Mari: Year One [Completed]

Chapter Twenty-One: Start Again

"You're not kidding are you?" Jessamine said, wide eyed in bed. Mari had told her all about her exploits, and the 'two' months she was gone was actually just a day or so.

"An old god? Like from a different culture?" Jessamine asked, and Mari nodded.

"And you ate him?"

"Yeah, well... I had to. Otherwise, I might be hankering for human flesh. I even bought his meat back as my go to supply."

"Gross. But it's better than you having to chow down on some criminal, don't you at least ask them to take a bath first?"

"Uhm, is that necessary?" Mari asked.

"Yes, because I kiss those lips of yours." Jessamine said matter-of-factly.

"So, should I bathe with them first before I eat them or..?"

"Oh don't you dare, sister, you just got home, remember that. Explanation or not, two months are two months!" Jessamine pointed at her angrily.

"So pick a lane, dummy." Mari asked in mocking exasperation, "I either eat them, whether they have or have not bathed, or I bathe with them to ensure that my lips only touch clean and bathed skin, even if it's for my..err..."

"Special dietary needs." Jessamine said with a straight face.

"Yes, that."

"I can't–you know what, fine. Just make sure you bathe every time to disembowel a stupid criminal or something." Jessamine finished nonchalantly.

"That works, but there will be no disemboweling, dismembering, decapitating, decaffeinating, deodorizing or dehydrating of criminals for a while." Mari assured her, glancing at the fridge which was rife with Moussamo's flesh.

"Now, I need you to answer an important question that's been bugging me after you told me of your... special case." Jessamine said with a serious face.

Mari braced, ready to answer any question, yet she couldn't help but feel dread.

"I want complete honesty from you, Marinelle."

"Uh.." she flailed for a bit "You have my word."

"Okay, so... did you or did you not beat the living tar out of Ricardo, which led to him having injuries and bandages?"

"Talk to my lawyer!" Mari said at once, smiling while Jessamine pinned her down to the bed in faux irritation.

"Don't you ever leave again, Marinelle." Jessamine told her, and Mari nodded solemnly.

"So, Jollibee?" Mari asked, her hands still pinned by Jessamine, who she could easily overpower, but where's the thrill in that?

"No, round 4 first."

"Still insatiable, I see."

"You've got 2 months to catch up on, Mari. Get to it." Jessamine said as she lowered her face to Mari's.