Vain (The Seven Deadly 1)

I swallowed audibly. “Of-of course.”

“My dear, we bed early here as we hardly ever have electricity and we like to rise with the sun. I suggest getting some sleep now. I would love to tell you that the water is warm most days but it is not.”

“I see.” I studied the showers with a blank expression. I was essentially going to camp for six months.

When Karina led me back to my room, the sun had set completely.

“Goodnight, love.”

“Goodnight, Karina.”

I walked into my room and almost screamed. Dingane stood there dropping one of my bags to the floor.

“Samuel was busy,” he said to explain his presence. He wanted it known that he didn’t want to be there.

“Ah, well, thank you, Dingane.”

“No problem,” he said, squeezing through the tiny room toward the door. I sat there swimming in the scent of his soap. It made me delirious. My Lord!

He turned around and stood a foot over me, almost skin to skin. “You’ll want to lock your doors so no animals try to get in,” he said and left me to the Ugandan night with the creak of my door slamming shut.

It echoed through me and I sat on my bed, not looking before I plopped myself down right on top of something slippery and moving. Naturally, I screamed and jumped. Dingane came running back into my room. Shirtless.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I-I...” I began but couldn’t finish. I could only point to the long black thing slithering its way on my mattress.

“Oh, it’s only a millipede. Archispirostreptus gigas, to be exact. Take care if you come in contact with one, avoid touching your eyes and lips. They can be harmful.”

“Get it out,” I told him, eyes clenched closed. I heard the door open and shut and when I opened my eyes, Dingane stood there staring at me like I was a fool. “Stop judging me.”

“Who said I was judging?” he lazily drawled. Broad, calloused hands rested on his narrow, exposed waist. I tried so hard not to look.

“I know when someone is judging me. I can read people with impeccable accuracy. You’re thinking this spoiled brat can’t even handle a simple insect. How will she handle Africa?”

“It is not an insect. It’s an arthropod,” he deadpanned.

“So you’re a nerd then. Great, glad we’ve established that.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Yes.”

“What?”

“Yes, I was thinking that you were a spoiled brat who won’t last two seconds here.”

My eyes widened at his candid response. I was taken aback. My mouth gaped open.

“I’ll show you,” I threatened, but it lost steam by the last word as he stared at me harshly.

Dingane rushed me in that moment and the movement stole my breath away. He loomed over me and I fought to keep my mouth closed. “Girl, you are the epitome of spoiled. I can smell it in your expensive perfume, in the quality of your ridiculous clothing, in the bracelet wrapped ’round that delicate wrist.” He closed the gap between us and all the air sucked from the room. “You won’t last out here. You’ll stay blind to the environment that surrounds you. You’ll live in your clean, perfect bubble and return to your posh life come six months. You are....you. I know your kind. I’ve seen it all before. You will never wake up. Not really,” he explained away before backing up and leaving me to my room once again.

I felt tears burn but I steeled myself. My hand clamped my bracelet-covered wrist brutally and I shoved it down my fingers and let it fall to the floor. I yanked the bag I knew contained all my bedding onto the top of the mattress and unzipped it, removing all the contents I needed.

One goose down mattress cover.

One goose down duvet.

One goose down pillow.