《Between Love & Shadows》 1 - The Witch + Camila + The wheels of a red Toyota protested when the driver abruptly halted close to building C. After turning off the engine, the woman looked at her surroundings and sighed. I hope this won¡¯t turn into a waste of time. Before going out of the car, the sound of a new message demanded her attention. She read, ''We¡¯ve been instructed to go to the auditorium, so she should be on her way right now. Good luck.'' An emoji winking at her followed the message. Camila exited the vehicle and strolled through the sidewalk, getting into the field of vision of a student, consciously lacing his sneakers. She asked where the auditorium was in a demanding tone. The frowny young man stared at her red stilettos and shapely legs before looking up. He grinned and quickly rose to point her in the right direction. ¡°Just that way, miss.¡± Camila was certain that when she looked away, the guy furtively looked at her bosom. And once I walk away, you¡¯ll just stand here, continuing to lace your shoes while staring at my butt. Whatever, kid. Camila tossed back her shiny black hair and gave him a friendly smile, making the guy''s eyes glitter. By the way, thanks for letting me know I look good today. I need to look nice for what¡¯s coming. The sound of her high heels brought the attention of a pair of girls, who bitterly glanced at her fit figure, lined by a black pencil dress. Camila¡¯s red lips were forming a smirk, and her sunglasses hid her condescending eyes. God, I¡¯m surrounded by kids. After exhaling deep, she took her shades off at the sight of another teen, absently walking from the opposite direction with her eyes glued to her phone. Let¡¯s see. A petite, redhead girl, wearing a bob haircut¡­ But just in case¡­ Camila checked the saved photo on her phone once again, depicting a teen absently staring at the camera. Like a doll without a soul. Yeah, that¡¯s definitely her. The goddamn doll. ¡°Ana Ter¨¢n?¡± Camila called aloud, blocking the teen''s path. The young redhead immediately grimaced at the stranger. ¡°Who the--?¡± she muttered before receiving a hard slap in the face. + Laura + ¡°You should¡¯ve seen it! It was ¡°Aww, I hate having missed the show!¡± ¡°So what else happened? Did it turn into an Ego fight?¡± ¡°Nah, the Red Stain just remained silent like a moron and ran away, holding her tears.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Camila to really show up today. That woman is bold!¡± ¡°And where is the Red Stain, anyway? Has she gone home already? Crying?¡± Laura, who was eavesdropping while maintaining a grin on her face, passed them by. I know where to find her. She took the stairs to the first floor and confidently entered the restroom beside the Computer Lab, looking down for a pair of pink Converse. Found you. Laura got inside the neighboring bathroom stall and stepped over the toilet to peek at the girl, trying to cover her cheek with makeup. ¡°Do you need help with that?" Ana looked up, showing that she had successfully covered half of Camila¡¯s red-marked hand. ¡°Please tell me that the coast is clear,¡± Ana said in a low, pleading voice. ¡°Not yet. Not until the Bitch Squad can spread the news to the whole campus, I suppose.¡± ¡°Great, just great.¡± Ana got out of the stall to look at her reflection in the restroom¡¯s mirror, with Laura following her shortly, leaning against the adjacent sink. ¡°So¡­ Garc¨ªa¡¯s wife is leftie, huh?¡± Laura said, gazing at Ana¡¯s injured cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Ana muttered while continuing her work. ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Laura shrugged and pulled out her cherry flavor gloss, applying it gently. ¡°You¡¯re still coming to my birthday party, right?= ¡°Sorry Lau, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea. That would be like kicking the hornet nest...¡± ¡°More like the henhouse, don¡¯t you think?¡± Laura giggled. ¡°Besides, why are you so worried about those bitches now? When the Garc¨ªa thing exploded, you still showed up in classes like it wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± She paused to look at Ana¡¯s thoughtful expression, now in the middle of applying lipstick. ¡°Hey, I know what¡¯ll put you in the mood. Just picture a tall, fit guy, with broad shoulders and a heart-melting gaze.¡± Laura waited for Ana¡¯s reaction, who met her eyes through the mirror. I want to know if you would consider hooking up with someone after what you¡¯ve done.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Laura held her breath, trying not to smirk. ¡°Who is he?¡± Ana asked. ¡°My cousin! Come to tonight¡¯s party and I¡¯ll introduce you to him.¡± ¡°Is he¡­¡± Ana looked away and acted shy, but Laura had already noticed the gleam in her eyes. ¡°...really as cute as it sounds?¡± Laura turned to her and put a hand on her hip. ¡°Ana, sweetie, that question offends me. He¡¯s from my family, he''s obviously super hot.