6 'sI Can Help You's

"I can help you," a sensuous voice rang from the back of the store. Melvin paused and chanced a look towards the voice. A tall, dark-haired woman stood, her hands on her hips, a solemn expression on her face. She wore a black dress, and stripes of white streaked through her hair, you know, your typical Goth type. Melvin thought she bore a passing resemblance to Elvira, only the woman at the back of store was the most exotic looking person he'd ever seen. It was impossible to tell her nationality from her caramel-colored skin and her slightly slanted and stunningly blue eyes.

"Excuse me?" he replied.

"I can help you," she repeated. Her cold eyes looked over him, up and down. Melvin felt naked under her penetrating gaze. Her voice was persuasive, somehow hypnotic, and Melvin found himself believing her without even knowing what she was talking about.

The woman had been waiting for him, and she took him in with her eyes. He wasn't so bad. Lose the glasses and slap on a few pounds of muscle, and he'd be a regular sexy beast. However, his lack of confidence was evident in his hunched shoulders and nervous eyes. This was something she'd have no trouble overcoming; her powers seemed to grow by the day. Confidence was something that SHE didn't lack.

"How?" he said. The woman smiled, her lips peeling back to reveal some sharp looking teeth. They shone in the pallid light cast by an ancient lamp.

"Fate brought you into my store. You have trouble with women."

"How'd...?" Melvin began. Was it that obvious? Could she tell just by looking at him what a pathetic loser he was? Things were worse than he'd realized. He straightened his glasses. She was making fun of him; he was sure of it.

"Oh, Mr. Melvin MacMuffin, are you always so insecure? So full of doubt?" the woman purred from the other side of the room. Her voice slipped past his defenses and caressed his heart.

"You know my name?" he said, unable to take his eyes off her.

"Look around you, Mel. I'm a fucking witch! I know all sorts of shit," she said with a cackling laugh, throwing her head back, her long black hair flowing around her shoulders. Entranced, Melvin could only watch her.