NAYELI'S HEART NEVER STOPPED RACING AFTER HER LOVELY ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENCHANTING CRIMSON LADY. Her mind was clouded with panic, as she wondered what the fuck had occurred right then. The cold fistful of bullets that lay heavy in her palm, was the only proof she had that validated it all. Her stupidity was the only thing remembered from the whole debacle with woman, the rest all a jumbled blur of events.
Her so called 'daze' was so bad that Ehsan was forced to drive them home in fear that if she did, they would all be decorating a ditch or worse a streetlamp. This point was only proven further when she had almost crashed into a wall walking to their car, which was more than enough for Ehsan and Cyra to shove her in the backseat of the car, robbing her of her keys. The two were not stupid, though they hadn't heard what had transpired between the two women, they knew it must have been something for the usually calm women to become a blundering mess. Needless to say the teasing she got was quite brutal.
Ehsan snickered from their place in the driver seat, subtly glancing at Nayeli who had not moved at all from her place by the window, staring at the outside world with no reaction to anything whatsoever, before nudging Cyra who had began to dose off in the passenger seat, "She's a witch," they began, glancing over to see Nayeli's reaction," There is no other explanation for this. Unless she got hit in the head - which I do not believe it happened because I would have seen it happen, and would have not be able to stop the onslaught of laughter."
"Shut up," Nayeli seethed, banging her head slightly against the freezing cold window, the cold shocking her out of her daze slightly, her warm breath fogging up the glass.
Cyra whipped around to face her, eyes wide and hand on her chest in a dramatic fashion,"Oh she speaks. And here I was worried she placed a hex on you."
"Maybe cupid thought she would be good target practice, her practically being a giant and all."
Cyra's eyes widened at their comment, smacking their arm lightly, trying desperately to smother the laugh that threatened to escape. Nayeli just groaned at the two, used to their teasing, clutching tighter to the bullets who lay warm in her palm.
"You do realize, I can hear you right?"
"Ya Allah, I didn't know whipped cream could talk."
Nayeli glared at the two snickering fools, hoping that the murderous glint in her eye would carry through to the rearview mirror,"I will murder both of you and then feed you to the dogs," she spat.
"But then you would be lonely," Ehsan pouted, one hand on the wheel, the other cupping their face in an effort to look cute - a failed effort might I add.
"No she wouldn't she would have the mystery woman to keep her company," Cyra retorted, shooting Nayeli a smirk, enjoying her chance to make fun of Nayeli.
"For the love of God, will you two shut up?"
Cyra and Ehsan paused for a second, sharing a look before, grinning maniacally.
"Tell me, has your heart already started yearning for her?"
"It must be crying out in despair from being apart for so long."
"I do not like her. I am simply attracted to her. Liking her would imply I know her. At the moment, I do not even know her name," growled Nayeli, causing both Ehsan and Cyra to turn back to face her once again, eyes wide, horror filling their faces.
"Nayeli Iman Kader," Ehsan screeched, not bothering to look at the road, causing Nayeli's heart rate to skyrocket," You held a gun under her chin, but do not know her name? Cyra this is all your terrible teachings," they howled, pointing an accusatory finger at the bewildered woman in the passenger seat.
Cyra whipped around to face Ehsan, eyes ablaze as the two engaged in a staring contest,"DO NOT PUT YOUR SHORTCOMINGS ON ME-"
"LAMP POST," Nayeli screamed, eyes bugging out of their sockets as the car swerved toward the black lamp post on the side of the road, interrupting Cyra mid scream.
"-LIKE YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO DO."
The car swerved away from the lamp post, not without Nayeli getting a heart attack - though, it was a wonder how it did that since Ehsan never looked back at the road, then again, it was most likely Cyra's doing. Nayeli slumped in the back of the plush black leather seat, unbuttoning the vest of her suit that suddenly seemed to choke her, heart racing almost as much as it did in that nerve-wracking encounter with her mystery woman. The two idiots in the front seats, arguing slowly drifted farther away from her as she slipped into her thoughts, one question lingering in her brain.
