“Oh.” Her face darkened. “I can see now why you would take this on.”
We continued to talk and get to know each other as she curled my hair and I put on make-up.
An hour later, I was ready for this dinner. The dress fit like a glove, and the green really made my red hair pop.
When I stood and checked myself out in the mirror, Milika smiled. “You look beautiful, madam.”
“Thank you.” I opened the bathroom door and we stepped out to where Luka was waiting. He undressed me with his eyes, which cause heat to creep up to my cheeks.
Milika consulted her watch. “I should get going. I’ve got work soon.”
Luka and I both shared an alarmed look.
“Go work at the brothel?” he asked.
She nodded. “Thank you for the meal. It was the best I ever had. And for the kindness. It won’t be forgotten.”
She bowed deeply and moved across the room. I was about to stop her and run after her when Luka spoke.
“Milika, hang on.” Luka stumbled across the room awkwardly. “I don’t feel right about letting you go back to work as an indentured servant after you’ve helped us so much.”
She stood there quietly.
“I mean, what if I could … I dunno, buy you? I mean notreallybuy you.” He fumbled over his words and I decided to jump in and help the poor guy.
“We’d like to pay your debt and then bring you with us back to Vampire City, where you will be a free troll,” I told her.
Her mouth popped open and a small gasp erupted from her. “Pay … my debt? But it’s in the thousands. Why … I—”
“Just say the word and I’ll handle it with the king tonight,” Luka told her. “I gather he’s the kind of guy who would like to know that he’s done me a favor. I’ll owe him and he’ll like that.”
“He will,” she nodded, “That’s why you mustn’t.”
“Milika, we want to help you. Please let us,” I pressed her. I could see the scream for help in her eyes, but she didn’t want to burden us; it was heartbreaking. I also didn’t want to force her to do anything against her will. She’d had enough of that.
“I’ll tell you what,” Milika offered. “Give me one of those phones to keep in contact with you and I’ll remain at my post until you free the women and children. At that time, I will leave with you.”
She would help us in our heist? That was risky. From what we saw today in the courtyard, she could be hauled off to jail just for bumping into a vampire!
“Deal,” Luka said, and I frowned.
“But if you get caught … just please be careful,” I told her.
She smiled shyly. “You will have a better chance if the women are ready. I want to help, and I’m good at hiding things.”
Well, I couldn’t argue with that.
Luka handed her his phone and gave her a short tutorial on how it worked and how to turn it off or on, and also to silent, and then she left.
I sat on the edge of the bed. “This has been a crazy day.”
Luka knelt before me, running his hands up my ankles and slipping them under the dress to grip my calves. “I have a feeling it’s about to get crazier.”
I couldn’t concentrate on his words with his hands up my dress. I was about to suggest we skip the dinner when he pulled his hands away from my legs and stood. “Come on. We should get going.”
With a pout, I took his outstretched fingers and he helped me stand. “Aspen, one thing before we go.” His eyes were practically glowing yellow, only a ring of blue on the outer edge. “If we are to mingle with this awful king, you may hear me say or do some things that are … undesirable, but it’s all for show. I assure you.”
A stone sank in my gut.
