The Bargain

Kiss of death

DINAH

While I've never really been an overly materialistic person, the feeling of being this rich is exhilarating as hell, even for me. It's like an illusion of freedom, although we are far from free.

A temporary illusion.

But we allowed ourselves to dive deep into that illusion. If they're gonna pay then we might as well take advantage of it, use their money just as they've used us. So we end up buying just about everything; cosmetics, dresses, jackets, shoes, bags, perfumes, jewelry... you name it. All of it.

The extravagant, two floored mall is a far cry from the ones I'm used to, with its polished marble floors and designer stores in all directions. Everything is so shiny, so grandiose, so boujee.

We're definitely way underdressed for this place.

Not that it matters, it's only us, the mall is completely empty except for the employees that hurry forward to greet us, their pasted smiles trying to hide the uneasiness they feel around our Lycan suitors. They quickly serve us champagne, refilling our glasses after each store visit.

We walk around feeling like royalty.

Even if it might be a false sense of freedom and power.. being back in a human province does spark something within me that is real: hope.

We might not be free yet, but fake it til' you make it, they say.

And if all goes well we are going to make it. I already have a plan set in motion, a risky gamble but it's a risk I'm willing to take.

It started with me observing everything the last couple of days, carefully, thoroughly. Slowly piecing together Lucien's relationship with that mysterious woman - Naira. The remaining blanks were filled by Milo who happily talked to me about his sister, getting him to talk was almost too easy. As if he was so overjoyed that I was initiating conversation that he just couldn't stop himself. He must've thought I had a change of heart, that I had a new acceptance of my fate, that I'm trying to get to know him better. Wrong.

Just because I'm more reserved and quiet doesn't mean that I'm weak-willed. Far from it.

I asked because I was scheming.

And this morning I finally left the note in Naira's jack pocket. First move.

Now we just wait.

"Hurry up you two," Milo calls out. He's waiting outside the entrance of our next store.

I'm dragging my feet together with Myka, arms hooked together like two schoolgirls. The glasses of champagne are starting to hit our system, making us all giggly and carefree.

I haven't been tipsy in such a long time and oh do I need it. It tricks my brain into feeling happiness and it's fun, even if it's a false sense of happiness, I'll take it. I'm in need of those endorphines right now.

Anytime I burst into laughter I catch Milo staring at me, as if my face is the most fascinating thing he's ever seen. His golden gaze throws me off, making me shut my mouth and look away. It reminds of how he'd looked at me in the bath; so fascinated with my every move, my every breath. As if he wanted to open my body up and dissect every piece of me. Unsettling. This whole mate thing is unsettling, wrong, unethical.

In the human society we'd call someone like that an obsessive stalker.

"We're coming, chief," Myka shouts back and salutes him like she's in the military, winking at me. I can't help but chuckle.