Heartthrob

Home again. No time for play today; it was the workweek, and so EJ was confined to a monotonous existence of work-home-work, day in and day out. She still felt dazed from her claustrophobic encounter with her supervisor, body tired and aching in the afterglow of it all. It had happened so fast, so intensely, and she hadn't even been able to prepare herself... But Judas liked it that way, didn't she? What she wanted, when she wanted. No disagreement or dissonance allowed in her perfect little corporate world.

EJ clip-clopped up the stairs of her housing complex with a heavy chest and weary eyes. Hunger still gnawed at her, though it had dulled considerably; a little takeout in the form of pork tonkatsu from a local butchery had helped with that, the side of dried squid 'fries' giving another crispy little treat to her end-day meal. She ate as she walked, taking in the sweetness of the sauce and the saltiness of the meat, her stomach growling loudly at her even as it was fed. Acid roiled and bubbled within, turning any meat-products she may have downed into liquid nutrients.

Perhaps that was the one good thing about being second-living: fat didn't cling on you like it did with the true-living. During the enigmatic process which created the undead, the gastrointestinal system was 'optimized'; what that meant, in layman's terms, was that anything you ate that you could feasibly digest was entirely, wholly consumed. No excrement, no excess waste, some zombies didn't even piss. Of course, if you ever wanted to change your body type, you had to head to a Tsang-run morgue and pay by the fistful. Raise your cup size? Gain a few more pounds on your thighs? Trying to build muscle? Tsang took the purse, and soon your body would acquiesce to your demands.

EJ liked her petite look, frankly. She liked that she was smaller and lithe and a little bit frail; in her mind, it made her cute. Made her appealing. Everyone commodified themselves, whether through gene therapies or morgue treatments, plastic surgeries (which were a fairly outmoded concept nowadays) and targeted mutagens, trying to become... Something. Something others liked. For many, it meant 'something that gets me laid'. For others, it meant 'something that gets me noticed'. Esper James was a fan of option one, but could do without too much attention.

She gripped the handle to her apartment and slipped in - happy to find nothing amiss within, no strangers in her home or things left astray. Not that that happened often, of course, or ever, to be honest; however, in recent days she had been given reason to be more wary about such things. Est said she'd leave and never come back, but there was a nagging feeling within the ghoul's mind that this was just some tough talk. Call it a hunch.

Down onto the couch now, she pulled out the remains of her food: half a pork tonkatsu cutlet (she had ordered two) and an untouched cup of squid-fries. Her TV went on and her feet went up on the coffee table, a deep breath of pre-relaxation coming out in a heavy huff of air. Cartoons were on, the adult kind where half the jokes were about sex and the other half were about violence. Something easy to let her mind drift away on while she ate, she figured. In between munching on her food she let her thoughts drift far and wide, trying to ready herself as best she could for the coming date.

She'd need a cute outfit, EJ figured. Something dressy but not too dressy... Though to Judas, 'too dressy' probably didn't exist. Esper James had a smart little outfit in her closet that she wore for the last company anniversary party... That would have to work. It was pretty cute, she figured, plus wearing pants made her feel comfortable and safe. A skirt was fine when she was at work, but there had been almost no hinting as to what their 'day trip' could be, and she really didn't want to take the risk that whatever they ended up doing would cause her to give an impromptu show to onlookers... or her boss.

Munch. Munch. Munch. Salty, fishy, crisp, greasy, and just light enough to not be revolting, the squid fries hit the spot. They were essentially just dried squid crammed into a sort of metal framework so they dried in a 'fry'-like shape, then briefly tempura'd in hot oil. The pork tonkatsu was heartier, the heavy notes of pork accentuated by light panko breadcrumbs and a thin inner juice of oil and savoury, meaty goodness. This, paired with the tart-but-sweet syrupyness of the katsu sauce, was more than enough to please the petite office-worker's tummy. Or so she hoped.

Where would a woman like Judas want to go on a date, anyways? A blood bank? EJ laughed at the visual of Judas sitting on a donation bench, IV bag of deep red in her hand, slurping it down through a straw like some kind of refreshing children's juice drink. The more she thought about it, though, the more realistic that idea seemed - hell, Judas would probably do it just to make a point. She was that kind of lady, after all. Blood bank probably wasn't the truth... But then what was? A high-end butchery? A movie? Maybe she'd just skip straight to the point and tell EJ to strip once she got her alone. It wasn't an unthinkable possibility.

Whatever. It wasn't worth thinking about, at least not now. She had a few hours of rest before bed, and then she'd have tomorrow off for... A date.

EJ watched tv for a few more hours, nibbling at her food, before retiring to bed. She brought her phone with, as one does, and lay there browsing for a few minutes. She was an avid mobile game player in her free time, a real gacha afficionado, and so that took up her time as she lay there - her two favorite games, one about mechas and the other about sexified historical characters, draining away another hour of time. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

And now it was time for her last nightly ritual: some self-love. A little shameful, sure, but endorphins were endorphins, and every modern-day wagie needed to take what they could get. Plain black panties with a matching bra were slipped free slowly without the use of hands, those manipulating digits busy finding something good to look at or watch. Art was a popular form of adult media nowadays, especially on Chirp and other social media sites, but there was something that had been nagging at her for a few days now. She flipped through myriad tabs, eventually finding one for LDG.com.

