IN NATURE, PREDATORS HUNT THEIR PREY USING NOT ONLY STRENGTH, BUT ALSO INTELLECT. Deceiving your prey is just as good as overpowering them. It was something that was ingrained in Zaira's mind. But once the veil behind your deceit is lifted, you're as good as dead. That veil is guarded with the utmost care and if you are careful enough, it's almost impossible to penetrate. The element of surprise was all it took though, to prove that there is in fact, a way to unveil the deceitful.
Here, the element of surprise, is indeed what turned the predator into the prey. That was all it took for the pack to come to the rescue - well not exactly.
The icy wind whipped through the woman's silky hair that flowed like the nile, gushing through the landscape of her toned body that proudly displayed her hours of hard work. Her eyes were like the desert sands foreign to these parts, weathered and gritty, icy cold in the night, yet blazing warm with the suns love. They never did leave the woman before her, soaking in the current of mixed emotions that came off her in waves, like they were stranded in a dessert but suddenly found an oasis.
"Nayeli," whispered the woman, pausing her sure strides, the wind seemingly pausing with her.
Zaira paused, confusion overriding her inner turmoil, "I'm sorry, what?"
"My name is Nayeli," the woman remarked, words a little more forceful this time.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"That, is up to you to decide" whispered Nayeli, inching closer toward Zaira, nervousness leaking out into her words, causing her to sound like she was a fucking mystic.
The pale glimmer of the rusted streetlight, highlighted the small little scrunch of Zaira's cute button nose signaling her confusion - something Nayeli was quick to notice. Nayeli cursed under her breath, the only evidence to it being the tiny puff of smoke that came with it. In her mind that was much more romantic and mysterious.
But it still had the intended effect on Zaira, the fluctuation in her pulse showing the absence of her mask - both the literal and figurative one. She felt vulnerable, not only because she held absolutely no power in the situation, but also because she was so exposed, her raw emotions were out for the world to see. Well......in this case the world was a 5'10 giant bitch, (in both ways) who had a gun pointed at her.
It was like she was a fish out of water, struggling to get back to her familiar surroundings that she thrived in, rather than the strange situation, where she didn't have any idea what was going to happen next. Improvising was a skill she knew very well had how to use, yet seldom used it. But now that the opportunity arose, Zaira was panicking.
"That's confusing and I have no clue what you're saying," Zaira muttered, brain going thousand miles an hour, running circles around her speeding heart as she desperately searched for a way out of this situation.
Nayeli sighed, knowing she fucked it all up. In her mind, that was super romantic and smooth but once she started talking - well you know what happened.
"I-" she cleared her throat; which seemed rather silly with how confident she stood. How evenly she talked and all the sudden she seemed to stutter, "Apologies. I believe I owe you something close to a thanks,"
"The language in which you speak is somewhat foreign to me- but in the event you're planning to end my life, I'd much rather spare the dress." Zaira paused to lick her lips, and took a step closer, "If you'll unzip me, I'd love to accept."
Nayeli's jaw slacked, her cheeks growing warm, the seductive manner of Zaira's words causing unfamiliar feelings to stir inside her. Slowly, Nayeli stepped toward her, the 3ft distance they had going down by the second, Zaira becoming painfully aware of the lack of space between the two. As she watched her counterparts eyes begin to wander over her taller figure, teeth biting her irresistible lips ever so slightly, she grinned, closing the distance and placed her lips an inch before her ear "Mhmm. I'd be glad to." Nayeli whispered, Zaira shuddering slightly at the sudden warmth from the woman's breath conflicting the icy air of the night.
But in a second, the sudden warmth was replaced once again with the cold midnight air, colder this time after Zaira had been tempted with its warmth.
"I'm speaking English, you hearing impaired buffoon. Let me explain it to you in a way your two brain cells can comprehend; Thank. You. For. Killing. Abramo. I swear if I have to explain it again, I won't be merciful this time," enunciated the thief who stole Zaira's remaining braincells, a slightly annoyed tone hiding the laughter that wished to burst out.
Zaira's facial expression never faltered, but mentally she was annoyed at the woman for toying with her. She could kill her just for that.
"Wait, what? B-But. T-the W-what?"she sputtered, confused at the sudden plot twist and slightly flustered, "you're with him thought right? Like you work for him?"
"Me. Working with him? Did you like lose a brain cell right now?"
"If you don't work for him, then who do you work for?"
"What makes you think I work for someone?" challenged Nayeli, her voice dropping slightly, a husk taking over, causing an unfamiliar feeling to ignite in Zaira once again, almost causing her to drop her act and pull the woman in by the vest that clung to her body.
"Because..... you just have to?"
"I'm my own boss."
The change in tone wasn't boding well with Zaira. Suddenly it felt like she no longer was in the chilly night in the crooked streets of Milan, rather dying in the Sahara.
Very thirsty.
"Why did you want to kill Abramo?"
"Changing the subject I see-"
"Shut up and tell me," snapped Zaira, annoyed at the woman for distracting her, while Nayeli grinned, pleasantly surprised by the woman's attitude.
There was a look in Nayeli's eyes - one Zaira could not figure out - that caused Zaira's heart rate to skyrocket, her breathing deciding to hitch a ride along with it. She became painfully aware of how close they were, the streetlamp above them highlighting the scene as if they were in a play. Nayeli's shoes glimmered under the warmth of the streetlight, giving Zaira something to look at as to avoid the woman's gaze that bore through her. The shoes moved though, not backward like Zaira willed it to move, instead closer to her, closing the distance between them before once again she could feel the woman's warm breath.
