The stench from the waste rotting in the gutters offended him. The dank night irritated him. Most of all, being so close to humans disgusted him. Only the knowledge that he was no longer severed from an essential aspect of his being tempered his mood. He flexed his shoulders and felt the corresponding ripple of his feathers, despite the fact that here, on Earth, his wings remained hidden on the physical plane. He glared through the darkness, his senses searching for his quarry. As soon as he discovered her whereabouts, he intended to fulfill his obligation and get the hell away from this polluted time and planet. It had been too long since he’d enjoyed the freedom of the cosmos, and now that he was whole once again he had no desire to spend a second longer than necessary concealing his true nature. And then, without warning, her scent invaded his brain, electrifying every nerve he possessed. The blood thundered along his veins, his body hardened, and he clenched his fists against the raw power thrumming in the heavy air.
