It hadn’t been an easy school year. Which felt strange to Kyle, given that all his students had been well-behaved. There had been no confrontations with angry parents or colleagues. No reason for Ryka to get involved at any point. But he had stayed well-fed all the same.

And that thanks to Kyle’s willingness to further blacken his soul. He was already irreversibly, irrevocably corrupted. What had it mattered that he’d cheated the casinos out of several thousand more dollars?

He’d confessed this sin to Adam, who had wondered where Kyle had started disappearing to some weekends. Adam had only shrugged and told him, “Casinos’ only job is to filch money from hard-working people. Serves them right if someone takes a little of it back.” Never mind that it was those hard-working peoples’ money he was ultimately stealing.

But he wouldn’t divulge their other weekend activity - ridding Purgatory of sinners. Kyle had tried not to make it a habit, letting Ryka out to hunt no more than once a month. And although this resulted in a satiated demon, it left Kyle on edge. Even though he was the primary benefactor of Ryka’s renewed strength. A night together could erase most of the bad memories, but there would still be lingering guilt. And Kyle carried it like a cross when he went back to work the next Monday.

After years of friendship, Adam was used to seeing Kyle looking worn out or sleep-deprived, so he never bothered to ask, instead only offering to make the coffee extra-strong. Admitting to thievery had been enough; Kyle wasn’t up for admitting to murder-by-proxy, too.

***

The last few months of school passed more quickly than any Kyle could remember. Adam had broken the news about moving in early autumn, and it seemed only minutes later Kyle was cleaning up his classroom for the summer. Watching the last student leave the room had been painful. He wasn’t sure how he was going to face coming back in the fall.

Because over the school year, he had noticed something that made him uncomfortable – everyone was getting older. The students he expected to see grow. It never failed to amaze him the difference between the first day they entered the school and the day they crossed the stage at graduation. It was the difference in his coworkers that was the problem.

Standing next to Adam in the teacher’s lounge, he had caught their reflection in a window, and for the first time realized that Adam was closer to forty than thirty. And Kyle should have been right there with him. He wasn’t, though; he still looked twenty-four, and would for the rest of his time on Earth, however many decades that might be.

The change was even more noticeable in some other staff members. Dr. Taylor and Ms. Vargas were both creeping up on retirement age now, and Kyle still got carded at the liquor store sometimes. Everything was different, except for him.

Don’t be upset about it.

“It’s not that. It’s just … how am I supposed to explain this? There are a few teachers that will be retiring in the next couple years. What do I tell people who don’t know already?”

We’ll think of something. And it doesn’t have to be this, you know.

Kyle took one last look around the classroom and sighed. “I don’t know anything else, though.”

Maybe it’s time to learn.

***

The day after school ended, the staff threw a baby shower/going away party for Adam. Since most of his colleagues were still terrified of him, Kyle only put in a brief appearance. He handed a gift bag to Adam, quietly asking, “Think you’ll have any time to stop by for a drink before you go?”

“Definitely. We’re leaving next Wednesday, so if Tuesday night’s good for you ….”

“School’s done; I don’t have much else going on.”

“I’ll see you then.”

Kyle had nodded, then walked away. The worst part about going back to work in the fall, he knew, would be having no one to talk to. Without Adam around to help him seem more human, everyone else would remember that he was really a monster.

Nah, that’s me. But your monster wants you to feel better. Let’s get drunk and fool around, stud.

“Sounds like a plan. And I’d be very unhappy without you. All you have to do to make me feel better is to never leave me.”

You know I never will.

***

As promised, Adam showed up around dinnertime on Tuesday. “Kate was really okay with you coming the night before the big move?”

“She was delighted to have me out of the house so she could get some last-minute packing done. Besides, we’re driving across the country – we’ll have plenty of time together in the next week or so.”

“How’s she feeling?”

“Fat and tired. It’s going to be a wonderful trip, let me tell you.”

Kyle laughed and handed his friend a beer. “Hope this helps.”

“More than you know.” Once Kyle had opened a drink for himself, Adam lifted up his can. “To new beginnings.”

“Cheers.” The word tasted bitter in Kyle’s mouth. A generous mouthful of beer helped, but only when quickly chased by another. And another after that.

Adam kept pace, and the empties accumulated between them while they chatted. At Adam’s urging, they stopped for dinner before resuming work on the thirty-pack Kyle had picked up earlier that day.

