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LENGTH: Short Story
SENSUALITY:Carnal

Cover art (c) Alex DeShanks 2008
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When Sahara lets her best friend buy her a boyfriend for a week to help her forget about her latest failed relationship, she has no idea that Hayden
Alexander would be everything she desired. But when a phone call in the middle of the night reveals a terrible secret about Hayden, Sahara 's world
comes crashing down and soon she finds herself reliving a terrible nightmare that she has tried to forget.

Rating: Carnal

BITTERSWEET SACRIFICE

By

Mahogany Browne

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

Chapter One

“You need a man.”

A few of the men in the little café turned to look in their direction. Sahara scowled at her best friend from across the small table when one of them winked at her.

“A little louder, I don’t think they heard you in the Northwest Territories.” This was their weekly lunch date, and Sahara had not been looking forward to it for this very reason. Candace felt that no woman should be without a man, ever.

“It’s true. You need one, badly. You haven't been on a date in over a year. I think you’ve forgotten how to attract a man.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“I think you have. You’ve been dressing so frumpy lately,” Candace said, and looked pointedly at Sahara’s navy blue suit. “Did that suit belong to your grandmother?”

Sahara frowned. “There is nothing wrong with my suit.”

“And I’m a size two. Then there’s the fact you wear almost no makeup, except when you’re at work. And let’s not talk about your hair. You have those gorgeous dark curls that I would kill for, and all you do is pile them on top of your head like an old lady. Are you trying to scare the men away? You need some serious sex too. The hotter, the better.”

Sahara gave her a look. “No, I don’t.”

“Oh yes, you do. Don’t tell me you’re still pining over Josh. Because if you are, I will slap you. He made it clear that he’d rather hunt werewolves than spend time with you. You haven’t forgotten what happened when you tried to get him to stop, have you? You ended up in the hospital. He could have killed you. He probably would have if I didn’t get you away from him. You need to get on with your life.”

“I’m not pining for him,” Sahara defended a little too loudly. The conversations around them stopped. She lowered her voice. “And I remember how he treated me.”

Sahara had met Josh at the museum one afternoon. They talked for a while, he had asked her out, she accepted. On their second date, he told her he was a hunter. At first, she had no idea why he was telling her that, until he explained that he hunted werewolves. He told her that a group of werewolves had attacked his great-great grandfather’s village in Bulgaria. Among those killed, was his pregnant great-great grandmother. From since then, his great-great grandfather dedicated his life to the eradication of werewolves. Josh said that now he carried on the tradition. The whole thing sounded dangerous to Sahara, but she figured everyone needed a hobby.

For three years, Sahara dealt with the late nights, the long absences, and Josh covered in dirt and blood when he did come home. She always asked what had happened, but he never told her. She asked him why he kept at it. He told her it was his family’s tradition. Sahara told him he should stop, as the whole thing was pointless. He couldn’t kill every werewolf. He said she didn’t understand that these creatures were nothing but monsters. They had to be dealt with. She threw back that she didn’t want to have to go through life looking over her shoulder afraid that another werewolf might seek revenge. True, they would be after him, but if he wasn’t around, they might just kill her. She didn’t intend to die because of some stupid family tradition. At that point, the argument escalated. Josh lost control, and pushed her down the stairs. After Sahara was released from the hospital, Candace took her in and convinced her to leave Josh before he hurt her worse.

When Sahara had gone over to Josh’s place pick up her things a month later, she found a werewolf standing over Josh’s mutilated body. When it turned to her, Sahara knew she was next. Her nightmare was about to come true. She was about to pay for whatever Josh had done in the last three years. However, the beast had only looked at her for a moment, then left. She’d left without calling the police. When they contacted her days later, she was able to convince them that she had no idea why Josh had been killed. When they had asked her about all the werewolf related stuff Josh had, she told them it was a hobby of his. The case was still open.

“Don’t believe you. You have that guilty look on your face like the time we were both on the diet and you cheated. You’re not still trying to find out what happened? Isn’t it obvious? He killed one werewolf too many. Why he took up that cause god only knows. I mean it was noble and all, but come on.”

“I know, but I need … closure, I guess. I just need to tie up all the loose ends concerning that night. I feel like Josh’s ghost is still around me. Maybe I should move, maybe that will help.”

“Move? Why? Do you think the werewolf from that night is after you?”

“No … I mean … I don’t think so. If it was, I think it would have killed me by now. I just want to start over.”

“You’re right, you do need to start over. First step: get your love life back in gear. I met this really nice guy a little while ago. I think he’d be perfect for you. He’s a very successful, very smart and charming architect. He’s tall, dark and handsome, just the way you like them. And he can cook.”

“No.”

“What do you mean, no? I told him all about you. He wants to meet you. Just meet him for a drink.”

Sahara shook her head.

“Then just look at him. I’ll meet him somewhere, and you can hide behind a tree and check him out. He won’t even have to know you’re there.”

“No and no. Just leave my love life alone.”

“What love life? You don’t have one. Oh wait, you’re having an affair with your vibrator. How long do you think that’s going to last?”

“Until I get tired of buying batteries.”

Candace sighed, and sipped her mango juice. “Look Sahara, I don’t like you like this. You need a man to put a smile on your face.”

“What I need is for you to stop feeling sorry for me.”

“I’m not feeling sorry for you, heaven forbid. You’re doing a great job yourself. Okay, I knew I was going to have to take matters into my own hands.”

“What do you mean? I already said that I wasn’t interested in your friend.”

“It’s a place called Males Inc.”

