13 comments/ 18078 views/ 34 favorites Curing an Uncommon Cold By: NaivelyWandering Note to the Reader: I have taken a shot at writing a short story in the same ballpark as the Yaoi manga I read so often. As usual, constructive feedback and shiny stars are most welcome. Though I refer to Osaka University, none of the characters are intended to represent any person or being, living or dead; this is a work of fiction. Nothing else. Thanks to Tap04950 for your editing expertise and earnest efforts to stem my unsightly comma addiction. ------ Everyone says they hate Mondays, but only teachers really mean it. Taking a teaching job at Osaka University to help pay the bills while I conducted my research was torture, but I was the best at what I did. I made the board of directors look good with my accomplishments in the field of phlebotomy, and in turn they made sure I was comfortable running a maximum of three lectures a week. I never knew I would get the Monday morning class, though it turned out to be to my benefit; I counted on students dragging their feet into the labs after their exhilarating weekends wasting what brain matter they'd used to learn what I taught just so I could repeat last week's lesson for the fourth time. But I hadn't counted on coming in to find the lab devoid of students on a particularly crisp Monday morning, nor had I counted on the absolute mess it had become. It took me more than a few seconds of staring at the disaster area to realise what I was looking at wasn't the result of neglect. Rather upon seeing the smashed beakers and jars, together with unidentifiable liquids mixed and spilled on every surface, the lab looked as though it was trashed on purpose. Behind me the sound of bustling students had finally begun to fill what would have been an otherwise empty hall. Ready to fire a stream of loud admonishments, I turned and came face to face with two huge - and I mean huge - muscle-men followed by a withered old woman in a black dress suit. They looked at me for as long as I stared at them, and then the uglier of the two turned to the old woman. She nodded once, and my skin turned to ice. "Take him." With only that warning I backed up, but couldn't escape as my lower back was already pressed against a bench. I was smothered by the two giants. The one with the scarier sneer pulled a folded white handkerchief from his pants pocket, and the other came at me with a black cloth hood. Despite my strong limb-flailing I was quickly overcome by their sheer muscle mass. The hood was thrown over my head, and a hand was pressed against my face. Before my conscious mind could comprehend that I was being gagged with chloroform, I was out. When I woke I felt the rumble of tires on asphalt, and knew from the inertia that wherever I was, it was a constant movement. Stopping every so often, I figured we were in a car; a van if I was judging the noise distribution and metal ridges under my butt correctly. My wrists were tied behind me, and the damned hood was still blackening my vision. I listened while my captors spoke, seemingly unconcerned about where we headed. It didn't matter that they were talking, I couldn't understand a word they said; it certainly wasn't Japanese - it wasn't even English. My specialty lies in science; not languages. I was screwed if I thought I'd get any information out of eaves-dropping. I was glad to be awake when we arrived at our destination. As far as they were concerned, I was still out. But as soon as I'd been hauled to the back end of the van, my legs hanging over the edge of the loading side, I stood and sprinted for whichever direction my instincts told me were taking me furthest from them. Less than fifty sprinted steps from the brave effort of escape, I ran head-first into a cement wall. "You haff spirit, Tiny!" The gravely European voice was too close; instead of sounding annoyed, it was amused, as though letting me run and hit the wall had been for their own entertainment. Accurately sensing where the words were coming from, I spun around and kicked, hitting one of my captors in the side. Before I could regain my balance, though, the other one was on me, and aimed a strong blow to the side of my head. With my world reeling, I could only swing wildly and miss, my arms quickly pinned to my sides. One of them aimed a punch at my stomach, and the other threw another at my head. Gasping from the force of the blows, I fell to my knees and waited for more pain, but my attackers were pulled away from me. Some hard words were spoken by the woman, then the fists that were grabbing my lab coat let go. I lay still, hoping that playing possum would work - but when the lanolin scented presence came close I shied back, killing my non-existent chances. Was I to be sold into slavery? Become some fat old aristocratic bitch's entertainment? I don't think so. But I was in no position to argue, crumpled on the ground and gasping for air. "If you can hear me, boy," the old woman's voice near my head stated, "better not to fight. You're coming with us and that's all there is to know." The hood was lifted. I squinted from the bright sunlight up at the two men, Mean and Ugly, and the old woman - all leering at me. "You haff no place to go, Tiny," Ugly added, while I spat blood on the dirt next to me. "You do not know where you are." "It is day. I am in Japan," I grunted, giving him my meanest glare. Ugly laughed; he was obviously employed for his tough appearance. On the other hand I was employed for my brains, and knew my glare would seem pathetic to him. The old woman gave me an evil grin, but I ignored all three, even as the two burly men lifted me to my feet and frog-marched me into a tall office building. The four of us walked through empty corridors, all bland and lacking in detail. Cold, I thought, ruing that I usually like such bare surroundings. When we stopped, it was in front of a nondescript metal door on the fifth level. The old woman unlocked the door in front of her and I squirmed, trying to see anything apart from large rectangular outlines in the blackened room when the thick iron door opened. She said something and Mean and Ugly shuffled me forward and pushed me into the dark. "Mind your manners, or you'll be dinner, boy," she warned nastily. Mean closed the door in my bright red face but indignation was already on my tongue. "I'd die before I let you touch me, you filthy hag!" I screamed, pounding on the locked door. Their laughter died away with their footsteps and I stopped my yelling. Instead, I felt along the wall for a light-switch but came up short when I bumped into a metal bench. Swearing loudly, I rubbed my thigh. "Are you always so... loud?" a deep voice asked, drawing out the last word. I spun around in the darkness to face whoever had spoken, but the room was pitch black. I could only peer uselessly into what I assumed were corners. Backing up against the door, I tried to find the presence with my instincts but I felt utterly alone. "W-who is t-there?" I asked, furious at the stutter that fell out of my mouth. "They tell me you put up quite a fight," the voice continued and I followed it blindly. "I did. And I still can!" I threatened, getting louder with every word. I put my fists up in front of myself and wondered how I was going to punch someone I couldn't even see. The voice laughed and it seemed to come from all sides; a small room then, I figured, but I didn't lower my fists, nor was I intimidated by the laugh. "Here, you haven't a chance with your disadvantage." I jumped when something plastic and heavy was pushed into my hands. I turned the object over, feeling thick lenses and brought the goggles up to my eyes. Looking through them, I realised they were night-vision