Content Warning: Sexual content/situations, drug use/references, and blood are present
Episode 33
Thea was full of surprises. She'd let me get away with a lot already. Now, I've lifted her off her feet into my famous bear hug. It usually helps people, but I don't know why. Used to think it was just because I was a cute little kid, but it lingered as I got older. Sometimes, I'd feel like I was one of the lucky, unique ones who had actually inherited some kind of power. 'The Calm' is what Ryn and I had nicknamed it back in the day. It was the physical connection, probably. Read somewhere some studies humans did about it and how it affects you mentally. It said something along the lines of it being good for you to have yourself chest to chest, heart to heart, with another person for at least ten seconds a day. Look it up! In the end, everyone wants that physical connection and needs physical touch. I just hoped it would help her in the same way, too. She was here all brand new. She had no one.
I set her feet back on the ground, praying I hadn't pushed my luck too far again. It was just a hug. Not like I was feeling her up. I could feel the heat rising to my ears at the thought that just moments ago, I had my hand between her legs. Luckily, the hug didn't really seem to upset her, and I noticed she looked more relaxed, so I'll take the win. She pushed herself urgently into my head, making me wince. It was more forceful and burned quite a bit, though I tried not to let it show.
So, business Lark. I need to feed, and
then
we can get out of here. Be my...
she put a finger up to her chin as she thought. I pulled her back in close to me so we wouldn't draw attention. She allowed it to happen, slowly stepping into me absentmindedly. As nothing as those small motions seemed to her, it felt like an honor for me. Not everyone gets to touch a God, and here I've somehow convinced one to treat us as equals. I was flirting innocently with death.
My wingman, as you would say.
She relaxed her hands back on my chest. The music picked up, and with it, our movements together. Our backs brushed up against other bodies around us, moving in time. It was impressive how quickly she picked up on how we dance. Can't imagine what that would've been like the last time she was here.
When I finally picked up on what she was asking me to do, I froze. She was asking me to help her find a meal. To feed on someone. I couldn't even bring myself to watch when she sucked on Khaleel. It wasn't the blood. Blood has never bothered me. Regardless, the idea still left me feeling a little uneasy. The thought of being drained completely dry flew through my mind for what was probably the hundredth time since we'd met. How many had there been in all this time? How many victims has she left in her wake? Graves dug? Families left broken? There were many stories about Ancients, and if any were about Thea, then you'd be stupid to ever feel completely safe with her around. All it would take is that one thing to make her feel less than generous enough to spare life. I found myself silently hoping she was in a generous mood and I wouldn't end the night becoming an accessory to murder.
Relax Lark. I feel your silent brooding.
Gently, she patted my chest with her one hand.
This is going to be simple and easy. No one will be harmed.
I looked at her incredulously.
Eh... erm... no one will be hurt in a horrid, unfixable fashion?
She threw a devilish smile my way.
A heavy sigh fell out of me.
Alright, my genius master, what's your brilliant plan then?
Her eyes lit up wickedly.
Master?
She cocked her head to the side. I didn't think it was possible, but her smile somehow became more mischievous. It was cute when she did that. No matter how cute, that one simple word entered my head as a straightforward question, but somehow, it felt more like a statement underneath. A statement of what exactly? A chill fell through me. That one word began morphing into a line of thought-provoking questions that left me feeling strange.
This group next to us... do you see those two on the left? They're all together, but these two stay closer. We approach from both sides, taking them into somewhat of a dancing embrace. I feed on one, we trade sides, I feed on the other. We'll be in and out. All who remain will be none the wiser.
Doubtful. Someone's going to hear you.
I had to push out Khaleel's moaning that started echoing in my mind. That was one thing I could've gone my entire life without hearing. Thea laughed out loud, leading me to believe she'd also heard the incessant echo.
Look where we are, sir! All that those around us will hear are the noises these two will be emitting from an experience of ecstasy. If anything, onlookers will be envious!
I had started to formulate an argument, but instead, I rolled my eyes at her and followed her lead. You'd be stupid to poke a hungry animal. Plus, I could probably shield most of it from prying eyes. Without another thought, she started towards her victims. She pulled me, somewhat unwilling, along behind her. I watched from behind gladly. Thea moved very gracefully, dancing her way through the crowd. If she weren't so fucking bright, she would've blended in well. It amazed me how someone could be gone for so long and melt back into society so effortlessly. How could she mentally and physically be so far away from us and still so very much here?
