Nocticadia

by Keri Lake

Calling her beautiful was like calling the sun lukewarm. She’d blazed like the hottest part of a flame in that dress. And fuck me, I’d felt the heat.

“The human body is a magnificent puzzle.”

“Yes, of course, but that’s what makes it fascinating. I want to learn based on that curiosity.” “You are a curiosity in yourself, Miss Vespertine.”

“May I ask a question?” “That is a phrase that will echo in death,” he said, not bothering to look up, and I smiled.

“You’re delving into toddlerhood with all of these questions.”

“I’ve a reputation as Doctor Death. Seems most would be frightened of me.” “I suppose. Though, I don’t find you all that frightening. Grouchy, but not frightening.”

“My grouchy nature serves a purpose, Miss Vespertine. Unfortunately, you seem to have some inexplicable resistance.”

“And so the moth befriended the flame.” “Huh,” I said, falling into step after him. “I didn’t think the flame was capable of being friendly.”

“Well, I suppose you would’ve locked me in that cell, if that were true.” “I suppose I still can. But it’d be a shame to cage a specimen so …” “Intriguing?” “Annoying. Truly, you’d make the worst captive in the history of kidnappings. A pack of howler monkeys would cause less headache.”

“Here, I thought you liked studying moths, the way you carry on in your lectures.” “Depends on the moth I’m studying.” Eyes on me, he pushed to his feet, stumbling back a step.

Be a good little moth, and I’ll fuck you hard.

Please, Professor Bramwell. Fuck me hard.

“And just how does that benefit you as a reader? A voyeur, essentially. You have no intimate connection with these fictional characters.” “Says who? I happen to get very attached to my fictional boyfriends.” Yet another frown. “Boyfriends?” “I read a lot.”

“Then, the puzzle is slowing the speed it metabolizes. How?” “If I knew that, I’d be on a yacht sipping champagne, instead of fielding all of your millions of questions. Again.”

“Or perhaps it’s the sea who fears the depths of you, Miss Vespertine.”

“Jesus. Did you have to take a class to write this bad?”

“No millions of questions tonight?” he asked, staring up at the stars, as we strolled across the yard. Smiling, I lowered my gaze. “Okay, fine. Remember, though, you asked for it. “I take full responsibility.”

“Had I known you were going to blackmail me, I might’ve.” I chuckled. “You don’t strike me as a man who’s easily blackmailed.” “And you don’t strike me as a young woman who longs to sequester herself in an antiquated lab with cadavers and parasites, either. Yet, here we are.”

“I don’t know. I guess I’m still searching for it. I love science. I love learning. And I want to cure Noctisoma someday. Put you out of business.” “Good luck.”

“I guess that’s appropriate, coming from a man I find to be brilliantly antisocial,” I quipped.

“Goodnight, Professor.” “Good night, Miss Vespertine.”

“But nothing. You may be smart, but you sure as fuck say foolish things.”

We were rained in together. Alone. In the dungeon of the building. I was going to be sleeping over with Professor Bramwell. Doctor Death.

“Have you always been so damn stubborn?” “Since the womb, I’m afraid. I was born nine days after my due date.”

“You’ll have to haul my dead rotting corpse there.” “I’m quite familiar with the task.”

“You’re throwing my words back at me.” “They’re fairly wise words.”

“No. I won’t say a word about it. So long as you promise not to leave Dracadia.” I gave a playful smile. “And abandon the opportunity to annoy the hell out of you? Never.” “Good.”

“You’re a sickness inside of me that begs never to be cured. Infecting me with this unshakable craving for things I shouldn’t want.”

“Tell me, Little Moth. Have I ever eaten your pussy in these fantasies?”

“And because I’m a selfish prick who has to live with the fact that I cannot have you to myself, I’m going to ruin you so that any boy who comes after me will leave you deeply unsatisfied, and you’ll be left fucking your own fingers, desperate to remember the time you had your professor’s face between your legs.”

I really was a dumb fucking moth.

Those defiant eyes that matched the fire of her hair, and that smart mouth that had not only mastered the words to get my blood boiling but also the sheer incontestable art of sucking cock.

She was a sorceress. She had to be. What else could possibly explain the toxic poison running through me right then?

She was the warmth of the sun on a cold and rotting corpse. The first breath after a lifetime of death.

Her name was a dirty scalpel plunged deep inside my chest, past crumbling bones and decayed flesh. It pierced the only organ I vowed could never be touched again and infected me with insufferable greed.

if fucking her meant an eternity in hell, I’d welcome damnation with a goddamn smile.

I had to get over it. Over him. It was one night. A night I’d never forget. And nothing more.

“What do you want, Lilia? Want me to proclaim my attraction and fuck you in front of the student body and administration? To let everyone know that I’m so bitterly obsessed with you, I’ve rubbed my dick raw since you left? Maybe I should apologize to the board this afternoon for a half-assed report, because my student’s pussy was all I could think about when I was writing it.”

“We’ll have to be creative. Assuming you’re interested.” “You know damn well I am,” he growled, as if it angered him to admit it.

“If you’re smart, you won’t show.” With a defiant tip of my chin, I stared back at him. “And if you want me as much as you claim, you will.”

“If you ever show up to class like this, I’ll take you aside and spank your bare ass.” “Is that a threat, or a promise?”

“You don’t want to know what you do to me, Little Moth.”

“You taste like innocence, Lilia. A good man would walk away from you right now.” “Are you a good man?”

“Then take what you want.” Brows furrowed, he stared down at me. “You’re certain of this.” “Yes. I’m certain.”

“I don’t share. If anyone else so much as looks at this pussy, I’ll take pleasure in dissecting him, starting with his eyeballs.”

“I won’t fuck you again tonight. But I will fuck you again.”

“Jealousy is a callow schoolboy’s emotion that ends in hard feelings and bloody noses. What I feel for you, Miss Vespertine, would destroy lives.”

A beautiful complexity that was as pure and thrilling as it was forbidden.

“The decision was made the moment I met you, though. To stay here. I choose you.”

“I feel like I should hate this parasite more than I do. Everything about it fascinates me, though.” I sighed. “Welcome to my world.”