Chapter 18 ∣  Wrong Shop?

-Eris

"The fuck you are wearing your hood up for?" I arched a brow, peering out of the corner of my eyes at Maverick. The dark hood connected to his ebony trench coat was flicked up and it was incredibly creepy barely being able to glimpse his hazel blue eyes beneath the rim. It has a much darker shadow across his face, despite the already distorted sky hanging above us. Though, the lights from the city were casting their glow on our forms as we walked the city streets, my eyes flickering from each shop we passed.

"It was my mom's trick," Maverick scoffed at me, chuckling as he stated, "At least I'm not blatantly waltzing in the open like you are missy."

I could tell we were getting closer to downtown, the crowds becoming thicker. It never crossed my mind, wondering exactly what day it was of the week, considering it didn't matter since Maverick would barely allow me outside...let alone hold a job. My past self's idea of a job was stripping...well, it doesn't sound all that bad, considering it'd be extremely amusing even at the slightest thought of taunting Maverick.

Grinning at the thought, he asked, "And what exactly are you plotting within that devious mind of yours?"

He halted when I abruptly stopped walking on the busy sidewalk. People were walking past me from opposite directions on both sides of my body. It felt odd, almost like the wind had been knocked out of me. That feeling only intensified as people would try to avoid me while I stood still, but some hardly managed too. Brushing shoulders with me, I could feel the glances of tingles spreading through my body from the point of contact. With each person, something different was amplified and my heart began to pick up its pace.

"Eris, are you alright?" Maverick's voice was a little foggy, but it was one of the few things I heard through the throng of people surrounding us as they went about their shopping and socializing. When I snapped out of my trance, my eyes lifted from his boots and up into his shrouded eyes, his hands clasping both of my shoulders.

"Y-yea," I reassured him, quickly scanning around me, and feeling embarrassed that some people were staring at me. Some whispered, while others barely cared to throw a passing glance as they continued about their business.

He caste me, an 'I'm not buying that bullshit,' look and I shook my head. "It's just being around so many people," we were speaking closer now, and I sighed, bringing my hand up and rubbing the front of my forehead, "I'm fine."

"There are those evil two words coming from your mouth again," Maverick tilted his head to the side, analyzing and seeking deeper into what wasn't there.

Rolling my eyes, I huffed, "Fuck off. Were those two words better?"

"You better watch it swe-"

I gasped and ran around Maverick, one of the many shops catching my eyes. When I neared the large display window, I saw many different corsets, sexy leather clothing, and more shoes than I could ever possibly need. I felt his body standing next to me before he uttered, "You want to go in there?"

"Why not?" I turned to my side and pouted.

"It's...well, nothing I guess," Maverick appeared incredibly surprised by my sudden interest in this particular shop. It took a few more moments of us just staring at each other before he took my hand and led me in the direction of the shop door.

"Wait, you're actually going to let me do something fun?" I asked, gaping at him when he opened the door to the shop and kept it wide enough for me to slip in.

"I don't stop you from doing fun things," his voice was a little irritated at that comment.

Walking into the shop and just as Maverick closed the door solidly behind him, I heard the sound of a chime sound throughout the spacious room. Stopping in front of him, I looked up and over my shoulder with innocent eyes and whispered, "Then fuck me."

"Eris, I'm not going to," his eyes narrowed on me and I grumbled in frustration as he continued, "Besides, you were the one so intent on me not getting close to you."

"I changed my mind," I crossed my arms in front of my chest and took a few steps away from him and into the store when I heard a voice calling from the center of the square glass counters.

"Welcome, please let me know if you need any assistance," I was fairly sure she was a he, but she was gorgeous with her long blonde hair and radiant blue eyes warmly greeting Maverick and me.

This isn't just a clothing store, is it...

I took one sweep of the room and stifled a gasp, but it got lodged in my throat and I hiccupped instead. Maverick's chuckle came from behind me as he bent down and whispered next to my ear, "What type of shop did you think this was?"

"A costume store...or...umm..." I looked to my right and saw many different items used to pleasure one's self...or your partner. To the left, I was able to see clothing selections that indeed rang from full costumes to a string of beads that was apparently meant to fit- "...I-I don't...Maverick..."

"Yes, sweetheart?" It was his turn to act innocent, though when I turned around and saw the sly smirk on his face, I couldn't stop my cheeks from heating up and turning red.

"Did you need help finding anything specific?" The woman behind the counter asked politely.

I stuttered, "I-I."

"Something adventurous perhaps?" The woman glanced up over my head and spoke more to Maverick then myself. I never felt this embarrassed before and he was completely enjoying how defenseless I felt at this moment.

I know where you sleep...

...don't think you're safe...

"Anything new?" Maverick asked and I clenched and saw, trying to remove myself from the awkwardly stationed between the two casually talking like he was ordering take out or something.

Mm...now I'm hungry.

Pizza!

Yes, we are definitely getting pizza...although, well I haven't had any more of those memories completely wreck me like before, so maybe it might be safe to eat it again.

Mm...warm pizza.

While I was deep in my thoughts, I aimlessly wandered around the shop, observing all the...items...that it had to offer. If I told him we can leave, he'd be smug about it the rest of the night.