¡± + Ana + While waiting for Laura to keep her promise, Ana sat on the living room couch, trying to pass the time with her phone. Ana checked her social media messages. She surfed the web for a short time and played a game absently, all done while thirty college students danced, drank, and laughed loudly around her. Although her gaze did not leave the tiny screen, her mind was still nagging her about the blind date. And could it even be considered a blind date? ¡°Well¡­¡± a quiet, hissing voice said to her ear. Something resembling an elongated slim shadow crawled out of her back and took a more discernible shape, looking like a dark, crimson snake tightly bounding Ana¡¯s neck. ¡°...You bother to dresss up all cute and foxy jussst for the ocasssion. Ssso...¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t dress foxily,¡± Ana replied quietly, without taking her eyes off the phone. The translucent creature hissed intermittently, trying to simulate a laugh. ¡°Hi-hi-hiss! Yeah, right! A black sssee-through messsh bloussse? A plaid mini ssskirt and thigh-high ssstockingsss? You''re even wearing your brand new C.L. high heelsss, for chrissst sssake! But no, you¡¯re right! You rather look like a nun ready to pray to death than the thirsty teen you--!¡± ¡°Hey, beautiful.¡± A classmate sat beside her, forcing the mocking apparition to dissipate immediately, as if it was made of fog. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Hi, Joel.¡± Ana addressed him without looking in his direction. ¡°I¡¯m just farming this event before it goes down tonight.¡± Joel frowned before inspecting her screen. ¡°Are you talking about a game? What is it called?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever heard of it. What about you? Are you having fun?¡± ¡°Kinda.¡± The young man sighed loudly. ¡°Unfortunately, the beer ran out.¡± ¡°Bummer.¡± ¡°And then I came here to take you to the dance floor." He elbowed her playfully. "Come on.¡± ¡°Aww, you didn¡¯t have to worry about me, Joel. I¡¯ve already danced half an hour ago. Watch.¡± Ana stopped what she was doing to show him a video already uploaded to her social media. On it, Ana was dancing in the crowd. Her gaze locked to the camera while maintaining a half-smile. ¡°Were you dancing alone?¡± Joel asked, dumbfounded. "Yes, so?" Ana quickly snatched the phone away. ¡°And I¡¯m not the one you should ask to dance.¡± Ana pointed to the center of the living room, where Laura was making her presence noticed, wearing a two-piece tight minidress. Her bosom looked extra stacked that night, and her hips attracted the attention of every male in the vicinity. Joel shook his head. ¡°But Laura already has all the company she needs.¡± ¡°She fancies you,¡± Ana blurted out. ¡°Did you know that?¡± This time, she glanced at him just to see his reaction. Joel¡¯s green eyes sparkled for a second, but he cleared his throat immediately. ¡°Even if that''s true, what if I fancy another girl?¡± Ana looked him in the eye. Joel¡¯s features were charming, and his curly brunette hair made him look straight up from a TV drama. And yet¡­ What do you like so much about me? You could have Laura letting you use her huge titties as pillows if you asked her to, while I''m here, wearing a padded push-up bra. ¡°It would never work out. Trust me," she said. ¡°What makes you say that?" ¡°Because you¡¯re too good for me,¡± she replied, turning her voice soft and caressing his chin. ¡°I¡¯m the Red Stain, remember? Would you like to get your hands dirty by hanging out with me?¡± Joel¡¯s mouth remained ajar for a moment. ¡°But you¡¯re not¡­¡± ¡°There you are!¡± Laura approached them briskly, taking Joel by his hand. ¡°Sitting doesn''t suit you, Jo! Come on, let¡¯s shake the body!¡± As Laura pulled him out of the couch, she turned to Ana to whisper: ¡°Thanks for taking care of him in my absence.¡± ¡°I was just making sure of keeping the bitches away from him.¡± And it worked. Everyone here looks at me or evades me like if I had rabies. Laura giggled before leaning into her. ¡°By the way, about our previous talk,¡± she whispered. ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯ll have to wait a little longer. He¡¯s still not here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the night is still young.¡± Having heard that, Laura winked at her and pulled Joel to the center of the living room, who gave one last excruciating glance at Ana. Don''t look at me like that. Just listen to your primal instincts and go for the bigger target, instead of pursuing your Gothic Lolita fetish with me¡­ "We''re nineteen, lol! We hardly count as a Lolita!" Ana¡¯s black companion materialized again, talking over her shoulder. ¡°And I thought we were going for the ¡®Nymphet¡¯ aesthetic tonight.