Ch. 306..310: Fatal Kiss Of The Vampire Chapter 306-310
Chapter 306: He Overheard The Conversation
Kylie was busy below deck. Like a child, she was playing with the Barbie dolls that Stephen had provided for her. She set her favorite doll down for a moment to show Stephen a maid’s outfit that she’d found. “What do you think about this?” she wondered.
Stephen smiled. “It’s nice,” he replied absently, “but I like the princess dress better.”
They had been playing dress-up when Ethan had called earlier. Stephen and William had only been talking for a few moments when Kylie had called him. The princess dress that she had been trying to put on the doll had stuck in the middle, and she’d called him to help her.
He’d put Ethan on hold and, as he helped her, Kylie had spoken for Barbie, and Stephen had spoken for Ken.
Ken Doll, “You are very beautiful. You look just like a princess.”
Barbie Doll, “Are you praising me or the dress?”
Ken Doll, “The dress is beautiful, but your beauty outshines it and makes it more beautiful than it otherwise could ever be!”
Ethan, who had heard everything, thought that Stephen and Kylie were sharing their true feeling for each other, and he had no idea that they’d just been playing with dolls – and by the time Stephen had returned to the phone, Ethan had hung up on him, and Stephen and Kylie had no idea that he’d overheard the conversation between the two dolls.
When Stephen rejoined Kylie, he looked at her sadly and said, “I think that you’re going to have nightmares again tonight.”
Startled by his words, Kylie slipped and cut herself with a small knife that she’d had in her hand. She cried out, and then she brought her finger to her mouth to suck. Seeing what had happened, Stephen got up and pulled her finger out of her mouth. After that, he helped her to her feet and led her to his bedroom, where he kept his First Aid Kit.
Blushing with embarrassment, Kylie said, “Don’t worry about it. It is nothing.”
Stephen looked at her seriously and said, “Bacterial infections can be very serious.”
Kylie nodded meekly. After living on the ship for three days, this would be her first time in Stephen’s room. As expected, it was very clean and excessively tidy. There was a place for everything, and everything was in its place.
She laughed and said, “Your OCD is showing.”
“I am who I am,” Stephen sighed. “If I can’t be myself on my boat, where can I be?”
Kylie shrugged as he pulled the First Aid Kit out from under the bed. He had her sit beside him, and he used iodine to sterilize the wound. After that, he wrapped her finger in cotton batting and used two strips of medical take to hold it in place. And then he kissed it.
Kylie looked at him, shyly and thanked him for fixing her finger. She hadn’t expected the kiss, though, and it had made her uncomfortable. Looking around, she noticed that his wardrobes were very large, and she made an off-hand comment about them.
“I am a connoisseur of clothes,” he explained as he stood up and opened the first wardrobe. “Most of them are not for me to wear, though. Take a look. Perhaps there is something in here that you might like.”
Kylie frowned as she looked at the assortment of clothes he carried along with him wherever he went. She could see close to all sizes, for men and women, and even for children. Stephen saw the look on her face and mistook it for excitement. Smiling, he picked out a dress that he hoped would fit her and brought it over to her. He set it in her lap and said, “Here; try this on later. I saw it in Paris Fashion, and I thought it would look nice on you, so I bought it.”
Stephen went back to the closet. He picked out a smaller dress to show her. “This one is from New York. I found it in a thrift shop, but it is absolutely gorgeous. I’m afraid that it wouldn’t fit you, though. I have many more that would, though. Perhaps you might wear one as your wedding dress…
Kylie cleared her throat in an attempt to grab Stephen’s attention; to get him to stop talking for long enough for her to get a word in.
Ignoring that, Stephen looked at her sadly and said, “I know that you love Ethan. I have given up on ever having a relationship with you, and I no longer hope to find happiness with you. As a parting gift, though, I would be honored if you would wear a dress from my collection.”
Kylie looked down at her hands and frowned. “Even if I said yes,” she replied. “I hardly think that Ethan would allow it. He is a jealous man, and I wouldn’t want to spoil our big day anyway. Even as I walked down the aisle, if I were wearing one of your dresses, he would have a hard time thinking about anything else. I’m sorry… I really am.”
Stephen nodded and reluctantly took the dress from her. Seeing how sad he was, Kylie got up and hugged him. “I really am sorry,” she said, “but keep your chin up. There are plenty of fish in the sea. I am sure that you will find the right fish for you…”
Stephen ran his hands through his hair as they parted. “I will stop trying to pursue you,” he promised. “Just know, though, if you are ever in need, even if I am married and have five children, you can always come to me for help.
