"Vincencio, face me and spill the tea." With gentle firmness, she demanded, making him sigh before slowly facing her.
Skylar's eyes widened, and she quickly cupped his face, inspecting his entire face covered with light bruises and scratches, and his clothes were covered with a little blood stain that wasn't his, dirt, and dust. Vincencio flinched as Skylar's eyes turned grim and furiously pierced at his soul.
"Spill the tea, Vince or I'll make you," Skylar warned him demandingly, her teeth gritted and her tone grim, which made Vincencio shiver and nod.
"Ahm, on my way back home, my drive got entangled with a gang fight. I've got chase and corner. I even try to reason, but they won't hear anything. Next thing I knew, they were charging at me." He reasoned skeptically, making Skylar frown.
"Mistaken identity…like Irina's case…" Skylar thought carefully, but her furious expression didn't falter. Instead, she slammed her hand, almost breaking the counter, making Vincencio flinch. "If this thing happens again to you, I swear I will kill those gangsters."
"Wifey, you can't…" With worry, Vincencio tried to reason while he gently caressed her hand, but Skylar was beyond reach.
"Oh, trust me, Vince. If they get to my wrong side, I'll burn everything in my way and let their lives bleed. " She spat dangerously before adding a question with calculating eyes. "Do you remember their faces?"
"It's dark, and everything went blurry…" he tried to explain, but Skylar kept cutting him off.
"Don't lie to me, Vincencio, and tell me who gave those bruises. " With gritted teeth, Skylar furiously demanded, making him sigh.
"There's no need…" he tried to answer, but Skylar was fuming.
"WHY?! I'LL BEAT THEM UP FOR HURTING YOU LIKE THIS!" She snapped, making Vincencio snap at her.
"I BEAT THEM UP," he shouted. Skylar was taken aback before Vincencio sighed and continued. "So, no need to do that…"
"You did what?" she asked, dumbfounded.
"I sent them to the hospital when they accidentally hit my face with a baseball bat. I quickly punished them out of worry." He finally explained his side, shyly, making Skylar speechless. "I'm worried that you'll nag me if you see me injured…and still, it happened."
***
As another day ticks, the workaholic CEO, Skylar, juggles between her growing businesses in the city. By noontime, Skylar had finished her last meeting with the locals at the nearby border of the Singarti Kingdom. It was a small countryside, filled with pine trees, local townhouses, and a lake where she decided to try something new for her hotel—a simple, relaxing cabin hotel for locals and travelers.
"That's quite a meeting," Medina commented with a relieved sigh as they walked out of the rundown establishment that had been abandoned for five years due to an arson incident. "They were skeptical and frightened on our behalf."
"Well, this place had an eerie vibe." Skylar agreed and got inside the car. "They said it was haunted."
"I can see that from here," Medina agreed with another sigh.
Locals didn't touch the place for five years in the belief that it has been haunted ever since the arson incident happened. They said that a suspect killed himself along with innocent workers in the said establishment, and their spirits haunted the place, unable to move in the afterlife. Skylar fully respected their stories, ensuring they wouldn't touch anything sensitive to the locals. However, she saw the potential growth of the place once it hit the market and travelers came due to the mountain and lake views.
"Now, it may be eerie, but knowing the kind souls of the locals here, those souls won't be happy if the place they love got abandoned like that," Skylar stated coldly while her eyes fixated out to the window when their car stopped at the intersection.
"Fair reason if you looked that way." Medina agreed while checking her work tablet for her boss's schedule.
"We better make it worthwhile," Skylar decided when an idea came and shared it with Medina. "Med, gather the locals' histories or old sayings for a historical section. Then find me the locals' delicacies and townspeople who were willing to work with us. I don't want to take what made them unique, like what my uncle says."
"Sure, boss," Medina agreed, liking the idea.
"Another thing, Med, be sure to spread them evenly," Skylar commanded firmly, which indicates something dangerous.
