Chapter 22 #2
“This might work for us normal folk, but it does almost nothing for you,” I mutter after minutes of effort yield zero results.
If anything, his fever is raging even stronger.
The only thing I can think of is to submerge his entire body in ice-cold water, then change it regularly when it warms up. And for that I need to take him to the washroom.
The issue is moving him…
“Nykander, can you move?” I ask as I cup his cheek.
His lids flutter open, but his gaze is unfocused.
“Can you stand?”
There’s a haze over his eyes, but as I show him what I mean, pulling on his arms, he staggers to a standing position.
He’s not conscious—I don’t think so. His big body is propped against mine as I move one step at a time.
He vastly overpowers me, so I lean against the wall to bear his weight better, but that means our progress is minimal.
It must be half an hour before we reach the washroom. Once inside, I leave him on the ground next to the pool while I fiddle with the temperature controls. The water is as cold as it can get, but it’s still not as icy as I would have wished for.
Agh! It’s at moments like this that I wish I had some abilities. It would have made everything so much easier.
Alas, I must work with what I have.
While the pool fills with water, I go to Nykander’s side.
“Nykander,” I call out his name as I shake his shoulders vigorously. “You’re burning up and you need to get into the pool.”
He murmurs something unintelligible, his eyes as hazy as before.
“I’m going to take your shirt off.”
He doesn’t answer, still looking at me as if he doesn’t recognize me.
Unbuttoning his shirt, I slide it off his body and place it to the side.
My gaze is half averted as I try not to look too closely at his bare chest. Yet the next step fills me with anxiety. I cannot take off his pants. But when he gets out of the pool, the wet clothing will cling to his body for hours and might make his condition worse.
My heart thuds in my chest as I bring my hands to the waistband of his pants. Swallowing hard, I undo the first button. As I move to the next, his hands suddenly cover mine.
“No!” He suddenly calls out in a sluggish voice.
“Nykander, I need to take off your pants so you can go inside the pool to cool off,” I explain gently.
“N-no,” he mumbles. “Only her, this is only for her.”
I frown, trying to make sense of his words. What is for whom?
His hands suddenly fall to the side though and he stops talking.
I take advantage of this small break and quickly undo the rest of the buttons before pulling his pants down his legs. It’s not easy as he starts moving, purposefully making it difficult for me to take them off.
Eventually, the pants are off him, and though I try not to look at his naked form, I’m grateful he’s wearing underwear. It’s my first time being in the vicinity of a male in such a state of undress, and I can’t help but feel a little worried, especially given my previous qualms.
He’s unconscious, Moe. He can’t hurt you.
That’s right. He’s sick and appears to be in a state of confusion. I doubt anything nefarious could cross his mind at this time.
All right. Now to get him into the pool.
Grabbing his shoulders, I try to pull him into a sitting position so I can slide him into the pool. He’s still burning up, and I now see that his entire body is just as hot.
As I pull his arms forward, his eyes suddenly flare open, his pupils large and…focused on me?
Before I can say anything or explain the situation, he reverses our positions. He pulls on my sleeve, bringing me toward him. My foot slips on the wet ground, and I fall on top of him. But not for long.
One turn, and I’m under him.
“Nykander? It’s me, Moe,” I say quickly.
He stares at me, his brows knit tightly in confusion.
“M-Moe?”
“Yes, yes. It’s Moe. You’re sick. You need to get in the pool so your temperature goes down.”
He doesn’t seem to understand my words. He continues to stare at me intently. A tremor goes down my body as I realize how precarious my position is.
He’s nearly naked. On top of me.
“Nykander, please,” I whisper and push against him. But he’s like a wall, not budging at all.
His palm comes to rest on my cheek, his thumb pressing against my bottom lip.
“Moe?” His voice is low and unsure.
“Yes, yes. It’s me, Moe.”
“Moe!” His tone gains urgency, and it sounds almost like a cry for help. But before I can ask what’s wrong with him, he leans forward.
My eyes widen, and just as he’s about to... about to…
I quickly turn my face to the side. His lips skim my cheek, his mouth half open as he slides a wet trail across my chin and down my neck.
W-what?
What’s happening? What is he doing?
“Nykander, stop!” I call out, still trying to push at his shoulders.
My words fall on deaf ears. He continues pressing his hot, wet mouth against my skin in odd motions I don’t understand.
It’s not so much unpleasant as it is shocking.
No one’s been this close to me; no one has ever touched me this way.
For a moment, that thought freezes me in place.
I don’t know what to do, how to stop him or make him understand this is wrong.
He drags his lips lower, down my clavicle and to my exposed chest. And then…
A gasp flies out of me as I feel the wetness of his mouth through the material of my dress. Right over my breast.
“Nykander, please stop,” I mutter again, attempting to shove him with more strength.
It doesn’t work.
Panic slowly builds inside of me: the accumulation of all of my previous fears and scenarios is right now becoming a reality. I should have left when I had the chance. I should have…
My eyes widen in terror as I feel something else against my lower body. Something hard and poking against my belly.
I might not have experience with males, but I have read plenty to know what that means and how much danger I am in right now.
Channeling all my strength into my arms, I put all my fears and my frustrations in one last shove. A shocked expression dawns on his face right before he falls backwards, into the pool.
I breathe heavily for a few seconds as I try to get myself together. But even after what happened I cannot leave him like this: face down in the pool to drown.
Rolling up my sleeves, I reach into the pool and grab his shoulders. I pull him toward the edge and help him sit on the lower stairs so the water covers him up to his chin.
His eyes are closed now, and there’s barely any reaction from him. Due to the slackness in his body, I can only continue holding him to the edge so he doesn’t fall forward.
For hours.
Damn it, Moe! What did you get yourself into?
Perhaps I could still leave… But I don’t think my conscience would allow me to live on without knowing he’s fine.
“I’ll stay, Nykander,” I murmur, my voice tired. “For now.”
But the moment I find another opportunity, I’m gone, I promise myself.