I wake up in the middle of the night, screaming. Arms wrap around me immediately and I find myself in Ms Pink’s embrace.

“You are safe with me.”

Those words calm me down considerably but my mind is full of images from the day time. Blue. That ghastly blue. Max is dead. Someone ruthless had taken his life from him and I don’t know how or why he had to die. Max, who had treated me to ice cream so many times after classes. Max, my friend. Tears burn in my eyes.

Ms Pink holds me close and I bury into her. There is comfort in here. And sleep manages to find me again.

X

It isn’t until I regain consciousness and recall the activities of hours before that I realize something different about our atypical intimacy—I had not hurt Ms Pink during my ! How did that happen? Had I held back somehow? But I certainly don’t remember holding back. In fact, I was doing everything but hold back . . .

“Good morning, stupid human.”

Lifting my head, I get to see Ms Pink leaning against the doorway, holding a pink cup of something I probably wouldn’t want to drink. She is smiling and her eyes carry just a tinge of pink in them. How does one look at a person make me feel this way? Like nothing else matters. Like we’re the only ones left in this world. Like this moment is enough to fill me up for the rest of my life.

“I didn’t hurt you.”

“What are you talking about.”

“I didn’t hurt you! When I—you know.”

Ms Pink’s lips slant. “When you?”

“When I lose my mind.”

Tinkling laughs reach my ears. “When did you lose your mind?”

“At the end.”

“My stupid human is shy this morning.” Ms Pink comes to me and lifts my chin. “Do I make you lose your mind?”

I nod. “Completely.”

Lips close over mine. I can taste a bit of iron on her but it doesn’t bother me much. “You’re not good for me,” Ms Pink murmurs when our lips part.

“Why not?”

“Because of you, I don’t want to go to work today.”

I find myself grinning right away. “Is it because I no longer hurt you when I—you know?”

“Why so shy this morning?”

“I don’t know. Something’s different today.”

Ms Pink sits beside me, looking at me intently. “What is different?”

“You. Me. We’re different.”

“No, it is the expulsion of the mind control energy that was inside you.”

“Is that all?”

Fingers run through my hair as Ms Pink nods. “Most likely.”

“But I didn’t hurt you this time.”

“You didn’t,” Ms Pink finally acknowledges the change. It is infinitely important to me. Why doesn’t it seem as important to her?

“You don’t seem to . . .”

“Finish your sentences.”

“What does it mean? Why don’t I hurt you anymore?”

“Your training has helped. Part of you must have been careful about hurting me and held back.”

“I don’t remember thinking about anything at all.”

“You don’t have to.” Ms Pink smiles and places her palm on my chest. “It’s your heart.”

“My heart?”

“Don’t you know by now? Your energy reacts through emotions. You emitted energy during your in the past because you have feelings for me. So if you have with somebody else, on a casual basis, your energy wouldn’t pose a threat at all.”

“I killed Praneso because he was hurting you.”

“Yes. Your feelings for me prompted you to protect me and in doing so, your energy snuffed his.”

“So why am I able to restrain it now? How did the training change me?”

“Observe your mind and body. The answer is within you.”

“Hmm . . .”

“But before you think about these things . . . I want something from you.”

“What do you want?”

Ms Pink’s lips slant and curl up as she pushes me onto my back on the bed, cup in the other hand. “I want your pleasure.”

X

The next day, I am surprised to see a gleaming pink car waiting at the steps of my campus building. Coming to campus has depressed me so I am more than happy to have Ms Pink here for me.

“This is a pleasant surprise. Don’t you have to work?” I ask while sliding onto my seat and fastening the seatbelt.

“Are you feeling better?”

First, she apologized. Now, she’s asking me if I’m feeling better? Is Ms Pink human or something?

“I asked you a question.”

Ah, this sounds more like Ms Pink. “It’s weird to walk around knowing he’s not alive anymore when everybody else doesn’t seem to care. Nobody misses him.”

“The Feds have done their job. His records will say he graduated.”

“It doesn’t seem right. Max died. He didn’t graduate. He will never graduate.”

“If his body were not in its blue state, the Feds would’ve been able to forge a cause of death. But given the circumstances, it is best if he is forgotten by the State.”

Sadness wells up in my chest. This isn’t right. Max deserves more closure. He died a gruesome death. I can only hope it wasn’t too painful.

“You are wanted by the Feds this evening. Be honest when they ask you questions. Don’t leave anything out.”

“Okay.”

X

Demortams. Not my favourite place in the world. But at least, this time I’m going in with a health and strong princess vampire rather than a half-dead one. I can’t say I will enjo