A sympathetic tear ran down Kylie’s face then, and she thanked him from the bottom of her heart. She knew that anything he had ever done, be it good or bad, had been done out of his love for her, and the last thing that she’d ever wanted to do was to hurt him.
***
Later that night, Stephen and Kylie got into a fine bottle of wine that he’d brought back from Portugal years ago, and they began to chat amicably about things less personal. It was only after they’d tossed back two glasses each that Stephen brought up Kylie’s friend, Ken White. “I know that he means a lot to you,” Stephen said, “and that is why I hired the best lawyer in Seattle to stand up for him in a court of law.”
Kylie’s eyes went wide at the news. “Really?” she exclaimed. “Are you really willing to help him?”
“For your sake,” Stephen replied, “I am. Even with my help, he may still be condemned to prison for life. It sounds shitty, but if we can avoid the death penalty, we must celebrate that as a success. There is a lot of damning evidence against him…”
“Better alive than dead,” Kylie agreed sadly.
“Don’t you want to know why Ken killed Khloe?” Stephen wondered
Kylie shook her head back and forth. She did not want to know why Ken killed Khloe. She already had her theories. “Why don’t we just leave it alone?” she said. “The sun is about to set. We should be up on the main deck, relaxing as we drink more wine.”
By the time the sun had fully set, Stephen had sailed the boat back to the dock. Kylie got out first, and as Stephen tied the boat to the pier, he looked up at Kylie and said, “I have to sail a business acquaintance to Seattle in the morning. We will be setting sail long before you wake up, so don’t panic when you find yourself alone in the house.
Chapter 307: She Will Never Leave Me
Stephen stood tall against the sea breeze. The hood of his black windbreaker hissed at it slapped him in the face. It kept the rain out of his eyes, though, so that was something. Better than nothing, he thought casually. He had set the boat on autopilot so that he could watch as the three-story cruise came upon him. Just as they were within range, he ran down to the cabin, cut the engine, and turned the wheel to avoid a collision. The first time that he’d attempted this maneuver, it had been close, and it had scared him half to death. Now though, he had it pretty much down to a science.
When Ethan saw it though, he nearly shit his pants. Looking down from the sea cruiser, he could easily imagine the smaller boat exploding into a million pieces. It was enough to make him doubt his decision to enlist the services of Stephen.
Ricky and Nate stood on either side of him. They were each wearing a life jacket and a silly white sailor’s cap. It hadn’t taken long for Ricky and Nate to mend their relationships with Ethan. He knew that anything that they’d done – even if they’d gotten carried away in the end – had been done with his best interests at heart.
One of the crew members threw a rope ladder down to Stephen, and he caught it on his first attempt. He strapped it to the side of his boat, winched it tight, and radioed up to the bigger boat that Stephen and his friends were safe to board.
Looking down, Nate looked positively sick. The crew member put his arm around him in a friendly manner. He gave a tug at his life jacket and said, “Don’t worry. Even if you fall, you won’t drown.”
This only made things worse for Nate, though. “I’m not afraid of drowning,” he cried. “It’s the falling that is scaring the shit out of me!”
Hearing this, Ethan rolled his eyes and said, “Don’t be such a fucking baby. You can go first. And that’s an order!”
***
Once they were all on board Stephen’s ship, Ethan began to wander from room to room casually. He was looking for Kylie, but he didn’t want Stephen to know it yet. After doing a full search of the boat, he went into the main cabin, where Stephen was setting a new course for Seattle. He didn’t know what Stephen was doing, but he thought it best to wait until he was done doing it before he demanded to know where Kylie was.
It took over half an hour, but finally, Stephen was done. Before Ethan could accost him, though, Stephen faced him and said, “I presume that you are looking for Kylie. Have no fear. She is safe. Most likely, she is still sleeping.”
Ethan scowled. “It is already half-past five,” he hissed. “What is she doing asleep still?”
Stephen looked at him, curiously. “Are you daft?” he laughed. “The sun isn’t even up yet, and you’re acting as though it were midday. Give her head a shake!”
“Alright then,” Ethan grumbled. “Never mind that. Just tell me where she is, and then take me there.”
