It has been a week since Nikolas and I had our deal, but with his busy schedule, he apparently couldn't free himself from his duties. However, he has booked this entire day so he can babysit me while we go shopping. Currently, I am looking through my luggage to find the outfit that fits my mood. It has been forever since I last went to a shopping mall or outside in general, so for me being excited is an understatement.

During my free time, I have thought of a way to take my revenge on him. If at any moment of the shopping day, Nikolas offers to pay me anything, I will drain his bank account dry. I don't know how many millions or billions he is worth, but I do intend to make his wallet much lighter by the end of the day. Maybe then he will realize that I am too expensive to keep around and let me go. That is why I have made some preparations. In every shop that we will go, I have at least a few pieces that I wouldn't usually buy since it's too expensive. Even the food isn't left behind. Nikolas, I hope you're prepared because I am.

For today, I am going to wear something a little more casual. I have chosen a dark blue shirt with three golden roses printed on my shoulder and my left arm and a pair of black pants with a light brown belt. For the accessories, I will wear a leather watch on my right hand and a silver chain on the other. For the shoes, I will go with my combat leather boots. I go check myself in front of the mirror to see what I look like. Perfect, now I just need to do my hair and I will be good.

"Micah, are you ready?" Nikolas asks as he walks into the bathroom when I put the final touches to my hair.

"Yeah, I just finished," I answer as I put my hairbrush down.

When I turn around to look at the man, I notice that he is in his usual clothing which is basically a suit. Well, he does look good as always, but I won't say it to him directly. It will only inflate his ego and he would surely take it as an invitation to mate.

"By the way, Katie will be here too," he sighs in disappointment. "I don't know what kind of magic you used, but she seems to have taken a liking to you."

"Well of course, just look at me," I simply answer before adding, "She is beautiful and graceful. Everything about her is perfect."

If only Katie was my mate, everything would have been perfect. Well, it's not like Nikolas loses against his sister in terms of appearances. He is handsome and all, but somehow I can't seem to mate him. Is it because he is a man?

"That's because you don't know her like I do. Listen, what my sister likes the most is being desired and, to be honest, you fell right into it. So there are no surprises she likes you," he explains making me roll my eyes.

"Every woman wants to be desired, so it's not really a surprise."

"Don't tell me I didn't warn you."

Once we are back in the bedroom, Nikolas asks me to tilt my head forward. This time, I immediately obey him and listen to him play with the chain before both the collar and the chain fell to the ground. Slowly I lift my hand to my neck and it is hard to believe that they are actually gone. I wait until the vampire in front of me takes a step back before looking up in front of me.

"We are going out and don't even think of escaping. You won't succeed," he says with a confident smile.

I wasn't planning on it, but I will like to see how he plans to make me obey him. He can always use his scent to force me into submission, but it will not look really good on his public image since a lot of eyewitnesses will be there. Unless he has rented the whole shopping mall which is improbable. Other than that, he could always have other vampires watch every single one of my movements. Yet again, I am going shopping with two Pures, I doubt I will be able to get away from their watchful eyes.

On the other side, I do want to go on a shopping spree and see Katie. To be honest I like her company more than her brother's. At least she and I have a few things in common. Well, there is also another reason. After all those years, I haven't been able to see Elizabeth. So if staying with Nikolas means that I can see her, I will. I want to know the truth and the reason why she turned so many people into vampires if she did not have the intention of taking care of us. If I know the reason, I can tell Eva about it and she can tell the others. Not everyone had been taking it well since she abandoned us. Some have even committed suicide. The feeling of her abandoning us is the same as a mother would to her child, but in a larger scale since, we, her children are somehow connected through her, we can feel each other emotions if it is strong enough. Despair and loneliness are two fearsome things to feel when we have no means to relieve it.

Leading me out of his mansion, I let the wind caress my face. Being outside is different than being on the balcony. I don't feel like I am going to suffocate anymore. The driver opens the car door as Nikolas elegantly slips inside. When the chauffeur doesn't move, I quickly get that he expects me to get in too. Once we are both inside the car, he closes the door behind me before claiming his seat at the front.

