice. “I think you came home after all this trauma and even though you’re safe, it all came roaring back. Sheryl told me after her dad died she didn’t really feel it till months after he died when we were on vacation. I’m guessing it’s the same thing.”

He patted her hand, “but the main thing is, you’re okay now…though I can stay the night and sleep on the couch if you want. I’m worried Mr. Johnson might start setting up a camera if he’ll catch you in your nightie again.” He laughed, testing the waters.

 

[Poprockz]

Part of her was whispering to be wary of him, but truth be told she wanted to trust him. He had been there for her during her entire life and he didn't seem like the sort of person that would take advantage of her when she was at a very low point. The audio captured him saying some admittedly disgusting things, but hopefully it was just him trying to fit in with the other guys or something. Maybe it was just one of those things where it was a private, intrusive thought that he would never act on; he had shown himself to be a very kind, upstanding person after all.

She allowed him to hug her, resting her head on his shoulder until he pulled back. He was absolutely right- Vanta would definitely want her to be happy and enjoy her life to the fullest. He had said so himself, after all.

That made her feel a little better, so she wiped her eyes as he left to get the pizza. Andrea was a goat so she would, for the most part, eat anything put in front of her. Still, she hadn't regained much of an appetite so she took a piece and nibbled on the crust as he spoke.

His theories were listened to quietly as she ate. What if… what if it really was all in her mind?

Her eyes went down to the ring. It was real enough, but she could have purchased it in an unstable state of mind and forgotten about it. What if it had all been manufactured by a broken mind? It hurt to think about that, about the possibility that Vanta was just a figment of her imagination. Part of her thought that it would be a relief though. If it really was just her mind making things up, then Vanta wouldn’t have suffered in reality, and he wouldn’t have died since he was never alive in the first place. Wouldn’t that be a more merciful reality?

Andrea took another gulp of her drink and let out a small hiss. The drink wasn’t getting any easier to drink, but she didn’t mind. She was starting to feel that warmth in her stomach and the relaxation of her muscles. Once the cup was empty, she should probably stop drinking, especially since he had added a little more booze to hers.

She didn't recoil from his hand, but she shook her head. "No, it's okay. I'm not a little girl anymore- I can take care of myself. I just... need to get my head on straight." He was given a sad smile.

"Thank you though... I think you might be right. Maybe my trauma is just hitting me really hard and manifesting in weird ways." The woman took a bite of her pizza and cringed slightly. She swallowed it with difficulty and put the remainder of the slice back into the box. There wasn't anything wrong with it, but she still didn't have the stomach for it.

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Mike didn't even frown when his offer was turned down: truth be told, he never expected it to work. What he did get though was a chance to gauge a few things.

1. Andrea had been letting him touch her without much pushback, so even if she was wary, she wasn't repulsed. An important distinction. If she' been repulsed by him touching her, he'd have to break off for a few days and slowly worm his way into her trust again.

2. The booze was starting to affect her. She wasn't slurring her words or showing signs of losing her coordination but a practiced predator like Mike knew the subtle ways booze could impact a young woman.

3. She was clearly hurting. The lack of appetite, the sad smiles...she was like a wounded gazelle limping her way around in a lion's den. The godfather in Mike felt bad...but the beast in him, the one that picked up hitchhikers for quickies and had hooked up with girls that were barely 18 and were just trying to find some emotional support, was licking its chops in anticipation. A hurt woman was so easy to take advantage of.

"You're right, baby girl, you're right. You're a grown woman now and you can take care of yourself." He then looked at her glass compared to his, which he had only been sipping, "And since you're grown, I think we can end this night with one last chug." He tipped the vodka bottle again, this time adding a lot to his cup, and then adding a tiny amount to Andrea's...though considering the amount he had poured in his at the start and the fact he'd been barely sipping, Andrea would still have gotten the lion's share of the vodka tonight. He clinked the plastic cup as best as he could and then downed the cup in one go and put the cap back on the vodka.

He then began his next gambit.

"Goodnight babygirl, get some sleep." He kissed her chastely on the forehead, "If you don't mind, I think I'll grab a slice for the road," He then grabbed the biggest slice he could find and picked it up, taking a big bite and then stretching the piece out so the mozzarella extended a few good inches. When he finished his bite, he let the hand holding the pizza droop a bit, making a cascade of toppings and sauce avalnache off of the pizza and directly onto his white t-shirt.

"Oh shit!" Mike cursed, "Andrea, you don't have a stain marker do you? or maybe your dad left a shirt? Sorry, my washing machine's broke at home, I don't want this stain to stick."

Mike then ripped off the t-shirt, exposing his physique. Mike wasn't cut but he was muscular. Not the types of muscles a body builder would shoot for, rather the husky type of muscles that you only get from lots of strength training. He looked like a barrell that had sprouted limbs. He waited to see what Andrea would do. Whether she went to get something to help him or pushed for him to leave, he had a plan, as well as a trump card he still had yet to play.

 

[Poprockz]

She was relieved that he had accepted her refusal graciously, and it put her more at ease. It would be fine if she polished off her cup with him since he would be heading out shortly.

Andrea clinked her glass and took a big gulp to get the last of it down, shuddering from the bite once more.

Oof, oh wow. That booze was strong. She knew vodka was strong of course, but she felt like it had an extra kick to it tonight. Was it her empty stomach? Probably. Hopefully the pizza crust she ate would soak up a little bit, but she didn’t mind the idea of being intoxicated tonight. It might be nice to be a little numb when she went to bed later.

She watched as the pizza tragically dropped right into the pristine whiteness of his shirt, and immediately she stood up with her arms slightly outstretched as though she wasn’t quite sure how to save him from that greasy fate.

