CHAPTER 26: CHAPTER 26

Tia had dragged her all over the city, and Rhea was utterly spent.

When they got home, Tia collapsed on her own bed, five shopping bags lying scattered on the floor.

"Aha! I’m tired!" Tia announced, spreading her arms and legs wide on the bed.

Rhea laid close to her in the small space remaining on the mattress.

"That was refreshing," Tia sighed, a smile on her face.

"That restaurant was beautiful, and the food... um, chef’s kiss." Rhea’s voice was full of excitement. "That guy who took your number was—"

"Hot, right?" Tia cut her off, suddenly turning to face her, her palms on her cheeks. "I hope he calls."

"Can’t you just call him?" Rhea asked innocently, her expression blank.

"Why would I?" Tia eyed her once, then turned to the side.

"Isn’t that why you exchanged contacts?" Rhea questioned, lifting her hands and shoulders in confusion.

"That doesn’t matter. If he doesn’t call, I won’t. He should be the one craving me, not the other way around," Tia answered firmly.

"Oh!"

"And besides, I’m not sharing today with anyone else. I have you, and I haven’t spoiled you enough." She reached for the bags, pulling out a black V-neckline mini black gown adorned with diamonds and straps falling all over the diamond-shaped rims of the dress.

"What do you think?" Tia threw the question at Rhea.

"It’s stunning," Rhea trailed, her hands over the fabric. "It’s going to suit yo—"

"I’m glad you like it, because this is what you’re wearing tonight," Tia informed her with a smirk. "I want to make sure you knock out all the guys around you tonight."

"Mm hm, I can’t wear that!" Rhea interjected, shaking her head vigorously.

I already have a crazy guy on my neck and another I don’t know if I actually have feelings for. So I would love not to interact with any more men.

With her hands on her waist, Tia replied, "Oh yes, you sure are. And it doesn’t matter if you refuse. Because I’d make you wear it."

Rhea fell silent, knowing she could never win against Tia.

Meanwhile, in a huge room ordained with different sizes of shelves filled with scrolls and other kind of books inside Zeenare’s Island, Zeenare crouched over a table, scribbling on a brown scroll.

"Othimise, send this to Ockonayia, and tell my mother it has been reviewed."

"Yes, Sir." Othimise bowed slightly and moved swiftly out of the room.

Zeenare leaned back on the chair, pressing his fingers on his temple. "I’m tired. These work load keeps pouring in."

He picked up his phone, then placed it to his ear as it rang. "You guys want to grab a drink?" He paused, listening, then added, "Okay, see you at the usual."

In a dimly lit lounge pulsing with deep crimson lights, Draycen sat casually, his eyes locked on a dancer grinding to the music. His voice, as deep and distorted as an echo through a cave, cut through the hum of conversation.

"These human females are something else. No matter how long I’ve been amongst them, there’s always something different with each generation, though they all seem the same," said Draycen, a dead-drop sexy man with 3B hair, tan skin, almost brownish-gold eyes, and a chiseled muscular build, dressed in a dark green shirt and black pants.

"Hmm." Hexma, with a deep voice that almost sounded electronic, agreed. "It baffles me that these little, fragile creatures that can be snuffed out with a single breath continue to prevail all because of their females." Hexma continued, his gaze fixed on a stripper.

Lorain leaned back with a grin and said in a smooth, bright tone, "Why do both of you keep referring to them as females? They are called women, girls, chicks, and sometimes babes."

He casually threw his arm over Zeenare’s shoulder. "Unlike you two law-abiders, Zeenare and I have felt what it feels like to be with the women of this realm."

The medium-sized lounge echoed with the beautiful laughing sound from both Hexma and Dreycen at Zeenare and Lorain.

Zeenare said nothing; he focused solely on the glass of Amontillado in his hands, staring at it before bringing it to his lips.

"What’s so funny?" Lorain asked, lifting his brow.

"What is so good about them? Aren’t they the cause of almost all of your problems?" Dreycen questioned mockingly.

"Weren’t you exiled by your father because of a human female?" He pointed at Lorain. "While him—" His gaze shifted to Zeenare, "Don’t even get me started with him." Hexma and Dreycen’s laughter echoed again.

