Apparently this is what the beast had been looking for as it closed our eyes in pleasure and breathed it in again, savoring the boy's scent. It released a low, throbbing cross between a growl and a purr before straiting and opening our eyes. It was looking down at him and was beginning to reach for him with our other hand when we heard a dull crack behind us. The beast growled in annoyance and turned sideways without letting go of the kid to glare at the monster hybrids behind us.

      While it had been distracted by the boy, the rest of the monster/human hybrids had recovered from their initial confusion and now were reacting to it being free. However, since the beast's mind was still in its predatory overdrive, they hadn't gotten very far. Most were in the process of fleeing but a few, it seemed, had chosen fight over flight and were trying to sneak up on us from behind. Its tail began to twitch back and forth like a cat and I felt something fur like stand up on our shoulders and between the wings in response. They were irritating the beast but it wasn't so much because of their actions but rather more because they were interrupting its first prospective meal in several years.

      "Not. A. Wise. Choice." It told them in a slow, deep voice. "Unless. You. Do. Want. To. Be. Eaten. Tonight?"

     Its words a relatively immediate effect on the few advancing monsters, bringing them to a halt and making them rethink their most recent decision. They didn't hesitate for very long though. With the beast glaring at them, they soon realized their friends had the right idea and they began to scramble backwards in slow motion. I thought it was amusing to see them like that but the beast was only angry, hungry, and getting hungrier with each passing moment. It wanted to go chase them down and eat but it resisted the urge and stayed put.

     Once it was certain they were gone, the black beast closed our eyes and took a deep breath. It let it out slowly to calm itself down before opening our eyes back up. When it did time had resumed its normal flow and we heard a strangled, high pitched whimper come for the boy. It turned back to him and we found him staring at us with fear filled sky blue eyes set in pale face.

     He couldn't be more than fifteen, but it was hard to tell because the rest of his face was in a state of flux. His features bulged, ebbed and distorted as the monster possessing the teenaged boy fought him for control at this critical moment. His body was also shaking from frequent convulsions caused by this inner struggle; so much though that the only thing keeping him on his feet was the beast grip on his neck.

     "P-please don't k-kIll me!" he pleaded, his voice distorting as he spoke. "i dOn't wAnt to diE!"