Just then, the noise of the party died down. The PA system—the one Bubblegum had used earlier—crackled to life, and all the crowds hushed in anticipation. The distinctive voice of the Vampire Queen sounded through the speakers:

"How's everyone doin' this afternoon?"

She was met with deafening applause. The people screamed and clapped as though her question had rendered their existence perfect.

"Alright!" she shouted with forced enthusiasm. Marceline's stage presence was normally more mysterious than effervescent; something seemed off to the hero. "Where's the birthday boy—excuse me, birthday man? Let's get Finn up on the stage!"

The party-goers whooped and hollered in agreement. He hunched over, trying to make himself smaller.

"Finn? You out there?" the vampire asked, keeping up her false bubbly demeanor. "He's too modest. Everybody look around. If you see Finnie, give 'im a little push this way."

He crouched lower. The listeners weren't hesitant to obey; everyone twisted and turned, searching for the human.

"Huh?" The naive voice of a candy citizen came from behind him. "Finn? Is that you?" It sounded like a Banana Guard.

He grimaced and refused to look back, hoping they'd give up.

"Over here!" the guard called. "I found Finn! I FOUND FINN!"

Before he could flee, the group was shoving him along as instructed. He pleaded with those he passed, but no one acknowledged his reluctance. He let his body go limp, making himself dead weight, thinking they'd struggle to keep him moving. In response, they lifted him over their heads and passed him onward.

Finn involuntarily surfed the crowd all the way to the main stage. As he went, he continued to fight the current as best he could. It was futile. Marceline hovered above the wooden platform, wearing one of her concealing daytime outfits. Her axe bass was slung over her shoulder. She floated about lazily, tossing her microphone up and catching it as it fell. Then she saw him coming.

"There we go!" she called triumphantly. "Everybody, Finn the Human!"

Their cheers were booming. He clawed at the sides of his head, trying to cover his ears through his hat. His carriers threw him forward enthusiastically. Their precision was as one would expect of a group of strangers operating together with no prior planning: god awful. Finn hit the stage with the grace of a cadaver, neither willing nor prepared to be tossed. He landed on his shoulder and rolled onto his back.

Above him hovered Marceline, who wore a devilish grin.

She aimed her microphone elsewhere and asked, "You okay?" Her tone, now that she spoke privately, was much more familiar. For a moment, he felt she wasn't in on the hunt...but the hungry look in her eye gave her away.

"Y-yeah," he said, almost fearful to speak.

"Lemme help you."

She lifted him to his feet. The ease with which she handled him exceeded that of Muscle Princess. It was obvious—that the Vampire Queen would be far stronger—but given the circumstances, it seemed a revelation to the hero. If she wanted, Marcy would have her way with him. It was only a matter of time.

Speaking to the audience once more, she said, "Okay, I'd like to dedicate this song to Ooo's favorite hero." She pulled the human in close and wrapped an arm around him. "Happy Birthday, Finn."

The vampire kissed him on the cheek once more, and he blushed. She returned the mic to its stand and held her bass at the ready, then proceeded with her performance. As usual, her music was astounding—not that Finn could enjoy it.

The whole time she sang, he was distracted, watching her every move, looking for an escape path. She was fast—faster than sound if properly motivated. He needed to be stealthy, but she never let him leave her line of sight.

He looked to the audience. Everyone watched him expectantly, as though waiting for some grandiose reaction. Down in front, he saw Simon and B-MO, the latter sitting on the former's head. Both looked thrilled and waved hello. He found his window.

Finn could feel Marceline's piercing gaze as he neared the edge of the stage. He sat on the lip, letting his legs hang over the side, prepared to drop and run if need-be. Even through the absurd noise, he could hear the little robot speaking:

"Finn! Finn! Happy Birthday!" it squealed, pivoting its little arms wildly.

"Yes, Happy Birthday!" Simon said in turn.

The melody faded; the song was over. A bead of sweat trickled down the human's temple. He could feel the vampire approaching. He didn't hesitate—he slipped over the edge gracelessly, faltered when he hit the ground below, and heaved his way through the mass of people. Confused, they were slow to move out of his way. He dropped to his hands and knees, and crawled through their legs at a greater pace.

Behind him, the Vampire Queen abandoned her bass and dove forward in an attempt to grab his shirt, missing only by an inch. She growled with frustration.

"Marcy?" Simon asked, concerned. "What's going on?"

"Not now," she grumbled. "I'll explain later."

She shot the pair a smile to quell any worry, then flew after Finn.

Her senses were impeccable; despite the many obstacles between them, he was as apparent to her as the sky itself. Like a bird of prey, she climbed high above her target, watching and waiting for an opening—a gap between the party-goers. Finally, one such spot presented itself.

Marceline dove nimbly into the sea of onlookers and plucked the hero from beneath them without missing a beat. The maneuver was so skillful and swift, Finn didn't even realize he'd been caught until he was hovering 20 feet higher. His abductor grinned at him, pleased with herself. She rolled onto her back and pulled him over top, then released her grip.