goggles, and I was in some sort of make-shift lab; similar to the one I supervised at the college, but even more cramped. It had all the equipment needed for a bio-med scientist and a phlebotomist. "What is all of this?" I gasped, my eyes glued to the green room. "For your research," he replied. Remembering why I'd been given the goggles in the first place, I turned around on the spot and came face to face with someone I had entirely not expected. The low rumbling voice belonged to a man, that much I'd known; but a man so clean-cut, professional looking! I had not expected his short, business-like haircut, or his three piece suit; he even wore a handkerchief in his jacket pocket. "Who are you?" I demanded, quelling the tremble in my tone with force. He stared at me as intently as I stared at him, through those damned goggles. I wondered if his gaze was a facade -- could he really see me in this darkness without goggles of his own? I decided to lower them, but no dice. Grumbling silently, I pulled them back up to my face, but by then he'd turned around. "My name is, was, Johann Strauss. I can speak Japanese if you say 'Kudasai?'" he teased, turning back and taking a step toward me. I took a step back. "Domo," I replied icily, bowing my head. "But my English is good enough to speak to you." The hair on the back of my neck stood up as he laughed and stated "As you wish." "Why am I here?" I asked, keeping my direct tone; as long as he was answering questions, I'd continue to push. "You're here to continue your research," he replied, waving to the lab in general. "Where is the light-switch?" "Ah, the light..." Johann seemed to consider this question for a while and when he spoke, it was without the arrogant tone. "I cannot have light. Leave the room dark when I am here, Yuki." "You know my name?" Shocked, I wanted to step back, but I was already backed up to the door I'd been pushed through. There was nowhere else to go in the tiny room. "Yes," he replied softly, turning slowly so I could focus on his reflective eyes through the lenses. "I know everything about your research, Yuki. Everything since you graduated with honours and worked your way to become head scientist at Osaka University." He pronounced Osaka incorrectly, putting too much emphasis in the wrong part of the word, and he didn't even mention the faculty I belonged to, but I didn't mention it. Suddenly it occurred to me who had trashed my lab. "You destroyed my work," I gasped, and this time I really did back up against the door. "My assistants - my work!!" "Your assistants are sleeping off a nasty hangover at home. Your students will have already been told you're missing from today's lesson and therefore will have enjoyed the morning excused. You of course, have been reported missing from work but I dare say it will be another day before you're reported missing altogether. Japanese law enforcement is tough, but my people are tougher. Yuki," he said, pronouncing my name gentler than the rest of his well-rehearsed speech. "Tanaka-san," I hissed back, undeterred. "Your work is duplicated here. You'll have everything you need to finish your research and ample opportunity to further it. There will be no bothersome distractions here." He was stepping forward; I couldn't allow it, but I had nowhere to run. His intense glare was unhinging; he wouldn't look away from me and unfamiliar goose-bumps rose from my feet, up to my chest and out to my arms. "Why!" It was a demand, not a question: a demand to know why my happily accepted mundane life had been upended to include the ridiculousness of this pompous European's expectations. Whatever his reasons, I wouldn't accept them. I dared him silently with my goggle-hidden eyes to tell me why I had lost every human right to become his personal scientist, slash hostage. "Not why," he said, crossing his arms across his chest. I didn't stare at the bulge of arm muscles under his suit jacket. I did not. "Not why?" "When." "When?" "You'll be freed as soon as you finish your work. I need you to develop a cure for me," he answered, staring at me intently. "A cure for what?" I'm a scientist. I can't help being curious, damn it. Never mind my trashed lab, never mind the kidnapping, just what the hell could be wrong with someone who looked so healthy? "Starting condition is type seven Solar Urticaria." "Photo sensitivity - but I've never heard of type seven," I replied, frowning. "No one has." "So, you have immediate anaphylactic reaction?" "No. I would have immediate death." I scoffed out loud - that was impossible. This man was not about to blow up like a balloon at the first sign of light. But then again, he did seem pretty serious about me leaving the lights off. "So all I have to do is turn on a light if I want to kill you?" I asked, "That would be easier than finding a cure." "Oh yes..." He smiled pleasantly at me, clearly unaffected by what I'd said. "That reminds me. My aides, you met them earlier... They're under strict instructions to end your life should I die by your hand." I shivered, but he continued, inclining his head at me while I tried to pull myself together. "I appreciate your swift intelligence, though, Yuki. Your predecessor was not so quick to come to that conclusion." "You said 'starting condition'," I said, determined not to be bothered by his amused stare. "What else?" "Chronic, subject specific hypothermia; temperature ranges dependant on the surroundings. Hyper-anemia, treated with blood transfusions every week." "Wait, wait, wait a minute." I was starting to get the picture. "You're a crazy person, aren't you?" Johann Strauss nodded thoughtfully and then inclined his head towards me. "I suppose I could be called that. But I still need your expertise doctor. If you would?" He asked, gesturing to the lab around us again. Yes, it's a lab. I know this, I thought irritably. "No. I'm not going to play vampire games with you," I replied tersely. "You're an idiot, let me go." "Hmm. I thought you might say that." He turned around and picked something off the bench. Handing me the headset of a stethoscope, he put one hand up in surrender and pressed the chest piece under his jacket against his shirt. I really, really didn't want to listen but the scientist in me couldn't resist and I pulled the tips to my ears. When my disbelieving gaze met his, he unbuttoned his jacket and pulled it to the side so I could see he was accurately placing the chest piece against his ribs. "But that's not possible! You're alive!" "Close," came his reply, but that was all he said before disappearing into thin air. I stared at the swinging chest piece in front of me, but before I could say 'what the-', strong arms came from behind me to wrap around my chest. Cold, cold as the laboratory air around me, and I struggled now in earnest. But it was no use, and I was shocked to my core when freezing cold lips pressed against my earlobe. I managed a squeak, but my mind had been blown away to dust and I fell limp in his arms. I couldn't think, let alone speak while he had this grip on me. I was completely at his mercy, this thing's mercy -- I couldn't escape. "Yuki, I'm going to give you the rest of the day and night to get settled," he said softly, and I struggled to pay attention when his cold breath kept sweeping across my ear. "Marjory will look after your meals. Tomorrow morning you'll come back here to work on your research." He pulled the goggles from my grasp, suddenly letting go of me and stepping back. I managed to stand on my own and spun around, only to find myself alone in the tiny lab. Before I could contemplate feeling my way to the door to escape, it flew open and I came face-to-face with my kidnappers. "Well, you're still alive, Mr. Tanaka," the old