A Deal With The Devil

Living in victory

Astra's POV

“Baby, if you want me, just say so.’' The blonde’s voice slurred, a sickening contrast to the orange juice pooling around my feet like a prophecy of the mess my life was becoming. He didn’t care about the spill, too engrossed in leering at my breasts.

''I’m so sorry,’' I lied, straightening my posture. My gaze flickered over the group; none seemed concerned about the juice.

Life wasn't so bad, was it? I mused inwardly, my lips threatening to twitch into a smirk. If the spilled juice could be swept under the rug like so much dirt, what else might I be able to hide? But the illusion of peace was shattered when the top waitress strutted over, her brunette hair immaculate and her smile as false as a three-dollar bill. Her glare at me was as sharp as a cat’s claw, but it shifted into a flirty glint as she turned to the men.

“Oh Misters, we apologize for the inconvenience,’' she purred, sidling up to the table. With her crisp white dress shirt, fitted black skirt, and the moniker ‘Gwen’ adorning her name tag, she was the picture of professional perfection—a mirage as alluring as the desert’s water. The men wolf-whistled at her, feasting their eyes on the pristine façade she cultivated.

The restaurant was an opulent ode to excess, its air charged with a kind of exclusivity that could be smelled on the air, like expensive cologne. Elegant chandeliers cast a warm glow over its patrons, their designer clothes a silent testimony to their affluence. Attractive waitresses and dashing waiters glided across the floor, catering to the clientele’s every whim.

"I'm sorry" I bowed slightly before getting someone to clean up the mess, Gwen accepted my departure as she passed down to one of the men, a prepared piece of paper, probably with her phone number on it.

Hoes will always be hoes. The thought beat like a drum in my mind, a steady pulse fueling my plans.

The minutes ticked by, slow as molasses. But the result would be oh-so-sweet. I slipped my things into my waist bag, keeping a close eye on the men, their laughter and chatter creating a buzz in the air.

Just a few more moments…

The men sat, shoveling food into their mouths as they exchanged pleasantries. They had no idea what was coming.

Perfectly slow, but the result would be exceptionally beautiful.

The men sat eating their meal while talking amongst themselves, they seemed to be having fun.

But not for long.

I stood twirling one of my tendrils as I glanced at the watch on my wrist, just a few more time and the result would be exceptional, a beauty to behold. In just a few moments…

The discomfort fluttered across the blonde’s features, a subtle ripple on the surface of a lake. He blinked, brushing it aside like a minor nuisance, but the grimace that followed told a different story. A moment passed, then another. He fidgeted, his hand grazing his stomach as if to reassure himself it was all in his head. But it wasn’t.

The blonde made his excuses and retreated, slinking away like a wounded animal. As his back disappeared into the crowd, I exhaled, a silent breath of relief. My fingerprints were nowhere to be found, my tracks covered. And yet, there was always a chance.

Being cautious was a habit I’d never break. I slipped into the workers’ locker room, collecting my belongings. The restaurant's back door beckoned me, and I stepped into the night, a fox in the shadows.

But I'll live in my victory even if it was just for a moment.

The abandoned high-rise loomed before me, a desolate fortress of darkness. Its windows were shattered and empty, voids that seemed to swallow any trace of light. I crept into the building, my footsteps muted by the crumbling carpet. The air was thick with dust and decay, and the musty smell of abandonment hung heavy. Stairs groaned under my feet as I climbed to a floor that overlooked the restaurant, each step drawing me closer to the action below.

Although for a girl, walking around the area by this time was quite risky, but I had been taught to fight, and Loyola got nothing on me.

Finally making my way into a floor that sat right above the height of the restaurant which was buildings away, I watched through my binoculars as the blonde returned to his seat.

Of course I wasn't just going to let my show end so abruptly.

The blonde had traded his ruined suit pants for a pair of garish purple sparkly ones, and the sight of him sitting there, panic-stricken, was delicious. I grinned as I watched him, mouthing furiously to his friends. Gwen looked on from a distance, her face a blend of concern and confusion.

This was thrilling. The power was shifting in my favor, and I was enjoying every moment.

The men turned to look around the restaurant probably for a culprit with golden locks, but I was no where to be found.

And of course the blonde had long since gotten the attention of the diners and he wasn't having it with the laughs, pointed fingers while some of them looked at him as if he was nuts.

He was not just nuts, he was a nut with sore butts.

The men unable to take the heat of being mocked, made their way to the door after paying for their meal to the peril of Gwen.

Her perfect face was utterly marred by annoyance.

The men stood by the door in the webs of their confusion and anger, with an angry sight of a man in purple, ruining their air of superiority.

One of the men was on a phone call, he looked just as pissed as his friends maybe even more pissed. With a shake of his head as he spoke into the phone and turned towards the building.

Then a sudden silence like he was listening to the recipient at the other end of the call, he looked towards the building.

And in just a second, his eyes met mine, startling me to drop my binoculars.

I quickly scrambled to grab it and to my greatest shock, all men where looking at the building with a perfect scowl on their faces.

My heart was racing.

How did they find me?

And with every passing second, the man on the phone scowl's became deeper and my heart beat was drumming even faster.

I was in trouble.

Now that I thought of it, these men looked like they held whole of Cali in their palms.

Blood!