“O.M. G. Did I kiss Akane?” I questioned, astonished.
“No. You were close, I think. I had to remind you that we’re together, and you asked if you could have the both of us.”
“I did not!”
“You sure did. I had to pry you off her. Then she did something that pissed me off.” Christian mumbled.
“What did she do?”
“She cut your lip.”
*Silence*
“Are you okay?” I questioned.
“Yes. I healed it before it would become a problem. There were a bunch of vampires nearby. She knew that.”
“Did you guys fight?” I tried to recall the whole ordeal, but everything was fuzzy.
“Nope. I didn’t want to risk you getting hurt or causing a scene. I’m surprised you remembered my alias.” He commented.
“I called you Alex?”
“Yup.”
“What happened after?”
“I encouraged us to leave, and you said bye and bounced. I took my eyes off you for a second and you were already at the exit bumping into Michael.”
I sighed. Thank goodness.
“Did Michael foresee it?” I inquired.
“Yup. He foresaw our confrontation and came to give us backup if anything went down. You clung to him, and he was able to take you away before you passed out.”
“That’s embarrassing. I guess it’s better than all the times Alfred had to lug my drunk ass to my flat.” I pondered to myself.
“Hah, that is better. Anyways, I was able to put a tracking device on that Daichi brat.” Christian emphasized. I relaxed my head against his chest, already tired of looking up for so long.
“You really hate him. You don’t normally despise people.” I commented.
“I hate anyone who tries to make moves on our girl.” He replied. I smirked.
“You guys are overprotective,” I replied.
“Are not.” He argued.
“Anyways, did anything else happen? Me feeling like shit is just because of that?” I inquired.
“You summoned a water spirit.”
“Come again? Water what? And why is Moonlight here?” I questioned, staring at Moonlight who was walking on top of my legs. We took a moment to watch him roll down the mini hill our legs made beneath the sheets. He stopped, staring at us before tilting his head.
“Meow.”
“You’re really enjoying yourself over there.” I acknowledged. He walked towards us, nestling himself on Christian’s chest and my neck. I petted him soothingly, my actions rewarded with a round of purrs.
“I honestly don’t know. Maybe it has to do with the spirit you summoned.”
“Like a ghost or something like our spirits?”
“No, it’s basically summoning magic. You use an element and form it into whatever you want. If you want it to form in a shape of person it can. You did exactly that but with water. She stood at the edge of your bed. I believe your dream was Mother Starlight trying to show you what’s to come, and you unconsciously created a form for her.” Christian presented.
“I...don’t really remember what my dream was. To be honest, I haven’t recalled any of my dreams since we got here.” I admitted.
“Agni helped us with that,” Christian revealed.
“Agni? He never shows up unless it’s to tease me, bother Ezriel or shit’s about to go down.” I looked up at him.
“That’s what I said,” Christian remarked with a pleased look on his face.
“Great minds think alike. Now, what was my dream about?” I prompt.
“The bomb. You explained about the different elements and their feelings as the event happened. There is definitely a bomb on this ship and will go off if we don’t stop this drug deal. Agni basically said we’re not looking at the bigger picture. He also wants you to talk to Cyrus.” He disclosed.
I lifted my eyebrow at him.
“What does Cyrus have to do with any of this, and how did Agni know to interfere?”
“Agni’s a mystery. I think only Ezriel can figure him out and that’s only because they hate one another and try to do anything to piss each other off. As for Cyrus, I got no clue; he’s still asleep.”
“What time is it?”
“Three in the morning,” Christian replied.
“Okay...we’ll figure this out in the morning?” I concluded. I already struggled to stay awake. Christian placed a kiss on my forehead.
“Yes. Agni said you’d be really weak from the summoning. We’ll work on it, just rest.” Christian encouraged.
“But...” I began but trailed off. I didn’t want to complain, but I still felt I hadn’t been contributing to the team like I should.