¡± "Whatever. Every single girl in this party looks childish compared to her." Ana crossed her arms and looked at the teens gathered around Laura and her new partner, all dancing and jumping at the beat of the music. She then glanced at her side, where some smokers were happily chatting on the balcony. In the kitchen, another group was constantly drinking and hoarding the snacks. Everyone gathered in Laura¡¯s apartment was having fun in their own way. Except for me... ¡°I feel bad for Joel, you know¡­ Laura isss going to eat him whole. Hi-hi-hisss. Too bad, becaussse I¡¯d have loved to take a bite out of him firssst!¡± ¡°Yeah, go ahead,¡± Ana replied begrudgingly. ¡°Steal the crush of the only friend we have left and see what happens.¡± ¡°That hasss never ssstopped usss before...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what Laura has in store for us, and if his cousin turns out to be a dork, I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Fine. Let''sss wait a little longer.¡± Both master and dark companion remained in silence for half a minute before the creature snorted. ¡°Can we at leassst wait outssside? Thisss place isss making me sssick.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± 2 - The Bitch
ANA
As she crossed the door that would take her to the outside corridor, her companion was stubbornly hissing. ¡°God, are we wearing the Victoria¡¯s Sssecret¡¯s lace thong in vain?¡± ¡°Why are you complaining? I¡¯m the one with the clenched ass.¡± ¡°I can feel it too, remember? Even though I don¡¯t have a butt! Hi-hi-hisss.¡± ¡°Shut up for a minute, will you?¡± While exhaling deep, Ana leaned over the iron railing. From there, she could see a top view of the parking lot. All these cars came here just to give tribute to the Legendary Thicc Princess. Ana checked her social media, where a video of Laura suggestively grinding against Joel awaited for everyone to see. It already has fifty times more visits than mine... Well, considering that my video only has one, ha! She checked her friend¡¯s list, now more empty than ever in her entire life. I think it¡¯s for the best. Now I don¡¯t have to deal with men trying to befriend me before asking me for nudes and girls pretending to be nice to me. She filled her lungs with the chilly night air. This is for the best, yes. Her eyes were aching and her hands were caressing the rough texture of the railing. Her right leg was constantly jumping. Wait, no, this is not right! What I need right now is someone that doesn''t judge me or has pity for me like Joel. Someone that doesn¡¯t know my past or what I have done. If your cousin is as amazing as you¡¯ve described him to be, Laura, please, don¡¯t talk to him about me¡­ Never... If the day comes when he learns about my past, so be it, I won''t be mad nor I¡¯ll hold a grudge if he decides to leave. But at least let me enjoy the first month¡­ Or at least a damn week! When he¡¯ll believe I¡¯m just a pure girl. I promise to act cute, girly and hear whatever stupid thing he has to say. Just¡­ Let me feel alive for at least a couple of days, dammit! The sound of rushed steps came to her. Ana looked at her side, finding Laura getting out of the apartment and taking down the stairs in a hurry. Laura''s hands were forming fists and her gaze only pointed at her destination to even notice Ana as she passed by. Ana¡¯s heart started racing. Could it be...? She looked down, searching for her, who reunited with a guy waiting beside a red classic car. He was so tall that when Laura jumped to hug him, he maintained her in the air easily. Even though Ana could not have a closer look at that guy¡¯s face, she liked what she was seeing. He¡¯s¡­ Perfect! Ana¡¯s cheeks and chest started to tickle and her hands got all sweaty. Wait, wait, how do I look?! And where is my freaking lipstick?! I need my lips to look as freaking kissable as possible! And a mint! I need a damn mint before I even say ¡®hi, nice to meet you!¡¯ ¡°Hey, Ana!¡± a girly voice called her from below. Ana found Bere, wearing a tube top so tight that her breast almost bursted out, the two girls beside her giggled. Oh, look at who''s here. Bere, Cecy and Mar¨ªa¡­ The Bitch Squad. ¡°Someone has come all the way here just to see you. You shouldn¡¯t keep her waiting,¡± Cecy, the girl wearing an unfavorable red eyeshadow, pointed to a red Toyota, where a woman was waiting, leaning over the car¡¯s hood, arms crossed and eyes fixed on Ana. You have to be kidding me... Ana glanced back in Laura¡¯s direction but she and her guest were nowhere to be found. They must be looking for a place to park his car. ¡°Come on, Ana, don¡¯t be shy!¡± Mar¨ªa teased, wearing a ridiculous¡ªWait, she actually looks good compared to the other. Nice skinny jeans and heeled boots, girl!Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Ana returned her attention to Camila, stubbornly waiting in the parking lot. If Ana kept biting hard on her lower lip, it would bleed. Would this woman dare to enter the apartment and make a scene in front of everyone? Ana glared at the three girls, knowing that they had brought her there. Fine, let¡¯s deal with this as quickly as possible. I have a date, you know. Ana took down the stairs slowly. The sound of her high heels echoed at her every calculated step. She passed by the Bitch Squad who were acting like hyenas and spoke to Camila from a distance. ¡°There is plenty of free space at the back of this building. Let¡¯s go there.