by Stone, Layla
A simple gold chain with a grey and white inlaid charm hung around her neck. Gold was expensive, but it was the charm that said “money” as he watched the gem change from grey to pink. An Adroiz diamond. Even with the money he made, he would deplete his savings just to buy one half that size.
Nara was beautiful, no one would ever deny that. But her attitude was not endearing. Not that he would turn her down for a blitz, but he would ensure that she kept her mouth shut.
Responding to her rudeness, he said, “Just so you know, I don’t care that you hate me. And I wish I would have let you fall on your face. I’m the one who’s been screwed here. I have things to do, and watching you instead of working is going to ruin my schedule. So, whatever you need to do for Karr, get it done, and get out of my life. I have a couch you can use. But I don’t cook, so you will have to give me a list of things you want to eat or get used to eating takeout.”
2
Living in a Nightmare
Nara silently stewed as she sat in the Hampton Dwarf next to the Night Demon who’d dared to make this situation sound like it was all her fault. He also breathed from his nose in a strange way. If he didn’t stop, she was going to poison him.
Shine inhaled slowly and then snorted out. Nara’s insides curled. She couldn’t take this. “Hey, knock that off.”
Shine turned. “Knock what off?”
“Your breathing.” How did he not realize how annoying he was?
“You want me to stop breathing?”
“I want you to stop breathing the way you breathe.” After she’d said that, she saw his face and knew he wasn’t getting it. Clarifying, she said, “You inhale slowly and then snort. Seriously, did you not know you do that?”
Shine narrowed his eyes. “I don’t do that.”
“Oh, yes, you do.”
Nara had never felt so victorious in her life because, instantly, his breathing changed. She could tell that he was trying to control it.
Reveling in her moment, she leaned back in her seat and touched the window screens, activating them to show the outside. It was interactive, so it showed what each building was and offered an option for more information.
The planet was ugly, and so were the buildings. All of them were made of dark-colored metal, rusted or decayed from all the acidic rain. The only vibrant colors came from the shop signs and advertising pods that blinked in the air.
The planet badly needed a makeover, which was why she hadn’t hesitated to come all the way to do it herself. She should have known better.
Shine did that annoying breathing thing again. She cringed. “You’re doing it again.”
Shine didn’t respond, but he stopped snorting. Out of all the Demons on the planet or island, she wished he knew why Karr had picked him. Demons weren’t very smart, so it was probably because Shine would annoy her the most.
Nara looked over to see if it might be more than that. Shine was a Night Demon. They were twisted creatures, always looking to spin a person into a deal—at least that’s what every Night Demon she’d met did.
But Shine didn’t say anything about a deal, not even when he told her that she could stay on his couch and that he’d get her food. Maybe he was too upset to think straight.
When she first saw him, she’d thought he was too stupid to even draw a straight line. His eyes had kept finding their way to her chest, and as great as her breasts were, she did have a face, and she expected him to at least show common decency. Even sitting next to him, the first thing he did was stare at her chest. Creep.
As they passed building after building, she wondered where they were going. Peering over at the navigation screen, it showed a plotted course to the far east end of the island. The estimated time said another twenty-seven minutes. Throwing her head back, Nara didn’t know if she had twenty-seven more minutes in her. “This is the absolute worst.”
Shine chuckled, but it sounded indignant. “Your worst is flying in a Hampton Dwarf?”
“It’s everything,” she said back.
He shook his head and mumbled something that sounded like “nip.”
The rest of the ride was silent, and somehow, Shine stopped breathing with a snort. When the Dwarf stopped, Shine powered off the vehicle, tapped a few things on the dash, and her door opened. Stepping out, she gazed at the parking garage. Clean, well-numbered and assigned spots.
Peering over at the Night Demon, she wondered how much money he made? Enough to live in a beautiful place with a nice parking area.
Shine waited for her. She’d half expected him to leave her. “No need to wait, I’ll follow you.”
His head tilted slightly. “We may be in the Eastend, but it’s not safe for nips like you.”
She ignored his name-calling and asked, “Why is that?”
Shine lifted a finger and circled her boobs. Crossing her arms, she said, “My tits? Really?”
“Your necklace is an Adroiz diamond.”
Oh. Covering her neck to feel the charm, she wondered if he’d been looking at her diamond and not her chest the entire time. She wasn’t sure if she was offended by that or not.
“Also, we don’t know the range of the cuffs, and I don’t want to find out what happens if we get too far apart.”
“Good point,” she said, walking towards him.
Shine snorted, and she scowled at him. He knew without words that what he did annoyed her. And, honestly, she expected him to be decent about it. Instead, he announced, “I’m not changing the way I talk and breathe for you. You’re not that pretty.”
She scoffed. “Yes, I am.”
Shine didn’t respond, which she took as his agreement. Instead, he started walking to the path that connected the garage to the main building. It brought them into a large lobby that looked more like a luxury hotel. In Terran fashion, she saw a large chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. It was cone-shaped with twinkling lights.
The floors were polished black marble with a white and brown inlay. As they rounded the corner towards the elevator, Nara noticed that the chairs were curved and the tables were glass.