“Scar. I know what you’re thinking. You’re helping with this case in your own way. Please, don’t think you’re not contributing simply because you’re not behind a computer or scouting the ship. Understand?” Christian consoled; his hand played with my hair.
“Okay,” I replied, looking into his eyes. I already knew he meant every word.
“Get some rest. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Meow.”
“Yes, I love you as well, Moonlight. Still don’t get why you’re not with Nightmare.”
“Meow.”
“Yup, don’t understand cat.” Christian commented, yawning. I giggled.
If only he knew. Goodnight Risuki.
I opened my eyes; the sunlight peeked through the gap in the curtains. I sat up to see Christian fast asleep next to me. I smirked at his peaceful expression - leaning forward and placing a kiss on his lips. He groaned; my lips left his when his eyes opened slowly. Silver orbs greeted me.
“Cyrus?”
“Good morning Scarlet. A pleasure to see you again.” He greeted in a low, husky voice. I gave him a soft smile.
“It is. Christian asleep?” I questioned. Cyrus was similar to Agni, only showing himself in odd situations like when Christian was drunk. He did enjoy taking control when Christian was deep in sleep but again, it was rare for most of the boys to get lots of sleep. Except for Michael.
“Yes. He’s exhausted from the previous night. How’s your lip?” He questioned. I blinked in confusion before remembering Christian’s explanation yesterday about Akane.
“Why did Akane do that?” I asked, more to myself than to Cyrus, who sat up – his hand ruffled his purple hair which was beginning to shift to silver, a sign of him being in control.
“Scarlet. What do you think about Akane?”
“What do I think about her? I don’t know. I barely know her. But she seems nice. I just don’t know where I stand when I’m around her. Like when we first met, I felt weird...jealous that Christian was with Cece. It was as if I was truly in Irina’s role and felt Christian was interested in Cece. Since then, I have been getting that same vibe. It’s as if I lose myself entirely until I’m reminded again by someone.” I confessed.
He nodded; his eyes closed as if he took a moment to gather his thoughts.
“Scarlet, do you sense her aura when you’re around her?”
“Yes. But...hmm...it’s well, I never really pondered on it. The first time we met, it was strong. But during the last two interactions, it was pretty subdued? It feels different too.” I admitted, not having thought about those details.
I’d noticed her chest tattoo wasn’t present either. Sure, she could have hidden it with makeup but why? She hadn’t done so when we first met.
“I want you to do something for me.” Cyrus began. I sat up, shuffling in bed to face him.
“What is it?” I felt excited to be able to do something to help the team.
“Think of it like a mission. No one but us will know about it. Christian’s asleep. He won’t know we had this discussion.”
I nodded, sitting straighter as I waited for him to continue.
“Everyone is currently asleep. I want you to get in your disguise and look for Akane. I don’t want you doing anything crazy.
I simply want you to hang out with her for the day. I want you to take a few breaks in between. Go to the washroom, or say you’re going to make a phone call etc. Assess her auras.” He explained.
“Okay...I can do that. And auras?” I agreed before clarifying. He grinned.
“Yup. Just be very vigilant.”
“There’s one more thing I need you to do, this has to be convincing.” He revealed.
“I’m ready,” I confirmed.
He leaned forward, whispering a set of instructions into my ear. My eyes grew wide, pulling back to stare at him.
“Um...are you sure? Christian may overreact.” I disclosed.
“He needs a good shake up once in a while. He’ll live.” Cyrus shrugged, not an ounce of remorse in his voice.
“You’re evil.”
“I’m a demon. We’re supposed to be like that.” He winked.
“They’re gonna worry though.” I defended.
“One night won’t kill them. Well...if the bomb goes off, that’s a whole different scenario. This will be the best way to put our plan into motion. Plus, I need your mind clear on New Year’s Eve if we’re going to stop this deal from occurring.” He explained.
“Okay. I’ll do it. But promise you’ll explain to the others why I did it. Especially Christian.” I warned.