“Fuck, your shirt! Um, just stay there and I’ll grab you a shirt from their closet. I’ll wash it for you tonight and you can come by to pick it up tomorrow.” Andrea reached out and took his shirt, holding it out and cringing at how badly it was marked. It needed bleach, that was for sure. “You can bring Sheryl with you and we can eat out- my treat for bringing the pizza.”

Her eyes didn’t go to his body, more focused on the task and situation at hand. He was basically like a Step-dad or an uncle to her, so she didn’t really consider him sexually at all, especially with the booze making her less wary of him.

Andrea quickly turned and headed for the master bedroom closet to grab him something. Most likely it would be one of her dad’s horrible Hawaiian shirts.

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

“Thank you babygirl. You’re a lifesaver!” Mike called after her as Andrea scurried off to get a shirt.

He was a touch disappointed when Andrea had no reaction to his bare chest but he supposed it was for the best. Indifference meant she didn’t see him as a threat and wasn’t thinking of how those arms could easily restrain her and his sheer mass could force her under him.

Instead of moping, Mike got to work. From his Jean pocket, he slid out a small black box the size of a deck of playing cards and flicked a switch on it before hiding it behind some shelves. He pulled out his cellphone and saw that the “no service” message was being displayed. It had been tough getting a cellphone jammer but the device had been extremely useful in his pursuits. For the next six hours, not a bit of data would be getting in or out.

He then quickly went over to the modem and loosened the A/C adaptor chord so it still looked connected but wasn’t. The modem had a battery function but it would only last an hour. For his final preparation, he checked out the window and saw that Johnson’s car was gone. The old codger had said he was going hunting and by god it looked like he had kept his word.

Mike then hurried back to the dining room and scooped up the pizza box, taking it to the refrigerator so he could hopefully be caught in the act of doing something helpful.

He thought of Andrea’s offer to pay for him and Sheryl’s meal and almost chuckled. Oh he would definitely make sure Sheryl came along but Sheryl was his clincher. She knew about his trysts. Didn’t encourage them but saw it as part of man’s wicked nature. Through a mix of passive aggressivisims, gas lighting, and sometimes a healthy dose of corporal punishment, she’d usually have even the most stubborn of Mike’s victims blaming themselves for what happened…truth be told he always figured her for a sadist when it came to other women. He couldn’t wait to see how she dealt with Andrea tomorrow. She was sweet on the girl. Maybe they could do a little husband and wife bonding while further breaking down their goddaughter.

He waited to see what Andrea brought back for him.

 

[Poprockz]

She hurried back with a heinously orange shirt, courtesy of her dad’s very poor taste. He was lucky her mom helped him pick out his clothes most of the time, or he would end up looking like a permanent tourist.

“Oh! Thanks for putting that away. I have a shirt here you can use.” Andrea held the shirt out to him and giggled softly, “it’s awful, I’m sorry. You can call up my dad and blame him later.” She wasn’t feeling entirely better, but the booze was certainly helping her put things somewhat out of mind for now.

Tomorrow she could continue to mourn, but tonight… tonight she would hide from those feelings in the dizzying embrace of the clear liquid that coursed through her.

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Mike blinked at the shirt, “well…at least it gives me plenty of motivation to hurry back here and take you up on your offer for dinner tomorrow.” He laughed, sliding the shirt on and then grabbing the cookies she had offered before.

Of course her dad would have something like this. Dude had always been a dork. It was some crime against god that such an unsuspecting loser managed to not only land a hot wife but also somehow had an even more gorgeous daughter. Mike tried not to hate anyone but every time Andrea’s dad made one of those huge grins and talked about how much he loved his family with the utmost sincerity , Mike wanted to strangle him.

Mike gave Andrea a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead, whispering: You’re gonna be okay Andrea,” and then left, headed to his truck, and drove around the block. While the neighborhood had been growing, there were still areas that no one was at around this time of night and no streetlights to point out a figure standing in those unoccupied spaces.

Mike stood by a fence and looked into the backyard of Andrea’s house, where he could see the glow from the lights inside the house going throught the windows. More specifically, the windows of the bedrooms. All he needed to do was wait for it to get darker, then he would head back and use his trump card.

He pulled it out and looked at it: a copy of the spare house key he had been loaned when he had been asked to house sit in the past. Andrea’s parents had expected he would just water the plants but Mike had made sure to do other things, like find out the best places to hide cell jammers, or know which boards creaked if they were stepped on.

He thought through his plan with a sigh and a growing erection: once things got dark enough, he’d drive back and go inside, then find Andrea, hopefully in something a bit more revealing and easier to strip, strip her, and then do everything he had wanted since her 18th birthday.

“Oh right.” Mike pulled out a small pill reminder and popped a small blue pill into his mouth, “old guys like me need a bit of help to keep up with the young folk.”

He licked his lips. Soon he would know Andrea’s tastes, the feel of her cunt upon his cock, and the sounds and feel of her protestations. He let out a small moan as he thought of the feast he would be getting tonight

 

[Poprockz]

Once he was gone, she sighed. Alone again. Not that she wanted him there, but being the only presence in the house felt rather lonesome. If only Molly could come over or something… the two of them could watch movies or simply chat through the night. It was late though, and she wasn't going to bother her so short-notice. Maybe she could text her and ask her chat or something tomorrow though.

