We step into the living room after I fill Sullivan in one how my night went down. He flips the black envelope one more time and proceeds to pour me a cup of coffee. "So why exactly doesn't it have all your names?" Okay, I didn't tell him everything.
I take the cup from him and lift it to my face. The steam wafts over my face, filling my nostrils with the nutmeg-coffee blend. I sip the hot liquid. "Arggh"
"Careful, it's hot." Sullivan drawls, he eyes fixated on the letter.
I roll my eyes. "I will have to ask the administration when I have the chance_"
A breeze interrupts our conversation. One of the servants stands at the entrance. "Good morning, Master Sullivan. Mistress_"
"How many times must I explain protocol to you, insole_" Sullivan shoots up from his seat, ready to give the servant an earful. I gesture for him to halt his actions, placing down my cup. He grimaces when I don't use the plate. I quickly place the cup on it before he loses it.
"Let him relay whatever information he came to."
The servant bows, averting his eyes from Sullivan. "Master Creed and his_"
"Are you all packed up?" Mr. Creed strolls past the servant, crushing onto the couch. I take another sip of my coffee.
"Well, good morning to you too, uncle. Knock yourself out." The twins follow behind, grumbling about something. I force a smile. "Good morning, Nicole. Good morning, Sanriach."
"It's San." Nicole scoffs, adjusting her scarf around her neck. "Why is it so cold in here?" She walks around the couch and settles down at the furthest edge. Sanriach doesn't pay us any attention, he plops beside me and pulls out his headphones.
"May I interest you in some coffee?" I gesture at my cup. Sanriach snatches the tiny piece of clay and downs its contents before slaming it back on the table. It chips and Sullivan glitches for a moment. He exchanges the cup for another and fills it up. Sanriach snatches it immediately and downs the contents_
"Wait its_" He shrieks before I warn him. "_hot" Sullivan hides his content and quickly pours him some water. Nicole scoffs and rolls her eyes all while. I gesture at the cup and she looks away, completely shoving her back at our faces.
Mr. Creed shoots up from his seat and gets some coffee for himself. "Have her bags loaded onto the car, we will leave once I am done." Nicole halts plugging her phone into the socket, our eyes meet to which she shoots up and walks out of the living room. "Don't mind her, she is in a mood.. Lady things." His finally whispers. I roll my eyes, I am sure everyone here can tell.
"Sullivan, I am going to grab my coat. It's been threatening to rain, I won't be surprised if it starts anytime." I step away from them and head for the stairs. Midway up the stairs, the maid from earlier approaches me with a coat. "You again_" I turn to see if they could see her, when I look back..she is gone. Like a figment of my imagination. My coat lies on the rails, a small sign that I am not crazy. I snatch the cloth and make my way back to the couch. One by one, the maids match out the door dragging my cases.
"Why the hell do you have so many things?" Sanriach finally speaks, lowering his headphones. I turn to Sullivan and they both do too.
"Maintenance." Sullivan says, completely unfazed. He resumes giving directions to the maids and follows them outside.
When they return their attention to me, I shrug. "Maintenance."
"Everything is ready." Sullivan announces, stepping back into the room. I sigh and follow him outside. Like I had assumed, a storm has gathered. A lot of forest debris peppers the compound, foretelling how much work the servants are going to be subjected to afterwards. I slip into my coat and adjust it, Sullivan slips a scarf around my neck and adjusts it till I am comfortable. "Here."
I take the envelope from his hand and run my thumb over the missing name. "Thanks." I watch the servants load some of my luggage into the back of a Range Rover. Nicole rolls up her window when I catch her view in the backseat. I turn to Sullivan, puzzled_
"It all couldn't fit in the Audi.." He gestures for a maid who hands him an umbrella. "And I do know how much you love that car. So I convinced Mr. Creed to let you ride in it. Just until they drop you off..and before you complain..I personally will take care of it. You can trust me." He bows, it's a promise. I smile and bow back at him. Every promise must be honoured, it's the way of the Quieros. A honk startles me out of the moment, Mr. Creed lowers his shades and gestures for me to wrap it up.
"Okay..I am guessing we wont talk about the guy from yesterday." I say pointedly to Sullivan. His face turns pale for a moment before he leads me to the audi. The back door waits open, revealing the finely fitted cream seats. I slip in, running my fingers over the smooth material. The door slams shut and the engine rumbles to life. Sullivan steps away from the car and waves. A bunch of servants stand beside him bidding me farewell. We follow the range rover out of the compound. The sylvan gazes at me smugly, shadows swirling within it. I keep my eyes ahead, flipping the envelope in my hand. I lean back into the seat and a sharp coldness pierces through my coat. I delve my hand into the pocket and pull out Gladius.
"You just had to tag along, did you?" I smile at the grim piece of iron, tucking away the envelope to play with him. For the first time since I held him, he feels perfect in my hand. I twirl it between my fingers, first skeptically and then with a little confidence. I throw it between my fingers, twilring it like I used to pens. He slips out and falls on my lap. For an action so small, it spikes my blood pressure. If there's anything I have seen when Juan practiced with this dagger, any small contact with the blade could be fatal.