Sahara blinked. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“Nope. They are perfectly legit. They’re an agency that provides a man to you for a week. After the week, he goes back to the agency, and you get on with your life. But you’ve had a week of fun with an absolutely gorgeous man who catered to your every whim and then some.”

“Right. What happens if you fall for the guy, then what?”

“You get a man, that’s what. What do you think?”

“A dating service. You’re sending me to a dating service.”

“No, I am not sending you to a dating service. I told you, this place gives you a guy for a week and what happens after that ....” Candace shrugged.

“So, I go there and pick out a guy like a new pair of shoes?”

“You don’t choose the guy, your consultant does. She asks you all kinds of questions and has you fill out a questionnaire. Then in about three days, your guy from Males Inc. arrives at your door.”

Sahara sat back in her chair. “The whole thing sounds ludicrous. It might be some white slavery ring, Candace. I have no intention of getting arrested because you want me to get laid.”

“You’ve got quite the imagination for an accountant. And yes, I want you to get laid. Maybe you’d be nicer to be around. It’s more like an escort service.”

“Even better,” Sahara muttered.

“Oh, stop it. Here.” Candace handed her a white card. “I made an appointment for you. Tonight at seven, don’t be late or even think about not going. I already paid for your man.”

Sahara stared at her best friend. “You did what?”

“Paid for your man. All you have to do is go there, fill out the questionnaire, and wait for your man to arrive.”

“Candace, I know you mean well and all, but I really don’t need this.”

“Yes, you do. You need something else besides Josh’s death to occupy your mind. I know you miss him, though you shouldn’t. You need to move on.”

“I still don’t know.”

“Sahara, you deserve to have a little fun. You work too hard. Take some vacation. Take a week, and spend with a guy who will cater to your every whim. Who knows, things might get serious. He could even turn out to be the one.”

Sahara looked at the white card. The logo was the silhouette of Michelangelo’s David with the company’s name underneath. Her consultation would be with Venus. Figures that’d be her name. Sahara knew Candace would only do something like this if she felt that she really needed it. Maybe she did. She was tired of being alone every night with only the television and her vibrator for company. And she was tired of feeling sorry for herself. “All right, I’ll do this.”

“Good. And because you’re my best friend and like a sister to me, I’ll see if I can find out anything about Josh’s death. I’ve a couple of friends who are familiar with that sort of thing. It seems pretty obvious to me what happened, but there’s the fact that someone still might want revenge. You should know if you have to worry about that.”

“Are these friends …?”

“Werewolves? No, but I think they know a couple or so they said. If they find out anything, I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks. Tell me how much this Males Inc. thing costs, and I’ll cut you a check.”

“Forget it. Consider it a gift. Now remember to have an open mind about it and enjoy the guy. And hopefully you will throw away that damn vibrator.”

“Will you keep your voice down,” Sahara hissed when the man at the next table looked over. The same one had winked at her earlier. This time he waved.

“What?”

“I don’t need the whole world to hear about my sex life or lack there of.” Sahara stood, and left some money on the table. “I’ll talk to you later … and yes I will call you after my appointment.”

* * * *

Sahara looked at the clock. She was sure it hadn’t moved in the last ten minutes. Maybe it was broken. She got up on a chair to check. It wasn’t. At five minutes to six, she raced out of the office, got into her car and made her way to the address on the card. Halfway there, she pulled over. Did she really want to do this? She’d been anxious all day and now that she was finally going through with it, she was having second thoughts. Maybe she should turn around and go home. But she couldn’t. Candace had already paid for it. She had to go.

At the address, glass doors sporting the Males Inc. logo greeted Sahara. She pushed open the doors, and walked into a plush reception area with baby blue wall-to-wall carpet and lush potted plants. There was no one at the reception desk, so she took a seat and busied herself with the copies of women’s magazines.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting. Your name please?”

Sahara looked up to see a redheaded Amazon dressed in brown pants and a pale pink button-down shirt. “Sahara Pilon.”

The Amazon sat behind the kidney shaped desk. “Now, there is no need to be to nervous Ms. Pilon. What we do here is perfectly legal. We provide companionship for women who are in need of some.”

Sahara blinked. “Look … I am quite capable of getting male companionship when I want. And I’m not necessarily in need as you so eloquently put it. I was just taking a break from men, that’s all.”

“Ms. Pilon, there is no need to be offended. I am sure that Althea did not mean to upset you. Of course, you could have any man you wished. As far as being in need, sometimes we don’t always realize that we are in need until our need is fulfilled.”

The new voice belonged to another Amazon. She was blonde, her svelte figure draped in a light blue pants suit. Sahara looked at Althea, then back to the blonde. She suddenly felt short, fat and ugly.

“I’m Venus, your consultant. Shall we get started?” She indicated for Sahara to follow her down the hallway.

It was almost nine o’clock when Sahara was back in her car. The questionnaire had taken her over an hour to complete. When Venus had asked what kind of man she preferred, she told Venus that she would trust her judgment. Venus nodded, stood, and told her that on Friday her Males Inc. man would arrive at her house. When Sahara had asked what she was supposed to do with him--besides the obvious--Venus had smiled enigmatically and said that was up to her. Sahara smiled back. She had a few ideas. Candace did say to enjoy herself.

Her cell phone trilled. She reached into her bag. “Hello?”

“It’s me, I couldn’t wait any longer. We still friends?”

“Of course. It wasn’t so bad.”

“So what did you think of Venus?”

“She and the receptionist made me feel fat and ugly.”

“You are neither. So when do you get your man?”

“Friday.”

“Excited?”

“Nervous more like it.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Just remember what I said, have an open mind and open your ....”

“Yes Candace, I know. Goodnight.”