I do something a little risky – I join normal society at midday to go and get lunch with Carmen while all the monsters sleep. We decide we need a little bit of sun anyway, lest we start to look like transparent ghosts.

I wear the least sluttiest dress I can find in the club – an emerald green sequence dress. It's still like a costume, but whatever. It's cute anyway. I tie my hair back respectfully, do some light makeup and then wear some high heels I might regret for later, but whatever.

Carmen and I had then left the Nightclub without permission.

Nor asked anyone.

Why? Because why the hell would we need permission, bitch please.

After we hung out in the back rooms and got ready, we left through the back exit.

And here we were, traversing the city with all the mortals.

"Hmm," Carmen breathes in her takeaway coffee, while we take a break on a bench by the largest park in Dire Wolf City, "I'm a little angry at Sloan," Carmen finally mentions, "He's a real ass sometimes – especially when we're not having sex."

"Fuck boy vampire," I murmur, "I should make the Lycans whip his ass."

"Coffee doesn't taste the same anymore," Carmen puts down her cup, sighing, "Do you think the world looks crazy? Descending into madness?"

Weirdly... no.

All around me, everyone looks normal.

Going about their business and such.

"I don't know," I answer cryptically, "Maybe it's in their heads – a slow seeping poison."

"Maybe you and your new best friend are keeping it all safe," Carmen whispers, a little hurt.

I immediately catch her eye and snap, "Wynter and I are not best friends – you're my best friend."

"Yeah, whatever," Carmen looks into the garden of red and white roses being pruned, "I don't have any special abilities anyway. Sloan just killed me and then your furry assed Lycan helped bring me back to life... just so I could be a sex slave... don't get me wrong, I like the mind blowing sex but... they kind of fucked me over bad, you know? I never asked to die."

"Listen, don't worry, I'm in two minds about all this too. Onyx has a temper and he just says whatever he likes to me," I growl, "I'm a queen and he calls me a weak little mortal that he fucks."

"Like they can talk. They're only good for cock," Carmen meets my eye more sympathetically, "Is it my fault?"

"What?"

"I led us to that club," Carmen whispers, her eyes starting to tear up, "It's my fault we met these monsters and now we're their whores – and now the honey moon period is over... now we're being treated like dirt."

"We're not going to let that happen," I respond, "Fuck that."

"But what can we do, though?"

"How do we win respect...?" I wonder too.

"I don't know," Carmen and I look at the normal humans walking through the park, groups of students heading to their next college classes, work men and women hurrying back to their shifts after the lunch break. Some mothers were taking their new born kids to the park for fresh air.

Safe.

Normal.

Human lives.

I missed being a part of it.

"I forget lycans and vampires terrorise these people," I say, "That's not okay."

"But it's their entire nature," Carmen counters.

"Sure. They have bad appetites, but they do have a job to do – patrolling hell and such," I sigh, "Phantasy is the real issue. The devil. He entices them to be terrible. He scares me and at the same time it's like he can twist me into whatever we wants if I give into him. I hope I never meet him again. Or at least, I want to be prepared next time there is another encounter."

"Hmm. What did Darc call you again? A monster fucker?" Carmen tut-tuts, shaking her head, "How rude. You and I, we're brave too."

We go a little quiet now, as we consider having to return to Onyx Lycan Nightclub, since we were wanted escapees from an asylum... after all. And possibly wanted for murder after the police would have found Tim dead in our old apartment... which was also a dead psychiatrists apartment... Vos. But that was all Onyx, protecting me, and Sloan killed Tim. We were dragged down into the dark because of them.

"Oh, looky," Carmen's voice goes all high-pitched as she spots someone handsome walking down the sidewalk.

I'm a little surprised how quickly he's come to catch us.

I look down the sidewalk and see the 'priest' Oswald.

Onyx is casually pacing down toward us in his gorgeous human disguise.

He's taking his time walking toward us, pretending to look at his watch.

His suit is perfectly cut and clean – not a thing out of place.

He scrubs up well for a human – even though he seems irritated by the sun.

As Onyx gets closer, I remember what he said. He was raised to be evil but he couldn't shake his mortal ties – that's why he opened a nightclub in the first place.

Carmen and I had enveloped ourselves into their lives – into their lives.

What about ours?

"I have an idea," I murmur to Carmen.

Onyx is even wearing a priest's collar. I try not to smirk. It was an ingenious disguise.

Out here, there was no forceful sex, swearing or murder allowed. I was going to enjoy that extra level of protection.

Onyx had to behave; or he had to learn to behave. He was a born-mortal. He wasn't just a Lycan.

"Helloooo," Carmen pretends to fan her face, "Wow – you really scrub up quite nice for a... priest," she almost says lycan, but stops herself.

Onyx stops by our bench, looking at me directly.

"Are you done?" he asks, very politely, very quietly.

See? He had it in him. Humanity. Or so it seemed.

I smirk up at Onyx and recline back into the seat, "No," I answer him, "Are you heading off for lunch?" I quickly ask, before the fury of hell ignites in his spoilt gaze.

A spoilt prince of hell. I never thought of the Lycans like that, but it made sense. They were so selfish and always had their own way. But now he had a Queen... so things were going to change... for the better, mind you.

