At The End Of Their Tunnel Vision

Chapter XX

Amorous thrill fluttered her chest as if her heart was caressed by a warm hand, followed by the flush on her cheeks. And it appeared Elliot felt and apprehend her embarrassment as he chuckled but his cheeks were also dusted with freckles of blush. She tried covering her face but his other hand holding her cheeks prevented her from doing the cover.

"Who the f**k are you? My Elli will never say something nice like that. Where's my grumpy roommate?"

Elliot's lips curved into a wicked smirk. That smirk definitely stirring sensation within her. "Heh, why are you so surprised? Do you really think I am incapable of yielding nice words?"

She wanted to scream yes so badly at him. Her cheeks were about to combust. But she held herself from recreating the idea in her head for a chance of provoking her roommate. Now should be the right time for distraction. Think goddamnit!

"Fine you win smartass," she said, even snarking at him. "What should I do, oh wise one with my newly discovered dependency on the medicine that no longer works on me." Tugging her hands in his grip and sat up.

And like a spell it worked, his mischievous demeanor shifted back from his usual grumpy expression. "Tone down the sass." He grunted.

This was better.

Elliot stood up and took a seat at the vacant space beside her. "You were a mess earlier. Are you in sound mind now?"

"Yeah, sorry about that." She didn't want to undergo another roller coaster ride of emotional turbulence. Pulling both of legs up towards her chest, hugging her limbs before placing her chin on top of her knees.

"Good, now that you are emotionally exhausted we can proceed on having a decent conversation. About your predicament it appears you need to seek out help from the professionals."

Narelle stared at her roommate and she didn't like the certainty in his eyes. These professionals, these people were nothing but strangers, strangers that could be potential threats to her freedom. They would ask questions she didn't want anybody else knowing.

"It is just a suggestion, Narelle," he said followed by an audible huff.

"I barely trust you, Elliot and you're suggesting that I should trust random people about my past?" she snorted, taunting the mere idea of her roommate.

Elliot's scowl deepened, clearly offended at her response. But his eyes glowered with determination. "Yes, if these people can help you even if you have to trust them more than anything else, including me. So be it."

It was strange hearing somebody else, to be so selfless. She bowed her head in shame, hiding her face from the man that was determined in helping her. Sometimes she doubted if the man beside her was truly corrupted, when there were times he acted like a saint.

That's why she felt disgusted whenever she greedily gobbled up every kindness he served her. It only proved no matter how hard she tried denying that part of her, in the end she would be reminded of who she really was; a succubus. A weak, pathetic creature that heavily relied on other people in order to survive.

"I'll think about it." She mumbled. "But then again I have other things to think about. Like what I'm gonna do now that the medicines are no longer suppressing my hunger." Just thinking about feeding on somebody raked her whole body by nauseating chill.

Narelle sucked in another deep breath and sigh. There was no way in hell she's gonna feed again, but she couldn't hold her hunger for too long either. She craned her head to her side, now leaning her cheeks on top of her knees. Elliot's full attention was on the phone at the moment. The creases between his brows laxed a bit while his eyes moved from left to right from scanning on the screen.

If what she saw from the portrait Irene showed her was Elliot's past self, the only significant features she could compare was the color of his eyes when he was in his happy state. Of course that portrait depicted his former self; an angel, untouched by any blemish. A creature gifted with perfect features, high chiseled cheekbones matched by an angular jawline, prominent straight eyebrows with wide-set eyes equally aligned by a nose a bit crooked in the middle bridge but straight like a roman nose, and thin upper lips but balanced by wider lower lips. She was even sure Elliot's former self had a thick silky blond mane like a soft golden wool.

But the man beside her was reformed by corruption. Changing the former angelic features into something foreign and intimidating. She wondered if he saw the portrait? Was that the cause of his self-consciousness? Did he ever feel disgusted with what he became, knowing he had a better version of himself before?

But the question was, did she like that version?

The answer was obvious. Although that angel was the embodiment of the physical features she always found attractive, she was compelled by Elliot's unique allure. He was like a tough cookie to bite. But once the piece of that cookie crumbles melted it actually tasted good.

She was definitely hungry if she just used food as a reference.

Her attention drifted back towards the dark angel, openly staring at him. His eyes were dyed into a darker shade of blue, indicating his sour mood. What's getting under his skin this time? Soon his hands dropped on his lap, slumping down on the couch almost imitating a new boiled noodle.

"What?" he asked without looking at her.

"Are you chatting with someone just now?"

A simple ding alert came from his phone indicating that whoever her roommate was having a cyber argument sent a reply. Elliot didn't make any effort to check the reply as he turned off the phone or answered her.

For a moment Elliot remained still, motionless as if he entered a state of standstill. With his lids closed she gained confidence of moving closer to him. Even the disturbance from her gradual creeping didn't deter him, did he fall asleep?

