BXBX NOVEL Chapter 41: Better The Devil You Know
A salesgirl greeted them at the entrance with a polite smile. "Good evening. How can I help you today?"
"We\'ll be shopping ourselves." Olivia waved her away.
Gen wasted no time. She grabbed Ezra by the arm and dragged him to the men\'s section. "We need to get you some new clothes," she declared, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
Ezra barely had a chance to protest as Gen began holding up different shirts against him, sizing him up with a critical eye. She tossed aside shirts and jackets with the practiced ease of someone who had done this many times before.
"How about this?" Gen said, holding up a luxury hoodie decorated with shiny coins and metal spikes. It was a bold statement piece, but one that screamed impracticality.
Ezra shook his head, chuckling. "I think I\'ll pass on that one, Gen."
Gen pouted, but there was a playful glint in her eye. "Fine, be boring," she teased.
Amused, Olivia stepped in. "Maybe we should leave Ezra to his shopping while we look for ourselves. He seems to have a decent sense of style."
"Alright, alright," Gen relented, giving Ezra a mock-salute. "Go on, Mr. Prince. Show us what you\'ve got."
Ezra smiled and began browsing the shelves, grateful for the respite. He sifted through various options, taking his time to find clothes that suited his tastes. Eventually, he gathered a selection of items and headed to a changing room.
After a few minutes, he stepped out, wearing a well-fitted t-shirt, stylish pants, and an overcoat that added a touch of sophistication to the ensemble. He glanced at himself in the mirror, almost not recognizing the reflection that stared back at him.
It wasn\'t like the time he had been human. Now that he had ditched the tracksuit, he clothes transformed his appearance, giving him a polished and confident look.
Ezra observed himself more closely, turning from side to side. The fit was perfect, the style modern yet timeless. He ran a hand through his hair, marveling at the transformation.
He looked like a movie star, someone who belonged in the limelight, not just a regular guy who had recently been thrust into a world of vampires and ancient hierarchies.
As Ezra admired himself in the mirror, he heard a soft giggle behind him. Using the mirror\'s reflection, he saw a familiar lady standing a few feet away. She was dressed in a flowing white gown, her face partially obscured by a red scarf. Her entire presence radiated beauty and grace, an aura that was entirely mundane.
Ezra\'s eyes widened in recognition. He knew who she was, but he couldn\'t quite place which one. She was one of the three flower shop girls, the trio that had bid on him during Target\'s auction. He turned to face her, his voice uncertain. "Stephanie?"
The lady giggled again, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You guessed, didn\'t you?"
Ezra turned to face her as he nodded, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. "Stephanie is the only name I remember."
Stephanie extended a delicate hand, her eyes never leaving his. "Well, now you know for sure. It\'s nice to see you again, Ezra." Her eyes were a delicate amber. He marveled at how expressive her eyes were. He could tell she was smiling even with her lower face covered.
He took her hand, her fingers lingering on his longer than necessary. "Nice to see you too, Stephanie." She had participated in the auction but compared to the other bidders, his fate with her would have been paradise.
Stephanie tilted her head slightly, her gaze slightly intense. "So, you escaped the crazy X?"
Ezra chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, it wasn\'t easy but we did it."
"I\'m glad you did." Stephanie\'s eye crinkled in a smile and she took a step closer, her voice lowering to a playful whisper. "You look even better than I remember."
Ezra felt a flush of warmth at her words. As they conversed, Stephanie continued to flirt with him, her compliments and playful touches sending a thrill through him. There was something captivating about her presence, something that made it hard to focus on anything else.
"So, what brings you here?" Ezra asked, genuinely curious.
Stephanie shrugged, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Just shopping. And then I saw you, looking all handsome and mysterious."
Ezra laughed. "Well, thank you. You don\'t look so bad yourself."
Stephanie laughed. "How about we grab a glass of blood wine later? Just you and me." She batted her eyelashes.
Ezra opened his mouth to decline but was interrupted as Gen and Olivia rounded the corner, their eyes immediately locking onto Ezra and Stephanie. Gen\'s eyes narrowed, a flash of irritation crossing her face.
"What the hell is going on here?" Gen snarled, her voice cutting through the air like a knife. "Trying to steal our man, are you?"
Stephanie stepped back slightly, her playful demeanor fading. "Oh, why would I? I\'m just catching up with an old friend." She said, her tone still light but with a hint of caution.
Olivia\'s gaze shifted between Ezra and Stephanie, her expression unreadable. "Ezra, we should get going."
Ezra nodded, feeling the tension in the air. "Let\'s." He agreed.
As they turned away, Gen asked him, "what\'s her deal?"
"She wanted to have a glass of blood wine alone."
"I bet she did." Gen muttered darkly.
Olivia and Gen, their arms full of their own selections, eyed him up and down. Gen\'s eyes widened in appreciation. "Wow, Ezra, you clean up nicely!"
"Better than that monstrosity Gen wanted to fit you in." Olivia nodded in agreement, her lips twitched in a half smile. "You look great. Very fitting for a vampire prince."
"Will you guys stop it with the vampire prince thing?"
"Nope." Gen grinned. "Still look yummy though."
Ezra smiled, feeling a surge of confidence. "Thanks. It feels... different, but in a good way."
They made their way to the checkout, the salesgirl from earlier assisting them with their purchases.
As they left the store, bags in hand, Olivia spoke up out of the blue. "Do you know why they\'re called flower shop girls?"
"What? Stephanie?"
"Yes. Stephanie." Olivia gave a single nod. "The flower shop girls are known for one thing only. They run a flower shop that doubles as a mercenary agency. They specialise in assassination. Particularly the use of poisons gotten from plants.
They kill both human and vampire. Just a brush of a hand and you\'re dead."
Ezra swallowed. He recalled shaking her hand. He looked at his palm before wiping it on his coat.
"I can see that you understand what I\'m trying to say. Not all that glitters is gold. Not all flower shop girls are innocent."
"We know that many women would be throwing themselves at you." Gen shrugged. "In fact, we expected it. However, not all women have your best interest in heart."
At that moment, Ezra was reminded of an old proverb.
Better the devil you know than the angel you don\'t know.
He\'d still hit though.