I pick up the dagger, trees blur into the wind through the window. A crazy idea forms in my head, I lower the window. The wind crashes into my face, carrying with it some drops of rain. I quickly aim Gladius at the trees. "Mistress_" The driver attempts to stop but I gesture for him to continue. I keep my hand out the window and only pray that Gladius heeds to my call..politely. because he is very capable of slashing off_
I gasp. The coolness of the leather falls back into my palm, I barely managed to grab onto gladius but I do. I lower the window and cradle the weapon in my hands, a new found adoration for it forming. Suddenly I fall forward, the screeching of tires echoing in the trees. "Apologies Mistress, she came out of no where_" The driver fumbles, helping me up. I swing my hand at him when the grim flash of light off Gladius catches my eye. I halt just before the blade makes contact. Despite this, a thin slice adorns the man's cheek and a fine amount of blood spills over the cut. He remains still, the image of Gladius reflecting in his eyes.
The dullness of the trees blends behind the shadows of his eyes, igniting a subtle warmth within me. I tilt his face, exposing the wound to me. I trail my tongue over the tangy flesh, relishing the metallic shift in my mouth. I plant my lips over his and a tingly warmth spreads over them. I pull away and stare into the depth of his eyes. "You're cute."
A faint shade of crimson slips onto his face, his cheek already flawless. I catch sight of the woman in front of the car, she looks away in embarrassment when I spot her watching us. I slip out of the car, ignoring the driver's calls. "Are you hurt?" I call over to the woman despite knowing she isn't. She shakes her head, pulling her showl over her head. The breeze hits us, it's moistness clinging to my head. I tuck away the damp wisps of hair that stick on my face.
"Are you sure?" I push, approaching her. The driver stands behind his door, watching carefully. I gesture for him to bring me my purse. He disappears into the backseat in search of it. "Do you live around here?"
She doesn't answer, just stares. Her blue eyes reflect sharp shadows, the trees stiff in them. Unlike the driver, her eyes curse at me..exposing the masked darkness behind her childlike face. Finally, I receive the purse from the driver and pull out some money. "For your troubles_" Just as I extend the money to her, she grabs my arm.
"The light seeks out the darkness, but the night befalls the day. Five your enemies, none your friend." Her thick accented voices envelope us, swirling within the trees. Her rough hands snatch the money, as well as my purse and she fades into her showl. The piece of fabric silts to the ground and the rain starts to pour. Heavier by the second.
"Come on, get inside." The driver grabs my hand and leads me to the backseat. I keep my eyes on the showl, watching as the wind lifts it and slams it into the trees. I settle into the car and wait for the car to start, we resume the journey the journey in total silence. Somewhere a long the way my phone starts to buzz with notifications from texts.
Where are you? We are going to be late because of you!! Argghhh!!!
I look at the unregistered number on my phone and choose to ignore the texts. The driver's worried glance reflects through the driving mirror. I give him a pointed look. "It's okay, you're doing your best under such circumstances." I had noticed how stoic he had gotten after the encounter with the witch in the trees. She must have been a witch, that or something close to the arts. I place my hands into my pockets. "Fuck." I feel a sharp pain.
"Shit..Gladius_" To my surprise, I pull out a letter. Fine like the one from last evening, the neat dark handwriting printed over the envelope. Like the day before, the letter loses its sharpness after my blood soaks in the edge. I pull out the letter when the seal breaks. It's unfamiliar. The hadwritting on it is different from that outside. I turn the paper, its rough surface rubbing on my skin. Behind it is the handwriting again.
Goodluck.
I scour through the contents of the letter, ignoring the yellow stains on it. It's a letter from a woman to her sister at an academy, Clary. Dated. 7th August, 1830. Nothing of particular interest is said. Just gossip. I lift the piece of paper to my nose. Hide and honey seep through the dusty smell of the letter. A small hint of methanol wafts over the fresher ink.
The car takes a smooth turn before stopping. I lift my head and see a dark railed gate, a man approaches the car and taps at my window. I lower it and look at him. His dull uniform matches the long cylindrical hat that swallows his eyebrows. He holds out his hand and I hesitantly pull out the letter and put it in his palm. He turns it, glazing over the name. He narrows his eyes suspiciously and his blonde eyebrows slip out momentarily.
"Miss Quieros Rocha?" His blue eyes snap to me. I reluctantly nod and they narrow further. He swifly tosses a leaf at him, Gladius intercepts and they clash with a clink. He falls back into my hand and I stare at the man. He chuckles at my indiffrence. A leaf shinigami?
"Just a minor test." He hands over the black envelope before his face falls into a grim one. His eyes darken, swallowing whatever light they capture. Nothing reflects in them despite their light colour. "Open it."