Puri's face, from the collarbones-up, stared smiling at her out of thumbnail after thumbnail. The descriptions were vague, but the tags weren't - the tools used, the actions performed, the amount of participants (seemingly always one; this struck EJ as odd), all of it. Some more niche options were provided as well, from role-playing to fun new decor to size and quantity of the silent silicone assistants. EJ settled on one tagged 'Praise'.

The game was afoot, and Esper James settled back to watch and listen, phone in one hand, heart in the other - Puri was good at this for sure. As seconds turned to minutes, EJ couldn't help but feel like she was there with her; every word of encouragement, every gasp of surprise and delight, every smile of approval hitting her right in the core. God, Puri was cute. She was friendly, accommodating, lovely... Everything Esper James needed. It felt safe to be around her, even if this was just a recorded fascimile of the pink-haired object of her adoration.

The video finished a minute or so after EJ did, Purity's voice echoing through the small speaker to tell her what a good job she had done and how proud she was. Bittersweet, a bit, to hear the same things she had seen in-the-flesh now given to countless faceless personas across the internet. However, there was undeniably some... enjoyment, some solace, in hearing it once more. It brought her back to their movie night, how comfy it had been to sit and be held by her. How stable Puri made her feel.

The phone was clicked off and plugged in to charge, and Esper James settled down for bed. Hopefully there were no dreams tonight - or, if there were, they were good.

-

No dreams came, and morning arrived swiftly. Up hopped the living dead, flesh cool and soft, body nude. She showered with great relish, washing away last evening's filth that she had been too lazy to properly clean; the tears in her eyes and weight in her chest had prevented her. Hot water drizzled pale skin in a self-contained rainstorm, extra special attention given towards her cosmetics this morning: facial exfoliant and moisturizer, body wash and cream, shampoo and conditioner, and even pumice taken to her heels (which was unnecessary, but fuck it).

Outside the shower's warm embrace, mouthwash and toothpaste helped as the icing on the cake for our intrepid, inept socialite. Perfume scented like oud musk and jasmine was rolled across her collarbones, one swipe each, helping to tinge her with exotic flair; a light dashing of blush and a slightly darker slashing of eyeliner and shadow provided some further refined beauty that looked entirely out-of-place on her, but she didn't care. It was the effort that mattered, in her mind, and she wanted Judas to know she had put in the effort.

Now for her clothing. A snazzy black dress-shirt was paired with a light pink pocket square and pink tie, the latter striped with thin black lines down the diagonal. She hadn't worn it in months, and it smelled just as floral and clean as when she had had it dry-cleaned. Next came a pair of smart white dress-pants, loose in a retro way, with a matching blazer. The blazer's interior was soft silk and similarly pink, like a skinned Easter Bunny. It was a grim thought, but one that always made EJ smile.

She looked at herself in the mirror, brushing her hair and spinning, smiling at her own appearance. It was quite the boost to one's self-esteem when they saw themselves looking good, and EJ was more than happy to see a chance to dress up properly for once - she was bloody ecstatic about it. Some dark black heels, more sensual and elegant than her normal office footwear, topped the look off. Someone might mistake her for a person of import now. The idea made her smile even wider.

One thing nagged at her, though: her meds. She couldn't take her FixAte since she frankly didn't have any, but Judas's specific request for her to abstain today made her wary. The wariness and wondering brought her back to thinking about what their date was to be: an eating contest, maybe? Perhaps Judas wanted to flaunt her wealth by telling EJ to order whatever she wanted, and then actually backing up the claim/request by paying for anything the secretary could gulp down? An exciting prospect that made the blonde's hungry belly rumble, but probably not what this would end up being. Probably.

"Alright... Off I go, I guess. See you later, home. Be good while I'm gone." She said it to no one in particular, just feeling the need to say something, anything, her nerves starting to rise up once more. EJ had reassured herself time and time again that the date would go well, that this would be a fun and exciting new chapter in both her life and her relationship with the powerful and terrifying woman who held her contract, but she couldn't shake a gentle foreboding. To be fair, that's how it had felt to hang out with Puri until Puri actually arrived, so... maybe things would be alright!

Down the stairs she went, staring out at Vitus's smog-choked sky and traffic-jammed highways. Poor fuckers, needing to work today! Her Tuesday was going to be spent in an exciting, enjoyable way, not slaving away at a computer desk and phone booth! That alone reinvigorated her a bit, and she rushed faster, bursting out of the front doors of the Kehler complex to see -

A black limousine, the windows tinted pitch-black, the engine running and doors all closed. A stone-faced attendant stood by the furthest-back opening with a grim expression, opening it with a flourish and gesturing EJ inside with white-gloved hands. This was it. EJ swallowed hard, nodding to the attendant (who didn't even react) and stepping into the opening...

