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 Terán, 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 Méndez said to me the other day, that I’m a natural magnet for unfortunate events.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

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 Méndez. 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 Méndez?"

"That would be me," a woman said behind her seat, in a drowsy tone of voice.