"Mmmm," Monica says, as warm lips settle into the space between her neck and shoulder.

  Stretching an arm above her head, Monica wraps the other arm around her lover's shoulders. Percy withdraws his lips from Monica's neck and stares down at her with a contemplative expression. The spell has done its work. At last, he will have his Alice again. This body is much younger and more vibrant. The transfer should be smooth and painless.

  The amount of energy emanating off of Monica is intoxicating. The sparkling ribbons of current, swirling around Monica's body and head, are bright and hypnotic. The interweaving patterns of red, violet, green, and indigo perform a dizzying dance, causing Percy great distress. There is only one problem with encountering a being who possesses such immense energy. For now, he will not think on that.

  Grappling with his intense hunger, Percy nearly covers Monica's entire mouth with his own, in an attempt to siphon as much energy as possible in one go. Monica returns his kiss, but briefly pulls away to utter a single word.

  "Joaquin."

  Percy's eyes narrow to thin slits and he places both hands behind Monica's head, anchoring her to him. He kisses her more forcefully, thin ribbons of energy arcing around all points of contact. Percy's intent is to take more and more of Monica's precious energy. To drain her; to make her too weak to fight back. Yet strong enough to withstand the transfer. He will not lose another opportunity. He will have his Alice.

  Monica's face crinkles as Percy applies even more pressure to their kiss. For an unexplainable reason, Monica finds that her eyelids seem especially heavy. She struggles to open her eyes, but they only flutter uselessly. She rolls her eyes in their sockets, hoping to loosen them up.

  More and more, something about Joaquin's kisses seem odd. She and Joaquin have been together for nearly half of their entire lives. By now, she knows every curve of his body. As Monica rubs Joaquin's back, through his shirt, something just doesn't feel right. She runs her hand up to the nape of Joaquin's neck. Again, something is very wrong. His hair. Something is wrong with his hair.

  Joaquin's hair is soft, with tiny swirls and patterns traversing his scalp. Joaquin's hair is also cut much shorter. The head she now rubs is covered in long coarse hairs. Tufts of long, uneven, coarse hairs. And his nose. Joaquin's nose is long and angular, with a high bridge. The nose pressed against the side of hers is wide and broad, with very little definition.

  The mouth threatening to take her breath away is not soft and warm. The lips are dry, and the breath is hot. Almost stifling hot. This is not her husband. This is not her lover of many years. This is not Joaquin. Percy!

  Monica's eyes shoot open and she immediately pushes at Percy's shoulders. The clown's eyes bulge as he realizes the spell is no more. He grabs desperately at Monica, but she rolls away from him, falling from the elaborate bed.

  Climbing to her feet, Monica glances around. The place she finds herself is not familiar. The outlandish furnishings suggest they are still within the circus tent. However, this is not a part of the tent which Monica remembers seeing. It resembles a makeshift bedroom, complete with a grand bed covered all the way around with see-thru purple curtains.

  Percy whips open the curtains surrounding the bed and steps down onto the floor. His eyes are narrowed menacingly and he stalks toward Monica. An eerie purple light, with tiny swirls of green, dances in Percy's eyes. Monica swallows hard as she backs away from the furious clown.

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  "What the hell do you think you're doing? Where's my husband? Where is Joaquin?"

  Percy's mouth twists into an unfriendly smirk. He stops walking forward and glowers at Monica from across the short distance. The voice which reaches Monica's ears is dry and raspy, like a voice from the grave.

  "He is with the master. She is readying him for the final test. When you have both completed the test...And failed...I can take you whenever I wish. You will not be able to resist me. That is how it has always been done. It was during my own test that I lost my Alice. The master has said, if I find another who is worthy...I may have her back. I have judged you worthy. You will be my new Alice."

  "No...I won't!" Monica yells, backing swiftly away from Percy.

  Percy sneers and shuffles toward her, shaking his head from side to side.

  "You will not have a choice. That is the way it has always been done. Those who fail the test must remain here. Either as the master's servant, or her lover. She did not find me worthy as a lover...So I am to be her servant--for all of eternity. There is no choice in the matter. Once you are here...You are here. Only the test can save you."

  Monica's stomach lurches for the second time that evening. The memory of this vile creature's tongue on her lips and in her mouth sickens her. How could she have ever thought he was Joaquin? And where is Joaquin? What did this bozo mean when he said his master was 'readying' Joaquin? Is the circus master performing the same ritual her pet had just attempted? Even now, is Joaquin in the arms of that purple enchantress? Will he know it is not her? Will he break free of the spell, as she has done, and come to her?

  Monica continues to back away from Percy, and he continues to get even closer. Monica shakes her head emphatically and puts out a hand in warning.

  "Don't come any closer. Please. Just let me and my husband leave. We won't tell anyone about...Whatever this is. I promise. I don't care if you're crazy. I just...I want to leave. I want to leave with my husband. Let me find my husband...And we'll leave."

  Backing out of a large flap, Monica instinctually glances over one shoulder, expecting to find herself outside. Instead, she is back in the main portion of the circus tent. The circular table, in the far corner, is still heaped with food--most of it untouched. Joaquin is nowhere to be seen.

  Monica jumps as Percy's arms encircle her middle. She slaps him hard across the left side of his face. Percy growls deep in his throat and tries to go in for another hungry kiss. Monica slams a fist into the center of his face. Her fist partially careens off of his fake nose. With a animalistic roar, Percy separates from Monica and smacks her with the back of one hand.

  Monica's mouth gapes with surprise, but she doesn't dare let Percy regain the upper hand. She kicks him hard in the right knee and his leg buckles. He reaches for her and she smacks his hand away, striking out with her opposite fist. Her balled fist connects with Percy's left temple and he roars again. In anger more than pain. Monica kicks the same knee again, and attempts a third kick, hoping to knock Percy on his butt.

  Percy grabs Monica's leg, just under her knee, and she panics. She knocks the hat off of Percy's head and tugs at his odd tufts of hair. If he drops her, he goes down with her. Or, he will have to relinquish his hold on her leg.

  Percy chooses a less polite approach. He buries his face in Monica's chest. As he expected, Monica removes one hand from his hair, to push at his face. Percy nestles in more snugly, a smile building on his hellish visage.

  Monica realizes her dilemma and goes back to pulling Percy's hair with both hands. The clown's staccato laughter filters up to her ears and Monica shivers. She pounds on the arm holding her bent knee with a closed fist. To her surprise, Percy releases her leg. He also removes his head from its position against her chest.

  With a snide grin, Percy shoves Monica backward. Monica stumbles and reaches back to try and catch herself. As she pivots, her eyes bulge in their sockets. She falls through empty space. The black hole, where there was once packed earth, swallows her whole.

  To be continued.....