Lilith

I stepped into the bookstore, the faint scent of aged paper and incense hanging in the air. The my favorite goth clerk wasn't at the counter. Instead, she was perched on a ladder at the back, methodically shelving books. I approached her quietly.

"Hey," she said without glancing down or pausing her work.

I positioned myself directly beneath her, and that's when I saw it: a glimpse of her black panties peeking from under her short miniskirt, paired with sheer black thigh-high stockings that hugged her legs like a second skin.

"Can I help you?" she asked, still not looking my way.

"What was that book you sold me?"

Now she turned, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "What?"

Her hands tightened briefly on the ladder's rungs as she peered down at me. "What?"

"That book," I pressed. "It wasn't just any book. There was something... off about it."

She descended the ladder in a rush—too hasty, almost stumbling. "Excuse me?" Face-to-face now, her eyes scanned mine intently, searching for something.

"Nah, no idea what you're talking about," she stammered, averting her gaze. Her fingers drummed nervously on the spine of the book she still clutched: Vampire Sex Diaries. That could be just Emma's thing.

"Come on," I said. "I know you know more. Who sold it to the store? You're always here—you have to know."

She let out a deep sigh. "God, chill out, kid." A heavy pause. "You have no idea what you're getting into. Some doors are better left shut."

"I need to know." I was this close to dropping to my knees and begging.

She studied me for a long moment, weighing her options. "You... I actually like you. You've always had this lost, haunted vibe. I dig that in a guy. That's why I'd rather not help you. But..." She bit her lower lip, hesitating. "Fine. But only on one condition."

"Okay, what's that?"

"Here's the deal: Tonight, I'm hitting up this goth club with friends. After, you take me and my friend Ophelia out. And right there, in front of her eyes, you hypnotize me. If you can pull it off. If not, forget it—you shouldn't even agree to this."

"Hypnotize you? I could probably manage that, but why?"

"That bitch doesn't believe in hypnosis. Thinks it's all bullshit and imagination. She always acts like she knows everything."

Lilith's voice dropped to a husky whisper, laced with intensity. "But she's wrong. I've seen what real hypnosis can do with my own eyes. How intensely powerful it can be." She bit her lip again, harder this time.

"Where did you see that?"

Her eyes widened in shock. "That's... no. Forget I said anything. It doesn't matter." She cleared her throat sharply. "The deal is: If you can hypnotize me for real—in front of Ophelia, not some stage-show crap—I'll tell you who brought the book in."

"That's it?"

"Yeah, and I'll even help you. I've been hypnotized before—you can tell, right? And I have a trigger word that'll make it so much easier to drop me into trance."

"Okay, what's the word?"

"Mm, I'm not sure I can say it out loud." She leaned in closer. I caught her unusual scent again—something dark and intoxicating, like vanilla laced with smoke.

"My word is," she breathed into my ear, her lips brushing my skin, "Fucktoy."

She pulled back with a sly smile. "That's it. But don't underestimate Ophelia. She'll do everything to prove it's fake. And if you fail..." She shrugged. "You forget the book. No more questions. Ever. Deal?"

"Deal."

"What's your name, anyway?"

"Lilith." She extended her hand like I was supposed to kiss it.

I took it gently, brushing my lips near her knuckles without touching. "Intriguing name. Suits you."

"And you?"

"That wasn't part of the deal," I said with a mischievous grin, winking at her.

As I turned to leave, she called after me: "Midnight, The Batcave. And kid? Be careful what you play with. Some things... you can't take back."