• Asmara’s words felt like a knife to the chest. No, more like she had forced him into flight and then caught his wings on fire and watched him burn in the air, trying desperately to put them out, but finding them futile attempt. The wind would feed the flames, encouraging the embers to grow higher and higher until they enveloped his body whole in its fiery path, until he finally fell to the ground merely a pile of ash. All the while she would be watching from below laughing at the destruction she put upon him. Yet the pain that she caused him didn’t smother the flames of passion he held for her but rather fed to it. The cruelty reminded him of the mating ritual of his people, cruelty being a turn on in his culture.
    He consciously checked his wings for burns before taking flight into the very depths of the Mother Forest in search of the rare flower, the midnight rose. The trees soon got so dense that he had to take the rest of the hunt on foot much to his disliking. He ignored the minor discomfort, just glad to be away from the disturbing quiet of his castle.
    His mind wondered to the evening just before. Maybe instead of getting this flower he could retrieve the dagger that he threw in the lake and return it to her. But then he remembered her hurt expression and thought it best not to expose her to a sharp weapon that she could use against him.
    Ezekiel sighed in frustration, staring into the gloom. His yellow nocturnal eyes scanning his surrounding for the rumored mutant rats that burrowed further into the woods. A monstrous shadow loomed over him making the hair on the back of his head to stand on end, which was not an easier thing to do. Ezekiel spun around to see the massive rodent towering over him, its beady black eyes studying him as any predator would. Just like he would. A growl erupted from its mouth like thunder on an eerily quiet day, though the forest was never quiet. The sound was so loud it felt like his head was going to roll off of his neck from the sound waves it made.
    He fell back in shock his hand getting sliced on the sharp brambles that littered the forest’s floor. The smell of his own blood wafted to his nostrils making him forget about the monstrosity in front of him. His eyes turned red and he crouched in predator mode. He hissed up at the huge rat and charged at its belly, dodging around its sharp claws pawing the air where he once stood.
    He smirked angling his wings to swerve upward to attack him from the backside. His claws raked at the rat’s backside tearing fur and skin. The rat bellowed and whipped around to face his opponent. It was a fatal mistake. The dark angel’s razor-like nails angled down at its chest piercing through its protective layer of skin penetrating the heart. The rat squeaked in surprise and fell backward, his once black eyes a cloudy white.
    Ezekiel landed smoothly, looking at his fallen prey with amused pleasure, his ruby eyes changed back to their original color of liquid resin. He slid a gore coated finger into his mouth, the taste exploding on his tongue like a wave of pleasure. His tongue slid up his arm taking up every drop it fell upon, until his arm was clean. He flew over the slain rodent of unusual size without a second thought, letting the message get across to any other of its kin to not dare cross his path.

    * * *

    Asmara stared up at the lit up window. She did not know what awaited her, a scolding from an angry parent, or an abandoned room. She rubbed her hands in anticipation and threw herself at the wall of tangled vines. Her bare feet tangled in the emerald branches as she climbed the wall. She gripped at the strong but soft limbs using them as a strong hold, its unmoving vines buried deep in the stone. Her hand gripped the lip of the window and she heaved herself up onto the ledge, but just like the stones, the gripping plant would not untangle from her ankle.
    She gasped as the thicket tightened around her foot and started to pull her downward. She quickly grabbed hold of the sill, playing tug of war with the vine for a few minutes. Finally she tried concentrating on the plant’s life force and started to sing. The vine’s strength weakened and fell back in place against the wall. She sighed in relief and climbed through the window and onto her bed into an exhausted heap.

    * * *

    The forest seemed to get darker as he walked on. The sun could not escape through the dense trees. The sunlight grew thinner and thinner until finally it was pitch black and Ezekiel’s eyes had to adjust to the dank gloom that surrounded him. A faint light illuminated the ground ahead drawing the nocturnal predator to its prey. As he drew closer to the light his eyes spotted a beautiful plant. It was the source of the light. In the center of the spiky jumbled mass was a glowing flower shedding its iridescent light. He was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
    Ezekiel stepped closer, his sharp toenails biting at the clay beneath. The plant with its mesmerizing flower whipped into action, flailing spiny branches at the oblivious prey. Spiky tendrils of weed wrapped around him biting into his flesh and wings. He groaned in pain thrashing with his claws trying to break free. The plant didn’t yield. A white powder was dusted off released into the air. He grew dizzy.
    These are the plants that the giant rats fed off of. It can’t be that hard to kill off the life source of his most recent kill. But as he defended himself the thorns embedded deeper making it harder and harder to try and escape. An especially sharp thorn pierced his wing. He snarled, blinded by the pain. The dripping wound fed the plant’s bloodlust. It sped up its process knocking the wind out of him as it squeezed harder.
    The barbs scraped skin, enraging the bat demon in its cocoon deep within the mass of brambles. He snarled in annoyance and tore at the thorny branches. A thunderous crack erupted from beneath the maneuvering vines. Ezekiel’s wings though seeping blood, suddenly surged with energy, his fangs gnashing angrily. His eyes flashed red and his shredded wings snapped open, breaking the firm, sturdy branches that held him captive. The plant recoiled in shock, retreating inside itself, letting its snack escape.
    Ezekiel limped, a trail of blood dripping in his wake. He spread out his tattered wings and launched himself into the trees trying to speed up the expedition, but a spasm ran through his wings and he tumbled down to the earth with a sickening crunch. He moaned and slowly got up. His target was a mere 100 feet away. All he had to do was pick the thorny beauty and be on his way. He proceeded forward at leisure pace; his wings throbbing like a newborn’s heart beat. His hand stretched out in front of him ready to grasp its prize.
    He reached into the brambles closing his hand around a midnight black rose, its magnificent thorny defense a brilliant rustic red. He slowly removed it from its prickly bed and cradled it in his hand. He sighed triumphantly, and spread out his wings to fly ignoring the achy protest. He launched himself forward dodging plant and tree, yearning for the light of the moon. Through the forest’s green canopy streams of the moon’s light bathed the murky undergrowth just ahead and he glided rapidly toward it.

    * * *

    Asmara sighed in her sleep and rolled over her hand landing on something sharp. She yelped, jerking herself awake. Her palm had landed on a rose as dark as night, its stem the same color for the exception of its blood red thorns. She cradled her bleeding hand to her chest and retreated to the bathroom. She cleaned the wound with fresh water and wrapped it in a torn piece of bath towel. She clucked disapprovingly at herself had forgotten about the beautiful flower that lay dormant on her bed clothes.
    She glanced down at its slightly ruffled peddles battered from travel, touching them slowly not sure if it had another defense up its stem. She laughed at herself when the flower didn’t budge. She picked it up tenderly maneuvering around its spiky lower parts. She brought the flower to her nose sniffing its alluringly dark aroma. She sighed. She had thought this particular flower only myth.
    ‘Once, a millennia ago there was believed to be an exotic flower that thrived in only the darkest of forests. Its scent had a mysterious scent to it, not even more knowledgeable elves today have been able to acquire words to describe its fragrance. Its petals…’
    A ruffle of wing on earth brought her back from the reverie of her mother’s story. She ran to her window and peered down at the intruder. Ezekiel, head bowed sluggishly retreated back to his kingdom, bloodied and torn. She gasped at the sight. She realized then and there that her thoughts of love for her love Tamari wasn’t love at all. It was a mere crush to the heartbreak she was feeling right then. Ezekiel was hurt and she didn’t know how much longer he would last.
    Comments? heart I don't know how people feel about this one. Heck I don't know how I feel about it.