"Morning, Julia, are you okay?"
Kate’s voice threw me away from dangerous thoughts about my ex when I stepped into the office. I wanted to say, "Hey, Kate. Yeah, everything is great,” instead I had to tell her about what happened to me only a few hours ago. After I was done with my unbelievable tale Kate looked gobsmacked.
"Is he okay? I mean, you blacked out? I thought your problems were finally over since you know—"
"I thought that too, but hey, life would be too boring if I didn’t have another psychopath after me." I laughed switching on my computer.
"Okay, but what if you’re just too stressed out?" Kate asked then continued. "And what if there is no psychopath, just you and your magic?"
"The healer said that Quentin was spellbound and obviously I couldn’t do that."
"Yeah, that’s worrying. I'm sure your dad will find out what happened," she added with a smile. It was easy for her to say, she didn't have to worry that she might blow something up all of the sudden. She was in a committed relationship with a werewolf who seemed to be doing just fine with a witch. My problems were never-ending.
Kate made me another cup of coffee and five minutes later I had to take care of clients. We were busy throughout the day. After registering a few shifters, I received an email from Rufus with information that we had to shut down the office for training after six. Rufus wanted to talk to everyone about something.
The hours kept rolling on and I continued pouring coffee into my system. I was exhausted, and there was no way that I slept throughout the night, otherwise I wouldn’t be that tried. My mind kept drifting off to last night, but I couldn’t remember anything. It was as if I had a black hole where my memories should’ve been.
As soon as it nightfall came, my two vampire co-workers arrived, following Alexandra, Sara and Rufus. We locked the agency for at least an hour and moved to the main meeting room. My regional manager, Rufus, flashed me a smile. Our agency dealt with recruitment for paranormals. I was promoted last year to a senior consultant after I managed to win the contract with La Caz Pharmaceutical. The business was flourishing and making tons of money. A lot of new clients wanted to work with us.
"Shall we start? I have another meeting with a marketing director in an hour and I want to get this over with," Rufus said after we all gathered in the interview room. I knew what this meeting was about: Rufus had just received the figures for the last quarter and we were going to discuss our strategy for the rest of the year. Normally I would be in top form but without sleep, I could barely keep my act together. "Julia, are you all right? You look a bit tired today."
I was glad that Rufus had no idea what happened to me. He treated me well and he was more of a friend rather than my boss. A few month ago, he’d been kidnapped and kept in isolation for a good few months before he was freed. I felt responsible and supported my father in his investigation getting myself in all sorts of trouble.
Things were complicated with me and for now I didn't want to get Rufus involved in my already messed up life.
"Great, we just had a hectic morning, that’s all," I explained trying to restrain myself from yawning. Too many people were sitting around the table and I wasn't in the mood to share my personal life with everyone in the office. Almost a year ago, I went to a meeting with Nathaniel La Caz, the managing director of La Caz Pharmaceutical. Not only did I manage to win the biggest contract for the agency, but I also got romantically involved with the managing director of the company. We had long and very passionate relationship, and I fell in love with him. The problem was that he didn't feel the same way and moved away to Geneva after breaking my heart into a million pieces. Our work relationship remained unaffected, but I was still hurt by his actions, although I had clearly moved on.
"Okay, so let’s get started. As you all know, we made a staggering profit last year, thanks to Julia, here," Rufus began, sending me a wink. Yeah, that’s what I was talking about. "The figures from this quarter look fantastic, but we need to make sure that we continue approaching clients…”
For some reason Rufus’s strong deep giant voice was fading and I was trying very hard to keep my eyelids up. I closed my eyes for only a second or two hoping to gain some strength. The room was warm, and I felt like I was back in my apartment, back in my own bed. Then I heard voices and all off a sudden Rufus vanished. When I opened my eyes, I realised that I was in my parents’ home and everything around me was burning.
