WHAT THE HELL was that quote? ‘i must not fear. fear is the mind-killer.’ fear makes men weak, makes them worthless, and therefore, tegan must learn to not fear. it curls around the base of their throat, ready to constrict and choke at a moment’s notice. she’s frightening, that’s for certain. they just aren’t sure if she’s volatile as well. it has never been a good combination.
“– you haven’t given me reason to defend myself yet.”
a sharp inhale, emotion loosening its grip from around their neck the tiniest amount.
“and for now, i don’t want to consider that possibility.”
the last line of defense is cold-blooded murder – a sharp object to the throat, fingers pressing into eyes, claws rending the tender flesh of a stomach. it’s hard and it’s brutal and it isn’t what tegan is anymore. it’s what they tried to distance themselves from, but one wrong step and they’ll fall back into the habit. the possibility of that is a little too real for them to be comfortable with.
There was a teasing curve to her lips, but no such reprieve in her insect eyes. They bore into Tegan’s like two black holes trying to pull the other in and consume them. Ira had been considering killing Tegan ever since she met them, but that wasn’t unusual. She always gave murder a consideration for everyone she encountered. But with Tegan, the temptation was slightly stronger. She’s never tasted the blood of a creature like the one before her. Her mouth salivated at the fantasy of drawing her sharp nail from the hollow of Tegan’s neck all the way down to their pelvis and watching the red blood slowly swell from the pale skin.
“You should. Best to prepare yourself for any circumstance.”
And like that, Ira was atop Tegan, straddling them on the floor with her hands around their neck. It happened in the time it took to blink your eyes twice. Her grip was crushing, but she intentionally left a small gap in their throat for minimum airflow. Her eyes were large and gleaming, two of the eight spider eyes that see a prey tangled in her web. Her small straight teeth bared themselves as she spoke in a raspy murmur.
“Is it even possible for you to die, Tegan? Or could I keep you like this forever?
Forever struggling for breath that won’t come? Or maybe I should string you up
in my web and play with you. How much damage could your body withstand, I
wonder? Don’t you, too? Only one way to FIND OUT.”