Beverly hadn't been feeling too great since the night before. Learning she had deadlights now, after all these years of being confused of whats wrong. What was she suppose to do now? No doctor could ever help her, while needing to regularly feed upon humans to live. She hadn't seen the clown since then either. Nor another one of his meat gifts. Thankful that he had listened to her angry threats. Thinking what to do with her life while staring down into her untouched coffee. Sighing as she got up to pour it down the drain.
"continue on with my career goals, I guess." readying for her next night classes. A quick throw on of fresh clothes and grabbing her back full of school books before going out the door. Arriving at the school earlier then she intended. Wandering around the lit halls instead of heading straight to class. She hated waiting alone in class for the teacher to finally arrive. Walking long enough to end up at the small courtyard right outside the gym and cafeteria. Readying to turn around back inside when that male appeared.
Slowly Remembering his name in thought. "tom Rogan?" watching him carefully waltz up. Annoyed, but also feeling guilty about it. He hadn't even done anything to her and she almost killed him at that party. Then pen jumped them both and she fled before anything major occurred. "what did happen?" she questioned. Her silent confused expression caught his attention quick.
"what? You look like you've seen a ghost?" chuckling at the small joke.
"maybe … you remember a clown, don't you?"
"oh yes, he roughed me up a bit and tried scaring me off from you." shifting his shoulders. "but I am not afraid of clowns." smiling proudly. "it actually got me interested, is he your boyfriend?"
"ha! No!" shaking her head.
"oh, that's good. I guess hes just a desperate creep then?" laughing at knowing the clown was so far rejected. Now it was time for him to weasel in. "maybe we can go out for some coffee some time?"
"uh." hesitating, something about him agitated her, but she still wasn't aware of why. Well, she did almost kill him, and still could if he tried anything. Maybe one little date could pass. "sure."
"lovely! Id prefer to do it sometime late. With my classes I've gained a night owl schedule. Maybe after class? When do you get off?"
"oh, sorry, not tonight. I have a few things to work on, but maybe tomorrow." smiling awkwardly. She felt so odd and unprepared for a date so soon. Whats worse is that aching feeling would be back soon and what if it sprung in the middle of the date? Grimacing at the thought.
His smile twitched. "ah, alright. Tomorrow then." his words sounding more of an order then confirmation. Her own smile twitching at the subtle aggression. Gritting her teeth together before splitting their ways.
"should have said no." grumbling while no longer in the mood to enter class. Maybe she should ditch today? Missing a day wouldn't affect her high grade in the least. Walking off campus, down the street to the freshly built arcade. Thinking about living her younger days playing with the guys would give her a much needed break from everything.
Buying a roll of coins to play a few games. winning a small pile of tickets to get her a stuffed bear and a pile of candy. Eating through that overly quick as she walked to leave after a few hours. A flash of silver between the games halting her steps. She knew right away who it was and why he was here with the few kids staying out late. Shoving her stuff into her backpack she hunted that tall clown through the arcade. Following that coffee pine scent to the play area of giant tubing.
Deeply growling she climbed into that mini play labyrinth to find him lurking in one of the darker parts. His smug face expecting a child to approach, crumbling at the sight of a pissed off Beverly. Rounding a corner to claw right into him with teeth bared. This time he wasn't being so submissive. Thrashing them around in the tunnel till they reached a bigger rounded tubing that made a small room of sorts. Shoving her to get away for them both to have space. Her having a few cuts and him having some deep gashes.
"why do you keep rejecting me?!" he growled through bared teeth. "i can give you a whole lot more then gifts if you let me! But every time you've accepted me you just as quickly shred me down!"
"i will never want you!"
"why not?!" licking blood away that dripped down his face from a deep set of claw marks given earlier. Swiping the rest away with a gloved hand, staining the white cloth red. "i can provide you with everything. Protect you, feed you, raise our young"
"HA! RAISE YOUNG WITH YOU?!" she laughed through sharp teeth. "why would I have children with someone who eats them?!"
he froze. Silent at something clicking in his mind. It was no wonder she was so aggressive about chasing him off. She was still partially human, and so she saw human children as hers. Her cycle boosting that protective instinct of motherhood. Accepting and rejecting him so easily because he was unknowingly a horrible choice. A threat to any young she would bare. If he wanted a chance he'd have to give something up that he had enjoyed since coming her. Could he stop devouring children for her? Maybe he could convince her instead to join his particular diet? "no" he thought. "there's only one choice between us here."
his slow thinking and unwillingness to leave building her agitation enough for a 2nd round. Aiming to claw for his face if it weren't for him smashing her down easily under his own claws. Holding her, but not harming, unlike her shredding into his arms like and angry cat. "stop that!" he roared down. Getting tired of being turned into a pile of shredded up meat. Pinning her down further to stop her violent attacks.
"get off!" clamping her jaws into his arm and forcing him into letting her go. Shoving her to just get her away from him.
