Katelyn.

  "Don't say a word…" She whispered, tightening her grip to the point it looked painful, yet Markus was seemingly still too baffled by her sudden appearance to do much of anything but rapidly nod his head. "Good boy…"

  Then, she released him, stepping away while blocking the only exit as she began tugging on her clothes which appeared as though from thin air.

  She was getting reasonably good at making them show up on her body rather than the floor, though the process wasn't perfect by any reasonable account, the things manifesting in decidedly disarranged and tousled states before she evened everything out.

  And, all the while, Markus just continued to stare at her, terrified, confused, okay, very confused, and yes, unable to really help himself from sneaking momentary gnces at her thick and tight derriere while she fought to finish yanking the skin-tight pants over her toned buttocks.

  The damned trousers refused to pull up and over her ass until she started grunting with frustration and really tugging! When she was finished, she eyed the young man with a sidelong gnce, again considering him and his odd ability to keep a somewhat level head.

  She rather suspected that others would simply scream bloody murder had she performed a simir feat...

  Though, whether by a naturally passive demeanor, submissive personality, or the sheer weight of massive brass balls when confronted by a monster in such close proximity, Katelyn couldn't say which was which as to his poise and self-control.

  Either way, she grinned at him, offering a rather, for him, familiar and cruel expression that showed him all of her many sharp teeth.

  "No…"

  "Yes!" She purred, her face momentarily shifting so it more resembled the hobgoblin she'd masqueraded as the prior day. "Surprise! And thank you for showing me where you live. It should make any reprisals against you that much more impactful."

  "You're a shapeshifter!"

  "Close…" Katelyn allowed, bobbing her head from side to side as she lifted a single finger and extended it, a gleaming and viciously sharp scalpel emerging that she then rested almost lovingly against his neck. "But we don't have to get into semantics; you've already given me more than I could ever ask for!

  Honestly, I should really thank you. I'd never have been prepared to deal with all this—bureaucracy nonsense without seeing it firsthand. Sneaking in and out of the dungeon will be child py going forwards!"

  “Y-y-you… can't…”

  Katelyn frowned, not because she didn't like being told she couldn't do something, but because Markus had seemingly descended back into stammering anguish, expression lost somewhere between horror and utter uncertainty. "Don't revert back to childhood on me! You're a grown man. Act like it!"

  “B-b-but, y-you…”

  "Yes, I am me!" Katelyn sighed, retracting her weapon with a flourish of her finger, "Stop worrying about it! I was downstairs in the guild tavern pying sevens all bloody night without murdering everyone in sight... Do you think I'm going to start doing so now? I like it out here and see no reason to ruin it for myself or anyone else."

  "Downstairs… at the guild?"

  "Pying dice." She finished since they were both apparently just repeating what she'd already said. "Lost quite a bit of money, actually… but that's how the game works!"

  "And where did you get the money?"

  "Are you accusing me of gambling away your friend's life savings? I mean, I did probably use a coin or two, but it wasn't implicitly only their money…"

  "You're a monster! A monster outside the dungeon, i-inside the city!"

  "And what are you going to do about it?" She asked, quirking a brow and cocking her hip. She stared at the slightly taller young man, pinning him with her gaze, expectant as she was interested if he'd have the gal to try and tattle on her.

  Markus took a long and anxious breath, letting it out in a shaky quiver before closing his eyes and smacking his head against the wall. "What do you want from me?" He asked, tone almost whining like a child who'd been denied a treat. "Can't you just leave me alone! Haven't you done enough?"

  "I have, actually."

  Markus cracked a single eye at her, looking for all the world like he didn't understand what was going on…

  "I was just messing with you, kid! Don't worry so much. If I was going to kill you for no reason, then I'd have done so long before letting you leave the dungeon. You can do whatever it is that pleases you at this point. So long as you remember not to share my secrets, your life can return to normal."

  "Normal!" He shouted, his eyes going wide as a passing couple stared at them and his outburst, his face reddening in the cheeks as his tone lowered to a hissing whisper, "You ruined my life! How could it ever go back to normal?"

