by Holly Grace
“I am just the deliverer ma’am, but I think they left a note.” He answered jovially.
“Okay, would it be terrible of me to read it? I mean that would invade her privacy and all.”
“Oh, please do read it. But to make it viable, read the note to your friend so that it looks like you are reading it on her behalf.” He whispered to me conspiratorially. I snickered silently as he winked jauntily and got back to arranging the flowers for optimal viewing.
“There are flowers here Veronica and they are beautiful, I wish you could open your eyes awake and see it, I know you’ll love the colors. Someone sent them for you and left a note, shall I read it to you?” I paused, just waiting for a quiet miraculous sign that she might have any chance to communicate it to me. I proceeded to read it as I saw that there was neither a phenomenal signal beyond Veronica’s comatose sleep.
I am immensely impressed.
You should have been left for dead,
Now I sit here and await,
For my Princess to undertake,
Rewarding expedition,
No grain of contrition,
Silent friends in reception.
For Ice seeped away, melted,
The Earth has now gone insane,
You were crimson then, now plum,
Your Queen, my Princess stolen,
Love found me and now I take,
My ardent vow to own her,
For all of eternity.
My fingers felt numb as I dropped the letter on the floor. I deduced quickly that it was sent by Veronica’s attacker. Police reports said that she was assaulted by four men, three of which were now incarcerated and the last one overdosed on a cocktail of drugs so assorted the coroner had trouble in identifying each one. So who is this new guy?
I crashed landed on the floor, a quivering mess; the delivery man was alarmed at my reaction to the note, I barely registered it as I felt deaf and numb to everything around me, the only thing I heard was the constant unbroken staccato of beeps from the machine that kept my best friend alive. He tried to help me up, asking if I was alright.
Of course I wasn’t. Who is after reading a taunting and vicious missive from a presumed unknown attacker of your best friend? It was not what I have expected coming from a pretty note accompanied by pretty flowers. The deafening echo of the machine was broken by a silent guttural rumble coming from the door, I barely registered his resounding. “Leave us.” I took one look at him and came running to him with unsteady legs; he opened his arms and met me halfway to catch me again.
He was my solitary vision of solace from the world’s malevolence.
Sin is my rock, my constant beacon as I turned to him sobbing what I have read. He must have understood some of my senseless ramblings for he nodded at quiet intervals and listened at my vociferous natter.
He then led me towards the entrance of the hospital, then to where he parked his motorcycle. I looked at him questioningly as to why we were here.
“You need to get out of there love, the atmosphere is poisoning you and you were on a verge of another panic attack just like when you saw Veronica barely alive for the first time. I couldn’t abide seeing you hurt like that.” He sighed deeply. “Let me take you somewhere else, Kat. A place where everything is beautiful, to help you forget the ugliness that you have seen and replace it with an exquisite memory. I’ll take you home.”
His words were like honey; sensuous, alluring and compelling. I am a humble bee attracted to the generous nectar he was offering.
He stretches out his hand, inviting me.
And I took it.
Chapter 21 Kat
I did not notice that we have already arrived at our destination. I used the time while we zipped through the roads for an introspection of the catastrophes that happened to us in so short a time. It seems that fate has delivered us the world’s misfortune in just a couple of days.
Veronica got raped and mugged, Joan’s questionable disappearance and Jane’s feral madness has been an extremely despicable and appalling occurrence in our once happy existence.
Everything must have been happening for a reason, I don’t know what the end result all of these will mean for our lives and friendship but I will do entirely what I can, to restore
just a semblance of normalcy and salvage what is left.
Sin leisurely guided his motorcycle on a winding path around a steep hill; we were in Joan’s neighborhood where the most affluent and prominent people of the city lived. It was a gated community and an exclusive leisure estate that gives members unlimited access to both golf and country club and beach, the houses were done in the Mediterranean style and as big as palaces. Of course Sin’s house lorded above them.
Mansion is the more apt word to describe it. The path is lined with cedar trees calculatedly spaced for optimum shade during daylight, tiled mosaics in various shades of gold and beige arrests the dying sunset, massive picture windows gazed on while we slowly ate up the distance to the entryway. The house itself boasts a supreme exterior architectural façade that captures the majestic and exalted style of old world Europe. Carved double brass doors greeted us as Sin escorted me down his bike; he held my hand as he turned the heavy looking knob that has a detailed engraving of a three-headed dog.
“I should warn you,” Sin said after getting my attention from my amazed scrutiny of his house. “before you step inside, you are here on your own volition yes?” at my nod he continued. “and I did not coerce you to come with me.”
“Yes.” I answered, baffled by his questioning.
“Okay then. Welcome to my home.” He said as he opened the cumbersome doors, before I stepped in though I noticed Joan’s house on the far right. There was an ominous cloud overhanging in that direction, I shivered from the chill.
