CHAPTER 4

AYLA

When I finally got Milo to fall asleep, I got ready to go to the night market to get the vegetables I forgot.

It took me a while to get Milo to sleep. He was scared. He is going to be leaving tomorrow morning when the truck comes. I made sure he knew exactly what to do. I made him repeat every step back to me. We did that for hours. I had to be sure that he will know how to get to the Blood Moon Pack and get to his father.

I was wearing a black skirt with a flowy creamy shirt, with a long navy cardigan when I left the house. Along with a scarf that wrapped around my head softly. I held the basket tight against my chest as I made my way through the woods towards the night market. It doesn't take too long to get there. Just a little whiles walk and you start sense its liveliness.

I never really go to the night markets, but when I do, I always feel alive. It reminds me of when I was a young teenager. As I near my destination, I start to see fairy lights, lamps and light bulbs start appearing on the forest floors and high up in the trees. When you see these, you know that the Night Market is not far away.

I could hear the blind mumbling of people as I enter the market. So many different faces and different scents. There were werewolves, vampires, witches, Faye, Valkyrie etc. Every single supernatural meet as one in places such as these. We are not enemies of each other, even though we do not mingle. Every single faction of supernatural has an ancient truce that was laid down by the gods. We have not been at war with each other for thousands of years. So we do not worry when we see others different to our own. We simply keep to ourselves.

As I wander around the market for the vegetable section, seeing the lights, the people, the music. It reminds of the times where I performed. I literally did anything and everything. I was once a ballet teacher for really small kids. I was a lifeguard. I did surfing. I did the singing. I played instruments. I did warrior training for a little bit. I did musicals. You think it, I did it. Simple as that. I was wildly adventurous. I couldn't help but say yes to everything. But I never did the one thing I really wanted to do. Travel. I wanted to leave this place and see the world. I wanted to see different people, different sceneries. Just something different. But once I was pregnant, I knew I never could that. However, I would have chosen to be pregnant instead of traveling because it gave me my Milo.

I saw a stage through my peripheral vision. It was the Valkyries doing a performance. I stood and I watched. They looked like strippers with their clothing. But they were singing and performing. They never were allowed to have sex with any of the clients. they were pure entertainment.

I laughed to myself when I remembered how I was a stripper for a day. That was definitely one of the most interesting days of my life. And probably one of the most memorable.

6 YEARS AGO.

I finished my Ballet class of juniors. The dance room was empty. I made sure everyone was gone before I did what I always want to do. I am generally a good girl. I've never done anything really bad n my entire life. I had good manners. I knew what was morally right. But let's face it...every good girl has an inner bad girl.

I pressed the play button. The song, Candyman by Christina Aguilera boomed throughout the room.

I smiled at myself in the giant mirror. I instantly dropped it low. Yup that's right. I have an inner slut. Even though I'm a virgin and I've never kissed anyone in my entire life. But still...I have an inner slut.

I danced around the room to the song as if I was on stage with heels and a corset.

"Do you usually dance like that?"

I yelped and turned around to see my boss, Miss Marline.

I quickly turned the music off and tried to catch my breath, "Sorry Miss Marline. I was just fooling around, being a stupid teenager!"

She stood there eyeing me curiously. I thought I was going to be fired before I saw a slow smile form on her lips.

I stopped talking and frowned, "Miss Marline?" I questioned

She slowly walked to me and said, "How would you like to make a lot of money, just for one night's work."

My brows raised in surprise, "Ummm, sure. What kind of work?"

"I've seen you dancing. You know the whole Diamonds dance, don't you?"

"You mean the stripper dance?" I laughed.

Miss Marline's eyes widened, "It is NOT a stripper dance. Strippers are performers who offer sex. What I am about to offer is strictly based on performance on stage."

I felt hesitant to do it. But then again, what's the worst that could happen? I shrug my shoulders and nod my head, "Sure. I'm in."

Miss Marline smiles, "Good. Go to this club, "She hands me a piece of paper, "And ask for Miss Mama."

My brows curved in confusion, "Her name...is Miss Mama?"

She nodded her head, "Yes. I've already contacted her about you and she wants you to perform just for tonight because one of their girls are sick."

"Ummm, Okay?"

Miss Marline smiled, "Good. Be there at 7:30." Then she left.

A part of me was thinking that I didn't actually know what I got myself into.

***

I went to the club that Miss Marline's told me to go to. When I entered, my heart stopped and I felt the blood drain from my face. There are strippers...everywhere performing on stage. I am being a stripper for a night. Kill me.

I felt a little breathless. I knew there was something up! I went to the desk where a man with eyeliner and slicked back platinum blonde hair was sitting.

"Hello?"

He looks at me and smiles, "What can I do for you sugar cakes?"

"I'm looking for Miss Mama? I should be on her list, I think?"

The man looks down at his piece of paper and nods. "Just go up those stairs there and down the hallway to her office."

I smile and say, "Thank you!"

I climbed up the stairs and went inside her office. She was sitting in her glamorous office with bright red hair that is styled into a massive bun. She had a totally black dress, with feathers around the collar and sleeves.

I cough and say, "Miss Mama?"

She raises her head and smiles. I was shocked. My mouth fell open, "Miss Marline?!?"

