The man smirked. "Of course. We're always ready when money calls."
Beside him, two women flashed wide, seductive smiles. Tvolio's thoughts flickered darkly — after work, I'd have a threesome with you both — but he buried the impulse beneath his calm exterior.
The man scrolled through the photos, then passed the phone to the woman on his left. She was the cutest in Tvolio's eyes. Without hesitation, he began unpacking his makeup kit.
"You'd better get to work. We've got ten minutes tops. Can you handle it?" Tvolio's gaze lingered on the blonde woman. Her beauty reminded him of Naomi, his brother's girlfriend.
The resemblance unsettled him. Her aura was magnetic, her blue eyes wide and luminous, pulling him into a trap of silent fascination.
"We'll give you what you need," the man assured him, his smile deep and confident.
Tvolio's eyes refused to leave hers. The longer he stared into those blue, ocean-deep eyes, the more exposed he felt. It was as if she were stripping him bare, peeling away his disguise until nothing remained but his raw, unguarded self. Vulnerability pressed against him like a weight.
Damn. These creatures have toppled kings. I won't be one of them.
The thought burned in his mind. He had work to do, a mission that demanded focus. Distraction was a luxury he could not afford. He had to guard his heart with iron diligence, shut the door on desire before it consumed him.
Yet even as he tried to summon other memories, her image dominated every corner of his mind. He cursed silently. Why is the universe testing me now?
Temptation was his oldest adversary, and women his greatest weakness. He knew it too well — the sins, the indulgences, the reckless abandon that had undone him before. And now, staring into her eyes, he felt the same dangerous pull, a gravity he feared might drag him under once more.
"Could we get started?" The man's voice cut through the silence, shattering the vile thoughts that swirled in every mind — especially Tvolio's.
"Sure. That's why I'm here." Tvolio replied with a shy grin. On the wall, Damaskard Madifa's face flickered across multiple screens. The man adjusted Tvolio's posture, angling him for the first strokes of makeup.
---
Meanwhile, deep in the sewer, Valeo and Naomi stumbled into a tunnel.
"Dammit, our bodies stink. People can really shit," Naomi muttered, wrinkling her nose as she sniffed her hand. She longed for a shower, the filth clinging to her skin like a curse.
Valeo laughed, the sound echoing against the damp walls. He always found her cute when she complained.
"Are you serious?" Naomi's eyes locked onto his, fearless and sharp. Her face hardened, and Valeo's laughter faltered. He realized too late that he had bruised her pride.
"Oh, that was cold. I am—"
Before he could finish, her tongue invaded his mouth, fierce and unrelenting. She pinned his tongue with her own, pulling it deeper, devouring him with wild intensity.
Valeo surrendered instantly. His restraint dissolved, his mind abandoned the mission. Heat surged through his body, each second hotter than the last. He wanted her — wanted the darkness in her soul, the torment that radiated from her.
His hands found her breasts, soft beneath his touch. The stench of the sewer vanished from his senses, drowned out by desire. His momentum built, inside and out, until he tugged at her pants—
Then pain exploded. Naomi bit down hard on his tongue. Valeo screamed. "Aw!!!"
He staggered back, eyes wide. "Why did you do that?"
A sly smile curved her lips, dangerous and playful.
"That's the price you pay for laughing at me."
"That's not fair. You're the devil incarnate, wrapped in a beautiful body just to torment men!" Valeo blurted, still reeling from the sting of her bite.
Naomi laughed so hard she nearly choked, her madness spilling into the tunnel air. Valeo's desire burned on, unquenched. He wanted to finish what they had started.
"Can we at least finish?" he asked, brushing off the pain, his voice tinged with desperation.
"In your dreams. Nice try, though." Her laughter stretched on, wild and prolonged, carrying a hint of insanity.
Valeo shook his head. This is why I hate missions with vision plunders. He didn't dare voice it aloud — another punishment might follow. Naomi's mind was a labyrinth, impossible to map. Each time he thought he understood her, she revealed another layer, another trap.
"You know what? You're a psycho," he snapped, anger spilling out. She had turned him on only to abandon him at the crossroads.
Naomi's smile sharpened. "This psycho you love. And for cursing me, here's your punishment: no sex for three weeks."
She turned and walked toward the next junction, her steps echoing in the tunnel. Valeo stood frozen, processing the sentence.
No sex for three weeks? She's joking… she has to be. That's not punishment — that's eternity of condemnation.
Hopelessly, Valeo followed Naomi, cursing in his heart how heartless and clueless a woman could be.
---
In Room 24 of the Plaza Hotel, 23rd floor, Tvolio's transformation was nearly complete. The makeup had reshaped his face into Damaskard Madifa's likeness. Yet his mind was far from the mission.
The blonde hovered close, her hands magnetic as they brushed against his skin. Every touch sent a ripple through him, burrowing deeper than he wanted to admit. He tried closing his eyes, hoping to distract himself, but all he saw was her — her face, her aura, her presence.
What in God's name is happening? The sensation was unnerving. A strange familiarity stirred in him, as though he had known her long ago. Her energy was cool, gentle, yet overwhelming. Her aura was on another level entirely, impossible to ignore.
"How many more minutes until you're finished?" His voice was tight, urgent. He needed to leave, to break free of her spell. Valeo and Naomi depended on him, and he couldn't afford to disappoint them.