She pulled out her phone and frowned. No service? Damn. The old tower must have gone out or something. That was a shame, but it wasn't the end of the world. They'd probably have it back up by tomorrow. Andrea watched videos on her laptop for a bit, indulging in a bit more booze. No one was there anyway, so it wasn't as though it would hurt to take just a bit more. After a while, her laptop let her know that the internet was out as well and she groaned. The phones and the internet... Jeez. Maybe the universe was telling her to just go to bed. It wasn't like there was anything else to do, and she needed a couple hours to lay there feeling sorry for herself.

Andrea groaned as she rose to her feet, taking off her blazer and tossing it in a random direction before trudging to her room. On her way, she made sure to shut out the lights. The power bill for this place wasn't getting any higher on her watch. She then brushed her teeth and put on another silk nightie. She had about four of them. Usually she might have put on one of the previous ones, but she considered them both dirty due to the past nights’ events. This short one was white with black trim, though it wasn’t her favorite since it was a bit low-cut and sometimes a rogue breast would slip out when she was sleeping. It wasn’t one she wore to sleepovers, that’s for sure.

The woman walked to the foot of the bed and flopped down onto it stomach-down with her arms wide. God. She really shouldn't have drank that much. The room felt slightly spinny, and she just knew she was going to have a hangover tomorrow. Ah well... nothing to do about it now.

She got onto her hands and knees and crawled her way up, finding the pillows and sighing as she plopped herself down again and snuggled under the covers. Wasn't she supposed to do something? Oh right... Mike's shirt needed washing. Fuck that though. She could do it in the morning or buy him a new one. She was not going to get up for some shirt right now.

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Mike watched the lights go off and he felt his inner beast come to the forefront. The civility he wore like a mask slipped away and it was replaced with an almost serene feralness, like a fox who had played at being a friendly animal long enough to be left alone in the henhouse. He drove back to the front of the house with the headlights off; he’d run through this night so many times in his head that he could practically do it blindfolded.



1. Close the truck door softly. Press it in, don’t slam it.



2. Don’t hold onto the handrails on the stairs to prevent a rattling noise.



3. When you get to the door, press in the lock and lift up on the door to avoid a squeak. Make sure to lift it up again when closing and lock it behind you.



4. Take clothes off in the living room. Quietist place to strip and can make it seem like you were just crashing on the couch if questions get asked.



5. Put on Condom before heading back.



Mike put the rubber on, the thinnest he could get. While he would have loved to rawdog his goddaughter, the last thing he wanted was to take the chance he would leave evidence inside of her. Once he got Andrea to understand she had no one to turn to but him and Sheryl, he’d take a few more risks.



6. Go down the hallway, making sure to only walk on the parts of the floor that don’t creak.



7. If the door is closed, open while holding the knob to avoid the knob rattling and with the knob fully turned and then slowly release once open to avoid the lock spring making a noise.



…and then Mike was over the threshold of the bedroom: his hard cock standing at rapt attention, his heart racing, his nostrils flaring, and only a thin sheet separating him from his prey. He carefully stalked over to the edge of the bed, found a spot where the sheets were loose, and slid in quietly, appreciating the feel of the smooth silk on his naked skin as he finally made his way to his prey.



Mike felt like a kid who had snuck down early to get first crack at the Christmas presents as his hands finally touched Andrea’s sleeping form. he ran his left hand down her side admiring her curves and all the way down her smooth legs, his drool no longer containing itself in his mouth. He pressed his nose into her hair and breathed in deeply, taking in Andrea’s scent and the smell of booze.



“Oh my drunk little Angel,” he chuckled and then began kissing her cheek, “we’re gonna have a lot of fun tonight.”



He reached under her arm and tugged the front of the nightie down, releasing her left breast, which his hand quickly seized and began to dig his fingers into, sighing as his digits sunk into her yielding flesh. His cock twitched against Andrea’s bum and the older man’s hips began to grind against the much younger, much more inebriated woman.



“C’mon Andrea,” he gleefully spoke, “it’s no fun if you’re not awake.” He let his right arm snake around and pull down the nightie down further, so both breasts were now free save for the rough pair of hands that were roughly working them like he was trying to milk her, “yes, babygirl, daddy Mike wants you to be wide awake for our fun.”



That was the best part that didn’t involve skewering a young woman on his cock: that wonderful moment when they realized they had been nothing but meet for a carnivore who was about to relish dining on them. Mike reluctantly let her left breast go and wormed his hand down between her legs and under her panties, rubbing her mound roughly as he imagined what kind of sound his goddaughter would make when he mounted her.

 

[Poprockz]

Andrea was indeed snoozing soundly when the sneak slipped into the sheets, having succumbed to exhaustion more easily than she had thought.

Was something touching her, or was she dreaming? She wasn’t quite sure as she started to surface from slumber. It felt like a wall of something warm and firm was pressed against her back. There was pressure on her breast. It was… grasping, squeezing. This wasn’t normal, and her intoxicated brain started to recognize that something wasn’t right.

She made a drunk, disgruntled noise and tried to wiggle away from him, finding that it was much easier said than done. How was someone here? Where was here? Was she still in her bed, or was she somewhere else entirely? The woman was confused and uncomfortable, having a hard time processing the situation given how intoxicated she was.

Wait, she knew that voice. A shudder of fear went through her as she heard him speak right next to her ear. “Mike? Wha-?” Andrea began to become more aware of where his hands were, and the fact that his hips were rocking against her ass under the sheets. Was that-?! No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening.

“What are you doing?! Get out!” It was meant to be said firmly, but ended up sounding more like a distressed whine.

Once again she struggled, though this time there was more urgency in her attempt to pull herself from his grasp. She wrestled with his arms, trying to push them away from her. It was as though he was made of muscle though, and try as she might she could barely get an inch away from her midnight attacker.