People immediately responded to her touch, no matter how lightly she brushed against them as she pulled me through. My nervous energy was starting to pile up inside. Anyone she grazed, their attention was immediately drawn, and we seemed to create our own crowd before long. Thea didn't notice. That or she didn't give a shit. Call it exhaustion or stupidity, but I decided just to let it be. Almost always better to leave things like this to the professionals, and she's been doing this for a long time. Images of her lurking in shadows, waiting for unsuspecting victims, started coming to mind. She was taller and... larger in many ways than the average woman, so it's really easy to imagine her as an efficient apex predator.
With my own height, we boxed in her two targets easily. These two couldn't have been more than two or three years older than me. Seems kind of young to want to have kids but to each their own. I don't judge. Sadly, I'm sure plenty of opportunists come to festivals like this. Creeps. They probably come in without a permit, having had treatments or the meds, or a forged permit all together, and join in on the fuck fest. Then leave their new lovers high and dry in the end. Literally. I mean, it's not like these things are intended for everyone to find a damn life partner. The goal is to make babies. End of story. No treatments or meds usually equals no pregnancies. Birth rates were down. Not only did many people not want to have kids, but the ones that did typically couldn't. The more people that leave these festivals knocked up, the happier the GA was. 'Do your part to help stop our extinction!' We've all seen the videos. They are required material for use in mandatory reproductive health studies.
The petite redhead all but crumpled into Thea's arms as she slipped them around the girl's waist from behind. I followed suit with the girl's friend, who didn't seem to notice anything was happening at all. She stayed dancing, accepting my touch without ever caring to look behind her. Or look anywhere, for that matter. Her friend was literally about to get feasted on in front of her, and she was gone entirely, lost to some liminal space between consciousness and sleep.
Who raised you?
I couldn't stop the thought from entering my mind, but it was quickly tossed out when I saw Thea slide her hand under her shirt. My eyes wouldn't look away as she gently squeezed the woman's nipple between her fingers. A small, sharp intake of breath escaped the redhead, and her head fell back to rest on Thea's shoulder. In response, she brushed aside the woman's hair, bent down, and started kissing on her neck. I watched intently as she made some strange movements with her hand in the air. The attention of our crowd slowly melted away and migrated back to one another.
I felt odd to be here as a witness at first. I almost felt like I was intruding until I noticed Thea's unwavering gaze on me. She continued to assault me visually as she methodically kissed, licked, and sucked on this girl's neck. This was one of those moments when I felt like it should've been awkward, but I couldn't look away. More than that, there were conflicting things I shouldn't be thinking or feeling. For instance, this slight jealousy kept popping up. Envy maybe. All I know is I wanted to feel that tongue dancing and mouth sucking on my body while staring into my soul. I wasn't fuckin around when I said I don't usually feel things for people. Not like that. Jealousy isn't something that I do for real.
Home girl was about to get eaten. What kinda Stockholm bullshit is that? What's even more disturbing was I started to feel slightly hungry. Deep inside, a small part of me was itching to join her. At that realization, my stomach silently growled. Sick, isn't it? Regardless of all of this, I still watched, unable to peel my gaze away. It was a bit awkward, but I don't know why. The place had been slowly growing into a giant orgy anyway, so what was awkward at that point?
Her nose wrinkled slightly as she opened her mouth wide. Realizing what was about to happen, my attention doubled. Releasing her fangs was more of a growth process that looked somewhat painful. The tooth quickly protruded further from the gums with a barely audible snap, almost doubling its length when the process was finished. She smiled as she noticed me watching her. As if for my benefit and the sport of show, she slowly sunk them into her victim's neck. The small redhead's eyes rolled into the back of her head at first contact. Once they were entirely in, she started moaning. The girl almost fell, but Thea reflexively grabbed her, one hand still under her shirt cupped around her breast and the other now between her victim's legs. The moaning started getting louder and more intense as Thea drank. It wasn't long before she released the woman, sending her on her way, and moved on to the next one.
She stumbled away in a zombie like fashion while her friend, still oblivious to the world around her, remained bumping up against me and swaying to the music. The guilt I once held for assisting Thea with this task left me a while ago. Didn't the girl deserve to be fed on at this point? Thinking like this caused me to question my morality, but why should it? It's not like she was going to die or anything. Worst case scenario, electrolytes, vitamin B twelve, and some vitamin C will get her right, though she probably would've needed it regardless after this Festival. So, what's the harm really? She kind of was asking for it. Nah, wait. Never mind. Fuck that. That sounds fucking terrible. Everyone here was asking for it. Not just her, no matter how brain-dead she was currently. She was no more deserving than anyone else.
