Stars Dancing [Dreams-To-Lovers Romance]

My hands on the doorframe of the kitchen, I took in the site before me. Red everywhere. The walls, the cabinets, the countertops and fridge.

The gorgeous bamboo floors? Covered in red sauce with my wife standing amongst it, wooden spoon held aloft as the three tenors' vibrato declared, "sta 'nfronte a te!"

My chest heaving, sucking in air, I couldn't stop the snark, "In your face, indeed, Pavarotti!"

For hovering in front of my beloved Harley was a sight that should've appeared divine to my starving mouth, but was a horror that could not have existed.

A large, rabid pepperoni, mushroom, and olive pizza floated in the air, lathing with foaming sauce and fangs made of garlic snapping at my wife's nose.

But Harley wasn't daunted. A fierce glare of determination glint in her eyes, and her spoon was a weapon aimed at the murder pizza. "Now you listen to me, bitch! I'm the only queen in this kitchen, and YOU. WILL. SUBMIT."

The pizza growled in response and lunged, but I was already moving, hands reaching for the cheesy abomination.

It fought back.

My fingers grabbed rolled crust, but I screeched when the monster flared fiery red, and my skin felt like it would boil off my hands.

"Dammit, Harley, run!" I screamed, shaking my burned hands.

"I'm not leaving you, Red!"

But the monster was between us, spinning back and forth, foaming, growling, and lunging when either of us tried to get to the other. Harley had her spoon, but what did I have? How could I fight a fanged pizza?

Behind me. I didn't have to think. I already knew the layout of the living room perfectly. Ten steps backwards and three to the left, and I'd have it. Perfect.

"Harley? Keep your spoon up and back up towards the back door. I'll go out the front and try to lead it that way. Meet me in the bushes to the north. Got it?"

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"I'm on it, Red, but I'm not moving 'til you're close to the door."

"Trust me, Har. I've got this," my eyes flicked to my wife for a second, and in that moment, the murder pizza made its move.

I darted back along the trajectory I'd planned, and yes! My fingers found it, the three-pronged, giant wooden fork on the living room wall. A swift tug, and the weapon was in my hand.

"Ha ha! You bitch," I screeched at it. "You shall not torment us! I have won. I know your weakness, so submit, you cheesy abomination."

It snarled in rage and lunged, but I'd already hauled open the front door, running down the steps and onto the sidewalk in my lavender-scented bubbly gown. Giant wooden fork held aloft like a spear, I ignored the Seattle onlookers, uncaring of my appearance and raced towards my wife.

Harley was looking towards me, wooden spoon held aloft, and motioning for me to run faster.

Dammit, those fitness junkies at the office are right, I bemoaned to myself in the privacy of my own thoughts.

I'd never let them hear me say it, but pounding down the sidewalk in all my girth trying to escape a vicious pizza was not an easy task. Blue text reacted to my racing mind.

Mission accomplished: escape the kitchen.

New Skill accessed: Vigor

I refused to acknowledge the damn thing. No one wanted to read system messages. They were boring. And redundant. Instead, I focused on the feeling of having a new Skill. Oh yeah, there it was.

A feeling I'd never known in my mortal life: Physical Vigor. Every vital thing about being alive coursed through me. It was like the last thrust before climax, that moment when everything was joy and vitality, and I wanted to overflow with it!

I jumped, and what should've been two feet was seven! I grabbed Harley's arm and raced down the sidewalk, but she couldn't keep up with my new abilities. I pulled us to a stop, bent to her waist, and threw her over my shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"Yaaaa!" Harley screeched, but I paid her no mind. We had a murder pizza to vanquish, and a plan was already forming.

This day had robbed me of a birthday trip to Bainbridge Island. Then it had stolen my perfect bubble bath from me and plagued me with the designation "Fucking Foaming Hand Soap Princess." It would not take the dinner my wife had so lovingly prepared away from us too!

With Harley on my shoulder— grunting, but trying not to make things difficult— I darted towards Gas Works Park.

"Only four blocks to go, Har," I assured her, but she could say nothing back since my shoulder jarring her with every step wouldn't let her catch her breath enough to speak.

I pounded past people, anxious to keep ahead of the murder pizza, and hoping it would stay focused on me, forgetting all the nice, juicy humans around us. Kids, parents, couples, dog walkers. All of them coming and going from the park made way for my lathered self, streaking past them trailing bubbles and carrying my blonde-haired wife in a storm of pizza-defying Vigor.

New Skill accessed: Slayer Companion

"No time!" I hollered at the interface. Who wanted to read messages when the entire Gas Works Parks was before them? Not me! I already knew what I wanted to do anyway.

I hauled ass across the open expanse of the park, making for the far end near the old factory works and the giant concrete structures there in. I felt my new ability kick in.

Slayer Companion— perfect! From the trees to my left a black figure shot out, running full bore. Exactly what I'd hoped for when I'd headed to the park. Now time for the next phase of plan Vanquish The Murder Pizza.