For a little while, he could pretend it was just another night of boozing with his friend, but as the sun disappeared and the alcohol started to kick in, he realized he would never be seeing Adam again. The casual conversation had turned to reminiscing, and the thought that this was the end of one of the few things that kept him human turned Kyle’s stomach sour.

Kyle froze with a can at lips, but set it back down before even taking a sip.

“You okay?” Adam asked.

“You probably need to get back soon.” The longer this went on, the harder it was going to be to finally say “good bye.” No wonder Ryka had always discouraged him from keeping anyone close.

Adam glanced at the time on the cable box, and Kyle saw his shoulders slump. “Probably.” Adam polished off his drink and leaned forward, but didn’t manage to make it to his feet. Kyle suspected that had very little to do with the beers they had consumed.

Taking advantage of his friend’s reluctance, Kyle told him, “I want to thank you.”

“For what?”

“What do you think? Everything you’ve seen, everything you’ve put up with. And yet here you are, drinking with me - with us - again. Adam, you’re a saint.” The last word he forced out. His throat burned and eyes watered, but he had to say it. There would be no other chance.

Smiling, but looking like he was on the verge of tears all the same, Adam leaned over to hug Kyle. “I wouldn’t go that far. But thanks. And it’s really been fun. I mean, there were times that maybe weren’t so much, but overall, I mean. That came out crappy. I’m going to miss you. Both of you.”

Kyle just barely managed sob-choked “bye” before quickly turning away. Knowing what was coming next, Adam scooted over and looked up the ceiling so he didn’t have to watch Kyle start to undress.

The leathery rustling of wings would have clued him in to Ryka’s appearance if the ominous shadow looming over him hadn’t been enough of a giveaway. Adam was just glad the darkness shrouding him was a normal shadow, and not the sentient one that often appeared along with the demon.

“Hey, big boy.”

“Hi, Ryka.” He thought he managed to sound casual.

“It’s my turn. Stand up.”No immortal nudge needed - Adam practically sprang to his feet, even though it meant coming chest-to-chest with Ryka. “Do you trust me?”

A loaded question if Adam had ever heard one. But there was only one right answer, and no use lying. “Well ….” Eyebrows raised, Ryka waited while Adam sorted his thoughts. “I do.” Though he trusted Kyle more to intervene if necessary.

But Ryka approved of his answer. Beaming, he herded Adam away from the couch and backed him against the wall. “Then trust me when I say I’ve done worse than this.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Even if he’d been fool enough to ask, there wouldn’t have been time. In a heartbeat, Ryka was pressed entirely against him, both his hands on the sides of Adam’s face. And there was just enough time for Adam to draw a quick breath before Ryka was kissing him.

Something in the back of Adam’s mind wondered if this was the worst kiss Ryka had ever experienced. Adam was paralyzed, eyes wide and mouth gaping. But what else was he supposed to do? Kiss him back?

“Only if you want you,” Ryka purred.

Everything about this was dangerous. That infernal furnace, nearly smothering him with its heat. The feeling of being prey, caught by something that had more than one way to overpower him. The claws tracing up the back of his neck. Hot tongue and sharp teeth. It was intoxicating.

At first it was nearly an out-of-body experience, realizing he was the one eagerly tilting his head back so Ryka could kiss his neck and along his jaw. With a sigh, he slouched against the demon. That heat had been uncomfortable at first, but now he found himself enjoying the warmth. He relaxed into it, and could feel Ryka’s lips curling into a grin. “You like it?” Ryka growled into his ear, turning Adam’s spine to jelly. “You want more?” Adam nodded.

Later, he would wonder how he so easily fell under Ryka’s spell. Time seemed to stop. There was only he and Ryka, his own heart pounding along with the demon’s. Burning palms rested on the back of his neck, and Adam had long since decided to not go down in history as the worst kisser ever. His fingers were hooked through belt loops, and the deep thrum of Ryka’s purr turned the rest of him to mush. Mostly.

“Oh, is that for me?” Adam could only whimper. He didn’t wield a weapon like Ryka did - even with plenty of clothing in the way, Adam could feel it against his hip - but his own sudden excitement was just as noticeable. “I’m flattered. I hope you know this is for you.”

