Sight of The Beast- Retold

Please have your boarding passes ready. Flight number 957 arriving at terminal 2-A.

The luggage area was jam-packed, everyone was scurrying to and fro like ants. Tiana released a long sigh as she slouched forward, rubbing her temples hoping to ease the building pressure in the back of her skull.

She inhaled deeply and clenched her eyes as her heart began to strum to the rhythm of her anxiety. She tried to block out the various noises and loud sounds, but too much was happening all at once.

Tiana sniffed the air, scrunching her nose as a mixture of unpleasant scents wafted around her. The elderly man, three seats down, smelled like rotten cabbage, and the airport bakery had sweet pastries on display. The combination of both those scents had her stomach rolling with nausea.

She gripped her purse strap and uttered a silent prayer. The long flight over had her rattled. Everything about this situation had Tiana on edge. The sharp pain behind her eyes intensified as she whispered amen.

Tiana plucked her cell phone from the pocket of her denim jacket and pulled up her itinerary. Current time: 10:53 am. Check-in, 12:00 pm. Schedule free until 5:45 pm medical conference dinner. Tiana did a once-over on a couple of work emails, then cast a haggard look in Tao's direction. He was slumped over like a wilting flower with a red White Sox cap sitting low on his head.

That's weird...

Tao was typically the stoic type. But today, Tiana's uptight assistant was taking a page out of her book.

Looks like I'm not the only one exhausted from the long flight...

"When we left O'Hare, all our bags were accounted for. Please look again, sir!" Tao growled as he leaned into the concierge desk, staring aggressively at the prune-faced male on the other side.

"Yes, yes ve Find yes Ve finds," replied the concierge that kept tapping away on the keyboard, barely paying Tao any mind. Tao’s jaws clenched as he stared down at the pretentious airport employee. Tao was usually the peaceful one between them, the lover, and Tiana... well, she was the fighter.

Tiana chuckled half-heartedly. It was rare for anyone to get him this worked up.

God how long has it been?

A few years back, a 6'3 muscle-bound Tao came storming into her office, persistent about interviewing with her. Tiana was taken aback by his appearance at first. He looked like those yakuza guys from her fantasy novels. Which meant Tao was totally her cup of tea. Since Tiana had a thing for handsome, rugged men... You know, the bad-boy types.

His dark hair was cut short on the side with a bit more length left at the top, almost like a Mohawk but not quite. He had seductive, slanted eyes and dragon tattoos all over his massive, muscular arms. Tiana assumed he was there to interview for the security job H-R had posted on LinkedIn.

Despite her assumptions, Tao blew her away during the interview. Turning the Japanese bad boy into her paper-pushing assistant. After a few weeks of working with him, Tiana discovered Tao was the complete opposite of everything she had preconceived.

He was a stickler for organization and punctuality. Let’s not even talk about how gun-ho Tao was about showing people their proper respect. He always said his mother instilled those qualities into him.

Working with Tao was like working alongside a nagging mother, martial arts instructor, and life guru. But over the years, Tao became something like a brother. He Tiana, and Tiana’s best friend Yolanda, the vegan nut, were basically the three musketeers.

But Tiana's amusement died off quickly as she watched Tao and the concierge’s interaction. Whatever the concierge was saying to him couldn't be good. Tiana reached into her purse, fumbling around a few minutes before finding her Excedrin. She didn’t have any water, so she swallowed the pill with a hard gulp.

She was quickly regretting this last-minute trip to Berlin. Since the moment they had landed, there had been nothing but issues, not to mention the snarky glances and hushed whispers she kept seeing from the corner of her eye. Sure, her chocolate complexion and Tao’s slightly brown skin were rare in this part of the world. But this was getting old. Being In Berlin was like stepping back in time. She could have sworn she even saw a few men still rocking the Charlie Chaplin mustache.

Tiana sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time since arriving. Her hackles rose as she watched a security guard approach the concierge Tao was talking to. But Tao waved his hand, letting her know he could manage it.

Tiana shook her head in disbelief. Her fingers danced over her phone keypad as she dialed up her best friend. She had promised to let her know they had arrived safely. The phone barely had enough time to ring before Yolanda’s soft melodic voice came through.

"Hun, have you made it safely? Have you eaten? Were there any delays? It's nighttime here. So, I'm guessing I should tell you good morning...or is it night over there too? What's it like in Germany, anyway? Is the food good at least?"

Tiana smirked. "That's a lot of questions in one breath. You may have set a record."

"I'm hyped up on caffeine. Sorry!"

Tiana sat forward on the uncomfortable airport bench and clutched her purse strap. "Well, let’s just say it's different here. They look like they still throw their hands up and shout, "Hail Hitler!" The security personnel's suspicious stare turned toward Tiana as she rose from her seat. She strolled around the luggage area, looking for the least crowded place. Beside the concierge desk were two doors labeled Mannlich and Frau.

"What was the app that translates words from German to English again?" Tiana muttered into the phone.

"Girl, come on now," Yolanda fussed. "I told you to download the Google translator app before you left. You would have been better prepared if you weren't so busy running out of here."

"Yeah, yeah... I'm sorry. You know I had to hurry and get out of town. The College Alumni Board kept hounding me about giving that graduation speech."

Tiana's fingers twirled through her long, kinky coils. This trip was not one of the most intelligent decisions she had ever made. But she couldn't see herself speaking to thousands of people. Jumping on a plane at O'Hare and flying halfway across the world to Berlin seemed like it was the better choice, or at least that’s what her inner introvert made her think.

"Yeah, I bet," Yolanda fussed back.

Tiana shut her eyes and imagined her best friend, with her cheeks all puffed out like a chipmunk. She was probably standing in her kitchen with her Betty Boop robe.

(FYI, she looked exactly like her, just with cinnamon-colored skin. Tiana teased her about it all the time.)

Since it was late, Yolanda was more than likely leaning against the countertop while boiling some vegan sea moss concoction or soaking lentils.

Yolanda sassed her in a fake, motherly tone, "No, you are not sorry, missy. You did what you wanted to do. I couldn't have stopped you, anyway. You know how you get whenever you have to “People,” as you call it. I'm so mad at you, heffa. You knew I needed you to help me paint the salon this week. But no, Dr. Tiana just had to run to some fancy-schmancy maternal health conference in Berlin."

Tiana chuckled at the sound of Yolanda’s long nails clicking in the background, getting faster and faster. Which meant her hand was moving a mile a minute as she fussed.

"I mean, really. Who would have thought my CHD job would come before our friendship?" Tiana chuckled sarcastically. "I'll make it up to you. I'll be done with this conference in a couple of days and be back in Chicago before you know it."

Yolanda clicked her tongue. "The salon will be painted by then. So you'll owe me a spa date."

"A spa date... you sure? What if I promise to eat one of your weird vegan casseroles again instead?"

Yolanda giggled. "Come on, T-T. The last eggplant casserole I made was sort of good."

Tiana snickered as she idly kicked her sneaker against the adjacent wall. "You know, doggone well, it was nasty!"

"I know that you aren't slick, trying to change the subject!"

"Oh, whatever do you mean, my dear friend?" Tiana replied.

"You know exactly what I mean. You picked Berlin over giving the keynote address at your old university. Plus, you left me to paint all by myself!"

