Irina couldn't just forget away the recollections of the last night, like nothing. Like it was really nothing.
But for now, she had to brush it aside- just for now and focus on the matter at hand. This confusion, that they had to recheck whether she would work for the head of the PR department or the big boss himself.
To be a part of 'The L&V Cuisines', the largest and the most successful Company of Italy was an achievement in itself so it didn't matter whom she worked under, but something had her sweating profusely and she couldn't decipher whether it was nervousness or something else.
"Ms. Valentino. We are very sorry for the inconvenience. If you could please follow me, I'll show you, your office." The dramatic old manager who had misplaced the files had fled. Instead, a cute blonde guy following him had taken it as his duty to escort her to her new office.
"Please. Just call me Irina." Irina sends him a sparkling smile and the blonde guy held out her hand in unspoken friendship.
"I am Ken. It's a pleasure to meet you."
It didn't take much for her to blend in the crowd. Irina giggled at the childhood incident Ken narrated to her to pass time as they both waited for the elevator to reach the floor, she would work on. Which was the highest number just below the 'P', which means that she would be working for the big boss?
... she didn't know how to react.
The elevator pinged and the golden doors of her new heaven opened to reveal an equally majestic corridor. Irina gulped. The chandeliers shined down on the sparkly corridor which looked like they have been made of pure gold from the walls to the ceiling and even the frame of the paintings that lined the corridor looked like it was carved out of pure white gold.
She could taste the finery of the Indian, American and British culture among the basic Italian, Romanian and Greek culture-just the way a perfect Cuisine Group should be. A hint and touch of everything. She could see why this company was the best. (Even though I love the other cultures, I am still a proud Indian.)
"Wow. This is so magical." Ken couldn't help but smile at her choice of words. The queen's words, the wisest.
"Oh no, your highness! You haven't seen anything yet. Wait till you reach your humble abode." Irina didn't catch the double meaning behind his words and just laughed it off as good humour on Ken's part.
"Sure. Sure. Lead the way." Irina giggled and followed Ken out of the elevator. Ken made her familiar with the whole corridor, from the storeroom to the tea and break room and everything was absolutely beautifully lavishly decorated. Her mind became mush with curiosity each time Ken stop at a door like an excited child who just couldn't wait to open a present.
"Ok. This is the last before we see the throne room." Ken was showing her, his humourous capabilities, like defining the tea room/ break room as luncheonette; storeroom as a cellar and now, the big boss' cabin as A Throne room. Irina giggled.
Ken pushed open the door. "This is the boardroom, aka the meeting room."
Irina's frame filled the door as she poked in to look inside. The meeting room was just like what every room had been. Perfect finery.
The beautiful shiny polished glass table was beautifully laid out with flowers and inverted glasses in front of each plush chair surrounding the table. The dimmed golden lights shined down on the table giving the room a chilling dark glow to every chair, the darkest to the chair at the end. The Boss's Chair.
Irina walked towards the middle of the middle, where the large table was laid proudly and traced a finger down the table towards the end of the table where the boss's chair sat proudly. The moment her hand touched the armrest of the chair, her throat constricted at the familiar sensations and then the golden light consumed her again.
Her body jolted back away from the chair with a scream, that echoed the whole room and she was again falling deep into the dark abyss.
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Another scream left her mouth as she thrashed and moved, in an attempt to oppose the heart-wrenching sensations. The beads of sweat trickled down her pale facial expression as she stilled again, due to fatigue, as a result of whatever she was fighting and her hands clenched the sheets underneath her as she took laboured breaths.
-She needs to wake up from whatever world of In-between she had gone into. But she just couldn't. The feeling of helplessness rose again-
(The text between - & - are the thoughts of Irina. Keep reading.)
"I have done everything I could have done, my lord. Now it's all up to the girl! She just had to keep fighting the darkness that had engulfed half of her otherwise she could go into the state of coma."
-Oh no! No! She couldn't! She had her whole life ahead of her. She had to come out of this apparition.
Now, it all depends on her.
Come on! Wake up, Irina!
Or Was it Valerie?-
The temperature in the room shifted and she twitched as she felt a rough yet warm hand, the hand of a warrior, caress her cheek. Softly. Tenderly. Almost Lovingly.
"Valerie."
-Who is this?-
The hand shifted and burrowed it's the way in her hairs and she felt her head being tilted upwards before warm lips pressed on her chin and trailed downwards. Her body twitched again, responding to his assaults and giving him a silent message to continue.