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Camila replied, grimacing. ¡°Are you expecting me to follow you? You¡¯re not in position to¡ª!¡± But Ana ignored her every word while maintaining a steady pace to the designated space. Camila grunted out loud and followed her. Ana could hear all of their bickering, their mocking comments and their laughter while on their way there. Yeah, let¡¯s deal with this quickly. ¡°How¡¯s your cheek?¡± Camila asked aloud, smirking, making the others chuckle. ¡°Fine.¡± Ana shrugged. ¡°How¡¯s your husband?¡± Camila opened her eyes wide and the girls gasped in unison. ¡°There¡¯s no way she said that!¡± ¡°Quick, pull out your phone!¡± ¡°They¡¯ve ssstarted to take a video of thisss.¡± Ana¡¯s companion informed, peeking back over her master¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What ssshould we do?¡± ¡°Let them,¡± Ana whispered. ¡°The rumours they have spread about me are way worse than whatever they could record here.¡± ¡°You think this is funny?¡± Camila crossed her arms and balanced her weight on her right foot. ¡°Ruining a marriage is funny to you? Just another regular day for a little slut like you?¡± We''re just getting started, and the ¡®S¡¯ word has already been brought up. Ana took a deep breath before replying, ¡°Just so you know, I never thought of my relationship with Mario to be funny, because to me it was like any other¡ª¡± ¡°M-Mario?!¡± Camila shrieked while covering her chest with both hands. ¡°What? Too late to call him Mr. Garc¨ªa now, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Ana said, shrugging, keeping a collected expression on her face. ¡°Is that how you used to call him?!¡± Camila shook her head and turned her gaze toward the group that had brought her there. Two of them were exchanging whispers while the third was busy recording the scene. ¡°Hearing his first name coming out of your dirty mouth so casually is just plain sickening!¡± ¡°Hey, ma¡¯am! You¡¯re the one who came here looking for some kind of closure!¡± Ana cried, folding her arms. ¡°The reason I bothered to come it¡¯s because I¡¯m the adult here,¡± Camila said, hiding her disturbed expression in an instant. ¡°I wanted to tell you something personally, face to face.¡± She sneered. ¡°I don¡¯t hold a grudge against you anymore, do you know why?¡± As she spoke, a creature crawled out of her shadow and took physical form in front of her. A couple of seconds later, what once was a black silhouette materialized as a female antelope, with short pointy horns. ¡°Because thanks to you, I finally had an excuse to end my shitty relationship with him.¡± Ana studied the animal, which was ready to charge at her at the slightest provocation. If you just wanted to talk, why pull out that thing then? ¡°Look at it, all proud and graciousss. It''sss pisssing me off,¡± Ana¡¯s companion hissed anxiously. ¡°I¡¯m going to choke him to death!¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Ana whispered before replying to Camila. ¡°So I was just an excuse, huh? There were already troubles in paradise before I even intruded in your life.¡± Camila chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it, brat. What I¡¯m saying is that you gave me the opportunity to be freed of that man¡­ If I can even still call him that.¡± She tossed her hair back. ¡°He was stubborn, a compulsive hoarder, a loudmouth and a fucking man-child¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s the word I was looking for. So as I was saying, thank you so much for opening my eyes and making me notice the huge mistake I was making by keeping him in my life. Better things await me from now on, of that I¡¯m very sure. I bet that after this incident, you''ve also learned a lesson or two, right?¡± Ana lowered her head for a moment and her entire body trembled, which did not go unnoticed by the group of girls, who started giggling. But their mocking smiles faded at the sound of her soft giggling. Camila squinted. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry, sorry!¡± Ana showed her face again, this time holding a wide grin. ¡°It¡¯s just that I find it curious that you listed all the things I found so attractive about him! That he¡¯s stubborn? Hell, yes! We could never agree on something and it made our conversations so interesting! Is he a hoarder? Well, he would always give me a figurine from his personal collection and tell me the story of how he got it, so maybe? A loudmouth? You bet! That¡¯s why the other teachers were wary of him, which was so delightful to behold. And a man-child? Please. You don¡¯t have to belittle him just because you didn¡¯t share his interests. As for me, I loved watching the new Godzilla movie with him! It was a blast!