Stephen suggested they go on deck and sit so they could talk more comfortably. Ethan didn’t really want to move, but he allowed himself to be led in the hopes that Stephen would be more reasonable if he was comfortable. They were both silents for a few minutes, and Ethan was keenly aware of the waves as they crashed against them. The idea that the boat was sailing itself made him nervous.
Finally, Stephen adjusted his body so that he could look Ethan in the eyes. “You and me,” he began. “We are well matched. It is as if we were born to face off against each other eventually. For now, Kylie will go with you. Over time though, she will give up on you, and she will come to me. Your jealousy and your anger will be your undoing. The more she comes to resent you, the more she will find herself thinking about all of her late-night chats with Stars. After all of our conversations, I know her better than you do. I will have patience, and she will be mine in the end.”
“It won’t be like that,” Ethan interrupted. “She will never leave me.”
Stephen laughed. “We’ll see,” he said. “In the end, it is her decision.”
As Stephen spoke, footsteps sounded on the stairs. Ethan smiled. He would have recognized Kylie’s footsteps anywhere. When she stepped on the deck, though, the light hit her eyes, and she was momentarily blinded. “Stars,” she cried as she covered her eyes with her hands, “Why did you leave me alone? I had nightmares again.”
Originally, Stephen had insisted on Kylie staying at his beach house, but she had been afraid, and she had wanted to go with him. As always, he could not deny her anything. Furthermore, he had been putting off this confrontation between Ethan, Kylie, and himself, for too long.
Seeing Kylie in Stephen’s robe, Ethan was struck speechless.
Even as she stepped towards Stephen, she was completely unaware of Ethan’s presence. Stephen rested his arm against the back of the sofa and invited Kylie to sit down beside him. Slowly, she walked towards the sofa and snuggled up next to him.
Nate and Ricky were sitting nearby and, when Nate saw what Kylie was up to, he smashed his fist against the table. “What the fuck is this?” he roared. “Isn’t that Kylie? Shouldn’t she be with Ethan?”
Ricky just shrugged, pouting. “Nobody tells me anything,” he complained.
Hearing Nate and Ricky’s voice, Kylie turned in their direction and slowly uncovered her eyes. The light no longer seemed as bright as it had, and after blinking a couple of times, she could see Nate clearly. Her face turned bright, and she turned away from him, only to come face to face with Ethan!
Kylie slowly moved away from Stephen and smiled meekly. “Hi,” she said. “Fancy meeting you here…”
Hearing such a simple answer, Ethan nearly lost his mind. He pursued his thin lips, hummed, and tried to smile. “Right back at you,” He replied. Right then, he wanted to rage, but he knew that if he did, he would only prove that everything Stephen had said about him was true, and it would only serve to push Kylie away.
The air seemed very thick suddenly as silence descended upon them.
Not knowing what else she could do or say, Kylie stood up and said, “I have a headache, so I am going back to bed. I will leave the two of you to catch up…”
Stephen touched her hand and said, “Ethan seldom comes to visit us. Don’t you think you could stay on deck for at least a little while longer?”
Kylie frowned and pouted. “The two of you are brothers,” she argued. “You must have a lot of catching up to do. I’m not feeling well now. It will be easier for you guys to talk freely if I’m not here.”
“Okay,” Stephen replied. “You’re the boss. Go and take a nap if that is what you need.”
After Kylie left, Stephen turned to Ethan and said, “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to check on something in the cabin. I’ll be right back.”
Stephen’s boat was big, and there were sleeping quarters below deck as well as an above deck. Kylie had been sleeping below deck earlier, and she had found the dark unsettling so, this time, she went above the deck. The stairs going up seemed safer than the stairs going down but, after only a few steps, she lost her footing and fell backward. In anticipation of a hard landing, she opened her mouth to scream. Lucky for her, though, Ethan was there to catch her.
“Be careful,” he insisted as he helped her to her feet.
“I will,” she replied. “And thank you for saving me.”
“It was nothing,” Ethan said, and he watched after her until she’d disappeared into the upper deck.
Unbeknownst to Ethan, Stephen hadn’t gone to the cabin. He had actually gone to the sleeping quarters where he knew Kylie would be. Once Kylie arrived, he pulled her into his arms, and they fell together into the bed. Once they were comfortable, Kylie looked at Stephen and said, “There is something wrong with Ethan. He is acting strange, and it is making me uncomfortable.”
“How so?” Stephen wondered.
