Chapter 10

"Here's my plan," Travis proffered as they climbed back into the truck after dropping off the trailer at the rental store, "Tonight we eat and celebrate like the lady suggested. Tomorrow, we meet my father with the contract, and then we figure out exactly where your sister is and make a mad dash the next morning."

Anya looked across the bench seat at him with slitted eyes, "What do you mean by 'celebrate'?"

Travis pulled into the parking lot of the local mall and stopped the truck in the rear of the lot, leaving the engine running.

"Whatever you would like, Anya, I will take you, show you, and escort you. If you want to go dancing, Saturday night is the night. If you would like to take in a new release movie on the big screen, I'll get the tickets. I want to take you for a fancy dinner first at a nice restaurant, one that doesn't allow sweatshirts and dirty vests."

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Anya asked, putting on a coy smile.

"No," Travis declared, "I'm trying to thank you. Seducing you is a whole different approach."

Travis slid over to her and cupped her head with both hands. Gently he kissed her on the lips while staring into her eyes. He was startled by the depths he saw there, and encouraged. Her tongue tickled his lips and they moved effortlessly into a full blown tongue swabbing makeout session in the cab of his truck.

Travis reluctantly pulled away from her lips, "Have I seduced you yet?"

"Oh yeah," was her reply.

Travis pulled the truck up closer to the mall entrance and grabbed his cell phone. Curious, Anya joined him in the blustery wind.

"Why are we here?" she asked, clearly confused by the building and the signs.

"I said we're going out for a fancy dinner tonight and we need some dress clothes. They won't let us in wearing these rags," Travis explained.

"I'm not wearing rags!" Anya yelled over the blowing wind.

"Madelyn really liked your outfit. I don't get it; they're just black clothes," Travis shrugged.

Anya stopped in the middle of the parking aisle and grabbed Travis by the chin. His eyes went wide when he saw the look on her face and he knew that he was in trouble. A horn blared directly behind him and Travis jumped a mile.

"Get out of the middle of the road, asshole!" and the Mercedes sped past them.

Travis took Anya by the hand and nearly dragged her into the foyer of the department store. He crossed his arms and waited.

"You look at me and all you see is my breasts," Anya began berating, "I thought you were better than that."

Travis interrupted the tirade, "I see you wearing black clothes. That's it. What is the matter with mentioning black clothes?"

"Because they aren't black, you ignorant human," Anya shot back, "use your eyes for once."

Travis was about to come back with a regrettably sarcastic remark when he noticed Anya was winding up to knock him upside the head again. He held out his hands, palms forward, in a gesture of peace. She dropped her arm and he concentrated on the power between his eyes.

When he opened his eyes and gazed at her, using the power, his senses were inundated with strong flowing colors that wrapped her from head to toe. Never coming close to garish, the colors seemed to compliment her figure and the color of her skin and hair. He was breathless.

"Is this what Madelyn saw? Does she have power?"

"Your friend didn't see the full range of color, but she sensed the flowing lines and their convolutions. She is sensitive to power even if she doesn't possess it. That is one of the reasons that I like her," Anya offered.

"You are still going to need a dress for tonight, and I need a coat and tie. It's not going to be like the clothes you have now, but I promise you it will be special. Please?" he nearly begged.

Anya had a moment with the saleslady who summarily dismissed Travis and took Anya deep into the heart of the dress department, definitely alien territory as far as he was concerned. He made his way to customer service, and wheedled a copy of the phone book from which he began to call around, trying to find dinner reservations.

She looked stunning in a dress and wrap of diaphanous fabric done in shades of green leaves that wrapped around her body. He didn't even ask the price, simply handing over the credit card to the sales clerk.

"Spider thread," she whispered in his ear. Travis checked the label and decided she really didn't need to know the exact difference between silk worm and spider thread as long as she was happy. She dressed him as well in the Men's Department, and he refused to look at the charge again.