I met her on Christmas day, hours after I had been run out of the church. I don’t remember how I found her home, it’s not the sort of place you find when you look for it. I was eight at the time and knew very little of the world or the people in it. So when I found that broken-down hovel with bones scattered around I didn’t think to be afraid. All I saw was the dark plumes pouring out the top and knew it had to be warm.

“Child,” she said as she shook me awake. I had fallen asleep, pressed up against the hot stone chimney. Experience led me to believe I was not welcomed inside. “Child, what are you doing here?” She ran her claws through my hair, the sweltering inferno of her pitch-black skin felt like heaven on my frostbitten face.

“Sorry Ma’am. I’ll leave.” As I gathered my rags to go she scooped me up in her arms. I nearly fainted as she wrapped her spiderweb wings around me, I had never known such an embrace. The witch took me inside, holding me close. She smelled like warm bread and lamp oil. She stared forward with those two beautiful red eyes. The third blue eye, the one on her forehead, wept as it watched me.

She asked me about my family. There wasn’t much to tell. Mother died upon my arrival. Dad said it was because I was so ugly. When the plague took him I had traded the whippings and beatings for the hunger and cold. In my opinion, it was pretty much the same. Since Dad didn’t take me to church most people in town said I deserved what happened. That’s what the priest had been saying as he beat me in the back of the head and told me to get out of God’s house. Apparently, I was bringing the mood down.

Her name was Ethel. I was surprised to learn she was a witch. People in town were afraid of witches but she had shown me nothing but kindness. But that’s how folks are, I’ve learned. They judge you by your line of work more so than your character. Ethel said that she used to be friends with the people of the village, and helped them out for hundreds of years she said. Till they found God, and apparently they decided it was him or her. They picked him.

“You’ve never known love, have you, boy?”

I thought about it. Heard people talk about it. The preacher went on about it an awful lot, normally before he asked for some coin. Also heard about it in some stories I listened to when I slept under other families’ windows after Dad kicked it. “Can’t really say I do, Ma’am.”

“Let me tell you what love is.” Her voice was beautiful, a deep rasp that slithered over her long tongue. She crawled along the floor, her six legs scuttling and clicking as she reached for a few jars. She rubbed a concoction of crushed insects and mud on my boils. “Love is when you give someone your heart. In return, you must feed it.” She spat on my sores and wiped them clean. For the first time, I could remember my skin was clean and without red infections.

“So if I give you my heart, you’ll love me?” Again, Ethel’s center eye began to cry as I said this.

“No, child. You’ve had too much taken already. I’ll give you mine. It will bring you luck and safety. Just feed it, and I’ll always love you.”

Now at this point, you may have thought something about this was off. Of course, I did too. After all, no one had ever been this kind to me, at least not before they kicked me into the mud and laughed. But at this point, I didn’t have a lot of prospects going on so I figured, what the hell? So I nodded.

Now you would be a fool if you think anything could be as beautiful as the smile that spread across her green lips. “Hold out your hands, boy.” I did. Then sweet Ethel opened her mouth wider and began to retch and heave. It wasn’t long before she coughed that black heart into my hands.

It continued to beat, of course. Just grasping it chased the chill from my bones and the fear from my head. I held it to my chest, the rhythmic beating gave me strength and purpose. I understood love. Yet when I looked down, it was gone!

“Worry not, little one. It’s still there. Do you feel it?” I did. It was coming from inside me. I had two heartbeats. “It will return when you wish, and stay safely tucked inside otherwise.”

I pondered, “You said I feed your heart. What does it eat?”

She giggled a playful melody that was like bats on the wind. “Blood of course.”

——————————————

On the first day of the new year, I returned to the church. No longer was I run out, in fact, the priest didn’t even recognize me. He took me in and offered me shelter. He asked a lot of questions about my parents and when they might be. He noted my fine clothes and gold rings. The priest kept inquiring when my wealthy parents might be by.

I dined with him, he spoke as I had always had. God, god, god…. Money. We ate on fine plates and drank from golden cups. We had meat and fresh bread, never before in my life did I have such an extravagant meal. Something bothered me though, for all his talk of God’s love he didn’t seem to feel it himself. I asked him if he had received the heart of the Lord, and he just looked puzzled.

Now at that moment, I figured out a few things. The first was that most of these church types really aren’t the loving kind of people. They like prestige and shiny baubles. They enjoy fine wines and meat on the table every day. But love? Caring for the sick and poor? It was just an act. They weren’t using their heart at all.

Now the next idea that popped into my head was if they weren’t using it I would. So I walked over to him as he stuffed more lamb into his fat mouth. He was going to ask me something. Never made it out. His knife that I plunged into the side of his neck made it hard to make much out besides the weird gurgling noises.

Let me tell you, this was my first time removing a man’s heart and it worked! Any more I can do it quite easily and efficiently. But like anything, there’s what some call a learning curve. Took me damn near two hours to rip his chest open. Blood everywhere! When I think about it I’m really embarrassed. I think most of us feel that way when we think of how silly we were when we were kids.

