Looking down at her with eyes colder than thin ice, Varkas raised the bottle to his own lips.
Before she could understand the meaning of his actions, lips dampened with the bitter essence of herbs covered hers.
Talia's eyes widened.
Holding her chin firmly and pressing her cheek with force, Varkas pushed his tongue into her parted mouth.
The bitter medicine flowed in.
Talia gripped his thin shirt so tightly it seemed she might tear it.
She could not comprehend what was happening.
As she swallowed the liquid pooling inside her mouth, her constricted throat wrapped around his tongue.
Tongue and tongue rubbed together of their own accord.
Broken moans filled her mouth.
Had he fed her poison?
Her throat burned as though on fire.
“Haah...”
After what felt unnaturally long, their overlapping lips slowly separated.
Forgetting even the pain stabbing through her leg, Talia stared up at him.
Meeting her dazed gaze, Varkas tilted the bottle once more and poured the remaining liquid into his own mouth.
Their lips met again.
Talia dug her nails into his forearm.
His tongue, invading the moist softness inside her mouth, gradually pushed the liquid scented with deep herbs and flowers farther down her throat.
Her throat convulsed, and regardless of her own will, she greedily drew him in with soft sounds.
Overwhelmed by confusion, humiliation, and a strange sensation she had never experienced before, Talia curled her toes.
Perhaps the medicine was already taking effect.
The world spun before her eyes.
Warm saliva continued slipping down her throat. Though the liquid coating her tongue no longer tasted bitter, he continued moving through the narrow, damp space. The slow, lingering movements were sticky enough to make her question the purpose behind them.
Flustered, she struck his chest.
Only then did the soft flesh withdraw slowly.
Talia looked up at him, breathing heavily.
Unlike her own disheveled state, his face remained as calm as ever.
That composed expression only tangled her already chaotic thoughts further.
Perhaps...
Had everything that just happened merely been her delusion?
While that doubt consumed her, he brushed his thumb across her lips.
Only when she heard the wet sound did she realize how thoroughly soaked her lips were.
Talia hurriedly buried her face beneath the blanket.
A damp sigh fell over the crown of her head.
“...Sleep now.”
He cupped her head and pressed it against his chest.
Within his hot, steadily beating embrace, she slowly calmed her ragged breathing.
Before long, the medicine spread through her body.
Feeling her vision gradually blur, she clutched his shirt tightly.
Don't touch my leg while I'm asleep.
Perhaps he heard her mumbled words, because he gently stroked her waist.
Soon strength drained from her limbs and darkness swallowed her sight.
She fell into sleep as though plunging into an abyss.
When she opened her eyes again, sunlight was brightly filling the room.
Still heavy with sleep, Talia stared at the ceiling before sensing movement and quickly turning her head.
Varkas was standing by the window, changing clothes.
Light pouring through the glass slid white across his body, sculpted like carved plaster.
As she stared at him in a daze, a calm gaze flew toward her.
Talia instinctively shrank her shoulders.
As though everything that had happened the previous night had been nothing more than an illusion, Varkas, wearing his usual indifferent expression, slowly looked her over.