Page 57 of Thirst

“Thanks for your encouragement. I wouldn't have done it without you.”

We embrace in a tight hug that was also much-needed, and when we separate, Janae lets out a long sigh and starts taking steps toward the door.

“Alright, now that moves have been made, I need to get to work before my dad starts blowin’ up my phone. I’ll talk to you later, boo. Congratulations.”

“Okay. Have a good day at the office. Thanks again!”

Janae leaves, and I take a moment to do another round of spinning hops right in front of my Amari painting, because I can't believe all of that just worked out for me with one phone call. I said I was going to change my life, and the process has officially begun. I hop and spin until I'm out of breath, then flop onto the couch and bask in the moment. I look at all of my paintings and smile proudly, knowing a brand new adventure is about to start because of them.

The joy stays with me the entire day. Even when I spend the night alone, because Von asked me to take the day off after what happened in the club. I cuddle up on my couch and watch movies I've seen enough times that I have the scripts memorized. I'm ecstatic, and when my phone chimes, I pause my movie and grab it with a smile still lingering on my lips.

But it melts away when I read the message.

We need to talk.

Thirty-Four

Iignored Amari last night. I'm ignoring anything that has to do with him because this moment isn't about him. This is about me and the future I want. My girl, Janae, was right about needing to focus on myself. Yes, I like Amari, but we never even made our thing official. So, if all of that falls apart, I need to be able to look at myself in the mirror and know that I'm still that bitch.

With that in mind, I force myself not to think about the multiple texts he sent last night, and the two phone calls I had to ignore. He clearly wants to talk to me about what happened at Fantasies, but I have my own future to secure. Plus, I'm not ready to talk about the fact that the Black Coins Casino is owned by a vampire—that I've been to a vampire’s penthouse twice, and let him suck my blood without knowing that he, in fact, is a vampire. Who in their right mind could be ready for that conversation? So, I'm off that for right now. My mind is on what is carefully standing in my backseat. My art.

The clock in my car reads one-forty-five when I pull into the pay-per-hour parking lot in Center City. Luckily, the lot is right next to the spot where Stanley Moore told me to meet him so I can look at the space he has available for my exhibit. I have to go to work later, but my night will be a whole lot better if I can leave here knowing I secured my first art job. So I'm dressed in a business casual outfit of black and white, and I woke up early to make sure my hair was perfect. My makeup is job-interview-ready, and I had two cups of coffee before I left to make sure my mind was awake and locked in before I even walked out the door. I can't let this opportunity slip away.

When I park, I see Stanley stride around the corner wearing a blue and white suit with a multicolored tie. His belly has the buttons on his suit hanging on for dear life, and I can tell he still hasn't lined his beard up from here. The frames of his thick glasses match the blue of his suit now, and he still looks like a creep when he stares at me with that devilish smile. Even without us being face to face, he still gives off untrustworthy vibes, but I will ignore all of it if it means he will make my dream come true.

“Well, you are looking mighty fine, Miss Aaliyah,” Stanley says the second I'm out of my car and he can see my entire body. Even though I'm completely covered up, rocking a white button-up with a black V-neck vest over it, his memory only lets him see me in lingerie. Ugh. Men.

I let out a breath and steady myself. “Hi, Stanley. Should I call you Mr. Moore or something now that we’re here to talk business?”

I choose my words carefully, because I need him to remember that we are here to talk business. This isn't the club, and he needs to know that.

“Oh no, Stanley is just fine,” he says as he steps up to my car with his hand extended. I shake it, and his eyes begin to wander. First, they travel up and down my body, then they move to the inside of my car. He glares into the backseat where I have most of my paintings carefully resting. “Wow. Abstract. Okay. Yeah, those will sell nicely. You're very talented.”

“Thank you,” I reply, smiling big. “Oh, I have one that isn't abstract. It was too big for the back though. It’s in the trunk.”

I pop the trunk and gesture for Stanley to follow me. When I open the compartment, his eyes widen.

“Damn,” he says in an excited whisper. “A Black vampire with gold fangs. I won't even lie, Aaliyah, this is the one. Hell, I could put this up in my house. It’s incredible. With all the rest of them being abstract, what inspired this one?”

I swallow hard as the memories of my time in the penthouse come rushing back like a train with no brakes. I can still see when my blood ran down Amari’s gorgeous mouth. Then I think about my dream, where I gave myself to him and allowed him to bite me. Even now, I'm surprised by how much I wanted to let him have me. I wasn't afraid at all, sort of the way I wasn't really afraid when he lifted a man by his throat and paused time. I was shocked for sure, but I wasn't scared of him, and I don't know what that says about me.

“Aaliyah,” Stanley says, snapping me out of a trance.

I shake my head and blink rapidly. “Oh, sorry. Umm, a dream inspired this one. A very vivid dream.”

Stanley nods, still staring at the painting. “More like a nightmare."

“Nah,” I say quickly, looking into the trunk. “Just a dream. Anyway, do you need me to take them out?”

“No, no. I think I've seen enough to know that you've got skills. You paint beautifully, Aaliyah. That’s obvious. I would love to host an exhibit for you.”

“Really?” I chirp as excitement grabs me by the throat. “Are you serious? Just like that?”

“One hundred percent,” he says, smiling. “I was convinced by the abstract pieces, but this one here … the detail in the grill would win anybody over. Those sharp, geometric lines in the elongated canines? It’s phenomenal. This is the piece you make people bid on. I'm completely onboard, especially if you can find it in yourself to cook up another one similar to this. Artwork of brown skin just hits different when it’s done right. I would highly suggest that you make yourself comfortable in this lane, and build from here. Black vampires, Black fae, Black fairies, Black knights, Black gods. We need more of it, and if you've got this level of skill, you should be the one bringing it to life. That’s just my advice.”

“No, I hear you,” I say, hanging on every word like they're the gospel. I had always done abstract art, but seeing the way Amari’s image affected Janae and now Stanley, it’s clear that I'm onto something here. “I will absolutely do that. I appreciate the advice.”

Stanly nods. “Good. Alright. Well, before we start celebrating too much, let’s go take a look at the space inside and make sure you're into it. It’s small, but I think it could work for the amount of pieces you have here.”