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And tonight mine was up on the chopping block, and the only thing separating my reputation from the jagged ax of mediocrity was style and elegance.

Two vital things, that as much as I rifled through my closet, I apparently didn’t seem to own.

I pretty much excavated my entire closet trying to find the perfect combination of cotton, denim, or leather that won’t make me the butt of snide remarks when I ain’t looking... to no avail, of course

My hands were numb with the feeling of soft fabric. My legs, fighting an uphill battle through a river of soft, silky quicksand with every step I took across the room.

Times like these, I really wish I had been more selective in my choice of clothes. Every time, I’d go out to buy a new pair of jeans or something, I’d just get the cheapest one, never mind the presentation or appeal, so long as they fit. After all, jeans were just that – jeans. Fashion statements were simply beyond frugal, cheapskate little me.

Fast forward here and now, and I suppose the joke is all on me. Spiraling into deeper despair surrounded by mounds of fashion statements that just screamed, “I am a failure with no taste, I am ready to be judged.”

.....

Just got out of a quick shower, and already I’m soaked again with apprehension. Been scouring around for ten minutes, and so far I’ve only made it up to my boxers, and frankly, at this point, I’m starting to think I’d make a better impression just wearing this than if I went over fully clothed.

“Master?” came a muffled voice, and a soft rap on the door. “Shouldn’t you be departing soon?”

“Getting dressed!” I answered back, then a little quieter, words just to myself, I muttered. “Trying to anyway.”

“I shall take good care of the house in your absence, so should circumstances require you to stay overnight, you needn’t concern yourself with things here.”

“It’s just dinner, Ash,” I said. “Doubt any banquet could last that long, even if we do have seconds.”

“Oh? Then, I suppose we shall just have to see about that, won’t we?” Ash said, a little something extra layered with her tone of voice. “Now please, with haste, Master,” She spoke, reverting back to the diligent Knight once more. “You’ll be late.”

I heard her footsteps striding away, and as if her words had just triggered a jinx, my phone on my bedside flashed to life with a buzz, bringing forth a message cluttered with emojis and a generous surplus of exclamation marks.

<>

Naturally, I shot her back with a message filled with confidence and bravado that did not match at all with a man in his boxers surrounded in his room by the aftermath of a mini tornado.

Finally, I just said ‘screw it’, and went around pile after pile, plucking out the best out of the worst and praying dearly I come out of this risk all for the better.

Then, on the back of my neck, I felt a cold trickle running, like the cold of a breeze blowing from an open window... which was strange, because my window was close shut... or so I thought. I looked again, and the curtains were swelling from the evening draft... then, before I could move a single step, I heard the faint quiet whisper of a question.

“You are... leaving...?”

I spun around behind me, and I only barely flinched this time spotting Adalia at the foot of the bed. Vapid, foggy eyes practically burrowing into my soul waiting for an answer.

What is it with these predators and always having to skulk around like... predators? Is it just instinct for them to just scare the shit out of everyone or something?

“Did you just climb through the window?” I asked, gradually working through my bewilderment. “Is that how you’ve always been getting in and out of the house?”

“Your heart... is beating fast...” She said, ignoring the question.

“Yeah, I’m shocked,” then, noticing my position, held my selection of attire closer to me. “And I’m also close to naked. You mind?”

“You’re... nervous...” She stated, blinking once at me. “Where... are you... going...?”

There she goes again with her innate sixth sense of reading the room. I’m telling you, she’d make a fortune in the therapy business.

“Going to Amanda’s,” I answered, sighing. “Meeting her parents.”

Two brief sentences were all I gave, and two sentences were more than enough for her to read between the lines and work out the implications. For a few seconds, I watched her process this information, and in typical Adalia fashion, her blank expression did not twitch an inch.

“You did not... sleep with me... last night...” She suddenly blurted out of the blue.

“Ah, yeah...” I said, squirming a little and feeling exposed. Probably didn’t help that I actually was. “I did say I would, didn’t I?”