"Geez. Lay it on thick, why don't you?" Tiana leaned against the wall, clutching her purse strap, her phone resting against her left ear. She looked back over to the desk, where Tao was still struggling with the concierge over their baggage.

"Yoyo, you know I hate any social situation involving a large group of people. This conference is a lot smaller. I couldn't even imagine standing there before thousands of people, telling them their futures are all set out before them like everything they'll face after graduating will be smooth sailing and easy. When the truth is, they'll be lucky to land a damn job in their field, and those hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on that pretty Ph.D. won't mean shit if they can't find a damn job!"

"Well, damn, tell us how you really feel... Alright, alright. I gotchu. I'm going to look for someone else to help me paint. It's just a—"

The sound of surprised gasps and a crowd gathering caught Tiana's attention. "Yoyo, I have to go now. They've messed around and pissed off Tao."

"Tao pissed? They better leave my My-Ty Alone. I'll fly out there and kick everybody..."

Tiana hung up before Yolanda could finish. She turned slightly, purposely bumping a few stubborn onlookers out of her way. Eventually, she made her way over to Tao's side. The stocky pale guard was talking to the concierge in German, pointing at the luggage on the floor. Tiana hesitantly walked over to the luggage track and whispered to Tao, "What's the problem here?"

Tao drew in a deep breath as if he had to take a moment to compose himself before speaking. Tiana wrapped her hands in his as she looked up at Tao's face. She noticed the lack of shine in Tao's dark eyes, and his hands felt clammy.

"Tao, are you alright?"

"Yes, everything is just fine. I'm good... we're good." Because of Tao's raised emotions, his Japanese accent came through a bit more. He gave Tiana a reassuring nod.

The hell you are, she thought to herself.

Tao withdrew his hand from hers and pointed to the luggage beside them.

"I don't get what the delay is. He's been checking the same screens for over fifteen minutes. But don't worry Tiana, I'll sort it out."

The guard standing behind the desk stepped forward. His murky grey eyes rolled over Tiana's face, lingering too long on her chest. The guard cleared his throat when his perverted gawking was cut off by Tiana, folding her arms, blocking her breast from his view.

He gestured at the three bags—one brown Gucci hard-side bag with wheels that held her files and documents, a red laptop bag sitting on top — and one blue rolling suitcase, with its white tag still attached to its side handle.

She quickly counted the luggage, noting that they were missing one piece: one large green travel bag. The bag that held all her clothes, makeup, and toiletries. "You have to be fucking kidding me!" Tiana yelled. "You lost my damn bag?"

"Ja, Ze bag will be returned upon finding, yes?" The guards smirked, finding pleasure in their unfortunate circumstances.

Tao removed his hat and ran his large hand over his face. Tiana rolled her eyes and rubbed her temples, praying this wasn't karma biting her in the ass for not staying in Chicago for that goddamn speech.

"Ja, it will be found. Of course, yuh vil be staying at a Berlin Honors Hotel, no? Ve can keep you updated if some..sing is found?"

Tao worriedly looked over at Tiana. He knew she was a spitfire. In the last three years working for her, he had to play firefighter on plenty of occasions.

"So what you’re saying is... that my bag is not in there? It's out there somewhere, lost or stolen or something?" Tiana bucked her eyes at the guard, impatiently waiting for someone to tell her something. "You keep looking at me? What seems to be your problem, sir?" Tiana was fed up at this point.

"Vi need to zearch bag, ma'am."

"What bag?" Tiana's face scrunched up as she looked at Tao, who looked just as confused as she was. The guard repeated himself, still not making a lick of sense. His heavy accent reminded her of a bad Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator, the way his heavy tongue fell on each vowel like a hammer.

"Ze bag on yur showdur, ma'am."

"What does my purse have to do with my missing bag? Are you fucking kidding me right now? We are Americans;”

She wasn’t sure where she was going with her rant, but it sounded good at that moment. “We have already passed through customs. Are we a security risk because we're mad about your lost luggage?" Her tone was short and clipped. "You need to search all over Germany for my missing bag, not asking me about the bag on my shoulder!"

"Tiz iz pour-seizure." The guard's haughty face was pissing her off the more she looked at it. Tiana shook her arms, attempting to shake off her rising temper. No wonder the ordinarily cool-headed Tao was at his limit. In less than ten minutes of talking, Tiana felt like she would end up in some German prison for assaulting an airport guard.

Their little skirmish had gotten the attention of quite a few onlookers. When Tiana turned their way, the small crowd began to disperse, fearing her wrath. Another guard walked up and stood near the Frau and Mannlich doors, which were probably the bathrooms, on closer inspection.

She took a deep breath and put on her professional smile. "Look." She pointed over to the older white woman behind the glass barricades. "That lady over there issued a stamp on me and my assistant's passports. Our papers were verified, which I'm sure you already know." She waved the stamped passport in his face, ensuring he saw the dazzling fluorescent stamp.

"Ja, zo it zeems, yes." His narrowed eyes scrutinized Tao before motioning to his colleague standing at his side.

"Diese braunen verdammten Affen müssen sich beeilen und gehen. Die Taschen werden gefunden, wenn sie gefunden werden. Bring sie einfach aus meinen Augen."

Tao's eyebrows rose as he stared at his Samsung note, silently nudging Tiana to get her attention. Her eyes widened as she looked at his screen. The Google translator app had just installed, unbeknownst to the guard:

Google Translate: "These brown fucking monkeys need to hurry and go. The bags will be found when they are found. Just get them out of my sight."

Tiana was about to say something when Tao grabbed her shoulder, shaking his head. He held the phone up to his mouth as he spoke rapid Japanese, then extended the phone out to the guard for him to read.

Google Translation: "Alright, no problem. If this fake fat ass wannabe Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to check your luggage, he can. He's not aware that we understand his racist remarks or that you are a doctor that probably makes 500 times more than he ever will in a lifetime. So let's just play nice before we have to call our contact at the local embassy and report this back to his superiors."

By the look on the guard's face, Tiana assumed Tao had written something that put the guard in his place. She chuckled.

That's my boy.

Tiana placed her hands on her hip, demanding answers. The concierge looked at the guard, and they both nodded.

"Zill ve one moment ja. Zill gets the supervizor?" Finally, someone was calling the higher-ups.

Less than five minutes later, two female representatives entered the luggage claim area. The shorter blonde wore a fashionable black hat, red lipstick, and a uniquely styled shirt dress; the other taller woman was dressed plainly, donning regular everyday office attire. Their heels clunked on the shiny, cream vinyl floor as they approached. The woman wearing red lipstick spoke first: "Tee-anha McGur-e?"

Tiana nodded in reply, but Tao quickly corrected her. "It's Doctor McGuire, ma'am."

"Ah, I see vell, aund are you her body gurd or something’s el?" The woman narrowed her eyes and looked him over.

The door on the adjacent side of the room opened, causing Tiana to turn her head as an eerie feeling trickled down her spine. She noticed a tall, attractive man wearing an impeccably cut blue business suit stepping out of the corridor, followed closely by two guards.

