$300 in meat later the three of us were finally headed back to the house. The drive back to the rental was quiet. When we first got to the truck Olivia was practically screaming with delight at the sight of me and Phillip. She always acted that way for me but I've never seen her get this excited over another person. The few times a date actually came to the house, Olivia acted like they were furniture after her initial greeting. Seeing her lose her shit over Phillip made me questions my dogs motive. My best guess was that it was a non-human thing.

And then there was Pennywise. Not only did he help me with getting the groceries in the flatbed of my truck, he put the cart in the corral for me. Then I watch in fascination as he called out to tell me to stop what I was doing. Phillip walked over and opened my door for me! Seriously, I almost fainted at the sight of him doing something so sweet… and human.

Gosh, even saying that in my head was hard to do. I'm still trying to wrap my mind about the existence of Pennywise and my hellhound pup. To think about myself not being like everyone else was an entirely different scenario. Oh, let's not forget that he called himself your boyfriend in front of Gary earlier. Thanks for the reminder, Brain, I need to talk to him about that. I knew he had said it to get Gary the hint to hit the road but then he growled. He was protecting me sure, but there was obviously a possessiveness to it as well.

The awkward part of the drive came when I glanced at Pennywise out of the corner of my eye. The clown was still in Phillip form looking like the devilishly handsome human he was too good at pretending to be. Olivia was sitting between us, Phillip's hand resting on her shoulders. Strange, the way they were both looking at each other was eerie. Like watching a real life staring contest since neither one of them were blinking. It almost looked like they were having a silent conversation.

Huh, was it possible they were somehow communicating? I decided to break the silence to find out.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but are you having a conversation with my dog?"

Both of them looked at me simultaneously. Olivia stayed quite while Phillip answered "No" very quickly. I didn't believe either of them for a second.

I couldn't help but laugh at them both. The way they both looked at me, I knew. "You're such a liar! I can tell by the guilty look on both your faces you were talking to each other somehow."

My curiosity got the better of me. Honestly, how could I not ask what my dog was thinking about? I had to know. My only hope: Olivia putting in a good word for me. Who knew my dog would be my wingman one day.

"So, whatcha talkin' 'bout?" I said with a sly smile when Phillip didn't respond to me.

"Well, Olivia wanted to know when she could eat. She's hungry. "

Figures. My dog is finally able to hold a heart to heart with someone and the first thing she brings up is food.

"Also, she asked if I liked you. I told her I did," Phillip mentioned nonchalantly.

A blush crept up my neck and face. Wow, this was weird and cute all in one. Olivia is going to get as much meat as she wanted when we get home. The corners of my mouth turned up into a smile as I kept an eye on the road. I couldn't help the feelings I got whenever I thought about Phillip. Even as Pennywise, he was still turning out to be better than any guy I ever dated.

"She also wanted me to tell you that when we mate again if you can keep it down. She can't sleep because you make too much noise."

OH, MY GOD!

I'm going to die of embarrassment right here behind the wheel. My hand came up to shield my face, not wanting him to look at me but also not wanting to look at either of them. I could hear Phillip laughing. Whether it was at me or more of his conversation with Olivia I don't know. Whatever extra portion I was going to give that damn dog can be forgotten about now!


Once we got home and all the groceries put away, I was finally able to relax a bit. I fed Olivia, giving her a death stare the whole time. She didn't even look at me as I added three pounds of raw hamburger to her bowl. Ungrateful beast.

I wanted to start preparing food for myself but there was so much I wanted to talk about with Phillip/Pennywise. The fewer distractions the better. This way I could finally interrogate him about himself and what he might know about what I could possibly be. I started the coffee pot, anticipating that this could take a while. Walking over to the couch with my coffee cup I turned on the stereo and set some background noise. If there was one thing I hate as of now it's awkward silences. The car ride here pretty much killed that for me.

My clownboy was still in his Phillip body. We sat on the couch but on separate ends. I did that purposely to limit the amount of wandering stray hands. I might as well start out with the big questions. Having been intimate with each other already I felt I didn't need to beat around the bush. He was already looking at me, waiting for me to talk. However, he was also glancing at other parts of me too. My face was getting warm the way he was looking at me. It was like watching a lion scare down a zebra on the Discovery Channel. Once again, unable to handle the silence, I spoke up.

"You know, as much as I'm enjoying you eye fucking me right now, I really do want to have a serious talk about everything that's been going on"

Phillip let out a deep sigh, not even bothering to stop his visual assault, "You can talk and get 'eye fucked' at the same time you know. But if you would prefer I look at your face I can do that. Luckily for me, your face is also very pleasing."

Shit, I'm blushing again. Stop that! Damnit, this was going to be harder than I thought.

"How about we make this a game?" I suggested.

Phillip perked up at that. "I love games!"

