Page 13 of Monsters we Crave

I wiped my fingers on a napkin, debating what to say back.

This was one of the reasons I didn’t tell her anything. I trusted her in the sense I knew she’d never do anything to hurt me, but I didn’t trust her to keep my secrets between just us.

“Your sister?” Nefertari guessed.

“Yeah. Ophelia feels guilty. We'll sort it out later. Let's focus on the last place we're visiting. I have a good feeling about it.”

We finished our meal and then headed out of the bistro. The waning sunlight painted the cityscape in shades of amber and gold, casting a surreal glow that made everything look like a scene from a vintage film reel. I could never get over how different Nixon was from day to night. It went from stunning and picturesque to a beautifully hellish nightmare.

As we reached the SUV, I took a deep breath of fresh air and glanced over at Nefertari. “Thanks for tagging along with me today.”

“Huh? You don’t have to thank me. I wasn’t letting you go house hunting alone or without me.”

“I still appreciate the company.”

She waved me off and voice-activated the radio. Our next stop was Havenstone, an impressive high-rise and the place I was most looking forward to seeing. It stood tall, its reflective windows capturing the hues of the sky. Conveniently located near my workplace and the ever-vibrant Demeter Plaza, it seemed ideal. I could envision walking Thea early in the mornings before work.

Once inside, we passed through security at the front desk and then ascended to the thirteenth floor. A middle-aged woman with a practiced, friendly smile greeted us at the unit. She opened the door to reveal a luxurious apartment, meticulously designed. The main living space was an open concept with a modern kitchen, sleek appliances, and a comfortable lounge area. Floor-to-ceiling windows bordered one side, offering a breathtaking panoramic view of the cerulean ocean surrounding the city, the waves serenading the shore in their age-old song.

I wandered through with Nefertari, listening to her commentary and trying to imagine Amalthea lounging in a sunny spot, soaking in the warmth and watching the world below. I’d been adamant that every place I viewed allowed pets. I refused to leave her behind or live without her.

“Which place did you like best of what we’ve seen?” I asked Nefertari quietly.

“Oh, this one for sure. It’s beautiful, and the location is perfect. If I didn’t just sign a renewal for my place, I would be applying for a unit here.”

Taking a moment to evaluate, I turned towards the showing agent who had been pretending she wasn’t listening to our conversation across the room.

“What's the rent on this again?”

The woman smiled warmly. “It is 280 SD a month. That includes the protection fee and utilities.”

I gnawed my lower lip and mentally did the math. It was doable. I brought home a base amount of 220 SD before tips, which usually brought me up to approximately 420 SD a month, give or take. I had savings of around 1000 SD, excluding the two gold SD Aidoneus had tipped me last night.

If I accounted for that, my savings rose to 2000, but the idea of using his money rubbed me the wrong way. He hadn’t given me that tip out of kindness. I planned to donate it to one of the Triad causes so in a sense, he would be getting it back. I surveyed the apartment again, growing a little more excited. Before I could get too far ahead of myself, I would have to be approved, but I knew I could afford this place and still survive.

"I'll fill out an application," I said, imagining life in the upscale space.

“Great!”

The agent provided the paperwork and quickly checked over my documentation as I filled it out.

“Everything seems in order. You should hear back shortly. We’ve had lots of interest in the place, but a few applicants have already been denied.”

I didn’t think she was supposed to share that information. “Oh, okay. Thank you for your time.”

“My pleasure, you ladies have a good rest of the day.”

Feeling cautious optimism, Nefertari and I headed back to her SUV. However, before we could even buckle in, the distinct ring of my NyxPhone interrupted us discussing the unit. I frowned at the OLED display.

“Ezra?” she guessed.

“No. It’s the agent we just left.” I settled back into the seat and accepted the call, hitting the projection button so Nefertari could hear too.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Korinna. I’m sorry, but your application has been flagged.” The voice on the other end was the same agent, but her practiced warmth was gone.

“What? I’m sorry, how is that possible? It takes two days for applications to process. I just saw you less than five minutes ago.”

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