Wheurnedhome,Reyawasstilllyinginbed.
Hequietlypushedthedooropenandpressedthebackofhishandtoherforehead.Cooltothetouch.Herfeverhadlikelybroken.
Herfacealeitseemedalmosttranslut,makingherdelicatefeaturesstandoutlikethoseofalittlepixie.
Lusatontheedgeofthebed,staringather,momentarilylostinthought.
Whydidhethinkshelookedlikeapixie?Shewasclearlythelittleangelhecaredaboutthemost.
"Dad,you''''''''reback."
Reya''''''''seyesflutteredopen,herdelicateshescastingafaintshadowonhercheeks.
Lusofhisreverieandpattedherhead.
"Feelier?Didyoutakeyourmedie?"
Reyanoddedobediently.
"Moxicalledatnoon.Nooneanswered.Didyougoouttoday?"
"Iatelunchoutside."
Notalie.Herstomachhadbeenfilledtobursting,stretchedtaut.
"Iboughtyourfavoritesweetpeandsteamedbuupasomething."
"Dad,feedme."
Luleaneddownandkissedherforehead."Okay."
Reyadidn''''''''twanttomove.Herbodystilched,especiallybackthere,araw,stingingthrob.Herinsideshadbeeied,scrubbedinawaythatmadeherothinkabout.Justthememorymadehermusclesspasm.
Shewouldneverfoolishlygolookingforthemagain.Theyhadnoiingivingherwhatshetrulyneeded.Afterallthatordeal,shewasleftwithonlyamerescrap,andinside,sheremainedjustashollow.
***
NotjustReyafelthollowinside.
SilverRingsatinabar,aheavilymade-upwomaninhisp—curvy,hisusualtype.Layersofperfume,sticky-sweetlipglossturningbitterunderhistongue.
Forthefirsttimeinhislife,hecouldn''''''''tgethard.
Herefusedtobelieveit.Heswitchedwomen,evenpaidforavirgin.
Themadam''''''''spromiseofavirginwasclearlybullSh1T.
Thewomanwasyoung,remblinglikealeafjustfromhisgaze.Yetdespiteitall,hefeltnosparkofdesire,onlyahollowindifference.
Frustrated,hecalledCo.
Atanotherclub,hefoundhisfrienddrowninghissorrowsalone.
Formen,thiskindofproblemwashumiliatingtoadmit.ButonelookatCo''''''''sdefeatedexpression,andheknew:sameissue.
Theydrankuntilcelooseheirtongues.
Coswirledhisbeer,rememberingthesamebrandfizzinginsideReya.Heatpooledlowinhisgut.
"Howlonghasitbeensinceshestcametous?"Hesoundedlikeajiltedlover.
"Sheonlycameonce,"SilverRingremindedhim.
Butthatoimehadleftthemweak-kneedfordays.Theirlegstrembledliketheywerewalkingonclouds,unsteadyaless.Ittookforeverfortheworldtofeelsolidagain.
Coturnedhalfway,leaningagainstthebarashisfingerssweptacrosstheroom,azysusofeveryresent.
"Lookatthesetrashyskanks.Notasione."
SilverRingdidn''''''''targue.
Theywalloweduntilhehadanepiphany:
"Ifshewon''''''''tetous...whydon''''''''twegotoher?"
***
Reyathoughtshewasfreeofthem.
Thenthefamiliarcarpulledupbesideher.
SittioSilverRing,shetrembled,thoughdeepihetwodormantenergiesstirred.
Afaint,intoxigstfilledthecar.Bothmenrealized,withvisceralrelief,thatacertainpartofthemhadfinallywoken.
Bythetimetheyreachedtheirdestination,theywerepainfullyswollen.
"Didyus?"SilverRingdemanded.
Reyashookherhead,fused.
"Thenwhy—"Hecuthimselfoff.Nopointadmittinghisearlier...difficulties.
Thistime,Reyaresisted.Buttheystillstrippedherbare,seargforthesecretofherallure.
Whyshewaslikeadrug,leavingthemuselesswithouther?
Theydidn''''''''tgetfarbeforehungeroverrodecuriosity.
Nofihistime.Justtaking.
Reyakonthebed,trappedbetweenthem.HermouthwasstuffedfullbySilverRing,stretchedtothelimit,eachthrusthittihroatuntilbreathingbecameadistantmemory.
Yetthiscruelgamewasstillbetterthaernatives—theicewater,thescaldingwater,thebeerfloodsthey''''''''dfortoherbefore.
Atleastwhenitwasover,shecouldslowlygatherthefadingtraces,sgingwispsofwarmthtofillthehollowaside.
Butthisdrip-fedreliefwasagonizinglyslow.
InstinctscreamedatReyatotakeitaltoeuntiltheemptinessshattered.Anewhungerawokeinher,primandravenous,coilingthroughherbodylikeariptideinpitch-bckwaters.Itsurgedwithaforcethatthreateodevoureverything.
Finally,asbothmengrewsluggish,theirmovementsheavywithexhaustion,Reya''''''''spatienapped.
Thepowershifted.
Nolohetremblingprey,sheseizedtrol,herhandsnowsteeringtheirbodieslikeapuppeteerregherstrings.Whathadbeentheirgamebecameherfeedingground.
Cowasshockedbyhersuddehusiasm.Shehadbeenpassivebefore,tentativefrominexperienowshemovedwithahuhatseemedtowanttoehim.
Maybethelittlewomanwasn''''''''tasnaiveassheseemed.
ReyakeptkissingSilverRing,butwithhereyesclosed,shesawtheirauras—twoglowingesilhouettesinthedark.
WhereherbodyjoihCo,thecolorfredbrightest.
Shechedtight—
Agutturalgroantorefromtheman''''''''sthroatascolorfulfireworksdetonatedinsideher,sendingprismaticshockwavesalongeverynerve.
Invisiblethreadsofenergyiuggedinsistently,pulling,drawing,ing.
Cofelthimselfattheedge,uoresist,asthoughhundredsoftinymouthswithinheringhimdry.
Somethingwasoff.Hetriedtocallout—
Butnosoundcame.
SilverRing,lostinReya''''''''skiss,remainedunaware.
Then—
Snap.
Asoundlikeathreadbreaking.
Reyarexedhergrip.
Inthedarkness,onlyeglowremained.