Chuckling at his enthusiasm I went on, "Very simple rules, I ask a question, you answer it to the best of your ability. Then it's your turn to ask me, so on and so forth.'

"Oh, ok, so Truth or Dare but without the dare?"

"Exactly."

"Ok, I choose dare."

My face stayed blank for half a second before I realized what he said. "No, sweetie, you ask me a question not tell me what….You know what? Nevermind, I'll go first." At this point I was annoyed. How could he look like a 25-year-old something, be so insanely hot and act like a kid?

"Ok," I sat up straight and taking in a breath before letting it out along with my question. "Why did you call yourself my boyfriend in the supermarket? Was it because of Gary or is that how you ask a girl out where you come from?"

"Well, you can call me whatever you want. I said it because I wanted him to know that you belong to me. He seemed stupid so I explained it so his simple human brain could understand."

"What do you mean I 'belong' to you? I didn't give you permission to own me?"

"Ah, see that's where you're wrong, Peaches." Phillips voice got very deep and quite. When it got like this the last time, he was talking about hating kids and then we were making out in the kitchen. "You see, you do get a say in the matter but not until we figure out what you are. Until then, you are mine. I am yours. You might need to be protected, which you clearly did today. There might also come a time when your true self is revealed and I'll be the only other being that could possibly help you with it. You would have to come to me willingly, in your true form and me in mine, for us to be bound together completely. Otherwise, we are just taking pleasure in each other. Which, you'll not hear me complain about," Phillip winked at me.

As adorable as the wink at the end was, my mouth had gone dry by his speech. That was a lot to take in. Especially since I wasn't planning on coming back after my week was up. This was just supposed to be a vacation. Not a supernatural journey of self-discovery! What the hell, I can't win. I'll just have to cross that bridge when I get there. I took another sip of coffee before I spoke, needing my saliva glands to start working again.

"Ok, now it's your turn to ask me." I croaked out.

"Truth or Dare?"

"Ugh, no. Ask me a question I meant."

"Alright. Who is this Gary human to you? He seems to think you belong to him already?"

"Yeah, so this guy is a regular customer at the strip club I work at."

"Oh. What's a strip club?" Phillip asked me with a straight face. What? How could he not know the answer to this is?

"Um, I told you I was a stripper before and you said you already knew. How did you not know what it is?"

"I read a little of your mind very quickly when I met you at the human food store that first time. You were trying to decide if you should tell me you were a stripper or not. I know the stripper is the human that dances with arms and legs everywhere. I've never heard of a club? Is it the place where you train your skills and other strippers dance fight each other? If so, I wanna go to this strip-club! Can you take me to one later? I wanna see you dance and hit another dumb human."

Luckily, I hadn't been taking a sip of coffee otherwise I would've choked or spit it everywhere. The look of seriousness in how he explained what I did was so crazy it started a wave of laughter deep inside me. It could tell my laughter was upsetting him since he didn't find his request funny at all. It still took me a few minutes to regain my composure. "Oh, geez. Well, um, Pennywise, another name for a stripper is called an Exotic Dancer. Do you remember what you watched me do here in the living room from the window over there?"

The confident sly smile was back. "Oh yeah, peaches. I'll always remember" he said with a sexy grin and low voice again.

"Well, I do the same thing at my job. Only I'm normally wearing much less clothing or just topless. Men and women come to watch me dance like that and pay me money. Lots and lots of money. I'm actually one of the best girls my club has."

Phillips' face turned into a deep scowl. I could tell that answer did not sit well with him. His hands were turning into fist and it looked like he might say something loud and mean. However, my stupid Inner Brain took over, needing to continue with the explanation.

"So, that's how I know Gary. He has this obsession with me and comes to watch me dance a couple of days a week. He always pays for private dances and tips better than most of my regulars. I never once expected his fascination with me to get this out of hand. I'll be calling my work tomorrow to let them know what happened."

Phillip was looking past me but at nowhere in particular. His handsome human face has never looked more like Pennywise's' until this moment. It looked like he was having a hard time staying in this human form. One of his eyes, normally Penny's lazy eye, was drifting off in its own direction. Outrage gleaming in his now orange, yellow eyes. Phillips scowl had deepened, due to the sharp teeth that had started to show in his mouth. I wasn't sure how to snap him out of it. Was it like a person who sleepwalks? I don't think you're supposed to walk them up. Shit, what do I do? I think I broke Pennywise.

"Um, Penny," I said with a small voice. I set my mug on the coffee table. I was really concerned for my clown. He didn't look so good. As frightening as he was starting to look, I was more anxious that he was stuck in an emotional loop he wouldn't know how to get out of. Scooting closer, I closed the distance between us. "You ok, babe?"

I reached up slowly and touched my open palm to his distorted face. In an instant, he recovered and looked right at me, both eyes back in place and as blue as I remember them. He had me worried there for a second. Phillip brought his hand up and placed it over the one I had rested against his cheek.

