"Would you like to come inside?"

Jungkook snorts humorlessly in disbelief at her request as he eased on the brakes.

"I'm sorry?" he says with his eyes low and on his gear shift. Tanya is looking over at him from the passenger seat, leaning against the headrest. They were now outside of The Heights complex entrance, the engine of his old school mustang purring as he idled underneath the carport.

Jungkook glances over at her, pushing his hair away from his face to see her.

Tanya's eyes were hooded and her dark lashes fanned slowly as she blinked.

"Would you like to come up to my apartment?" she repeats the offer, sounding much sweeter this time. Jungkook's brow furrows in genuine surprise.

"You want me...to come upstairs..." he asks and Tanya smiles.

"Yes."

"But....why?" his frown deepens.

"For a drink. If you're free that is....No pressure." she shrugs. There was a way she looked at him with such innocence despite her radiating the sexiest aura that ever existed. It has Jungkook mentally tugging at his collar. He looks away from her to gather his wits and to avoid getting stuck in her intimidating stare again. As he looked over his hood and through the windshield, lightning crashed and the rain came down harder than before.

He was beginning to wonder if it was going to flood. The drive over to the luxurious side of the city was difficult enough, so getting to his side of town would have been a task even for the best of drivers.

"I just feel like I owe you..." Tanya summons his eye again, smirking at the way Jungkook adamantly avoids hers. She turns her body to him and the action has the peak of cleavage under her coat widening a bit, pushing her breasts out towards him a bit as she readjusted. His eyes fell on them accidentally and he shakes his head emphatically.

"No. You don't..it's fine. Really..." he says looking away pointedly. Tanya's gaze falls on the skin of his neck lazily and she feels a slight tingle in her throat.

thirsty...

"But I do though. For being so nice. For giving me a ride...You didn't have to do that and I would feel terrible if I couldn't repay you for your kindness... somehow..."

At her choice of words, Jungkook feels his skin go warm and he shifts in his seat as he processed her offer. He lets out a nervous chuckle as he exhaled, glancing around them nervously to make sure there wasn't any car behind them waiting. But there was no one. Not even on their way over there. The entire city seemed eerily vacant that night now that he thought of it but he quickly chalks it up to the weather.

If he were smarter, he would have taken that as a sign.

"Unless you have plans, of course. I don't want to impose...If not though... I insist." she says as her eyes slowly scanned Jungkooks demeanor. She could sense the apprehension rolling off of him along with the excitement that heated his pulse. She could smell it in his blood.

He smelled sweet. Like honey or maple...but strong like cinnamon.

Thirsty...

Feed.....

Want him...

Feed...

Feed...

Feed...

Feed...

Fee...

"Ok look ..." says, summoning Tanya's full attention, and the voices lulled into silence at the back of her mind as her eyes glided back up to widening doe eyes.

"I don't say this to be rude so please don't take offense to this..." he begins and Tanya's gaze remains soft and unassuming, which made it even harder for Jungkook to say what he intended to say.

But he just had to know.

"You're not some psycho black widow serial killer type...person...are you?" He asks hesitantly. Tanya's smile fades.

"Pardon?"

"..Or some sort of prostitute...Not that I judge you or anything. Everyone has to make a living for themselves somehow. We all have to eat.." he says, and Tanya stifles the urge to snort.

"I'm not against people who do sex work. I think sex workers are an essential part of society just like anyone else...It's just.." he stammers and Tanya lifts her hand to place a finger to his lips. Jungkook's eyes widen and he goes tense at the electricity in her touch. His eyes almost cross to look down at a long manicured nail pressing against the tip of his nose.

"Just....stop...ok?" she sighs. Jungkooks eyes trail up her arm and end on her face, catching the hurt and conflicted expression. He's instantly filled with regret as she drops her hand, pulling it in to clasp with the other in her lap.

"I......I'm sorry..." he mutters tentatively. Tanya chuckles sadly at his apology, lifting her hand quickly to dab at her nose.

"No...don't be...I understand. I can see what would make you suspect something like that. I mean, just look at me..." she lowers her head as if to gesture to herself.

Jungkook does take note of her apparel or lack thereof as if he hadn't been trying not to wonder what was underneath that coat. Tanya knows he's looking at her but she keeps her eyes low as she went on with her ruse.

".....and it doesn't help that I'm a literal stranger to you. Showing up on your doorstep pretty much...Looking and probably sounding like a cheap whore......What hell was I thinking?" She admonishes, burying her face in her hands for a moment. She mumbles degradingly to herself and Jungkook stares as her long mane sways gently when she shook her head.

Well...that took a turn. One minute Tanya, the stranger, was taking the air straight from his lungs with a single glance. Now she was reduced to tears by a genuine question that probably could have been worded better.

But it was all out of concern.

Jungkook winces as Tanya sniffled and babbled on and he turns his body in his seat to face her awkwardly. Part of him wants to reach out to touch her hand, but something about it feels inappropriate.

"Tanya...look I didn't mean to upset you. I was just..." he says instead as she sniffles, shaking her head to stop him.