"Affirmative." Medina grinned as she got what she meant before recalling a certain meeting. "Oh, another thing, there's someone who wants to meet you while you're here."
"Did they tell who?" She curiously wondered since she hadn't been in the Singarti long enough to meet someone unless it was about expanding her businesses.
"Alicia Irie Aspire-Marshall, she governed the neighboring town, the Moonlit Ville." Medina checked the person's records, making Skylar nod.
"Sounds familiar," she thought before wondering, "Where are we going to meet? At what time?"
"She said to meet at the famous local café here, the Red Café Diner, as soon as possible," she answered after checking her work tablet.
"Hm, I see." She nodded, and with curiosity, she wondered. "Do I have any meetings for today?"
"Nothing aside from meeting her," Medina answered, waiting for her boss's response.
"Then, take me to the café, and let's meet her before we head back." She decided coolly, making Joey drive the car to the venue, which wasn't far.
At the local Red Café Diner, the soothing vibe and freshly brewed coffee welcomed them warmly. Skylar liked the diner so far until a waitress greeted them politely.
"Welcome to Red Café Diner, table for how many?" An enthusiastic waitress greeted them, making Medina smile warmly in return.
"We're meeting someone under the name of Alicia Irie." Medina politely answered, making the waitress jolt like she knew the name.
"That's strange," Skylar thought.
"Oh, sure. Right this way." The waitress responded, guiding them before adding, "She's waiting for your arrival."
At a certain booth, Skylar saw an attractive woman sitting by the window booth. She had an alluring aura, but Skylar also sensed danger. Curiosity hit her. But the woman's presence spoke too many things inside her head, making her slightly dizzy. When they got near, the woman stood and quickly went to Skylar's side. Surprisingly, Skylar got lightheaded and almost fell if the woman hadn't caught her in time.
"You okay?" The woman gently asked as she guided Skylar to sit and relax on her seat.
"Yeah, just got lightheaded," Skylar answered and curiously watched the woman sitting across from her.
"Have you eaten?" she wondered, holding the diner's menu.
"No, not yet." She replied coldly while carefully watching the woman.
"Then let's get you something to eat." The woman smiled and ordered on their behalf before briefly introducing herself. "By the way, I'm Alicia Irie, and I know you have questions for me, but don't be stiff and relax. I'm not going to eat you or something."
"Interesting on how you know things," Skylar responded calculatingly. She was wary of the woman.
"I have my ways of knowing things." She winked at her, making her shiver before continuing, "I call for this meeting and personally check on you."
"Check on me? Why? I don't recall frequently meeting you elsewhere aside from here." Skylar confusedly wondered, making the woman chuckle.
"It may be true, but your blood stated otherwise." She mysteriously responded, giving Skylar a stern, knowing look as if she could read her like an open book.
"Meaning?" she wondered curiously.
"Irina Real Draven, the youngest baroness from the household of Dravens." She answered, making Skylar frown.
"How did you know her?" Skylar asked protectively, amusing the woman.
"No need to be hostile. I'm not going to harm your kid. I'm honestly here to check on how you're doing after learning about our existence. To my surprise, you're doing well, but..." Amused, Alicia Irie answered defensively before adding a serious matter. "...since you got dizzy upon meeting me, something is about to wake up soon."
"You're a vampire," she bluntly said, making the woman chuckle.
"Exactly, but since I inherited my mother's ability, here. Take these FRSil tablets and the Two-Star FRSil liquid drops; they could help you handle fallen ones or somebody who might be turning into a fallen." Alicia Irie sternly said, giving Skylar two types of medicine for fallen creatures and a warning. "But Skylar, I'm going to warn you about using these meds; it could lead to hallucination, addiction, and death if used badly."
"And you're giving me this directly because?" Confused, Skylar asked as she checked the medicines.
"People, everyone could turn into a fallen. I am giving this to you in case you find yourself falling badly." With sincere worry, Alicia Irie answered as she placed her hands above hers.
"Are you saying that I'm turning into a fallen?" she guessed, making the woman smile genuinely.
