Loudhailer

She wore lipstick, bright, like a ripe cherry. Her leg bounced as she flicked her toe back and forth. His eyes traced the line of that restless limb as it disappeared under the hem of her dress, then the swell of her boobs. God, what a pair.

There was hunger in her smile, and his throat went dry. He settled onto the stool next to her and signaled the barkeep.  She spoke, something about bookshelves and bottles. He didn’t listen. Instead, he imagined what it would be like to have her legs wrapped around him. A knowing smile spread across her lips.

What do you say we get out of here? Yes, yes. Where to? You say you have a flat not far from here. Walking distance? Perfect, I can’t wait.

As he followed her out of the bar, he thought nothing of it. It was women who were supposed to be cautious, women who must remain ever vigilant for a predator. When she pressed him against a brick wall in an alley two blocks away, his heart thundered, but not in fear. She kissed with the same hunger that she smiled with. It wasn’t until he felt the sickening slide of the stiletto that he realized her desire wasn’t carnal.

Pain exploded in his chest, and his stomach fluctuated between bitter and heavy, and light and fluttering. Warmth spread downward from the wicked knife, darkening his shirt, while a frigid stiffness overtook his limbs. He opened his mouth, but all that emerged was a gurgling sound.

She smiled and kissed him once more, capturing his last ragged breath and drawing it deep into her chest. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and when they opened, they flashed red. That crimson smile returned, but the hunger was gone. With all the tenderness of a lover, she caressed his face and then let him slide down the bricks until he sat on the soiled asphalt.

The drumming of his heart began to quiet. He watched the alluring sway of her hips as she sauntered away until he could no longer hold himself upright. His head fell forward, and his eyes landed on the stiletto protruding from his heart. As he drifted off, he thought that he finally understood hunger and power and all that he had taken for granted.