She thanked whatever gods she had for the woman's breath smelling good - a welcome change compared to the usual beer and cigarette breath she was used to.
"He offended the family," Nayeli whispered, voice dropping low, as if the woman knew what it did to Zaira.
Nayeli's eyes had never left hers, memorizing every detail in her hollowed ones. And that was what Zaira would use to her advantage. Ever so slowly, her hand began inching toward the hem of her dress, now that Nayeli was close enough to miss the small action, it was time for her plan to be put into action.
"The family?"
"Yes, the family," she firmly stated, playing the game like Zaira wanted her too, except knowing exactly what she was doing.
"Who exactly are you?"
Distraction.
"I already told you. My name is Nayeli."
Ah, stealing a page out of Zaira's playbook.
"Yes idiot, I know that. But who are you?"
"I am the heir to Muharib clan."
And suddenly the puzzle piece she was missing came and smacked her in the head.
Now more than ever, she had to leave.
"What the hell? How? B-B-But there can't be a female heir? How would the members react?" stuttered Zaira, perplexed that the rumors where actually true.
But Zaira should know, rumors can be very true.
"Ah, yes. I forgot you Italians are behind. My mother was the heir to our clan. In fact, she was the leader of it."
"But how?"
"Well you see, my grandparents loved each other very much-"
"Not that you idiot. How is it accepted? I thought Lebanon had worse gender inequality than here," Zaira interrogated, seemingly distracted from her quest, which in fact was quite the opposite.
(Arab culture does have shittier gender equality.)
"So you do know about me," smirked Nayeli, igniting an urge to slap that smirk off in Zaira.
"Of course asshole, who doesn't know the Muharib's."
"Wow I feel so honored."
"You are infuriating."
"I try."
Though she was trying to distracted the goddess in front of her, her curiosity couldn't be squashed,"But how did you command them?"
"Women are powerful. All we did was prove it," breathed Nayeli, the words finding its way into Zaira, giving her the slight spark of courage she needed.
"Then you shouldn't have let me keep my gun," Zaira sneered, pointing the gun that lay heavy in her hands - not from its wait though, the barrel of the gun pressed firmly against Nayeli's just, causing a small indent in the lapel of her vest.
Nayeli was impressed at the woman's will, but disappointed in herself for not winning over the woman yet. She sighed, waving off the person who stood off to the side, gun aimed directly at Zaira, causing them to grumble and lower their gun slightly, unhappy with the fact that a gun was pointed at someone they cared about.
"I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this."
Confusion passed through Zaira as she pondered on what was the meaning to her words. Sadly, she wasn't given enough time to think before the woman knocked the gun away from her chest, squeezing her wrist enough to loosen her grip on the gun, making it easy for the woman to snatch it out of her hands.
"You really have a death wish, ya amar, " whispered the woman, pointed the gun toward the bewildered Zaira, using the barrel of her gun to trace her exposed collarbone. The cool metal leaving behind a trail of goosebumps in its journey, causing Zaira to suck in her breathe, paralyzed by shock.
"Now tell me, did you really think you would get away with that?"
The gun suddenly changed course, moving up toward her neck before resting under her chin, with it Nayeli moved, slowly walking around so she was standing behind the woman, her warm breath on Zaira's neck almost causing her knees to buckle.
"It was worth a try," whispered Zaira, proud of herself for stringing together a complete sentence with her foggy brain.
Zaira could feel the woman who was pressed up against her, almost holding her up as her knees felt like it would buckle any second. The barrel of the gun was still pushing her head up slightly, but the thought of it had escaped her mind, instead focusing on the non-existent space between them. Her neck was more exposed now that Zaira tilted her head away from Nayeli.
"And I'm glad you did," Nayeli whispered, her breath tickling Zaira's exposed neck, knees buckling slightly, causing her to lean against Nayeli for support.
But Nayeli pulled back from her, steadying Zaira before pulling the gun away from her, leaving Zaira craving her warmth once again. The cold metal was pushed into Zaira's open hand, causing her to snap back into reality.
Immediately she made sure the safety was off before pointing the gun at the figure that was walking away from her, shining from the light on the moon.
And she pulled the trigger.
But all she heard, was a click.
Panicked she checked the gun, pulling the trigger a couple more times just in case. In her state of panic, she heard a chuckle coming from the woman.
"Looking for these?" snickered the woman, turning back toward the woman, holding up a bullet from Zaira's gun.
Zaira was too in shock to reply, watching the woman as she returned the bullet to her pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. One cigarette found its way to her insatiable lips, her feature highlighted by the flame of the lighter. Nayeli smirked, blowing some smoke toward the woman before turning and walking across the street, leaving a disappearing trail from her smoking cigarette.
Zaira stood there, flustered for the first time in her life, deep down craving something she knew she could never have.
☾
I love how I was writing the part where Zaira goes ," I do not understand what you are saying" but the original line was "no comprendo whatever language you were speaking". Like bitch what?
I not as proud of this chapter. I wished it was more powerful but, whatever dude.
Also, I love how you deaf bitch became you hearing impaired buffoon.
Spent way too much time on this chapter yet I'm still not very happy with it.
I know I said I was going to triple update last weekend, I just got so caught up in this chapter that I couldn't get to the others.
Huge ass thanks to herbal tea for helping me out with some parts.
What do you guys think about the chapter?
Predictions for the future?
Love you ppl.
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𝐀 𝐄 𝐒 𝐈 𝐑 𝐀