Stanley gagged on the odor of its breath. The stench of diseased rot and death dripped from the being and Stanley tried to move but his limbs weren't responding.
"You're small but you'll be an adequate snack." Sharp teeth flashed in its wide grin.
"PERHAPS I'D MAKE A MORE SUITABLE MEAL, FOUL DEMON!" boomed a voice from the entrance of the alley.
Stanley turned his eyes over to see a large woman running towards them. The naked figure hissed in anger and spun, looking for an exit but the alley was closed at this end. It turned to face its attacker and leathery wings ripped from its back. It leaped into the air desperately flapping to get altitude. Shadows were filling the alley, cast there by its wide wings.
The woman running towards them gave a thunderous battle cry and leapt upwards. Huge wings of white burst from her back, their light driving back the shadows. The demon hissed louder and threw something dark at the woman.
A shield of light appeared on her arm and deflected the black spear then she was upon the demon, driving the point of her own spear deep into its chest with a wet popping sound. It screamed and she heaved upwards on the shaft of the spear, ripping the razor-sharp tip up through the demon's corrupt flesh until it split the skull in two. Gore rained down onto the lane.
Stanley was lying on his back watching this scene from a fantasy movie play out in the air above him when his view was obscured by a wonderful and welcome sight. Paloma's beautiful face was looking down at him. Her lovely features were marred by an expression of fearful worry but the fact that she was worried about him made him smile. Her lips caught his smile and timidly returned it as his mind began to slide into oblivion.
Before he slipped away he saw the Valkyrie descending towards him, vast white feathered wings effortlessly slowing her descent, and he thought how similar she looked to Ms. Gunderan... if the woman had been into cosplay.
Stanley needed to get home. The need pulled at him, droned in his ear and poked him with sharp sticks. Finally, his abused mind could take no more and pushed him into the conscious world.
Before his vision returned he heard voices. Arguing. Something familiar about the voices. Ah, that was Ms. Gunderan and the other softer voice belonged to... Paloma!
HOME!
His eyes popped open as he gasped and Paloma squeaked in surprise.
"Mr. Garin is awake!" her large blond companion said unnecessarily.
His eyes were still having some trouble tracking but he eventually found the sources of the voices and saw a stern and worried expression on the face of the Head of HR. Paloma's was lit up with a smile.
"How are you feeling Stanley?" she asked.
"I have to go home," he blurted, looking around at the unfamiliar room.
"Until we know your place is safe it's probably better if you stayed here with me," Paloma answered with a worried look.
"Sure. I need to go home. Now." Stanley said and tried to get up. That's when he noticed he was tied to the bed. He looked at his wrists and saw silk ties securely binding him to the bed.
"Uh... what- what's going on?" he asked cautiously.
"It's for your own safety." Ms. Gunderan said but she looked uncomfortable about his bindings as well.
"I have to go! Now! Untie me!" Stanley was beginning to feel desperate. The need to get home was ringing like a bell through every cell of his body.
Paloma sat on the edge of the bed and tried to calm him but suddenly his eyes rolled back and he arched his back in a huge gasp.
As he retreated into the peace of oblivion he heard a gentle but ancient voice in his mind whispering 'Too late...' and he was gone.
Sigrid stared at the unconscious young man on the bed with wide eyes. Nothing was what it seemed with him! She'd felt something when she first met him but Camila had given her a warning look to back off so she did. Then when his blood refused to be recorded? Camila intervened again.
When she got the panicked call from Paloma saying someone was attempting to abduct her new boss Sigrid had come running. Why Paloma had been secretly following the young man she didn't know but she'd arrived just as a massive explosion released a demon from its containment trap. The energy needed to destroy the trap AND the demon's binding would have been considerable.
She hadn't had the pleasure of dispatching one of the infernal beings for a very long time so she'd enjoyed herself with this one.
Stanley hadn't appeared injured from being at the center of the blast but maybe he did appear dazed. He'd been unconscious when she landed at his feet. Paloma insisted she carry him to the young woman's condo as it was closest. Sigrid had wanted to drop him off at his place so he could wake and think it was all a crazy dream. Paloma insisted it was safer to take him to hers as the abductors might try again. The girl hadn't really explained why she'd thought it was necessary to tie him to her bed, aside from saying it was for his safety, but it looked like it had been a good precaution after all.
There was a quiet ticking noise coming from the bed which was rapidly speeding up. Paloma began to lean over Stanley's body to discover the source of the noise. Instinct made Sigrid grab her and jump back from the bed. She held the struggling girl against her chest then both froze as light begin to bend around Stanley. There was an odd twisting and folding which they had to look away from. With a sharp crack reality reset itself over Paloma's bed. Stanley was gone. In his place was something neither had ever seen before. At least not in person.
A head full of long, thick, dark brown hair with broad, bone white ridged horns curling and twisting out of the hair near his temples. Dark brown furred and pointed ears stuck straight out from his head and dipped downwards slightly.