The elevator was already open and waiting for them by the time they walked up to it. When the doors closed, she said, “I thought all Eastenders lived in houses.”
“Not me,” Shine said, watching the numbers. “But if you don’t like it, by all means, tell Karr to find you another babysitter.”
It was one thing for her to not like that she was stuck with him. It was another thing entirely for him to be complaining that he was stuck with her. It wasn’t like she’d asked to be chained to him with a barbaric training cuff. None of this mess was her fault. “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll tell him.”
“I bet you will,” he said in a tone that mocked her. The cab stopped. When the doors opened, Nara followed Shine down the wide hallway. The doors were spaced far apart, and that gave her a happy feeling. Large apartments?
By the time they reached the correct door, she was buzzing to see what was inside. Shine pressed his hand to the panel and then drew a design on the door. A true-draw lock.
Taste and top-of-the-line security.
The door opened, and Shine walked in first. Following, she pushed her shoulders back, prepared to be pleased. As she stepped in, she noticed that there wasn’t an entryway rug.
Slowing her steps, she scanned the space and felt her heart sink. The walls were plain white, bare, and chipping. The light switch was gone, and two wires were pulled out with tape binding the ends, keeping them together.
No console table, welcoming photographs, or ambiance of any kind.
She knew exactly why Karr had paired her to this male, and as an extension, to this horrific excuse for a home, it was devoid of life. Nara wasn’t in an apartment, she was in a tomb. Following the Demon into the kitchen, she noticed that it didn’t have a table or chairs, and the counters were empty. This was worse than she’d thought. This was a punishment.
“Are you poor?”
Shine turned around wi
th a scrutinizing look. “No.”
Gesturing to the lack of everything, she asked, “Where’s all your stuff?”
“It’s here,” he snapped.
“Where?” Nara pointed to the dust balls in the corner of his kitchen. “You don’t even have a dining room table.”
“I don’t eat at the table. I eat on my couch.”
She sneered. “You need a table, regardless if you use it or not.” Didn’t he know that?
He had to make a decent income because he had a Hampton Dwarf. He lived in a luxury apartment building. But no one rich lived like this.
Thinking quickly, she wondered if he spent all his money on appearing rich but was, in fact, not. Shine didn’t look the type that wanted people’s approval. If he did, he wouldn’t dress so casually.
He must spend his money somewhere else. “Are you a gambler or into layhouses?” She could picture him doing both. Most people enjoyed entertainment and gambling. Lotus Adaamas had casinos that even Nara had to admit were wonderfully designed.
If not gambling, Shine must use the layhouses on Lotus Nexis. He would have to leave the planet because no female in her right mind would sleep with a male who lived in a place like this. Another reason he would need to leave the planet was because Adaamas didn’t have prostitution. Entertainment, yes, but if he was after any action, he didn’t have to pay for it. Demons called a quick round of sex a blitz. It was common and done all over, and it always amazed her how brazen some people were.
“If you don’t like my home, find someone else to suck the life out of,” Shine said, pointing at the door.
“Excuse me?” How dare he? “You know just as well as I do that I didn’t want to be here. And if you’re offended that I found out where all your money is going, that’s called…you have issues.”
Shine held his arms out to the sides. His bronze skin looked smooth and perfectly complemented his plain white t-shirt. She wished she didn’t notice, but his sharp features twisted in anger made him strikingly handsome. The Night Demon’s jaw tightened, and his horns stood out just a bit more.
Taking up all the space between the kitchen and the next room, he said, “I’m not talking about my finances with you, and I’ll be dead before I let you judge my fiscal decisions. Show some damn decency. Because if you were with anyone else, they would have figured a way to make you earn a spot on their couch.”
Nara wasn’t sure, but it sounded like he’d just admitted that he had no intention of making a deal with her. Maybe it was a Night Demon trick. Or…maybe not. Nara gambled with a rising theory and shared, “For your information, I don’t gamble or use layhouses. I prefer spa retreats. The males there know how to use their hands better.”
Shine growled deeply and dropped his hands. “Forget this.”
He didn’t make a comment about being good with his hands. Nara had been sure he would comment on that. Strange…
“It’s true. Not only do they rub out every bit of tension, they know how to be gentle,” she said out loud, hoping that Shine could hear her.
He didn’t respond, and she smiled. Nothing? What kind of Night Demon didn’t offer up deals?
Karr must have known this about Shine. Which meant that this wasn’t an accident. Karr had put her with a sad excuse of a male for some reason. She just didn’t know why.
Nara touched the countertop and swiped a finger, collecting the layers of dust. “This is so beneath me.” She needed her Minky pad or something so she could order a hotel room and get the Night Demon to agree to live in style rather than…this.
Turning to leave the kitchen in search of a Minky, she heard a light beep. She lifted her wrist, wondering if that— It beeped louder.
“Hey. I think you’ve gone too far,” she called out.
The cuff beeped again, louder than before, and then she saw a spark as the air crackled. A sharp heat surged up her arm. Her legs gave out, and she slammed hip-first onto the stained and peeling floor. Her body shook, and her chest constricted.
