The Photoshoot [June 2023 Dainty Prompt]
A relaxing summer evening turns into sour temptation as Eldryn receives a phone call and a promise. The prize? An insurmountable amount of money. The catch? The danger of being recognized and found by those who wish him the gravest of ills...
“𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖙𝖔… 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙?”
Eldryn’s expression was a cross between blank and perturbed. He lounged across the couch in an uncomfortable manner, kicking his hooves lightly to the beat of the music he’d just clicked on before the phone had rung. It was a heavy pulsing club-beat, and though it clashed with the apartment’s interior, there was something… fitting about it.
“Uh-huh. I’m sorry, I’m still not over the fact that you have my number in the first place - I know it’s getting easier to find these things, but… fuck, man.”
He sighed,running his fingers through his hair.
“Right, right. You want to do a photo shoot, an interview, and--- no. No, I’m not doing that. That’s ridiculou--- how much!?”
Eldryn swung his legs back over the couch and stood, tapping the knob on the stereo to cast the room into silence once more, his brows knitting.
“No, no… that’s just… that’s an absurd amount of money. I…” He hesitated. “I can’t have my face shown. You know that, right? Old gods be damned, people will probably recognize a freckle anyway, but I won’t take any chances. If I agree to this, you have to guarantee my privacy. If anyone comes for me, I’ll have your heads.”
His hooves stamped against the hardwood as he crossed the room, still giving affirmative answers over the phone as he grabbed his jacket and helmet. With a heavy sigh he finally pulled the cell away, hanging up with a swift push of a button.
“Fuck.”
Slipping his phone in his pocket, Eldryn moved to the door and none-too-gently bonked his forehead against it. This was insane, stupid even - he didn’t need the money, not with his current circumstances; but something in his soul tugged him to go to the interview. He hadn’t heard of the magazine before, but that didn’t matter - if he was found again, there’s no telling what they might do.
He swallowed hard, slipping his jacket on before white-knuckling his helmet. Eldryn stood there for a moment, gazing into the shadowed polycarbonate at his conflicted reflection. His ears flattened against his head on instinct as he finally slammed it into place, slamming the visor down before making his way downstairs and out of the complex he’d come to call home.
He reached his motorcycle in no time, swung a leg over, and revved the engine. The place that he’d been given to meet was in the middle of the red light district, but that didn’t matter; he knew the area well, and knew what alleys to avoid. Peeling away from the curb, he sped off, but not before once more resuming the heavy beats in a desperate attempt to drown out his thoughts.
Street lights flickered overhead as the sun began to melt below the horizon, leaving the city painted in eerie shades of red and orange. On any other day he might have found it beautiful, but with doubt still in his heart, he couldn’t help but see omens in the sunset, warning him to stay away. But still…
It was a shit-ton of cash.
Pulling up after a 15 minute ride that seemed to have taken five times that, Eldryn killed the engine and pulled his helmet free. His hair settled around his face, his eyes narrowing into a glare as he looked up at the nondescript black building.
This was the place, all right.
Securing the helmet to his bike, he moved past a few warm bodies and pulled at the darkened handle, polished within an inch of its life - and invited himself in, squaring his shoulders back as he did so.
After all, what harm could a few photographs pose…?