  "That seems a rather unfair accusation." Katelyn huffed, turning slightly and crossing her arms. "I made you a man st night, or at least pushed you along the journey. Plus, I let you live! And even went out of my way to convince myself not to just murder you in your sleep.

  Trust me, everything would be a lot easier for me if you were gurgling in some gutter with a split wind-pipe." She wasn't sure if the brightening of his face was due to anger or a reminiscence of the kiss they'd shared the previous day. However, one of her dark brows rose as he just—stood there, paralyzed by his emotions.

  For her part, Katelyn felt somewhat done with the confrontation as a whole, shrugging her shoulders as she turned, exiting the neway and heading off towards a new adventure.

  Maybe she'd make a day of sampling as much street meat as she was able. Cities always had the best roadside barbeque, even if the meat could, at times, be questionable… Kate deciding, in that moment, to just leave the young man to his own devices.

  At this point, he'd be shitting himself wondering if Katelyn might pop out from every shadow he passed…

  What she was not prepared for, however, was the hand that grabbed at her shoulder, spinning her around to come face to face with a determined young mage who looked half like he wanted to sweep her off her feet to pick up where they'd st let off, and half as though he felt personally responsible for unleashing a new cataclysm…

  "Where do you think you're going?" He demanded, his other hand securing her other side, his eyes bugging out beneath his broken spectacles, which made him seem far too bookish for the strength he was putting on dispy.

  Granted, Katelyn wasn't exactly fighting him and nor was her current form particurly heavy, but it was still somewhat of a surprise all the same.

  "I'm going to get something to eat."

  "The fuck you are! If you touch anyone out here, I'll—"

  "Die to me in a fight?" She ughed, brushing his arms away with all the ease of swatting a falling leaf. "You're pitifully unprepared to try and actually do anything but fall over before I squish your head between my toes… It's not even funny… more—sad really… like a kicked kitty…”

  "I'll tell the guard!"

  "Tell them what?" She scoffed, turning again as she sauntered away! "That some evil young woman is buying kabobs from a street vendor?"

  The sound of Markus's sandals as he ran after her caused Katelyn to roll her eyes. The boy filed in at her side as she followed her nose, sniffing out the most delectable-smelling lunch that she could find.

  "Kabobs…"

  "Yes, strange that the monster would prefer cooked food; I'm a maneater by necessity, not choice, you know. Well, I'm not gonna give it up... raw does have a certain degree of appeal to it at this point, but..."

  "But why—why any of this?"

  "Why not?" Katelyn countered, rounding on the young mage as she gred at him. "You tell me why someone might want to have a little fun once and a while after you've been living in a damp and dark dungeon filled with goblins for a year! Now kindly, fuck off, and let me enjoy myself!"

  "No!"

  "What do you mean no?"

  "No, as in you don't get to just—be normal!"

  "I am normal."

  "No, you are a hobgoblin!" Markus seethed, ensuring to keep his voice low and free from prying ears.

  "Oh, so the problem is that you don't get to stare at my giant green ass and tits while you apparently escort me through the boulevard?"

  "Obviously not!"

  "Well, could have fooled me. You certainly liked them yesterday despite how close to death you were… tell me, do you, by chance, actually have some sort of—sexual fixation on monster women?"

  "Clearly, you're the one with the obsession, given how often you seem to bring it up!"

  "Yet it's not I who has the cherry red face," Katelyn ughed, approaching a fairly busy stall and waiting in line as though she were no different from any other patron walking the street.

  "The state of my current cheeks has nothing to do with my accused predilections!"

  "Sure."

  "They don't…"

  "I believe you!"

  "Stop agreeing with me!"

  Katelyn sighed, turning to eye the flustered young man at her side with a weary look. "Fine, I came on to you, happy? Your virtue is now as safe as your virginity! Locked away behind pad and key, never to be stolen nor questioned ever again."