"We’re going to die in here," my mother cried curling herself next to me. Black smoke was filling the room fast and blazing heat crawled over my skin. I didn't understand what was happening to me. Panic coursed through my mother’s eyes as she squeezed my arm so tight that it hurt. I couldn’t breathe, the fire spread within seconds, isolating us from the way out. My mother was screaming, tears were streaming down her face. Flames were going to reach us soon, dancing in front of my eyes; we were going to burn alive. That long constant signal was passing through my brain and I couldn’t move. Surging heat crept under my skin, down to my bones and I knew that I was going to die. In that last moment, I started asking myself if anyone would come to my rescue? Where was Dad? Why couldn’t we get out?
I watched as some of the furniture went up in flames around us, reminding of the time when Jennifer nearly burned the agency down to the ground.
The fire in the agency was lethal, but this was beyond what I ever imagined. Fear froze all my limbs as I searched for another way out, screaming at the top of my lungs.
"Julia, hey, Julia. Snap out of it!"
I continued blinking rapidly realising that I was back in the room, the meeting with Rufus and the rest of the staff. Everyone was staring at me looking pretty freaked out. I pressed my fingers to my forehead wondering what the hell just happened to me. Rufus’s dark brown eyes were studying me with concern. My head was aching in pain, my breaths were heavy, and my blouse was stuck to my back. I was so relieved that it had only been a dream. I flopped back on the chair breathing heavily, anxious about this sudden terrifying vision.
"Did I fall asleep?" I asked wiping the sweat from my forehead. Kate had her magic wand in her hands, Alexandra was squeezing Sara’s hand and my head was pounding. Rufus cleared his throat, still watching me intensely.
"No, well, sort of. It looked like you were in some kind of trance. Your eyes were closed, and you were shouting something about a fire," he said, twisting a pen in his hand. "Are you sure you’re feeling okay?"
That was a very good question. My body felt like I was going through a high fever. I was hot and cold at the same time; my nose felt blocked. I brushed my hands over my trousers and cleared my throat. There was an odd emptiness of my source again; my magic was gone.
"I don’t think that I slept last night, so "no" would be the answer to your question, Rufus," I said sounding oddly rough.
"Then go home and take a day off if you need to. I want to see you fit and healthy rather than unfocused like that. Please, it’s not a request."
Rufus was trying to be polite in front of everyone else. He would never cut me any slack but today I needed to pull myself together. As far back as I could remember, I’d never taken a proper sick day in my life—except when I was in the hospital—and I didn't want to appear weak. Others were looking at me alerted to the fact that something was indeed wrong with me. I was tough, but today just wasn't my day; I was sloppy, unfocused and exhausted.
I was planning to open my mouth and argue but then Kate gave me a look which said that I should shut up and head home. In the end I gathered my things and left the room. My head hadn’t stop pounding once I reached my apartment. Sleep washed over me as soon as my head touched the pillow.
Hours passed, and I slept, dreaming about a long dark tunnel. When I woke up the next morning my mind was racing like speedway car. I tossed to the other side and my head hit the hard floor. I opened my eyes and felt like I was still in a dream unaware of where I was and what was happening.
Yet again I was on t
he floor of my living room. My arms and legs ached, my neck was stiff as hell and shattering pain passed through me when I moved. I sat up in the middle of my living room attempting to gather my thoughts. My body felt as if I’d just run a marathon. I was barefoot but when I glanced at my feet I noticed they were covered with dirt. For a moment I wondered if I’d been sleepwalking. Then I shook my head, knowing that was completely absurd. I didn't sleep walk; I didn't talk while I slept either. When I lifted myself off the floor, soaring pain exploded in my joints. I checked the door, but it was locked. I scratched my head and went to the bathroom. When I glanced at my reflection in the mirror I flinched thinking maybe I was only hallucinating. My face was covered with droplets of dried blood. It looked like someone had sprayed me with it. Lowering my eyes, I noticed there was blood on my nighty, along with filthy smudges of what seemed to be black mud and something else I didn’t recognise. My mind spun—my hands were red, stained with blood—I stripped and checked myself over, becoming nauseous as the seconds passed by. The blood on my body and clothes didn’t belong to me. My feet were black and covered with scratches.