Tiana couldn't help but steal a glance at him as he stood at the side of the desk, reading over some documents. Something about him was mesmerizing but also unnerving. The woman with the bright red lipstick noticed where Tiana was looking because she stepped into Tiana’s line of sight. Tiana raised her hand and cleared her throat. "Yes, that's me, Dr. McGuire."

"Ve our from de ale port sick-urity organization," she said. Her lipstick smudged her two front teeth as she forced a smile.

The attractive man in the corner gestured for one of the female reps to step over. The representative hurried to his side, leaning in close to hear him. Tiana couldn't understand what he said because he spoke to her in German. She glanced over at Tiana, and then her eyes roamed over Tao, slowly squinting with every other word spoken by the man in the handsome man in the suit. Tiana rubbed her eyes. It looked like a tail was hanging from the bottom of the male’s backside for a short moment. Tiana did a double-take, but it must've just been her eyes playing tricks because of exhaustion setting in.

The rep straightened herself and walked back over to Tiana and Tao with a shrug. The man shot Tiana a sly wink, causing her to blush. But deep down, something felt wrong.

The representative stopped halfway to whisper something into the ear of her female companion. After a firm nod, the second woman finally spoke.

"They vunt to check the purse you carried on during the flight. But don't vurry, it will take only a little time. We want to confirm. You will be zaying at the Berlin Honors, right? That is where ve can find you, no?"

"I'm only missing one bag—a big green one with all my clothes, and you know everything I would need. My purse is the least of your concerns, and yes, that’s where I’m staying," Tiana responded in her best, nice-nasty tone.

“Perfects...very perfects.” The female representative nodded to the attractive male standing at a distance. Then shot a creepy smirk, Tiana and Tao’s way.

At least things were looking up, except for no one explaining why they wanted to look through her things. It was her bag missing, not theirs. Tiana rubbed the back of her neck; her migraine was throbbing full force now.

"Tiana, please!" Tao pleaded. "We're both tired; let's just let them do this so we can hurry and replace the things they lost. They are wrong. There's no question about it. But we can't keep going in circles. I need to get you checked into the hotel as soon as possible for your presentation."

Tiana pushed down her anger. She wouldn't have given in if it wasn't for Tao looking under the weather. But Tiana knew this wasn't a battle worth fighting, at least not with their energy tanks on E.

She nodded stiffly while handing her bag over to Tao. It was a petty move, but she refused to hand the purse over to the guards. As they poured the contents of her purse on the counter, her cell began vibrating in the pocket of her denim jacket. Tiana reached into her pocket, garnering the attention of the two blonde-haired women. She shot them a smug look before answering her phone.

"Yoyo, Sorry about hanging up on you—"

"What's going on out there? Is Tao okay?"

Tiana walked away from the desk, shooting a look at Tao to make sure he monitored them as they went through her purse. "Well, it looks like I'll be presenting at the medical conference in some jeans and a denim jacket."

"Don't tell me they lost your luggage? O-M-G, girl, okay, let's look at the bright side. You can just have an international shopping spree, courtesy of your employer!"

Tiana smirked at how her friend could find the silver lining to any messed-up situation. "You would make an excellent counselor. Have I ever told you that?"

Yolanda laughed. "Umm, you tell me every time we talk, and I have to give you advice. Call it a trick of the trade. Hairdressers just give off those therapeutic vibes."

Yolanda was right. The bag was gone, so there was no use waiting for it to reappear. "It's inconvenient, but you're right. I'll just buy a few things before the presentation. I'm here to do a job. The quicker I get this over with, the faster I can come home."

"That's my girl; you got this. Shake that negative energy off you. I'm going to gas you up, girl!... You were chosen to do this presentation because you're the best in your field. Doctor McGuire, you've helped thousands of pregnant women and children get their lives on track, your booty is big, and your edges are flourishing; remember who the hell you are!!—"

Tiana smiled.

"Don't let those British fuckers mess with you, alright?"

"It's Berlin, Yoyo. Not Britain."

"Oh well, same shit, different name. Have you seen any Nazis?"

Tiana rolled her eyes as she laughed at her best friend’s silliness. “They don't have Nazis anymore — well, I don't think they do."

"Nah, girl, keep your eyes open. Don’t think just because you’re out of Chicago, shit is sweet. You ain't seen those TV shows about them, have you? How they are everywhere now, even in the good old United States of A."

As Tiana talked on her Phone, Tao watched the guard slowly probing the contents of Tiana's purse. He was struggling to stay in control. Despite all his meditation and training, he had reached his breaking point.

"You've done your search and found nothing," Tao said. "So we are free to be on our way, correct?"

Tiana could hear the anger in Tao's voice. There had only been one other time since she had heard Tao raise his voice. That night had concluded with her bonding him out of a cook county jail for breaking the nose of a guy that wouldn't take no for an answer when Tiana refused to dance with him.

"Yoyo, I'm going to have to go again."

"What?" Yolanda replied. "Be careful, and don't get locked up in a Berlin jail cell. My money is long, but it can't reach you there. Be safe!"

"Later." Tiana hung up and walked back to Tao's side. Tao gave her a slight nod.

"How is your head feeling?" He reached down, cupping the back of her neck, applying just the right amount of pressure. Tiana leaned into his embrace. A hug was exactly what she needed. Because of her five-foot stature, Tao practically dwarfed her. But right now, she just needed some comfort. Tiana wrapped her arms around Tao and looked up. He was looking better, less pale, and more his usual self. "The healing power of hugs, huh?" Tao smiled down at her. Like Yolanda always says –

"The power of positivity," they said in unison, releasing each other from the embrace.

"We shouldn't be delayed any further. They've finished their search and should allow us to be on our way soon."

Tiana peeked over at the two women. Both seem to be glowering at them with disapproval.

Is physical touch frowned on in this culture?

"Ten men-nuts, at the most," said the plainly dressed woman as Tiana returned their gawking stares. Tiana's eyes drifted to where the man in the suit stood. The two guards were now speaking to him as well. By the looks of it, they were being reprimanded by their superior. A few moments later, they returned to the concierge desk with new attitudes.

The guard standing by the bathroom asked something in broken English, "Ve ur zory fur the mis-undo-stands kave vu zelt safe since kuming her? Haz an-eone Bothers vu? Asks it of you to bring something’s into our country?"

"Uh-uh. Of course not. No one has asked me anything or slipped anything into my belongings. But you know what’s missing... My bag is missing. I'm also scared I might go missing if I stay here any longer." Tiana gestured at Tao. "Along with my handsome assistant here."

The guards smiled awkwardly. "Superb. Ur vree to go now."

Tiana tried to smile, but the attempt fell flat. She walked away slowly and stopped just at the edge of the concierge desk, where she waited for Tao to grab their luggage.

Just as Tao grabbed the last bag, the blonde with the red lips stepped into Tiana's path. "Ve got off to a poor start, no? My name is Charlotte Wagner." She introduced the other female as Corinna Schmidt. Their heels clacked against the floor with every step as they escorted Tiana and Tao out of the luggage area. Tao looked down at his watch — 12:45pm. He huffed as he quickly made a mental note to adjust Tiana's schedule.

