Anik's plan had worked. Clearly Krishan hadn't heard much of the plan or not understood what they were talking about or maybe as Kelsey liked to think he was so scared about Kelsey's retributions he didn't dare speak out. At the end of the day both boys had swallowed Kadam's story about there being too much suspicion about the amount of meat he was ordering in causing the boys to have to hunt to find there own food.

Kadam had driven them all out away from the house to an area of 'better pickings' as Krishan had called it.

The boys were going to collect enough food to last them for a while and bring it back with them, while not precisely to Kadam's plan it still left both him and Kelsey with a few hours to kill.

He had booked them both into a hotel with the most beautiful little restaurant. But Kelsey had only had a glimpse of it as they deposited there bags in there room before Anik took her hand.

"Miss Kelsey, I was wondering if perhaps you would like to go on a date with me"

Kelsey smiled.

"Well Mr Kadam I would very much like too indeed"

They just walked around the town up to the market where the pungent spices made her sneeze a few times. As Kadam was obviously a man with money they attacked a lot of attention from traders but they just passed through relaxed that there was not a tiger padding around them.

He bought ice creams and Kelsey felt that she was back home in America out on a first date with some boy from school. It was strange the date this the one time they could talk freely but neither felt the need too.

As dusk approached they went back to the hotel and into that little restaurant called The Mango Flower. Now they were inside they started talking.

"This has been the loveliest day I have had in a long while" she said.

Anik smiled raising his glass in a taost.

"Let us hope there will be more"

"I'll drink to that" she said raising her own. She perused the menu glancing up occupationally at Anik. He seemed intent on his own menu but she realised his eyes where not moving and he was twisting his napkin in his hands. Folding it shut drew his attention to her.

"What's wrong?"

Anik shifted a little uncomfortable.

"I've been thinking, thinking about how to sort our errr stripy problem"

Kelsey chuckled as she took another sip of wine.

"and?" she coaxed gently.

"Well" he tugged at his collar "Kelsey you mut understand that I have no intention to go through with this, it's just the only way I can think of getting rid of them is well.." he twisted his napkin again. Kelsey clocked on to his thought and found she too was uncomfortable.

"I won't Kelsey, I'm not a murderer, I'm not a killer. I feel so awful for thinking it" the atmosphere around there little table changed. The sombre reminder of what they were up against tainted it like blood in water.

"Anik, do not worry. I've thought about it too but I wouldn't do it, you know I wouldn't. I felt terrible for even considering it. But I realised why. We're desperate and desperate people can do diabolical things we mustn't let that happen to us Anik."

The relief on Anik's face made him look ten years younger.

"I am so glad you haven not judged me Kelsey, I love that about you. The way you can look past things look deeper, like one of those art critiques you can look past the mess to see the truth beneath" he pause his thumbs stroking her hands.

Kelsey couldn't take it any more.

"Shall we get dinner later?" she asked. Anik simply nodded and they quietly left the restaurant. They where in the largest suit at the top of the hotel it had a more rustic feel feel then the mansion but the homely touches were welcoming to Kelsey not that she really cared at that moment. The two of them alone for the night as free as they could be. They could take there time...savour every moment.

They collapsed on the bed breathing like they had just run a marathon Anik held Kelsey to him. Kelsey pulled the sheet over them as the fans were causing her bare skin to chill.

Propping her head on her arm she looked deep into Anik's eyes.

"Kelsey, I really do think I'm falling in love with you" he whispered.

"I don't know what love is, but when I'm with you I have a pretty good idea of what it must be like" she replied.

Anik chuckled brushing some stray hairs off her face.

"Yeah that was a bit cheesy wasn't it"

"Just a little" he smiled. "But I do mean it"

"I know you do and so do I" she said caressing his cheek.