If he was going to talk with her, now was the time. "stop and lets talk!" trying to be dominant here without triggering her into a volatile reaction again. Quickly continuing either way she reacted. "become my mate and I'll stop eating children." he tossed out. Feeling completely ready to do it if it meant having her. The wonderful thought of no longer being alone, and to possibly have young for once in his life.
She glared at him distrusting. "liar!" she growled.
"no!" he growled back. "i will stop, if you choose me as your mate! I can prove it, if you let me stay by your side. I wont go anywhere without you, even on my hunts. You can approve of everything that I do."
a growl rumbled in her throat. Her mind jumping between mauling him again or bothering to accept his offer. Something deep down felt good around him, far better then others shes been with. Well, she could see if he was telling the truth. Otherwise she could always happily maul him over and over. "fine." speaking through her grit teeth. "but we need to talk a bit more. NOT here. Go to the quarry and I will meet you there. And no, you cant stay here." making her small demand very clear.
He didn't say anything, but nodded. Leaving first with her hanging around the arcade a little while longer. Licking at her wounds to stop the little beads of blood. Sighing at what she got herself into. Breaking out some candy to eat as she slowly rested at a booth. All that fighting slowly catching up to her with all the fresh bruising appearing. "looks like I boxed a kangaroo and lost." regaining enough energy to get up she walked out to head back to her car. Managing to pick up a coffee along the way right as the diner was closing.
Taking the long anxious drive to the quarry to meet back with the clown. If he was still there and meant what he said. Parking under the lone almost burnt out street light at the entry gate. Snapping the thick iron lock off with a yank to let herself in. walking up the stony gravel path to stand by the first tunnel at the hill top. Their were no lights, but she could still see just as well as if there was a low glow nearby. It was one reason why she choose the place. Easy privacy along with being far away from any kids passing by to run home.
It wasn't long before he approached her to start the conversation. She grit her sharp teeth to hold her aggression back. "tell me, clown. What exactly happened with the dead lights and why do I have them?"
"i didn't know it could happened. Its never happened before, that I know of. In that small window you were maturing, a cluster of my lights latched onto you. They became yours and grew along with you. It was an incredibly small window of chance that I've never done it before."
"hmm, why does it have to cause such irritation every few months? I never saw you seeming so agitated by anything. Its an annoying burn that never goes away, at least not on its own."
"burning? It happens every few months?" he perked up. Excitedly thinking that "she does have a cycle, and perhaps its not over." smiling, but also holding back his excitement. "you have a cycle. Going into heat. How long does it last?" interested to know more.
"ugh." she grumbled in disgust. Part of her knew, but really didn't want to accept just like her new diet. "i guess every few months. Over the course of like a week. It fades in and out during the time."
"hmm, much smaller then normal." he hummed, not disappointed at the news. "is your current one over? I used to smell it on you." approaching closer to catch her scent, unintentionally making her nervous. He stepped back with a look away when she bared her teeth.
Putting her teeth away, but Not liking where this conversation was heading. "no, … it still has a few days. … how long do they normally last?"
"every 800 years lasting for 54 years or until they become pregnant." he answered.
Beverly just about choked on her spit. Thinking of it possibly lasting that long she rather just drop dead. "so, why are you awake so early?" moving the conversation.
"you. I sensed when you entered back into town, your lights. I didn't know it was you until I said hi that first night." curious on how much she felt the same. "can you feel me?"
"yes."
"how so?"
"outside Derry its like a tugging. Inside is a warmth in my chest." other questions coming to mind. "why do you want to be with me so bad? I thought you hated me and would hate me even more since I came back."
"our kind is hard to couple. Females are extremely choosy in their mates. I've had a few, but each egg cluster I've made with them has failed. With that they don't want to be with me anymore. Its gotten so bad that our kind is no longer keeping up, we are dying as a lonely species."
the idea of him having kids alarming her. "you've tried having kids? You've never been successful?"
"no..." hesitant to talk about the subject as it cost him so many mates before. "I've tried to make young on my own, but all have been failures."
"on your own? Like asexual reproduction?"
"yes, its possible for us, but extremely difficult then if we coupled. Females can hold the eggs and give all that they need. While the ones I make are prematurely set into the world. I have to more manually care for them. They usually have a speck of life that quickly rots away."
Beverly wondered what it would be like for him to have a clutch live. Some swarm of devouring parasites plaguing the universe. Bringing up another major question and one he was sure to be wanting. "do you want to have children with me?"
"yes." he answered overly quick.
A feeling in her heart both sunk and fluttered at the thought. "and what about your hibernation? Expect me to raise your kids alone?"
"no. hibernating is a choice, not a necessary. I will stay up by your side if we are together."
the next question to pop in her mind being something a little more awkward to ask. "... ever had sex with a human before?"
"yes."
"with who? When?" she questioned.
He chucked. "century's ago, nobody you'd know. Especially since they didn't last long after the event. I always liked a meal in bed."