Tao waved his large hand in the air, flagging down a taxi. A car quickly pulled up, and the driver hopped out to help load the luggage. As Tao helped the driver place the suitcases in the back, Tiana opened the car door. Corina was the one to step in her way this time. "Ve have made provisions to compensate for the zelay aund loss of the luggage. Since you ur not used to ur German efficiency, yeah?—"

Tiana took a step back. "What the hell are you trying to say—"

Tao quickly made his way to her side in time enough to grab Tiana’s elbow, lightly restraining her.

Charlotte caught the irritation in Tiana's voice. Quickly interjecting on her co-worker's behalf, "Oh, Fraulein. No, she duz not mean it that vway. No needs to get feisty. You must forgive our use of English. I as-cure you; you vill be spared any further disasters."

Subconsciously, after a few deep breaths, Tiana’s shoulders softened. Tao gave her a quick nod, then hustled back to the trunk to ensure the driver loaded everything into the car.

Charlotte opened a bag, produced a large brown envelope, and extended it towards Tiana.

"A gift from our organization, zumething to compensate for the delay ja." The woman flashed a smile.

"What's in there?"

"Vou'll see, but make sure you use it." Charlotte flashed that toothy grin again, creeping Tiana out for what she could only pray was the last time. Tiana timidly took the envelope and felt around it before passing it to Tao, who opened it and extracted a cash voucher. He turned and showed it to Tiana.

"Oh, and just when I thought Berlin lacked class," Tiana crassly responded.

Charlotte cleared her throat. "Aund de car ride is on us, too."

Part Two

The car ride was uneventful, and Tiana was grateful for the brief reprieve. Most of Tiana's tension had subsided by the time the taxi parked in front of the Berlin Honors Hotel. Tao had been silent for the entire ride. Which wasn't surprising since they were both jet-lagged and in need of a good rest. Before Tao could even help Tiana out of the car, a young bellhop appeared beside him to help take their luggage into the hotel.

Tao held out his hand, gently guiding Tiana to the curb before directing the bellhop where to place the luggage. Tiana took the time to stretch her back and take in her surroundings. Tao's phone rang. He shot a quick nod, excusing himself off to the side.

But Tiana paid him no mind as her eyes darted about in admiration.

Well, this is nice!

The hotel was richly decorated; warm tones and brass adornments were placed strategically throughout the lobby. Two enormous chandeliers illuminated the foyer. Their crystals were sparkling brightly as Tiana walked beneath them. Everything was posh, from the gorgeous gold and black ceramic floors to the canvases lining the walls.

Tiana slowly made her way to the front desk. A small line had formed; quite a few tourists were also standing around, admiring the paintings. So far, the hotel was everything the TripAdvisor website said it would be. Things were looking up.

Tiana inhaled deeply. A citrus fragrance was lingering in the air, but it wasn't unpleasant. Tiana yawned as she finally reached the front of the line.

The sound of movement behind her caused her to look back. A woman walked in dressed in a long sapphire gown with a man in a tuxedo escorting her.

“There must be a ball here tonight.”

Tiana uttered to herself. They walked past Tiana, turning their noses up as they glanced over at her attire. Without sparing her a second glance, they stepped into the elevator, out of sight.

She glanced down, suddenly more conscious of her clothing—she wore a stylish but comfortable denim jacket. Her curly blackish-brown hair had a life of its own, with some form-fitting jeans.

. Tiana placed her purse on the front desk, waiting for the concierge to check them in. The hotel lobby hummed with a cacophony of tongues—bad to moderate English, German, French, and a couple of other languages too obscure for Tiana to place. A regular-looking man, who Tiana assumes is the concierge, stared at her but made no effort to approach.

Maybe he's doing something for another guest?

"Have you checked in yet?" Tao inquired. "Sorry I took so long coming in. I had a personal call."

Tiana winked at him and slapped his shoulder playfully. "Had to check in with your boo thang, huh?"

"Come on, stop that." Tao chuckled while hoisting the satchel bag higher onto his shoulder. Another person stepped forward behind the desk, so Tiana waved her hand to get the female's attention. The girl's face froze when she saw Tiana.

"Entschuldigung, haben Sie sich verlaufen?" the girl asked.

Tiana shrugged and asked, "English? Do you speak English?"

"Excuse me, are you lost?"

Tiana looked at Tao, her lips parting slowly. Tao scratched his jaw; his eyes looked bloodshot like he needed some quality sleep.

"Did she just ask if I'm lost... is this déjà vu? Like at the airport all over again?" Tiana asked Tao, who nodded, his shoulders slumping with defeat. "Yes, it feels like the twilight zone." Tiana thought it best to remain silent. But the girl asked the same question again, thinking Tiana did not get it the first time. And this time, the girl asked more slowly, with condescension in her voice.

"Sind Sie im falschen Hotel?" she said. "Are you in the wrong hotel?"

Tiana looked at Tao, praying for him to intercede on her behalf.

He said, "No, we have a reservation here."

The girl looked at Tiana, then back to Tao. "One moment, please." The girl quickly left the desk area. A tall, well-dressed male took her place. "Good day to you, Mister and ma'am. How may I help you this evening? Perhaps you have a different hotel in mind?"

Tiana gasps. "Well, goddamn..."

The man didn't bat an eye. Like sending them away was an everyday occurrence. His icy blue gaze was sharp and penetrating. His stare appeared to favor Tao with a more favorable light than Tiana. Tao stepped to the desk, resting his elbows on the counter, lowering himself to be eye level with the pompous front desk staff.

"Check the computer for a reservation right now," growled Tao, "it will be under Tiana McGuire. Dr. Tiana McGuire."

The concierge's face fell slightly, his lips parting as if he wanted to argue his rebuttal. However, Tao could be quite an intimidating force. He glanced back down at his computer screen with a huff, glancing up every so often. His blue eyes threw some not-so-subtle shade Tiana's way.

"Eva!" He called the girl from earlier back to his side. "Please check the name. It must be a... er... mix-up somewhere." He coughed and tried to lower his voice. "Dr. McGuire is a speaker at this week's conference in the main ballroom. Please find their reservations."

Tiana smirked at Tao, who nodded his head back at her. "It's a shame I have to drop my credentials to get better respect."

Tiana stepped back from the desk, allowing Tao to handle the stuck-up front desk staff.

Meanwhile, Tiana took a few moments to people watch. There must have been a large mixture of foreign guests from the sounds of the various conversations in the lobby. Tiana's ears perked up as she listened to a French couple discussing one of the many paintings in the hotel’s lobby. French was a bit more pleasing to her ears; it sounded romantic. Her lips moved and wrinkled in an amusing little smirk at the scene of a man holding his—wife, or maybe girlfriend? — Around the waist, his lips falling and rising in enunciation; it was like watching music play instead of hearing it.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

She turned and met the concierge's eyes. He sighed and said, "I am so sorry, very much. I misjudged you for a different guest of ours from the States. You share a strong resemblance. To make up for the inconveniences you've experienced, I have upgraded your suite to a better and bigger one. If you follow me, I can take you to your suite."

Tao signaled at the hotel bellhop, who was standing with their luggage. Together, the procession followed the concierge.

"I have just received word about the incident at the airport. I'm sorry about it. The director of the security organization called himself and asked us to make sure your stay was pleasurable," the concierge made an awkward face.

