Damon turned his back to me. I guessed at the conflict inside. It’s not every day you manage to get out of a burning building let alone carrying two youngsters.

“You’re a hero,” I said, “ because of you two little girls live tonight. That’s incredible. I am so proud of you.”

He sighed deeply. I took it as a sign to continue.

“I know you find it hard to accept but I really think you should go train as a firefighter or something. You’re wasted as a janitor.”

Damon cleared his throat. “Clara, I need to say something. I am not who you think I am.”

“What do you mean?”

He breathed in and turned round. There was a determined slant to his mouth. His grey eyes blazed fiercely.

“I mean that ever since we have been together that...that I have let you think...I have not told you that I am different.”

I began to laugh, but it was more nerves than mirth. “I know that!” I said, “the accent always gave it away. You’re not from round here. You’re from Manchester and I’m from London. You are shy, I am loud, you’re...”

“Will you let me speak!”

I fell silent. The torrent of nervous words gone. He took my hands in his, looked down then looked into my eyes.

I faltered before his direct gaze.

“What is it?”

“Clara, you know I love you,” he said. “Since I walked into that English class at 16, there has been no one else for me but you.”

I waited.

“I have had something that I have longed to share with you. It is something that only my parents know and even they do not fully understand.”

He let go of my hands and stepped back.

Then he began to rise off the ground. As he got higher and higher, I could not take my eyes off him.

There was a shout behind me and suddenly I was scooped up. I did not see by whom but an acrid smell hit my nostrils.

“If you struggle, you will die,” a voice hissed in my ear.”

I did not struggle.

“Let her go,” shouted Damon and I realised that his voice was different, more confident.

He swooped towards me but I was snatched out of reach by the acrid smell.

“How touching,” the entity behind me mocked, “he wants his girlfriend.”

I saw Damon’s angry glance. “I am warning you,” he said, “ let her go or die.”

The answer was the beginning of a taunt, “Oooh!”

A fiery blast singed my ear then I was falling. I heard a scream. I realised it was me.

Then I was scooped and held right against a muscled chest. I clung on tightly. Damon gently floated to the ground. Luckily there was no one around.

His lovely face was moody.

“This is why I cannot have a girlfriend,” he muttered, “they become leverage for my foes!”

“Who are you calling leverage?” I asked, indignantly.

He at least had the grace to look shamefaced. “It is my greatest fear,” he said.

“You don’t have to look out for me, I can take care of my self,” I retorted.

From the tired snort he gave, I guess he didn’t believe me.

We were walking back, his arm round my shoulder and my mind still thinking about that “leverage” comment when out of nowhere hot and acrid was back. He swooped low and knocked straight into Damon who, caught off guard barrelled with it over and over.

With Damon knocked out cold the entity advanced on me. It was easily 8 feet tall, humanoid in shape with jagged holes where eyes and mouth should be.

“Surrender to me now and your death will be swift,” offered the entity.

I watched, fascinated.

“What if I’m not in the mood to die today?” I asked.

The entity laughed, more like a fire roaring than a laugh.

“What makes you think you have a choice?” It asked.

It was now so close that i could involuntarily smell its hot acrid breath.

It reached for me. I darted out of reach. It reached again and missed.

Howling with fury it lunged for me. I was vaguely aware of Damon beginning to come to, behind it. I wiggled my nose and a jet of water hit the entity from a nearby manhole. Two more jets sprang out and hit the entity which disappeared in smoke.

I met Damon’s confused eyes.

Leverage!