"How does it feel to treat me like you do?"
Blue Monday by New Order
THE NEXT NIGHT Sevyn managed to gather some funds without incident. She was grateful – another night like last wouldn't be pleasant. But she knew she couldn't keep this up forever. She would need to take a break soon before she got caught for real. At this point, she had a few months' rent covered for this little place on the beach and then some, so she could relax for a little.
Tonight, she was indulging in an orange creamsicle soft serve, when she found herself ambushed by two of the boys.
Suddenly, an arm snaked around her waist, eliciting a startled yelp and jump from Sevyn. Thankfully, she saved the ice cream from both a fall and Paul's attempt at a taste test.
"Get away from my ice cream you savage," she exclaimed, glaring at Paul. Her reward was a cacophony of laughter from both him and Marko, who materialized beside her.
Sevyn eyed Marko warily. In the movie, she never got a good read on him. He always struck her as the more mischievous and malicious of the four. Hopefully, she was currently on his good side, and stayed that way.
His enigmatic presence made her cautious. While he seemed to tolerate her so far, she wondered how long that patience would last. Paul, on the other hand, appeared smitten. Maybe that would give her a leg up.
But who knew? Vampires were a whole different breed, they seemed very mercurial. She couldn't begin to put herself in the mindset of one.
"What's on the agenda tonight, pixie girl?" Marko drawled, his gaze dipping suggestively to where her bra strap peeked out from her tank top. Unable to resist temptation, he reached up and snapped the band, eliciting another startled noise from her.
He grinned, unfazed by her attempted glare. It probably lacked the necessary bite. Maybe some lessons from David on intimidation tactics were in order.
"Nothing planned," Sevyn replied. "Got what I needed, just wandering. Did you guys get into any trouble tonight?"
"Absolutely, babe!" Paul declared proudly, shoving Marko playfully.
"Good, since you're not busy, it's my turn for quality time," Marko countered with a wicked grin that sent shivers down Sevyn's spine. It was unclear whether the sensation was welcome or not.
"Aw, but I had plans for her!" Paul lamented dramatically.
"Too bad, pixie's mine tonight! You had your fill yesterday," Marko called back, dragging a semi-reluctant Sevyn by the wrist.
She considered protesting, but experience told her it wouldn't be effective. He'd likely laugh and make a snide remark, ultimately ignoring her. So, with limited options, she allowed him to lead her to an unknown destination.
Marko had been eagerly anticipating this since Paul spent the previous night with Sevyn. He unofficially claimed it was his turn to play with Santa Carla's most intriguing resident.
His goal tonight was to mess with her, gauge her tolerance for his antics. He already sensed Paul's budding interest in the girl, and none of them wanted another Star situation.
What truly irked him about Star was her unwavering morality and constant whining. It grated on him. She couldn't even seem to take a joke, which was almost a bigger offense in his eyes.
After aimless wandering, Sevyn finished her ice cream while waiting. Sensing his indecisiveness, she made the call for him as they passed by an arcade. She stopped abruptly, causing Marko to look back at her expectantly.
"Mind if we head in here?" she asked, trying to mask the flicker of hope in her voice.
The vampire glanced at the arcade, a grin spreading across his face. "Sure thing, wouldn't mind schooling you in some video games." His voice held a clear challenge.
"Oh please," Sevyn scoffed, "you'd be surprised at my skills." Along with yoga and reading, video games were one of her go-to pastimes.
"We'll see about that." Marko, still clutching her wrist, steered her inside.
They battled it out in Double Dragon, Sevyn emerging victorious in most rounds. Contra was next, and Marko was growing restless. Part of him simmered with irritation every time she won. Her smug expressions made him want to wipe that smirk off her face.
He hated how that look almost turned him on. He liked that she could fight back and dish it out as well as she received it without crying about it. But now was the time to step it up.
As they moved on to the next game, Sevyn reached for quarters, her hand brushing against something unsettling. Glancing down, she saw a swarm of cockroaches spilling from the bucket, some crawling on her skin. Disgust contorted her face, a primal revulsion at the insects. She quickly shook her hand free of the bugs while making a small noise of shock and disgust.
Meanwhile, Marko reveled in her reaction, a cruel amusement flickering in his eyes. It was a small victory, but it soothed a sliver of his darkness.
When she looked again, the insects were gone. After a moment of startled revulsion, Sevyn recognized this for what it was – a mind trick. The infuriating vampire was messing with her head. No surprise there.
Instead of giving him the satisfaction of a meltdown, she simply stared at the bucket for a beat before shaking her head with a forced laugh. What she really wanted to do was to unleash a verbal tirade, but she knew better than to reveal all her cards. As far as Marko was concerned, she was oblivious to his involvement.
"Huh, that was strange," she said, feigning confusion.
"Strange? What was, pixie girl?" he countered, barely masking his delight.
"Nothing, I thought I felt something on my hand, just a momentary glitch. Ready for me to kick your ass again?" she dismissed with a grin, her attention returning to the game.
Marko felt a flicker of disappointment, but also a grudging respect. He'd expected a more dramatic reaction, a panicked outburst and frantic disbelief. Instead, she brushed it off with a laugh.
"One of these days," Sevyn announced, her fingers flying over the game controls, "that jacket is mine. I'm stealing it. Just gotta wear it at least once." A playful glint shone in her eyes.
Marko didn't take his eyes off the screen. "Steal it, and you're a dead woman," he growled, the threat laced with just a hint of amusement. "Besides, it practically lives on me. You might be good, but not good enough."
A beat later, the victory screen flashed, and Sevyn erupted in cheers, throwing her arms in the air. She even did a victory lap around him, her joy bordering on obnoxious. Marko felt a tug at his lips, the urge to smile at her ridiculous antics. She reminded him of Paul at this moment. But he schooled his expression. No way was he giving her the wrong idea – he didn't like her. Not yet anyway.
"Oh, I'll get it, Marko," she taunted, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Practically doesn't mean always. Maybe I'll snag it, wear it for a quick photo op, and leave the picture behind when I return your precious jacket. If I return it." Her perfectly manicured eyebrows wagged playfully.
A flicker of something unidentifiable sparked in his eyes – a curiosity, perhaps, about the image of Sevyn draped in only his jacket. He may not necessarily like her yet, but he definitely found her attractive.
"Like I said," Marko countered, his voice dripping with mock seriousness, "dead pixie walking."
So far, she wasn't giving off the same vibes as Star. That was a small comfort. He'd reserve judgment for now.