Vampire Days

Chapter 40.1: Play Fighting

"Nurgis. . ." I called him with my eyes closed. He and Totoro took turns taking a bath while I waited for them, my back sunken on the bed and my arms fanned out on each side of me like I was being crucified. I made bed angels while spending my scant brain power on making sense of my captors' actions, rerunning last night's episode until it all seemed like a slowly fading dream.

I wanted to ask Nurgis to put me to sleep. Maybe I would feel so much better after a short nap. Or maybe he could let me sleep and leave me be forever. A hundred years? Or until everyone's dead.

Yeah, I know. I have a tendency to run away from my problems. I suck at confrontations and I never wished to be in the middle of such awkward situations. Of course, this one needed solving. I have a long life ahead of me, especially if I face this problem head on and punch it in the face.

"What is it?" Nurgis asked. Totoro was still inside the bathroom, humming underneath the shower, maybe stooping low so his face wouldn't hit the showerhead. There are times when it just sucked being tall and huge.

I opened my mouth to ask him one crazy wish. And then there's Austin's pretty face, staring at me as he lay on his bed inside his dark room. Mesmerized, I stared back, glued to the spot and utterly speechless. He raised a hand, inviting me inside his room and I reached out to grasp those fingers beckoning me into the darkness.

"What is it, Genesis?" Nurgis asked again.

I opened my eyes and Austin's spell broke. Broken but already cast, binding me into the present. My mouth was quick to supplement another statement.

"Sorry for being disrespectful back then, and for pushing you. I got so full and so full of myself, I forgot my place."

I heard him sigh.

"The pushing, get used to it. We're stronger than when we were humans so it was perfectly normal for our scale. Just like when lions play fighting," Nurgis explained. "You get the picture? It happened because you didn't have a grasp of your real strength. It's a wonder you're not knocking things out in school."

"Maybe being underfed helped, and I avoid touching things," I answered, still staring at the ceiling. Honestly, I was always conscious of how I handle stuff, especially how I handle Austin. It wasn't hard. I was always afraid I'd kill him accidentally.

"I was caught off guard, that's all. You don't have to hold yourself back with me though, I don't shatter easy."

"Hmm. We play by upgraded rules now."

"Yes. We're not fragile beings anymore so you better keep it in mind all the time. Both when dealing with enemies and especially when with human friends. As for the disrespect, that's right, you better apologize. Like, I get it. You have a better chance of getting stronger than me---"

"Eh? Really?" I asked, raising myself on one elbow to look at him. He cocked an eyebrow at me while furiously applying sunblock on his toned thin arms.

"It's a probability. Don't get your head all blown up over it, Genesis. Bigger heads means better targets."

I pouted intentionally.

"Anyway, yeah. You resisted my command and I'm supposed to be your Alpha, you beta bastard. You're supposed to follow me without resistance whatsoever but you brushed off my command like it didn't have any. . .uhm, psychological hold on you."

"Aww, Nurgis, I hope you're not holding a grudge over that," I purred, smiling wide like I was the Cheshire cat.

"Stop gloating! You're supposed to be apologizing, goddamnit!" Nurgis growled and tackled me with his naked state that was only censored by white underpants. I laughed and crossed my arms in front of me to push him off as he tried to choke me. "I knew you were secretly a menace!"