“Are you cold? Come, let’s get inside. The fire is always lit every night.”
“Alright.” As I let him usher me in. “Can we check at Joan’s before I go home Sin? It’s been three days and she hasn’t even called me. That is highly unlike her at all.” I gestured towards Joan’s home as I asked. We stepped through the threshold and went in their massive foyer.
“Sure, but I doubt if she’s there. I haven’t seen a single living person in or around the house.” was his non committal reply.
If the outside of Sin’s home boasts a grandiose façade, the inside of his home asserts a quiet opulence. The inside is done in rustic antique timber and wood; from the floors to the ceiling and the regal curved staircase which was the centerpiece of the house, balustrade, fireplace and colonnades; while ivory white furniture basically everything that could be moved was pure unadulterated white, coalesced the living room altogether.
“Sin, your home is splendidly magnificent. I have forgotten that all these splendor just sits right here whenever I visit Joan.” My amazed reaction must have shown clearly to my face as I saw Sin grin.
“Well this house has been here forever but I’ve just moved in quite recently. It feels good to be closer to the family.”
“Why where have you been? I thought you said your family just moved in from down south?”
“What I meant about that was my dad has his business deals in and out of this city and this was his headquarters, but my mom lives not far from here. I was rather naughty when I was younger so I was banished and left alone, I thought it would be a lifetime before I was released and now I’m here.”
He just scoffed at my questioning glance. “Huh? I never would have guessed you were raised like that, did they sent you to a boarding school?” somehow it tugs at my heart how Sin must have felt lonely without his family. “How bad were you to warrant such punishment?”
His dimples appear as he told me smilingly, “Oh I was bad, wicked bad, did some bad things, got caught up with some wicked group, was made a fall guy for the things we have done, them getting off scot free and because I was their “Leader” I wasn’t and I was made an example by my dad. But it’s all okay now, my dad is happy we’re
reunited he’s repentant, he’s gotten softer with age.”
I nodded; Sin’s upbringing must have been unlike mine. Nevertheless, I do not agree with what his dad did to him.
My face must have signaled my emotions because Sin was now consoling me. “Hey, it was not so bad. Everything turned out perfect; I couldn’t have expected anything less from my dad. As crazy as it sound I was even more thankful for it because it trained me for the future ahead.” He said as he guided me into the elegant and pristine living area.
We went past the elaborate dining hall inside a private boudoir done in the same style outside. I can see shelves full of books, dainty furnishings and a bonsai fruit bearing pomegranate tree near the stained glass window where it can catch the sun’s rays. Sin led me through a pathway bathed with a confetti of flower petals and fairy lights and sat me at the intricately set table. Vanilla scented votive candles illumined the crystal glasses lending them a diamante like sheen, white and gold platters, napkins and utensils are all readied and light musical ballads fill the air with melody.
This was a setting for seduction if I didn’t know anything better.
“You have some explaining to do Mister! How the heck could you have done all of these in such a short time?”
“Well, let’s say I have magical minions that do my bidding. Now, I know you must be hungry. Apart from the minuscule bite on that stale sandwich that you had since lunch, just stay there and I’ll serve you some food.”
As I watched him get up from his seat to go to the sidebar which remarkably had an array of dishes that were bursting of food, I was surprised that I haven’t taken notice of.
“This is the third time.” I said aloud.
“Huh?” Sin asked; his expression showed that he was perplexed by my statement.
“I just observed this was the third time you have served me food.”
‘Oh, you’re wrong.” He said as he carved a particularly juicy chicken breast and put it in my plate. “This, my love, is the fourth time. First was at the school cafeteria,” I blushed at my recollection of what transpired there. “Second, was at your home, which I perfectly cooked for you I might add. Third, was just today at the hospital which I might let slide as you were in a zombie-like state. This dinner is the fourth.” He added jovially.
“Okay, I concede. I can’t win with you huh?”
“Yup. Might as well accept that fact now, but don’t worry, I’ll give you some little victories over time.” He cheekily said as he neared the table, bringing my platter in with a mountain of food.
“Wow, you can’t expect me to eat all that are you?” I looked at my plate as he placed it in front of me, amazed.
“You should or if you want just taste one of each so you have left room for dessert.”
“Aren’t you eating anything?” I asked as I sampled the chicken that I eyed earlier.
“No, I’m enjoying myself too much as I watch you eat and besides these food is not in my diet plan.” He smirked.
“Ugh, seriously?! Are you one of those gluten-free paleo-diet advocates? Because you need to take a long look at the mirror mister, you don’t need the diet.”
He silently laughed, “Are you telling me in a roundabout way that you think I look hot? Admit it you do fancy me, come on say it.”
“Sin if you need me to tell you that you indeed look attractive, then you are as blind as people says I am.” I gently told him, this semblance of playfulness I find very attractive on him.