woman tittered, giving me the once-over while the hulking bodyguards stood looking bored behind her. "Come along, there's a hot meal waiting to put colour in your cheeks." ~~~~~~ The apartment I was pushed into was bigger than the one I rented. I wondered how long I'd have to stay here. I wondered what the hell kind of reaction I'd had to Strauss. I wondered why I hadn't put up more of a fight. I gave the sparsely furnished apartment ceilings and walls a quick check for cameras or microphones, and upon finding none, I decided I'd been left to my own devices in the bare rooms. I glared at the bowl of thick broth left on the living area's coffee table. What I needed was a cup of tea, a cigarette and my own fucking lab. Unfortunately, there were no windows or phones I could use to my advantage, so I couldn't have any of those things, but upon finding a bathroom, I was relieved to find I could at least have a shower. Standing under the hot water helped to calm me down. But calm wasn't tired and I needed to be tired to go to sleep and clear my mind enough to figure out how I was going to escape. Moving the aim on the shower nozzle, I turned up the hot water and leaned back against the white tiles. The hot water rained down on my chest, soothing the chills and tension and turning my body pink. Sliding my hand across my stomach, I let go of my thoughts and grasped my slowly awakening cock. How I hated Strauss. Trying to clear my mind was impossible when all I could think of was how pushy and obstinate the man was. How dare he presume to kidnap me, and how dare he kiss my ear?! I found my free hand touching my earlobe where his icy lips had shocked me. No, I was not going to think of him while doing this. Pushing him out of my thoughts, I ran my hand down and focussed on the feel of my abdominal muscles bunching under my palm while I jerked my cock under the spray of hot water. Every time I managed to get him out of my head, Strauss would weasel his way back in until I was glaring at the taps in front of me. I couldn't get this done without him intruding my thoughts and my cock was aching for attention, now. Physical intimacy is separate; emotions don't have to be involved, I told myself. He was an attractive man - with a terrible personality. Letting go of the fierce resistance my mind was putting up to the fantasies bursting at the seams, I closed my eyes and stroked my cock from base to tip, trying to create his presence without the night-vision lens. A whisper of a draft flew over my damp shoulder and I shivered. Once again, his arms wrapped around from behind me, only this time unclothed. His skin wasn't so cold; the heat of the water was warming him and he covered my roaming fingers with his, pulling me back against the wall. His other hand joined mine as I continued running my hand the full length of my shaft. I called his name and a soft purring against my ear made me gasp and arch my back against the tiles when he squeezed just under the head of my cock. He pushed me forward under the water and steam until I could feel the hard planes of his chest pressed against my back, his erection nudging between my ass cheeks. Guiding my hands to my chest, he left them at my nipples and I began gently rolling and pinching them, lolling my head back to rest on his shoulder. My mouth was dry, but I was drowning in this fantasy. He kept pulling my member with strong, slow movements, and my hips met him with every stroke, pushing back against his cock. He pressed down with his other hand on my lower abdomen, keeping my rocking hips still. "Tell me you want me," he whispered, snapping me out of my daze. Damn his arrogance! Damn it to hell! I couldn't even fantasise about him without his horrible personality getting in the way. Blinking quickly to destroy the images my mind was providing, I couldn't break away -- either the room was dark or my eyes were refusing to open. He was still behind me, his strong arms holding me in place, his hands still manipulating my body's desires. I'd never been stuck in my own fantasy before and began to panic. I'm in the shower, I'm alone, I thought over and over, but above the hiss of the water and my panting, I heard him chuckle. Curing an Uncommon Cold Goosebumps raced across my flushed skin, but before I could will my body into transitioning from pleasure to violence, he pinned my arms to my chest. "Hush, Yuki," he murmured, and I shook my head adamantly. "You're alone in here, no one knows what you're doing, not even Strauss. Let go, let your body be honest for once." Logic told me the pompous piece of European ass wouldn't refer to himself in third person. I must have fallen asleep on the couch and my body was too tired from stress to wake from this dream. Breathing out slowly I began to relax, and the strong hands rewarded me with their caresses again. More of his body moved through the wall, pushing me further under the hot water. I leaned back, giving in to whatever my subconscious wanted to do to me. His lips pressed against my neck, suckling gently at my pulse-mark. Fingers in my hair fiddled with the tie holding my ponytail in place and then the black locks being restrained spilled over my shoulders, soaking to my skin. "Give me the soap," the soft order said and I reached in front of myself blindly for the bar on the ledge. I tried not to tremble handing it to him, and soon his bar-filled hand moved behind me, his fingers lathering my arse in thick, soapy foam. The strength in my legs was failing; I could feel them shaking horribly, trying to hold me up. Slippery fingers glided and tickled mercilessly over the sensitive skin around my hole, making me moan and beat my head to the side on his shoulder. I couldn't stand for it much longer and as soon as my legs gave out I dropped to my knees and elbows, panting, the spray of the hot water hitting my back and running down my sides. I was quivering from head to toe, and it brought heat to my cheeks to know that he was seeing me like this: open, soapy, trembling, anticipating the moment when he'd breach my body in an act so intimate that I've never allowed for it to happen before. Hands on my arse cheeks widened me further for him to see, and a thumb pressed against my twitching hole. I'd never wanted anything so bad in my life. When the digit pushed into me, I grunted and bit back a yelp at the same time. His other hand reached between my legs to cup my heavy balls. I was about to beg for it when he pulled ever-so gently on my balls, at the same time pushing his thumb as far into my needy channel as it would go. He stayed still like that for so long that the tugging pressure on my ball sac and the intrusion of his thick digit became almost too much to bear. I heard him sigh when he finally released my balls, and leaned forward to pull me back with a broad hand on my chest. His thumb was still pushing into me and as he moved me back until I was seated in his lap with the water hitting my face, he rubbed at the inner wall of my sphincter, making my body jump with each curl. I was limp in his arms, my own body too overwhelmed by his ministrations to do anything but twitch and writhe in reaction to his touches. I gasped hot water into my mouth when he began stroking my cock again. "Tell me you want me," he murmured into my ear again - and I wanted to hit him. I managed to choke out a "No!" before his hand on my cock became stronger, pulling harder and faster as he worked his thumb just as forcefully in and out of my clenching depths. I could feel the eruption coming but didn't have the will to tighten against it. It rolled up from my core with every expert stroke and thrust. Pressing his lips against my throat again, he lapped and sucked harder this time, forcing