¡± Camila listened to her every word while feeling a burning ache in her stomach. Her cheeks were bright red and her eyes looked like matches. ¡°Could you be any more cynic, brat?!¡± With that cry, Camila sent forth her antelope companion, which pointed its sharp horns towards Ana¡¯s chest, but something stood in its way. An elongated, thick creature, larger and heavier than any regular snake. An anaconda. ¡°I¡¯m going to enjoy thisss!¡± It hissed, showing fangs not shared by its species, shielding its guardian from any attack. ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Ana started saying, forming fists. A glitter could be seen in her glaring eyes. ¡°Just because you didn''t get satisfied after slapping me this afternoon, you came looking for more? Well, bad news for you! If you were expecting to get out of this unhurt, you¡¯re fucking na?ve!¡± 3 - Not even a warm up
Camila
Both Animal Spirits clashed. The anaconda was massive, slithering through the asphalt with great speed, but the graceful antelope jumped, dodging with ease. The Bitch Squad snickered after watching Ana¡¯s dumb snake attacking like a mindless beast, while Camila¡¯s antelope leaped gracefully as a ballerina. "This will end quickly," Cecy commented to her friends. But Camila, who was getting sweaty hands, swallowed hard and did her best to keep a poker face. For only three seconds. ¡°What is wrong with you!¡± she cried, not caring if her lady-like image was getting tarnished. ¡°Why in the world are you fighting ME! With what nerve do you dare to face me after what you¡¯ve done! I am the one in the right here, you b¡ª!¡± ¡°So what?! Should I just stand still and let you humiliate me some more?! Sorry, but not this time!¡± Ana took one loud step forward, and Camila could swear that the sound of that heel drummed in her ears. ¡°The only reason I didn¡¯t make a fuss at the campus was because I pitied you! I let you hit me so you could feel better with yourself since I wronged you. But you had to come here and demand more?! Well, guess what! You won¡¯t get a medal nor a consolation prize after this fight ends, I guarantee it!¡± Camila¡¯s voice faded. She wanted to shout something, anything, at the bitch who had made her life a nightmare, but a sight left her at a loss for words. Is it me, or does that snake look bigger than before? She stepped back, feeling that her jaw was trembling, until she noticed that her lost concentration had affected her antelope. The animal stood still, looking like prey in front of the huge reptile that little by little gained mass. ¡°W-wait just a minute, you¡­¡± Camila muttered, suddenly feeling dizzy. ¡°Do you consider yourself a heroine walking into the sunset after getting her rightful revenge against the adulterous witch?! Well, let me tell you something! I¡¯m accustomed to being the evil bitch that ruins everyone''s life, so I didn¡¯t even bat an eye after meddling in yours!¡± I¡­ I need a break. Camila shook her head, grabbing the cloth around her chest, feeling at a loss of air. She wanted to ask for a pause. She needed to regain her train of thought. But the now humongous, black snake in front of her was glaring at both master and spirit guardian. Ana strolled forward, reuniting with her monster, invigorating it, making it hiss fiercely. Her eyes changed to scarlet red and her hair darkened to an almost black shade. ¡°Just because I¡¯m the villainess here doesn¡¯t mean I''ll let you crush me, you hear?!" Ana said, showing her canines at every shouted word. "You can''t get rid of me, because I exist! I¡¯m the damn embodiment or your broken marriage! You can¡¯t just sweep me under the rug, you know?!" A sudden surge of anger and hatred filled Camila¡¯s chest. After yelling all that nonsense, she doesn''t look agitated or infuriated¡­ Why? Camila examined Ana¡¯s collected mannerisms, her slim figure, her skinny but pretty legs, her tiny waist, her still immaculate youthful face. Oh, how I HATE HER! She should look ashamed, torn apart, broken, begging for my forgiveness! Even though her eyes look filled with malice, she still looks fucking composed! Is that why you messed with this girl, Mario?! Because she was a delight to see and play with?! You fucking pervert! Camila¡¯s face got bright red and her hands arched and contorted like claws, begging for the opportunity to scratch her enemy''s smug face. ¡°Stop your barking for a minute, brat!" Camila shouted. "I didn¡¯t come here to listen to your¡ª!¡± Ana sighed. ¡°Shut up, I¡¯m done with you.¡± The anaconda leaned over the antelope and swallowed it whole, easily. Camila¡¯s eyes opened wide. She stood there, speechless. Wait, where did my Ego go? She then fell to her knees, looking pale and exhausted. "I don''t want to see your face or hear your annoying voice again, understood?" Ana sentenced, turning her back to her. "Yes, ma''am," Camila replied, absently staring forward at the nothingness. She then got up and made her way to the parking lot, feeling that her brain had been lobotomized.