I ran though the events from yesterday, but my head was empty. I remembered going to bed straight after I walked through the door. Rufus told me off because I fell asleep during the meeting. I’d have remembered if I went out; I couldn’t just forget things like that. I wondered what the hell was going on. The blood smelled fresh and there was dirt beneath my nailbeds. The world was crashing down all around me and I had no idea what was happening. I turn on the shower and stepped inside then began scrubbing my body. I used a brush to remove the blood stains, scrubbing to the point where my skin was raw and painful.
After the initial shock faded I stepped out of the shower wondering if I should call my dad. Once I was dressed I decided against the idea; it was better if I found out what happened to me last night without involving the police. What if I’d done something really terrible? Where had all that blood come from? And who did it belong to? These thoughts scared the hell out of me.
I forced myself to eat some cereal, chewing slowly. Half an hour later I left my apartment with an uneasy feeling in my gut and anxious that I was slowly losing touch with reality. My energy was absent again. I tried to concentrate but nothing happened; my magic hadn't returned. It felt as if all my energy had been sucked out of me. Paranormals were staring at me in the tube, and my anxiety kicked in full force. I walked the rest of the way to the office ignoring the heaving sensations in my stomach. I had been working myself to death recently. I couldn't even remember when I’d last taken a holiday, so it was clear that I was stressed out and exhausted. Maybe I only imagined blood on my hands this morning?
"So, are we feeling better today?" Kate asked eyeing me from head to toe as soon as I walked through the door.
"Fantastic. Absolutely brilliant. Never felt better," I lied, smiling widely. Kate scrunched her eyebrows together, looking at me like she knew that I was talking rubbish.
"Good, so I guess you’re ready then?" she asked while I flopped down in my chair.
"Ready for what?" I asked rearranging pens on my desk.
"Our meeting with Kelsie and Lucinda; you know, in an hour or so?"
I stared blankly at her for more than ten seconds wondering what the hell she was talking about.
I wanted to slap myself, instead I looked through my diary out and turned to today’s date. Sure enough, Kate was right. The meeting with Lucinda Grabovsky was set for today, marked in red on my calendar. My chest heaved as I took a deep breath. Lucinda was going to want facts and figures and I was screwed because the meeting was in an hour. I was completely unprepared.
Unfortunately, that was just the beginning of my nightmare.
Chapter 3
Jasper’s tricks.
"Are you sure you’re all right?" Kate repeated after I stopped turning the pages in my diary. Sweat was soaking my clothes and my pulse was irregular. I glanced at Kate who’d stopped typing and was now staring at me with a befuddled expression on her face.
"Fine, fine, just getting ready," I replied and started going through a report that I needed for the meeting. My mind was like a sponge soaked with fear, and I couldn't even concentrate on the figures and numbers that were in front of me. It wasn't long before Alexandra and Sara arrived to take over our duties. My brain couldn't absorb anything of significance, so I decided that I would improvise.
I had booked an entire morning off to take care of this meeting. Lucinda talked too much and she was intense, always needing to know the smallest of details, so I had to at least pretend to be prepared.
Kate kept looking at me in the taxi while I muttered to myself.
"I'm fine, seriously, so stop looking at me like that. I'm going over what I need to say to Lucinda in my head," I said giving Kate a warm smile, but I wasn’t very good at faking or lying for that matter. I was royally screwed.
"Maybe you’re nervous because we’re going to his company," she exclaimed avoiding eye contact. I sighed and shook my head. Kate was wrong, I wasn’t nervous because we were on our way to my ex-boyfriend’s company: the perfect and handsome half vampire, half human, Nathaniel La Caz. I was distracted because I woke up on the floor of my own living room with no recollection of what happened to me or why my hands were covered with blood.
"No, I'm not worried about him," I said fervently. “Let's concentrate on how to keep Lucinda happy. Nathaniel’s in Geneva, and I'm not worried that he might show up unexpectedly. He isn't going to be a problem."