the waves of pleasure to rise higher in my wracking body. I melted the moment it hit me: Yuki in liquid form as my whole body shook against the relentless waves washing over me, drowning me, his flexing hands working my over sensitive cock and arsehole as I shot my climax onto my heaving chest. Falling forward, I sprawled on the floor of the shower, my whole body still shaking badly. I was defeated, conquered like a poorly-defended stronghold. I didn't bother trying to get up; I didn't even raise my hand to pull my bedraggled hair out of my face. ~~~~~~ When I woke up - and it was only because Marjory the lecherous old woman, was gibbering loud nonsense about lights off and water running - I realised I was lying naked on the floor of the shower. The water had cooled so much there was no heat in it at all. Shivering badly, I let her help me to my feet and rub me down vigorously with a large, fluffy towel. "S-s-stop, p-p-please," I stuttered, taking the edges of the towel out of her hands. "You think making yourself sick is going to get him to let you go?" I tried to glare at her between the locks of hair stuck to my face, but was sure I was only managing to look ridiculously childish. She ignored me regardless and left me alone in the bathroom to towel off. I couldn't stop shaking and not just because I was freezing my arse off. I stared at the shower tiles, feeling weak and wondering what the hell had happened, when she came back with a pile of clothes. "Get dressed and come eat your dinner," the old woman ordered, and left me to get changed. Grumbling and feeling completely out of control, I pulled the cotton pyjama suit on. My knees still felt wobbly and my hands trembled. My hair tie was sitting alone in the shower but I left it there, afraid to get back into the glass cubicle. Instead I pulled my hair back and twisted it around into a knot. I could comb out the tangled mess when I was alone again. The microwave beeped shortly after I flopped down onto the couch, and Marjory shoved the bowl of stew under my nose. "So, did he tell you?" she asked, standing back and crossing her arms in front of herself. I rolled my eyes but ate the provided food heartily, my insides cheering for the hot meal. "Not possible," I replied, upon finishing. "These conditions he's talking about. If he did have all those sicknesses he wouldn't be walking and talking. He'd be dead." Marjory sighed loudly and frowned at me. "That's what the last one said." "Last one?" "The last scientist. I don't know anything about science. But even I know that science can't fix what's wrong with him." "What happened?" I asked. The food I'd just eaten was making its way back up to my throat. "What happened to the scientist?" "Drained him," she replied, unconcerned. "Refused to help because he said it was scientifically impossible. He tried to escape, got to the second level before Mr. Strauss caught up with him." "D-drained him?" I pushed my hand to my stomach, willing the food to stay down. "So he is a monster." "Oh, yes, yes he is. Wasn't always, though," she said, moving for the door. "The more room the monster demands, the less room left for the man," she added softly. If I weren't feeling so full of fear and self-pity I would have cared about the sadness in her eyes. "Get some rest, Mr. Tanaka, or you'll end up looking like him, soon enough." When I was alone again, I contemplated what had happened in the shower. There was no way it had happened for real, but then again a walking, talking corpse had kidnapped me to bring him back to life. I could have hit my head, I thought, already believing my hasty cover story. That's it: I hit my head getting into the shower and face-planted the ground, knocking myself out. I couldn't wake up because I was knocked out, not just asleep. Comforted, I decided not to make myself doubt my story by thinking about it too much or moving around. I curled up on the couch using the arm of the chair for a pillow and tried my best to get some sleep. ~~~~~~ I didn't see Johann Strauss for another three days. I attributed that pleasant fact to the cold, two-minute showers I was having. I'd been given a large sample of Strauss's blood to work from and all the papers from my lab, but it wasn't enough. I tried to explain to his personal assistant that I needed the internet to further my research, but she flat-out refused and wouldn't discuss it any more. Marjory was my chauffeur between the lab and my apartment. She gave me my meals, even smuggled me a pack of cigarettes. The two huge men that had helped her kidnap me seemed to fade into the background. I barely saw them with her anymore and assumed it was because I'd resigned myself to working my way to freedom instead of trying to escape. Working on this ridiculous branch of research kept me busy, and best of all, I didn't have any more terrifying fantasies. It was half-way through the fourth day, as I was banging my head against an imaginary wall that all of a sudden the lights in the lab went out. I snapped open the top drawer of the desk and whipped out the night-vision goggles, just in time to see Strauss himself open the door and stride through it from a darkened corridor. "Good afternoon," he greeted curtly. Liar, he was not in a good mood. I nodded in return, suddenly unable to say any of the words on my mind. Damned, dirty mind. "Marjory tells me you've been requesting access to the internet." "Yes," I replied, catching my breath. "I, uh, I need information." "Information you can't find here?" He asked, waving impatiently at the bookcase behind me. I shook my head. "I need something less factual," I said, biting my lip. "Oh," he smirked, "I see. You want Bram Stoker's classic? You want an Anne Rice story?" I gulped; I'd seen deans make the same 'about to erupt and spew molten fury everywhere' expressions before. "I know everything in those books," I said, pointing behind me, "backwards. You want me to work in new territory, I need new material." "New material?" he asked. "Yes," I frowned at his thoughtful expression. "New, as in, never before seen symptoms. You know, new?" Strauss kept considering me, biting the tip of his thumb, and I tried damn hard not to remember where I'd imagined that thumb had been. Finally, he gave me a terrifying smile and I knew I was going to be dead in less than two seconds. "Good. Good, Yuki!" He exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air and making me jump a mile high. "Thank you very much! Write a list of websites and I'll have Karl organise a PC with restricted access. You understand I can't provide full access, of course." "Of course," I grumbled, sitting back down. "Yuki-" "Tanaka-san," I hissed, quickly becoming angry again. Strauss didn't use my name, but continued. "I don't want you to think me a monster-" "Too late!" I spat at him. He tsked and shook his head, and I felt like a child being looked down upon. "I was going to ask if you would like to leave a few answering machine messages for your family or friends, but if you'd rather behave like a hostage and be treated like one..." He let the sentence die and gave me a look like he knew what I wanted. I didn't want to admit to him that I wanted to get in contact with my parents; as for friends, I think we both knew I had no friends I was interested in calling. But Mum and Dad needed to know I was safe. Screw trying to get hold of the police, I'd rather keep my mouth shut than give Strauss the satisfaction of knowing how scared I was. "My parents," I mumbled, looking at my feet. "Yes?" He stepped to the workbench and peeked into the microscope. "Can you see the specimen?" I asked, my eyes widening through the goggles. "Yes... I can see as well in the dark now as I used to in the