On our way there, the inside of the car is deadly silent. I don't have anything to say and it seems to be the same for him. Because of that, the short ride to the mall seems much longer than it really is. I can't have been more relieved when we have arrived. Being in such a small enclosed space with that man is quite intimidating. I can't help, but feel self-conscious and expect that he will do something. I couldn't have escaped him unless I jumped out of the car and even there, I will have been injured. It would have taken three or four minutes to recover which is plenty for a Pure to reach me.

When the car stops in front of an entrance of the mall, I can't help, but notice two bulky men in dark suits with sunglasses looking at everyone walking a little too close to them. They stand out like a sore thumb. When the driver comes to open the door, I can't even get a foot out of the engine that Katie comes to greet me. She pulls me out before giving me a hug. Since she has not been acting this freely the other times we met, I freeze while wondering how I should act.

"Micah, it is nice to finally see you again," she smiles gracefully after she lets go of me.

"The pleasure is all mine," I answer back with a smile.

"Please, don't be so courteous. We aren't in a formal event. We are here to have some shopping done," she cheers excitedly making me chuckle nervously. "When you haven't been answering your phone, I have been expecting for my brother to have locked you somewhere, but you seem quite healthy."

"It is nice to meet you too, my beloved sister," greeted Nikolas who has been ignored during the whole time.

"Nikolas, I am sorry that I did not see you behind Micah's radiance," she smiles at him with her fingers in front of her lips. When I notice her gaze on me, she adds, "Nonetheless, you still haven't mated with him. Does it means I can have him?"

When she finishes her sentence, my skin starts to prickle uncomfortably. I don't even dare to look back at Nikolas. The aura emanating from him is enough to make me cover in fear. I know that it has happened before, but this one is different. It is much more sinister than the times he had used it on me. Since Katie is just in front of me, I can see her reaction, but she seems to be as relaxed as before. I can't believe she is unaffected by it. Maybe I am only overreacting since the humans around us act as if there isn't a bloodthirsty vampire here, so I dare to glance behind me. When I do, I have never regretted something as much as my past action. Once I have seen him, I can't look away no matter what even I am scared the shit out of him.

"Can you repeat that, my beloved sister?" Nikolas says slowly while taking his time to enunciate each and every word while closing the distance between them. Not wanting to be squished to death, I slowly slip away and put some distance between them and myself.

"It was only a joke," she sighs in defeat, but it doesn't seem to calm her brother down. "My apologies, I have stepped out of line. It won't happen again," Katie finally sincerely apologizes after a long moment of silence.

Only after that, Nikolas seems to calm down as well. There is still some tension between them, but I will not dare to put myself in between them while they are still glaring at each other. They are siblings, so they must be familiar with each other's quirks and temper tantrums, but I am not, so please chill it out?

"Aren't we going to go shopping?" I ask hesitantly, but no one seems interested to answer.

I look around and notice that we have a small audience since they haven't been discreet at all. Katie has two bodyguards behind her and Nikolas has an imposing figure and a scary expression and here I am, trying to stop two Pures from fighting. For a second, only a second, I have started to regret this shopping day.

"Well, if you guys aren't interested, I will be going alone," I finally state after I get tired of their sulking. I will do anything to get away from this uncomfortable situation and I have had quite enough of this drama for today.

Before I can take a step away, Nikolas grabs my arm firmly, but he still hasn't looked away from Katie. If he doesn't want me to go, he should take her apology and handle it like the hundred years old man that he already is. Katie isn't any better. Now that I see her out of her formal act while she is around influential people, she is also quite childish. Not that I dislike it, but somehow, she has lost some of her pristine class that I liked so much.

"We are going back home," Nikolas states firmly as he starts to pull me back into the car.

"After we came all the way here?" I ask incredulously.

"I don't care."

