I almost fell to the ground when I suddenly had to catch the limp Piercing Gale. My knees buckled a little bit under his weight. Without wasting time to think or consider any options, I got under him and hoisted him up on my shoulders.

Piercing Gale’s gangly limbs and deadweight made him a bit awkward to carry but a burst of panic and adrenaline helped me move with Piercing Gale. I ran towards the women’s bath, shouting out Death-Bringer’s name. I threw open the curtains to the women’s bath, but she was nowhere to be seen.

A sickly sweet smell wafting up with the steam from the water hit me and I instantly felt dizzy. Even as my head was growing cloudy I realized there was something wrong with the scent. I covered my mouth and nose with my forearm and sleeve and stumbled back, almost tripping and falling over the threshold of the bath.

Piercing Gale’s body heart against my neck and shoulders was starting to make me sweat and my vision was getting blurry; there was nothing I could do to save Death-Bringer in this state. I had to do what Piercing Gale said and run.

The front desk girl was nowhere to be seen as I fled the inn. I didn’t go back to the main roads, instead ducking down one of the alleys and trying to get to the edge of the town.

My body felt like it was floating away from me, uncontrollable, but at the same time I was acutely aware of my body and its sensations, similar to how it felt when I first got my body. I could clearly hear my own panting breaths, feel my heart pumping my blood through my veins, feel sweat dripping down my face and soaking through my underclothes. Some of my hair was caught under Piercing Gale, pulling it and leaving a dull ache on my scalp.

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Also, Piercing Gale was far from silent, whimpering and nigh-on moaning in my ear. His body was hotter than it should be and something hard was poking me in the back.

“Really? Now?” I rasped through gritted teeth as my feet pounded on the dirt alleyway.

... But then I felt a strange sensation in my own... “Aphrodisiacs! Shit!” I needed to find somewhere to stop and hide quickly...

Buildings got sparser as I got closer to the edge of town. I saw what looked like an abandoned farmhouse and ducked inside, hoping I had lost any potential pursuers I might have had. I shrugged Piercing Gale off of my shoulders, not bothering to be too gentle. I stumbled backwards until my back hit a wall and I slowly slid down to the floor. I drew my knees up into my chest and pressed my forehead to my knees.

I tried to control my breathing but it felt like my body was quickly spiraling out of my control. Aphrodisiacs, while rare, were still a known weapon of some lower demons. Ves’hil’n had fallen victim to them once before. He clung to Eun, begging him to kiss him, to touch him, to... to...

I slapped the sides of my face, hoping the welts would cover up the blush spreading across my cheeks. I couldn’t lose myself; Piercing Gale was completely out. I needed to maintain control.

“... Bloody...” Piercing Gale whimpered. I looked up to see him looking at me, tears in his half-lidded eyes, his face an alluring rose red. He rolled onto his side, reaching a shaking hand towards me, “please...”