light." That wasn't in my predecessor's notes. "My parents," I continued, frowning and edging away, "I would like to reassure them that I'm, I'm..." "Well? Safe?" "I wouldn't go that far," I quickly retorted. Strauss pounced on me before I had a chance to react, pinning me into my chair with one strong arm on either side of me, his fists slammed onto the workbench behind me. "I would," he seethed, glaring at me with a piercing gaze. "But I can change that, if you prefer?" It took me far too long to react to his close proximity, let alone his threat. "Get away from me! Get off!" I yelled, and dropped the goggles. I stood and pushed him away with all my strength. The situation had drastically changed, I was in danger; however calm he'd been, that was long gone. I couldn't see him now, but I could hear the huffs of breath, the low growls. The man standing in front of me was giving in to the monster and none of my fighting was going to do any good. But I wasn't going to give up, I didn't dare. "You want a cell? You want handcuffs?" He hissed, "Or do you want to be treated even worse? You want to starve? Be beaten so badly you piss blood every day for the rest of your miserable life?" His voice was coming closer but I remained as still as stone. "You need that kind of motivation, doctor? Well?! Answer me!" I shivered; I had no stomach for confrontation and no experience being in a situation where I couldn't come out on top. I didn't get a chance to reply though, because the monster was less than a hair's breadth away in less than a second and I shivered again. "Or perhaps you need a different kind of motivation." "No!" Every cell in my body screamed the word at him. "Your lips can lie, but your body has already told me the truth," he whispered, and my head snapped up so fast my neck hurt. "Admit it, Yuki. You want me." My bottom lip trembled and my stomach churned. I wasn't even close to ready to dealing with the possibility that I hadn't been dreaming, that first day. "No. No, no," I murmured; I couldn't stop the word repeating itself out of my mouth. "No, no..." "No?" No to when you moaned my name, calling me to you?" "No, no, no..." My refusal fell to a whisper. I hid my face in my hands and sobbed, my mind still denying it. "'No' when you rubbed your body against mine, desperate to feel me?" I was too choked up to speak and resorted to shaking my head, my hands wet from the tears spilling from my eyes. My body was already betraying me, anticipation tightening the knots in my stomach at his words. "'No' when you shook in my arms, and came into my hand?" "Please," I begged, close to becoming an irreparable mess. "Please stop." "Come with me." I wanted to fall to my knees, but he grabbed my wrist with a strong, cold hand and pulled me out of the lab. Not that I had the strength let alone will to resist; my brain had shut down and I could only hope it was for good. The lights in the corridor were, of course out, and without the goggles I had to trust that where ever he was dragging me to wouldn't end up being an immovable object with a penchant for bruising soft skin. It was hard, I wanted to duck but he kept pulling me along. We stopped abruptly and he slammed a fist against a closed door, swinging it wide open and making me jump again at the same time. The room was pitch black; I could barely tell where the doorway was when I'd been pulled through it. When I was guided to a table, he pressed me down to a chair and I obediently sat. A small cardboard packet was put in my hands and I turned it over. "What-" "Matches. There is a candle in front of you. It's all the light I can bear," he replied from a little distance away. "I could have used that information sooner," I muttered more to myself, frowning and turning the match-book over. Flicking a stick against the backing, a small flame lit up the desk, and Strauss hissed. I looked up; he was facing the opposite wall of what appeared to be a large study or office. Now that I could see my hand, I forced myself to remain steady while I lit the candle. Quickly waving the blackening match to extinguish the flame, my eyes settled on what sat next to the candle; a phone. Strauss turned around. For the first time I was seeing him without the harsh green light of night-vision and the warm orange glow thrown onto his chiselled features unsettled me. He looked softer, still scary, but the usual arrogant smirk from his face was gone. If I weren't just hauled through blackened corridors I might have given him the benefit of taking a few more seconds to appreciate his good looks. He gestured to the handset from where he stood as far from the candle as he could be. "Call your parents." "What?" Strauss crossed his arms in front of himself, cocked his head to the side and stared blandly at me from across the tidy office. "Did I stutter? Or do I distract you?" I swallowed hard; his taunting was bringing back some strength to my will. "And what does my captor want me to say?" "Whatever my prisoner wishes," he replied, clearly enjoying the game. "As long as it's a lie." "So I should tell them I'm healthy and happy? I should tell them I'm safe?" I demanded, my voice rising with every word. "Be careful, now, Yuki," he warned, his smirk darkening to a frown. "Or how about on holiday, not scared-" Oops, I said the wrong thing. Strauss's stern expression immediately relaxed into a genuine smile while I thoroughly kicked myself. "Call your parents," he chuckled, waving at the phone again. I did as I was told without another sarcastic retort, damn him and his genuine smile. Mum and Dad weren't home, which I decided later was for the best. I left them a message, apologising for not calling them sooner and letting them know I was taking stress leave and spending a few weeks in Kamakura for some much-needed rest. As soon as I hung up the phone, the candle blew out. "Japanese is such a stern language," the European hulk said, his voice beside me. "But you make it sound so sexy, Yuki," he whispered, brushing a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. The gentle way he said my name made me want to melt like butter, but I stood and held on to the edge of the desk firmly. No amount of sweet talking was going to stop the fear and anger still boiling up inside me. "Mr. Strauss-" "-Johann, please," he purred, wrapping cold arms around me. His lips were less than an inch from mine, but I wasn't going to bite; I was not going to give in. "Mr. Strauss, I can't waste time if you want me to find you a cure," I stuttered, trying not to shiver in his cold embrace. "Karl is organising a PC and internet," he replied smoothly. So he'd already decided to give me access to the internet; he was just playing with me before. "Then I should get back to work." I was released just as suddenly as he'd captured me, and he scoffed like the macho man he was. "Fine you're boring me, anyway." ~~~~~~ "Mr. Tanaka, wake up! Mr. Tanaka!" "I am not asleep," I grumbled, looking woefully at my cup of coffee; I'd just been granted a kettle, but seeing as Marjory was already storming from the bedroom to the kitchen, it looked like my new gift was going to have to wait. "Please, I need your help!" Her frantic speech had me staring at her curiously once she was in front of me. "Mr. Tanaka!" "Yes?" "You need to come with me." I put the cup down and followed the old woman, sighing. Her usual straight-buttoned demeanour was gone as she struggled not to run flat out down corridors, instead turning her stilted walk to a strange kind of skip. I jogged to keep up until we reached a door, in front of which stood Karl, his usual sneer gone for the stone-faced expression he now wore. On the wall beside him hung two sets of night- vision goggles; Marjory took