Dark Side Of The Moon

Chapter 29: Chrissy

"Was coming all the way out here really necessary?" Yujin asked, eyeing the woods ahead of him. The trees blended in with the night, and the faint noises of critters echoed through the air.

Chrissy wrapped her favorite turquoise cloak tighter around her, the autumn wind biting at her skin. "Did you feel like breaking into someone's house at twelve a.m?"

Yujin made no comment.

"Exactly."

It had been two weeks since Chrissy had given Yujin the love potion. She could see the effects of malnutrition— his already slim frame had grown sickly, his bones showing prominently through his skin. It was time to show him how to feed off love: any later and he might die.

"I'm not saying we needed to do a whole home invasion. We could've just found someone on the outskirts of town-"

"Yujin, sweetie, you can't just go up to someone and say "Excuse me, can you stand still while we suck the love out of your body"?"

"We could if we offered to pay their taxes," Yujin muttered. "Inflation is crazy these days."

Chrissy reached up to ruffle his hair affectionately. "Oh, you're funny."

He smiled, but it quickly melted into a look of worry.

"What's wrong?"

"It just doesn't feel right. Taking something from someone like that."

"Yujin. This is the only way for us to live," she said, laying a hand on his arm. "You mean a lot to me. I know you don't want to do this. But will you? For me?"

She looked up at him, and he smiled a little. "Well...I'd do anything for you," he admitted.

She smirked. "Great. Now be quiet. I see him," Chrissy whispered, creeping behind a bush. Yujin nodded and moved silently from tree to tree like they had planned, getting closer to the target. Yujin was about five feet away from the target when he stopped, looking at Chrissy for a signal.

Chrissy took a step forward to get a closer look, but she accidentally tripped over a tree root and hit the ground loudly.

The target whirled around. He saw a fallen Chrissy sprawled on the ground, accompanied by Yujin, who had rushed to her side. When the target saw the daggers they both held, he broke into a run.

"Are you ok?" Yujin asked her.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"But-"

"Just go get him, Yujin! I'll be with you in a minute."

He immediately sprinted off after the target. He was so cute when he was obedient, Chrissy thought, it made everything so much easier.

She rose to her feet. Further in the distance, Yujin tackled the target, pinning him to the ground. They wrestled through the mud. But even with all the adrenaline, in his weakened state, Yujin was having trouble subduing him.

With an elegant flick of her hand, Chrissy's changeling slime effectively enveloped the man in its sticky solution, rendering him immobile. She stalked over to him, dagger still in hand. Watching him struggle was almost hypnotic. It reminded her who was in control.

"Let me go now!" The man roared, straining against the changeling slime.

Chrissy refastened her grip on the knife and pressed it against his neck. "If you try to scream again," she pushed it in deeper, drawing blood, "I'll cut your throat."

He nodded, eyes widened in fear.

"Yujin, I think it's time for your first lesson in feeding off love," she said. "You'll do great, don't worry. Besides," she cast a quick glance at the man. "It's not difficult. You'll pick it up immediately."