"Will they find the bag?" Tao asked, his deep voice echoing through the richly decorated hallway.

The concierge clicked his tongue in disgust. "Berlin has many great things. Our airport is not one of them... But I’m sure since he’s involved, it will be resolved quickly."

An image of the attractive male from the airport flashed into Tiana’s mind, but she shook the thought off.

"I can imagine..."

The concierge stopped at the elevators, pressed a button, and the doors slid open. Everyone stepped in. The elevator numbers flickered 1-5, finally stopping at the fifth floor.

Tiana exhaled in excitement. The hallway itself was a view, very picturesque; one side of the wall was lined with more paintings, some grotesque, a few abstract pieces, while others looked like modern works of art. She made a mental note to look at them when she had settled in. Art history was one of her favorite electives during university, but she could never find the time since taking her current CHD job.

The concierge stood before a door at the end of the hallway. Beyond that was a hallway leading to another stairway. "And here we are," he proclaimed as he deposited her luggage in the middle of the suite before swiftly making his way out the door.

Just as Tao grabbed the door and attempted to shut it, the concierge stepped back in. "One last thing," he said. He removed a card from his breast pocket, opened it, and placed it seductively in Tao's hands.

"Please, as a compliment from the Airport Security Organizations Director, for your troubles." Then he whispered, "My number is on the back." The man bowed and left.

Tao cringed.

"What is it?"

You've just been given a pool pass, and wait—" Tao's slanted eyes opened wide, and his mouth hung open.

Tiana snatched the card from his hand and gawked at it; her face began to replicate the expression on her assistant's face. "Oh wow, a shopping spree!" She looked at Tao and shook her head. “Well, that’s nice, but the pool is probably crowded, with you know people..." Tiana shivered. She had already surpassed her limit of peopling today...

Tao's expression quickly switched from an excited grin to a frown. "Oh no, you don't. You need to unwind; it's been a long day, Tiana. It's just free shopping. Go get a bathing suit, at least!"

"Shut up, Tao. You expect me to trek down there and get a bathing suit? You've already seen how unwelcoming they are." Tiana turned and scurried away from Tao without another word before he could refute her. Then quickly called up Yolanda to give her the latest tea.

Yolanda answered with an exaggerated yawn. "You know it's night here, right?"

"Yep, and I know you're wide awake watching people eat food or some other weird ASMR thing."

Yolanda couldn't help but laugh. "Gahhhh, you know me so well. I even tried to make a fake sleepy voice. I can't eat meat, but watching other people do it is fascinating."

Tiana relayed everything from the beginning again, her lousy fortune at the luggage check-in at the airport, the hotel welcome downstairs, and how Germany seemed to have serious racial discrimination.

Tao rolled his eyes, flopping on the couch with a thud. His eyes shut briefly as he watched Tiana pace back and forth while on the phone.

Yolanda yawned into the phone. Her true sleepiness was revealing itself.

"Hun, make sure you get a bikini that flatters that banging cornbread-fed body."

Tiana huffed, "Yoyo. I'm not going out to the pool. I'd rather walk around and look at all their exclusive art pieces; it's the main reason I had Tao book this hotel. Plus, they aren't too welcoming of our kind here. I'll just sit in my suite and eat sweets until tonight's dinner reception. That way, I can fake a stomachache and worm my way out of it—"

She looked around the room. There was a complimentary pile of chocolates in a basket in the middle of the dark cherry wood coffee table; red drapes covered the wall from the ceiling to the floor, but a gap was left open, leading out to a small balcony. A quaint chunk of Berlin was visible from where she stood.

"Girl, you can't do that to yourself," said Yolanda. "Go downstairs and do some shopping. It’s free, chick! For god’s sake, get a bikini and dip in the water. You're a big girl. Stop letting your social anxiety dictate your every move!"

"Yeah... no.. not happening!"

"I'm not playing with you, so tell me, what are you gonna do, Tiana?"

"I just told you, Yoyo."

"Nah, I’m not hearing that. Try again," Yolanda fussed.

Tiana glanced at Tao, his head lolling as he started to doze off. She told Yolanda she'd probably have Tao go down to the pool since he looked so pale. Tao gave her a seditious glare as if it would take Buddha himself to move him from the couch.

She chuckled and whispered to Tao, "I'm joking; get some rest."

"Girl, I will curse you out if you do that," said Yolanda's singsong voice.

"Okay, okay. You want me to do me? So I'll do me and be a big girl about it."

Tiana dropped the call and sprawled out on the nearest couch. Closing her eyes as the stress of travel slowly weighed her down.

Tao sighed and then grabbed his laptop from his shoulder bag; he'd been carrying it since they left Chicago. Once again, Tiana was amused by his efficiency. The rim of his cap cast a shadow over his eyes and nose. But he looked a lot better than he did at the airport.

He tapped and tapped, then said to her, "You should take Yolanda's advice. Your calendar is free for now; the dinner isn't mandatory, so we can scratch it off." He smirked as Tiana did a short, little happy dance on her side of the couch. "You don't have any mandatory engagements." He paused. "Until Monday, when you're expected at a small meeting before the main event itself." He finished and looked at her.

Tiana nodded, happy to have at least one ally on her side. She was not mentally ready to wine and dine with the international medical conference members tonight. She'd had quite enough of the pretentious, snotty types.

Tao added, "As your assistant and best male friend, I endorse the swimming pool."

"Have you seen the pool?"

"Nope," confessed Tao. "Neither have you. You want me to check it out for you?"

"Nope. I don't trust your judgment. You are as much a part of this conspiracy as Yoyo."

Tao grinned. He was tired too. Plus, his girlfriend texted him, and he had yet to respond. He quickly dismissed himself, telling Tiana that he'd like to check his own suite out while taking her swim.

As the door closed behind him, Tiana stumbled over to the balcony. Sucking in the crisp late summer air. Taxis from the airport dropped more people off. The bellhop was teetering up and down the steps, carrying luggage.

Tiana looked across Berlin's skyline: the red roofs of Gendarmenmarkt, the horses on Brandenburg Gate, and a section of the graffiti-ridden Berlin Wall. She smiled at the sight of one of the cities that shaped Europe for a quarter of a century. She exhaled, imagining the rich history of this place. How much tragedy and mourning this city had endured because of the outlandish ideologies of sociopathic men and their brutality. Today's events didn’t surprise her because Berlin’s history was deep-set in prejudice and anti-Semitism. Tiana shook her head, ridding herself of her negative thoughts, and drifted back into her suite. She glanced at herself in the gold inlaid mirror in the suite's entry while giving herself a pep talk. They want me to shop for a bikini, and shop for a bikini, I will.

The hotel's mall covered most of the ground floor in the back. The pool was the size of half a football field and teaming with people. The water looked crystal clear from where she stood, with wispy white clouds reflecting off it. Beach chairs were set on one side, with people enjoying themselves.

Well, isn't this great? It's a whole sausage fest out there.

She regretted leaving her room. Most of the pool-goers were men: old guys, middle-aged sugar daddies, young muscular jocks, and flabby hairy-chested men.

Tiana was introverted, but she enjoyed the beach like anyone else. It was only the people and unnecessary interactions she didn't like. She traveled to a few places, from Bali, Spain, Dubai, and even Hawaii, twice with the girls and once in Sao Paulo on an office retreat. But this was her first time in Berlin.

