Demon Lovers

She and i,

we went swimming in the pool above the city: a clear crystal well on the roof of the hotel.

From up high

we could see the city glow and the greatest city bridge below.

And from there came two flying,
bats the size of men.

But look! :she said at their approach: They are bats no longer. Look at their eyes, their features, their size. Look how their arms and legs grow out like a man's would go. And look! how their webby wings are tattered and torn. Ah, they are looking for lovers. Yes, they are weary and worn. Shh...
Stay...
Stay...
Under the water
and they won't come for us.

So we hid
under the water
as they skimmed and caught the surface
with their torn and tattered, crooked wings
and sharp and splintered clawlike things
they have for hands.

And through the ripples in the water
i could see the shining stars and
i could see the dancing lights like
tiny suns waving to us from the distance of the night.

Then
disappearing one by one, the little suns,
the silhouette of a bat-winged man's descent,
horns twisted and bent, brown fur matted, webbed wings tattered,
hung over me.

He crouched at the edge of the pool above me. Looking down into the water. Looking right down into me. And smiled as he waited.
His open mouth alone a thing of nightmares.

My single breath expanding to explosion in my breast,
i looked for her in the water, but she was getting out.
She was charmed by the other one, the demons of our doing,
the bats that are no longer.
And i thought:

If she will go, then so shall i, and together we'll be demon's wives.

So up i went and broke the surface, to the smile of my monster. He took my hand and i looked to her, and she was happy with her fallen man.

So with the night across our shoulders
and new shadows in our breasts,
they flew us to the rafters of the greatest city bridge.
And below we could see people
and cars and coloured lights.
And they sat us down and told us
of our duties as demons' brides.

Her monster turned to her and my monster turned to me
and i picked thorns out of his heart as he looked into my eyes.

And then
as if mimicking human gesture,
as if trying to be sincere,
he took my hand
in his massive paw
with gangly fingers and
jagged claws and
although i was frightened,
although i was afraid,
from him i heard every word
that tripped upon his curling lips
in growls,
in howls,
in demon tongue.
And i wondered
how i was going to like
preparing people for our supper, for our breakfast and our dinner. For that was all that demons eat, and as their wives we cook the meat. And we lie with them, though they never bathe. And their teeth like wires! And their piercing gaze! And their flesh like fire! And their steps like thunder! that scatter the birds and our hearts asunder...

And i thought,

Ohh,

I thought:


...I hope this creature loves me...