Once I removed his useless organ I held my hands close to my chest and took out Ethel’s heart. I placed it in the hole I had butchered open, and it drank. The holy man’s body shriveled inward, and a sweet suckling noise came from my beloved’s heart. I felt wonderful, I was loved and I had shown her my devotion.

——————————————

I left town and moved on, figuring I shouldn’t be raising the body count too high in any given area. New people were always seen with suspicion. The work was simple enough though. You flash some fancy clothes and some gold and you can find yourself alone with the most no good company you could hope for. A wealthy mayor here, an heiress there. Ethel’s food found me.

And if I ever really got in trouble I fled to the woods. Inevitably I would find her again, my sweet witch. Years passed and I grew into manhood. After a particularly close escape from a barracks (had just de-sanguined the Captain) I once again found myself home and with my love. Ethel fed me more of her delicious stew and listened to me rattle on about my adventures.

Like most young men I had become curious about the more physical aspects to love. Things I had thought much about recently, such as her four bare breasts and sensuous mandibles, well I started considering them. That clever blue eye of hers, it seemed to notice me noticing her.

She crawled toward me, away from her cauldron. My love always seemed to know what was on my mind. “No longer the lost boy in the woods, are you?” She cooed in her raspy, sensual way. Her breath was like dirt and peonies, absolutely intoxicating. “Perhaps, if you wish, we could explore those feelings that build inside.”

I could feel both our hearts pumping harder, the thrill and desire becoming unbearable. I stood up and she lowered her head to meet mine. I felt her barbed wire hair scratching across my face as she brought her lips to meet mine. And she gave me my very first kiss.

Those scaled lips tasted mine. She lifted me into the air, my legs dangling as she tumbled back onto the floor. Both of us laughed, absolutely enchanted with each other’s wants. I made the move this time, going in for another kiss. She slipped her long forked tongue into my mouth. It wrapped around mine, pulling my tongue between her lips. Inviting me to taste her.

Her plated tail curled around me, the sharp tip expertly cutting my clothes from my body. Her bottom set of arms stripped the scraps off till I was as naked as her. I pulled back, turning away.

“My love,” she tenderly hissed to me. “You needn’t be so shy.”

My cheeks grew warm with blush, not as warm as her hot skin of course but warm for me. “It’s not that. I just… I don’t feel worthy of you.”

She grabbed me by the chin, all three eyes looking into my face. It was as kind and breathtaking as ever. She kissed my forehead. “I have given you my care, kindness, and blessing. In return, you have tenderly cared for and fed my love.”

Taking my hands in hers, she led them to her breasts. I wondered if she knew at that point, knew about every one of the sensual dreams I had of her. The nights I had stroked myself longing to touch her. The way she led me to grope and fondle her, it was as if every wish I had long made was being made into reality.

Her hands over mine, she led them along. Then she laid back and pulled my face into her chest. My tongue felt like it burned and popped as I suckled her. Ethel moaned and her back arched. “That’s right, that’s what I want.”

I felt two of her hands reach around and grab my ass, the other two carefully gripping my rock-hard cock. An oily slickness coated her palms as she began to softly run those razor-sharp nails up and down.

Then something very unusual happened, I realized my dick had been wrapped in thin material. It was like the softest, most delicate silk. It was almost as if it weren’t there. “This will prevent any mess. Cum as much as you like.”

Well, I’ll tell you what, I was so excited at that moment I did just that. She laughed, not cruelly but in a loving and understanding way. It’s not like it slowed me down for long. She took that cock by her hand and let it to a slit that opened up along her serpent-like lower form. Her cunt was as hot as an oven, pulling my cock in and out of its own volition.

She gasped and grunted as her many legs wrapped around my body. She controlled me like a puppet, showing me the motions and pace she enjoyed. When I began to understand it she released her grip and let me control the thrusting.

“My love! My sweet love!” She would cry between her primal screams of pleasure. That night she drained me, over and over again. I was Ethel’s lover, and I belonged to her.

——————————————

The next day I awoke to her repairing my clothes with the ancient incantations she had used to conjure them. I longed to stay but knew that she would soon grow hungry. She bid me farewell and sent me on my way. I promised to be quick in my work.

Of course, I wouldn’t get sloppy, as you well know. I mean that’s why you’re here after all. You saw all my finery and thought I might make a good match for your daughter. She was lovely by the way, she might very well make use of her heart one day. You won’t.

In a few short minutes, your blood will feed this black heart, just as your husband’s did. Look at it! Isn’t it the most exquisite sight you’ve ever seen? And then you’ll know love, you’ll be the offering I give to my witch.

Oh, don’t struggle so much. That’s how you make it hurt, my friend. Just lay there, look at Ethel’s love as it beats for me. Let it comfort you to know that there are still genuine feelings of affection in this cruel world.

Look at me, simply tittering like a young maiden when there’s work to be done.

Good night.