Asshat.

"Oh, this is a lovely little number we got in stock a few days ago," my ears perked when I heard shuffling behind the counter, the woman coming out from her safety glass and nearing the far-right wall. Whatever she was aiming for, it was near a whole bunch of outfits that were actually quite attractive and sexy.

Hmm...maybe if I get one, I can seduce him into having sex with me!

I glanced at the woman and Maverick near the wall, rounding the corner and seeing a rack of movies. Yay, pornos! My life is complete...maybe I shouldn't pick where we go next time.

"It's obsidian glass," the woman had brought down something from the top shelf, Maverick looking down at the item and smirking again.

The fuck she has?

It made me curious, moving away from the movies and edging closer to see what she was offering him.

"Awe, look at this my little vixen," Maverick ushered me closer when he noticed me approaching. Before I could turn and make a break for it, he wrapped one of his arms around my lower back and pulled me closer into the side of his body, "It's got a cute white fluffy tail on the end. You can look like a bunny now."

My eyes widening and then glancing up, I glared at him, thinking I'd ever want something shoved up my ass was beyond me. He chuckled and after watching my reaction, Maverick said kindly to the woman, "It looks like we're not that adventurous tonight-"

"Or any night," I huffed and tried to get away from him.

"Well, we do have a beginner's package right over there next to the outfits," the woman smiled cheerfully and pointed in the opposite direction.

Oh hell, no...they have a package for people doing what exactly?!

Maverick nodded to the woman and drew me over to where she had pointed. I hissed at him, "What the hell is your problem?!"

"My mistake," he appeared not sorry in the least, "I forgot, you prefer a real tail to a fake one."

"And not one that goes in my ass!" I waved politely to the woman and the scowled at Maverick. "You're enjoying this too much ass-hat..."

"Maybe," he grinned.

I sighed, giving up and actually seeing a couple of items of clothing catch my eye. There were a gorgeously made corset and a nice pair of tight leather black pants. Boots were almost all knee-high, it just varied in style, but I found one with buckles up the sides that were very eye catchy. By the time I had picked out things that I wanted and not the freaking edible underwear Maverick attempted to slip into the pile, he was paying at the counter. The woman smiled and bid us goodnight as I now held a black bag in my left hand, Maverick motioning me toward the door.

I took a step outside, leaning the back of my head against the wall as Maverick lingered for a moment or two. What the hell is he doing?

"Ouch!" I cried out; my shoulder being pulled forward as someone walked by briskly with a group of others. Glaring at the one with chestnut brown hair, his light brown eyes locking with my own. There was a moment of just staring at each other, noticing the muscles in his neck tense and his friend next to him asking, "Hendrix? Man, you alright?"

One or two others also turned around, the pace having all but slowed to a normal walk.

I know him.

The analytical thinker gazed at me hard, furrowing his brows and shaking his head like he'd seen a ghost. For all he knew, I was a doppelganger.

"She smells like him," were his words that made me freeze in fear.

The one standing next to him arched a brow, "Every human smells like them now with this damned war."

"Yea...human..." Hendrix's voice trailed off, his eyes looking me over once more before he turned on his heels, the rest of his group following in tow and soon surrounding him again.

It was another few minutes of me trying to steady my breathing, then Maverick emerged from the shop and asked, "Eris?"

I squeaked in surprise at his voice, turning around and clutching the bag in my hands. Maverick's eyes were filled with concern and when he drew me in closer to his body, he inhaled my scent deeply as his voice grew darker, "Where the hell is Hendrix?"

"I-I-I...h-he...ju-just-" I couldn't focus, the way Maverick held me like I was about to be ripped away from him again frightened me.

"He...he ran into m-me," I tried to get everything out without stopping, "He left tho-though."

"He got lucky," Maverick's voice remained the same.

"Why?"

"Because," he pulled away slightly, my eyes gazing up into his beneath the hood, "I'm going to kill him and every last one of those filthy wolves. I don't give a damn...they threaten you and it'll be the very last thing they do."

I nodded, uneasy and Maverick must have noticed because, in the next second, his demeanor shifted. He was calm once again, breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly. It went without saying, that we would be leaving the city for the night, knowing exactly who was roaming the streets at this hour.

"Can we at least pick up pizza before we go home?" I quickly asked him as he slowly walked with me down the opposite direction that Hendrix had left.

He thought about it for a moment before asking, "If we get pizza, do you promise not to make me feel like an ass for keeping you in the mansion?"

"Promise!" I exclaimed happily, already smelling the delicious cheesy goodness that came from one of the many pizza shops down a way.

"Did you like what you got?" Maverick asked, walking with me down the sidewalk, referring to the wonderful little adventure we had at the sex shop.

"Yes," I replied and smiled at him.

Maverick smirked at me, taking from inside his trench coat pocket something I didn't get a good glance at as he stated, "Then I'm sure you'll love these."

"What?!" I cried out, taking the package from him, and stuffing it in the black bag, looking around to see if anyone else had seen what he'd displayed.

"It'll be fun," he winked at me.

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To Seduce a Mortal by K. A. Young and Laisha C. Gardner

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