one set and shoved it into my hands and put the other pair on. "Wait, what's going on? I need to know what happened," I demanded. "It's getting worse he's losing, the monster's getting stronger. I don't know what to do anymore! Do you understand!?" "Calm down," I replied, putting a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. "Tell me what happened." "Two bells, I get two bells in the morning. First one to tell me he's awake. Second an hour or so later, when he's calm enough for me to enter his rooms. It is always worse in the morning, when he wakes up; he brings the monster with him. In the beginning," she continued, pulling the sleeve of her suit jacket up, "I only got the one bell." She revealed a badly scarred arm, horribly deep scratch marks, long since healed, and quickly hid it again, "but we adapted quickly. This morning, I didn't get any bell, not yet, and it's been too long. I don't know what to do, I'm scared he's hurt, or the monster's still got hold of him. Mr. Tanaka, I don't know what to do!" Curing an Uncommon Cold "And you want me to go in there?" I asked, appalled, and then realised I'd said the wrong thing. Both Karl and Marjory were staring at me incredulously. "What can I do?" "Zis is not request, doctor," the bulk of German bodyguard rumbled, using my title instead of the stupid nickname he'd given me. "You go in, speak wis Herr Strauss, or perhaps haff trouble walking wis broken legs, hm?" I didn't bother retorting that should I 'go in' I'd be facing much worse than broken legs. Instead, I put on the goggles and as soon as Marjory and I walked through the door - me first of course - we were enshrouded in darkness. "Say something," the old woman hissed. "We're in a hallway, Marjory," I replied in a bored tone. "He's not here." "In the next room," she whispered back. "Through that door, He hears us." "Really?" I gave her my best withered look, but I suspected the goggles had hidden it. I'd seen trust-fund babies throw tantrums before, so this was nothing new. He hadn't gotten what he wanted and the poor old woman was reaping the 'benefits'. "Please, Mr. Tanaka." "Fine, fine." There was no noise coming from the room beyond us, and I prepared for silence as my answer, but still, I wouldn't have it said I won't humour an old woman. "Mr. Strauss, it's..." I paused before continuing, "Yuki Tanaka. Can you hear me?" As I suspected, no answer came. I pinched the bridge of my nose and cracked my neck. "Strauss, you idiot, come out. I'm calling you, aren't I?" Something small smashed against the door, making Marjory and me jump. It sounded like glass and I rolled my eyes at the act. Strauss had enough strength to throw an elephant at the door if he really had a mind to do damage. So I was right, this was a tantrum. Striding forward, I came at the door fully prepared to open it when Marjory's hand pulled my outstretched arm back. She shook her head at me but I gently pried her off. "He'll hurt you," she warned quietly. "I don't have time to waste with an angry child. I have work to do," I replied curtly, sure he was still listening. "I want to go home, don't you?" Marjory sighed heavily but I wouldn't be deterred. "Mr. Strauss, Mr. Tanaka is coming in," she said. "Your funeral," she added under her breath. "Mhm. Bye-bye, Marjory," I said, waving her away. As soon as I heard the hallway door click behind me, I turned the knob that would lead me into his bedroom. Glass crunched under foot as I stepped through the doorway but I was too full of apprehension to care that I'd be pulling it out of my shoes later. "He lied, Yuki." Gazing around the room, I made out a huge canopy bed, a study desk and a large wardrobe. All of the furniture was wooden and old, judging by the musty smell, very old. Finally, huddled half hidden next to a large wardrobe a large mass moved, and I centred in on Strauss. "Who lied?" I asked, stepping forward as slowly as I dared. "Strauss," came the soft answer "He heard your call, but he didn't come. I did." All the hairs on my head and neck were standing up. My mouth had gone dry; I was frozen where I stood. "W-what do you...?" "Yuki..." His voice had moved and I couldn't see him next to the wardrobe any more. Damn, he was right behind me, again. A soft purring sound curled in my ear and I shivered once more. His arms were so cold, colder than they'd been yet. "Let me go," I gasped, gritting my teeth. "Not until I've had my breakfast." Hooking a hand through my arm, he spun me about until I was thrown on my back on his bed. "Tell me you want me." "No!" "Always 'no'," he retorted, smiling and circling the bed while I scampered back on it. "Would you like me to make you say 'yes'?" My throat was in one of his icy hands before I could reply, the other ripping the goggles off my head. I was almost blind in the dark but I could make out the silhouette of his head, so close to mine. He wasn't cutting off my airway but I still couldn't breathe; I could see his eyes. It was impossible - it was pitch black and I could see those blue eyes staring with keen intent into mine. With his hand still wrapped around my neck he pushed me back on the bedding until he was standing over me. I had no will of my own anymore, I was lost in the strength of his eyes. Very gently he released me from his grip; I was acutely aware that I hadn't blinked, but he wouldn't let me break his gaze, I was locked in, unable to escape. "Yuki, my lovely Yuki..." I trembled at his words but I remained silent still; I was nobody's 'lovely'. "Tell me you're mine." I wanted to say 'no', but I couldn't. I wanted to fight and run away, but I couldn't. I wanted to do anything but lie there under him submissively, but I couldn't and it scared me to death. Panting, I fought desperately against the sudden and intense desire to do what he asked while his piercing blue eyes were boring right to my soul. A small voice in the back of my mind told me to do as he asked. I'd be rewarded; he would make me feel so much better if I just did what he wanted. "I..." "Say it, Yuki," he rumbled. He pulled my lab coat open, untucked my shirt and ran frozen digits over my chest, sending goose-bumps rushing underneath my skin when his fingers found and started pinching my nipples to rigidity. That horribly persuasive voice in my head grew louder, told me relief was only a few words away, just a few tiny words and I'd be free. I wanted so badly to be free. "I-I'm... yours..." I whispered, and the relief of obeying his command was instant. I couldn't move a muscle, but uttering the words gave me such warm pleasure, I could do nothing but relax further onto the bed, my mind numbing quickly after the exhausting fight. His weight shifted, he covered my body with his and he ran that wandering hand behind my neck, pulling my throat towards him. My tired mind was screaming at me in warning, but I couldn't act on the thought, I was too wrapped up in the after-glow of obeying his command. "Close your eyes, Yuki," he murmured, his lips less than an inch from bare skin. "And dream of your need for me." I did as I was told; grateful that I didn't have to bear witness to what he was going to do to me. Something cold and wet drew over my skin: his tongue, dragging over the thrumming artery in my neck. And then fangs, sharp and unyielding, pressing so quickly into my skin I barely heard the popping sound before the sheer agony tore down my neck to my heart. My scream was horrifyingly silent, and then the world fled from me. When I woke, I was lying curled up in my own bed under the covers. Before I had the chance to touch a trembling hand to my neck, I burst into tears. This man - this monster, whatever he was - he was breaking me, and I was helpless to fight him and escape, if