I’m really tired. I mean, look at me. I’m gasping for breath with just this small move. How is that possible? I feel like I’ve had the flu for a month.”
He couldn’t answer. He hadn’t heard much past the request to look at her. She’d requested the one thing he was trying to avoid. Anso pulled more muscles tight. His canines tingled.
“I’m really thirsty,” she told him.
“Oh. Yes. I brought water.”
He leapt down, grabbed the carafe from the floor and returned. The mattress bounced with his arrival. She was watching him with a wide eyed expression again.
“You move...really fast. You know that?”
“Yes.”
“I’m afraid to ask why.”
“I am afraid of answering,” he admitted.
She blinked several times. He watched with baited breath, a heart that was hitting his ribcage with painful beats, and a body that wouldn’t obey his slightest command. His rod was pulsing against his trousers with movements she couldn’t fail to see should she look, while his fangs had reached his lower lip. They were going to be noticeable. And soon.
“You? Afraid?”
“I am just as surprised as you are,” he told her.
She laughed. The sound was sweet. Full. And created havoc through his torso. Anso yanked every muscle taut, leaning forward with the effort. Somehow, he got the craving shoved into submission, but it pounded against his restraint, letting him know it wasn’t going to stay there.
“You are really cute. You know that?”
“What?”
“Does that...embarrass you?”
“Uh...”
“Crap. It figures. I suppose I should just drink some water, and shut up while I’m ahead. Right?”
He watched the silver threads sparkle as she moved. Felt the stab of his canines into his lower lip. Shook. The bed moved in accompaniment. And then he heard her gulps, followed by a sound suspiciously like she gagged. He glanced up. She had a horrified look on her face.
“Where did you get this water? The bottom of a sewer?”
“Forgive me,” he replied.
Her eyes went shocked. “You did ?”
“No.” He shook his head.
“It tastes like—I can’t even being to tell you how awful. Are you sure this is water?” She poured a few drops onto her hand. Looked at in the candlelight. “Looks clean.”
“It is. I drew it myself from the well.”
“You need to talk to somebody about your water system then, because this has to be the worst tasting water on the planet.”
“It is not the water, lioban .”
“Really? What is it then?”
“It is your tastes that have changed.”
“This is getting nonsensical, Anso. Like...I’ve dropped down a rabbit hole or something equally impossible.”
“This is not a rabbit hole. And you did not drop. I brought you here.”
“Yeah. I know. We flew. I was there. Remember? You know, I really didn’t want to analyze anything yet, but I suppose you’re going to make me, aren’t you?”
“What?”
“I’ve tried convincing myself I’m in a dreamscape here, but that’s starting to wear thin. I don’t even believe it anymore.”
“You are not dreaming.”
“Well...it was just a hope, because the other option is pretty bleak.”
“Is it truly so bad?”
“I’m having a major psychotic episode, Anso. Okay?”
He frowned. “A what?”
“The mind conjures up some pretty heavy stuff sometimes. It’s in the realm of Psychotic Disorder...and we might as well add in accompanying hallucinations, too.”
His frown deepened. He lowered his chin. “I am confused, my lioban.”
”I’m a clinical psychologist, Anso. Do you know what that is?”
“No.”
“I diagnose and treat unseen injuries and illnesses. Those that afflict the mind. I’m really good at figuring out what triggers psychotic episodes in others. I’ve never suffered one. Maybe that’s it. I needed to know what my patients were going through so I could empathize more.”
“Oh. You are not suffering anything like that, my lioban. ”
“I don’t even know what that word
He couldn’t answer. He hadn’t heard much past the request to look at her. She’d requested the one thing he was trying to avoid. Anso pulled more muscles tight. His canines tingled.
“I’m really thirsty,” she told him.
“Oh. Yes. I brought water.”
He leapt down, grabbed the carafe from the floor and returned. The mattress bounced with his arrival. She was watching him with a wide eyed expression again.
“You move...really fast. You know that?”
“Yes.”
“I’m afraid to ask why.”
“I am afraid of answering,” he admitted.
She blinked several times. He watched with baited breath, a heart that was hitting his ribcage with painful beats, and a body that wouldn’t obey his slightest command. His rod was pulsing against his trousers with movements she couldn’t fail to see should she look, while his fangs had reached his lower lip. They were going to be noticeable. And soon.
“You? Afraid?”
“I am just as surprised as you are,” he told her.
She laughed. The sound was sweet. Full. And created havoc through his torso. Anso yanked every muscle taut, leaning forward with the effort. Somehow, he got the craving shoved into submission, but it pounded against his restraint, letting him know it wasn’t going to stay there.
“You are really cute. You know that?”
“What?”
“Does that...embarrass you?”
“Uh...”
“Crap. It figures. I suppose I should just drink some water, and shut up while I’m ahead. Right?”
He watched the silver threads sparkle as she moved. Felt the stab of his canines into his lower lip. Shook. The bed moved in accompaniment. And then he heard her gulps, followed by a sound suspiciously like she gagged. He glanced up. She had a horrified look on her face.
“Where did you get this water? The bottom of a sewer?”
“Forgive me,” he replied.
Her eyes went shocked. “You did ?”
“No.” He shook his head.
“It tastes like—I can’t even being to tell you how awful. Are you sure this is water?” She poured a few drops onto her hand. Looked at in the candlelight. “Looks clean.”
“It is. I drew it myself from the well.”
“You need to talk to somebody about your water system then, because this has to be the worst tasting water on the planet.”
“It is not the water, lioban .”
“Really? What is it then?”
“It is your tastes that have changed.”
“This is getting nonsensical, Anso. Like...I’ve dropped down a rabbit hole or something equally impossible.”
“This is not a rabbit hole. And you did not drop. I brought you here.”
“Yeah. I know. We flew. I was there. Remember? You know, I really didn’t want to analyze anything yet, but I suppose you’re going to make me, aren’t you?”
“What?”
“I’ve tried convincing myself I’m in a dreamscape here, but that’s starting to wear thin. I don’t even believe it anymore.”
“You are not dreaming.”
“Well...it was just a hope, because the other option is pretty bleak.”
“Is it truly so bad?”
“I’m having a major psychotic episode, Anso. Okay?”
He frowned. “A what?”
“The mind conjures up some pretty heavy stuff sometimes. It’s in the realm of Psychotic Disorder...and we might as well add in accompanying hallucinations, too.”
His frown deepened. He lowered his chin. “I am confused, my lioban.”
”I’m a clinical psychologist, Anso. Do you know what that is?”
“No.”
“I diagnose and treat unseen injuries and illnesses. Those that afflict the mind. I’m really good at figuring out what triggers psychotic episodes in others. I’ve never suffered one. Maybe that’s it. I needed to know what my patients were going through so I could empathize more.”
“Oh. You are not suffering anything like that, my lioban. ”
“I don’t even know what that word
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