“I don’t know,” Kylie replied as she rubbed her temples with her thumbs.
Stephen looked at her with concern in his eyes, but he said nothing. Whatever she needed at that moment, he knew that he could not provide it for her, so he simply lay beside her and silently supported her. In the entire world, she was the only thing he wanted, and as he lay beside, he could imagine that she was his.
Chapter 308: Is This My Fault?
For a while, Ethan was standing on the ship’s bow, just watching the waves as they pounded against the hull. It was very peaceful until that moment that Stephen spoke from behind him. “You must see how happy Kylie is with me,” Stephen said. “Are you really going to take her away?”
Ethan turned to face Stephen. He was angry, but he was trying to keep his rage under control.” I thought we were clear on this,” Ethan hissed. “She is my wife, and there is nothing that could change that. She loves me, and I love her!”
“It is not so cut and dry,” Stephen laughed. “If she loves you so much, please explain to me why she is sleeping in my bed. If it is her wish to stay, what will you do then? Will you force her to go, even if it is against her will?”
“I refuse to entertain this nonsense,” Ethan growled. “She would never even touch you, let alone go away with you?”
“Don’t be so sure,” Stephen smirked. “She has already kissed me.”
Ethan had been about to turn around and head to the lower decks to catch a nap, but Stephen’s words froze him in place. He knew that Stephen was trying to provoke him. He didn’t want to fall into any trap that might have been set for him, but he was having a harder and harder time remaining calm.
Ethan closed his eyes tight for a moment and forced himself to turn around. Step by painful step, he walked away from Stephen. When he reached the stairs, he took them down into the lower sleeping chamber. It wasn’t until he was out of earshot that he let his temper slip. He cursed and punched the wall until the fire within him had burnt out. It was only then that he allowed himself to cry. In his entire life, he had never experienced such pain. It was like having tendons yanked from his body one by one.
Ethan came and went, over and over again, in Kylie’s dreams. In them, he was like a wounded beast. One moment, he pretended to be stubborn and powerful, but the sadness in his eyes was intense, and she could see through his facade. He had been beaten black and blue, and she felt pity for him. Is this my fault? She wondered.
In her dream, she could read Ethan’s mind and feel what he was feeling. She didn’t know how this could be. She only knew that it made her uncomfortable. He had made her feel uncomfortable when he’d boarded Stephen’s boat, and almost all of that discomfort had followed her into her dreams where she confronted him within the confines of some medieval dungeon. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she shouted as she slapped him across the face.
Ethan’s body reeled, but he made no move to retaliate in any way.
When Kylie woke up, she felt even more tired than she had been when she’d gone to sleep. She stretched, blinked a few times, and her eyes swept over the room in search of Stephen. She was disappointed to find that he wasn’t there, but not surprised. She knew that it took a lot of work for a person to sail a boat by themselves.
In one of the smaller rooms, Stephen was mixing a potion and muttering to himself. On the first few nights, after he’d kidnapped Kylie, he’d hypnotized her and planted subtle triggers that would make her uncomfortable when she was around Ethan and more receptive to his advances. Then, once he was certain that the hypnotism was working, he’d begun to feed her a special potion of his own creation. Until he had complete control over her, this would assist him as he held her under his thumb.
As he worked, he thought about Nico. He had just learned about the man’s whereabouts, and he decided that he needed to die. “I can’t kill him myself, though,” he realized.
“What are you talking about?” Kylie wondered. “Who can’t you kill?”
Stephen turned around quickly and was startled to find Kylie standing behind him. Without missing a beat, he smiled and said, “Kill someone? Me? You must have misheard me. You should know by now that I wouldn’t hurt a fly. Why don’t you come to see what I’m working on?”
Kylie smiled and walked down the hall to meet him in the small room. She saw the vials and all of the other medical equipment. She frowned and looked at Stephen seriously. “What is all of this about?” she wondered.
Stephen put his arm around Kylie’s waist and lied. “This is my ‘travel lab,”
he said. “I have a full-sized laboratory in the basement of my cottage. I don’t talk about it very much, but I am looking for a cure for the AIDS virus.”
Kylie looked at him proudly. “That is very noble of you,” she said, “but you are still just a medical student. How can you hope to succeed when so many men with PhDs after their names have failed?”
