[i]‘There has to be a way out of this...’[/i] 

Mila’s eyes flickered back and forth between Booker and Lisette, her hands partially raised, her muscles tense, her teeth sharp and glistening. The initial anguish in her expression was replaced now with cold calculation as she thought of every possible move, trying to figure out how she was going to get Charlie some place safe. Meanwhile, the two lecherous villains in front of her were slowly inching their way closer and closer by the second. She noticed that Booker hung back a little, gleefully surveying the entire situation with that revolting grin of his. Both of them looked like they’d hit the jackpot at some perverse game. The eagerness in their eyes made Mila’s stomach turn. 

She could sense that Char had pressed herself up against the brick wall, trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and the two vampires. Three vampires. [i]Don’t touch me![/i] Mila had winced at the girl’s words and the scowl she had given her, despite knowing they were both well deserved. She hadn’t been stupid enough to think Charlie would be at all pleased to see her would-be-killer again, and yet, the way she’d flinched at her touch, the way she instinctively shrunk away still cut at the vampire, even if it was to be expected. Some small part of Mila secretly rejoiced to see Char again, even now, even as she wished the girl was some place far away from this horrific mess. Mila had spent the last few days coping with the thought of never seeing her again, as well as more profound misgivings about her unearthly existence. She wished with all her being that she hadn’t brought more wretchedness into Char’s life, but she still couldn’t help the flutter in her chest at seeing her again…

[i]“Nobody has claimed me,”[/i] she heard Charlie say in disgust. 

[i]’…Good thing I know just how to break the ice again,[/i] Mila thought bitterly to herself, inwardly groaning at her own words. Worse still, they hadn’t seemed to have any effect on Booker or Lisette, who still leered at her no matter how she tried to appeal to their sick sense of propriety. Lisette seemed to be too wrapped up in staring at Charlie to even pay attention. Mila felt a sudden stab of revulsion as she watched the other vampire lock eyes with Char. She [i]hated[/i] the way Lisette was looking at Charlie. She hated it with an intensity that almost startled herself. 

“[i]Lisette,[/i]” she snarled, wanting her attention just to break the eye contact. 

[i]“Mila, you should have just told us, there really is no need for all of this... unpleasantness.”[/i] 

Mila blinked at her falsely reassuring tone, immediately on guard. 

[i]“We would have understood, you've never really taken to our way of life like you should. We could help you.”[/i] 

“Help me,” she repeated contemptuously, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “Right.”

[i]“And you can even keep that one for awhile, it really would be a shame to loose something so beautiful so quickly.”[/i]

Mila clenched her jaw as the other vampire inhaled deeply, and matched her steady gaze with an unflinching glare. 

[i]“She smells delectable, no wonder you're so smitten.”[/i]

“Don’t do that,” Mila snapped, as Lisette winked at Charlie, feeling a sudden flare of irritation. She narrowed her eyes at her. “And I’m not-.. that’s not why I-.. She isn’t a [i]meal[/i] to me,” she added, becoming slightly flustered as she stumbled to find the right words. She felt another flash of aggression as Lisette stepped forward again, seemingly unperturbed by the older vampire’s warning growl. She was too close now, and Mila had turned to face her directly, ready to tear her apart if she made just one wrong move. She was so focused on the other woman, that she didn’t realize she’d left too big of a gap on one side as she’d turned. Not until it was too late. Booker, who had been pretending to stand idly in the background, took advantage of the opening immediately. He snatched Charlie by her arm and pulled her into a tight embrace so that her back was pressed uncomfortably close to his chest. 

“Look what I got~!” he sang maliciously, swaying a little as he adjusted his grip on the girl. “Ah, ah, Mila. Take care,” he added suddenly, staggering backward with his prize as Mila leapt at him. He nuzzled the side of his face against Charlie’s cheek and opened his mouth with a smile, revealing two sharp teeth that were ready to pierce her skin at any moment. “Relaaax, I’m not going to take her if she belongs to you. I’m not an [i]animal[/i],” he said, laughing at his own joke. His voice dropped to a low, husky murmur and his lips brushed across Charlie’s ear and into her hair. “I just…” he inhaled rapturously, “…want to play with her a little, that’s all.” 

He had one arm around her shoulders and the other around her middle, pinning her arms to her sides. One of his large hands found the soft spot above her hip and he gave her playful squeeze, just as his teeth scraped the shell of her ear. 

“[i]Booker,[/i]” Mila wheezed desperately, staggering forward. 

“Did I hear you say you’re not a pet?” he whispered to Charlie, smirking against her skin, and stepping backward with her again out of Mila’s reach. “Not like any pet I’ve had, anyway. You haven’t fallen in love with the bite yet, have you? No, not yet. Otherwise you’d be begging for it right now.” He touched his teeth to her skin again. 

“Booker, [i]I’m[/i] begging you, please don’t-..!” 

“Ugh, [i]will[/i] you stop,” he interrupted with an exasperated sigh. “It’s unseemly to see you beg.” He released Charlie, giving her a slight shove in Mila’s direction. 

“Like Lisette said, you can keep her, I don’t care. She won’t last long. She’s so small, isn’t she.” He grinned wickedly and shared a look with Lisette. “We still haven’t finished hunting yet, and I have at least one more round in me. How about we take her along with us?” Booker was staring at Charlie with a lazy, sinister smile. “It’s her turn, you know.” He gestured to Mila. “She might not be ‘in the mood’ as she puts it, but she’s hungry, you can tell. Maybe we’ll find one for her,” he said with feigned generosity.