"Well, I do! You guys just wasted my time while I should be inside that damn mall, so you better find a way to make up for that!" I shout at him as he finally looks at me. "You better remember our deal."

"Fine, but she will not be part of it," he accepts as he points Katie with his chin in a nodding motion.

"You don't have to kick me out, I didn't plan to stay. I have a photoshoot in an hour so I will be on my way," she rolls her eyes at her brother before giving me a polite smile as she put her phone back into her purse, "I will see you again, Micah."

I smile and give her a brief hug before Nikolas pulls me into his chest. It looks like he still holds a grudge against his own sister. I now know that a mate is a great deal and I better remember to not joke around with it. I don't want to end up in a battle to death because I accidentally courted someone else's mate.

"Let's go," Nikolas grumbles before pulling me inside of the building. "Where do you want to go?" he asks when we have walked for a few minutes in silence.

I lead us in a store and my shopping spree can finally begin. As soon as I see something that I like, I tell the sales clerk to put it in the dressing room so I can try it on later. I may spend a little too much money, but I have to somehow forget that I won't be able to leave the house until that damn Pure says otherwise. I end up spending a little over an hour in each store, but it doesn't seem to bother Nikolas. He only follows me wherever I go without any complaints. He is only following me like my own shadow. To be honest, for a moment, I have even forgotten that he was here. When it is almost time for the shops to close, I finally stop buying things since I have no more room for extra bags in my arms. I may have bought a little too much, but I will not regret it.

"Are you done?" Nikolas asks when we leave yet another shop.

"I am," I answer with a satisfied smile.

"Then follow me."

I frown when he only walks in the opposite direction of the exit. Still, I decide to follow him and see what his plan is. But I wonder what he wants to do here, almost all the shops are closed now. We walk for a few minutes until we arrive at a boutique that is still open yet there are no customers inside. The man warmly welcomes Nikolas before doing the same to me.

"We have been expecting you. Please make yourselves at home," he pleasantly said to both of us before stepping aside to let us in.

"Choose anything you want and I will buy it," Nikolas simply states as I stare at him wide-eyed.

I can't believe he just said that. I have never been inside this chain since I know how expensive their products are. I can't afford it without making myself starve to death!

"You are not joking," I say more to myself, but of course he has to hear it.

"Of course not. Take anything you want and then I will take your out to eat," he shrugs before a grin appears on his lips, "It's a date."

"I am still not mating you after that."

"I know, you don't need to repeat it a thousand times."

I raise an eyebrow at his statement. It is not possible that he has abandoned on mating me. This has been his only goal since he met me. Well, this situation is good for me too. Maybe he will get tired of me soon enough.

Once I start looking at the merchandise, I can't help, but want to try everything on. Of course, it is impossible, but I can always dream. I take a shirt off the rack before starting to look at it. The quality is really good and all, but sometimes, I can't believe that a simple white t-shirt with their logo on it can cost five hundred dollars. With that money, I can buy something more fashionable, like a watch or shoes for example. At least, it will be something more special and intriguing than a white t-shirt.

Not interested in their clothing, I walk toward the accessories. There are a few interesting things, but nothing that I see myself wear it. Though I want to take a closer look at a ring in particular. The man that has been following me during all this time takes the objects of my interest out for me. Taking a closer look at them, I finally can see all the delicate details which have been beautifully done. In the end, I even ask the man to take a few other things out. When I meet Nikolas at the cash, he takes out his credit card and swipes it without hesitating. I have ended up buying two rings, a wallet, a pair of shoes and a belt. Let's say that it has cost more or less five thousand dollars.

After that, Nikolas helps me carry my shopping bags into the car before the driver takes us to a fancy restaurant. At least, I have been to those before, but I can't help to feel nervous about that man's presence. Even if it does not seem like he will let me go for now, so I may as well put some effort to thank him for today since he has no obligation to make me happy. Other than chaining me to the wall, he did not do anything painful to me. Somehow, I have always been expecting him to force me into mating with him, but he didn't. I guess I can trust him just for a little.