ANA
Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The duel¡¯s winner was now facing the Bitch Squad, who all showed their discontent through their body language. Cecy was raising her chin, Bere put a hand on her hip, and Mar¨ªa folded her arms. "Hold your damn horses, you lunatic," Mar¨ªa said, glaring at her. "This quarrel was just between Camila and you." "Yeah, don''t get us involved in your mess!" Bere cried at the sight of Ana strolling to them. "Changing your hair color doesn''t change the fact that you''re still the Red Stain," Bere sneered, fervently holding aloft her phone, pointing the camera at Ana¡¯s face. "You¡¯ll never get satisfied until everyone is stained with your bitchiness, am I right, girls?" "Are you really saying that this doesn''t concern you?" Ana said in a soft and calm voice, which made them feel uneasy after glancing at her contrasting new, fierce red eyes. "You were the ones that unleashed that hound on me, so I''m pretty sure that I deserve some retribution from this." Ana stopped ten feet away from them, with her dark guardian waiting at her back, hissing hungrily. Cecy was the only one that gathered the courage to shout, "Oh, yeah? What are you going to do about it? Do you see our Egos anywhere? We''re recording everything, so better calm yourself before¡ª" The Anaconda hissed fiercely, flying their hair back and forcing them to cover their ears. Bere was the first to open her eyes and notice that her three guardian animals had forcefully manifested in front of them. Hers was a golden retriever, wailing, terrified. "Hey, guys? Is that normal?" "How did she¡­?" Mar¨ªa asked, frowning and the sight of her ginger cat. "You have to be kidding me¡­" Cecy muttered, glancing at her fox, before all three animals got devoured in one gulp. Ana also swallowed. "Salty¡­ Not as exotic as Camila''s spiciness, but oh well..." After feeling a slight dizziness, the three teens looked at each other, perplexed. "Why do I feel the sudden urge to go back home?" Cecy said. "Yeah, whatever," Mar¨ªa muttered. "Just keep your voice down, I feel like throwing up¡­" "So!" Ana approached them, widely grinning. "What do you think of me, darlings? Do you still hate me?" "N-n-no?" Bere frowned, squinting. "I''m not sure. What do you say, guys?" "D-don''t care, let''s just go," Mar¨ªa said, leading the way, but after three steps, she ducked and released her stomach''s contents. Ana quietly giggled before turning her smile upside down. "Hey, partner?" "What isss it?" The 30 feet Anaconda replied, pointing its nose up to the night air. "I don''t feel satisfied, not in the slightest." "I feel the same way, partner. Asss a matter of fact, I feel like devouring the entire neighborhood¡­ Hi-hi-hisss..." "Yeah, you do that," Ana whispered, turning to the building''s first floor, where music was loudly coming out. "Let''s start with this damn party. I wonder what Laura tastes like. Sweet? Or maybe salty like these bitches." The snake slithered forward at the command of her master, pushing aside a light pole, getting in its way. It stopped its huge scaly head in front of the door''s apartment and opened its fangs with anticipation. But Ana made it stop. The smell of tobacco was reaching her from somewhere nearby. She hated that pestilence. It reminds me of Mario... She turned around, finding a young man strolling to her. ¡°I knew there was a known stench in the air," he said aloud. "You should know, you''re the one smoking." "No, not me. That." He pointed at the anaconda. When he got closer, Ana noticed that her 4¡± high heels were not enough to reach his height. He was wearing a ponytail and a black leather jacket. In his lips, a lighted cigarette he pulled away to release smoke in Ana''s direction. "Um, excuse me," Ana said calmly, without knowing that her crimson-colored irises betrayed her, making her look livid instead. "But what did you say?" "You''re corrupting it," he said, pointing at the monster again. "Why?" Ana snickered. "That''s none of your business, pal." "You''re partially right." The guy advanced forward, taking a quick puff. "I don''t know what you''re going through and I don''t care, but as soon as you brought that thing here¡­" He stopped fifteen feet away from her, close enough to look deeply into her eyes. "Then I have to intrude." He''s hair was as dark as the night itself and his almost golden-looking eyes were striking enough to get lost in them for hours. But his smirk was pissing her off. Is it wise of him to challenge me after I devoured four Egos? I can''t remember when was the last time I felt so¡­ unstoppable! Ana sneered at the guy, ready to crush him too, until a realization made its way through her mind. Wait, where have I seen you before? "You''re Laura''s cousin, right?" The guy raised his eyebrows and grinned, showing perfect teeth, still not stained by his addiction. "Do I know you, little miss?" "You will," Ana replied, snapping her fingers to call back her beast. Her anaconda immediately hissed with all of its might, forcing the guy''s Ego to come forward, a silver wolf. The guy first frowned at the sight of such phenomena and gave a long puff. "Interesting..." he muttered. "Laura was right about you. I should thank her later. So do me a favor and stay still while I devour your little partner, please? And don''t worry, you and me are going to get along juuust fine¡­" "That sounds great," he said playfully, staring at the snake widely opening its jaws. "I¡¯ve alway wanted to be another person''s plaything." Ana''s Ego launched itself forward, more hungry than ever, ready to chomp on the guy too if necessary, but he was ready. The guy hit the giant snake¡¯s head with a bat hidden on his back. 4 - The Hunter
ANA