Onyx raises a brow, doesn't say anything, but then realises he should reply to appear normal, so he casually responds, "I'm fasting," I try not to laugh, "Let's go, Silvia, we have an appointment," Onyx turns to stand at his side, his eyes look fearful of the sun, as it bathes all over his skin.

"I cancelled that appointment," I play along, "Didn't you know?"

Now I'm pushing it.

"...I swear, Silvia..." Onyx's handsome cruel mouth curls up to let out a small snarl, while no one is close enough to hear it but us.

"A priest – you have to live somewhere in this city," I stand up now, losing the humour, "Where do you live?" I ask him without a smile.

Onyx turns to me, a little shocked by the unexpected question.

"Why?" he doesn't deny it, he just sounds a little sheepish as he growls this at me.

"Don't growl at me, you're in the eyes of many mortals, Oswald," I remind him, "I see you even have a chauffeur?"

"Sloan," he answers.

"Oh yes, your escort," I say, noticing Onyx has his hands shoved deep into his pockets – to stop himself from grabbing me, "Carmen and I have done what you said, to repent," I choose my words carefully, "Time to return the favour."

I turn to Carmen and hold out my hand. She grabs it and stands up with me, catching on. I sling an arm around her shoulders and she puts an arm around my waist as we lean into each other.

"What do you want?" Onyx asks a little more boldly, perhaps catching on – but just making sure.

"Take us to your church," I say, "We want to become nuns."

Carmen almost snorts her coffee out of her nose, but quickly composes herself and nods.

Onyx doesn't even know what to say, but I do notice Sloan driving the silver sedan closer. So impatient.

"Really," Onyx asks, "We can discuss it in the car."

"Tell us the address, we'll walk – we need the exercise," I say, "We'll meet you there. You've really inspired us, Oswald – to be god-fearing."

I was not getting into a car with those two just to get kidnapped and ass fucked.

I can tell Onyx is antsy and doesn't want to be seen too long in public.

It was a disguise he didn't want people to connect to his Lycan form so he used it so rarely.

This is where I had him.

Especially as a large group of school kids start marching down toward us, headed up by their teachers.

Onyx doesn't want to linger any longer near us.

"St. Michael's Cathedral," he actually answers me without looking at me directly. Now Oswald walks to his car and jumps in the back. Sloan crawls out into traffic, then speeds off.

Carmen and I look through the park, to the other side.

To St. Michael's Cathedral – the largest church in Dire Wolf City.

It's a small walk through the park.

"About time he showed me where he works," I whisper to Carmen, as we both untangle from each other and walk forward

"Are we really going to become nuns?" Carmen asks me, wide eyed.

I shake my head, but I don't deny it, "...this is the thing, Carmen, it's not about us being their immortal whores... it's about them being mortal and contained – to live in the real world. What do women do, if not guide their men onto the right path?"

"True," Carmen pulls her hair over her shoulder and starts to braid it, "I haven't been to church in years."

"Neither – but if we can cross the boundary, surely there is hope for our Lycan and Vampire. Since they think they're bad asses who are 'sin incarnate'."

"Don't priests live on the property, in some house?" Carmen asks, "Maybe his house is close by."

"I'm betting it's an apartment in that 5 star Glow Worm apartment building, overlooking the Cathedral. It's too close not to be associated, and look at the gothic architecture, it matches the church," it was like an ancient inn just adjacent to the Cathedral, converted into modern apartments. It had black blue-stone bricks, glass stained windows and bellboys at the doors, waiting for guests to arrive. It suited Onyx's tastes, that's for sure.

"You're onto something with their secret lives," Carmen murmurs.

"If we have to be nuns to join the mortal side, fuck it, I'm in," I straight up admit, "We can't be whores full time. We have to tame the monsters and nurture their mortal halves."

"Sloan isn't really mortal though," Carmen frowns.

"Born mortal, he still counts," I reason, as we near the end of the park's walk, and we see an old refurbished white car with white ribbons pulling up outside the church.

Oh!

The Cathedral doors are wide open and now the driver opens the door for the bride to jump out.

"Oh my god, a wedding!" Carmen swoons, grabbing a hold of my arm, "...they'd never do that for us..." her nails dig into my arm, "Oh, I always wanted a big white wedding."

"We fucking deserve it considering what we do for them," now I growl, feeling emboldened with passion, "We're going to get everything we want Carmen."

"How, though?"

"No pussy, duh," I try not to laugh,, "Not until Sloan and Onyx meet us half-way."

Carmen nods, her eyes glued on the bride making her way into St. Michael's Cathedral.

I feel myself firm up on this idea.

We could handle madness.

But could they handle being disciplined and sane?

The mere fact Onyx practiced being a priest once a month told me everything I needed to know. He wanted to be normal – he didn't have any help other than blindly finding his way through the light. Obsidian really tried to tie him down in hell, raising him in hell with Phantasy as a damn uncle – but I could tell Onyx wanted more.

I knew he'd deny it, but I could bring the best out in him.

He had it in him.

So did I.

Together, we could be better.

✧ Song in Media: ♾ MS MR — Bones (Blood Wolf Remix) [Redux]