For the first time, I fumble to obey a stranger. Not my parents, not my uncle. Not my brother. This stranger's voice holds an eerie commanding force, shifting my intricate defiance to obedience. I flip the envelope and pull it's velvet edge, the seal breaks. Immediately, my surrounding shift into patterns, rearranging themselves. When everything stills, I glance around the room. On my right, dark drawers glisten over the thinly carpeted floor. Contrary to my right, on my left I see me. My reflection in the mirror like wall. No drawers. I turn back to my right, there's another mirror like wall. What the f_ Reflections bounce back and forth between the walls into a repeatitive motion. I rub my temples_
"Ahem." The sound draws my attention to the front. A lady in her middle age seats before, a mirror wall behind her too. It reflects her back in repeated forms and I know there's one behind me. But I don't appear in this one. "Quie'hos Hocha?" She adjusts her spects, still squinting through them to read the file in her hands. Her mispronunciation of my name echoes of inability, not intentionality.
I nod, not bothering to correct her nor mention my other name.
"Is zhat all?" Her eyes stay fixed on the file though she addresses me. It takes me a moment to identify the accent but I settle on French.
"Is what all?" I correct my posture, seeing how straight she sits at her age. Her eyes swirl with disgust when she looks over the file at me. I stare into them, watching the mirrored pattern smudge in her dull coffee stained eyes. Within the brown swirls, I see a figure assemble. The creature, bent over, begins to erect its posture. Dragging it's long arms over the ground to support it. I sharpen my senses, the scraping on the floor echoes distantly. "Miss Quie'hos Hocha?!" My name suddenly hits me with aggression. I look back at the lady who adjusts her glasses frustratedly.
"Pardon." I maintain my calm despite the embarrassment I feel.
"Do you not have any ozher name?" She dips her quill into the ink pot before her. I nod and she looks at me expectantly. I pretend not know what she awaits. She rolls her eyes and sighs. "What zhen is it?"
"Andrea Naia." I listen to her quickly scribble it down. When she looks up, I am drown back to the scraping. The creature in her eyes, now upright, lunges at me. I duck forward and a force crashes into the desk before me. I feel the deathly breath above me and leap away from my seat. The debris of the lady splurts under the force the creature's claws.
It's hairless brown skin melts the furniture into disgusting pool of black. I reaches out for me and I step back. I sink into the mirror when I make contact with it and fall onto my back. The beast's claws crack the part of the mirror and the ground I am on suddenly turns black and starts to break. I roll to the other part with fine glass but it lunges and cracks it again. The ground darks and cracks. I run from the part but realize that the whole wall is starting to crack. I sprint against the cracking not wanting to get trapped in the mirror. I barely leap out and avoid the beast at the end of the wall.
When I leap into the back wall, I crash flat on it. Shit. I wasn't reflected in this one. I dash for the other side wall, but a sharp pain in my side forces me to the ground. I crash into the carpet, nearly making contact with the black pool. The air shifts, its elemental smell changing drastically. I notice the red stain on the side of my coat, it continues to soak up my blood. My insides boil, spiking what's left of my pressure. Red stains envelope my eyes, blurring my sight. I chuckle despite the hatred I harbour for the beast.
I lunges at me, claws first. I swing my hand, my claws slicing through its. I slip aside before it crashes into me. It's roars, the screeching sound reverberating in the mirrors. The glass bursts and scatters from the force, falling over me like confetti. I reach into my pocket for Gladius, nothing. Great. I barely manage to dodge the beast, it crashes into the glass. The scent of its blood wafts across the room, beckoning me to feed. My primal fangs break through my teeth, forcing me to spit out the shards of bone. Despite the ugly sight of the creature, it smells very edible right now. Suddenly, an oozing darkness coats my eyes.
"No." My breath hastens. "What's happening?" The room's temperature drops a dozen of degrees and sounds of harsh whispers echo around me. The echoes repeat, getting harsher by the minute. A sickening evil diffuses from them. I sense a unidirectional ache when the whispers grow. The pain grows when the whispers get closer and closer and closer until… I step away from the place, and a force crashes past me. The beast roars from the direction the force went. The scent of blood gets stronger, and like I am possessed for a moment, I still.
The harsh whispers concentrate on me, the ache growing by the second, but I don't move. I stay grounded. When I feel a second of contact with the beast, my claws sink into it, and I climb over. Without a second to waste, I sink my fangs into the beast's flesh. Gallons of warm blood flood my mouth, layering my taste buds. I feel my nerves spark to life, the darkness over my eyes slowly lifting. Every waking second demands more, so much more and I take it. The more I take, the more I want.. the more I_ I pull away, a wave of nausea seeping in. The beast slumps onto the ground. Except, it's no longer a beast. A nude man, battered and pale.
A rush of chaos echoes in my head, and a group of people approach. But before they can get to me, Sanriach skids over the floor and gets to me first. Instinctively, I sink my fangs into his shoulder. Smells like caramel. "Don't come near her, call my father!" He yells at the group. Slowly, I feel my feeding start to reduce. Then a wave of exhaustion hits me, the scent of bubblegum washes over me before slip into darkness. This time I go willingly.