Her head was swimming and she felt like a panicked animal that had been caught in a bear trap. It had the added layer of disgust though. Mike was touching some intimate places, places a godfather shouldn’t have even considered touching. He was like family, and yet he had somehow crossed that very firm boundary. How was this happening? He had left hours ago. Was this some sort of sick nightmare?

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Mike couldn’t help but laugh as Andrea drunkenly flailed about trying to fend him off. Even sober the young woman would have little chance of fighting him off; drunk she was barely more a threat than a newborn kitten. Mike kept rubbing his goddaughter’s pussy and then released her breast so he could wrangle her arms with a free hand and soon forced them behind her back with his large muscular hand. He then flipped her so face was buried in the pillow and leaned into her back, further trapping her arms behind her while his hand went from rubbing her to pinching and massaging her labia.

“It’s okay, babygirl, it’s okay.” He laughed, “we’re both just drunk and we’re about to do something a godfather and goddaughter shouldn’t…but also something I’m going to enjoy and you’ll enjoy once you stop struggling.” He found her clit and began to give it a bit of extra attention with his large thumb, “We had a really good time tonight, we had a few too many drinks and then we spent the night fucking like rabbits…but feeling ashamed you decide to make up a wild story about how your godfather, an upstanding member of the town, took advantage of you, that’s what everyone is going to believe anyway.” He moved his head down and kissed the back of her neck, “of course the cops will ask you questions for hours, making you spend a whole day in the station while their undressing this gorgeous body with their eyes, wishing they could have been the one to fuck you tonight…while they’ll just ask me one question: “was it consensual?” “I’ll say ‘yes’” they’ll give me an approving nod and a slap on the back while they’ll tell you that you shouldn’t have wasted their time.”

He let that statement run around in her head as he pulled his hand out of her panties and then moved it down to the crotch of the cloth.

“It’s a cruel world Andrea. There are women who are strong, there are women who can attract strong good people to protect them…and then there’s women like you. Gorgeous enough to catch every man’s eye but the only ones you can attract are beasts.” He pulled her panties to the side, exposing her lower lips, which his cock soon began rubbing against, her warmth down there making his erection pulse. “You can’t stand on your own though so you have to have one in your life…and fortunately for you, your godfather is willing to be that beast. I’ll love and dote on you and make sure the house is taken care of, but instead of hugs and the occasional Christmas present, this time you’ll pay with your body…and who knows? You might even enjoy it.”

He didn’t listen for a response and guided his cock against her, teasing the thick mushroom head of his manhood against Andrea’s slit. Mike was actually smaller than average when it came to length, which had caused him a fair bit of distress when he was young. However his 5.5 inch cock had one thing going for it: it was thick. A woman might not be impressed by his length but any ridicule he received quickly went away once he was violently spreading them open with his manhood. Just thinking of the last girl who he had pursued and the way she had screamed when he first fucked her gave him life. He took his cock in his hand and leaned back while still holding Andrea’s arms behind her back

“Well Andrea,” he said, doing one final tease as he drew his hips back, prepared to finally to take his goddaughter, “let’s get started with you becoming my personal little slut. If you don’t enjoy it, you better learn how to act like you do. Now, my beautiful little whore: get ready for Daddy Mike’s cock.”

He used his free hand to guide the tip while his hips prepared to lay claim to her like a conquered animal.

 

[Poprockz]

Fuck, he had her hands. Andrea had tried not to let them be captured, but soon she found herself restrained. When her face went into the pillow a moment later, she turned it to the side so she could breathe at least. She struggled and huffed, trying to get out from under him. All that did was cause a wave of dizziness to go through her. The lack of food and consumption of booze were working together to make her weak and unsteady. It was at that point that she stopped struggling as much, feeling as though the room was spinning slightly. Instead, she listened to what he had to say.

It was confusing at first until she realized what he meant. He was setting expectations for her.

She let out a fearful whimper. Andrea was in no state to defend herself and they both knew it. Even if the cell service wasn't out, there was no way she could reach her phone. He was right... no one would believe her. Based on what he had said before, people already were starting to think she was unstable. Add that to the fact that she was quite intoxicated right now and there was virtually no one who wouldn't have doubts; she was 21 and some might write it off as her making dumb decisions during her first year of drinking. Mike was an upstanding member of society, the sort of guy who was the first to volunteer to help when things went wrong. He volunteered at community events and helped old Mrs. Grenshaw by delivering her groceries each week. No one could say that he wasn't a kind, generous, and honest man. That was part of the reason she had thought he would never actually do something like this despite the recording. She had literally heard him say disgusting things, and yet she had doubted that he had the ability or intention for something like this. If she hadn't believed it, who would?

Andrea had always been a bit more horny and sensitive when drunk, so his hand was at least having success in getting her body ready for him. She hated the feeling of his big fingers playing with her as though they owned the place, but her pussy wanted to play the sick game he had in mind, especially once he started polishing her pearl. She was wet, and she despised it.

There was also some truth to what he was saying; Josh and Mike were the worst of the worst and had been drawn to her like spiders to an enwebbed moth. Though he turned out to be more gentle after developing more, she had indeed attracted a literal monster as well. Perhaps she was cursed, doomed to be pinned down and fucked like she wasn’t even human, just a receptacle for someone else’s lust- a cum dumpster.

Was that his cock against her? It felt thick. This was so, so wrong. She wanted to get away, wanted to run until her legs stopped working. She didn't want to have that older man leaning against her, rubbing his dick between her legs. Andrea felt her helplessness acutely, unable to even close her legs from how he had situated himself between them. The young woman was ripe and open for the taking, and he seemed intent on tasting her fruit until her sweetness satisfied.

