It was then, a glimmer in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I pushed Richard towards the ground as a rock slammed into my abdomen. I spat the blood out of my mouth and gasped for air before I looked up to see Ruth. Her wild-unkempt-hair flickering, the burning-earth within those crimson-eyes. Shit, for her to attack me with this timing, I have no strength to retaliate, this is bad. With a kick she swept my legs off the ground. As I fell, she accelerated that fall with a punch. My consciousness wavering, I saw the sky. She wore a devilish smile. Before she struck again Richard tackled her fruitlessly. He didn’t move her, not even an inch. Ruth struck him in the stomach. Blood erupted from Richard’s mouth. As he fell, he threw himself upon me.

“I won’t let you kill her…” He muttered. Already proving his loyalty to me. Richard, I’ll acknowledge your commitment to your word and to me. I have no choice, I might do it with Richard. I’d like to refrain from it, but this current situation is bad, real fucking bad. Like me, she is a witch a dangerous one at that. And unlike me, she has no intention of being your friend.

“Richard…” Richard struggled to get up, pushing the ground with sheer-willpower.

“This can’t be it. We can’t die like this Deth…” Idiot. Why are you crying?

“Oh? Deth has found herself a lover? Isn’t that cute?

“P-Please don’t kill us.”

“Relax little human, I’m not going to kill you.”

“R-really?”

“No, not really. I might break a few bones and tear your limbs off though. Deth there however, I can see that she is not yet ripe for the picking.” She licked her lips. “I simply can not wait for the day I eat you Deth.” Whilst she lost herself in the moment I grabbed Richard’s face and pulled him in. With my tongue, I pushed the blood from my mouth into his. After he swallowed an adequate amount, I let him go.

Ruth ruthlessly kicked Richard off me, sending him into the trees. Her foot upon my chest. She licked the blood off my cheeks.

“Fucking delicious Deth. Hurry up and bloom already. Before I eat you alive.” I try to gather my strength, to striker her, but for each blow she repels she became more intoxicated with my taste. Shit, I really let my guard down. Was she also stalking me? Did she use Richard as bait? Damn it all.

Drunk on the taste of my blood Ruth went for my lips, but before that, Richard tore her off me and threw her away. There was a certain glow around Richard’s neck. A mark. “Deth, I don’t know what you did. But, I feel fucking great.” He examined his fists.

“Fuck!” Her voice echoed from the darkness of the trees. “Don’t you go dying on me deth! You’re mine and don’t you fucking forget that!” When silence returned, the birds sang. Richard seems to have returned to his senses. He helped me sit up and gave me water.

“Deth, who is she and what did you do to me?”

“That was Ruth. Another stalker like you I suppose. She is a witch that we'll one day have to stop. Her blessing allows her to grow stronger the more people she devours. And that power you feel right now, that’s because we signed a contract. I gave you a partial amount of my strength.” He examined his body once more. “However, it comes with a catch.”

“What catch?”

“If I were to die before you, then you will also die.” At first, his expression was lost. But, it seems he has resolved himself rather quickly.

“Then I’ll protect you, this is perfect. You’re stuck with me, right?”

“No, not really. I can live fine without you.” He seems a little disappointed, but that didn’t last long. “Richard, keep this a secret okay? Never tell a soul about the contract. Alright?”

“W-We, we kissed!”

“what the fuck, no. It was just a contract.”

“We kissed!”

“Shut up you idiot. We did not kiss.”

“You stuck your tongue into my mouth!” I think my strength has returned. Best that I confirm it. I punched Richard's smug-face. Idiot.