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(XXXIII.)

Krymenthos was bustling with people, mostly females, on Saturday at one in the afternoon. Whether it was pedicure, manicure, hairstyling, hair extensions, make up - they were all here for it.

Eric wrinkled his nose as the mixture of smells blasted him in his face. He went through the main room's door, because the second door for staff only, hid a bevy of flurrying girls. He adjusted the earplugs in his ears and ambled through the throng of customers, without paying anyone a glance.

There were stares and gasps from the younger ones - the exuberant teenagers. Their whispers and giggles reached his ears, and he cringed at their words. They made him sick in the gut.

Chelsea was waiting for him in the back room. Unlike that time last year, it was well furnished with three sofas, a round table, a mini bar and a large flat screen TV hanging up on one wall. The wallpaper was bright lilac with thin swirls of gold patterned on it.

His mother was seated on one of the couches, legs crossed, and sipping bourbon. Eric joined her. He poured the drink into a second glass and topped it up with brandy. She wrinkled her nose at the combination but said nothing.

"Business looks good today," he commented.

"It's always good." She set down her glass and angled her body towards him. "How was training?"

"Cool."

"Do you have plans with Logan?"

He rolled his eyes. "Logan has his own life. Besides, he's gonna be very busy this period with Stefan. Territory stuff and human pests."

Chelsea nodded shortly. "Amanda is here with her mom. She also has a sister and a big brother."

"Not a problem." He relaxed back in the seat and stretched his arms over the backrest. "I've dealt with werewolf brothers. Humans are nothing."

"But you still have to be careful." She looked away, but not before Eric saw the hesitation in her eyes.

"Was ist es?"

"Nothing much." She shrugged. "I tried the Roberts, but they're out of town. So, I contacted the Snowdens, especially when I found out that the younger daughter is in the same grade as you."

Eric grumbled. "Really, Mom? Amanda's okay for now." Easy to compel, easy to coerce.

"That younger daughter... I didn't care about her name, though. It's her mother I know better because she comes here more frequently, and sometimes with her older daughter. The little one's got a mouth on her. Very rude."

You have no idea. He kept a passive look. "What did she say?"

"She flipped me off and rudely ended the call. She thought I wanted her money. The brat!" She took a deep, calming breath as anger from the memory of the phone call seeped into her veins. "I wanted to compel her through the phone, but she began to talk strange. Do you know anything about her?"

"No. Not a thing." He said this without a blink.

Chelsea nodded, as if that was a satisfying answer. "Anyway, I wouldn't want you around her. Even if you were forced to do this dating thing, that brat isn't the kind of girl for you."

Don't I know it. "So... Amanda for today and the next thirteen days of hell." He took a gulp of mixed alcohol from his glass. "Then, I'd feast on whoever's next."

"Always remember to be careful," she said in a concerned tone.

He rolled his eyes. "How can I forget when you constantly remind me?"