Page 14 of Beast of the Bayou

The friend is first. I tear his throat out, tossing his windpipe on the ground. Warm blood splashes over me.

And the second one—I can hear his heart racing in his chest as he tries to run. I have something special for him though. He doesn't make it three steps before I grab him viciously by the back of the neck, my claws sinking into his skin.

He cries out in terror. "Please man! Please!"

A punch to his temple knocks him out cold, silencing his cries. I lift them both, one on each shoulder and carry them back to Mount Mourne. By the time I reach the house, Edgar and Lenora are waiting by the incinerator. The flames are already burning. I toss the friend's body inside and watch the flames consume him.

"Good riddance," Lenora mutters.

"And what about him?" Edgar asks glancing towards my feet.

I look down at him, still knocked out cold. "Dubois hasn’t had a good meal in a while."

Edgar smiles. Lifting him back on my shoulder, Edgar and I head towards the swamp. The moon reflects off the black water as we approach the bank. I stop and drop his body onto the muddy ground.

"Dubois." I call out.

For several seconds, nothing happens. Then the water moves and a pair of golden eyes breaks the surface. The massive alligator slowly drags himself onto the bank, his jaws opening. A deep guttural hiss awakens his meal.

The dead man walking begins to make a lot of noise. Crying. Begging. Trying to escape. All fruitless attempts to elicit sympathy out of me to save his pathetic life. I have none.

I place my foot on his chest to still him. "Dubois—been a little while, old man. I brought you a snack." I remove my foot, scoop up Edgar and retreat a few paces away.

Dubois doesn’t wait for a further invitation. He grabs him by the leg and drags him into the water. The man's terrified cries break the quiet of night, right up until the death roll begins.

Then—

Silence.

When the water settles, I let out a deep breathe. Slowly, the transformation begins to recede as my body settles back into human form. I stare out into the still water.

Edgar's tail flicks. "You did what needed to be done."

"I know." I nod once. "And Dubois got dinner."

"Everyone wins," he purrs. "Now, let's go back to the house. You're getting blood all over my fur."

With a chuckle, we head home. I take a hot shower and clean Edgar's fur before we settle in for the night. Closing my eyes, I listen to the sounds of the night to soothe myself to sleep. Until I hear my name being whispered.

"Solomon."

A soft moan follows.

Then again—

"Solo-monnn."

My ears twitch and my dick stiffens at the sound of my name dragging out of Lila's mouth. Tossing the sheet off of me, I step out of my bed, saliva already filling my mouth. That sweet, primal smell fills my nostrils again—stronger this time.

Instincts are taking over, and my feet are moving before my mind can process it. I step out into the hallway and move slowly, all the way down to her bedroom on the other side.

Her heartbeat is racing in my ears now. I can practically taste her. The wet sounds of her soaked flesh make me stumble the last few steps to her bedroom door. Her voice is crystal clear now. It feels like she's right in my ear, moaning my name. Her warm breath fanning over my face.

I don't even bother to wipe the saliva from my mouth, just let it drip down slowly and slide down my bare chest. My whole body feels hot. Overheated in a way I've never felt.

"Oh my God, Soloman," she moans. "Shit."

My dick is throbbing. My balls tight, and in desperate need of release. I've never known the pleasures of a woman because the fear of hurting them were too great. But I've imagined what it would feel like.