Not sure what else to say, Adam could only muse, “And you call me big boy?” Ryka chuckled and slotted his thigh between Adam’s. With his height, Adam was nearly on tip-toe. But the pressure felt good, and he moaned at the friction. His head was so fuzzy. Could he blame the booze? Unlikely at this juncture. But he really didn’t want to think about what that meant.

One of the hands that had been resting on his neck dropped to his wrist, slowly and gently sliding his hand into the minimal space between the two of them. “Would you?” The rest of Ryka felt nearly cold in comparison to the part straining against his pants. It was only Adam’s knuckles that grazed it, but Ryka still twitched, hissing through his teeth. Just as slowly as Ryka had guided his hand there, Adam drew it back, fully expecting that wouldn’t be an option. But Ryka let it go.

“I’m sorry.”

“Then how about …?” Ryka wasn’t so subtle this time, firmly cupping Adam before making as thorough an investigation as clothing would allow. The sound that came out of Adam’s mouth made him want to die from embarrassment, but Ryka politely said nothing.

There was a moment of hesitation that went on for far longer than it should have. Why couldn’t he just say “no?” But biting his lip, Adam finally eked out a noncommittal, “I can’t.”

“Mind if I take care of this?” Once again, that should have been obvious; this time a firm “Yes, I do mind.” But instead Adam just shook his head and barely avoided the compulsion to glance down and watch Ryka pull himself out of what must now be incredibly uncomfortable pants. Though he realized he must have moved just enough for Ryka to be able to tell. “Wanna watch?” came the breathless offer.

Ever so slightly, Adam shook his head. If the demon was let down or offended, that certainly didn’t stop him.

“One more kiss?” Ryka pleaded. One turned into several, which turned into not stopping until Adam’s lips were raw.

They were still plenty close enough that Adam could feel the demon’s hand working as he pleasured himself. Keeping control of his own hands was becoming a challenge. Ryka noticed this, too, and suddenly Adam found himself bound at the wrists, Ryka’s tail making an effective set of handcuffs. As gently as he’d moved them earlier, Ryka brought Adam’s hands up safely above his waist. “Up here’s fine.”

“O-okay.” Unsure all the same, Adam let his palms come to rest on Ryka’s biceps.

“Though you can touch anywhere you like.”

He nearly admitted his hands were safer where they were, but was stopped when Ryka tilted his head back and fanned out his wings.

“Adam,” Ryka murmured as he shuddered to completion.

Warm breath in his ear - and his name, for the first and last time - snapped Adam very quickly back to reality. Panicked, he tried to push Ryka away. It was like trying to move a mountain, but Ryka still stepped back. And Adam was hit with the realization that Ryka could have done whatever he’d wanted. Physically forced him, or taken his free will and made him submit. This was almost worse; he’d succumbed all on his own.

“I’m sorry” Adam gasped, not sure who he was apologizing to, or for what. He supposed he owed a lot of people apologies. He looked anywhere but at Ryka as the demon put himself away. Best maybe to start with him. “I’m so sorry.”

Still a little breathless, Ryka snorted. “You and me both. But you really won’t forget me now, will you, big boy?”

“I never would, Ryka.”

“Good. Now get the fuck out.”

“What?”

Adam risked looking up to meet Ryka’s stare, and now his heart was drumming for a completely different reason. The demon’s eyes were blazing and his teeth were bared. A low growl rumbled out of his throat, and hands that had been holding Adam so carefully now shoved him toward the door. “I said get the fuck out.”

Adam staggered toward the exit, barely saving himself from landing on his ass. “I’m sorry, you know. Really.” For what he’d just done. For what he’d not done. For hurting them all by moving away.

“Take your apologies and shove ‘em. Because now I get what I wanted all along.” Ryka stalked toward Adam, tail lashing. Desperate, Adam fumbled behind himself for the doorknob. But it wouldn’t turn.

“Please ….”

“I finally get him all to myself. So hurry up and fucking leave.”

He heard the latch click open, and knew he couldn’t risk wasting this opportunity. With hardly a look back, he dashed out the door, flinching when he heard it slam closed behind him.

Ry ….

“That was all him, I promise.”

Okay, but why-?

“He pissed me off,” Ryka seethed, anticipating Kyle’s question. “Worry later. Sleep now.”

