Don't Feed the Fairies - ABNA entry

“Who did?” the human demanded.

“My mother.” He made a sound, but she didn't give him a chance to interrupt. “I tried so hard. I did everything she asked, but she still left me here on my own. What am I going to do? How am I going to manage?” He was listening intently.

She kept going. “I left my home to come here. I worked so hard. I learned to speak English and all the customs here.”

“English is not your native language? I'd never have guessed. You sound perfect.” His admiration was balm to her soul.

“I changed the way I look. I changed everything about myself to please her.” Now he was scowling. “But it wasn't good enough. I failed, and now she's gone home and left me here.”

In a distant corner of her mind, Cytolene listened to herself and was appalled. She sounded like a hysterical hatchling. But it felt so good to tell someone, to finally say the disloyal words out loud, even if it was only to an animal.

And the animal was reacting the way she wished her family would. He sounded horrified and angry on her behalf. “That's terrible. You shouldn't ever change for other people. When is your mother - “ There was a subtle emphasis on the word mother “ - going to come back for you?”

“She said she would but,” Cytolene's voice shook. “I don't think she will. I'm an embarrassment to her now. I don't look normal any more. I don't know if I can go home.”

“You look great. Don't let anyone tell you any different,” he said fiercely. “Where is home?”

She kept her attention on the road, but out of the corner of one eye, she could see the human focused on her, intent. She answered absently. “I'm from Eris.”

“Never heard of it. Where is it? Is it far?”

She opened her mouth to tell him, then snapped it shut. She slammed on the brakes and turned to stare at him, horrified. She had almost told him she was from a different planet. What was wrong with her? How much had she told him?

The human saw her expression, but obviously misinterpreted it. He put his hand on her arm, and said in a calming voice “It's okay. You're safe. You're not on your own. We'll work something out.” If she wasn't so close to hysterics, Cytolene would have laughed.

When she didn't react, he patted her shoulder. “It's okay, you're okay,” he kept repeating soothingly.

Cytolene turned to face him, put an arm round his neck and pulled him down to her mouth. There was a moment of surprise and resistance, then she had him. She started to suck.

There was the distinctive taste of human, than a flood of warmth and sympathy. It was wonderful. She wallowed in it, feeling the first comfort since the phone call from Neelie. She kept sucking, unable to get enough of it.

As she sucked, her hands ran up his arms and over his chest. He was so hot. A purr started in her throat at the feel of all that power beneath her hands.

He tasted luscious after all those quick unsatisfying handshakes. This rush of energy was what make humans so addictive. She knew she should drain him and dump him there in the desert, but she didn't want to end this amazing feeling. She didn't want to give him up.

Perhaps it might be possible to suck him so he wouldn't remember?

She sharpened her focus and felt for his brain waves. Where were they? She concentrated... ah, there they were. Elusive and delicate and so tasty. She could eat these all day.

A wave of heat flashed over her. What? She realised the delicate mental waves were guarding a furnace of emotion, which was not warm and fluffy. She was drenched in colour, hot, bright and acid-edged. All coming from the human.