Her Ego launched itself forward, more hungry than ever, ready to chomp on the guy too if necessary, but he was ready. The guy hit the giant snake¡¯s head with a bat hidden on his back. The snake recoiled, shaking its head, confused. Ana felt the hit too, although with a lower intensity. Still, the ghost of Camila''s slap haunted her. Are you going to be in my way too?! Before she could even question the fact that he had countered her snake with a simple bat, the wolf had already sprung into action, pouncing over the anaconda. "Time to eat," the guy said, ordering his wolf to bite on that thick scaly skin. Black blood came out. And a more piercing pain! Ana''s spine contorted and she felt like fainting. She almost fell on her knees but gathered the strength to glare at the guy, who had gotten close to look down on her. "Call it quits, will ya?" he asked, throwing away the cigarette. "Or what? Are you going to hit me with that?" "Nope." The guy twirled the bat so she could read what was written on it, with huge black letters. ''Nothing personal''. He chuckled. "This is not intended to be used against people. So, are you going to calm down now?" "If I refuse?" Ana replied, sweating cold. The guy grinned, amused. "You''re really something." The wolf finally ripped a sizable piece of the snake monster, sending pain directly to the stubborn master. The snake slowly turned into dust and Ana kneeled abruptly, feeling that she was lacking air. What the hell was that?! As Ana stubbornly remained conscious, even though she felt like a part of her chest had gone missing, she looked up at the stranger, who was offering her a hand. "Come on, get up," he said, showing some true concern on his eyes and eyebrows. "He''s perfect¡­" Ana muttered while taking his hand and staring at his fleshy lips. "What did you say?" "I said¡­" She grabbed him by the back of his nape and kissed him. A short but passionate little smooch. "I''m Ana Ter¨¢n, nice to meet you!" she beamed while her eyes and hair started to return to normal. The guy stared dumbfounded at the sight of her natural violet irises and red hair before groaning. "Oh, shit¡­"
LAURA''S COUSIN
Being embraced by her felt so wrong. I¡¯ve just arrived to this city! Why is this happening to me?! The ringing of his phone startled him as if admitting guilt of doing something bad. He quickly rose and got away from her, still feeling his cheeks and forehead warm. Dammit. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey, I know that we¡¯ve just found a place to park your car, but could you do me a favor?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± he said, turning back to glance at Ana, who was getting up and dusting off the dirt out of her stockings with a relaxed grin on her face. ¡°I totally forgot that we ran out of beer!¡± Laura said through the phone. ¡°Could you go to the store and buy more for me, please? I¡¯ll pay you when you get back.¡± ¡°No, it will be my treat. Consider it your unofficial birthday present.¡± ¡°The real present was you showing up today and giving me the good news!¡± Laura said joyfully, which made Leo swallow hard. ¡°I''ll leave it in your hands then, thanks in advance!¡± ¡°No problem,¡± he said before hanging up. Ana was already standing beside him, hands at her back. ¡°Are you going somewhere? I would love to accompany you!¡± I can¡¯t leave her like this, he thought. Not in this state. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go,¡± he said begrudgingly, rushing towards his car, but she was quick enough to grab him by the arm. ¡°What are you¡­?¡± ¡°Aww, there¡¯s no need to be shy,¡± she said, beaming. ¡°We¡¯re going out starting today after all.¡± To which he replied notoriously frowning, ¡°Huh?!¡± *** ¡°What should I get today?¡± Ana was saying to herself while choosing something from the convenience store¡¯s lunch area. He, who was already paying for two boxes of beer cans, glanced in her direction, feeling that her presence upset his stomach. Maybe it¡¯s true what M¨¦ndez said to me the other day, that I¡¯m a natural magnet for unfortunate events.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Even though his mind was a complete mess, his eyes inadvertently traveled from her bob hair to the curvature of her back, clearly visible through her mesh blouse, then to her bubbly butt, but he especially stared at the small exposed zone between her skirt and stockings. ''Absolute Territory'', huh, like the internet calls it. It''s the first time I see someone pulling it off so¡­ alluringly. Is that even a word? Whatever. She''s like a siren that has already mastered the art of hunting sailors to sink them to the deepest, blackest depths of... "Hey, Laura''s cousin!" she called aloud, bringing something in her arms. "I have a name, you know? I''m Leo." Ana stared at him dumbfounded for a couple of seconds. Like finally realizing that she''s dealing with another human being and not a stray pet she found by the sidewalk. "Aren''t you being too judgemental?" his wolf asked in its incorporeal form, peeking its pointy nose from behind his shoulder. You think? Ana tilted her head, smiling apologetically. "Yes, pardon me, Leo! That''s a cool name." Leo sighed. "What do you have there?" She beamed. "Are you hungry, Leo? Have you tried these? They''re good enough even though it''s microwave food." She enthusiastically held a packed burger close to his face. "Do you want one? It''ll be my treat!" "Fine, I''ll try it," he said, stepping back. "But I''ll pay for mine, got it?" Ana¡¯s smile faded, not hiding her disappointment, before grinning again like a child. "Got it, let me heat them right away!" ''That¡¯s a cool name'', huh? He thought, forming fists over the cashier''s counter. Is this the game we''re playing? "Can you pick another one, please?¡± he asked. ¡°I''ll pay for it too." "Someone''s hungry," she smirked at him from her place beside the store''s microwave. "Not exactly," he whispered.