Stephen just shrugged. “There are things that cannot be taught in school,” he explained. “I have known for a long time that I have an affinity for medicine. You are welcome to check my research any time you want. If you do, as the days pass, you will see what I am actually accomplishing.”
Kylie bent over and looked into the microscope in front of her and saw a number of jelly-like blobs swimming around in a Petrie dish. Gasping for air, she pulled away and said, “They’re disgusting. Why don’t you just kill them?”
“Well,” Stephen explained, “if I kill them, I wouldn’t be able to study them. You don’t have to fear them. You are safe. They can’t get out of the Petrie dish. Furthermore, if the dish fell to the ground or something, they would just die. Outside of a host, they are not resilient at all. Once I stepped on a pin that had contaminated blood on it. I was afraid, but I shouldn’t have been. I was not infected. The virus had already died.”
Stephen turned to face Kylie then, and she leaned in and kissed him. It only lasted a second, and then she pulled away. She had been completely surprised by her own action. It was almost as if she’d been compelled to kiss him by some outside force that was stronger than her own will.
“Why did you pull away?” Stephen wondered.
Kylie looked down at her hands as if she were looking for the answer there. She felt queasy and, as if the kiss had triggered something inside of her, she felt her mind grow fuzzy and shatter. She almost fell to the floor, but Stephen caught her and helped her to the bed in the corner of the room. “What is happening to me?” she cried.
“It is okay,” Stephen soothed. “I have something that will help you feel better,” he assured her as he brought a beaker to her mouth and helped her drink it. With that done, Stephen began to rub her belly and chant medieval Gaelic words of power over her.
Within moments, Kylie was lost in a particular type of sleep that had been wrought through the merging of modern medicine and ancient magic.
Chapter 309: Memory Lost
When Kylie woke up, she found that she couldn’t process her thoughts and, the harder she tried to focus on past events, the more elusive they became. She rolled over to face the door, and when she found Stephen sitting beside her bed, she smiled uncertainty. “There is something wrong with me,” she whispered. “I don’t even know where we are…”
Stephen ran his hands through her hair and said, “You are on our boat. We are on our honeymoon. If this all seems confusing, let me get you your medicine. You have had these spells a lot recently, but you always come back to me once you’ve had your medicine.”
Kylie nodded but said nothing. Curiously, she watched as Stephen went to the counter, filled up a small glass of clear liquid, and brought it back to her. “Here,” he said with a smile. “Drink it all up.”
Kylie took the cup with shaky hands and drank the fluid down. Once the cup was empty, she handed it back to Stephen and said, “How long have we been married?”
“Just over a month,” Stephen replied. “As I said, this is our honeymoon.”
Kylie frowned and said, “This is an awful way to live. And it must be hard for you also. Is this the way it will always be for me? Will it get better, or will it get progressively worse?
“As long as you don’t forget me,” Stephen sighed, “nothing else matters to me. I do not know what the future holds, but you can rest assured that I will never desert you. Furthermore, you can ask me anything, and I will always tell you the truth!”
Suddenly tears appeared in Kylie’s eyes, and she began to cry. “I hate this,” she moaned. “I do have vague memories of you, but so much is lost. I can’t even remember our first date, kiss, or even our wedding. When we make love, I won’t even know what you like for me to do…”
“Is there really nothing that you remember?” Stephen wondered. “Most times, there are things that, if you think hard, will come back to you. There have even been times when you’ve remembered me…”
Kylie stood up and rubbed her temples. After thinking for a few minutes, she frowned and said, “I remember my feud with Angela, and I remember the face of a girl named Dora – but I can’t see how she’s connected to me or the status of our relationship. Even the things that I remember have giant holes in their narration. As an example, I am an actor, but I can’t remember ever acting!”
Stephen walked towards her, but before he could do anything, she jumped as if she’d been startled, and she said, “I need some air.”
Quick as a bunny, Kylie rushed out the door and up to the main deck. Once there, she went to the bow’s edge. She spread her arms and, as she felt the wind on her face, she shouted, “I’m the king of the world!”
Standing there felt great, but it was also slightly unnerving. At that moment, her brain had recalled some obscure pop culture reference, of which she knew nothing about. She tried to put it out of her mind as she looked out across the water. Already she could see the space needle, and most of the city spread out around it. “Land ho!” she shouted, laughing.
“It will still be a while before we arrive,” Stephen said from behind her. “I have some sweet and sour ribs in the slow cooker. They’re almost done. Would you like to eat with me?”