About ten feet from the sunbathing area, Tiana saw the sign: Pool Shop. She forced herself to walk in with a deep breath, her sweaty hands squeezing the voucher in her pocket.

The young woman behind the counter smiled at her as she entered. Tiana nervously presented the voucher to the woman at the small desk by the entrance. The woman smiled again before asking Tiana. "French? German? Or English?"

"English," Tiana replied with a smile.

"Okay, great," the woman looked at the voucher, "You are entitled to a five-hundred-euro purchase here, and the rest can be used anywhere in the hotel. You can split this spending over the rest of your stay. Or you can do everything now." She smiled again and handed Tiana’s voucher back. Her face was flushed as if she were more nervous than Tiana. The woman's warm smile and chipper attitude were probably the first genuine interactions Tiana had experienced since arriving, helping put her more at ease.

"So, what would you like to purchase?"

"I'd like a... er..." She hesitated. Tiana quickly glanced around the shop before pointing to the female clothing section. "A bikini."

"You like to swim, yes?"

"Yes, I'd like to swim."

The woman quickly assessed Tiana's figure; her eyes roamed over her ample chest, then fell to her hips. Even on the trip down, the security guards and bellhops ogled her.

After the woman was done looking at Tiana's figure, she nodded her head and then took off towards the back of the shop. Her flared skirt flicked every time the woman's stubby legs turned a corner. She looked like she may have been in her early thirties, but her dirty blonde hair and warm smile made her look younger.

Tiana stood before the racks of bikinis at a complete loss. There were hundreds of them, in every type and style. She hesitantly walked into the rows. A sea of colors and materials felt like a never-ending maze. The woman extended her hand, inviting Tiana to step forward for a better look. "With your shape, anything will look good. Ring me if you need me."

She glanced back as the woman walked away. Tiana smiled.

Well, she was lovely.

She made a mental note to herself to inquire about her name later; hopefully, she could leave her an excellent review. But For now, she had to find a bikini.

Ten minutes later, Tiana had it narrowed down to two. But the one she truly wanted ended up being a bit too small. Her eyes focused on the blue velvet Fendi bikini. It was pricey but cute. Tiana placed the bikini against her body and stood before a long mirror on the wall. “Okay, I'll admit this would look wicked on my body,” she murmured. Tiana stretched the material checking to see if it would fit her wide hips. As much as she loved her body, finding clothes to fit her coke-bottle figure was hard, especially in international sizes. Tiana looked around to make sure no one was looking before checking out her own ass. She could hear Yoyo's voice in her mind.

You would make a straight girl change her mind!

She giggled while checking the bikini one more time to make sure there was nothing better. Tiana looked around and noticed a few other guests prowling the racks of clothes... As she made her way to the changing room to swap out her jeans and t-shirt, a bright orange Nike sports bag and a light blue kimono swim robe caught her attention.

The pool seemed even more crowded than before as she left out of the shop. People were having a merry time, laughing, talking, and clinking glasses half-filled with drinks. Tiana looked up. The temperature was hotter now. The late afternoon sun burned bright, hidden behind low, floating clouds.

Tiana rummaged around in her purse, pulling out a pair of dark shades while exiting the shop. She looked up and down the narrow passageway toward the private baths. The stucco floor was gritty under her bare feet.

“Damn, I should have purchased some flip-flops. Hopefully, I won't fall and embarrass myself.”

She strolled on, reminiscing about last year in Ibiza. Where there were beautiful private beaches and warm, clean sand. Her favorite thing about the trip was that people kept to themselves.

She stopped at a vending machine and selected a drink with a picture of a strawberry. After a quick sip, she soon regretted it. It tasted more like strawberry seltzer water than actual pop, but it would have to do for now. The kimono was pulled snug around her waist. Despite her best efforts, it did little to hide her heavy chest. She walked forward, a can of soda in one hand and the bags in another.

The sound of water splashing caused her to look over to the pool area. Everyone seemed to be trying to escape the heat. Folks were sitting, standing, and talking beside the pool. She looked around, trying to find the least congested area, spotting a few vacant lounge chairs on the deep side of the pool.

She quickly made her way to the vacant seats; no one noticed her scurrying along. Only a few heads turned when she reached the chairs. Picking one in the middle of a collection of five, she dropped her bags and made herself comfortable.

Tiana was roused out of her shallow rest when she heard the laughter of a young girl. She looked towards the water, where a teenage girl with milky cream skin and vibrant red hair was preparing to jump into the pool. A lanky-armed, prepubescent boy cheered her on as she climbed out to do it again.

A moment later, two women and a...familiar-looking man strolled over to where Tiana was lounging. They waved a quick greeting. As the women sat down, they began removing their bikini tops and slathering each other with suntan lotion, with a bit more intimacy shared between regular friends.

Tiana tried to hide the smirk on her face and turned away to give them some privacy. “Okay, gone with your bad selves.” She muttered under her breath.

Tiana couldn't help but steal a few more glances before heading toward the pool.

“Oh, yeah!”

She blushed, slightly embarrassed at having to circle back to remove her shades. Tiana also removed the kimono and grabbed a towel from the rack stationed behind her. Her white towel was fluffy and warm, crested with the hotel's insignia—a purple lion, it's tail curling underneath the initials B.H.H, for the Berlin Honors Hotel. She quickly made her way to the pool's edge, her thick thighs jiggling with timid steps.

Shiiiiiit ouch. The hot concrete under Tiana’s bare feet was just a few degrees from unbearable. Just as she dipped her toes into the water, the catcalls began.

"Oh gosh," "look at how big her bum is," growled someone from behind.

And just like magic, the heads started to turn. She looked down the side of the pool and was bombarded by squinting eyes, open mouths, and lustful gazes—most of them from men, though there were a few admiring smiles from women.

Dammit, I should have stayed in my room.

She was acutely aware of eyes roaming up and down her body.

What the fuck? The actual fuck?

Tiana's eyes widened at the bulging erection stretching the shorts of a nearby man. She shook her head.

Nooooo, Nope, this isn't gonna work.

She was no prude, but there was a difference between attention you want and unsolicited gawking. As quickly as she came, Tiana hightailed it back to her chair. She promptly picked up her towel and wrapped her body. Tiana took the kimono and tucked it away in the bag before walking to the bar. A few men huffed out disappointed groans and grunts as she covered herself and fled the poolside area.

Tiana ignored them and pulled up a stool at the nearby bar. The bartender was a young, broad-shouldered stud with sandy brown hair. He placed a fruity cocktail before Tiana and handed her a plastic straw. She gave a weak, grateful smile. She could see a man standing in her peripheral, idling by, hoping to get her attention. She purposely avoided his gaze, concentrating on her drink, sucking it slowly. Tiana wasn't ashamed of her body, but introverts just weren't big on attention.

“Yoyo, you were wrong. I shouldn't have listened to you.”

When people stared, expectations were heightened, forcing Tiana to become super self-aware. Like in Ibiza last summer with Yoyo and Laura, Tiana had confined herself in her hotel room following a failed attempt to enjoy the water when some couple kept soliciting her to be their third because her husband liked her chocolate skin. Tiana remembered that night like it was still fresh in her mind.

