The skyscrapers zoomed by the slick black car that devoured the road. Nat sat with a planner in her lap and phone between her fingers, scheduling and rescheduling Erik's plans for the next day while Erik looked out the window fuming. Nat looked up to brief Erik on his meeting but all she got was a death glare that burned into her eyes.
"I don't appreciate the outfit," he grimed, which only made Nat look down at her perfectly sculpted pastel goth look.
She huffed, going back to organizing "I don't appreciate the death glares but here we are" she didn't even give him a look.
"I don't care what you wear as long as it is black" he fixed his cuffs and shifted in his seat.
Nat rolled her eyes "frankly, I don't care, stare all you want". She knew it was the eye roll that caused him to grab her face between his long piano fingers.
His throat rumbled, and a shiver went up her back "you know what I hate" he breathe in her scent "your heartbeat, so calm, so courageous, oh how I wish I could rip it out" he lifted her chin, exposing her vulnerable neck "but I can't, you know why?" his voice turned into a condensing tone while a suggestive smirk fell onto his face.
His assistant smiled sheepishly "because I am the best assistant you ever had" he looked her dead in the eye and his smirk disappeared. So did her smile, he was hungry, and she could smell it off him.
"no" he moved his fingers to dig into her hair "because I am feeling generous today" he pushed her face away as she rolled her eyes "testy today, aren't you darling" he checked his nails when the driver announced their arrival.
The car's door was pulled open and Erik stepped out in front of the headquarters. He presented his hand to Natasha who took it as she stepped out next to him. Their eyes scanned the busy streets of Sandton while the black goth yet modern building stood before them with the word CARLAN glowing in deep blood red. Everyone stopped at the sight of the two. They looked like they stepped out of a gothic romance movie. But they ignored their stares of lust, jealousy, and even a bit of hate; all they did was place their sunglasses on and walked for the door.
Once they stepped into the busy reception area, the crowd went silent and all that could be heard was the clicking of their heels. With Nat's arm in Erik's, she had a sense of pride being the only one allowed to hold him like this, but she knew it was a tactic to keep others away and not show her off. They reached the elevator where a few people stepped into but quickly stepped out at the sight of them; the doors closed and Nat instantly went to work.
She pulled off his round glasses and placed them in her bag, fixed his mane of hair which kept moving around, she moved his ringlets behind his ears or around his ponytail which he didn't appreciate "You are going to be civil, gracious, and humble" he lifted his eyebrows in an animatic tone "you will not lust, rage or insult anyone and…" she rubbed her eyes in frustration "you will not kill out of hunger, got it?" she pointed her finger at him.
He teasing tried to take a bite out of but she pulled it away "have I ever let you down? Darling" he winked at her bored expression.
"don't call me darling, love" Nat fixed his blazer and dusted off his shoulders before stepping back into position just as the elevator dinged.
….
They sat around a conference table with charcoal floors and a curved wooden ceiling. Listening to the eager young man trying to sell Erik on clothing designs that were modern but lifeless, simplistic, and mediocre only made Erik's eyes roll at the suggestion especially because the dress had dramatic curves and edges but no life, no passion. It felt like a marketed product for the wealthy who had too much money to spend on useless trends; Nat turned her ergonomic chair towards Erik, giving him a sign to smile politely but she was greeted with raging eyes and twitching smooth lips which made her cringe and turned back to the young man.
A slam sounded in the boardroom which made everyone flinch except for Nat; who turned back to stare at his dramatics. He held his head bowed with both his fingers prompt up on the table before flipping his head up as ringlets of hair flowed through the wind. the poor young man was frightened by Erik, who gave him a cheeky smile before taking over the presentation.
A Cheshire cat's smile settled on his lips "ladies, gentlemen" he stood proud with a hand behind his back and the other feeling the atmosphere "what do you lust for" his voice growled in the end, sending shivers down Nat's spine and a wave of lust to flow through the room " I don't want cheap experiences, Mr. Smith" he turned to the young man who was still frightened but something else resided underneath "I want exclusive enjoyments" He then moved to a woman with blonde hair and deep red lipstick who sat before him. He pushed the papers and files from in front of her before sitting on the table and staring into her eyes which made her back arch towards him. He whispered "what are your carnal desires, Miss. Grimsher?" his face moved so close to hers as if he were to kiss her.
