Chromatophage

Hitch closed the journal and placed it in his desk drawer. He rubbed his face with his hooves and tried to wrap his head around everything he had just read. It was certainly all the evidence he needed, explaining literally everything that had been happening in Maretime Bay the past few weeks. He glanced over to Sprout’s desk and wondered how his deputy would take the news. He’d probably scream and want to be sent away on some dumb assignment so that he didn't have to deal with this...Spectra Vampire.

These deaths were increasing in frequency and the morgue was already full of these...white corpses. Hitch shuddered. That was the worst part about all of this. Not only were these ponies dying, but they were being drained of all their color, even their cutie marks, being left like ponnequins out in the streets. If they couldn’t do anything, then they may as well abandon the town.

Hitch shoved himself up from his desk with a grunt. He would talk with Sprout and his mother about it in the morning. He turned off the station lights, walked out into the cool night air, and turned to lock up the station. It was a nice night, interrupted by a curious glow forming on the doors. Hitch turned and was stunned.

She was absolutely beautiful. Her wings shone like an angel of lore and her eyes bore into his own, lending a strange sadness that one would never expect from such a beautiful creature. Hitch found himself walking to her. Though he knew the danger, he was both unable and unwilling to stop. She was so beautiful and she was all he wanted. She reached out her hoof and stroked his mane with the gentlest of touches. Hitch smiled, despite himself , and leaned in to nuzzle her neck. She did the same and he was in pure ecstasy.

Even as a pain sliced through his neck, he wanted only to be with her. Even as his vision waned, he wrapped his hooves around her withers and pulled her closer as best he could. The last thing he was aware of before drifting away was a spicy sweet scent and a whisper of, “I’m sorry.”