"Whatever you say," Kate muttered looking annoyed that I didn't want to tell her what my problem was. "I'm your friend, Julia, and I know when you’re telling me porkies."
Kate’s witchy senses were excellent, but I refused to look at her. It was easier to lie for now.
I kept telling myself that my morning scene from the movie, Saw, didn't actually occur, and the last thing I wanted was to get Kate involved with my outbreak of madness. We were getting closer to La Caz Pharmaceutical and I still couldn't believe that this meeting had slipped my mind.
Forty minutes later, Todd, the usual security officer, welcomed us with a smile stating that Miss. Grabovsky was expecting us in her office. My stomach made a small contraction when we walked into the lift. A bead of sweat started rolling down my back when incredibly warm and sexy thoughts passed in front of my eyes. I tried to shake myself back to reality, knowing that this was my ugly past and there was no point dwelling on it. I had a boyfriend; a fun, loving and incredibly caring man who was doing everything in his power to make me happy and, here I was getting sentimental about my ex. I was an idiot.
"Are you sure you’re all right? You look a bit pale?" Kate continued interrogating me while I was doing everything within my power to breathe steadily.
"I'm worried about Quentin and that unknown spell that struck him," I lied, hoping to distract her from what was actually happening to me.
"Yeah, I asked my mother about that; she said that the only people who could produce such spells are wizards and witches. Have you thought about Jasper?"
I swallowed hard.
Jasper was my other ex who wasn't particularly stable emotionally. A couple of months ago, he murdered my bodyguard in order to deliver me to Caleb McGregor, a vampire who wanted to ruin Nathaniel. Jasper didn't go through with his plan and in the end, he saved my life. We agreed to stay away from each other from then on, and I only hoped he was planning to stick to his word. Now after hearing Kate, I wasn't feeling very confident.
"I haven't seen him since, you know, that night from a few months ago. The police are still after him for some other offences, but hey, anything is possible when it comes to Jasper," I explained with a deep sigh.
"Your father should place those policemen back outside your apartment, just in case."
"Are you kidding me? They were useless. If I’m going to be attacked, I’d think I could use my own power to defend myself rather than relying on officers who can't even stay awak
e in the night," I said laughing, remembering when I snuck out to Nathaniel’s apartment under their watch.
Speaking of magic. I noticed that my power was oddly absent; there was no energy, no tingling. It was exactly like the night after Quentin ended up in the hospital. The absence of my excess magic was making me paranoid, but my thoughts were interrupted when we reached the fourth floor and our other best friend, Kelsie stood outside.
"What took you guys so long? Lucida has been ranting about this meeting all morning. I was seriously considering stealing some ear plugs from production," Kelsie complained eyeing both of us with impatience. Kelsie was a shifter, a very beautiful shifter. She looked radiant with flawless creamy skin and long glossy black hair tied nicely in the back. Kate and I were wearing grey suits.
"Julia’s having a bad day and she doesn’t want to tell me what’s wrong," Kate announced giving me a stern look.
Busted.
"Julia, come on, just tell us? You know you can’t look so miserable in front of the mermaid monster; she might report it to him," Kelsie warned.
My friends were worried about me; it was understandable but at the end of the day I couldn't bring myself to tell them about the blood on my hands. To some extent Kelsie was right. Lucinda was my ex’s HR director and she often bragged about him whenever I was around. It didn't matter that he was currently out of the country. My theory was that she was secretly in love with him and was going out of her way to make me feel even more miserable.
"Kate’s exaggerating as usual. I'm fine, just worried about Quentin and his magic."
"That handsome giant of yours is going to be all right but if you want, I can talk to Kevin,” Kelsie suggested with her sweet smile. “He could ask some of his friends and find out about a cure." I was just about to ask her what her new shifter boyfriend knew about giant magic, when we were interrupted by Lucinda Grabovsky.
Elf's Affection: The Witching Hour Series Book 3 Page 2