Who was the mystery woman, but most importantly, in the future, who would she be to Nayeli?
☾
THE HOUR HAND ON THE GOLDEN POCKET WATCH IN NAYELI'S HAND HAD PASSED ONE IN THE MORNING BY THE TIME THEY HAD ALL REACHED THE HOUSE WHERE THEY HAD TAKEN TEMPORARY RESIDENCE IN. By some miracle, they all arrived in one piece, a fortune Nayeli wasn't sure would happen to her after the nerve-wracking drive.
But here she was, sprawled on top of her plush queen bed, her second cigarette of the night in hand, as she stared off into the ceiling, deep in thought.
A trail of smoke snuck out of her lit cigarette, its wispy path outmatched from the cloud smoke that left her mouth, "I am an idiot," she whispered, suddenly finding the crown moldings in the room extremely interesting.
Cyra and Ehsan chucked from their position on the floor, Cyra playing with Ehsan's hair, as the two shared a look, the stiff carpet that rubbing burning their cheeks,"We know," their voices in chorus, Ehsan bumping their had against Cyra's hip when her hand paused for a moment.
"You are supposed to tell me that I am the smartest person ever."
"I am not in the habit of lying," Ehsan sneered politely at the woman, after all ,she was still their boss.
"My dear Ehsan, the amount of lies that are piled in your closet beg to differ," Cyra chortled, adjusting her head scarf slightly before bringing her cigarette to her lips, inhaling the toxins without a thought.
"Lecture me when you learn the right phrase," Ehsan grumbled, causing Cyra to smack them in the head.
"Is it impossible for the two of you to act civilized for at least a moment?" Nayeli groaned, her annoyance only increasing when the other two straight up gave her a no," The conversation I wish to have, calls for beings with higher than two braincells, an attribute the both of you lack."
"I currently only have one available brain cell. The other is planning ways to murder Ehsan, while the others are on vacation. If it is necessary, I can terminate their vacation."
"Please do," Nayeli begged, something she rarely ever did.
A slight snore interrupted the conversation, the sound coming from the extremely comfortable Ehsan, who had somehow fallen asleep in a single second. It amazed the two how quickly they could fall asleep, never needing to wait hours before experiencing the delight of sleep. Not only that, unlike Cyra and Nayeli, Ehsan was a deep sleeper, a gun could be shot next to him and he still wouldn't wake up. Cyra patted their head before rising slightly to lean on the side of the bed, her head only inches away from Nayeli's which hung off the bed.
"Tell me, everything. From the first time you saw her, to when you walked away."
"I was seated off to the side of the room when I first saw her, the black dress she wore clung to her, proudly showing off all her luscious curves. Each step of her polished black heels captured the occupants hearts, there must have been only a few who didn't notice her. I'm not sure what really drew me in, it might have been that air of beauty and confidence she radiated. But whatever it is, I was intrigued. She had strutted over to an empty seat beside Abramo, who of course, couldn't take his perverted eyes off of her. They talked for a little, but the whole encounter was slightly off, it almost felt like she had no interest in being there, but she was there for a reason."
"Did he know she wasn't interested?"
"Oh he was none the wiser. Though, she was very good at feigning interest."
Cyra let out a small whistle, eyes widening at the detail, "I bet she was."
"After a while though, she had gotten up, the miserable excuse for a man hungrily following her. They had escaped from my view for a while, until I followed minutes after to make sure Abramo didn't escape."
"You do realize, your behavior of that night was extremely peevish."
"I admit, I did not practice very sane behavior," Nayeli muttered sheepishly," Though, I wouldn't quite classify it as peevish."
Cyra scoffed, shooting Nayeli a look of disbelief, "Yes, 'visiting' someone who most likely was in the act, does not qualify as peevish."
