Dark Secrets

Meet

     It was harder than expected to convince Mercury to have guests over at her apartment. Dahlia couldn't find the correct buzz words for a week, and she was so frustrated that, in the end, she waited until Mercury was hungry again, since she wasn't comfortable offering sex while she was still on her period. But the hunger in itself was difficult to judge, and Dahlia watched Mercury closely for any of the tell tale signs of it. There were none, so Dahlia simply asked every day until she was told yes. Early morning one day she received it.

      "Why do you feed me?" asked Mercury, chowing down on the last of the fresh cow innards she had been given.

     Dahlia watched from her position at the little table near the kitchen. "Are you curious about me finally?"

     "No. I need to know if you'll continue to get me food so I can adjust accordingly."

     "I don't know," Dahlia replied sourly. She hated that her constant presence still had no affect, when it obviously should have. "Does that bother you?"

     Mercury wiped her mouth clean. "No." She disposed of the container the cow had come in then scrubbed the counters with ammonia, not missing a single spot. When she was finished she left the apartment to throw out anything remotely stained with blood. She returned, and stared at Dahlia. "Are you finished here?"

     The deal beforehand had been that Mercury would be given the cow if Dahlia was allowed into the apartment. "Do you want to know why I want to be here?"

     "No."

     "Do you care that I'm here now?"

     "No."

     "Then why hadn't you let me in before?"

     "You had no business here. I had no business with you."

     Dahlia crossed her legs at the knee, irritated. But then she noticed the way Mercury's eyes dropped for a moment to her exposed thigh, her shorts showing them off. She smiled. "Do you want to have sex with me?"

     Mercury's face was calm. She felt no attraction, but her skin prickled with the need for touch. It was a nuisance but in order for it to go away she had to satisfy it. "Yes."

     "If I have sex with you, will you do something for me?"

     Mercury glanced at the microwave clock. "What?"

     Dahlia noticed the interruption. "Have somewhere to be?"

     "Yes."

     "Where?"

     "Home."

     "Where's that?"

     Mercury lifted an arm and pointed north. She took another look at the clock.

     Dahlia pressed her lips. This moment could be progress, she sensed, but she needed to be tactful about it. "Who with?"

     "My family."

     "You have siblings?"

     "One."

     Dahlia bobbed her head thoughtfully. "Is this breakfast for family, or family and friends?"

     Mercury was in motion, gathering her things since the conversation Dahlia wanted didn't look to end any time soon. "Family," she said as she palmed her car keys.

     "When are you going to be back?"

     "Hours from now, most likely. Two, maybe. I can't be sure."