In Your Veins

Chapter 9

"Hello again, my love," his voice croons from somewhere in my head.

Khiere is in my head. He's in my head, literally. I don't know how he got there, and I don't know why, I just want him out of there.

"That's not a very nice thing to say, you know. Do you know how much work I've done, just so we can be together?"

What? No, I don't want this at all! Can...can he hear my thoughts?

"Why don't you ask me that, instead of thinking it to yourself?"

Can...can you hear my thoughts, Khiere?

"Yes, dearest. I didn't nestle myself in your brain just to be locked out of your thoughts."

What the fuck?

"Language."

I have to go lie down.

"Ooh, good idea. This must be a lot to take in, huh?"

I have to go lie down WITHOUT you!

"No can do. We're a package deal now. Isn't this exciting? Isn't this genius? This way, we can live together forever like we were always meant to!"

I feel queasy and weak. This...this could still be a bad dream, right? A bad dream...

"Alette. I can still hear what you're saying."

None of this is real. Just go back to bed. The tentacle wasn't real, Khiere's voice in my head definitely isn't real, none of it is. I'm just hallucinating.

"Alette!"

Going back to bed. Shutting systems down. Not thinking about anything anymore.

"Oh, Alette...it's alright. This is tough to get used to, huh?"

...

"Okay then. We can talk more when you wake up. See you then, my love."