“That’s my girl, and no I am not one of those diet freaks. I prefer a simpler but robust flavor, you can liken it to a raw food diet, I eat straight from the source.”
“Huh? Can you explain more?”
He excused himself as he stood up. “Take this ripe pomegranate for example,” he took the fruit from the stem and placed it at the center of the table. “We’ll share this one after your dinner, then you’ll know.”
We talked some more about everything and anything. I was surprised that his favourite book was the same as mine, movies that we watched recently and of course, music. We both have the same eclectic tastes, from rock to country, jazz and R&B; ballads to rap, we both have our favourite song in each genre. I asked him how he can play the guitar so well, he said all it takes is practice and he can also play the piano aside from the guitar.
“Really? Can you show me?”
“We have to move to the living area, piano’s there. Come on.” He held my hand as he steered me towards a handsome upright with a glossy onyx finish.
“Come here sit with me, my father bought this for my mom. It was actually her who taught me how to play and to love music as a child.”
I watched as he glided fascinating long fingers on the keys and played a few notes. “Do you know how to play?” he asked.
“No, but I always wanted to learn.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you.” he said, smiling his infamous charming smile.
He started playing the intro to John Legend’s All of Me. The tender and delicate melody washes over me, absorbing all my awareness, he looked intensely at me, leaving his attention to the ivory and onyx keys, when the song’s lyrics “You’re my downfall, you’re my muse,” came, never looking away from my eyes until he finished singing.
“That was magnificent Sin, you play the piano brilliantly.” I praised.
“Thanks, I can also play this on the guitar but I prefer the piano version, it captures the melody better.” He said as we went back to the boudoir.
The huge oak grandfather clock on the side struck ten; I haven’t noticed the time as it flew by.
“Uh, Sin? I think I have to go home now; it’s already ten o’clock considering that we have to stop by Joan’s and travel we should probably get going to reach home before eleven.”
“Okay, but first, you have to try this,” breaking the ripe magenta pomegranate in half, “You haven’t had your dessert yet and I’m feeling a bit peckish.” offering me the perfectly halved fruit. “Also I forgot to give you something.” He added as he rummaged through one of the drawers in one of the built in cabinets in the room.
“Oh, I forgot about the dagger too. You said you’d give it back if I agreed to this dinner right?” placing the pomegranate on my plate as I sat on our vacated dinner.
He suddenly stopped rummaging and trained his eyes on me. “It wasn’t what I had in mind, but yes I did say that, I’ll hand it to you shortly.” He got the dagger to where he hid it. “Love, may I ask how did you get this?”
“A shopkeeper gave it to me. You know Jane right?” I proceeded to tell him what happened how Jane came to be hospitalized a few days but really felt like eons ago. “Well, last Tuesday, Joan and her went into this store selling magical stuff and broke a statue, the shopkeeper warned us about the malevolent demon tied to the statue after she performed some brutal ritual to Jane and Joan. To make the story short, Jane almost died and I confronted the woman about what she did to them and gave me the dagger instead. She said that it was too late for Jane, that this NKisi already has her.” I saw him shiver at that point. “scary, I know. Can we stop talking about this? It really creeped me out. She told me that to be able to break the curse when Jane released this spirit; I have to stab her with this dagger, to kill her because she is not Jane anymore. I refuse to do that, I don’t believe her.” He came near to me to give me the dagger and went to his side of the table.
Sin held a small box. I’m afraid to presume that it was what I thought it was. I eyed him skeptically; he placed the box right beside the plate in front of me as he sat down.
“What is that?” I nervously pointed at the box.
“Open it, it’s yours.”
“Sin…” I began.
“Kat it’s a gift, if you don’t want I’m not forcing you to wear it, just look at it first.” He said as he inattentively ate his pomegranate.
I opened the box and I was not surprised that it was indeed a ring.
Chapter 22 KAT
Although I
am not a girl who usually wears ostentatious jewelry, something is prompting me to wear it. As if my hands cannot wait for me to seize it, snatch it and never let it go. It sings to me, I could swear the throbs from my heavily palpitating heart are audible. The crimson ruby stone is like a scorching fire, and like a moth to a flame it lures me to get my wings burn.
It was not like a ring I have seen before; the band is just an ordinary gold but with a peculiar design of intricate snakelike coils that caged a half a marble sized square cut ruby. It looked antique, definitely a family heirloom and too expensive to wear daily.
“Come on try it if it fits, that ring would look more lovely nestled on your finger.” Sin urged.
Feeling seduced further, I inched my fingertips closer to the ring. As my finger tapped the enticing stone, I felt it pulsate. The vibration caused me to be more ensnared in the foggy trance that I’m in. this must have been how Jane and Joan felt when they were in that shop’s basement. Clutching the ring now, I started to inch it inside my ring finger, never taking my attention from it.