"Quinn, I don't ever want you stripping," he said the word like it was covered in filth, "for anyone else other than me from now on. Do you understand?"

My mouth opened to argue back at him but I closed it instead. I was so relieved to see him back to normal I almost hugged him. I know this clown couldn't tell me how to live my life. How I choose to earn my money and make a living for myself was none of his business. On the other hand, I've already thought about how I really didn't want to strip anymore. And as much as I hated to admit it, the clown was right. Penny hasn't lied to me yet and he clearly expects me to be something else other than human. Knowing that I should take extra precautions with myself. Maybe it really was time to think about that cottage and online instruction channel?

"Yes, Pennywise. I promise not to strip for anyone else but you."

This pleased him immensely. He pulled me closer so that my back was leaning into him. Phillip wrapped both his arms around me giving me the hug I had wanted to give him a second ago. I could feel his vibrations startup. If I had never seen Phillip turn into a demon clown I might have thought him part cat because of the purring. I wasn't sure if he was giving or taking comfort from me but every time I ended up in his arms I've never felt safer.

"It's your turn, Peaches. Ask away"

"Where do you live?"

"The house next door...Kinda. There's a well in the basement that leads to where I have all my things."

It took me a moment but then the realization dawned on me. He wanted me to come here! He was the one that was messing with my BnB app. I leaned back in his arms, smiling when I asked him, "That was you, wasn't it? You gave me the tour of the house and showed me the well and the balloon coming out of it?"

Pennywise blushed! He actually blushed a little. Oh my goodness, I wanted to explode at the sight of him getting this adorable. He was looking down at his lap, shyly biting his lip. Obviously, he wasn't used to being caught off his guard. "Well, to be honest, I sensed you coming into Derry. It's one of the reasons I followed you to the grocery store. I felt you before I even saw you. That's how I knew something was different about you. I wanted to make sure you stayed close by so I showed you my house first, to make you want to see it. It just so happens that this house was for rent."

Now it was my turn to blush. This must be the demon equivalent of telling a girl you wanted to get to know her better. "That's got to be the silliest and cutest thing someone has ever done for me. Thank, Penny. Oh, and Yes, I would love to see where you live soon." I smiled up at him. The smile he gave me back was sending butterflies in my stomach. "Alright, Romeo, your turn."

"When are you going to dance for me again," he asked.

Oh, the amount of torture I could put this clown through right now. If he wants an answer to his questions I'll make it worth his while. I maneuvered from my spot next to him and came to sit on his lap, legs draped over the other side of him. Moving my hands up his arms, past his shoulders and tangling my fingers with the back of his hair. I parted my mouth and licked my lips. Penny was watching my every move, hands grasping my hips. At the sight of my tongue on my lips, he let out an involuntary groan. I felt him get hard beneath me so I rotated my pelvis once, making my warm core all the warmer against him. I leaned into him and bit down lightly on his earlobe. Releasing it I whispered, "When you've earned it."

Jumping off him, I grabbed my coffee cup and headed for the kitchen needing a refill. I was grinning ear to ear at my personal victory over the big tough monster. Penny had leaned his head back, breathing hard and staring at the ceiling eyes wide open. Probably, getting himself composed I would imagine. I know what effect I have on men and I rarely get to use it on someone I like. Since I've never come across another monster such as Penny I felt powerful knowing I could get this supernatural being to turn into butter because of me. Truth be told, I was also hot and bothered but I knew how to control my inner turmoil. The dampness in my panties reminding me that this clown also has an effect on me.

I set my mug back on the coffee table before sitting next to Penny who was just coming out of his stupor. My clownboy let out a deep growl and pulled me back into his lap crashing his lips down on me. While our lips drove each other wild I felt a hand creep into my shirt. Pulling away from the kiss I started down into his yellow eyes. "Easy boy," I purred at him. As much as I really did want him to take me right here on the couch again we still had a game to finish. "I believe it's my turn to ask the question next."

"Fine, but you play really, really dirty, Quinn." I was surprised to hear his voice sounding more like Pennywise then Phillip just now. Wow, I must have really turned him inside out just then.

"Alright," I think it was time to bring out a harder question. Something to bring some seriousness back into this 'game' we were playing. "Do you have any ideas on how we might find out what I might be? Other than a now currently unemployed dancer?"

"I do"

The silence following his answer didn't sit very well with me. He obviously knew a possible way to find out but clearly didn't think I could handle it. He had to tell me eventually one way or another. My need to find out what my true origins were was starting to out weight the risk.

"Tell me, Penny, please. No matter how dangerous it might be, I want to know."

More silence. He was looking very forlorn. My heart sank at the what the answer could be but swelled knowing Penny wanted to defend me from danger. I knew deep down this wasn't going to be an easy thing. My mind and body were both at the conclusion that if I was, in fact, a supernatural being that the only way to discover exactly what I was would be to do something drastic.

