Author's note: this is from Seraphina's point of view

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~ Genoa ~

Shopping with Calista was not an unpleasant experience as I feared it will be, but it felt forced.

She didn't ask about my background or my relationship with Aldus. Aldus probably warned her about it.

Calista was looking at everything with eyes open wide, reminding me more of a country bumpkin in a big city than a vampire with a noble background.

She was fascinated with the smallest things like street food, and a fountain full of coins, and she observed with curiosity the statue covered with bird poop. I guessed that in Lemuria, they either don't have birds, or they have designated servants to clean bird excrement… or maybe they don't have statues.

Calista was chattering nonstop, and she didn't seem to mind my silence or people staring at her whenever she removed her sunglasses that concealed her red eyes.

The red eye color, is super-rare in humans, and it's mostly due to some medical conditions.

Before we left, Aldus asked Calista to transform her appearance into a more human-friendly one, but she didn't want to, saying that she is proud of her heritage and if anyone dares to call her out, she will suck them dry. I don't think she was joking, but she agreed to conceal her fangs and not to attack anyone openly.

I understood that Calista is not the one who wants to blend in, and part of me admired her for that.

Calista is beautiful and powerful, and she was born to create waves.

We entered one store after another, and she bought a lot.

I was not interested in trying things, but Calista raised a fuss, and I gave in. She would pile up clothes in the dressing room for me and demand to see how it fits.

I never went shopping without the need to buy stuff and I definitely didn't go with girlfriends.

The experience would be much more pleasant if not for the sour taste that our morning interaction left.

It's not that I wanted to hold grudges against Calista, but her words reminded me of a long period where people looked down on me and it was hard to break the spell of thinking of myself as inferior.

With his little speech and a hug, Aldus made me feel better and dispelled my thoughts of leaving, but I couldn't wait to return home. Pretending to enjoy shopping while dying inside was exhausting.

Calista looked natural trying out things and buying without looking much, surrounded by attendants who were eager to please her.

Calista took Aldus's credit card and she used it liberally.

Mitch followed us like a shadow. He would carry the shopping bags, and whenever his hands got full, he dropped them off to the car and returned for more.

When we got home, it was late afternoon.

The trunk of the car was filled with shopping bags and boxes, and the front passenger's seat was packed as well. Mitch took one sharp turn and the stacked boxes toppled on him, but he maintained steady speed, like a professional driver that is not fazed by sudden disturbances.

"You didn't find anything you liked?", Aldus asked me with a frown when he observed that only a fraction of the small mountain of purchases ended up in my room.

It's not that there were not things I liked, but my closet is full of clothes I have yet to wear, and buying just for the sake of buying seemed like a waste of money.

Before I could answer Aldus's question, Calista did.

"She was not in a mood for shopping. It seems I need to do more to make up for my blunder from this morning."

I felt bad for Calista. Throughout the day, she was bubbly and carefree and now I realized that she was trying to cheer me up and probably apologize or make it up to me somehow, but I was not cooperating.

I didn't want to attract attention. "I'm not into shopping."

Calista rolled her eyes dramatically, obviously not believing what I said.

"Did you have fun?", Aldus was still focused on me.

"It was OK."

I put on my best smile. I hoped he will drop the topic, and I didn't want to risk Aldus and Calista arguing again.

Aldus looked like he was about to ask more, and I had to distract him.

"We didn't have lunch. I'm starving."

"Alright. Go freshen up and I will get staff to prepare something.", Aldus said and before I made a beeline for my room, he added, "Lazarus called."

I froze. "What for?"

"It's about your dinner. He will be here tomorrow afternoon to pick you up."

I responded with a stiff smile and headed to my room. Why did I hope Lazarus will forget about our date?

Inside the shower, I tried to suppress worries about the upcoming date. I agreed and it's happening and unless I want to make it super-awkward, I need to go through it.

It's not going to be that bad, I comforted myself. No matter what Lazarus prepared, he definitely knows that I am not interested in any romance with him, and he will not do anything extreme because he fears Aldus.

I got out of the bathroom and paused at the sight of Calista sitting at the edge of my bed.

"I knocked and peeked in when you didn't answer. I heard the water running and decided to wait here for you. I hope you don't mind.", Calista said.

What's the point if I mind or not, she is already here.

I told myself to relax. Sure, Calista said some things that hurt me this morning, but it hurt me mostly because of my past Calista is not aware of.

If anything, I should be grateful for Calista because she was only worried about her brother. If the roles are reversed and I see a stranger suddenly having such a big presence in Aldus's life, I would be skeptical as well.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

Calista glanced at the closed door, making sure no one will overhear us, before asking in a whisper, "You have a date with a dog?"

I realized that she was talking about Lazarus. Well, there was no point in denying it. "Yes."

"Do you like him?"

"What? No.", I responded quickly. "I am aware that werewolves have mates, and I am not his. I would never allow myself to get attached to a person who could leave me the moment he finds the one. I mean, I know that relationships don't come with a guaranteed happy ending, but dating a werewolf without being his mate means that the relationship is doomed for failure."

Calista was confused. "Then, why are you going on a date with him?"

"I grew up with humans and I never saw a werewolf shift into his wolf form. Lazarus said that he will shift in front of me if I agree to a dinner with him. It's just dinner. No big deal."

I thought that she might call me a sucker for falling into a trap and accepting a date, but to my surprise, Calista's eyebrows danced mischievously as she asked, "You saw him shift? That means he was naked. I heard that werewolves have an impressive physique. How big was it?"

She put her open palms in front of her, at the chest level, obviously gesturing the length of something. Her palms moved further away and it took me a few moments to realize she was asking about the length of Lazarus's membrum virile.

Calista noticed my discomfort.

"Come on… we are both girls, and I am genuinely curious. You know, in Lemuria I have no one to talk about guys."

I could relate to that. I never had a close girlfriend either, but do we need to start bonding by discussing the crotch area?

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