.

did I ruffle those perfect feathers of yours, darling ?

no love, you just tickled the fire in my soul

and how does the blaze feel under your skin, does it burn ?

no, I bathe in it, like in a summer’s dream

it does not scorch your soft lips ?

it never does, it never will

but it must hurt you when your body is ignited by flames... it must

no, you are my flames and there is no other way I will have it

you must see reason here

the only reason I see is me against you, so say no more

yet. . .

no, my love, enough! no words! why do you question my reason, why do you doubt my words? have I not shown you how my body trembles under your faintest touch?

how my soul bursts into flames and how my heart threatens to jump out of my chest? how each fiber of my being, screams for more of you?

I know all of those things

and yet you doubt

I fear for you

you should not, I am perfectly at ease

and if there is harm ?

there will be none

but if so ?

then I will burst into flames, I will fall to ashes and then rise from them like a Phoenix, a fearless creature that always flies... just burn with me, my love... no more questions asked

this love that we share, always so complex and painful by its ends, yet you hold the truth, my dear, you always do

then we shall burn together ?

we always have, and we always will

no more words between us ?

no, just our hot breaths and nothing else

nothing else, never again

______ ______ ______

"I am done."

"What?"

"Walter," she says, her voice sounding silky. I know she wants something, but what? A reaction, maybe. "We are over."

"What do you mean, over?" I say, feigning ignorance.

"I mean, this is the last time you are going to see me."

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere. But I won't be, you know, seeing you anymore."

"Seeing me?"

"Dating you, you idiot!"

"What?"

"You. And. I. Are. No. Longer. Dating."

"What?"

"I'm breaking up with you! For the last time!"

"What do you want, Jessie? A reaction?"

"I'm serious!" Her voice falters for an instant, only an instant, but it's enough to prove her guilty.

"Seriously. What do you want?" She pauses, realizes the game is up. Her face turns dark with seduction. Her goal has changed.

"What do you think I want? You, dummy." I stare at her, as if uncomprehending, waiting for her to reveal her trump card and give up the pointless chase. I am no longer running after the goal. I'm standing stock still. So when will she turn around and tell me the truth?

"Seriously, Jessie? You think I'm stupid enough to fall for your games a third time? Just tell me what you want and I'll leave." Her face turn desperate.

"NO! No, you can't leave!"

"Uh... okay? So what do you want?" She's silent, all facade gone, and she seems to be speechless. I've rendered her speechless, and I take a small amount of pride in that."Jessie...?" Suddenly, she begins to choke.

"Walter! Walter, he-" She cuts off mid-help and sits up straight.

"Sorry," she says. "I must have swallowed weird."

"What do you want?"

"Oh Walter, poor, poor Walter. All along, there's only one thing I want." She looks at me expectantly. "Your death." And then she lunges.

"Ghoul!! That's enough!! Nancy, get back here!!" Drake yelled as Rose started waking up.

"Ah, she's awake." Nancy said as she walked back into the hospital room.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" Drake asked Roses as he held her hand with a smile.

"Y... Yeah, I do. I do remember what happened to me. That MOTHERFUCKER PUT ME IN HERE!!" Rose screamed at the top of her lungs and her muscles tensed up.

"Calm down, Rose. He isn't here." Her commander said as he came in and sat in a chair.

Rose saluted and smiled, happy to see her commander. He saluted back and smiled back at her.

"Tell us what happened." Ghoul said as he sat on the floor next to her bed.

"I remember that Commander Thornbush and Gregory commanded us to go get the vampire and bring him to them. I went by myself down a few roads and alleyways, when he spoke to me." Rose said as she sat up and looked around the room.

"What did he say to you?" Nancy asked.

"He asked me, 'Aren't you lost, little miss?' and I got angry. I told him that I wasn't lost, and I wasn't a little miss. He chuckled, and we fought. He slashed my arm and knocked me out. He said as he slashed my arm, 'He will find me no matter where I am at.' Then I blacked out." Rose said as she rubbed her temples.

"We lost a lot of cavalry and got you here for you to heal. Good bye, soldier. See you when you are completely healed." Her commander said as he left her room.

"Rest, Rose. We shall take care of what we need to." Drake said as all three of them left.

Rose rested her eyes.