***

It was just past midnight when Kyle awoke, sprawled out face down on the living room floor. For nearly ten minutes, he stared at a dust bunny under the couch, trying to comprehend everything that had happened that evening. Somehow, through all his muddled feelings, he came to a very important conclusion.

Nearly frantic, he jumped to his feet and scoured the house, trying to find a long-forgotten box of mementos from his childhood.

Well? It sounded too much like Ryka had been waiting for this moment.

“I’m not going back to school in the fall. I’ll send my resignation next week, so they can have another party.”

Fuck ‘em.

“That’s what I say.”

What are you looking for?

“Just some pictures. I … don’t want to be here anymore. In this house, I mean. I just want to find a couple things, though, and get them ready. I can start looking for somewhere to live for a little while, and we can figure it out from there.”

If you’re that eager, I can help.

“What do you mean?”

Find your stuff first.

Somehow, with his mind racing as it was, Kyle still located the two old shoe boxes brimming with pictures his mother had given him when he moved out. His favorites were already on top, and he stuffed them in his back pocket, thinking he’d have time to find an album for them later. He was sure there was one hiding in one of the closets. Maybe Ryka could help him track it down.

Hearing his name in his host’s thoughts, Ryka picked up their conversation. You really want to leave, right?

“Really. There’s nothing left for us here.”

Then let me back out.

Kyle had never had the chance to put his shirt back, so all he needed to do was give Ryka space. He stopped in front of the mirror in the living room, and Ryka turned his lips up in a wicked grin. Let it burn, baby.

There wasn’t time to react. It was only seconds before Ryka was the one in control, his shadow behind him, smile ablaze. “You know who to look for, right?” Ryka asked over his shoulder. The shadow nodded, and sank into a dark puddle on the floor. “Wallet? Check. Pictures? Check. The biggest fucking fire this town’s ever seen? Check.”

Before Kyle could argue, flame was racing up Ryka’s arms and burning straight to his wingtips. With obvious delight, Ryka took one last tour of the house, spreading fire as he went. “Relax; it’s just stuff. We can get so much more.” That did little to quell Kyle’s rising anxiety. This was happening too fast.

There was a deep rumble that even Kyle swore he could feel. Ryka looked behind him to find his shadow flickering on the wall. It opened its mouth and belched out more fire. And it spread like the entire house was drenched in gasoline.

Get out of here, please, Kyle pleaded. The TV was melting toward the couch, which was itself quickly becoming molten. The curtains dripped off the rods, red hot and smoking. He could already hear the windows cracking. Before it reaches the oil tank. Ryka ….

“Okay, okay.” Before he went, Ryka extinguished his own fire, grabbed the car keys, and exited into the back yard. “You need to wake up quick.”

Kyle did, to the sound of sirens. He arrived in the front yard just as fire trucks and an ambulance screeched to a stop in front of his house. Hoping to save them the trouble of trying to find him, he waved, and was immediately surrounded by EMTs. They escorted him to the ambulance and threw a blanket over his bare shoulders. Questions were shouted at him, but he was too intent on watching his house burn to listen.

From the back of an ambulance, he watched as a pillar of flame shot into the dark night sky, bursting through the crumbling roof of what, only minutes before, had been a fairly well-kept ranch house. Another swirling vortex of fire erupted with a “boom” from the vicinity of the oil tank. He’d seen a house fire once, but couldn’t remember it looking anything like this.

This looked like Hell come to Earth. Complete with creatures with white hot eyes dancing in the flames.

Fire elementals. They make sure arsonists cause as much damage as possible so there’s no possible redemption. They’ll go back through the portal when there’s nothing left to burn.

Kyle nodded absently. The fire was hypnotic. The firefighters weren’t as impressed. Kyle sat for hours, along with a growing crowd of neighbors, watching as they tried and failed to put out the inferno. Only he could hear the elementals cackling as they dodged spray from the hoses, skipping to the next unburnt fragment of wood.

Since he had been ignoring them, the EMTs let him be for a while. “Now where will we go, Ry?”

A hotel nearby until they sort out your insurance. Then the casino, so we can make some quick cash. Then we travel.

“Where?”

Everywhere. This is probably my only chance to really see this world. So, let’s really see it.

“I like that plan.”

They sat in silence for a while, Kyle still fascinated by the fire. It’s just you and me now, stud. Are you okay with that?

“You know I am. There’s no one else I’d rather be with, Ryka. No one.”