“Yes. I’ll ask Agni for his divine assistance in revealing the truth so Christian doesn’t go on a murder spree and Ethan doesn’t shoot shit.” Cyrus agreed.
“He doesn’t shoot shit.” I commented.
“His other side does, and all you need is to flick that switch. Ethan wouldn’t hesitate either, especially when it comes to you.”
I sighed, knowing he was right about Christian and Ethan.
“Fine. Do we start now?” I questioned, looking at my attire – a white t-shirt. I blushed, suddenly realizing I wasn’t wearing a bra – my nipples visible against the thin fabric.
Cyrus grinned, leaning forward; his hand slid against my cheek as he pressed his lips to mine. I moaned, struggling to stay focused as his lips dominated mine. He pulled away after a minute of passionate kissing.
“Yes. You can shower and get ready. I’ll be with you until you find her.” He whispered. We stared into each other’s eyes, those silver orbs glowed lightly.
“I should go shower then.”
“You should.”
“But, you don’t want me to.”
“Hmm...accurate.”
“Five minutes.”
“More than enough for me, Scarlet.” He didn’t waste any time; his lips claimed mine once more while he pressed me into the sheets.
Operation Hide and Seek – In progress.
Chapter Eleven
Cyrus helped me get ready for Operation Hide and Seek. I explained how this mission and us hiding and seeking for the truth regarding Akane was the reason behind the title.
The others were asleep, Ethan waking up for a moment as I made my way to the washroom.
“Hmm, Scar?”
I stilled mid tiptoe, not wanting to wake up the four men in the living room. I turned my head to Ethan whose eyes struggled to stay open – those emerald globes thick with sleep.
I made my way over to him.
“Yes, Ethan?” I whispered.
“Where are you going?” He questioned; his hand brushed a strand of my hair which was again disguised by the brown colored wig.
“I’m gonna shower and get some air,” I revealed.
“Want me to come?” He inquired. I smiled; my heart rate increased at the potential of my plans getting ruined.
“No. I won’t be long.” I whispered.
“Promise?” He pressed his forehead against mine – the gesture made my heart hurt. I didn’t like lying to Ethan for a number of reasons – his past being the major one.
I didn’t answer, leaning forward to kiss him. He groaned, deepening the kiss. We finally broke apart when our lungs begged for oxygen.
“Go back to sleep Ethan,” I whispered. I knew he wanted to argue but his body was giving up on him. He closed his eyes, falling back asleep in seconds.
“Ethan?” I whispered. No response was given, his breathing slowed. I pressed my lips softly against his cheeks before I rose. I noticed Cyrus leaning against the door frame.
“Good job there. At least you didn’t need to lie.” He praised. I nodded.
I showered and was able to cover my markings with waterproof makeup thanks to Cyrus’ assistance. He was also sure to cover the multiple love bites he left on my neck.
We made our way to the elite patio section, making sure we were stationed as far away from the exit as possible. I would need to be able to take my luxurious time walking back to emphasize what we were planning.
“What’s this do?” I questioned, looking at the red lipstick presented to me.
“It’s lipstick.” I rolled my eyes, hidden by my sunglasses.
“I saw that.”
“What?”
“You rolled your eyes, didn’t you?” Cyrus grumbled. He hated when I gave him shade.
“Well, you’re not answering my question. Plus, we have to act like we’re arguing remember?” I reminded, taking a cocktail from the waiter who passed us.
“You need this. When you go to the washroom for your first break, apply it.” He whispered, presenting me the small red bottle of lipstick. I sighed, taking it and slipping it into my bikini top before I crossed my arms, taking a sip of the champagne.
“Uh huh. What’s that supposed to do?”
“You’ll know when you use it.”
“You’re not helpful, to say the least.” I sighed, making myself look irritated as I began to tap my foot.
“You love me. Akane at five o’clock.” He announced. I grinned.
“I hate you.” I snarled, throwing the remaining champagne in his face. The people around gasped, but I paid no mind, turning around and walking straight ahead. I placed the empty glass on the stunned waiter tray, who’d watched my little act.