"I mean, come on, T-T, it could be seen as a compliment, and you aren't upset by that, right?" Yoyo had asked Tiana as she stomped through the sand, away from the beach.

"And why not?"

"You have a body—" Yolanda stumbled after her, "You have a body that many girls have to go under the knife to get. At top dollar, if I may add. Wait, T-T!"

"No, I'm going back to my room."

Yolanda got a hold of her hands and tried to pull her back. Tiana reluctantly let her. They stood in silence for a bit, letting the anger simmer down.

Yolanda took a deep breath. "T-T, you can't just run away from everything that makes you uncomfortable."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't live shut off from the world forever. You spend all your time trying to heal this world, but you won't take even the slightest piece of it for yourself. You won't meet someone—"

"Well, apparently, meeting people isn't an issue. A couple just asked me to be their ebony fantasy."

"It's the way of the world, T-T. You're fine as Hell; it's fun. Come on, girl, get real. You are attractive, and it's not like this is your first rodeo...back in the day, you used to..."

“Shut up, Yoyo!”

Yolanda smirked." You got a little freak in you. I know you better than most."

Tiana sighed.

Her shoulders slumped. "I just can't do it, Yoyo." Yolanda had looked back at the clear blue ocean, the dots of people scattered throughout the beach, bikinis and bare-chested men in colorful shorts. One of those men had asked Yolanda to have dinner with him that night, and she had already said yes. He was a sexy black marine, too. Yolanda bit her lower lip, not wanting to abandon her best friend over a free meal and a sexy one-night stand. Maybe they'd have sex by the end of the night, perhaps not. But at least Yolanda was prepared to take a holiday and make it something memorable.

Yolanda looked at her friend and wondered what Tiana wanted to make of it.

"Alright, let's go," Yolanda said finally.

"What? You need to go back. Your dates' going to be looking for you soon—"

Yolanda dipped her hand in the corner of her tight bikini, showing Tiana a piece of paper with a number scrawled on it. "I can call him." She winked.

"I don't want to make you do this. I'll manage on my own."

Yolanda slung her hand around Tiana's neck. "Shut up, T-T. You've made me do worse shit, you bitch. Let's go on up and get high and drink wine—"

"And watch old movies and eat cake—?"

Yolanda laughed, “and mope about how your life is such a bore—"

"While doing nothing about it—"

"Or we can go wake up Tao and make him play some cards with us."

They both smirked. "Sounds like a plan!"

Tiana was so deep into her memory that she didn't realize she was flicking her straw with her tongue. Twirling it round and round, she hadn't noticed two men sitting across the bar, enthralled by her performance. Tiana was lost in thoughts of her luggage and fretting over parts of her speech during the conference on Monday.

The burly middle-aged man sitting across from Tiana carefully laid his bottle of Sternberg on the bar top, his lips slightly parting, and his tongue flicked out, licking at his dry, chapped lips. His lustful gaze roamed over her as he leaned forward. His companion swallowed some of his beer, sat back, and spread his legs open, granting Tiana a view right up his shorts.

She choked on her drink as she hurried to avert her eyes.

Are those his balls hanging—?

After an exchange of awkward stares, Tiana pushed her drink away. The younger guy left his place at the table. His friend shot him an encouraging nod. He slowly made his way to her side, pulling up a stool to sit beside her. Tiana said nothing, not wanting to give him the impression she was interested.

Tiana now understood what she had done. Her twirling tongue must have looked like an open invitation. She rolled her eyes, angry at herself for not being aware of her surroundings. A sneer quirked the corner of her lips. She averted her eyes as he waited for her to look at him. He gripped the bottle of Stenberg in his hands. He looked German or some European mix, maybe Nordic, with sandy brown hair and soft blue eyes. He wasn’t ugly, but his face was too long.

"Having a great time, Schwarze schonheit?" he asks with a toothy grin. His yellow-stained teeth glistened with his mouth's wetness.

Tiana shrugged and replied that she was trying her best. The man nodded and moved closer.

"I'm just here to check the scenery and enjoy some time alone," she said.

"Berlin is a beautiful place, isn't it?"

Tiana glanced around. "Yes, one could say it is. Beautiful."

"You are, indeed," he said.

Tiana looked at him and tried to fight back a gag.

"I mean. You are gorgeous, drop-dead gorgeous. That's how they say it in English, yes?"

Tiana nodded uncomfortably, looking for a way out of the conversation.

"And you don't say much either. It is good. Where I'm from, a smart woman says less."

"And how much does a smart man say?" Tiana said, trying to mimic the man's peculiar inflection.

"A man says his mind, I guess."

"So, are your women allowed to say what's on their mind?"

"Of course. They are free to." He leaned towards Tiana, adding, "But I prefer my women to be vocal in other settings if you know what I'm talking about." He winked, and for a moment, after a tiny microsecond, Tiana felt flirtatious. But she feigned ignorance, refusing to meet his probing eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Umm, I could show you better than tell you."

Tiana's eyes widened at his bluntness. She shook her head. Pushing her to drink further away, she grabbed her belongings from the adjacent stool, leaving him alone at the bar.

He would rather show me....ugh!

Tiana shook her head, slowly chuckling to herself.

She took another route on a whim, meandering through wide hallways, passing hotel staff and other tourists. Her ears perked up as she picked up on the conversation between two men on her way to the elevator. "Excuse me."

The French male replied, "Ja?"

"I don't speak French or German, but it sounded like you both were talking about a steam room or sauna?"

The blonde middle-aged man replied first, "Yeah, it's a cool place. You should see it."

"If you have a voucher, you don't pay," said the younger male in clear English.

Tiana fingered the side of her kimono. Her voucher wasn’t there. She panicked for a second before remembering it was in her clothes bag. She nodded at the two men and stepped back from the door of the lift.

"Thank you."

"Ja. No problem. Go to the steam room; you will love it," the older guy advised again.

Tiana nodded, stepping further away from the elevator doors, and opened her bag. She picked out her voucher and turned it over. It shimmered slightly in the yellow light of the hotel lobby. It said nothing on it about a steam room. But the guest said her voucher would get her in. She pushed the voucher back in the bag and glanced around the expansive lobby. It was not as crowded now.

The concierge from earlier was out of sight. Tiana stared at the new female working at the front desk. Making her way to the line, "How may I help you?" the girl asked when it was Tiana's turn.

"Is there a steam room here?"

"The sauna?"

The girl's eyes narrowed as if she was reluctant to give Tiana the directions. However, she eventually pointed to the left of the lobby, towards an archway. "That way, over there."

Tiana thanked her with a weak smile and started walking. She stopped at the archway entrance and dropped her bag on the floor. Tiana placed her AirPods in, her fingers quickly swiping to her YouTube playlist. Chris Brown's Indigo filled her head as she walked down the long hallway. She looked back when a glimmer of something running past her peripheral caught her attention.

She removed one earbud, cautiously looking around for a few moments. After a few seconds of silence, she placed the earbud back in and continued walking, tapping the side of her thigh to the rhythm of the music.

At the end of the corridor were giant, golden double doors. Tiana looked back the way she came, still unable to shake the uneasy feeling from before. But there was nothing there.