that was what I even wanted, anymore. ~~~~~~ I was ignored by the vampire for another three days. He'd been kind enough to have some prescription painkillers and vitamins provided with my meals. I was completely fucked when it came to dealing with him and his personalities, but there was no point in stirring the hornet's nest by not taking his offerings. I was reading the blood sample test results of my latest attempt at a cure for his extreme photo-sensitivity when Marjory arrived with lunch. "Mr. Tanaka, Mr. Strauss wants to know how your work is coming along," she said by way of greeting. "I might have something for one of the symptoms. The compounds you got," I said slowly, sipping the offered coffee. "There's a lot of storytelling, fairy-tale information that refers to them. But it's a bad joke. You see it's so far from proven chemistry no sane person would even go near it. It's bad science," I muttered bitterly. "Are you blind? Or just stupid, doctor?" The old woman laughed, her tone just as bitter. "You're dealing with the biggest mythical monster in history and you still think science is going to help you?" I sighed; she was right. But silver? Garlic? Rose essence!? What I was throwing together into a beaker was a dark age's potion, not a medical vaccine! "There's also the issue of application," I murmured, while her eyes stayed on me. "His blood-circulation is good, but his heart doesn't beat the way ours does. Getting a cure into his system isn't as easy as giving an injection. If it can't spread through his whole body fast enough, it could take too long, it might disperse, and his body might even reject it the same moment. And it would probably be very painful," I added when she looked ready to protest. "He's already in pain, doctor. Do you think he would prefer to stay as he is if there is even a small chance to get better? Would you?" ~~~~~~ If I was right, this trial inoculation was going to make me very sick, very fast. Holding my breath and gritting my teeth, I stuck the needle into my arm, plunging the contents into my vein before I could change my mind. Let Strauss think I had a fever - all the better for me, in the end. All that was left was for me to light a candle, undress, climb into bed and call for him. The six foot tower of pure alpha male wouldn't think twice, wouldn't doubt for a second I was only interested in fucking. "You're warm tonight, Yuki. I could feel your heat before I came in," stated Strauss's familiar deep tones. "Tell me, do you burn for me?" I turned over to face him and there he was, leaning back against the bedroom door. I didn't have to look at him in his half-naked, satin pyjama glory to know that tonight he would tear what was left of my resistance to shreds. Suddenly I wished I'd kept my clothes on. "You want me to tease you until you beg for it? I won't lie, Yuki," he murmured in that damned sexy voice, closing in on the bed. "I would like to hear you beg for me." Not you, your fangs, I thought ruthlessly, though I wasn't about to admit that, not even for his sake, not yet. "If you don't speak up, Yuki..." "I want you," I blurted, disengaging my sense of shame. "Please, Johann... I need you." I cut myself short before I babbled on for too long; better not to incite his suspicions. My heart was thumping in my chest and a sweat was breaking out on my forehead, but he only gave me a curious look before joining me in bed. Opening his arms, I moved immediately into them. My head told me it was all an act: I was pretending, but my heart was telling me that the only one being fooled was me. "Yuki," he began, cupping my cheek so I had to look up into those piercing blue orbs. "Are you sick?" Damn! What was I supposed to do now? His embrace was still cold. Not as bad as the last time he'd bitten me, but still enough to distract my brain from the lie I'd have to feed him. "I..." "Don't take too long or I won't believe your lies." Double damn!! "The cure," I gave in. "I had to find a way to administer it so it would be less likely to kill you." "So you tested it on yourself? I don't understand how that will help." "No," I grumbled, secretly glad his cold body was helping to keep my temperature down. "Not testing." Luckily his eyes weren't demanding mine anymore so I could press my face into the crook of his neck. "Oh, I see now, you wanted to trick me. How cunning of you." "Not that cunning. I got caught," I retorted to his collarbone, grumpy I'd failed. "It's too late to back out now, then, hmm?" "Hurry up and bite," I muttered. "And try not to kill me." "Better for you to die this way if your cure kills me in turn," he muttered, drawing a hand behind my neck and pulling me toward him with his other grasping behind my back. I gasped; of course I knew what had to happen, but I wasn't ready for it, my mind raced with the still fresh memory of pain. "Relax, Yuki..." I barely heard the words before teeth stabbed into my neck once more. There was no half-dazed sleepiness overtaking me this time. I had full control over my body and it was begging me to get him off, to stop the pain. I struggled, bucking wildly, but tensing to fight made it hurt more and escape was impossible when I was held in his strong vice like grip. Above the shock and agony, I could actually feel his mouth sucking at the wound, and I feared he wouldn't stop and I really would die in this moment. The sharp pain began to give way, and an aching throb took over, it's ebb flowing from my neck down to my chest. When Johann finally pulled away, he pressed a cool hand firmly against the wound. I couldn't stop panting; I knew I sounded horrid, but the ragged breaths escaping me only began to soften when he started rocking me gently in his embrace. "Did I hurt you badly?" He asked, and I shook my head. The only thing I cared about now was giving his body enough time for the vaccine to work, but his usual arrogant tone had been given up for a more concerned edge, making me feel even more uncomfortable. "Should I let you rest a while?" Gritting my teeth, I nodded petulantly into his neck, and pressed my lips against his earlobe, hoping it was enough: It wasn't. "Should I leave you alone?" Johann pushed, all care and worry. "Just stay here for a while," I replied, already fighting the urge to nod off. I had to pretend to sleep - not actually sleep; I needed to watch him, but my eyes were too tired to stay open -- it was a relief to let them close and drift away. Opening my eyes, I realised I had fallen asleep. The inoculation and blood loss was still making me feel slightly nauseous. I was lying with my back against Johanna's broad chest and his hand was raised palm up in front of me. He was staring at it, turning it over in wonder. "I'm warm," he commented quietly. "Feels strange after all this time." I didn't want to disagree; he wasn't ice-cold, but he was by no means comfortably warm. I'd still take a roaring fire over his chest, any day. Not that I wouldn't, regardless. "Want to try the light?" I asked quietly, pointing next to him at the lamp beside the candle I'd lit earlier. "There are tablets there that I need to take, too." The bulky European pulled me up and leaned me back against the bed-frame. I watched curiously as he tentatively pressed his finger at the lamp switch. The room was bathed in soft yellow light, and he squinted away from it, but there was no other reaction. No explosions, no lesions, not even a rash to note across his smooth skin. "Yuki..." Shivers ran up my spine at the way he said my name. "Have you cured me?" I shrugged, trying to look indifferent. "It's a long shot. If I tell you the specifics, would you understand?" Johann shook his head, his pale blue eyes wide with disbelief. "No, probably not, I feel