“Last... night...” Her murky pupils flickered upwards. “Did you... have fun...?”

“I remember bits and pieces, here and there, honestly, everything’s all fuzzy,” I said, silently wondering where this slightly bizarre conversation was going. “So good sign that I probably did.”

Adalia nodded, before falling into a silent stupor yet again, gazing at me all the while and making me feel all the more aware of my bold choice of attire this evening.

“Tonight...” She muttered seemingly to herself. “I’ll be sleeping... alone tonight... again...”

If she’s trying to kill me with guilt, I think I rather dive headfirst into a woodchipper than bear another one of her soft whispers.

“Never said I was staying over,” I told her. “It’s just dinner with her folks, that’s all.”

That’s when she spontaneously sprung to life, striding past me in light, silent steps. “We’ll see...”

Why does everyone keep saying that? I’m not dense, I know what they meant... but it’s the parent-boyfriend meeting. Who gets in the mood at such a crucial moment? I know when to play things straight, and I’m sure Amanda does too.

Or at least, I think she does...

She does, right?

“Here...” Adalia suddenly appeared in front of me again, this time holding out a completely different set of clothes than the ones I had in my hands. “You will... look nice... in this...”

A white shirt, a beige jacket to put over it, and a pair of jet-black pants to stand in contrast. Plain, simple, but despite it, just as she stated, they did look quite nice.

I threw my inferior selections off to the side, taking hers with my humblest thanks. making a mental note that the next time I ever decide to go out clothes shopping, I’m definitely taking her on as my personal advisor.

As quickly as I could, I pulled up the pants and threw on the shirt, then right before I could shoot my arm through the jacket sleeve, Adalia tilted her head slightly left at me.

“Succubus...” She whispered, then to my dumbfounded gaze, added. “Your... necklace...”

For the umpteenth time today, I gazed down at the loose vial of swirling red swinging wildly against my chest.

“Ah, yeah... one of the many, many lovely gifts I received last night,” I said, glancing back at her only to find her gaze still acutely trailing my necklace’s every movement. Seeing that, I could almost guess what she was probably thinking. “Not that you’re in any obligation to gift me with anything. You being you is already a Christmas come true.”

Yet despite my assurance, that peculiar look in her eyes continued to linger, and in her usual uneasy silence, slowly crept forward. I didn’t realize what she was up to until it was too late, and by then, I was already feeling the sharp prickling sensation rippling across the side of my neck with strands of silky gray hair draping over my shoulder.

I remember when just a bite on my arm would suffice... since when was it a necessity for her to start exclusively going for my neck?

“By the way...” I winced out. “You went out, went to see your sister right? You, uh... you talked to her about us?”

She moaned admist her suckling, I think that meant yes.

“And she’s cool with it?”

Another moan.

“How about Tyler?” I asked somemore. “Any luck she’ll come around to him?”

Nothing this time. Don’t think that’s a good sign.

After a while, I felt her fangs retract, felt the cold of her body separate from mine, and I looked into her eyes, unfocusing, wandering... her eyelids slowly falling.

“Soon...” She heaved, stepping back, the warmth of my blood still afresh in her breath, and in her tone gradually growing feeble and fatigued, I could hear the determination, and maybe also a bit of envy... resounding in her voice. “I shall... have you all to myself... soon...”

Then, with parted lips funneling out a sigh, she started to stagger, and I quickly caught her, gently laying her down onto the bed whereupon she curled up into a ball and blissfully continued the rest of her slumber.

It was the first time in a long time I’d ever heard her like that, bold, brazen, so unlike her usual gentle and passive self... a reminder once more, that as meek and docile she may be... at heart, Adalia was a predator true and true.

Not that I dislike that, of course.

Come Christmas, come soon... I’m sure I’ll be in for quite an interesting experience. But for the time being, let’s take it one special night at a time, huh?

Now, I’ll just take care of this mess and cross my fingers my bike keys are somewhere around here... I hope...

Mmm, something tells me I might be here for a while.