She gasped, purring and pursing her lips "pleasure" he eyed her hazed-over eyes with such thirst and the words seemed to be pulled from her lips instead of willing falling out.
A devious smile crushed his cheeks. "What would you do to get it?" He was in his element, pulling desires from each individual, loving the feeling on his skin.
"anything" she sighed with her eyes enchanted by the carnal lust that circled the air.
A great satanic smile on Erik's face and his eyes turned a deep red "anything", his long fingers wrapped around her neck, lifting her chin and moving closer, exchanging breaths. "Lust is a powerful emotion and it's one thing everyone here and out there has in common" he let go of her face and hopped off the table. Moving back to the front of the conference table "if we find what everyone lusts for, we find our product. And how do we find it, we look at the trends, who is watching what, who is listening to what, what's the next big drama, and what makes their eyes bleed with lust and we trap it. That's what I want, bring me that and maybe you can keep your jobs" Nat stood moving to Erik and slipped his blazer on "goodbye lovelies" he said before they both left the room; Nat heard his whimper under his breath and she knew what was coming next.
They made their way to the elevator, pasting designers at their designing desks, all dressed in either black or red or both; they all stopped to watch their boss move across the floor. Nat and Erik stopped to wait for the elevator, she couldn't help but notice his hand shaking at his side, he bite down on his lips drawing glittery vital and his animatic eyes brightened with colors when the elevator swung open; he grabbed his assistant's arm and thrusted her into it.
Her back hit the wall of the elevator, his hands pressed the close button but his eyes stayed on the short woman. They were swirled with black and red as he slowly crept closer, Nat stepped forward to confront his dangerous behavior but he places his hand flat on her stomach; feeling each curve, his arm leaned against the wall behind her while she looked up at him with a breath lost in her lungs. His longer fingers moved from her stomach and lingered down towards the middle of her stomach then up to the V-neck of her vest. He frantically pulled her sweater vest down to find her pristine white blouse that covered her dark skin which was bursting with an orange hue.
Nat watched him take a step back in his mind at the hinderst "don't" she whispered as the tingles crawled up her back.
But in a heartbeat, his teeth sunk into Nat's flesh through the fabric under her collar bone and he growled at the taste. She gasped at the sting that painfully moved down her body but just as it went, an undertone of pleasure followed its way up. She closed her eyes and reached for his hand that was softly laying on her neck, squeezing down on his forearm while shivering drifted down between her legs, turning her to jelly. Her eyes rolled back and her hands slammed against the metal wall behind her; trying for some sense of coolness because she felt the flush of heat stir across her face.
But as soon as he could taste her favor, she tasted like honey drowned in fresh spring water, all cool, warm, and humidifying. He pushed himself off her, his eyes turned a familiar white and his chest heave in pain and exhaustion; like his very soul was being stuck from his body. He shook against the elevator door and his hand wrapped around his neck like his throat was burning.
Nat huffed and went into her purse looking for a wet wipe "I have told you countless times not to do that" she turned her back to the raging man, to get as much vital off her white blouse when he approached her again. He spun her around and leaned his head on her shoulder, with a flat tongue, he slowly licked her wound which made him growl at the distant taste.
With his ear on her ear, "I didn't hear any complaining" Nat pushed him off her and straightened her outfit. "I just felt the quiver on your breath and the lust on your scent" she moved away from his eyes that were fixed on the two stained drops of glittery drops of vital and smuggish smirk.
She glared at him "I can't help a normal reaction, your lust infused me" she tried to stop her vital stain onto her vest but it already had, she clicked her tongue at the stain.
He straightened his suit and comb back the ringlet of hair that fell from his bun "I never use my lust on you" he whispered not paying attention to her as a flush of red covered her face "pure, uninspired, and untamed lust is even more delicious" he licked his lips as Nat just stared at him with her mouth agape which he closed by lifting her chin "oh, remind me to make you another blouse and" he pulled a brooch with purple diamonds and silver twirled into a flower design which covered the vital stains "oh and next time wear something more accessible" he turned his back on his assistant just as the door of the elevator dinged open.