"No, but it's something you could use for either personal or for yourself." Mysteriously, Alicia Irie sternly answered with a reminder, catching Skylar off guard.
"You know my dreams…" Skylar whispered, disturbed by what Alicia Irie, the strange vampire, said, reminding her about the mysterious bloody dream she had lately.
"I don't, but I have to go; my wife is here to pick me up." She replied and cut their sudden meeting as soon as she saw her wife by the entrance before adding, "Remember, Skylar, that once you're ready to know about everything unfolding before you, remember love. Take care and say hello to Adrian for me."
"How come she knew my uncle? What does she know about me?" Skylar thought carefully as soon as the woman, the vampire, left the café, leaving her lost in her thoughts. "I'll find it soon. I have to ensure it won't affect my plan."
"Strange, like my wife," Joey muttered as he watched the lady leave the diner.
"Boss, are you okay?" Medina asked worriedly and sat with her.
"She knew something that I don't," Skylar softly answered.
"Seems like it, but would it affect our plan?" Joey wondered.
"I don't think it will, but it might," she answered, sighing heavily before looking outside the window.
"Then, let's prepare for it." Joey optimistically answered and ate his free meal in gusto, making Medina shake her head in disbelief.
***
The mysterious CEO's day came to an end when thunder began spreading a warning throughout the night sky. Like a ticking bomb inside the Saison-Monsour, there was an imperious winter storm brewing as Skylar walked back and forth, waiting for someone dear to her.
"Where the fuck is he?" Skylar groaned with frustration as she drank the wine bottle straight.
"Have you texted or called him?" Medina carefully asked, making Joey nudge her side while they hid in the kitchen from Skylar's storm.
"I did, multiple times, and still nothing. No response." She responded, clicking her tongue while opening another wine bottle.
"Be patient. He'll come," Medina softly said, giving Skylar a bit of assurance.
"I am patiently waiting here." She groaned grumpily before drinking straight her wine and sternly wondered. "How could he?! Is he getting back at me for letting him worry like this?!"
"Glad you know," Joey refuted teasingly, making Median slap the back of his head for being stupid.
"YAH! I'm always on time, and just once, I missed it, but not again," Skylar shouted, glaring at them before drinking and growling madly. "If he still doesn't come back home, I'll surely lock him outside."
Medina and Joey stayed with their boss, who kept drowning herself in wine while ranting randomly about her life. Their ears had enough, but Skylar's worries escalated, making them worry. However, they rushed to Skylar's side when they saw her grab her pistol and were ready to storm out of the house if the door didn't open.
"Oh, still awake?" Vincencio greeted his wife with a grin but noticed something was off.
"WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU GO?!" Skylar stepped closer as she shouted, demanding an answer. Vincencio checked on her quickly before glancing at Medina and Joey.
"Is she drunk?" he asked them instead of answering, which was a wrong thing to do against drunk and worried Skylar.
"ANSWER YOU FUCKING SHIT!" Skylar shouted, closing their distance, and pointed the gun at his head, warning. "WHERE DID YOU GO, OR I'LL SHOOT YOU IN THE HEAD?!"
"Woah…that's…" Vincencio surprisingly reacted but could not finish his words when Skylar shouted more. She's furious.
"DON'T TRY TO JOKE AROUND, VINCENCIO, AND TELL ME WHERE THE FUCK YOU WENT?!" she demanded.
"Sky, let the man enter; he's injured," Joey softly said, pulling Skylar away from Vincencio and letting him enter.
"I DON'T FUCKING CARE! THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU GOT HOME INJURED, AND YOU'RE SO FUCKING LATE!" She shouted more, yanking her arms away from Joey and spitting sarcastically at Vincencio."ARE YOU GETTING EVEN WITH ME FOR MAKING YOU WORRY?! WELL, FUCK THAT SHIT BECAUSE I AM WORRIED LIKE HELL. MORE THAN YOU KNOW!"