"Oh I did visit her in the act, but just not the one you are thinking about," Nayeli retorted, a smirk lighting up her face.
"Enlighten me then."
Nayeli rolled over onto her stomach, taking a long drag from her cigarette before exhaling very dramatically, a smirk plastered on her sculpted face.
"She. killed. him."
"Was he really that bad?"
"Ya Allah, I thought you had recalled you're vacationing braincells. Connect the dots, my dear brain damaged friend."
"You my friend have officially gone mental. What are these 'dots' you speak of?"
"Come on, haven't you heard the rumors that flutter around in the shadows?" Nayeli drawled on, trying desperately to hint Cyra toward the answer.
"I am not in the habit of engaging in such morally challenged actions."
"I beg to differ, but could you stop your annoying habit of deviating from the subject at hand?"
Cyra put up her hands in mock surrender, letting her cigarette dangle from her peach colored lips, the burning embers of the cigarette illuminating her face.
"The woman who I am experiencing an attraction to, is the crimson lady."
Cyra's brows furrowed in confusion, "Ok and?"
"She's THE Crimson Lady," Nayeli exasperatedly sighed, disappointed in her friends stupidity.
"What is it with people and their incessant need for dramatic names? Seriously, the Crimson Lady? Whoever coined that names' throat should be slit."
"CYRA," roared Nayeli, causing Ehsan to stir slightly before falling back into a restful sleep, something both the woman didn't spare a thought at.
"Fine," Cyra grumbled rolling her eyes at her friends stupidity," Continue geeking out over her."
"Let me explain it in a way your intellectually challenged self can understand," Nayeli paused, as Cyra snorted at her obvious insult, before she started once again, this time in a eerie manner,"It is rumored that the Crimson Lady is the force behind the bodies found before the statue. There are those who claimed to have seen a woman that had something on her body the color crimson with each victim before their fortunate demise. Naturally, men being the misguided creatures they are, never believed a woman was capable of such a daunting task, continuing to indulge in foolish decisions."
A look of thoughtfulness based Cyra's face, it occurred to her that if the victims are all men like Abramo, then their demise was a justifiable one.
"Rewind to the statue."
"It is the Bronze Statue of Constantine in Mediolanum, Milan."
"Does it look like that was the intent of my question?"
Nayeli rolled her eyes before slapping Cyra, taking a long drag from her cigarette before making sure to exhale a cloud of smoke right into Cyra's very annoyed face.
"Fine. The statue is the supposed dumping ground for her victims. The place was a fairly well known place, until the blood stains on the statue surfaced making the area deserted. A word is said to be written beside each body, portraying the reason for the crime. It has now been named the Crimson Statue for all the blood that has stained the statue with its crimson impurities.
Cyra's eyes widened in appreciation,"Is it possible that your woman just got more enticing?"
Nayeli groaned before turning away from her companion, covering up the slight blush that took over her caramel features at the memory of the woman, banging her head into her pillow before letting out a muffled cry, "Shut up."
Cyra chuckled at the woman's obvious embarrassment before deciding to ignore the outburst as to spare her from the shame she felt. But that didn't mean she didn't have the urge to make fun of it.
"You never explain to me what happened after you walked over there?"
"By the time I had informed the both of you and arrived in front of the room, I heard a muffled cry inside the room. Before I could react, the door was already opening and out she walked. Her shiny black heels, glimmered in the dim light, polished by a fresh coat of blood that had also taken residence in her dress."
"And?"
"It was sheer luck I would say, me catching her off guard like that. I do not believe for a second the woman would act like that in a similar situation. Yet, aside the minor gun drawing debacle, she was fairly complacent with following what I had asked her to do. Once we had arrived outside, I told her my name. As soon as she heard the name of our clan, everything clicked. She possessed the knowledge of our clan, that no commoner would have access to."
Cyra lets out a snort,"And what kind of commoner seduces a man and then murders them,"chuckling before taking another drag at her now stubby cigarette, one of the many the trio smoked tonight, the ashes of it littering her clothes.