“I am quite hungry,” Kylie admitted. “Why don’t you let me set the table while you finish up in the kitchen?”
Once the table was set, Kylie found that she still had some time to kill, so she found a pad of paper and began to doodle. It helped her calm her nerves, and after only a few minutes, she discovered that she had an affinity for drawing and, when Stephen returned with the ribs, he was impressed by the picture of a dog that she’d drawn.
She looked at him happily and said, “The dog seems familiar to me. Did we ever have a dog – or maybe I had one before I knew you?”
Stephen thought about it for a second and said, “We’ve never had one, and if you ever had one, you never mentioned it to me… If you want a dog, though, we could get one tomorrow when we’re back at the cabin!”
Kylie frowned and said, “Do we really have to go back so soon? I don’t think that I’ve ever been to Seattle.”
“We must,” Stephen replied, not bothering to remind her that she had been in Seattle many times. “You still have obligations to fulfill for Director Miller,” he said, instead. “Your film is nearly complete, but there are still a few shots left to film. After that, we are free to do whatever we please!”
Kylie smiled. She was anxious to have her time freed up, have a dog, and never have to leave Stephen’s side. He was the only one who seemed to understand her illness, and she couldn’t imagine feeling safe with anyone else.
Everything seemed to be coming together swimmingly except, as Kylie began to eat, she had a disconcerting feeling of déjà vu.
“What’s the matter?” Stephen wondered when he saw the look of uncertainty appear on Kylie’s face. “If you don’t like the food, I can cook you something different. It would not be a problem.”
Kylie forced herself to smile, and she said, “It’s okay. The food is delicious. I just bit my lip. That’s all. No Biggie.”
***
An hour later, it began to rain. The rain quickly began to fall in torrents, and then the wind came. They had hoped to land late that evening but, instead, they’d been forced to shut the engine down, batten down the hatches, and retire to their sleeping quarters.
When Stephen and Kylie went to their room, at first, they tried to sleep. With the waves crashing them this way and that though, it was quite impossible. After trying for quite some time, Kylie finally said, “Fuck it,” and she grabbed her phone from the small desk beside the table and began to play one of the games that she’d downloaded.
Seeing that Kylie had found a way to occupy herself, Stephen got up, stripped naked, and went into the bathroom to have a bath.
Chapter 310: Memory Lost
The storm raged on, and without Stephen in the bed with her, Kylie began to feel afraid. She looked out the window, but the sky had gone black, and she could see nothing. Not wanting to let her unease go, she found a flashlight and shone it out the window. Frowning, she turned the light off. It was only then, as the light dimmed that she thought that she saw someone on the deck. More afraid than ever, she turned the light back on; again, she saw nothing.
In the bathtub, Stephen was obsessively washing his private parts as he thought of the inevitable union that would happen between him and Kylie. He was nervous but excited as well, and just thinking of it brought his soldier to attention.
Once he was sure that he’d properly cleaned himself, he drained the tub, dried himself off, dressed in his pajamas, and returned to the room that he was sharing with Kylie. He was in a good mood, but all that changed when he saw the look on her face. With a face that had gone a greenish shade of white, she looked as though she’d seen a ghost – and she was shivering.
Seeing her that way, Stephen rushed to her, wrapped her in a blanket, and said, “Everything is okay. Please tell me what happened while you were gone.” When he realized that she wasn’t ready to talk yet, he pulled her into the bed, put her on her side, and climbed in behind her. Then, without expecting anything in return, he wrapped his arm around her and continued to comfort her with his gentle words.
They’d laid like this for over an hour; until Kylie’s nerves were settled, and she felt safe once more. With a soft smile on her face, she rolled over and asked him to tell her about the first time that they’d met.
“We met at the bar,” he replied. “You asked me to pretend to be your date. You looked cute and desperate, and I fell in love with you at first sight.”
“And then?” Kylie prompted.
“We drank together, dancing and chatting, until late in the morning. When we were done, you asked if you could come home with me. My house was under construction, so I brought you to Ethan’s house instead. Ethan has always been jealous of our relationship, but he is still one of my friends.”
“Did we have sex for the first time at your friend’s house?” Kylie wondered. “It seems a bit inappropriate, don’t you think?”
“It’s not my fault,” Stephen laughed. “You’re passion knew no limits. You were on a mission to get into my pants. Can you blame me for submitting to your will?”