  "That's not an apology." Markus ground out, all but steaming from the ears.

  "What do you want, Markus? Just—go home already and—deal with whatever family trauma I had the misfortune of witnessing while I enjoy myself. We need never talk again! So what's the problem?"

  "You're the bloody problem!" Markus exploded, causing all nearby to turn and gaze at them, several onlookers beginning to whisper and murmur amongst themselves while Katelyn started second-guessing her bleeding heart…

  "Bravo." She announced loudly, giving him a full-on stink eye. "If your goal was to make a scene, then you've done a perfect job…"

  "Ay, young miss, is that there fuckwit giving you an 'ard time?"

  "Me giving her a hard time?" Markus demanded, looking dumbfounded as a nky constable standing nearby gred at the mage through his metal cap. "She's the monster here; why don't you ask me if she's the one causing a hard time?"

  "Just ignore him!" Katelyn called out, wrapping her arm around Markus and digging her fingers into his ribs with cruel intent. All at once, the young man seemed to remember exactly what he was shouting at, the color in his face draining away like bathwater… "Just a lover's quarrel. Apologies for breaking the peace, constable!"

  The guardsman nodded, still not relenting with his displeasure for the youth in her clutches, even as she dragged him away from the stall, much to her displeasure, and continued to lead him down the road until they were far enough from anyone who'd seen the outburst.

  She didn't let up on her brutal grip, even as they approached a park, Katelyn digging in even harder and eliciting a pained groan from her captive until she deemed the pce as good enough as any.

  She pushed him aside and folded her arms, staring daggers at the young man who seemed equally concerned by her ire as he was clearly distressed by the guard taking her side.

  "You know." She curtly snipped, "That right there could very well constitute a breaking of good faith as to our agreement."

  "So what, you're going to eat me in broad daylight?"

  Kate narrowed her eyes at the moron who was seemingly doing all in his power to test her good graces. A snarl formed at her lips as he winced but didn't back down.

  In fact, the more they interacted, the more he grew brazen. Seeming to become immune to the terrors she'd previously represented in his mind.

  She grumbled, running a hand over her face before poking him in the chest and causing him to blink at her with mild surprise! "Okay, clearly, we have something of an impasse here. So, why don't you expin what it is that you see as the perfect solution to your—perceived issues? Bearing in mind, of course, that any degree of reporting me to the proper authorities will result in you and your family's brutal executions."

  "Right there!" He glowered, baring his teeth while he did so, "How can I possibly feel even remotely at ease knowing the perfect killer is just walking about while I can do something about it!"

  "You think I'm perfect?"

  "And that! No more of that!"

  "No more flirting? Is that really what you're upset about?"

  "I'm not flirting with you!"

  "Not flirting well with me, but you can't really deny the chemistry…"

  "What chemistry?" Markus mirthlessly drawled.

  "Oh, you know, the compliments, the constant ogling, the way you won't leave me alone for fears that I'll perform some nefarious misdeed, all the while fighting back against your clear attraction that transcends your sense of mortality!

  Ever battling an unending war between keeping your lover's dark secret and sparing your city from her unholy wrath... It's all astoundingly romantic, don't you think?"

  "That's—absurd!"

  "No, what's absurd," Katelyn gred, "is that you very much have the opportunity to alert the proper authorities of my presence, thus preemptively ending my supposed reign of terror. But instead, you're accompanying a young and beautiful woman for a daytime stroll.

  Constantly trying to do—something that isn't very clear to anyone with eyes and putting your hands all over my delicate and exposed shoulders! Aren't you just a tad too touchy with a woman who you aren't supposedly interested in?"

  "I—you… that—none of that matters! And besides, the moment I tell someone who you are, you'll kill me!"

  "No, I won't."

  "Yes, you will."

  "No!" Katelyn grinned, lifting her chin in defiance. "Go ahead, do what you need to. I will not y a single finger on you or your family until the authorities actually start looking for me.