"Penny, baby, I'm stronger and tougher than you think. No matter what we have to do I'm prepared to do it with your help. I know you'll protect me."

When I had finished speaking, Phillip leaned down and kiss me again. Except, this time it was a hard, desperate kiss with a promise that I wasn't even aware of yet. Phillip would never hurt me, I knew. But if he had to, if I asked him to, for the sake of knowledge? Could he bring himself to be the one to take that drastic step and so what needed to be done?

Phillips tongue was running over my lip wanting to explore me further. Wanting to taste him back I let him slip past my lips and allowed our tongues to slow dance with each other. I kissed him back with as much passion as he gave me. I was falling for this demon clownboy who very clearly adores me back.

My clownboy.

Yet, a sadness was coming from him and I grasped at its meaning.

I have to hurt you, but I don't want to.

Regrettably, I broke the kiss first. He still hadn't answered me. The last thing I wanted was to force the answer out of him. There was only one other question I had that was truly important so I might as well ask him now. It's only been two days since I met my clown boy but I couldn't help the way I felt.

"Pennywise, if you," I couldn't say the other word, "care about me you'll tell me what you have to do."

The look of pain on his beautiful face was almost my downfall. He couldn't even look at me when he said his next words.

"I think I have to kill you"


The air outside was cooler than I had thought. It didn't matter though. Currently, I was unfeeling to the sensation of the weather. To prevent my skin from burning, however, I buried my hands deeper in my vest pockets and continued to walk. With no real destination in mind, I just walked. I traveled up and down the neighborhoods, wanting to find the solution to my problems anywhere but back home. Before I knew it the sky was already darkening with the setting sun. Even though it was still early, the winter hours brought the night much quicker with every passing day.

"I think I have to kill you"

Those words kept coming back, cutting me to the very core everytime my mind replayed them. Phillip/Pennywise didn't say anything to me when I stood up, grabbed my puffy vest and headed for the door. I half expected him to stop me from leaving the house. It was obvious how much I was struggling with this information, he must have sensed I needed to get away. He wasn't wrong. I did need to get away. The thought only frustrated me more because I had come on this vacation to get away in the first place. Now all my plans were backfiring on me. I had only been in Derry for two days and my entire world had been turned upside down.

At this point, the neighborhoods were gone and had been replaced by forest and winding roads. I definitely needed to head back. It was starting to lightly snow again and I know Olivia will be hungry soon. Stopping at a bridge, I stood looking out at the road before me. The covered bridge provided an escape from the snow and but not my thoughts.

Regardless of my feelings, I shouldn't be out here this late, in the cold and grieving like I was already dead. There had to be another way to find out about me. I wasn't going to accept that the only right answer was the most extreme one. What I should be doing is research. There had to be a wealth of knowledge (maybe not all accurate) on the internet. Assuming the supernatural and mystical was to be believed then there was no reason to think that someone hadn't been able to figure this out already.

I wanted to be angry with Pennywise. He hadn't even hurt me yet and I know he didn't want to. It was wrong of me to doubt his loyalty to me in the first place knowing this wasn't his true intention. My clownboy already made it clear that he wants to protect me. I should give him the benefit of the doubt and trust that he will shelter me, even from himself, if need be. Plus, it's not his fault I'm not human. All Penny wants is to help me.

The sound of a car pulling up behind me interrupted my thoughts. I turned to apologize to the driver for standing in the way but was immediately blinded by the high beams. I lifted my hand to shield my eyes and heard a door open to my right. I couldn't see the driver who stepped out and was walking towards me but my guess was that I was about to get a stern talking to from a local. Putting on my best sweet girl smile I tried to diffuse the situation first.

"Hey, there! Sorry about being in the way. I was just out for a walk and stopped for a breather."

The dark figure came into view after crossing the bright lights. I was about to say something else when the dark figure reached up and grabbed me by the head. I felt the needle pierce my neck before I even had a chance to react.

I hadn't been knocked out but I was dead weight. My conscience was so gone that all I could do was observe around me.

"Shhhh, that's it, shhhh," my attacker said.

Crap. I knew that voice. I wanted to fight back. To cry out but it's like my mind and body didn't care anymore. The only sound I was able to make was a cross between a grunt and gurgle.

Gary Hughes started dragging my limp body back to the car. I continued to make noises at him. Inside, I was kicking and screaming but no part if my body could cooperate. When we got to the trunk my internal screaming amplified as Gary opened the door and was laying my body down inside. I should have never left the house! Pennywise has no idea where I am! Oh God, Gary is going to kill me!

Before Gary closed the trunk and my world went black, I saw a set of yellow eyes on the ceiling of the bridge.

Help me! My mind screamed at Penny. Help!

Nothing.

And then there was darkness.