The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Three (Draft 3) "Hello, Pretty Pretty"

Julien turned his head and stared at Morpheus a couple of seconds. "It was a commercial passenger jet, Murph."

Morpheus nodded. He was unsure what else to say. Those souls on board still existed, somewhere, but their Human lives were ended.

Julien signaled Hepburn to bring the pitcher of rinse water for his hair.

Morpheus looked away. "I've never met a Vampyre before," he said, "they call you ghul or bhoot around here."

"Ha," Julien said, "I live in Karachi."

Morpheus looked up, a little surprised by that.

Julien combed his fingers through his damp, blond hair. "But, I'm from Long Island."

"It sounds like it," Morpheus said. "I went to New York, once, to Manhattan."

"I lived in the city, too." Julien turned and folded both his arms along the near side of the tub. "Murph. Will you tell me now you've never been kissed?"

"Why?" Morpheus didn't really need an answer; he could see Julien was teasing him. "I haven't."

"Not anyone? No other wanderers found your mirage?"

"Most people don't meet me in my own body," Morpheus said, "There was someone, once, but he might have wanted me just for my body. I wasn't ready, anyway, and he's dead now. So...."

"Mika?"

Morpheus didn't recognize the name. "Hyacinth."

"Oh." Julien didn't continue immediately.

"I said something weird."

"No." Julien reached out and touched Morpheus on his shoulder. He smiled and then continued. "When we first met—When I first met you, you came up to me and asked if I would kiss you. Just like that. You told me no one else had ever done it."

"But, not that I had never been kissed?"

"True." Julien drew his hand back toward his bath.

"Would you mind?" Morpheus started. "I mean, maybe it's just the awareness that you have memories of me—not that I've tried to read more than necessary!"

Julien snorted lightly. "Not like I'm trying to keep you out. Murph. You know if someone's your type or not, don't you?"

"Working on it," he breathed. "Would it be OK to kiss you now?"

"Sure." Julien smiled wide, then as if having a second thought, he lifted his right index finger. "I mean, if you want to, I'm not going to say no. But, you can shift to your usual body, if that's more comfortable."

"I don't dislike this one."

Julien shrugged. "Up to you."

Morpheus leaned towards the tub, rising onto his knees. Their cheeks touched; Julien's skin was cool, with the slightest tickle of stubble. Morpheus began to rethink his decision not to shift. Here someone was offering to be close to him just as he was. Wasn't that what he wanted?

He shifted. Gauzy clothes became the most basic black jeans and tee. The tattoo and piercings were absorbed. He lost height. But, Morpheus wasn't ready to give up the sensation of feeling male. His other guests rarely gave him the chance, and he just liked the gravity of it.

A tilt of his head and Morpheus caught Julien's lips in his.

Morpheus closed his eyes.

Julien broke their kiss with a light scrape of fangs.