Agony like she’d never felt before surged through her. She tried to scream, but her mouth was locked shut. In the next moment, the heat subsided, and Nara felt like her heart had stopped beating.
Then the small organ thumped hard, and she gasped for air. Inhaling deeply, she turned over, got onto her knees, and closed her eyes. “Oh, hell no,” were her first words and thought.
She used her free hand to push the metal thing off her wrist, arms still shaking, and her skin still reverberating from the attack. None of it mattered. She wanted the cuff off now.
Her nails were long and strong and helped dig at her skin.
“What the hell?” Shine said, coming around the corner. “Stop. You’re going to scratch your skin off.”
She saw him kneel down beside her as he grabbed her hands, but she was too freaked out to calm down. If she were electrocuted again, she could suffer more damage. Shine had to let her go, and she had to get the cuff off. “Don’t touch me.”
Being electrocuted could cause heart arrhythmia or seizures. This was barbaric.
Shine didn’t let go, and his voice slowed and deepened. “Look, you will have to remove your thumb if you want to get it off that way. If that’s what you want to do, the knives are in the drawer. But I don’t recommend it. Thumbs are pretty important.”
Her skin had turned white from where the cuff was situated. She screamed out in frustration. “Get this off of me!”
Shine‘s touch should have mentally bothered her, but she wasn’t pulling away. Instead, she was still on the nasty floor, listening to his calming tone. “I will find a way to get it off. That’s what I was trying and figure out. I’m sorry. I didn’t know this would happen when I tested how far apart we could get.”
She was calm until he admitted that he’d done it on purpose. “You’re sorry? Really? What kind of idiot are you? You don’t start an experiment without knowing the probable outcome. That’s what…never mind.” Pulling her hands out of his, she sat up and hissed as she heard her pants unstick from the floor.
Shine tilted his head to the side and said, “You’re going to tell me about conducting an experiment? Do you even know who I am?
She grabbed the counter and pulled herself up as she told him, “There’s the arrogance I expected from a Night Demon. And, no, I don’t know who you are. Because no matter how great you think you are, you’re a nobody to the rest of those in space.”
When she was up, she peered down to see Shine looking up at her with his light eyes. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw sadness there. He probably had no idea how insignificant he was.
Shine paused, and she thought he was going to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, he sucked in a long breath and pushed himself off his knees to stand and muttered, “I’ve met murderers nicer than you.”
He walked away, and she wondered if that were true. But then she realized she knew murderers nicer than her, too.
She wondered if he was going to look back to make sure that she was close. Did he not care if she got electrocuted again?
She couldn’t understand the male or why Karr had picked him from all of his minions.
They passed a three-seat couch facing a Minky screen hanging on the wall. The room looked just as plain as the rest of the apartment, but at least it had a Minky. When they left that room, she asked, “Where are you going?”
The next room was dark, only a simple lamp in the corner giving her any insight as to where she stood. A bedroom.
She stopped at the doorway and scanned what little she could see. The bed was large and not on a frame. The sheets bunched on one side and looked like silk. A black blanket hung off one corner.
Two nightstands stood, one on either side of the mattress. The design was plain. Maybe a little old, but it wasn’t horrid. A large, top-of-the-line Minky screen hung on the opposite wall. Underneath that was a runner table that matched the nightstands.
Beside the table was a dresser, clean and not cluttered. A Mink
y photo advancer showed a single female with dark skin—darker than Shine’s. The resemblance was uncanny. Family.
“I shouldn’t give you this compliment, but the room is actually decent.”
“Thank you,” he said without sincerity.
Internally, she rolled her eyes. It was impossible to be nice to some people. Nara turned around to head back to the other Minky when she saw a painting on the adjacent wall. A single picture of the Lotus Adaamas ocean, the white sand billowing, and a woman with a little boy.
Nara knew paintings and artists, but she didn’t know that one. It didn’t have a frame, and she wondered if he’d painted it himself or if he’d bought it. But then…why would an adult male have a painting like that in his room?
Shine grabbed something from the nightstand and then walked back around the bed. She wanted to ask about the painting, but his hand grabbed her lower arm. Something cold touched her skin, and her head suddenly felt heavy. Slowly, she felt her world drooping, and her sight went hazy. Then, everything went dark, and she was helpless against it.
One thought was clear as she slipped into unconsciousness: He drugged me.
3
Keeping His Sanity
Shine didn’t let Nara fall. But that was the most he was willing to do for the female. He removed the fat-black-night tab and threw it towards the corner trash. The silence was a thousand times better than listening to her non-stop insults.
He was at his breaking point, and he didn’t want her to see how much she affected him. The next comment he had to endure from her he was liable to break the walls. The last time he’d done that was when his mother died. He couldn’t cope, so he’d turned to pain. Nara would not get a reaction from him. She was a nobody. Just a rich nip who’d pissed off Karr, and Shine was bearing the brunt of it.
Eventually, she would be gone, and he could go back to his life. All he had to do was endure the present. He hoped that it didn’t take long.
