Leaving her lover’s bed she pulled on one of his shirts and went downstairs, past his piano, past the sleeping cats on the couch, and out through the French doors into his garden.
A layer of fog covered up any stars she might have seen in the San Francisco sky. That didn’t matter. Shawna had come out to think and reflect.
What a wonderful romantic weekend it had been with her lover Andy. They’d been on and off for over five years. He was a tall handsome Vampire of 166 years, and looked like he was maybe 34 at the most. She was 58, going on 45. Hard work and good genetics had kept her looking young, but damn it, this was too weird.
She closed her eyes and was taking in the scent of the blooming roses when she heard a low growling noise. She turned and saw a horrible sight.
A man, if she could call it that, stood before her. He was at least seven feet tall with long dark hair surrounding a narrow face with sharp features that at one time might have been attractive if not for the silvery blue hue of his skin and glowing red eyes. As she stared too shocked to say anything, or even move, he spread huge leathery wings out from his back. All she could think of was how his leather jacket was constructed. Were the wings inside with a pocket or outside of the jacket?
“Beware the forces which you know not of,” he growled in a death metal kind of voice.
“I dig up dinosaurs for a living. I know about…” she said not even knowing what to say. She DID dig up dinosaurs for a living. Lately she’d switched gears to her first love which was giant ice age mammals, but for some off reason it always came back to dinosaurs.
“You know not of the forces that bind the society in which you tread,” growled the winged guy, whatever he was. “You are but a mortal woman.”
“Who sent you here. Is this some sort of joke? Seriously I do dig up dinosaurs. I raised two sons who are now successful adults who respect women, despite the fact that their father was a cheating dirt bag. I grew up in a time when women were not expected to have careers, but I was, am successful in my field. Don’t you give me that mortal woman shit.”
“You are a weak mortal woman.”
“Fuck you asshole.”
Shawna was pissed off. She wasn’t a large woman but she was strong. So when the winged demon stepped towards her claws out she picked up an iron patio chair and clocked him across the side of his head. He fell to the ground.
“What the…Shawna,” said a voice behind her. There at the French doors stood her love Andy. He looked at the demon man sitting on his patio. “Who are you?”
The creature stood, then staggered back, eyes glowing. He growled then flapped his large leathery wings and flew into the night sky.
“What was that Andy? What was it? Who was he?” Asked Shawna.
“I have no idea who he was. I don’t know, maybe a fallen angel. A demon maybe,” said Andy.
The sky started to turn light as the sun began to rise.
Andy put his arms around Shawna. “You want coffee?”
“Sure. That would be great.”
“Sorry about that.”
“It’s ok. I’m a mom. I can deal with shit.”
Andy kissed her, out on the porch, under the foggy dawn sky, with the smell of roses and sulphur in the air.
Sure she was a mere mortal but life was good.
~ end
Thank you for stopping by for Vampire Maman’s Short Story Sunday. “Mere Mortal” was first posted in 2018. The first story featuring Shawna and Andy is “Dancing on the Beach.”
Stay safe. Be kind. Destroy your demons. Kiss a Vampire (you’ll thank me for it later.)
~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman
Vampire Maman 
I’m a mom. I can deal with shit.
Truer words not often spoken.
Thanks
I love this story. It’s GREAT!!