Just as Mila was about make some sort of retort to Lisette’s demands, she felt the faintest brush against her shoulder. She had been so intently focused on anticipating a move from the other vampire that she’d been oblivious to Charlie’s sudden dash forward until it was too late. “No, wait-!” It was no use. Lisette had snatched up the girl as easily as anything and now held her tight in her grip.

“Charlie,” Mila weezed, her voice breaking. The girl’s attempted escape had caught her completely off-guard. Now she realized that Charlie must have considered both vampires an equal threat. She wasn’t relying on Mila to save her; perhaps she was just as afraid of her as she was of Lisette. Mila felt suddenly hopeless. 

[i]”Your play now, Mila.”[/i]

She looked from Charlie to Lisette, her mind racing to find some way out of this nightmarish situation. There had to be [i]something[/i], some way to stall Lisette so that she could at least have more time to think. She needed to avoid a physical fight. Mila knew that a fight with Lisette at that moment while they were both strong and well fed would be a bloodbath, with Charlie caught in the middle. There [i]had[/i] to be another way out. 

[i]Appeal to her vanity.[/i] Lisette wasn’t physically weak, but Mila had known her long enough to find other chinks in her armor. She began formulating a desperate plan.

“My play…” Mila repeated, looking suddenly exhausted. “…my play.” She ran a hand slowly though her hair with a sigh. “No matter what I do, you’ll just turn it right back around on me. Just as you always do.” The older vampire had looked away but now she peered at Lisette with weary submission. It wasn’t difficult to play the part. After watching Charlie dash [i]away[/i] from her for safety, she genuinely felt defeated. “I’d forgotten what it had been like to be with you, until tonight. Teasing each other, playing games, trying to get the best of you.” Mila took a hesitant step forward. “I was never as good at it as you were. As much as I hate to admit it, I could never seriously out-manipulate you.” 

She was moving forward slowly now, her arms limp, her pose non-threatening. “We both know what [i]could[/i] happen now. I could try some maneuver to free the girl, and maybe I’d be successful this time. But you’d be back on top again in no time. I just can’t beat you. Not in the long run.” 

Mila was within arms reach now, but she still stood limply and kept her eyes all the time on Lisette’s. It was almost as if Charlie was invisible to her. “You keep asking me what I see in this human. I’m starting to question it myself. She’s so fragile. She can’t satisfy me. She’s practically used up already.” Mila reached out carefully to brush her fingertips along one of the arms that Lisette had wrapped around Charlie. “So different than you.” 

She let her hand fall but continued gazing at her with steady, dark eyes. Her voice dropped lower. “You liked what I did to you, just a little while ago, didn’t you.” She ran the tip of her tongue along the underside of her lip and looked suddenly cheeky, as if the two of them shared a delightfully wicked secret. Whatever charm the older vampire possessed, it was turned fully toward Lisette now. “I could do it again, anytime you wanted. And now we have this one,” she jerked her head toward Charlie, “to temper our appetites whenever we please. Let’s take her with us, like one of Booker’s pets. Our own little snack and servant. That’s all I was using her for anyway. What can I say? I’m greedy and I want both of you.”

In a daring gesture, Mila leaned ever so slightly forward with the intent of kissing Lisette on the corner of her lip, with Charlie sandwiched between them.