ANA
As Leo was busy putting the packages of beer into the car''s trunk, Ana got into her seat and immediately lifted her skirt just slightly to reveal more of her thighs. This is like a mousetrap. I wonder how many times he''ll take a peek on our way back. When he entered the vehicle and turned the engine on, his eyes were already locked in the road. Not so easy, eh? Just give it time. "How old are you?" she asked before getting the first bite of her burger. He frowned. "Nineteen." Finally someone my age that is totally my type! "Me too! Where do you live?" "I¡­ I just came from the capital. I''m moving here." "Wonderful, let me be the first to welcome you then!" She looked for his eyes, but he looked hesitant to even glance at her. Why is he acting like this? He''s making this whole trip so awkward. She gave another bite, hoping that the salty meat could give her the energy to come up with the next line. Could it be a good idea to play the victim card already? She swallowed first. "Are you mad at me because I kissed you?" Leo glanced at her, and then at her thighs. Gotcha! He did not respond right away, making Ana even more anxious. Why are you getting mute all of a sudden? Fine, I''ll use it in my favor. "If so, my apologies," she said in a soft tone of voice. No, just saying this won''t do. I need something more... Ana stuttered purposely. "I-It''s just that..." she paused, "it felt so right at the moment. I-I was a complete mess, and you came out of nowhere and helped me, a complete stranger¡­ Something told me that you did it without looking for something in return, and how could I just leave it like that?" "Stranger, huh?" He snickered. "How did you know that I was Laura''s cousin then?" "She talked to me about you," she replied almost instantly. Sometimes you must add the truth to gain results. Leo glanced at her after stopping in a red light, waiting to hear the rest. See? She managed to hide a grin. "And to be honest, I was looking forward to meeting you." "Did Laura promise you that we would date or something?" "No, that was totally on me! That''s why I''m apologizing for kissing you! I shouldn¡¯t have done that." Leo remained silent as he drove back to the apartment area. "Thank god my parking spot is still there," he whispered to himself and turned the engine off, with his eyes lost in thought, hands resting over the steering wheel. "You know, there could be an explanation on why you''ve been acting so¡­ pushy." Wait, what?! Pushy?! Is that how you see it?! "You think?" she giggled nervously. "Maybe it''s because you swallowed four Egos in one go." Ana grimaced, squinting. "What does that have to¡­?" And why does it sound so nasty when he said it that way?! "Wait, hear me out,¡± Leo said, turning to her. ¡°You''ve been feeling energetic since then, right? A little euphoric perhaps? Like wanting to conquer the world?" Not the entire world, just one person. "I think so¡­" "There you have it. So listen to my advice and try not to say things that you would regret later on. At least while the effect passes away." "But I don''t¡­" Leo gave her a sympathetic smile and went to the trunk, leaving her alone and speechless. That I''ve been acting pushy because I kicked some bitches'' asses? But I don''t feel¡­ "Hey," Leo called from outside her window, giving her a can of beer. "Put this one in my seat, please?" "Ah, sure." "Here''s one for you¡­" "Thank you!" "And this one is for M¨¦ndez. Give her one of the burgers too once she wakes up. I''ll be back in a minute." With those instructions, he parted towards Laura''s apartment, carrying the errand. "But I don''t feel any different in the slightest¡­" She finished saying, looking at his strong-looking back until losing sight of him. It''s that the reason why he hasn''t been taking me seriously? Because my flirty attitude could be the result of some kind of ''battle-post orgasm¡¯? "Un-freaking-believable¡­" she said, tensing her jaw and glaring at the second set of beer and burger. "And who the hell is M¨¦ndez?" "That would be me," a woman said behind her seat, in a drowsy tone of voice.