The Experience of a Lifetime

(Thursday Noon)

"How's Ben?" Evie asks as she and Doug sit across from each other at the island counters with their smoothies.

Doug finishes the bite of his jelly sandwich, "Not good." before he readjusts his glasses. "Ben… He didn't like how Mal approached him last night."

"Well. Yeah," Evie frowns "I got that by how his eyes were open when she was kissing him." She hears Doug make a hopeless noise, "What is it?"

"Evie," he whispers, but before he can continue he sees a guy with black hair enter the kitchen.

Evie gives one glance, before she slightly shakes her head, "Doug. Just tell me. Please." Doug watches the student place a small pot onto the stove before going over to the second fridge. He takes out a jug of blood, goes to pour some into the pot, and then walks over to return it to the fridge. "Stop gawking," Evie hisses, and when the student's striking blue eyes meet his Doug swiftly looks back at his smoothie. The black ring around the iris in combination with the blood, that guy is likely a vampire. "Aren't you going to tell me?" Evie prompts.

"There's people around," Doug whispers.

"So?"

"So," Doug reasons, "he's going to be able to hear everything we say."

"So, why are you whispering?" Evie counters, and as Doug turns to look at the vampire, the guy's eyes meet his and a giant smile is apparent in his features.

"Would you stop staring at me?" Doug complains.

The guy stirs the substance in the pot as he comments, "I'm not staring. I looked at you when you looked at me. This is a two-way street. Stop if you want me to stop."

Doug looks back at Evie, "What were we talking about?"

"Hmm," she hums. "Nothing much. Just something important."

"Oh. Right," Doug recalls, and he looks back at the guy to make sure he's too busy to listen in; however, when their eyes meet again he shakes his head hard and shuts his eyes, silently kicking himself for getting his attention again.

"Doug," Evie says, and he lets out a stressed breath as he opens his eyes. "It's simple. Just mind your own business and he'll mind his."

"No," he uneasily comments. "I can't do that, not when there's a predator around."

"A predator?" Evie raises her eyebrows.

"Didn't you see the blood?" he furiously whispers.

"So?"

"So," he continues on, "scientifically speaking, I'm afraid of him."

Evie frowns, "I can think of a couple carnivores that you don't act like prey around."

"No," Doug nervously counters. "I do. They've complained about it."

"Which is just even more of a reason for you to stop," Evie continues. "These are people, no different than the rest of us."

"It's not my fault I'm lower on the food chain," Doug defends.

She offers an unimpressed look, "On the Isle things are simple: if you act like prey, then you will become prey." She shakes her head, "You just really need to learn to overcome this."

Doug glances over as the vampire pours the blood into a cup, and Evie looks just in time to see him pile some of the cookies she had previously made onto a plate and take a bite out of one of them. "Hey," she smiles, and he turns around. "How are those?"

When the guy looks at her in unsureness Doug excuses, "She's only asking because she made them."

He glances down at the cookies, before he smiles at her, "They're good, but I think they could use more chocolate."

"More chocolate?" she questions.

He hesitates, "Actually, maybe you shouldn't be asking me. I'm biased. Chocolate has protein and iron in it. I'm really not taking the sweetness into account."

"No," Evie comments. "I know a human who really loves chocolate. I'll make sure to add more next time."

"Too much chocolate isn't good for a person's health," Doug informs.

Evie gives him a look, "Is anything?" before she smiles back at the black haired guy. "Thank you."

He nods, "Have a great afternoon." Before he turns and starts to walk away.

"Wait," Doug stops him, and he turns around in question. Doug unsurely smiles before slowly asking, "Let's say someone knew a carnivore who was refusing to eat— hypothetically speaking— what would you suggest for them to do?"

The vampire evenly answers, "Find a different place to sleep." and when Doug's mouth gapes without response he continues to leave; however, it's then he spins back around and raises a finger, "You can tell King Ben his mind will be the first to go."

"What?" Doug whispers.

"When a carnivore can't get the nutrients they need," he explains, "they grow gradually weaker, but eventually there will be an adrenaline rush and when that happens it will be his body that's in charge, not his mind." He pauses in thought, "And when he does inevidently lose control it will be those closest to him who are at the most risk of getting hurt."

Doug shakes his head, "Ben would never want to hurt anyone."

"It doesn't matter what he wants," the vampire counters. "This is about evolution. If society wasn't set up the way it is, then he would be the predator nature intended him to be." He looks into Doug's eyes, "Trust me. It doesn't matter how civil people can behave. When it comes to our survival we do what's necessary, we do things we never thought we would, and when it comes to carnivores… even the core of our personality can't save us from what we are." Doug doesn't speak. "The psychological turmoil will be great. I hope the king gets the help he needs."

After he leaves the kitchen Evie comments, "He's wrong. On the Isle Mal faced terrible hunger, and she never hurt anyone because of it."

