Page 34 of I Dated a Golden Vampire
“Naw.I have managed to create an oxygen filter for myself now.I can stay under for about an hour.”
Riro was still caressing the shiny scars.“That’s amazing.How did you learn that?”
“Someone pushed me into a pool, and my suit was new and wasn’t capable of getting me out of it.So, I was able to hop a little until I forced my activation to pull me out using water tenacles.”
He jerked his head back.“Someone tried to kill you?”
“Oh.Yeah.The asshole had cousins, and they decided that if I were dead, then their relative wouldn’t be in trouble.It was faulty logic.I reported them and sent in the video from the suit.The peacekeepers said it was useful.Then, I had to wait for a new walking suit.”
“How did you manage?”
“I managed.The walking suit helped, but I couldn’t use my hands.I was dependent on those around me for everything.They forgot to feed me.Forgot to get me out of bed now and then.The feeding was the worst part.If you don’t have enough calories in those suits, the suit pulls all its energy from you, which can kill you in a matter of hours if you are lacking calories.”
He blinked.“You did four years in that suit?”
“I did.Then, a friend of a friend sent me healing, and the bone in my spinal cord reset itself and healed, and after a few days, I could feel my hands and feet again.Then I learned to walk again, and from there, it was therapy until I took a look at what I wanted for my life and got a com for the first time.At that point, I booked the cruise for a week, and when Zera needed me to go and fish Cabree out of Denog’s casino, I said, ‘Sure.’After that, it is all her, and I just realized you just asked me about the suit.Sorry.”
He chuckled and stood straight.“You haven’t had a lot of people to tell about this sort of thing.Who healed you?”
“Khytten.Ikir of Aksalla.Mate of Salat.He used to draw comics of Waterdance.Then he was being nosy, checking on me, he talked with Khytten, and she created doses that would heal nerve and spinal damage.It was an experiment for her and, apparently, was difficult, but when I had taken the vials for a week, my fingers started to twitch.”
He stood in front of her.“May I give you a hug?”
“Are you getting all overstimulated by the folks screwing a few feet away?”
He laughed.“Surprisingly, no.I have never touched you without the bulk of suits between us.”
“That is true.There is going to be a lot of skin contact, and that isn’t something I am used to.”
He grinned.“I will risk it.”He slid his arms around her, and she was at nipple height.
Pria sighed.“This is awkward.”
“Get used to it.I am going to be touching you at every socially acceptable moment.”
She had her arms out at her sides.He snorted and grabbed one arm, bending it around him and smacking it into his back.He did the same on the other side.
That was a whole lot of half-naked man.
He resumed his hug and hummed happily.“You smell so good.”
“Oh, no.Cabree told me I was dumping pheromones.”She tried to get loose.
“It is nice, Pria.You just smell very nice.”
She was facing one of his tattoos.“Is this a new tattoo?”
“It’s nearly five years old.”
“Oh.What is it?”
He chuckled.“You can’t see?”
“I am smushed against you.So, no.”
“You can look later.I will explain them all.”
“So, you run around like this all day?”
