It was finally time.
Laura shivered, staring at the closed bedroom door. She prepared for it, mentally and physically. She used the bathroom twice, so there was no way that was going to be a problem no matter how much that stupid vampire teased her about it.
She licked her lips. They were dry, cracked. Minimizing what she drank took its toll, but she could last until morning. The first thing she would do after Carmilla released her would be to drink a full bottle of water.
Well, she might as well go for it. She reached her hand out to open the door, but the handle pulled away before she touched it.
Carmilla pulled open the door. She leaned lazily against the door frame, dressed in a loosely-fitting elegant black gown, shimmering with sequins and cut quite short. Her lips and nails were painted deep, dark red, evoking pools of fresh blood. "Why, hello there!"
Laura felt underdressed in her casual blouse and blue jeans. For a moment, all she could do was gawk at the lovely sight before her.
Carmilla giggled as she moved aside. "Come into my parlor."
Said the vampire to the human. Though somewhat intimidated, Laura stepped past the threshold, feeling like she was walking into the tiger's cage. The infamous chair sat in the middle of the room, facing her. Her prison for the night.
The proverbial tiger shut the door behind her and clicked the lock shut, ensuring their privacy. It wouldn't hold if someone seriously tried to get in, but it might keep out someone who just wanted to share the latest news on campus.
"Did you tell LaFontaine as I requested?" Carmilla asked from behind her.
Laura tore her eyes away from the chair and turned to face Carmilla, who now held a cup of ramen soup in her hand. It was one of the really cheap, microwave kinds, with a little plastic spork handle peaking out over the soggy lid. It looked completely out of place in the hand of a dark beauty of the night.
"Um, yeah." Laura blinked, trying to get her mind back on track. She remembered the conversation. "I told them that if you are trying to eat me, I'll shout a code phrase."
"A code phrase," Carmilla echoed. She looked and sounded incredulous. "You would shout... a code phrase... if I try to eat you?"
"Uh-huh." Laura was a bit annoyed at Carmilla's attitude. Didn't she realize that this would keep LaFontaine off their backs? She would have thought Carmilla would be a little more appreciative.
"And how can you do that, crumb muffin, if your mouth is sealed with duct tape?" Carmilla grinned. "Or did you forget that you did that to me?"
For a moment, Laura was stunned into silence.
"Oh," she said quietly, when she found the strength to speak. "That."
No, she hadn't forgotten. Not really. She certainly remembered taping Carmilla's mouth shut, back during the interrogations. When Carmilla showed her the roll of duct tape, she realized what Carmilla would want to do. It hung in some back corner of her mind, but she didn't really put it together until Carmilla laid it out for her now.
"Yeah. That." Carmilla raised her eyebrows and nodded. "You know, one of our fans suggested that after taping your mouth, I run the tape around your head, back over your mouth, and around and around until I run out of tape. Isn't that silly? What a waste of good tape. I only need one short piece, from one cheek to the other. But, you already know that."
Oh, yikes! Laura held up her hands. "Carm, is this a good time to tell you that I'm really, really sorry?"
"Tell me all you want, Fudgsicle. You're still not getting out of this." Carmilla gestured with the ramen soup and then glanced at it like she just remembered it was there. "Oh, right. This is for you."
Laura accepted the soup. She looked between it and Carmilla. "Um, I'm not hungry."
"I know you neglected your meals," Carmilla said. She made a tsking noise and wagged her finger. "You're going to need your strength. Eat it."
"Oh, you do know how to charm a girl." Laura poked at the soup. She nibbled on the noodles. It was decent enough, if a bit salty. She picked out the noodles and left the broth.
"Drink that too," Carmilla instructed, pointing at the cup.
Laura raised her eyebrows. "Nope, not falling for that again. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
Carmilla sighed. "It's my fault, I know it is. I told you not to drink very much. That's not good for humans. You need water the way I need blood. Drink it. It's good for you."
Laura wasn't sure whether or not to trust her. She looked at the soup and rolled it around in the cup. It was very salty. It would make her feel even thirstier; she knew it would. This felt like a trap. "It's salty."
"All the better." Carmilla snorted. "You really haven't been paying attention in health class, have you? Salt is good when you haven't taken in a lot of water. It makes your body hold onto the water it has."
Laura stared at Carmilla, trying to see if she was faking Laura out, but Carmilla's face gave nothing away. She looked at the soup. She had neglected her drinking and the broth looked refreshing. She looked at Carmilla, who didn't look particularly nefarious, and she made her choice. She raised the cup to her lips and gulped it down.
The warm soup was delicious and refreshing, but very, very salty. It burned at her cracked lips, and she was thirsty as soon as she finished. She just wished for a glass of water to wash it down.
"Oh, yeah, you'll be thirsty all night." Carmilla smiled. She chuckled at Laura's upset face. "I wasn't lying. This will help you. But you'll be a bit more miserable because of it. Enjoy the vampire starvation experience, bubblegum."
Laura whimpered. She knew she deserved it. After all, this was just a taste of what she subjected Carmilla to for ten days. But her lips stung, her throat hurt, and she just wanted a glass of water! "Please..."
"What's that?" Carmilla cocked her head and put a hand to her ear.
You're a goddamn vampire. You can hear me across the room, and I'm right in front of you! "Please, Carm," she said, forcing herself to be polite. "I know I was bad to you, and I'm so sorry. I just... Please, can I have a drink of water?"
"No." Carmilla idly looked at her nails. "Not yet."
"Fine," Laura grumbled. She gritted her teeth. The night had barely begun, and already she found it difficult to stand. "Let's get this over with."
" 'Get this over with?' Are you implying my company is something to despise?" Carmilla scoffed in faux anger. She raised her eyebrows. "And here I was, about to tear your clothes off and lavish you with attention. I guess I'd better just tie you up in the corner and forget about you if this night is just something to 'get over.' "
"No, no," Laura said quickly. "Whatever you want."
"Whatever I want? Really?" Carmilla's eyes lit up. "On your word, bunt cake?"
Laura sighed. "Yes, Carm. You have my word. Anything you say goes."