A lone, monstrous figure stood knee deep in snow, beastly eyes cast low and clawed arms hanging limply at his sides. The perfect white of the snow around him was tainted red, and the source of the now-frozen blood lay limp some feet in front of him, partly covered by the still falling hail. The monster bared its fangs and growled slowly, frustration growing every second he spent there, staring down at the scene he was all too familiar with. How many damn times did this make it? 

It would always [i]begin [/i]so well. They would be like made for each other. He would devote himself to her, and protect her from all harm. But then, somewhere along the line and seemingly out of nowhere, the human would all of a sudden get ridiculous; she would start to demand things she didn't need. She would want freedom, she would want time alone - and she would want him not to protect her. She would ask him not to kill. It was insulting, [i]every fucking time it happened.[/i] And in the end... he would always find himself looking down at them like this, with their form stiff and lifeless and his mind taken over by confusion and loss - and above all else, anger. Those cocky, ungrateful humans did not understand that they could not have it both ways. Either he protected someone from everything - or nothing. Including himself.

The wind howled, drawing an involuntary shudder from the beast and returning his quickly darkening thoughts back to where they began. Knowing he could not stay for longer, the demon cocked his head one more time, frozen lips parting just enough for him to mumble out one raspy, bellowing sentence, eyes narrow and sharp.

"You weren't the one, either."

The monster turned, form still shaking from the cold as he started to push his way through the drifts of snow that surrounded him as far as the eye could see. Hailing from a world of brimstone and fire, he was not one to withstand cold that well, yet he had little choice but to move forward. And as he did, with every heavy step he took, his beastly form shrunk and twisted, slowly transforming him into something much more human. Claws retracted and were replaced by long, slender fingers, beastly mane turned into short, golden hair and the holes the monster had for eyes regained life and a deep sky blue color. 

And, by the time he stopped his advance, he was in his human form, utterly and completely. And boy, was he [i]cold[/i]. He hated this. [i]Goddamn did he hate this.[/i] Ah, but he couldn't very well stop now, could he? He was too proud to give up, even after the other demons told him time and time again that it would be the best. Told him that there were plenty of female demons for him to choose from and that hell, they'd even help him kidnap an angel if he wished to own something a little more exotic. But no, he couldn't agree to something like that. He wanted a human. Humans were the biggest mystery he had ever come across, after all, and he was very much a demon of great, insatiable curiosity. He wanted to own a human and nothing else. He wanted to hold something fragile, make it dance on his palmtop and know that should he want to, he could crush it any time. But he never would. He wouldn't, because he loved delicate things. 

The demon wasn't sure how many times he had failed up until now, but he did realize that if he wished something to change, he would need to initiate it. He would need to try a different approach. Risk it all. And that was why, instead of stalking the bars and nightclubs or peeking into windows and cars, he was here instead. Here, defying death in the less busy parts of the city, far from the crowded center. This would be his one last try.

The demon didn't manage many more steps before collapsing, the simple black jacket and jeans not offering enough protection from the cold to keep him up any longer. He shivered, tired, but still managed one final, twisted grin and a silent whisper of an order.

"Come, human," he mumbled quietly, voice suddenly growing darker and more demanding. "Come find me."

[i]I'm waiting.[/i]