It takes a moment for Doug to comment, "But Mal was probably used to it, and she's so… She's the type who could deal with that." He looks into Evie's eyes, "Ben's family has always eaten a lot of meat, and he…" He shakes his head, "Ben is really bad at saying no to himself." and then his eyes shift. "And just about everything, really." Evie doesn't say anything, and they sit quietly before Doug informs, "Mal was trying to do more than just kiss him." Evie faces him in interest. "His pants were undone by the time we got there. If we'd been any later…"

"Ben's stronger than Mal," she thinks up. "He could have pushed her off if he really needed to."

Doug frowns, "He only has one hand, Evie." before he shakes his head. "And even if he could have used both of his hands…" He meets her eyes, "Ben would never want to hurt her."

"But if she went any farther," Evie conjures up, "then she'd have had to get off him in order to get into a lower position."

"Unless her objection was actually a hand job," Doug softly counters, "in which case she could have just continued to sit there and… you know."

Evie sighs, "It's bad that she did that." before she continues in defense. "But he's been completely freezing her out, she's been missing him, and— And she was drunk."

It takes a minute for Doug to comment, "Well, she shouldn't have done it. Now I don't know how long it will take for Ben to talk to her, even after he gets better." He sees Evie nod with a frown. "He still loves her, though." She looks at him. "Ben really loves Mal, and I think you should make sure she knows that. It will be devastating for both of them if this causes them to break up."

Evie glances down, "And to think this all started by Ben falling down some stairs." before she faces Doug again. "I'll make sure she knows, and… I'll try to keep her from him."

Doug slightly nods, "Thank you."

"Mal." Evie stands up from the sewing machine when Mal enters the room, "I need to talk to you."

Mal turns towards her, "What about?"

Evie huffs, "How about the money you stole from me?" as she steps forward and crosses her arms, noticing Mal roll her eyes. "A hundred dollars."

She sighs, "Look. I was going to pay it back."

"How?" Evie sternly questions. "Just tell me. How?"

Mal slowly shakes her head, "I'll figure it out."

Evie steps forward, "Mal. This is not the Isle. We can't just figure stuff out."

"Hell we can't," Mal counters. "I do it all the time."

"Right," she sarcastically comments. "Because molesting Ben was such a good solution to get more time with him."

"He didn't say no," Mal counters. "How was I supposed to know?"

"He told you to stop," Evie disbelieves.

"Yeah," Mal pointedly states. "And right afterwards he admitted he only said it because he thought I wasn't myself."

Evie takes a minute, "So, getting drunk and assaulting people is who you are now?"

Mal narrows her eyes, "That's not what I said."

"No." Evie counters, "You said that pushing yourself onto Ben is who you really are."

"Come on," she defends. "What kind of guy doesn't like a girl going down on him?"

Evie frowns, "I'm not even going to answer that."

Mal looks Evie up and down before walking towards her, "Come on, Eves. It was just an honest mistake." and when Mal moves Evie's hair behind her ear Evie looks off. "I care about Ben. I wouldn't want to hurt him." She places her hand to Evie's cheek, "And you know I'd never want to hurt you."

"Mal," Evie whispers. "Ben still loves you, even after what happened."

"And I'm glad he does," Mal bypasses, before she places her other hand on Evie's shoulder, "And I am so glad to have you."

When she leans forward Evie responds even quieter, "Mal."

"I'm going to get you that money back," Mal whispers back. "I promise." She moves in to kiss her, and when their lips part Mal asks, "You believe me, don't you?"

"I don't know," Evie tears up.

"Hey," Mal hurries to wipe the tears from her face. "I love you. And I'm going to pay you back. I promise."

"You love me?" Evie hopes.

Mal smiles, "You know I do." before she moves her back towards the bed. "And I would just like to thank you for putting up with me."

When Evie backs onto the bed she comments, "Ben has rules." before Mal moves over her. "We're only supposed to be doing this for heat."

"And you've been terrible at giving me heat lately," Mal smiles as she takes her shirt off and tosses it to the floor. "But I feel like if we remove something else, then maybe there will be less of an issue." Mal takes off her bra, and Evie's mouth gapes as she can't help but stare. "Your turn, now." Evie sits up and starts to remove her own clothes, and when the bra is removed Mal guides her back down to the bed. She moves down to the bottom of her stomach and kisses her way up to Evie's breasts, and Evie leans her head back and lets out a breath as she feels the new sensation. Mal makes it up to her ear and whispers, "You know, you are wearing a skirt. Theoretically, if we took your tights off, we would still be following Ben's pants rule." Evie's eyes shift as she begins to frown. "I could give you a real thank you."

"Mal," Evie whispers back. "I'm not doing that to Ben."

Mal raises her eyebrows, "Suit yourself." before she comes back into view. "We'll just have to do the best with what we have."

Evie frowns as she remembers what Ben had said, "You're not drunk, are you?"

"Not now," Mal's eyebrows furrow.

"And you're not like doing this because you're emotional, are you?"

Mal gives a look, "You've been talking to Ben."

"I just don't want to use you," Evie worries.

"Trust me." Mal unenthusiastically comments, "I'm fine." before she smiles again. "Now. Let me give you the experience of a lifetime."

Evie slightly nods as she musters up the courage, "Okay."