Lince pounced through the door, claws extended, golden eyes growing black.

You two been messin' around?

Hair askew, b.u.t.tons undone, I thought it was pretty obvious. But Adam dared say no.

Well, what, then?

d.a.m.n, if she didn't want to believe him.

I almost felt sorry for her. The monster shook me smarter.

Okay then. Fix me a line.

Like an Idiot

I took one too.

Things went from weird to worse.

I mean, there I was, snorting crank with my dad, my boyfriend, and his other girlfriend.

Something majorly wrong with that picture.

The Monster Loves to Talk

He jumps into your head and opens your mouth, making it spout your deepest darkest deceptions.

Making you say all the things you'd rather not say, at least not in mixed company.

Dad Said

I got up, headed for the door, hoping Adam would try to stop me.

But l.u.s.t is stronger than love. And monster l.u.s.t is unconquerable.

I Was p.i.s.sed

Anger seeped from my pores, vinegar sweat, as I stomped out the door, into the night, down the dark sidewalk.

I was hot.

Heart jackhammering in my chest, pumping fever, toenails to follicles, blistering veins and brain cells.

I was high.

I ran through the alley, inconsolable, turned down the sidewalk, invincible, five minutes later, I was scared.

Night Had Hung

a sultry, black curtain, sequined gold.

It would have been quite beautiful in another part of town.

But here, cars cruised slowly, checking out the tightly knit groups crowding sidewalks and doorways.

Here, color was everything, skin color, hair color, the color of your jacket.

Fair-skinned, golden-haired, I stood out like a moped at a Harley rally.

I Thought I Knew the Way Home

but it all looked different, covered in night, and the buzzing in my brain put this sparkling in my eyes.

It wasn't like psychedelic, more like my eyes were speeding too, and didn't know just where to focus except on points of light in the dark.

Whatever, I was completely disoriented.

And as I tried to figure out which way to go, these three guys in Raiders jackets semicircled me.

Hey, baby, can we help you wit' som'thin?

I Tried to Be Cool

Tried to sound tough, asked if they could spare a smoke.

Sure, baby.

Anything you want.

Took a cigarette, b.u.mmed a light, and with a soft "thanks"

tried to amble away.

Hey. Where ya going?

You ain't in a hurry, are ya?

They weren't big, not football players, but I was outnumbered and felt it.

Yeah, what kind of thanks is that?

The circle tightened, moving me back, away from the safety of the street.

d.a.m.n, you are a fine little piece.

Think. Think! But my brain moved too fast to process well.

My eyes gave it away.

Yo. I think this b.i.t.c.h been crankin'.

That was license enough. Bodies b.u.mped, pushed me into a doorway, blocked escape.

Ever done a three-fer?

You gonna love it, baby.

Hands

covered my mouth, rough, held my arms, strong, ripped my clothes, vicious.

Fear danced up my spine, jolted my brain, dripped onto the ground.

No! I screamed into dirty flesh.

Not this way!

b.u.t.tons burst, zippers opened, I closed my eyes, braced for pain.

And Then I Heard

a familiar voice.

Hey, dudes.

Whatcha doin'?