  You know what, I'll even do you one better! I won't even hunt you down until they make the arrest. That way, you even get a chance to run away, all the while knowing you did the right thing. Go on," She smirked, effecting a shooting motion with her dainty fingers, "Go and—tell on me to whomever it is you deem necessary.

  I'll have my fun, get into a little snarl with the city guard, then—probably head back to the dungeon without ever caring about the stupid young man who means nothing in the grand scheme of things."

  "I don't believe you…" Markus retorted, not leaving her personal space…

  "See," Kate began, raising her arms as though to signal that she was right! "It's not your concerns for public safety that are keeping you at my side, but some repressed need for love! It really is my fault; I suppose… the first kiss can always cause some—lingering feelings that aren't so easy to—oomph!"

  As though forgetting where he was pcing his fingers vis a vis proximity to sharp objects, Markus thrust his palm against Katelyn's mouth as she was mid-sentence, earning himself a somewhat surprised look from the monster while he—well, while he tried not to read into her psychoanalysis of his admittedly strange behavior.

  The sudden sensation of something wet and soft touching the inside of his palm was enough for him to leap from his clothes, Markus jumping away from the smirking—and painfully undeniable beauty that was standing there as though mocking him and his terribly confused thoughts… Her bright pink tongue wagged at him before slipping back into her mouth.

  "You're cute, Markus, but honestly, do you really think it's such a good idea to follow me around? I'm a monster! Just go—live your life and forget about me! Sorry, I managed to so clearly mind-fuck you, but honestly, I'm not evil... Sure, I've done some evil shit, but you're the ones who invaded my home, not the other way around!"

  "You've killed hundreds of people!"

  "And you can't prove that."

  "I don't have to! Your—mere existence is evidence. And—I… don't know what to do about it..."

  The young man defted as his gaze grew immensely weary… his thoughts finally coming to a head and crashing against one another as he struggled for purchase.

  Maybe he did have feelings for the—thing that had killed his comrades… maybe that kiss really had messed with his head!

  Still, he didn't—want her to kill people anymore!

  He didn't—want her to be—well, her!

  And he especially didn't know how to expin himself nor his fractured logic in a manner that made sense to either himself or anyone that might hear his thoughts…

  He—wanted to... well, maybe convince the strangely—human, living nightmare that—oh… he didn't know… that there were other ways! Better ways! Ways that could maybe, see them mmhmm together? A-absent all the death and eating of people... Why else would he even still be here?

  That thought was the moment Markus realized that she was right… He—liked her… was physically attracted and, even a little emotionally… desperate…

  No one had ever treated him that way before… and even if she'd technically been a hob-goblin, she hadn't looked like one. Rather, she'd been the most enchanting creature he'd ever id eyes upon… and the way she'd just—known how everything was supposed to work...

  Yes, sadly for himself, the knowledge she was somewhat well-versed in it all as the older woman that she was did things for his very confused brain that made her sparkle!

  And, of course, how could he forget how she'd dominated him with her tongue? A-and what had transpired between her hand and his—equipment…

  Worse, he knew he'd always had something for older women; it just so happened that such desires also applied to those who could lead him around by the nose…

  It made sense… Almost all of his boyhood crushes had been for his professors rather than the girls around his own age… And though he couldn't really tell how old the monster was, she definitely acted as though she were the senior, regardless…

  But, at the same time, she was terrifying! Had threatened both himself and his family with cold-blooded callousness… And, regardless of her denial, she was the likely culprit behind the many missing persons that the city had suffered…

  In short, he felt—guilty...

  Guilty that he should want to protect the monstrous woman! Guilty that he held within his hands the power to potentially stop her and her own nod of approval to use it!

  Sure, she would hunt him down.

  However, that logic had been called into question, with the monster even going so far as to say he didn't matter.

  In all honesty, that comment had hurt far worse than anything she'd yet done to him…

  His chest pulled at itself! Feeling for all the world like it was trying to escape his body and give itself to the terrible and intoxicating creature standing right in front of him…

  Markus... Markus was fucked, wasn't he?