The Key Guardian: Part One

"Can we hurry up? I'm thirsty!" I heard someone whine. Opening my eyes in the dark I walk to the middle of the room and listen.

"Shhh! We have to be quiet! And don't worry, from what that silly hotel manager told us before we drank him, she should taste extremely sweet. She's like a little princess, all alone and helpless!" someone else whispered. Vampires. I wish they wouldn't show up like this. It's so rude to kill someone on their first night in a country. Gives it a bad reputation. They're newbies, or they wouldn't be talking about killing me like this. They didn't double check the room either, or they would have noticed I'm not completely human. Graciously I shifted into a fire demon, small delicate horns coming out of my forehead, tail slashing through the air as I tapped my delicate hooves on the floor. Most people think fire demons are the devil, and they're not too far off the mark. They have an appetite for human souls, and trick them out of their souls as often as possible. Lighting the fire swiftly I change into some jeans and slip on a t-shirt. I'll need room to move around in if I'm going to teach these vampires a lesson.

On cue they barge into the room and stare at me in shock. A woman who looks about forty stands in the back behind the two men. The two men are in their thirties, so I shouldn't have to worry about them. They won't adapt easily, and will rely too much on instinct.

"What are you?" one of the men gasp. He was the one whining about how thirsty he was.

"Little ol' me?" I ask sweetly, "I think I'm supposed to be your next meal. You certainly are sloppy. Didn't even check if I was human. I suppose I need to show you why." Almost lazily I form a fire ball and light the fire place(I need to stay in suites more often!).

"You don't need to show us anything, you little piece of demon filth!" the woman hissed. I don't think I need to tell anyone that insulting someone that can easily kill you is a bad idea. As they turn around to leave I light the door on fire.

"Now, now," I tut, "It's rude to break into someone's room and not at least stay to visit." Snarling they turn on me. The man who had been whining leapt at me, aiming for my throat. Catching my arm on fire I knocked against him, sending him howling into the other. The fire won't kill them-yet. The woman snarled and circled away. She's smarter than the others and won't do anything foolish. Diving in she spun me by my tail. Leaping off the ceiling I catch her on fire as I land. In pain she tries to attack again, but I've already ran through the door and changed back into a human. The magic drops from the fire and begins to burn through them and the screams grow louder. Turning to leave the hotel I pull the fire alarm. Confused guests stumble out and wander through the hall, doing their best to get outside. Cheerfully I slip amongst them. Soon the fire department arrives, already too late for most of the hotel. Turning I slip down the alley and walk away as news people begin filming and the police conduct an investigation.

After all, it's not my fault the hotel's on fire.