Her heart sank and with it came an overwhelming feeling of despair. "A happy life full of so much love" didn't seem to be in the cards for her. Disgusting as it was, a man she had considered family was going to fuck her over and over again, even beyond tonight. Even if she were to avoid him, she was sure he would be able to weasel his way into a position where she would be powerless to deny him entry. Though a few tears fell onto the pillow, the tone of her voice betrayed her pure hatred.

"I trusted you!" she spat, "I trusted you, you disgusting fuck!"

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Mike frowned at Andrea. The tears were fine but he had hoped for a “please no!” Or a “why?” Followed by a peal of sobs…not a last bit of defiance. Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time he had to break the fight out of a girl.



“I’m gonna have to discipline that naughty mouth of yours next, babygirl.” He threatened. He pressed the tip of his cock against her slit and prepared to thrust forward.

SCHWIK

The sound of two pieces of rusted metal scraping together filled Mike’s ears. The sound made him stop and his entire body went rigid as a long forgotten memory began to breach the surface on his unconsciousness.

Snip

The second, quieter sound came from next to the hand that had pinned Andrea’s arms behind her. This sound was further accompanied by the feeling of a sharp metal tip touching the hair on wrist. The older man shrieked in a pitch higher than a castrati and released Andrea’s arms, his lust the furthest thing from his mind as a terror from his childhood was forcing its way to the present.

ASuddenly, Mike felt a hand grab his shoulder and yank him back with so much force that he was sure that he would smash against the opposing wall but instead he flew back for what felt like tens of yards onto what felt like grass. An overpowering scent of meadows and dung filled Mike’s nostrils and the precious sounds of rusted metal sounded in the distance but soon started coming closer, as though he was being pursued. Even though Mike couldn’t see an inch in front of his face, he got up and bolted away from the sound, his bare feet screaming in pain with each step as they scraped over what felt like stray rocks and the skeletons of rodents that had been picked clean by predators.

“

Back on the bed, a shadow like, humanoid being was raising Andrea’s nightie back over her large breasts and pulling her panties back into place. It gently rubbed a warm hand on her back.

“You’re okay now, he won’t hurt you.” The being said in a gentle voice, rubbing Andrea’s shoulder, “my name is Vanta. You’re safe now. I could feel how frightened and disgusted you were and-I felt I had to help.” It held a hand up and shed a piece cloth from its shadowy skin, which it then put into Andrea’s hand to serve as a handkerchief.

“My name is Vanta, are you okay? Can you speak?” It said again. It was hiding its features but its hand was warm. If there was any light, it would look like it was a large but not gigantic man, and it was trying to fight back an instinct to grab and hold her. “My name is Vanta,” it repeated again, almost to assure itself, “you’re going to be okay.”

 

[Poprockz]

She had almost gagged at the thought of his cock in her mouth, though she didn't regret what she said one bit. Maybe she couldn't prevent what he was going to do to her body, but she was going to make her displeasure clear every step of the way. That being said, underneath her defiance had been an undercurrent of fear. She could feel his head pressing against her and then-

It stopped. Why did it stop? Not that it wasn't what she was pleading for with every fiber of her being, but it seemed rather odd. The next thing she knew, he was screaming and the weight of his body had been lifted from her own. She had jumped at the sound, and was now utterly bewildered. What in the fuck was going on?!

Then the gibbering started. She could hear him sobbing and squealing, uttering incoherent pleas and screams. Andrea squeezed her eyes shut and trembled, realizing that there was likely someone else in the room with them, someone more terrifying than Mike. Two break-ins on the same day was very unlikely, but possible. By the way he sounded absolutely mortified, she had to wonder if it was someone he knew. Maybe they wouldn't notice her if she stayed absolutely still.

His line about her being a witch caught her off guard-though, and it was at that point that she wondered if he wasn't just having a mental breakdown. Was the guilt getting to him? That seemed as unlikely as the second break-in, but it was a weird world.

Andrea decided that she would have to look; she would have to summon up the courage to see what was going on. The woman took a deep breath, and suddenly found someone fixing her clothes. She looked up and saw him- the shadow.

"Vanta?" It was a breathless utterance, as though she couldn't believe that he was standing before her right now. Mike was completely forgotten as she stared up in shock at the tall being. Had she lost her mind? Perhaps she had been so traumatized by what happened to her that she was fantasizing her own rescue, or perhaps all of this was some bizarre lucid dream. The shadow-cloth in her hand certainly felt real though.

She didn’t feel the same fear for him now that they had shared that rather unfortunate heart-to-heart last night. Instead, she surprisingly felt relief and perhaps a bit of joy. Andrea was glad that he was alive and had been granted another chance at finding purpose and happiness in life. Perhaps he hadn’t been reborn as a human like she had hoped, but he still had the opportunity to live and grow. He could develop friendships, cultivate his understanding, maybe even find a family someday. That poor creature who cried so mournfully in her arms was reborn. It seemed different now too: more mature?

It... didn't seem like it remembered her though. It kept introducing itself, and hadn't addressed her by name. Perhaps the price he had to pay for a new life was to abandon the old one. That was okay... As long as it could find its own way to happiness, she would be content with that.

He was given a tearful smile, a weight having been lifted from her heart. She was going to be okay and he was too.

"My name is Andrea." She sniffled, and found that she could no longer hold back. The woman sobbed, not from terror, but from a mix of relief, joy, and exhaustion. Drunk as she was, she didn't think before leaning forward and wrapping her arms around him in an attempt to find comfort in his embrace. "Thank you, Vanta. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for being alive."

