Page 74 of Evil Hearts

The Questions pt. 2

Zenith

“ W elcome back to Dates of the Damned ! We are back with the human Zenith Calasso, daughter of a feared human mafia don, about to ask her last question to her suitors. Zenith, take it away.” He sweeps his arm out in a grand gesture that sends his billowing cape right into my face.

I sputter and shove it away, something that I hope is dust spraying out of the fabric as it swishes. Fixing my loose curls, I smile into the camera, trying to get my mind to just remember what I was going to say, something better than ‘ share me, thoughts? ’ to be sure. A trilling little giggle falls from my lips, and my eyes flick to the wall separating me from the monsters who presumably want to date me.

“Last question, right. Guess I better make it a good one, huh?” I ask, looking at Vlad, trying to buy myself some time with those famous show-host mini-monologues or whatever. At least a quip might save me from choking on my tongue.

Vlad just looks at me, his dark eyes almost bored with my antics. He simply arches a sparse brow and waves his hand in another ‘go on’ motion.

“Would you be willing to share me?!”

The words come out more like an accusation than a question as I launch it at the wall, at the people behind that wall who maybe, possibly, want me. Jesus, I’m so much cooler than this when I don’t have an ancient dude relying on me for views.

“No need to yell, doll. We can hear you plenty fine.” Mr. Southern says, his voice like a balm to my frayed nerves. “I am all about sharing; the more the merrier, in my opinion. I’m a very sexual being.”

Him saying that word should be illegal. I think the temperature of the studio raises five degrees from how hot he has my blood burning. Biting into my bottom lip, I can’t help but try to conjure up an image of what this guy might look like; he’s older, for sure, in a silver fox way, and he has some nice shoulders, good for holding while he plows me into the bed.

“For you, there is no want that is too great,” Transylvanian accent says.

The words are like cold water dumped over my head, but it weirdly sends all that warmth from my pussy to my heart. This monster is sweet. Even if he doesn’t actually know me, he is blowing human men out of the water.

“It would be an honor to share you. If you chose any of us, I know we will all do our best to be what you need, and hopefully you could be what we need...well, not collectively…unless that’s what you want,” the final monster answers, the nerves in his voice setting me at ease.

At least I’m not the only one who shoves their foot into their dang throat.

I smile softly, looking down into my lap where my hands have been fisted since this whole thing started. Sharing is a go, should I want it.

“Giving a girl a lot of options,” I joke, trying to soothe him and myself.

“You deserve it, Zenith. You sound very sweet,” the last contestant says.

Vladimir clears his throat with a shake of his head, like he’s done indulging children in their crushes, and gestures to me again. “Everyone, give it up for Zenith Calasso, our first and certainly not final human contestant on Dates of the Damned . Now, Zenith, choose which one or combination of monsters you would like to go on a date with.”

The relief of this experience almost being over nearly turns me to soup. I give the wall a glance, trying to send reassuring vibes to the other side.

“All of them. I want to date all those monsters,” I say, confidence making me finally look up.

The audience is on their feet, and the fishlike intern is on the stage, standing beside the wall, hand poised as if to push something. A big, shiny red button that I so did not see before, to be exact.

“Great! Show Zenith her damned dates!”

The wall that I thought was immovable shoots up with a soft click of that big red button, showing me the three monsters on the other side.

The closest to me: a bug man dressed like a professor.

The next: a skinny emo guy with hair that would make more sense on an ancient wizard then a guy barely pushing thirty.

The last is a mostly normal guy, salt and pepper hair, a handsome face with a dominant nose, and a dadbod that makes me a little melty....all of that on a guy who is red with horns.

Not normal but certainly hot .

I lift my hand and give a little finger wave, a tentative smile on my face.

The demon smiles and stands, his tail whipping behind him like a pleased cat. “I call first date.”