***
“Ethan! You’re burning up! What did I do to you?”
He opened his eyes and looked up into Grace’s frightened face. She was slapping his cheeks, trying to revive him. Blinking, he grabbed her wrist. “What happened?”
“You collapsed. Your body temperature was so high, I could feel the heat from where I was standing. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
He tried to sit up.
“No! Don’t move, Ethan. You might still be impaired.” She pushed him back to the ground and pressed her palm to his forehead. “You’re cool.”
“Thanks! So are you.” He grinned.
“I guess you’re back to normal if you’re trying to be funny.” She touched his brow again. “You seem okay. I still don’t have any idea what happened, or if you were altered.”
He sprang up into a sitting position, and this time she didn’t try to stop him. “There’s only one way to find out.”
“Wha—”
He smashed his lips against hers. Then, when nothing disturbing happened, he did it again, tangling his tongue with hers, and wrapped his arms around her.
Finally, they came up for air and he slid his tongue along his teeth. “No fangs.” He looked down at his lap. “Definitely an erection, but no overwhelming urge to take you whether you want it or not. I’d say control has been reestablished and progress has been made.”
“How can we know that for sure? Your reactions to my voice are abnormal.”
“We’ll have to play it by ear. Or,” he playfully nipped her lower lip, “by lips. But that’s me: Abby Normal.”
“Who?”
“Don’t tell me you never saw Young Frankenstein.”
“I saw it, but I don’t remember a character named Abby.”
“Pitiful. You’re lucky I’m here to rectify your lack of cultural education. But for now, come on, Buffy,” he jumped up and reached out a hand for her, “let’s go hunt some vampires.”