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta felt the woman wrap her arms around him and, almost instinctively, it wrapped a pair of arms around her. It was strange. It felt like it knew this woman but it couldn't pick out how. She was not only warm but she made him warm with...happiness. Which was also strange. It knew what joy and happiness was: they were basic emotions. Yet, it was as though it had never felt that emotion before for itself, or at least not in such a long time that it felt like it hadn't. The woman, Andrea, was certainly beautiful but Vanta felt a connection to her deeper than simple carnal desire. He wanted to soothe her, to bring her joy, and to live with her despite him being a creature of shadow.

"You're welcome, Andrea but there's no need to thank me. I wanted to make sure you were okay and being alive is what I'm best at." Vanta said, kissing her on the forehead, which struck a memory of him kissing a woman who looked just like Andrea. Andrea...Andrea...her name was one he felt he should know well but he couldn't quite place it. Then again, what did it matter if he didn't remember? He had no reason to not want to help someone in dsitress and she seemed happy to see him. That was enough. It felt something on Andrea's hand, however. A small band of strange material. Vanta formed a small arm and hand on its back to inspect the object. It was a strange ring with the word "ANYTHING" on it. The material was strange. It was made of something only a creature like Vanta could have made but why would he make a ring for a woman he didn't know?

Andrea

The ring

"ANYTHING"

Vanta stroked Andrea's back, the warmth of her flesh making him comfortable as he held her tight and tried to figurte out the mystery.

###

Vanta had come to in a strange desert. It was small. So small that one grain of obsidian sand in the desert was almost half its size. The creature, now reduced to a crawling infant, was so hungry that it latched on to a grain and began to try and absorb it into its being. It didn’t hurt per se but it felt uncomfortable to absorb the grain and its body began to grow in response.

As it did it tried to focus on figuring out what had happened. It had died, hadn’t it? It grabbed another grain. Yes. It had laid dying in Andrea’s arms, she had spoken so sweetly to it and comforted it as it passed away, praying that it would find love and happiness in its next life. Another grain. Was this its next life? It didn’t seem like it would find much love here. Another grain. What was the point of being here?

“You’re rebuilding yourself.” A voice, or rather, a thought entered its mind.

“What do you mean?” Vanta said, devouring another grain. It was completely nonplussed at the intruding thought.

“A being like you cannot truly die. You can only be reduced to your base elements. You’ll stay here till you’ve accumulated enough to take a new form…or at least that’s what would normally happen.”

Vanta kept eating the grain. Ignoring the thought, it slowly grew, though to its annoyance it was still only able to absorb one grain at a time. It was weak but it did believe that it was taking shape and regaining its abilities, even if it was at a glacial pace. It kept consuming, knowledge of how to be itself came into its mind and then stretched throughout its body to become part of its mass.

“How long will it take me to be strong enough to leave?” Vanta finally asked, acknowledging the thought for the first time.

“When you have devoured every grain of sand in this desert, you will have enough of a form to return.”

Vanta looked at the desert. It was certainly quite a feat but it had endured the trial the night before and while it could only consume one grain at a time, it was able to do that feat faster and faster. It might take centuries but for a creature like Vanta, centuries were nothing.

“Of course…that’s if you want to merely be a simple shadow scaring children. If you want to be restored to what you were before you came here, then you should know that this desert you see is but a divet in larger desert.”

Vanta’s whole body froze. It tried to fathom the time it would take to consume that large of an area. But even as Vanta steeled itself, the thought spoke again.”

“But if you don’t advance past that and you want a chance…and I cannot stress enough that it will just be a small chance…to be able to truly understand a human and find what you craved at death, to even come close to what that woman wanted for you…then you would need to consume the desert that dwarfs even that one.”

Vanta started absorbing grains as fast as it could.

“Do you understand? That little trick you pulled last night would be like a millisecond.”

Vanta kept absorbing.

“Even for a being like you, you will go mad. You will forget. Your memories will dilute any scrap you wish to keep.”

Vanta kept absorbing but began repeating: “My name is Vanta. The woman I love is Andrea. I will find love in this this life or the next.”

“It won’t work. By the time you absorb enough even that phrase will mean nothing to you. There’s even a chance you will absorb all you need and just remain trapped here, too overwhelmed with eons of knowledge to even make a decision or move.”

“My name is Vanta. The woman I love is Andrea. I will find love in this this life or the next.”

The thought remained silent. Vanta continued its task and eventually it was big enough to look out into the second desert.

“My name is Vanta. The woman I love is Andrea. I will find love.”

It kept absorbing within this subatomic world. It soon regained the ability to detect feelings but it was so small it was like an ant trying to see above the clouds.

“My name is Vanta. I love Andrea.”

More time passed. It relearned what it had as it died. Vanta felt confident in its task as its new body could finally look above the second desert. …and then its hope was dashed. It was like a frog who had grown up in a pond that had moved to a lake and then felt confident enough to tackle the ocean, only to lose all hope as it came to understand the true scale of its task. Yet, what choice did it have?

“My name is Vanta I love Andrea”

Time passed.

“My name is Vanta. Andrea…I love Andrea.”

It remembered older fears and emotions that it had long buried.

“My name is Vanta. An…And…Andrea!”

It reflected on memories it had of constant humans and abilities it didn’t know it ever had.

“My name is Vanta…what comes next? What comes next?”

After eons Vanta had absorbed the desert. Vanta was now a veritable archive of information…but as the thought had warned him, the personality and ego that had driven him to enhance himself was so dilute that only a single active thought was being processed in a part of its mind that was less than an atom of its new form.

