The Dead Among Us

A Deal Made

Fabia's POV

The closer we get to the table, the harder my heart thumps. I didn't realize Jothan and Sabin were friends.

Eliza's smile widens as she spots us, and her presence is a soothing balm to my nerves.

 I can't quite explain it, but there's something about Jothan that truly frightens me.

When Eliza's eyes drift behind me for a split second, I follow her line of sight, catching a glimpse of Manny perched on a bar stool, drinking alone.

Standing on my tiptoes, I reach my hand behind Sabin's head to speak in his ear, "Manny's alone. Should we invite him?"

He glances back without answering me and continues to make his way to Jothan's table, gesturing for me to scoot inside the booth first beside Eliza.

I guess that's a no.

Jothan and Sabin instantly begin speaking as soon as Sabin sits down. A bottle is positioned on the table, with glasses surrounding it, and Eliza starts to pour it for us. Before handing me mine, she eyes Sabin as if asking his permission, and to my relief, he waves his hand, unminding.

She then subtly glides a little closer to me and, making sure Jothan doesn't notice, places her hand on my thigh. Her touch brings a warmth to my belly as I raise the amber liquid to my mouth, taking in a tiny sip. It's awful on my tongue and burns on the way down, but I don't cough and enjoy the fuzzy feeling it gives me.

Sabin, on the other hand, throws his head back and sinks his entire serving down his throat in seconds. When he does, Eliza pours him another.

Should that be my job?

I sit in silence, taking in every word of the conversation between the men. They are mainly just joking around about silly things like stupid coworkers or annoying authority figures as guards.

Eliza's attitude gradually relaxes, seemingly more at ease as the alcohol flows between them. She becomes more intimate, progressing from a mere touch on my thigh to cradling my entire leg, her fingers gently stroking my skin. Sabin and Jothan are either too drunk to notice or don't care. I'm grateful for her touch; it has a way of relaxing me like nothing else.

It's hard not to notice, though, her constant gazes toward Manny in the corner and his occasional peeks back at her.

As the men become more belligerently drunk and their obnoxious laughs and swaying fill the table, Eliza leans in close to me.

She whispers in my ear, "Now's our chance. Follow my lead."

"Masters, may we use the restroom?" she asks.

Both Jothan and Sabin are too drunk to care, and she just stands, gripping my hand and pulling me along.

"Where are we headed?" I playfully whisper in her ear, a mischievous smile playing on my lips.

She responds with a secretive grin and steers us towards a nondescript door at the back of the room. Casting a quick look over her shoulder at Jothan, she confidently pushes the door open and ushers me inside.

As I step into the small, dimly lit space, the sharp scent of cleaning supplies fills my nostrils, indicating that we're in a maintenance closet of some sort. 

I turn to Eliza, curiosity getting the best of me, and start to ask, "What are we doing—"

The next thing I know, she's pushing me up against the wall and passionately making out with me.

I'm so taken aback I nearly stumble and knock over a bottle of Pinesol. Her hands land on my hips, stabilizing me, and mid-kiss, her lips form into a laugh, making me laugh, too.