They gained a little more altitude and rested within the floor of the Cloud Kingdom, obscured from the people below but still separated from those above—Marcy wanted her privacy.

He was made to sit on her abdomen such that they could view each other. She folded her hands behind her head and crossed her legs, easing into a relaxed position. The human struggled to maintain his balance—the Queen purposefully induced some turbulence. He reached out to grab something, anything to hold on to, then paused. In his position, he could only reach her thighs and her chest. She watched eagerly, waiting for him to touch her in a manner unfamiliar. When his hesitancy persisted, she offered some more motivation.

Her body angled downward, her feet rising closer to the Cloud Kingdom. The shift was so sudden, Finn had no choice. He tumbled forward and threw his arms around her, holding on for dear life. His face was pressed against her bosom, and his legs were wrapped firmly around her own. She evened out and chuckled.

"Oh, Finnie. If you wanted to feel 'em you only had to ask."

He sat up and realized what she meant. His cheeks burned red.

"No! I mean—Glob, I didn't—I don't—"

The vampire pulled off her top, exposing her breasts. She released the garment and it fluttered away in the breeze. Against his better judgement, he let himself stare. They were beautiful. They were much larger than Engagement Ring Princess'. As she was laying on her back, they rested against her ribs. Finn didn't expect them to be so...soft. Soft enough to change shape like that. He wanted to reach out and feel them, explore them...taste them. Her nipples were hard in the cool air. They looked so palatable he began to salivate.

There was something soothing to the sight. As though years of curiosity had been instantly sated. He'd spent countless evenings with her, having jam sessions, watching movies, or just goofing off. More often than not, she'd be wearing something tight or revealing. He couldn't help but look. She'd wear a tank top, something a size too small for her frame, and hover overhead, leaning forward...how could he not peek? And now he suspected it was all deliberate; she'd been teasing him, making him want her.

When he'd seen her undressed in the bathroom that one dreaded day, he'd only seen her from behind. Was that intentional as well? The picture—burned in his mind ever since—was certainly striking...but he still yearned to see the front. And now he had. He smiled involuntarily.

"Like what you see?" she cooed. She sat up, easing Finn onto her lap. Her bosom pressed against his chest, her face lined up with his, and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him near. "I'm all yours, Finnie. Let's go back to the castle and I'll give you your present."

Her lips were tantalizingly close to his own. His apprehension gave way to lust, and he kissed her deeply. She reciprocated, her serpentine tongue pressing its way into his mouth. The sensation was startling but he decided he enjoyed it. She moaned softly, enjoying the flavor of human. Marceline had never tasted one—not even at the height of vampires in early Ooo—and this was as close as she'd come. It initiated something primal in her; she couldn't resist him. She needed more.

A thunderous howl sounded from the Cloud Kingdom above. The sound was unmistakable: it was the Party God. Neither paid the noise any attention—in fact, neither even noticed it. They were too preoccupied, busied with one another. But what followed couldn't be ignored.

The enormous wolf head plunged through the wispy fog just beside them, making its way to the Candy Kingdom below. The tunnel he formed was open to the sky—it flooded the duo with raw sunlight. Marceline shrieked in pain and shot away from the gap. Finn was thrown free in her haste, and he began to fall.

She moved to catch him but an arrow, shot from the new opening, caught her between her shoulder blades. Though it hurt, the injury was minor for a vampire. She shook the projectile free and searched for her aggressor. A hooded figure fled into the crowded dance floor above. Marcy couldn't follow.

The Queen made herself invisible and plunged back to the Candy Kingdom. Through the dense cloud cover, the light of day wasn't deadly, merely uncomfortable. Her back stung as she examined the party-goers, looking for Finn. He was nowhere to be found.

She reasoned that he was okay. There'd be a commotion where he landed, and she didn't spot any such disturbance. Someone caught him—likely another princess. The exposure was becoming irritating. She sighed and headed back to the castle.

Marceline glided in through the window and made herself visible once more. An expectant Bubblegum was still waiting there. Seeing the state of her girlfriend, she gasped.

"Oh my Glob, Marcy! What happened?"

The vampire's skin was still seared, her breasts blackened by the damage. They would heal shortly, but the pain—especially in areas as sensitive as her nipples—was extraordinary. Bonnibel winced, knowing full well how bad it must hurt.

"I had 'im. I had Finn, and I mean I had him. We were on our way back when Party God...no, it must'a been that bitch."

"Who?"

"Someone put him up to it—Party God opened a hole in the clouds. There's somebody else in play, Bonnie."

"Well, yeah. There's, like, thirty other princesses after Finn."

"No, I mean another somebody—a non-princess. She shot an arrow at me."

They looked at one another in understanding. Their competition extended beyond royalty.

Author's Note:

Sorry for the short delay, I took the weekend off. As you can probably tell, I've decided to incorporate HW as a few of you suggested. The story is still vague moving forward (there's plenty of leeway for changes) so feel free to provide suggestions. If I like any, I'll definitely incorporate them however I can.

Let me know how I'm doing. How can I improve? Reviews are always appreciated.

As always, thanks for reading!