He was either awake or falling in and out of consciousness, his mind sluggishly navigating a dreamscape. With the amount of sedative pulsing through his blood, there was no way to be sure which.
Left to his own devices and unsure of his fate, his mind wandered to anything that promised comfort. If he thought hard enough, he could almost imagine his head relaxing in the lap of a beautiful woman while she stroked his hair. She would hum a soft tune or whisper sweet nothings into his ear.
His chaste thoughts turned indecent when he imagined what it would feel like to have her lips so close to his ear. Her breath would tickle the small hairs as she spoke and he would crane his neck to give her access to his throat.
She would mock him for being so wanton as her hair fell over him, its feather soft ends tickling his skin and sending shivers straight down to his dick. It would be indecent the way he ached for her.
His breaths became ragged and he urged his hand to move–
“Brooks?”
He froze, his racing mind pulling from the fantasy and searching for the voice.
“Brooks? Is that you?”She tried again.
“Um–” He cleared his throat. “Siren?”
“What are you doing?”
“I, uh,” he stammered as his cheeks flamed. “I’m lying here.”
“Where?”
“To be honest? I’ve no idea.”
“How…”she started.
Brooks interrupted before she could finish that thought. “Don’t ask. It’s a long story and I don’t have all of the answers.”
“Oookay.”
The silence was awkward as fuck and embarrassment was riding his coat tails.
“I feel like maybe this was a bad time. Should I go?”Her voice was strained.
“No– shit, I’m sorry. I’m a little off my game,” he admitted.
“Oh, there is no way the great charmer is thrown off his game. It’s impossible. Who are you and what have you done with Brooks?”Her light teases warmed his chest.
“You’re so funny, Siren.” He tried to sound put out, but it was hard with her.
“What could possibly have made the great flirt fall from his throne?”
“You think you’re so fucking funny don’t you?” He quipped.
Her only response was a laugh– a real laugh. Not a chuckle or a huff, a real laugh that starts deep in the belly and you’ve no control over the way it sounds when it leaves your lips.
“Something shifted today, and I can’t name it or identify it. But something changed in the asylum today. There was this girl…”
“Oh?”Her tone was oddly neutral.
“She came in out of nowhere and was a complete train of destruction. And then there were berries. Fresh ripe berries I’ve never seen before and–” he stopped as frustration flared. He couldn’t form a complete sentence to save his life.
What the fuck was wrong with him?
“You know what, I can see that you’re struggling and am going to do you a favor. You can thank me later, okay?”More mocking.
“Whatever, Siren.”