"You are right my friend. But at least that fake commoner spared us a bullet," she chuckled, a slight draft entering the dim room, tickling the woman, causing a shiver to run down her spine, similar to the one Zaira received the night they met.
"And restocked your supply. Where are those bullets of hers anyway?"
Her head found its way down to the pocked of her slacks, tracing the outline of the bullets. She hadn't changed out of her clothing after the encounter, rather unbuttoning a couple of buttons on her white dress shirt instead.
"My pocket."
"Idiot," Cyra muttered, stifling a laugh before composing herself once again," Do tell me what you intended to do once the both of you meet once again."
A look of bewilderment encompassed Nayeli's features as she shot up from her position, twisting herself up so she could face the wall across from her, staring into the abyss, with widened eyes, and a slight panic, "I must converse with her, once more?"
Grabbing her nearly empty pack of cigarettes, she removed another one from its home before tossing the pack at the idiotic woman," All we have done these past hours was talk about this woman who has peaked your interest, and you still are not planning on talking to her?"
Nayeli let out a sigh before falling back onto the bed, back thudding against the firm mattress, causing her to bounce slightly before reaching into her other pocket and grabbing her lighter.
"It is not that I do not wish to speak with her. But I do not see a possibility for such a thing to happen? Why must I hope, if only to see it burn to the ground before me," she began fiddling with the metal, uncapping it over and over, watching as the flame flick on and off before her, the clicking sound filling in the silence before she began once again.
"Whlek, I do not even know her name. All I know is that she murders those who deserve it, and I have an inexplicable attraction toward her. And it is not like I can search for her in the club every night to see if she will be there, she could just go to a different club or not even show up. All I would do, is waste my time."
Cyra burst out laughing, proud of herself for being smarter than her companion for once, "And you claim I don't have any braincells. Tell me, if she readily knew the details of you and the clan, wouldn't she have to be part of a mafia?"
Nayeli paused for second, pondering what Cyra just said, the clicking of her lighting pausing with her, "I suppose...."
"Now tell me, which are the two mafias that control this area."
"the Di Fazio and the Vicario mafia."
"They do business together and they also have one restaurant which I recall you are permitted to go into the VIP area."
Nayeli's eyes dawned with realization,"Risoelatte," her words falling out in a whisper."
"My excellence never seize to amaze me,"Cyra dreamily sighed in content, a shit eating grin swelling on her face.
Nayeli's momentary happiness was paused by a sudden thought that came to her, "One thing though, will she even be there?"
"It is likely she will be. But one thing though, go at around lunch time tomorrow. It is more likely that she will not wake up that early in the morning to go out for breakfast after tonight's activities. That, and I do not want to leave this house at breakfast time."
Her answer seemed to satisfy Nayeli, whose heart raced in anticipation.
"I wonder how I survived the years before I met you."
"You didn't," she snorted, slowly pushing herself up before nudging the sleeping figure beside her, "Now help me lift Ehsan, there is no way I can lift this imposter elephant alone."
The two exchanged a laugh as their conversation drifted away from the topic of the mystery woman, leaving Nayeli's mind behind as it dwelled on her, not knowing the very woman it was thinking about, was thinking about her too.
☾
Unedited, ppls so dont fight me.
Istg y'all there is one line in this chapter and every time i see it, my mind thinks of something TOTALLY different.
Shitty chapter, I'm not happy with it but hopefully it provided some insight into Nayeli and the whole nature of the Crimson Statue(&) Lady.
I am so fucking surprised at the burst of new readers that I got. About 10ish new readers (who actually interacted so I can see who they are) since the last update. And for that I thank you.
I welcome all of you ppl who stumbled upon this book to this newfound journey.
If u guys have questions ask away and also pls comment if u would like cuz im bored.
I would like to get the next chapter out sometime this week before the weekend arrives, but I cannot promise anything.
Can I just say, I am crushing HARD on half of these characters.
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