Her sight caught by the hypnotic luminous line markings under his eyes all the way down his cheeks. Her index finger hovered beside his cheeks, indecisive if she should follow her urge to poke his cheek. His cheeks appeared to be squishy or her eyes were tricking her with how smooth his ebony skin looked.

But she stopped when Elliot's masculine woody scent mingled with the smoky scent of spice hit her nose. Her urge shifted into an intoxicated desire to be close, no–closer on the source of the stimulating scent. She carefully grabbed the fabric on the shoulder of her roommate's sweater.

Unfortunately that seemed to bother him. "What the actual f**k are you up to now, Narelle."

This time she hugged his side, leaning her whole face on the fabric to hide the growing blush on her face. She was waiting for a tug, push or any resistance as she waited, clutched from her roommate's side but none of that happened. Instead what she got was light pats on her head.

"You smelled nice." She mumbled. "It's making me hungrier."

"That is actually–concerning." This time when he tried pulling away from her hug, she only clung tighter. "Damn it! Hold your s**t together, will you. Get off. I am being summoned by my employer."

But she refused to let him go. "Then why are you sleeping if you have an urgent meeting?"

"I am only resting for a bit. You know that I do not sleep anymore."

"Do you really have to leave?"

"Yes, I must. Besides, you appeared to be acting up again. I am reluctant about helping you this time, especially after hearing your opinion on feeding. Use the time to think this through while I am gone."

Narelle finally let her roommate go. A bit disappointed he couldn't stay any longer beside her, plushed on her body. She immediately shook her head trying to wake up from the foggy daze she was submerged into.

When she looked up her roommate was no longer beside her.

Now she understood what he meant. Her hunger was obviously affecting even her train of thoughts, she was only getting even worse as she continued holding her hunger.

Hunger

The ultimate bane of her existence. She hated how the necessary part of survival was now the root of all of her problems today.

She retreated within the confines of her room. Grabbing her phone before she dropped ungracefully on her bed. After a few swipes on the screen of her phone she began tapping, placing the mobile on top of her stomach, now she waited. Of course it didn't take minutes when her phone began the ringtone she set up for the incoming call.

"What mistake? What happened now, deary?"

Narelle began explaining everything, even the dreaded part where she fed on Elliot. Everything. And Vicky remained silent while unraveling everything she had weighed on her chest. She didn't care if her only female friend hated her afterwards, she just needed another person that knew her to talk with.

"You're an i***t!"

"I know."

"Stupid!"

"I know."

"A total immature!"

"I am."

"I thought you trusted me." A sob could be heard on the other line. At this point she was also crying.

"I do! I do trust you, Vicky. I just don't want to bother you anymore with my hung ups. After a long time you finally found someone who fearlessly accepted you. I just, I just can't. I'm so sorry."

"Narelle! You are so lucky I'm miles away right now doing Luna duties. Because I swear if I'm right there I have plucked all of your hair out of your head."

"I'm sorry. Please don't. I need my hair."

"Argh! Ok. Fine. I'll postpone berating you for now. But don't relax yet, I'm not quite done with you." She heard her take deep breaths. "So you need advice with your present problem?"

"Yeah."

"I'll be frank with you, Narelle but your roomie is right. You badly need the therapy. But I know you're still having a hard time talking about your past or trusting other people in general. Then again you're left with no other choice, unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Unless you feed again."

"No!"

"What else can you do about your hunger genius?"

"I don't want to feed on anybody, Vicky."

"It is inevitable. You need to feed, whether you like it or not. It is your basic essential. BASIC ESSENTIAL, do I have to spell it out to you?"

Vicky sounded so pissed at her right now. Which was understandable from the stubborn defiance.

"Are there no other alternatives?"

"Hmm? What if you don't have to feed on anybody else? But solely on one person alone, a benefactor who's willing to provide for you."

"They went willing because of the effects, Vics. You know this. It's like a one time use product. If I continue feeding on the same person I'll be dealing with a love-stuck fool."

"I'm talking about the person who's already willing, Narelle. Your roomie. Elliot seems unaffected from the after effects, he will be the perfect candidate, the only candidate anyway."

Elliot?

Just thinking about her roommate again brought a heat bloom on her cheeks.

"It's just one time!"

"Oh, come on. Really? You don't like it either? Well I'm lost Narelle. He's the only person I know, except you start mingling with rando, which you totally detested. Your roomie is really your only option in this predicament."

"What if–"

"Argh! Don't even start with your bullshit second-guessing, not every situation is the same from before. We're talking about an entirely different person, in a different situation. Narelle, please stop being so hung up with your past."

"I'll think about it."

"Please do."

After that Vicky told her the plan of meeting up with her on this Sunday. Her best friend was still mad at her by withholding too much information and a phone call apology wasn't enough for her. When Vicky was done berating her, she was finally left alone with silence.

Narelle was left with two choices, feeding on random people or on her roommate?