The hallway was well lit, with no one lurking about. Tiana shrugged it off as she pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

Entering the sauna felt like stepping into a different world. The room was enormous, bigger than any steam room Tiana had ever visited. It was humid with a faint sulfuric smell. The scones cast an eerie blue light throughout the room. There were no guards or security; no one was sitting at the check-in desk. She shrugged it off and walked down the short concrete steps towards the grotto-like interior. The room appeared to be empty. She surveyed the sauna and was pleased that she was alone. She could enjoy her solitude.

There were polished wooden seats spanning three sides of the room, beckoning her to sit and relax. Tiana's knees wobbled; the day's fatigue was finally wearing her thin.

A puff of steam rose from the middle of the room. The temperature was at least ninety-five. Tiana set her bag on the floor. Then took off her towel. She chose a seat in the sauna's furthest corner. She placed the rolled towel beside her and flopped down, wincing when the hot wood seared her soft brown skin. Once her skin adjusted, she sat back, closing her eyes as Chris Brown's song, Sex you back to sleep, played softly in her ear. The steam rose all around her as her mind drifted off.

She imagined what would take place come Monday morning. She was scheduled to meet the maternal health council of Berlin’s Center of Health and Disease.

Tiana took a deep breath, praying her international peers would receive her research topic well. Hoping her health initiative could address the health disparities plaguing the women of Berlin.

Her inner thoughts haunted her with the faces of the expecting mothers and infants she had failed to save years prior. If only she could have done more. Imaginings of tiny faces, quivering lips, and the mournful cries of heartbroken mothers echoed in her mind. Tiana squeezed her eyes shut, praying away the negative thoughts.

“You can't save them all; you can't save them all.”

Her eyes cracked open the tiniest bit at the sound of sucking and slurping. The room was filled with steam, white mist rising from the center to the floor. The wooden and stone walls were damp with perspiration. Something moved in the furthest corner. Tiana’s eyes squinted as she attempted to track the movement in the shadows. The slurping sound intensified.

Tiana removed her earbud. The sound of hushed voices was more apparent now. She frowned, mourning the loss of her solitude. Tiana peered through the steam at the blurry image to her left. Her mouth dropped open in awe as her eyes adjusted to the suffused light. The tendrils of mist disbursed, revealing the naked forms of three people...

Aren't they the people from the pool?

The blonde-haired woman that waved earlier was sitting on the man's face, grinding her lower half on the face of the male from earlier. While the other's head rhythmically bobbed up and down on his penis. Tiana gasped, dumbfounded, looking around to make sure it wasn't a hallucination or some dream.

What the Hell... let me get out of here!

Tiana quickly and quietly gathered her things. As she grabbed her bag, she and the man locked eyes.

His eyes were like glowing green embers, stark against the sea of white steam wafting around them. Looking at him was like gazing into a dark green abyss. With her mouth on his cock, the girl moaned; her eyes shut tight as his fist gripped her blonde hair between his fingers. Her plump breasts dangled as she worked the man's shaft with both hands.

The slurping noises echoed through the room. The second female arose off his face, then licked her essence off his lips. Her short blonde hair was tousled wildly as she bit and nibbled at the man's lips. Her fingers grip the man's spiky black hair. Tiana gasped as the female’s eyes suddenly darkened. Veins and dark bruises started to form all over the woman’s skin, her complexion turning from creamy white to a sickly grey hue, but her kisses seemed even more possessive and forceful. She hungrily drove her tongue in and out of his mouth in a possessive manner.

Strange as it was, Tiana couldn't seem to look away. The male’s garish green eyes never left hers. The females seemed oblivious to Tiana's presence. Both were enthralled with bringing him to orgasm. The man's cock grew longer and thicker, stretching the girl's mouth wide. Dribble foamed around the corners of her mouth with every thrust of his enormous cock. The girl's mouth hardly fit around his shaft as she choked but kept sucking.

Tiana felt her lower limbs quake, her core clenching with arousal. She licked her lips, unable to look away from the trail of spit dripping down his shaft. The man slouched, his chest rising and falling. His panting matched Tiana's lust-labored huffs. Her eyes focused on the girl sucking his cock, moving upwards over his dark pubic hair, then higher. Tiana's eyes drank in the man's seductive body. His abs were solid blocks of pure muscle. His dark brown nipples were hard and pointed. Tiana bit her lip, her core fluttering to life with arousal.

Her hands started to drift towards her breasts, her fingers sliding slowly into the bikini, tweaking her hard chocolate points.

The man's finger mimicked hers. As if he was the one controlling her movements. He rubbed the woman's tits aggressively, twisting them between his thumb and forefingers. His hypnotic green eyes never strayed from Tiana. Every move the man made mirrored hers. Tiana's gaze dipped to the woman sucking the man’s penis, Whose tongue was vigorously licking on the fat mushroom head of his throbbing member. Tiana gyrated hard against the bench, seeking relief, but the sexual noises around the room kept drawing her into lust-filled hypnosis.

Tiana trembled, sweat trickling down her body as she reluctantly opened her thighs, needing something, missing something. A lustful hunger was growing deep within her.

She looked down at her bathing suit; it felt suffocating... restrictive. Her chest heaved up and down frantically. Her body was on fire, and flames of desire erupted from her bikini bottoms. Tiana’s cupped her crotch, hoping the pressure would relieve the ache, but it worsened

This man... he's done something to me.

She forcefully shook her head, attempting to shake off whatever haze had befallen her... I don't want this...

Tiana tried to get up. But her body wouldn’t move. Betraying her, no matter how much her mind screamed for her to flee and leave. She just sat there, unable to escape the trance. Her clit throbbed in sync with her pumping heart.

This isn't right! No... I have to go!

But no matter how hard she fought, her body was entirely overtaken by the strange force emanating from his unblinking, glowing green eyes.

"This is such a pleasant surprise," A deep guttural voice growled. "Do not fret, my heavenly chocolate noir; I will save you for last. I will bring you to completion. I knew it was fate when I saw you at the airport."

Tiana blinked as her teary eyes recalled where she had remembered him from. He was the guard, standing near the attractive man at the airport.

“Ahhh, do you remember me now, sweet little one? You were so busy ogling over that handsome-faced incubus that you overlooked me! Haha...But looks like I got to you first!”

At those words, his lips widen in an inhuman grin. Rows upon rows of dagger-sharp teeth extruded from his blood-soaked gums. Tiana attempted to avert her eyes, but her face was forcefully whipped back to face him.

"It is impolite not to look your dinner date in the eye, my beauty," he growled out, forcefully pulling the dark-blonde female’s head towards his gaping maw. Brutally crushing her face into his. Spearing her soft flesh against his shark-like teeth. Her body convulsed as he eviscerated her flesh from her skull, his serpentine tongue tugging her lifeless body deeper into his gullet.

With a loud slurp, he swallowed her whole. Smiling as chunks of flesh and innards dripped from between his jaws.

Tiana could taste the bile coating her tongue. Her body convulsed uncontrollably as he continued to pluck the long strands of blonde hair from in between his razor-sharp teeth. However, the other woman was still bobbing her head up and down on his shaft, blissfully hypnotized, unaware of their dire circumstances.