different, though. Better, more like me." He grinned at me like a child on Christmas morning, but I wasn't convinced, and my neck hurt - I wanted those fucking painkillers. "Don't go doing something reckless. I'm not sure about sunlight, it could still be dangerous. And it mightn't be a cure at all, rather like a treatment you'll need every so often." "But Yuki, you did it!" "Yeah and now I'd like the painkillers, Johann." I indicated to the bedside table, where the little cup of tablets and glass of water were. He handed them over. As soon as I'd swallowed them with a mouthful of water, the glass was taken away, and Johann pressed his lips against mine, demanding entry to my mouth with his tongue. "Wait, wait-" I gasped, pushing him away. That child-like happiness was gone from his expression, an expression I could read so much easier now in this light. And what a hungry expression it was -- I didn't have a chance now, just like I'd known when I started on this road. "You can't get the pills back, they're gone!" He was on his knees towering before me, waiting patiently for me to acknowledge him. When I did nothing but stare back at him, he growled and pulled me down until I was flat on my back. He was covering my naked body with his, but I still remained silent beneath him. "No more games, Yuki. I am going to make you mine, now. You will never know any other but me." I bit back a whimper at his serious tone and set features, the knots of anticipation in my stomach tightening even more. I knew there was no escaping this; I'd counted my blessings that I'd managed to make it this long without giving in. He captured my lips in another heated kiss and we fought for control until he won and his tongue dominated my mouth, thrusting it forth for me to suck gently while he groaned above me. Rolling us over abruptly, I would have been straddling him if I'd had the strength to hold myself up. He noticed my lack of mobility and roughly manoeuvred us until we were both sitting up, me on his lap with a leg either side of him and him with his back against the bed frame. His knees were raised to keep me upright. I was staring into his eyes like I'd never seen them before, the raw desire sweeping any pretence away from us. He pulled my hair free of its loose ponytail, and wisps of black hair spilled over my shoulders, tickling my chest. I watched silently, my hands on his warming torso as he sucked a finger and withdrew it. It was slick with his saliva as he lowered his hand between us. Knowing what was coming for me; I reached for his face with both hands and kissed him as passionately as I dared. Ignoring his finger breaching my body was impossible though, and I moaned into his mouth as he thrust it in. It was far more uncomfortable than I'd expected it to be, but he began pushing it in and out of my arse at a steady rhythm. I pulled back, panting into his shoulder. I had expected some pain, but not this sweet torture that made me almost want to beg for more. Withdrawing his finger gently from my sore hole, he returned the digit to his lips and his middle finger joined the first as he lathered them with his saliva. Moving his hand down again between us, I closed my eyes and held my breath, waiting for a more painful entry. Just as I felt his fingers nudge at my entrance, his free hand grasped my half hard member and began stroking it to fullness. I couldn't restrain the cry that escaped my lips when his fingers pushed themselves into me and began their rhythmic fucking of my tight channel. Never had I been touched so intimately, not by the hands of a woman, and certainly not by the hands of a man. I might have done it with my own, but not these passionate, perverse hands, and not this way, his way, his only way. Just as he pushed his fingers inside me, he'd pull my length from base to tip, making my body tremble uncontrollably. When those merciless digits began twisting and scissoring, I fell forward, overcome by the stretching movements. But he kept up, ignoring my weak protests, one hand stroking me deftly, capturing each bead of pre-cum to lather for his fisting, while the fingers of his other hand thrust and curled into me. I could feel his own hardened member straining against his pants, pressing between my thigh and his fist. I was groaning with every push, trying desperately to bite down the lewd noises escaping me, but I couldn't; he was thoroughly fucking my hole with his fingers and it still wasn't enough. "Tell me you want me, Yuki," he rumbled, making my already flushed cheeks darken even more. He was nibbling across the tender skin of my shoulder, silencing my pride as he went. I'd have given anything, everything not to tell him what I wanted, but I was so far gone, the shame of the act no longer meant anything to me. Impatience won me over before pride could get in the way. "Please, now, I want you now," I begged, rocking my hips on his lap, gripping his shoulders and digging my fingers into his skin. His fingers abruptly left my itching channel and I was lifted off his lap only long enough for him to wriggle out of his pants with one hand. I glanced at the impressive size of his cock for a split second before being pulled back onto his lap with force, his thick, bulging shaft pushing past loosened muscles to fill me quickly and completely. I howled, bucking above him, aching pleasure snapping every tense sinew of muscle. Curing an Uncommon Cold He impaled me over and over again, shattering my body with every thrust against my sensitive prostate, pushing me back and forth over his lap with his fingers digging painfully into my hips. I held my hands behind his neck, desperately holding onto straining muscle, hoping that would ground me while he fucked me brutally, and pounded into my throbbing channel. I could feel the tickle of his pubes on my arse as he kept pushing me down onto his hard tool and coupled with the rhythmic grazing over my hot spot, he was quickly sending me sky rocketing. Finally, his rough panting grew louder and faster, and I was reduced to a writhing mess as his strong hands forced my hips up and down on his cock at an increasing pace. Rolling his hands down to my cheeks, he pushed me down, spreading me wider. His thrusting became deeper and he held me there atop him, still struggling to rock as my own climax rapidly approached. Pulling him in, stars burst behind my eyes and I cried out when my world exploded, clutching him tightly while each wave of rapture forced cum from my shaking body. He followed quickly, shooting his load deep within my clenching depths. I was utterly spent, completely wrecked, and the only things keeping me from falling over were Johann's hands holding my waist. "You have a strange way of saying 'thank you'," I grumbled tiredly into his neck while he nipped at my earlobe. "You liked it," he murmured in reply, his warm breath tickling my ear. Deciding not to play his games, I leaned back to get up and then immediately regretted it as dizziness swept me around until I fell forward against his chest again. Warm arms wrapped around me and I was cradled tightly against him. "I thought you'd know better than that." I frowned at my eyelids, but didn't direct my glare at him for fear of seeing the room spin if I opened my eyes. "Your fault," I retorted. "I hate that you're warm," I added, giving an ineffective attempt to pull out of his embrace. "Your fault." He chuckled softly. "Go to sleep. I promise I won't attack you." "I'm not afraid of you," I said, already yawning and snuggling closer. "The others might be, but not me..." I didn't want to be comforted by his words, but I was, and deciding it was because of the loss of blood rather than the comfort of his embrace, I surrendered to sleep.