A tremor ran through Myra’s body, visible in the slight shaking of her hands and the unsteady rise and fall of her chest. The overwhelming sensations intensified, making her feel increasingly vulnerable and adrift. “Freya,” she began, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes pleading, “could you… could you just…” The words caught in her throat, the unspoken desire for comfort and reassurance hanging in the air. “…hold me…”

  But before Myra could finish her request, Freya’s eyes widened with sudden decisiveness. “No, wait,” the vampire interjected, her voice firm. “The heat… the sensitivity… it sounds like your system is reacting strongly to something. I believe a cold bath might be the most effective way to counteract these effects, to calm your nerves and bring your body back into equilibrium.”

  Without waiting for Myra’s reaction, Freya moved with surprising swiftness and strength. She gently but firmly lifted Myra into her arms, cradling her with an unexpected gentleness that belied the urgency in her actions.

  Before Myra could fully process what was happening, Freya carried her swiftly through the dimly lit shop, past the dusty shelves and forgotten relics, towards a rge, ornate bathtub. The water within looked starkly cold and still.

  As Freya began to lower her into the frigid water, the shock hit Myra with full force. The intense heat of moments before was instantly repced by an icy shock that stole her breath away. A sharp, involuntary scream ripped from her throat, the sound echoing through the silent antique shop. The sudden immersion in the icy water was jarring, unexpected, and undeniably unpleasant.

  Freya stood over the edge of the cw-footed bathtub, her crimson eyes fixed intently on Myra, who was now submerged up to her shoulders in the frigid water. Myra’s scream still echoed faintly in the air, the sound sharp and ced with genuine shock. Droplets of icy water clung to her bck hair and dampened the linen of her shift. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and her eyes, though wide, held a flicker of bewildered outrage amidst the lingering traces of the strange arousal she had been experiencing moments before.

  “Myra,” Freya asked, her voice surprisingly calm amidst the lingering tension, “how do you feel now? Has the heat subsided? Is the tingling lessened by the cold?” Her expression was one of clinical observation, as if she were assessing the effectiveness of a medical treatment, though the method was undeniably drastic. She watched intently for any change in Myra’s flushed complexion or the frantic rhythm of her breathing, seeking confirmation that her abrupt intervention had been the correct course of action. The ancient vampire, despite her ck of familiarity with such human experiences, was operating on instinct, a primal understanding that extremes could sometimes counteract each other.

  Myra shivered violently, the icy water biting at her skin, a stark contrast to the overwhelming heat she had felt moments before. Her teeth chattered uncontrolbly, and goosebumps rose all over her arms. The initial shock was beginning to give way to a simmering resentment.

  “I… I feel like I want to be furious,” Myra stammered, her voice trembling, “like I want to get out of this… freezing water and storm right out that door! But…” She clenched her fists in the water, her body shaking, “but I… I feel so weak. So drained. I don’t think I have the strength to even stand up, let alone… storm anywhere.” The lingering effects of whatever had overtaken her, coupled with the shock of the cold bath, had left her feeling strangely powerless and emotionally votile.

  Freya observed Myra’s shivering form and the anger simmering in her emerald eyes. “Angry again, Myra?” she asked, her tone a mixture of mild concern and a hint of exasperation. “But I thought we had resolved your earlier… agitation. Was my method of alleviating your discomfort not to your liking?” She tilted her head slightly, her expression suggesting a genuine bewilderment at Myra’s continued emotional distress. From her perspective, she had identified a problem – overheating and heightened sensitivity – and had taken decisive action to rectify it. The nuances of Myra’s emotional reaction seemed to elude her.