one month later.

The moon was bloated and full that night. It shone on them like a spotlight, casting shadows that danced and flickered with each subtle movement. Something about that moon, glued to them like a giant eyeball suspended in the sky, made the night more exciting. As it receded behind the skyline each morning, the dark allure of night vanished with its watchful gaze. Of course, the moon wasn't the only thing keeping an eye on them from above.

"How do you feel?" Kyle asked.

Tess—or rather, the entity that now controlled her body—hooked her arm through Kyle's. "Divine," she answered, red-painted lips spreading into a wide smile.

Kyle was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome that night. He wore a sleek two-piece suit, his hair neatly trimmed and swept across his scalp. It looked more effortless than purposeful, as if the wind had whipped it to perfection.

Tess took a deep breath, her ribs tight against the bodice of a royal blue dress. Its thick straps wound between her shoulder blades, joining at the small of her back. The dress's color highlighted her blue eyes, which glowed with happiness and vitality. Her tanned skin and toned muscles were exposed to the icy air, but the cold didn't bother her anymore.

Her lips twitched into another smile as Kyle proudly gripped her hand, drawing her closer to him. She could feel his hot breath against her cheek.

"I love you," he said in a low voice, lips at her ear.

Her smile grew wider. She'd never get tired of hearing those words from him. "Let's do this," she said, saving the returning I love you for later.

They strode together into the Club Amour. It was black-tie night. They blended seamlessly into the crowd, except for their eerie aura of perfect contentment. A few people stared. The sea of bodies seemed to part just for them as they stepped confidently forward. There was something obviously different about them to the human eye. No one was that happy.

A vague memory of the club from almost a year ago surfaced in Tess's mind. She had been more human then—weaker mentally and physically, overcome with anxieties. The male who had dragged her helplessly into a dark bathroom would no longer be a threat. She was more powerful now, more cunning.

Kyle circled the crowd, dark eyes scanning the horde of bodies, then shot a nod at Tess. She discreetly dropped a metal disk before the front entrance, then smoothly danced her way back into the crowd. It wasn't long before the partiers began to realize they weren't able to exit, blocked by a mysterious invisible barrier. Before they could reach the fire exits, Kyle dropped identical devices before each door. At the last one, Tess intercepted him, taking his hand again. They passed unhindered into the alleyway outside, leaving the growing commotion in the club behind.

The invigorating winter air kissed Tess's flushed skin as she snuck a hand into Kyle's jacket pocket. She let her hand linger there a moment, feeling his pounding heart, before curling her fingers around a rectangular object. With the press of a button on its side, the sky tore open with blinding light, and in an instant, the chaos inside the nightclub went silent. Tess laughed, giddy with pleasure.

"These senses are incredible, aren't they?" He smiled, eyes glinting with reflections of the stars above.

"Like nothing I've felt before," she agreed with a slow nod. "Especially the connection between us—it's intoxicating."

With an exhale, she leaned into him, arms draped over his shoulders, watching as the sky sewed itself back up. "It feels so right doing these missions with you." She paused, then added cautiously, "Are you certain you don't want to find your father next?"

Kyle's body still had strong feelings about some topics, evoking deep anger that its new inhabitant could not easily extinguish. Even now, a month after capture, his fists clenched and his posture stiffened at the mention of his father.

The couple had been unleashed upon their former city, given a quota of humans to corral and send skyward each week. As long as they met that quota, they were free to do whatever else they wanted. After wrangling some unimportant nobodies, such as the drunken youths at the club that night, they often pursued more targeted prey. For example, their expensive clothes for that night were custom, provided by a high-fashion brand owner who had been converted. If they wanted something...or someone, they took them.

The entire city would be theirs soon. Their kind spread almost exponentially. At this stage, nothing could stop them.

They'd already changed her parents. She found a strange comfort in spending time with them. Her species had no such relationship between progeny and progenitor, so it was a novel experience—feeling the release of oxytocin in a different way than when she spent time with Kyle.

Just then, Jessie and Rosalie met up with them, rounding a corner to spot the entangled couple.

"Ooh la la," Rose exclaimed, fanning herself with an impeccably manicured hand.

"Get busy!" Jessie shouted through cupped hands, acting on his body's vulgar impulses again.

There were some traces of the former personality that stubbornly lingered, Tess thought. But in time, she was confident they could be crushed completely as their hosts' brains were rewired, their biochemistry altered forever. She smiled at the thought.

_____________

I will probably post a chapter where I reflect on everything that has happened in the story and future plans!

P.S. I will try to write part II much more quickly than this one (which I started in about 2014...meaning it took like 8 years, haha). I might try to write and upload a chapter per week so it can be done before the end of 2022. And I promise there will be a conclusive ending.

P.S.S. Merry Christmas! Have a great holiday season and new year!