"You need to wake up."
And then she felt it, the deep excruciating pain as something pierced her neck. Fangs. They burrowed themselves deeper and her body twisted in displeasure, fighting it, refusing to be tamed and then it stopped and he was through.
She twitched again as her body hummed in pleasure as his spirit flowed through her, filling in the gaps...
-and then, she felt it. She felt the surroundings, the warmth in the room due to the fireplace, the smell of the medicines and blood and him, his rich masculine musk, still hovering over her and she hurled up...
○●●●●●●●●●○
... on the bed, as if knocking something off her and gasped as her face met the softness of the sheets beneath her, instead of the man that vanished with her dream.
She pushed herself off from the mattress as if trying to fight it instead of sitting up and stumbled back, successively knocking down the bedside lamp and watched it crack into pieces.
She flinched. Oh, Sheez!
The door pushed open, and Irina stilled like a deer caught in headlights as his vibrant greens meet her Violet ones and then his gaze dropped to the mess she had made. His eyes narrowed into predatory slits and Irina shuddered in fear as his eyes landed back on her. Scary.
And then, He took a step towards her and her eyes widened even more as if it was even possible and she shuffled back in fear, her back hitting the frame of the bed and froze.
He ignored her frightful self and the broken pieces of the antique lamp that crackled beneath his expensive leather shoes. And just took hold of her chin between his thumb and fingers where she could feel the cold metal of the ring on his index finger, leaving a soft impression on her left cheek.
He tilted her head to the right and then to the left while Irina just gaped at him incredulously. She had seen men, loads of them but not as handsome as him. He looked like a Greek god with those finely carved cheekbones, the fiery mane of dark brown hairs that it looked almost black and the most beautiful shade of green eyes looking at her and trying to locate any signs of damage.
How sweet!
She broke herself out of her reverie as the warmth of his hand disappear and then he opened his mouth to speak, to speak words full of warmth.
Warmth, like the fire that escaped from a dragon's mouth.
"Ms. Valentino, since you are well enough." His eyes landed meaningfully on the sheets she wrestled. "I think we should make some things clear. Since you wasted too much of the time today, this day will not be included as your workday and your first day will start tomorrow." His vibrant greens peered at her challengingly, waiting for her to contradict his words and she scowled at him but didn't dare speak.
He smirked pleased and continued, "You'll work under me for the whole term of your contract and will do as I say without talking back otherwise you can find yourself a new job."
She glowered at him, and he raised a brow at her amusingly. "Your shift will start at 9 o'clock in the morning sharp. Sì?"
Irina breathed sharply but nodded and he smirked.
"Welcome to The L&V Cuisines, Miss Irina. Let me introduce myself- I am Luciano Vitally, the owner of the L&V Cuisines. I hope you had a pleasant time here." He held up his hand for her to shake and she eyed him warily, confused about his sudden change in demeanour.
He smirked. She rolled her eyes at him but put her hand in his and he clamped her hand in his tightly. "Until tomorrow then, Miss Irina."
She didn't know what to say to his remark, so she just nodded and looked down at their joined hands. He still had not released it.
"Um? Mr. Vitally, my hand?"
He smirked but didn't make a move to release her hand. "Of course, it's yours Miss Valentino."
"Mr. Vitally." She scowled at his stupid sense of humor, and he chuckled amused but released her hand.
"Thank you- oh sushi!" She was about to get off her bed when her violet orbs landed on remnants of broken glass lamp, and he followed her gaze.
He smiled wickedly and turned to leave, "Well, I guess this is goodbye. Have a safe trip back home."
"No. No, wait! I can't pass this. I need your help." She voiced out desperately, her lips curled in a sad pout and he sighed defeated. Well, of course, she'll show him her sad pouty face.
"Please?" She batted her eyelashes at him cutely and he groaned.
He stalked towards her and put his one arm underneath her knees and other around her back.
It worked.
She giggled. He sighed.
"You are a piece of work, Ms Valentino." He pulled her up in his arms and she giggled as she put her arms around his neck.
"Thank you."
"Are you always like this?" He inquired as he walked towards the door of the bedroom and she smiled brightly. Proudly.
"Nope. These are my special moves."
He chuckled.
"I am your boss."
"From what I have heard from this certain man, today will not count as my workday, so no one is the boss of me until tomorrow." She grinned at him viciously and he sighed.
"You really are a piece of work."
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