"..No. Just...let me say this." she stammers, her tone thick as if she was fighting back a sob. Which makes Jungkook feel like even more of a dick. But he obeys and sits quietly as she mustered up the nerve to continue.

"Dammit,...Did I really have to ask her that?" his conscience scolds him.

Tanya was still talking, rambling on about how her shitty day had led her up to this point. How her ex left her recently and took everything, including their cat. Jungkook resists the urge to wrinkle his nose at that part but he quickly schools his features as she looked up at him.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is...I've just been going through a really hard time. Plus my family doesn't support me. I haven't spoken to them since I came here and it feels like they've disowned me completely..."

Tanya's grey irises matched the sky by her faux despair, but they didn't miss the way Jungkook's features soften at the mention of her family.

A personal woe he could relate to himself. Though he didn't seem affected, having a strained relationship with his parents sparked a lot of insecurity and inner turmoil. Sure they were hard on him and the silence between them was welcomed, he missed them.

Part of him even wished he was brave enough to pick up the phone to make amends. Perhaps they'd be proud to see how he was thriving on his own in such a big intimidating city.

"Oddly, I can relate to that. The family part, that is.." he says softly, glancing down at the middle console. Tanya sniffles as she looked up, masking the tiny purr of accomplishment in her mind.

"Yeah?" She asks and Jungkook nods, smirking sadly. Tanya hesitates for a moment, reading the sincerity in Jungkook's eyes as if she were trying to match it.

This one was actually nice. Maybe even pure in some ways.

If she were human, she'd feel immensely guilty for toying with him. But that was just how years of this 'life' did to her. She was completely stripped of her humanity and filled only by whatever suited her agenda.

Which tonight was for more than a quick drink.

She smiles softly at him before glancing back down at her hands, shrugging gently.

"Well anyway....you just seem like a really nice guy and...I don't know. Maybe I'm just a sad lonely girl irresponsibly looking for some company. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable...I don't make a habit of inviting random people up into my apartment...." She trails off, turning away to look out the window. Jungkook's features crinkle with conflict as she seemed to be conflicted herself.

Loneliness.

Something Jungkook wasn't a stranger to being so far from his hometown and family. He was such an introvert that he hadn't really made any friends or any attempts at seriously dating anyone.

He essentially had no one.

No one to vent to or share a drink with on darkened nights such as this.

No one to take interest in him beyond his line of work in the urban jungle he immersed himself.

No one who would make a huge commotion if he suddenly disappeared...

Something the muliebrous vixen was betting on unbeknownst to him...

"Tanya...I.."

"Thank you for the ride, Jungkook. Seriously. You're really sweet." Tanya interrupts him suddenly, her tone sounding less wounded than before. Jungkook's parted lips remained agape as Tanya tucks her hair behind her ear and closes the lapels of her trench coat over her chest. He blinks as she turns to him.

"Stay sweet ok? Never change that and um...
...Get home safe..."

And with that, Tanya is turning abruptly to exit the car. She pushed the door open with ease, standing up and smoothing the back of her coat over her rounded backside before shutting it. The sounds of rain pour crescendos and go dull again and the fogged image of Tanya walking away from his car has him playing a mental game of tug of war with himself.

Come on Jungkook...

I don't know her.

She doesn't know me.

Why would she trust me enough to invite me in?

Maybe she's crazy.

Maybe I'm naive...

No...

Maybe she was just lonely like she said...

Maybe...

maybe she was just like me...

It wasn't like he had anyone waiting for him at his drafty one-bedroom apartment. And he couldn't deny the initial attraction he had to her from the moment she looked him in the eyes.

Something so calming and serene pooled from her molten gaze. Something that made him want to dive in and get lost for as long as she allowed him to.

To be consumed completely by the danger of her unknown.

He wanted her and he, for the life of him, couldn't figure out why.

But he had to find out.

"Wait!"

Tanya pauses, smirking devilishly at the sound of Jungkook opening and closing his car door and jogging around it. She schools her features to remain saddened as she turned around , now facing him from only a few feet away.

Thunder and lightning cracked and rumbled against the carport that shielded them from the rain. From between the pillars, Jungkook can be seen approaching Tanya cautiously, pushing the hood of his jacket back from his head.

Tanya looks up at him innocently, resisting the urge to compel him to bend to her will now, which she could have done easily from the moment she entered the shop.

But something about him told her that she wouldn't need to resort to her heightened powers of persuasion to reel him in.

Those doe eyes told her everything she needed to know.

So sweet and oh so easy.

"Jungkook?" Tanya furrows her brow, looking over his shoulder at his waiting car confusedly before returning her gaze to him. His eyes remained on her, his chest heaving slightly from closing the distance between them.

"I know we just met but...Truth is....I know how it feels to be alone. Im all I have here too. Truth is, I honestly could use a drink myself....And some company ....if the offer still stands.." he exhales soft and steadily, his brow lifting and his eyes twinkling with hope.

So easy...

At his acceptance, Tanya's saddened features smooth out into a flattered smile that lights up her whole face.

She nods shyly.

Basking in her elation, Jungkook mirrored his expression and felt an odd sensation in his heart that he interpreted as excitement or anticipation.

But in hindsight.....

It was a warning he should have taken heed to.