Beverly swallowed roughly at possibly being eaten after having sex. Was that what he was ultimately planning. Was this still a ploy to get at her? Meat being ripped from bone to be swallowed down. Her stomach growling out a painful ache at the dark thought of devouring someone like that. Catching the clowns attention.
"want me to feed you?"
"no!" accidentally snapping at him. Holding her stomach at another painful growl.
"you have to eat!" he snaps back.
"i am not killing anybody!" she growled.
"i can teach you how to hunt."
"its not that, its just the fact of eating. I cant get past the idea of-" feeling sick already. "that's why I only get about half way. I get so hungry I just black out and when I come too I am still starving, but I just cant eat the rest.
"did you eat the meat pies alright?"
"... yes. … they didn't have kids in them, did they?!" reacting aggressively already.
"no, no. I promise." speaking softly to calm her down. "i can make you more, I can help you eat. Just come and pick your meal and I will prepare it for you." offering out his hand.
She stared at his palm, hesitating to take it for fear of what he maybe planning. After taking the soft warm hand they were whisked away to someplace with a large billboard. It took Beverly a moment to recognize it as outside the sheriffs office.
"here, pick from the menu." Pennywise gestured to the bored covered in wanted posters with mugshots.
She swallowed heavily at all the poster. Scanning down the list of criminals of who was the worst of the batch. Robbers, drug sellers, chop shop runners, car thieves, muggers. She ended up picking one of the few murderers. A man who killed two girlfriends and tried to kill an officer.
"alright, I know where he is." the clown held out his hand again. "ready to go hunt?"
"i don't think I can." rejecting his hand.
"you wont have to, its just to follow up with what I promised. You just have to watch me." gesturing his hand for hers. Patient as she slowly reached to take it. Another quick whisk away brought them to some trailer park. Her taking a little longer to figure out where after all that warping was making her woozy. "wait here." helping her sit on a fallen log. Leaving her to enter a nearby parked RV.
The man seeing the clown enter stood up from his small chair. Taking hold of a gun strapped to his hip. "who the hell are you?! Get the fuck outta my house."
Pennywise slashed his claws right unto the mans chest before crunching into the shoulder. The mans gun holding arm immediately went limp from the severe damage. The screams reaching no one nearby as the mans blood filled the trailer with its scent. Somehow the man got to his feet and ran out the front through the passenger door.
"dammit." the clown cursed, he didn't want to chase the meal. Surprised at hearing another loud crunch followed by the mans screaming. Passing through the door he saw that the man didn't make it far. Beverly had tackled him and was ripping into his face and ribs. Going into a feeding frenzy off the strong scent of blood and fear of the running man.
Pennywise stood nearby as he happily watched her eat. Getting food possessive growls from her when he tried approaching. She got about half way through the corpse when her body settled down. Blood dripping off her face as she swallowed down the blood still in her mouth.
"you should keep eating."
"i cant. This is my limit every time I do."
"i can make it easier." Taking the body to start ripping away the rest of the meat.
Beverly couldn't watch and had to go sit back on the log. When he was done he came over with a hot delicious smelling pie.
"is this better?" offering the nice meal.
"yes." she nodded, taking the pie to eat more delicately.
"there was a lot left, so I made you some cuts that would look like other meats. Easy to cook for any meal."
"thank you." feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. Eating through the warm meal, feeling on the brink of being full for the first time in almost a decade. Next was dealing with her exhaustion now.
"would you like to go home?"
"yeah, I am pretty worn out after tonight."
"here, I'll take you home and fetch your car so you don't have to." offering his hand again. She nodded and took his hand. This time she wasn't woozy after the change. Looking down at her self she realized what a mess she was and needed a shower before hopping into bed. Fetching clothes and towels with a start of the hot water. Sitting on the couch for it to heat up with the clown not too far. Her exhaustion keeping away any awkward feelings of him being out here while she showered. Not even thinking about when she was to finally sleep.
Glancing over the blood coating her he was tempted to help clean, but that would be intruding. "you had claws, but there gone and your teeth aren't as sharp as when fighting."
"mm? Oh, yeah." her tired brain taking a moment. "They only appear when I am hungry, or really angry. I cant seem to bring them out otherwise."
"what other traits have you noticed?"
"... its easier to hide things. Police come and I just say what I need to and then they leave. Nothings brought up again of my killings. Its a lot easier to fight and kill people. Everyone wants to be with me or a part of my life suddenly. Like I've suddenly become the popular girl." she tiredly explained, getting up a little after to start her shower. "I'll be out in a bit, then I am going to bed." she mumbled as she entered the bathroom with a close of the door.
He smiled amused at her half asleep wandering. excited to be relaxing on her couch without worry of her mauling him if seen. His possibly new mate well fed and happier then before. It was too early to be sure she would fully accept him, but he'd do what ever it takes.
aye, finally got a chapter out, sorry its updating all so slow. i recently got a nice job and i hardly have free time anymore. they'll get done, just a hella lot slower. :''v/