As she slipped inside, another pair of hands grabbed her almost immediately. It was purposefully dim inside, almost no windows to speak of and those windows tinted to the point of being near-blackout, and no lights properly shone. Judas had snatched EJ as soon as she had gotten close enough, and the smile on her face said it all and more: she was amped to have Esper James with her, away from work and pretense, able to enjoy the fruits of their shared labor. EJ yelped and tried to say something, but the wind was pressed from her as Judas drew her in for a crushing embrace.

"Ooooooohhhhh, EJ! You look so fucking cute, oh my God! Oh, this is gonna be perfect. Are you feeling ok? No meds? Nice and hungry? Oh, who am I kidding, I can smell the bloodthirst on your breath. Here, here, it's going to be a little bit of a drive - have a drink while we ride, will you?"

Judas let EJ free and scooched along the interior couch to a wide minifridge, her blonde-haired prey sitting down in a slight daze. Judas was never usually so energetic at work, but the pretense was far different there; here, she seemed almost playful. Almost friendly. It made Esper James' lips curl up into a grin, sharp needle-teeth exposed like a leech's maw.

There was a resounding pop as a champagne bottle was burst open, two long flutes poured, one for either occupant. EJ recognized the name from her time in college - it was pricy for sure. Judas was already flexing her wealth and they'd only been here a few minutes. She took the offered flute and winked sheepishly, going to clink rims with her hostess. Judas was happy to oblige.

"Judas, this is... Wow. This is lovely. I've never been inside a limousine before, y'know...? I can barely believe I'm here. Thank you so much for inviting me..."

"Oh, psh, don't you dare talk like that tonight, ok? The pleasure is... all mine, Esper James. I assure you. Now, drink up - this whole fridge is filled to the brim, and it's only the two of us having any. Once we've had enough my chauffeur will take us to one of my private businesses across town... It's a lovely little bistro, but I think you'll find the selection is perfect. After that, I've got a section of the White Star rented out so we can watch films, and then... Well, I'll save the best for last. For now? Enjoy yourself~"

The two ladies began to drink the champagne, EJ initially hesitant, Judas with wild abandon. The vampiric hostess glugged down bubbly like she was going through a drought, and soon EJ followed suit, slamming back glass after glass in the back of the limo. Drinks were the perfect way to get one's lips moving for all sorts of reasons, and this time it meant the pair shared conversation. Judas was the first to engage.

"...so, EJ, what kind of movies do you like?"

Benign enough. EJ thought for a few moments before nodding in response, taking another sip and swishing it between her razorlike fangs before responding. "I'm a horror fan, but honestly, I-I'm kind of a big baby, so I have trouble watching them by myself. Kinda lame, I know. You?"

Judas snickered, having a gulp of booze. "Yeah, I get you. I'm a crime movie kind of woman myself - stuff with old-school mobsters always gets my blood pumping. So refined, so suave, so... Ruthless. I've always wanted to make someone kiss my ring to prove their allegiance or something. Horror is pretty good, too, though..."

EJ couldn't help but laugh, and Judas frowned playfully, giving her a push on the shoulder. "What? What's so funny?! Can't a powerful, beautiful businesswoman have fantasies of making others bend to their whims? I could always bring in a fancy ring with a big rock on it and make you kiss it, you little twerp!" Judas snickered as she drank more, voice muffled by the liquid in her glass.

EJ shook her head, taking a second before answering, smiling as she spoke. "No, no, it's just very... you, Judas. That's so you. In a good way, I promise, it really fits. I think it's-" Cute. She wanted to say cute. The word wouldn't come out no matter how hard she tried, lingering anxiety keeping her from going straight to flirting with her boss.

"- appropriate. What's your favorite movie, then? Got a mobster movie that tops them all?"

Judas nodded, draining her glass before responding. "Yes. You're... You're gonna laugh. I watch 'Don Dracula: Godfather of Ghouls' at least twice a year, every year. He's so... Fuck, man, he's so cool, even if it's pretty campy. The scene where he and his Bat Boys firebomb Maurino 'Frankenstein' Vitelli's warehouse, then mow down all the rival gangsters with silver bullets? It's so good, every god-damn time."

EJ did laugh, for sure; calling the Don Dracula series 'pretty campy' was an understatement, but the special effects were banging and the one-liners were iconic. She leaned forwards, putting on her best Transylvanian tough-guy accent, staring Judas down with a play-stoic expression.

"Eyyyy, looks like you bit off-a more than you could chew, zom-bitches."

Classic Don Dracula, always fighting other undead mobsters. Judas threw an arm around EJ and smiled from ear to ear, nodding fervently at the semi-recognizable quote. She responded in kind, making a similar faux-Transylvanian accent.

"Blah, blah! For a vampire, the only thing you're sucking is dick!"

And like that, the two of them were falling about themselves. Apprehension in EJ's heart had melted away like a glacier in the sun, the booze and smalltalk and laughter helping warm up her half-dead heart to Judas's advances without a second thought. Maybe this wouldn't be as terrifying as she thought it might be. In fact, things seemed like they were going to be pretty... well, fun.

She'd just have to see.