Chapter 03

“...”

“Hey.”

“...”

“Say something, will you?”

“...”

“I-it’s not like I’m doing this because I want to, you know?”

“YOU LIAR!” Lily, laying in bed, after simply giving me the silent stink eye, exploded on me. “THERE’S A CREEPY SMILE ON YOUR FACE RIGHT NOW!”

“This is just my resting face”, I replied.

“Huuhhhh?! Who the hell has a perverted smile as their default?!”

“I mean, this is just my normal smile.”

“Then you admit you’re enjoying this?!”

“Well, no.. I… uh…” I averted my eyes as I couldn’t give a straight answer.

“YOU CREEP! PERVERT! SCUM!”

But, all she could do right now is throw verbal assaults as her arms and legs were tied at multiple points.

Her hands were tied to the wrists by a ribbon.

Her arms were tied to her sides by a rather large ribbon around her elbows.

Her knees and her ankles were also tied together by a ribbon.

There was even a large bow on the ribbon around her torso. All of the ribbons were red as well, so she seemed like a rather kinky Christmas gift.

In a way, I could understand the way she’s acting right now. It seemed like an embarrassing situation after all, unless it was some kind of play. And we were not doing some kinky play.

She was still fully dressed in a long sleeved shirt and jeans. She hadn’t even taken her socks off and was wearing cotton gloves. She tried hiding as much skin as possible and the only part she didn’t cover up was from the neck and up.

I was also dressed, too. Although, I was only donning a t-shirt and shorts.

The ribbons were not intentional. We could not find any rope and that was all we could get in a short notice.

There wasn’t even an air of romance or anything. (If situations like these had one).

In fact, she would probably be kicking me right about now if her feet weren’t tied. The best she could do is clumsily swing both of her legs at me.

I was still in the process of tying her feet so this has caused the ribbon to come loose.

“This was your idea”, I protested as I tried securing the ribbon on her feet.

“And I’m regretting it now!” she said as she struggled some more, violently shifting side to side. “Untie me right now!”

“But then what are you going to do if you transform again tonight?”

That question caused Lily to stay still. But, she kept silent, simply keeping still as she laid on her stomach and her face buried onto a pillow.

“I thought my house was safe because my dad is on a business trip and my mom worked night shifts.”

“...” No answer still.

“Then, how are you going to explain to your dad or your brothers if you start assaulting them?”

“...”

She replied something, but as she hadn’t moved from her position, I couldn’t make out what was said due to her face still being buried onto a pillow.

“What?” I asked so I could hear her answer. But, without hearing a follow up, I jokingly say, “I guess you’re fine with incest.”

The quip caused Lily to lie on her side and swing her foot, which had come loose from the ribbon, towards me. It hit my leg, but it felt more like a tap.

“I get it already!” she rebuked. “Stop it with your perverted fantasies!”

“Alright, I’ll be fixing the ribbon on your feet”, I stated, ignoring the last part of her comment.

“Once you’re done, hand me my phone”, she said.

After completing my task, I did what I was told and took her smartphone out of her purse, which was on top of the study desk.

With her phone in her hand, she says, “Just so we’re on the same page.”

“Yeah?”

“We’re only doing this in your room, although I don’t really like it, because we don’t know if I’m going to transform again and attack people.”

“You mean kiss people. And aggressively”

“Shut up, you don’t need to specify it!” Lily scolded, red-faced. “And, like you say, although I don’t really like you saying it, my family is at home right now, and I don’t want to risk attacking them if I do transform.”

“Because you retain your memories during the transformations and don’t like the idea of french kissing your dad or brothers.”

“Shut up! Don’t spell it out!” Lily rebuked, still red-faced.

I thought she wanted us to be on the same page, but I kept that to myself.

“So now, even though I really really don’t like it, I’m going to sleep on your bed with my hands and my feet bound with a camera recording…”

She paused but seemed like she still had something to say so I stayed quiet.

“You know what? I’m really having second thoughts about this. How do we even know I’m going to transform again?”

“How do we know you won’t?” I countered. “You’ve already transformed twice today. Some time before noon, and some time after class around six. We don’t know if that was the last of it, or if you’re going to transform after six hours based on the current pattern.”

Lily remained unconvinced, however.

“I mean, I get that we’re doing this to see if I'm going to transform again, but my main issue is we’ll be sleeping together”, she said.

“But I’m taking the couch? We’re not even going to sleep in the same room.”

“But, we’re still going to sleep under the same roof. If you sleep outside, then I might go through with the plan”, she said without a hint of humor.

“It’s my house, though”, I declared. “You're free to go back home and slip your tongue into your brother's mouth.”

“Ugh”, she voiced out, realizing I had the upper hand.

She then typed into her smartphone. The artificial tapping sound filled the air for a moment.

“If you try anything, I have a text message ready to send my big brother to come here and beat you up”, she said, looking dead serious.

“I’ll keep that in mind”, I replied as I placed a blanket on top of Lily, covering her entirely up to her head.

“Hey!” She tried protesting, but I was already busying myself checking on the room.

The cups of salt we placed on each window beforehand were still there.

The video camera we had set up to see if she transforms while we were asleep is recording.

There was also a cup of salt I was going to place outside the bedroom door, which is already in place.

I didn’t talk to her even after surfacing her head out of the blanket until I said good night, but I didn’t wait for her to greet me back. It was only half past nine, but I couldn’t wait to sleep. The two incidents earlier from the day seem to have taken more energy from me than I had thought.

But, I still had to make a wreath of garlic. I was going to wear it in my sleep. I hadn’t had time to prepare it beforehand.

Lily and I spent the time in between now and the last incident talking about ifs, whats and maybes regarding what's going on with her. We could only come up with guesses.

A vampire? A succubus? Or something else?

Without any concrete clues, the best we could do right now is to tie Lily up and, if that doesn’t work, hope garlic or salt can deter the monster she turns into from attacking anyone.

Particularly me.

Unfortunately, I would find out more later.

I accidentally dozed off while I was sitting on the dining table putting together that wreath of garlic.

I felt something pulling the back of my collar, and I felt like my head was being lifted up. I was aware, but I thought I was dreaming this.

Then, the force pulling me suddenly left, and my head slammed onto the table due to the law of gravity.

That was when I fully woke up.

I was confused, but I recognized Lily standing beside me.

She was wearing a warm smile on her face.

“What are you doing there?” she asked in a soft voice.

Instinctively and drowsily, I answered, “Ah crap, I’m not done with the garlic yet.”

“You don’t have to finish it”, she said. And, in a pleading way, she added, “It's already late, come to bed with me.”

That woke me up more than a strong cup of coffee would, and instantly.

No way she would ever say that to me. Not even as a joke.

I rub my eyes to get a better look at her.

Despite still being bound, Lily had turned again and appeared before me.