“Irina!” He called out, but I ignored him. Christian’s gonna kill me for ruining his shirt.
“You hated that shirt.” Aurora reminded.
“Yes, but Christian said it’s uh that Army brand.” Serenity reminded.
Armani and I did hate it. Its ugly, and orange doesn’t suit him either.
“I bet Cyrus wore that shirt on purpose,” Aurora revealed, a hint of amusement leaked off her usual toneless voice.
“Christian’s gonna pop a blood vessel today.” Serenity sighed. I hope not. He’s going to be the one to make this believable.
“Irina?”
I stopped in my tracks at the familiar voice; turning to see Akane’s confused expression.
“Akane! How are you?” I greeted, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.
“Cue the waterworks,” Aurora mumbled.
“I wish we had popcorn.” Serenity replied.
Can you two hush, so I can focus pretty please?
“Fine.” They said in unison. They stayed present within my mind to watch the drama about to unfold. Nosy spirits.
“What’s wrong? What happened back there with Alexander? You look like you’re about to cry.” Akane approached me, concern laced her face.
“Ah...it’s nothing. Just...um.” I tried to finish, but the first tears fell down my cheeks.
“Oh Irina, it’s okay. Don’t cry. Come, let’s go somewhere private so we can talk.” Akane ushered me to a set of doors. I nodded in agreement, following her lead as her hand slipped into mine.
She guided me to a room – SUITE 905 ELITE. She took out her phone; the purple jeweled case had multiple rhinestones in black, white and indigo. She pulled up the barcode, scanning it to unlock the door.
We entered the luxurious suite – at first glance it appeared to be double in size from our suite. Holy shit. Is she richer than Junho? We’d gotten our suite thanks to Junho’s connections, but he couldn’t get us the Elite suite. I could have tried u
sing my Billionaire status, but I didn’t care about the size of our room. I knew we’d only be using it for sleeping and some passionate sex.
“Sit down, Irina. Tell me what’s wrong.” Akane ushered me over to the white suede sofa. I continued my fake cry frenzy, sinking into the soft cushions. I wiped the tears from my flushed cheeks.
“Alexander. I think he’s seeing someone. I...I just have a gut feeling. But, I...I’ve been committed to him for all this time. I skipped events just to stay loyal to him. How can he possibly cheat on me?” I cried.
Akane rubbed my back, consoling me as I continued to cry. It wasn’t hard to act like I’d just found out I’d been cheated on. Less than six rotations ago, I’d found out that Jake had been cheating on me for most of our five years relationship.
I allowed those same feelings to resurface, this time having a hold on my emotions and not allowing the elements to react to my change in mood.
“There, there, it’s okay.” Akane pulled me into a side embrace. I took a deep inhale, noticing the sweet cinnamon scent that lingered on her white t-shirt and blue shorts. Did she smell like cinnamon before?
I continued to sob until my gut told me I’d given an Oscar-worthy performance. I turned off the waterworks, pulling back to give Akane a pitiful look.
“I’m sorry Akane. You barely know me, I shouldn’t be crying all over you. I even ruined your shirt with my makeup.” I apologized, bowing my head.
“Oh stop. Don’t worry about it! I know how it feels to be cheated on. Don’t sweat it. I’m glad I decided to get some fresh air and saw you.” She gave me a soft smile.
“What should I do now?” I mumbled.
“Well...why don’t we hang out. Just you and me. If we catch sight of Alex, we’ll hide. There are lots of activities on this huge-ass cruise ship, and my elite card can get us into the exclusive ones. Let me just get changed and you can fix your makeup and we’ll go.” She consoled.
I looked into her eyes – the gleeful compassion in them made me hesitant. Why am I getting different vibes from her than before?
“Something’s fishy. Her aura’s different, too.” Serenity suggested.
“Continue with Operation Hide and Seek?” Aurora proposed. I mentally nodded, focusing back on Akane.
Visionary New Years Page 10
