Page 24 of Eat Me Alive
It is built like tendrils of black smoke that someone just balled up hastily. There are threads reaching for me in the air, giving it features like an arachnid. It is small right now, but I feel it. It is anything but small… Its energy is just leashed, and Iknowthat if it does not hold back, itcandestroy me. Consume me.
My eyes snap open and I am greeted by the imposing figure of the Terra male. The moonlight touches his strong, limber physique. The intimidating etchings covering most of his flesh makes me blink. A normal Xiaoyu reaction to this should be wariness. I am self-aware enough to know I have unfair views regarding tattoos… But with him, it feels like I’m damning myself the more I stare and judge.
When I look at him,Iam the one judged. Not the other way around.
My gaze flickers away from his torso and I focus on his lips instead. It’s a mistake. He is sensually licking the knuckle of his index finger. His eyes are clearer now that I had to hold back a gasp. They glow ever so faintly. Violet eyes.
Momentarily, my brain short-circuits, and I can’t remember his name.
“Can you see now?” I blurted out. I can ask myself the same thing. My sight is unusual.
He is still for a moment before pinching that same index finger and thumb close together.Alittle.
I shuffle around the soft sheets and jump as soon as I see my state of undress.
Immediately, my blood boils. “Why the fuck am I naked?” Covering myself with my hands isn't enough. It’s instinct, to be violent when I see myself on a bed, naked when I know full well I slept with clothes on.
Nobodycan gaslight me into thinking nothing happened. Mother isn’t here, andthe monsteris dead.
The Terra’s name shot around my head like a spray of bullets. Datu. Datu. Datu.
He cocks his head to the side, inhuman in its speed. His expression is unreadable, but I can hear insects buzzing. A branch snaps and I almost collapse in surprise as a centipede the size of a large dog skitters in, something folded atop its segmented body. It came from the darkness, and its body still hasn’t stopped coming through.
How long is it? Jesus.
Datu smiles at the thing, and grabs the fabric. Petting the giant insect’s head, he sends it off its way. Datu brandishes the centipede’s delivery, and my defensiveness falters. It’s a blanket.
He has a small, cheeky smile on his face as he sits himself on the edge of the bed. Reaching out to grab an ankle, he pulls me to him like I weigh nothing. I can’t even claw away. I would have screeched if he didn’t wrap the blanket around me—swaddling me like a newborn.
He then takes my one exposed hand, placing his cheek upon my knuckles. There's contrition in his gaze, but also something tethered. Fury? Disgust?
My eyes catch sight of my ankle. The left one is wrapped in some sort of climber plant. I can’t even remember what happened to it. I guess he had been helping me. Now, I feel extra bad for snapping at him.
“I’m sorry, I’m a little irritable tonight.” My voice is rough. “Thank you for getting me out of there.” Thankful, the dour mood melts away as it settles deep in my gut. I feel absolutely drained now. No more adrenaline to keep me going.
My stomach growls—louder than ever.
Datu’s eyes widen a smidge. He hears my stomach muttering, begging for food, and I just want the earth to swallow me whole.
Straightening from his sprawl, he lays the side of his head over my belly. I am dying in humiliation as it rumbles more. With no permission, whatsoever, he stands and slips his fingers into my mouth, my teeth—an inquiry in his face.
What do you want to eat?
“My body needs food. Anything, really. From fruits to animals, but we need those cooked over fire to get rid of bacteria.” At this point, I’m just guessing what he’s trying to ask. So far, I haven’t been wrong yet.
He looks baffled by this. It takes me a bit of time to understand why, but eventually, it sinks in. He’s literally a plant man. He processes food through photosynthesis. Eating, masticating might be strange to him.
The ground underneath us vibrates before something begins to sprout beside the platform. It grows rapidly, twisting and stretching toward the sky. In less than a minute, it has become a small Ambrosia apple tree. I can’t hide my fascinationas I gasp.
He strolls over and plucks a couple of apples and twirls them around his hands proudly. That’s oddly sweet. I’m ridiculously hungry so I don’t think twice when he hands one to me.
“Thank you, Datu.” I bite into one, and it’s crisp, sweet enough I could drift away.
I’m not sure how it happened, but next thing I know, we are sitting together watching the stars as I finish my second apple. It’s the most I’ve eaten since…since that burger. His serene presence is so infectious that I even forget to watch what I eat.
Mother always guarded what I ate like a hawk. Measured and weighed them. Empress Jia and the weighing scale attached to her hip, the house staff used to joke. Empress Jia and her malnourished kids. Every grain of rice to be consumed, but it had been hard not to. I had always been hungry and asked for more… I always flinch at the memory of her reaction. Needless to say, I learned never to ask for food until she offered.
Growing up, water sustained me more than food did. I guess Datu and I have that in common.