Kylie rolled her eyes to him and said, “I am sure that that is not EXACTLY how things went down!”
Stephen leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth. It was just a peck, but she seemed receptive, so he kissed her again. Before he could kiss her a third time, though, she pushed him away, covered her mouth, and ran into the bathroom.
Stephen was about to complain, but then he heard her vomiting into the toilet, and his anger turned to sympathy. Gradually, he got out of bed and joined her in the bathroom. Looking into the toilet, he saw chunks of chewed up ribs, and he stretched out his arm to flush the mess into the boat’s septic tank.
Stephen pulled the hair out of Kylie’s face and wrapped it into a ponytail at the back of her head. “Is it indigestion?” he wondered softly. She had vomited so hard, and he saw that she was actually crying. “I should get you some medicine,” he said.
Kylie looked up at him and replied, “I know that you are just trying to help, but I don’t want any medicine. I’ll just sick it up again.”
“Shall we go back to bed then,” Stephen wondered.
Kylie nodded but, before he could lead her away, she said, “I’m sorry but, after being sick, I really just want to sleep by myself. Could you sleep on the couch?”
Hearing this, Stephen’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “But we are a couple,” he argued. “If one of us is sick, the other one must stand by them and never leave them!”
“Be that as it may,” Kylie said, “please, just let me alone.”
Stephen’s head drooped in disappointment. “Alright,” he whispered. “I will go.”
Stephen took some blankets and pillows out of the closet and a book from his desk, and then he left. He wasn’t gone long, though, when he returned with a glass of water. “I understand if you don’t want to eat anything or take any medicine. At the very least, though, you must keep up your electrolytes. Please, drink up this water, and then I will not bother you again.”
Kylie looked into Stephen’s eyes and saw nothing but sincerity, so she took the glass from him and drank it. Once the cup was empty, she handed it back to him, kissed him on the cheek, and told him that she loved him.
***
Once Stephen was gone, Kylie began to hear strange noises outside her window. She walked to the window and carefully put her ear against it. Whatever was out there sounded like someone tapping on metal. She thought about it, and then, against her own judgment, she pushed the window open.
It was only open for a second when a figure half climbed/half fell through the window. He was completely wet and looked more like the girl from The Ring than someone in need of help. When the figure straightened up, though, she recognized the figure immediately. It was from Ethan. And she was afraid.
Ethan looked around the space in disgust. “So this is where you lay with that scoundrel, Stephen!”
It was more of a statement than a question. The man was obviously angry, but she had no idea why. Finally, though, she remembered what Stephen had told her about Ethan, and it suddenly made sense to her. “I know that you are obsessed with me,” she cried, “but breaking into someone’s bedroom is no way to win a person’s heart!”
“Wasn’t Stephen just in your room?” he scoffed. “What’s the fucking difference between him and me?”
“What’s the fucking difference?” Kylie hissed. “Stephen is my husband, and you are not! That is a big fucking difference if you ask me!”
Ethan took a step backward, startled. “Is that what he told you?” Ethan whispered. “Did he also tell you that your first time was at my house?”
“It is,” Kylie replied. “What of it?”
Ethan took three steps forward, and when they were face to face, he said, “I know that you get sick when he kisses you. If you were really married to him, why would that happen? If I kissed you, I doubt that would happen!”
“It was only this one time,” Kylie exclaimed. “It is because I have been seasick. There was no other reason for me to throw up!”
“We’ll see who it is that you truly love,” Ethan shouted as he grabbed Kylie by the shoulders and pulled her so close to him that her breasts mashed against his chest. He tightened his grip on her shoulders so that she could not move, and then he began to kiss her neck, earlobe, clavicle, and finally, her mouth.
Kylie fought him with all that she had, but he was just too strong. He kissed her again and again, and when he grew bored of that, he sucked her lower lip into her mouth and bit down on it hard enough to draw blood. He waited for a moment, and then he forced his tongue into his mouth and sucked her tongue into his mouth.
Ethan moaned her name as he pushed her against the wall and began to grind against her pubic mound. Kylie’s legs became so weak that she could hardly stand. Her strength seemed to have been completely sucked out by the man in front of her.
Ethan ripped her bra open and mashed her breasts with his large hands.
“No!” Kylie cried out suddenly as she sat up in bed. She looked around the room and found Stephen kneeling at her side.
“What’s wrong?” he asked her. “Did you have that nightmare again?”