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head, "I am Miss Marline during the day while at the ballet studio. Here, I am Miss Mama."

"Hold up! So you own this club?"

She laughs and nods her head, "Yes sugar I do. But we do not have time for this. You are on in half an hour and you are not even dressed yet."

Her face was full of glittering makeup. She grabs a hold of my hands and drags me down the hallway. She opens one of the doors to a massive room full of mirrors, makeup, lights, and clothes. There were girls everywhere, getting ready for the show.

I was so overwhelmed, "What the hell did I get myself into."

Miss Marline...I mean...Miss Mama clapped her hands, "Girls! Attentions! This girl here is Ayla. She will be replacing Katy. So Please, doll her up for the diamond dance."

Miss Mama left. The all of a sudden all of these girls came with a big smile. They pushed me towards a dressing table. Some girls were doing my hair while others were doing my makeup.

After ten minutes of ouches, and stop its...they were done. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I didn't even recognize myself. They had contoured my face very nicely. My eyes were a smokey black except around the crease area were white sparkles along with fake lashes. They also curled every inch of my hair. Making is Poofy and voluminous I looked...hot. Like sexy hot. It seems my inner bad girl is manifesting herself.

Then an outfit was chucked in my position. It was fishnet stockings with a black leotard that had a corset on it. Along with white sparkles covering each of the boob cups.

"Oh and here's your cane!"

Oh, my goodness. I'm a one-night stripper. and I'm only seventeen. Is this even legal?

SOLOMON

I was outside the club with some of the other unmated warriors. I really didn't want to go to this club. It didn't feel right. But the guys convinced me to live a little. I wanted to hang out with Ayla, but she said she had something on just for tonight. So here I am. Going to this stupid club.

As we entered inside and paid our money, we sat down right in front of the stage. I really didn't want to be here. The lights started to dim which indicated that the show was about to start.

The music started and the curtain started to rise. For some reason, my heart began to pound against my chest.

On stage, there were girls everywhere in different styles and colors of lingerie outfits. I have to admit, they were very beautiful.

The song began, the girls slowly moved to the song, bending, twisting and even splitting in so many angles that I never thought possible. Except one girl caught my eye, she was in the back. Her blonde hair shined in the spotlight as she moved forward and took the stage in the center. She was bending down with her cane. She was wearing a top hat that covered her face slightly. Her long legs were moving to the rhythm of the music, dancing all over the stage. She was my favorite right now. She was swinging the cane as she slowly descended the stage and into the audience as she continued to perform. She would bend down and look at a man, then shove his face away as if saying he wasn't the one. My heart began to pound as she started to near my area.

She wouldn't be coming to me, now would she? But she danced closer and closer. The crowd of males were cheering, wanting her attention. I watched her every move, ever so carefully, as she neared me. She's couldn't be coming to me, is she? But she did. She danced and stopped right in front of me. She came and sat on my lap as the song began to end. The crowd cheered as she took off her hat and threw it into the crowd. Then she turned back to me with a giant smile.

At that moment, time froze for the both of us. What was going through my mind at that moment you ask? It was What the fu-

"AYLA?!?!?" I screamed with wide and shocked eyes.

She gasped and shouted, "SOLOMON?!?!?"

We were both in shock as we stared at each other. I did not see that coming....at all.

She immediately stood from my lap and I stood from my chair also.

"What are you doing here!" I growled.

She looked nervous. She looked down from my gaze and said, "Trust me when I say that I did not know I signed up for THIS KIND of show."

AYLA

Solomon grabbed me by the upper arm and dragged me outside. I was in big trouble.

Once we were outside, Solomon took off his jacket and wrapped it around me. "You're half naked, Ayla."

I rolled my eyes, "It's a costume."

"No," He snarled, "Its underwear. And other males can see you."

I looked around and saw some of the warriors from my pack were staring at me hungrily. I started to feel uncomfortable. The inner bad girl was retreating to her hiding place and good girl Ayla is coming back out now. I swallowed and grabbed onto the jacket to pull it around me tighter. I instinctually stepped closer to Solomon. He instantly grabbed a hold of me and pulled me up against his chest to try and cover me more. His arms wrapping around me in warmth.

I looked up at him, "I swear, when Miss Mama said she wanted another dancer, I didn't think it was ACTUALLY gonna be like THIS."

Solomon's jaw was clenched as he took a deep breath, "So you're saying, you didn't know that you signed up to be a stripper for a night."

"I wasn't ACTUALLY a stripper. I was just performing on stage."

"Performing on stage...in your underwear."

"It's a costume!"

Solomon rolled his eyes, "That's what they say to convince themselves that they're not strippers."

I groaned, "Fine. It is underwear."

We were silent for a moment. I thought Solomon was going to stay really angry at me till I heard his chuckle. I looked back up at him.

He shook his head and looked down at me, "Only you would get yourself in this kind of situation."

I smiled and laughed, "So you're not mad at me?"

"On the contrary...I am furious."

I groaned in annoyance. He is always going to hold this night against me. But if I had the choice...I would have honestly done it all over again.

"Hold up now...why were you in the club?" I asked curiously.

Solomon's cheeks went a little red and he scratched the back of his head, "Would you believe me if I said that I didn't actually want to go...but the boys convinced me to?"

I looked at him and raised my one brow at him as if saying...yeah right.