“My name is Vanta. My name is Vanta.” But what was Vanta? What was a name? Without a will, the being was just an abandoned library: containing vast knowledge but without anyone to use it.

But then it had felt fear again. It had felt disgust and lust accompanied by anger. Even if Vanta was trapped under the weight of its own knowledge, it knew those emotions and it drove the shadowy being to compartmentalize what knowledge was actually needed to address the situation vs what could remain locked away. Vanta took its new form from the infinitesimal zone it was in and grew until it was able to join back into the world of humans.

When it emerged it saw a man assaulting a woman. Vanta dealt with him with almost no effort. It was as though he had merely figured out what would scare the man and locked him away in a small sub-dimension without even thinking about it. It fed on his fear though it was almost out of habit rather than actual hunger.

Vanta had then seen to the woman, straightening her clothes and trying to comfort her. No one should have to feel scared or be terrorized like that.

###

It felt the ring and something happened. Andrea’s name alone was not enough to recall who she was but the ring had once been made from him. As its smaller appendage rubbed the impossibly black piece of jewelry, it was filled with memories of a young girl, one Vanta had terrorized…one named Andrea. Could it be the same woman he was holding now? He remembered what he had felt and hoped for when the ring had been made. Thoughts of a wedding to bind the two of them.

Those memories though, made by a much more immature being awoke other memories within Vanta. Like an online article, it soon found the memories branching and connecting to form a narrative, and from that a full account of what had happened over the past few days in this house…and all the emotions that came with that

“My name is Vanta. The woman I love is Andrea. I will find love in this life or the next.” Vanta said, his eyes opening into the green hues from the previous night and from there sprung tears.

“ANDREA!!!!” He cried out, grasping her tight to his chest, “It’s been so long! I can’t believe you look just as beautiful.” He sniffed the scent of booze, “you smell different though.” He kissed her cheeks, he laughed and sobbed in a soft, comforting voice.

“I’m back Andrea. I swear I’ll never hurt you again and I’ll make sure you find a life full of happiness. I’ve missed you so much.” He squeezed her as much as he could without injuring her, overjoyed at seeing Andrea again

Mike screamed from within the shadowy bag Vanta had placed him in.

“Oh, who was that anyway? Did he hurt you?”

 

[Poprockz]

Andrea couldn’t help but let out a little laugh at the “being alive is what I’m best at” part. It was such a funny thing to say, as though being alive was a skill. Before, she might have used that as more proof that he wasn’t human, that he was different, unsafe. Now though, she found it endearing. He wasn’t human, but that was okay- he didn’t have to be for her to trust him now. They could rebuild their relationship as friends, and maybe someday when they were older they would meet in the dark of night and trade stories of how their lives had turned out.

In the silence where they simply held each other, she had closed her eyes and let them linger in that moment. There was such gratitude within her for his help and for his existence. He had said that there was no need for thanks, but she felt as though gratitude was only natural when a miracle had happened. Who knew who she had to thank for being able to feel the warmth of his arms around her, but whatever higher power it had been was truly merciful.

My name is Vanta. The woman I love is Andrea. I will find love in this life or the next.

When he uttered that phrase, her eyes snapped open and she looked up at him in surprise. Did he remember her? Her heart clenched and she hoped beyond hope that he did. She was met with those eyes, those beautiful green eyes. Just as they were when she first saw them: filled with tears and focused only on her.

His more enthusiastic squeezes were met with squeezes and tears of her own. He did remember her. Why did that make her so happy? Perhaps it was the bond they forged through shared trauma, or perhaps two beings simply couldn't share such intimate memories and not feel joy at being reunited. Fuck it, she wasn't going to try to rationalize things right now. The two of them were alive, happy, and together, and that was all that mattered. Later, they would have to have a serious talk, but not right now. Not yet.

She jumped at the sound of the scream and was reminded of the fact that Mike had indeed been waiting for their tearful reunion to finish.

“Oh… that’s Mike. He’s my Godfather- he’s always been a close, trusted friend of my dad and I’ve known him since I was born.” She turned her head to the side and laid it on his chest. The betrayal was still fresh and she clung to him to try to fend off the sick feelings that came up when she thought of him. "You stopped him before he could, but he was going to..." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Use me."

Andrea couldn't bear to use the real word for it, as everything was just a bit too raw for her right now. "I had him over earlier because he was going to redo the tiling in the bathroom, and he invited himself to stay for dinner. He gave me some vodka and I drank it on an empty stomach so it hit me pretty hard. When you died, it made me really sad so I didn't feel like eating." She sniffled, being perhaps a bit more honest than her sober self would have preferred. "I thought he left, so I drank a little bit more and went to bed. When I woke up, he was naked and... touching me."

The woman shuddered at the memory, "I don't know how he got into the house, but he said he was going to keep using me tonight and afterwards until I was his personal whore, and that no one would believe me because I was drunk and people would never think he'd do anything like that."

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta listened to Andrea and he boiled over with rage, to the point red veins began to emerge over his body and his eyes briefly flashed red. How dare Mike try and hurt Andrea like that? For a moment he considered silencing Mike’s screams by allowing the nightmare he had wrapped the old pervert in to become lethal and then hide all trace of him within a subdimension so small that even the most powerful microscope would never find it.

…but that wouldn’t be right. That would just be satisfying his wants. Andrea had been the one who was hurt by Mike, not him…and while the context was different, Vanta had threatened and tried to control Andrea in a similar way only a day prior and even though Andrea had used a flashlight on him she hadn’t meant to truly hurt him. If he were to kill or hurt Mike, even if Vanta felt he deserved it, he doubted Andrea would truly want their reunion to be colored by a murder.

