2.50

That night I dreamt of an ethereally beautiful teenager buying two kitsune fox masks for myself and a rowdy boy. We wove through the crowded streets to the lantern-lit river, after writing wishes we set the lanterns free, holding hands.

I was in the RV when I woke up.

"Dream well?" Lex asked, standing in front of the small gas oven, preparing a familiar scented meal. A tiny part of me wondered if he had done something to me whilst I was asleep like Lixin had gifted me Zhiyue's memories. He certainly seemed powerful enough...

"What did you make me?" I asked, crawling to the bottom of the bed feeling a bit sore at my core. I'd been woken up at dawn to be bathed and dressed in comfy clothes, then he took them back off again to torment me some more.

I remembered how he had asked me where the marks on my neck and chest had come from, forcing me to explain about Alex. Then I continued to pour out every tiny detail of Hannah's life and alternative future that annoyed me, which was a lot. At some point, whilst talking, I'd fallen back asleep.

"Miso Soup, you seemed a bit nostalgic last night, and I remembered at one point, you used to force Master to make this for us every morning."

From the sounds of it, the world I'd grown up in was a cultivation world, no wonder he called it magical.

He poured it into a bowl and passed it to me at the bench and table. Ty was leaning back in his driver's chair, feet on the dashboard as he drank a coffee and read a medical book.

His appearance had slightly altered again, looking more the part of a scholarly doctor with his wind-swept medium-length brown hair and slimmer build, matching his soft face more, instead of his musclehead appearance from before.

"So where are we going now?" I asked once my bowl was cleared, feeling hungry for more.

Lex took it to refill from the pot, then made the pot disappear and passed the bowl back.

"Well my System has mapped out the locations of the meteorites that landed nearby, I think it's best we do our best to drain them of the virus as much as possible."

That made sense, we'd grow in strength and the surrounding dangers would mutate at a slower, smaller rate.

"Sure, but," my hand rested on my larger-than-usual stomach.

"With two handsome immortals by your side, what are you worrying about Luna bug?" Ty smiled widely before downing the last of his pitch black coffee.

"We'll find somewhere more ideal before your due," Lex interjected, glaring at Ty.

"The base was ideal," I sighed, wondering if there was a future where I could raise this kid peacefully.

"You said the old man had cancer right?" Lex asked, sitting beside me on the bench, "why don't I just speed up the growth of his cancer cells a little…"

"According to future Hannah, yeah, but," I paused, debating it momentarily, then remembering the way Noah had looked at me when he asked if I'd kill his grandfather again, "just leave it, let nature run its course."

"I will, for now," Lex pulled me to lean on him, stroking up and down my arm, "if you want I know a way to trick the baby daddy into thinking the kid ain't his."

I jumped up, looking up eagerly, "do it."

"Aren't you going to ask what it is?" He laughed, kissing my forehead.

"Okay… well what is it? I know you won't hurt her, or I'd simply make you wish you could die and forget me," I shrugged him off to finish the last of what was in my bowl.

"Jeeze, our Luna's fierce momma bear," seeing me scowl he laughed, "alright, alright, I'll show you tonight," he winked, then moved to the passenger seat, "come on old man get this thing moving before the crowd back there sniffs us out."

I shuddered, using my radar to see a large concentration of virus steadily drawing closer down the road. With my normal eyes, I could just about see the tips of the heads of shuffling bodies amongst the cars a few miles south.

"How old are you?" I turned around to face Ty who'd unceremoniously tossed his book and cup into his space and started the RV. I noticed the shuffling feet had begun to move faster in the distance in response to the noise. My foot tapped nervously under the table.

"Rude," Ty rolled his eyes at me. Considering how powerful he was and how many lifetimes he had lived, him calling him old I began guessing with four-digit numbers.

"Not even close," Lex chuckled.

By the time the sun was ready to set, we'd approached the outskirts of a city.

"Meteorite's here?" I asked, peering out the window, almost blinded by the high concentrations of virus ahead.

"I'm going to scout ahead, make sure you cook something with plenty of meat in this time Lex," Ty smiled widely, then pulled his swords out of his space to walk ahead nonchalantly in the middle of the road.

Turning my radar back on, I figured out why he was so cocky. If I didn't know it was Ty I'd think it was another powerful zombie. Could he trick them like he could trick other humans?

"So… want me to show you how I can trick the baby daddy yet?" Lex asked in my ear from behind.

I elbowed him to make distance and climbed out of the RV to stretch my legs.

Seeing the area around us was clear I asked Lex, who had been following me like a little lost dog, "go on then you can tell me how you can trick Noah to leave Izzy alone?"

"So he's called Noah," Lex's arms snaked around my waist. "It'll require us getting intimate and your System letting me in."

"Hmm… does it really require us to get intimate, or is this just a ploy?" I turned around to roll my eyes.

"Intimate or bloody, both ways work, it's up to you," he shrugged, displaying his wrists, "though I don't mind spilling blood for you, my love, you know I'd prefer pleasure over pain."

I pushed him to one side and made my way back to the RV wondering how long Ty would take to return.

"So which is it?" Lex asked, "Do you want me to bleed for you, or…" he kissed my neck as he pulled off my jacket.

"How much blood are we talking about?" I asked, feigning curiosity.

His hands now tugged at my pants as he guided me towards the bed. "Lots."

"And what would I have to do with this blood?"

"Drink up," his wrist was pressed against my mouth as strong metallic tasting, warm fluid filled my mouth. I tried to pull back but his other hand rested on the back of my head, forcing it to stay put.

"You were more enthusiastic the last time you drank my blood," he sighed, pulling his wrist away allowing me to cough up the last of the blood.

"I'd rather you picked the other suggestion," my face twisted in disgust as I pushed past him to spit into the sink and then gargle my mouth out with water.

"You took too long to decide and we ran out of time dear," he kissed my cheek and went to sit back in his seat.

Ty climbed on board looking at me in disbelief, "you actually let that madman do it?"

"Do what?" I put down my fourth glass of water to take deep breaths, trying to calm down.