Sirenz by Charlotte Bennardo Read Free Book Online

through the heavy doors and around the sparkling cases filled with rainbow-hued displays of leather gloves and overpriced hair accessories. Shar paused to look at a crystal-encrusted evening bag and waved down a sales person.
    â€œWhere are you ever going to use something like that?” I asked, but she ignored me and started chatting up the saleswoman, who took forever to unlock the case. Bored with waiting for her, my eyes started to wander around the vast atrium. I followed the line of tasteful garland, twisted with anti-holiday shades of slate gray and purple ribbon, around the ceiling to where it culminated in an elegant display over the main doors. Then I froze. When I could force myself to move, I groped for Shar’s arm and clutched it fiercely.
    â€œWait a sec! Can’t you see I’m—”
    She stopped dead. Four or five guys from the coffee shop, including Elf Boy carrying two sloshing cups, had arrived, along with at least one man who I thought passed us when we were in the docking bay, and one or two I know we saw on the street. They were milling around the cases, slowly moving toward us.
    â€œThey weren’t following us!” squeaked Shar, terrified. “I looked back!”
    â€œ There you are!” a male voice boomed. It was Sharp Suit. Shar blinked at him, like a rat taken by surp rise when the dumpster’s opened. “Do you like that bag?” He snatched it out of the saleswoman’s hands. “Please, allow me.” Out came the billfold.
    â€œNo!” another shouted. “I’ll get it! And how about these earrings? Do you like these?”
    â€œWhat do you want to do, buy us everything?!” I shouted. They froze and gaped at me for three long seconds, then ran around wildly, grabbing every black thing they could lay their hands on and throwing them at my feet. More wallets came out.
    â€œYou want me to get that for you, don’t you?” A cute guy about our age fell to his knees in front of me.
    I smiled at him, liking the dimple in his chin and the way his messy blond bangs brushed his lashes. He had such a sweet face. Then I came to my senses. “Uh. It’s just that—”
    â€œShe wants me!” Cutie Face suddenly snarled, glaring at the men crowding around us. “It’s me she wants to be with. Back off!”
    â€œStupid punk kid!” A construction worker pulled Cutie Face up from the floor by his collar and cocked his arm back as if to hit him.
    â€œStop!” I screamed.
    Construction Guy dropped his prey onto the floor. “Anything for you, sweetheart.”
    In a flash, Cutie Face threw himself at the brawny older man and started swinging. Others joined in. Soon the whole male population was brawling, and it was spreading to the upper level of the store. Pin k and black garments of all types rained down on us, and more men on the spiral staircase pushed and shoved, trying to get down to pay for it all.
    â€œThis is crazy!” Shar cowered against me as a pink nightie fluttered down from above. The female clerks and the few other customers were screaming. Shar had her hands over her ears.
    Suddenly, my purse vibrated wildly—but it wasn’t my cell. I dug around inside and pulled out the iPhone, its screen glowing scarlet. On it, I read:
    To stop the thrall, just give a call:
    Ase me isihi!
    I passed it to Shar just as two guys slammed into the case next to us, shattering the glass. I gasped, and both of us jumped back and stared at them in horror. Now security guards were running toward us, but instead of grabbing the men on the floor, they started loading their arms with clothes and waving them at us.
    â€œWhat does that mean, ase me isihi ?” I hissed. The guy closest to us stopped short, a disoriented look in his eyes.
    â€œWhy am I here?” he asked. “I’m late for a meeting.” He dropped his bundle, turned, and hurried off.
    â€œWhatever it means, it stopped