Besides the fact I think I'm losing my fucking mind. I thought I heard him speaking to me but his lips weren't moving so unless he is a freakin' ventriloquist something is seriously wrong.
"Nothing is wrong with you." He moves closer to me. "No hypothermia, no weird bat disease, no head injury."
His hand comes out and he runs his knuckles up the side of my cheek causing me to gasp at his touch. It's so warm. I didn't realize I was so cold before he touched me. The thought brings to my attention how little I'm wearing. I'm in an old threadbare shirt that I'm pretty sure you can see right through.
I gasp again and pull the covers up to my chin. Was he the person who undressed me? Are we the only two people here, wherever here is?
"No need to worry. You should try to keep your heart rate down if you can. Stress is not good for your kind."
My kind. What the hell does he mean by 'my kind'? Is that a derogatory comment about women? I don't care how attracted to him I am, I'm not putting up with misogynistic bullshit.
"Please, I’ll try to explain. I just want you to rest. You needed so much when I found you: hydration, food. You don't take proper care of yourself."
"I take perfect care of myself." It was a slur to women. I frown at him trying to look all proper even in nothing but a shirt while sitting in bed. "It’s not like I can't skip a meal or two and no one's going to notice."
I do have a horrible habit of getting wrapped up in things and forgetting to eat but I'm in no fear of blowing away in the wind because of it either. I'm a very curvy girl. Something causes the floor to shake under me and I swear to God I hear a growl coming from somewhere. "Oh shit, is that an earthquake?"
I grab for him forgetting the sheet and modesty wanting something solid to hold on to. The man beside me appears to not have felt anything unusual. He doesn't even blink, which is weird because if I didn't blink for as long as he's not blinking I would be tearing up by now. He shocks me when his hand wraps around my throat and he tilts my head back. His eyes are glowing again.
"You will not think of yourself the way you are thinking now. You...are perfect." The way he says the word perfect makes me think of old monster movies where they tell you everything is perfect just before they...bite you. Why does that send a streak of fear through me like I should be remembering something but don't want to? And why does it also cause me to have to squeeze my thighs together to stop the naughty sensations running through my body at the thought of...
I was bitten. That thing in the cave bit me. But wouldn't this man be able to tell? He does have his hand wrapped around the spot the thing bit me after all. Wouldn't I hurt there? What is going on?
The man pulls me closer to him or maybe he lowers himself, I'm not sure anymore. I'm not sure of anything anymore. My situation comes crashing down on me in the blink of an eye. I'm in some stranger's house. I don't have money or identification. I lost all of that with my bag. It's at the bottom of the lake in the cave and I will probably never see it again.
"Josephine, you will breathe." He commands me so confidently that I give him a nod and start breathing again. I didn't realize I had ever stopped, to tell the truth. Wait, did he just call me Josephine?
"How...?" My hands go up to cover his at my throat.
"I want to tell you everything, but you must calm down and promise me you won't stop breathing again."
"Okay." It's not really a promise.
"Promise." Damn it. It's like this guy can read my mind or something.
"Fine, I promise."
He releases me with that and goes back to sit in his chair. For a long while, he just sits and looks at me. Finally, he speaks, "I am a part of an ancient race. Long ago we were everywhere. Every continent, every sea, every sky."
Is he talking about Vikings? The sky part is a little weird but hey, whatever. I don't say anything because I don't want to interrupt. His mouth moves up into a smile.
"No, I am not talking about Vikings. Although, I had some very good friends who considered themselves Vikings once."
What? Did he just...Did I say that...outloud? "I...didn't say that out loud. Did I?"
"No, you didn't." He waits for something before continuing, like maybe my freak out. "My race...my species, can use telepathy to speak. To a certain few."
"Species?" That's an odd way to put it. Right?
"I am not like you. I'm not the same." He never takes his eyes off me as he speaks and my belly feels funny under his stare - like butterflies going crazy. "I am...what you would refer to as...a monster."
"Oh God, you kill people?" I know I promised not to stop breathing but this guy just told me he is a serial killer.
"What?!" Now he seems confused.
"You said you...people thought you were a monster."
"And your mind went straight to serial killer." He looks away from me for the first time since I woke up. He speaks more to himself this time, "What kind of world did I wake up in?"