Hexma picked up a flute of champagne. "The land of the human is intriguing, and that’s all there is to it."

*

"C’mon, drink up." Tia handed Rhea another shot of tequila, her voice swallowed by the thumping, thundering music.

Rhea gulped the shot in one go, her chest heating up as it crawled down.

A bright smile played on Tia’s face, as if she was proud that she was corrupting Rhea.

Rhea had lost count of the drinks she and Tia had downed since stepping into the club. She knew it was more than ten—and her head was finally catching up to it.

Tia had planned to get wasted, not to chicken out when she was approached by a potential appetizer.

Not that it mattered to her; she wanted to be free of her thoughts. That was why she had followed Tia and allowed her to doll her up.

Tia handed her another shot, and she took it without hesitation. In that moment, Rhea felt her head spinning and her cheeks warming up.

"I’m going to the bathroom," she informed her. "So don’t go anywhere, okay?" she said, then signaled to the bartender to watch her friend before she came back.

Rhea waved her off before Tia stumbled through the crowd.

She gazed at the crowd and noticed that, like her, these people were also here to get distracted, just like her.

She ordered another shot, sipping it when two couples making out caught her attention. She hurriedly gulped the shot, her face hot, her breath becoming slightly shallow.

I guess love finds you well.

Her eyes fell on some girls who were dressed in nothing more than pieces of cloth—their asses and cleavage barely covered.

"How do they walk in those things?" she muttered, the glass still in her mouth.

"You’re back already?" Rhea slurred, turning to Tia with a crooked smile. "Thought you left with that guy to get your meat beaten."

"Where is that coming from?" Tia’s head snapped to the bartender. "How many shots did you give her while I was gone?"

"Come on, let’s go dance," Rhea dragged Tia to the dance floor.

She drifted close to Tia, rocking her ass against her as Tia held her waist, rocking down with her. Rhea danced on her friend, then gradually proceeded to the pole at the middle of the room.

She trailed her body along the pole, her dance catching the attention of many. Some guys whistled and girls cheered for her.

Rhea slowly glided her way toward Tia.

"Your friend is so sexy. Do you mind giving me her number?" A guy asked Tia.

But Tia didn’t bat him a glance.

"Rhea, I think you’re drunk," she said to Rhea, who was almost close to her.

"No, I’m not. I’m perfectly fine," she said, smiling foolishly. "Come on, let’s continue, the night is still young." She moved further into the crowd.

"Someone should tell me never to give this girl a drink again." Tia mumbled, pushing her way through the mix of people.

"Whoa, who was that girl?" Lorain voiced in awe, standing at the rail of the lounge.

"Who?" Dreycen asked, moving toward him.

"That one groping madly on that guy," he pointed.

"Oho! She’s quite eye-catching. But why are you asking? Want her to get down on you?" Dreycen teased, looking at Lorain from the corner of his eyes.

"Her pole dance a moment ago was mad. I bet she has more seductive charm than Xixvixo of seduction."

"Xixvixo of all. Was she that good?" Dreycen asked, gazing at Rhea as she danced with a guy.

"My body crawled up when I was watching her. Not every human has that charm. I guess she was kissed by Velzerian," he added, still locked on her.

"Velzerian? That cunning and greedy goddess of lust. She wouldn’t want to share her ability. Certainly not to a mortal," Zeenare chimed in.

As he and Lorain made their way to see who it was, "She has to be extremely alluring in face and body for you to even speak of Velzerian and not Xixvixo," Hexma added.

As Zeenare reached the handrail, his gaze gracefully moved across the tiny dancing crowd, when it fell on Rhea in the arms of another man’s.

Zeenare’s blood roared louder than the bass vibrating through the floor. That hand on her waist—that filthy hand—made something primal snap inside him. The glass shattered, amber liquor spilling over his knuckles alongside blood.

She was smiling, and laughing. Letting herself be touched like she didn’t already belong to him.

"Where are you going?" Lorain asked Zeenare.

But nothing followed that question. Only an eerie silence and heavy footsteps.