Vanta kissed Andrea’s cheek and his eyes returned to their green shade as the angry veins disappeared from his new form.

“I’m so sorry Andrea.” He said sincerely, “I’m sorry he hurt you like that.” He warmed his arms up, hoping the increase in temperature would give her more comfort, “you don’t deserve any of that pain.”

He turned his head and looked towards the small shaking ball that contained Mike, “I’m just scaring him right now. I’m not hurting him…physically at least,” he clarified, “What would you like to do with him?”

Truthfully even if he didn’t hurt him, Vanta would be content reinforcing the ball to keep sound from getting out and letting Mike spend years inside of there while he and Andrea created a new relationship but with Vanta’s new growth, it felt like it was right for Andrea to decide.

 

[Poprockz]

“It’s okay…” she had mumbled in response to his apology. It wasn’t okay, but Vanta wasn’t responsible for any of this. His bulging veins and red eyes would have scared her yesterday, but instead she felt a bit touched that he was angry on her behalf. The lips on her cheek conveyed nothing but affection and sympathy, and she wondered how he had grown as a being so much in such a short time.

She considered his words carefully while basking in his pleasant warmth. Vanta was a powerful creature whose abilities were likely as great as they were plentiful. He could very well kill Mike, lock him in the nightmare indefinitely, or torture him in a more physical way. All she had to do was say the word and Mike would almost literally be subjected to an eternal hell. Oh to have a creature of shadows on one’s side… or on their bad side as the case may be.

But… was any of that what she wanted? Back when she was little, Mike had been a rock for her, and he had helped her more times than she could count with no expectation of a return on his kindness. Her dad treasured him as a friend and he really was a positive impact on the community (besides his predatory behaviors).

“We have to let him go,” she said finally with a sober conviction (as sober as she could manage, at least). “With a warning though.” The woman met his eyes again.

“I want him to know that what he did was wrong and that he should never do it again to anyone but… I think that’s as far as it goes. He deserves another chance to be better. Can you… maybe mark him in some way so that he can be reminded of what happened tonight?” She bit her lip nervously, a bit concerned about what shape Mike would be in when he came out of the nightmare. He was disgusting to her right now, but he was still a person.

 

[Brandnewbuddy]

Vanta nodded at her suggestion, “Yes, I think I can arrange that. Just give me a moment.” Vanta let a smile form with a flash of white teeth. Vanta grew until he almost hit his head on the ceiling. He grew lean and long scraggly hair grew from his scalp. He put himself between Andrea and the sack of shadows that contained Mike.

The sack tilted forward and deposited a sweaty, panicking Mike who laid spread eagle on the ground screaming, "No! Don't take it! Don't take it!" He squirmed around on the floor naked, unaware that he had returned from his trip to a dimension of hellish fields and witches to the floor of Andrea's bedroom. He screamed and continued to flail about on the floor until Vanta illuminated Mike with red light from his new, saucer plate sized eyes.

"SILENCE" Vanta bellowed in a raspy, effeminate voice, like an ancient crone. He pointed a pair of shears at Mike, which finally silenced the gibbering man and made him train his eyes on the freshly spawned shadowy blades, "You have been given a taste of what you truly deserve...but you will be allowed to leave...and to live."

Mike scrambled to his feet and tried to run to the door, Only to have several more Witches appear in front of the bedroom door. He looked around trying to find Andrea, only to have Vanta's main body step in front of her, blocking her from view. "NOT SO FAST." Vanta bellowed, "This freedom is on two conditions. First, you are never to try and contact Andrea again. If she does not try and contact you, you are not to ever bother her or even come near her." He moved the shears' tips to under Mike's chin, "Do you understand?"

Mike slowly nodded, helped along with Vanta, who tipped and dipped the sharp blades along with his tilting head.

"Good. Finally, you are to NEVER repeat what you did tonight with anyone. "

"Of course! I've learned my lesson, I'll never do it again. I-AGHHH!!!" Mike screamed as Vanta's free hand covered his face.

"Good. But just to be sure, I'm going to leave you with a reminder and a way I can make sure you follow both conditions." Vanta had considered what type of a mark to leave on Mike. He ultimately determined something that only Mike would be able to see would be the best one. He withdrew his hand, which led to Mike taking a deep breath and then yelping loudly when he opened his eyes.

Mike saw the witches. More importantly, he only saw the witches. They filled his vision and each one pulled out their shears before they began to approach him. Then, suddenly his vision was restored and he was face to face with the looming figure of Vanta.

"If you think about doing anything like this again. They will return and you will see nothing but them until i can arrive and finish your little nightmare from tonight." Vanta explained, "And the best part? If you try to tell anyone about what happened tonight," He leaned down and with a conspiratorial whisper said: "No one will believe you." Mike's eyes went wide, "Now, take everything that is yours and leave before I change my mind."

The witches in front of the door vanished and Mike flew out of the bedroom. Where he had slunk in stealthily like a cat, he was now like a bull in a china shop, smacking loudly into everything as he ran to gather his things. Not wanting to give the thing in Andrea's bedroom any more reason to hunt him, Mike grabbed his cellphone jammer, plugged the modem in, and then, without getting dressed, grabbed his clothes and fled out naked to his truck, only stopping to lock the front door and toss the key he had made into the mail slot, any intention of going back to Andrea's house disappearing. He then started his truck, slapped his barefoot against the gas pedal, and took off down the street as fast as he could.

###
Vanta returned to his more masculine form and turned back to Andrea, holding her in his arms. "Was that okay, Andrea? Is there anything else I can do for you tonight?"