EVANGELINE'S POV
"This is a surprise," Evangeline smiled when her father finally has some time to see her after waiting for a few hours.
"You never come visit me in the office before. There is only possible answer for your visit today. You have something bothering your mind. Am I right?" I really can't hide anything from my father.
After my mother died, he really stepped up as the father and the mother altogether. He learn how to cook, and at one time he even asked one of his female secretary how to talk to me about female stuff because he doesn't want me to be, in his words, 'lost'.
I still remember how awkward he was when I got my period. I have to tell him that we learned all of this in as we grow up. Since I spend most of my time at Daphne's when he's travelling, I was informed about everything.
"Actually, yea. If you're not busy." I smiled. My father take a seat on his chair behind the table and gave me all of his attention.
"I actually found something that I really wanted to do as a career option. I know that you told me about working here after graduation but, I think I found something that I wanted to do with my degree." My father seems out of words.
"But I thought we agreed that you work here after graduation. And what did you found?" How do I explained to my father? I can't tell him about the vampires and how I am bound to be in their service.
"I made a decision to continue doing mommy's work at the museum. There is so much mystery that haven't been solve and I want to be the person who solve it. I know that that is what mommy wants." My father didn't say anything after hearing my reason.
"Fine. I know it's futile to even try changing your mind once you've set on it. If this is what you wish to do, so it be. Make me proud." He smiled but it didn't reach to his eyes. I know he's disappointed in my decision but I have no choice.
"Did you had lunch?" My father asked to changed the subject. I shake my head.
"Perfect. There is a new restaurant in town that I really want to try." I guess that should be okay. I mean, it's been ages since we had lunch together. I've been so busy with my thesis that I neglecting him.
I used to called him everyday when I first started university.
When we arrived at the restaurant, I was surprised to see Imperia together with Keres having a conversation with a man whom I never met before.
We made eye contact but she pretended not to know me as I walk past their table and was placed at the table next to them by the waiter. Just my luck.
"Is it just me or they seems familiar?" My father said low enough just for me to hear. I hushed him before looking through the menu.
"That is one agreement I cannot accept. I don't see why I should agree to this in the first place. You don't even have any successful establishment and yet you for so much from me? Is this how you do business?" He shouldn't say things like that to them. It won't end well, that's for sure.
"We're here not to ask for your permission or agreement. We're here to tell you that you will be losing your business to us if you don't do what we asked you to do." I almost choke on my water when I heard the way Imperia talk to this guy.
"Are you okay?" My father asked.
"Are you threatening me right now? Do you have any idea who you are talking to? You will have no future in this town if you decided to threatened me like that!" I noticed how Keres's eyes twitch when this man speak rudely to Imperia.
"Yes, I am threatening you, human." It didn't take long for the man to follow whatever Imperia asked him to do with a snap of her fingers.
When it seems like they're done with their discussion, Keres decided to give me smiled and waved at me.
"How was your day going, Evangeline?" My father was surprised that the person sitting on the table next to us knows me.
"It's good. I see you manage to convince the man to do business with you, my lady." My father raised an eyebrow after hearing me using honorific.
"Well, you know us. Care to introduce us, Evangeline?" Oh yea. I almost forgot that I'm actually with my father.
"Daddy, meet Imperia Luna and Keres. You can consider them as my boss. They own the place I decided to work at." Imperia finally turns with a smile as she waved at my father. Knowing him, he would wave back but without acknowledge anything whatsoever. That's just how he is.
"I can't believe I finally meet the very person who change the way I see the world and the history I've been studying for my whole life in a restaurant. To think my daughter decided to work for traitors like you two ... I can't process this." Wait, they know each other?
"I can't believe you still called us traitors. What we told everyone at the convention was facts and only facts. We provided enough evidence to support our claim and we wish nothing but name for ourselves and our soon to be open museum. As much as we hate to work with close minded historians and experts like you, we have to to put our museum on the map." Keres really doesn't know how to control her sincerity.
And here I though no one will ever beat Daphne in that field.
"And you think with this kind of attitude will ever get you anywhere? Have you ever consider being polite and humble whenever talking to someone older than you?" Keres raised an eyebrow. Oh daddy, if only you know how much older they are.
"Mr Odin. Please, we don't have to talk about that here. You're having lunch with your daughter after all. We will keep in touch and I'm sure by the time we reach out to you, you will be agree to be our first benefactor. Don't you want to know things that aren't available for public to know? Don't you want to study something that no one has ever known before? Go home and think back about my offer. Evangeline should know by what I meant by no history books known to mankind has information about the things I've found and willing to exhibits in my museum." I made eye contact with Imperia.
Wait, she wants me to tell my father about her true self? Seriously? Imperia gave me a small smile before whispering to Keres. Seconds later they excuse themselves and leave the restaurant.
With that said, I can't ignore the way my father staring at me.
"Well? Care to tell me what's going on? How do you even got yourself tangled with people like that?" Where should I start even?
***
"Is there something troubling your mind, Evangeline? You've been walking back and forth outside my door for the past 30 minutes. Come in and tell me what you want." I heard Imperia's voice through the door.
Busted.
It is expected from a vampire. What am I even thinking? Of course she could know immediately that I'm just outside her soon-to-be office. It's been a long day. With the moving process slowly taking place, I need some time to get my strength back to continue with the rest of the work.
I turned the knob just to find her unboxing some of the boxes that has her possession that she took from the museum.
"How did you know that I was outside? I made sure that I didn't make any sound or noises," I asked.
"You reek of sweat. I can smell you from a mile away. What is it? Do you questions? Do you seek answers? What's troubling your mind, Evangeline?" Should I even asked her?
"Why do you need my father to be the benefactor of your museum? You can always asked somebody else but why him?" She stops taking out her things from the box and face me. I always find it intimidating when she does that.
"Because he has something that belongs to me and want it back." He does?
"I'm sorry if I sound rude but what is it? And why not just take it from him? Why do you even consider discussing about it in such formal way? You used your power to make everyone follow your orders. Why didn't you do the same with my father?" Imperia chuckled.
"There is a lot of 'why' in your question there, Evangeline. Normally I would kill those who asked so much question about my way of dealing with things but I can't do that with you. You're an asset and as a smart strategist, I'll use you to your full potential." Imperia proceed to take out a piece of book from the box and show me a page from it.
"Your father has my twelve dancing princesses." I was even more confused when she told me her reason.
"From the looks on your face, you have no idea what I was referring about." She smiled.
"Twelve dancing princesses? You mean one of that Barbie's movies?" Now it's her turn to be confused.
"I'm not sure if I ever heard of someone with that name before. Is this 'Barbie' person manage to summon them as well? If so, that person must've such a tremendous spiritual power. To summoned all twelve of them is dangerous and let's not forget about how they consumed your lifespan. As a vampire, I have no problem summoning or controlling them since I'm a pureblood." Now I'm lost.
"No. It's a movie for children. I used to watched it every single day when I was a child." Her eyes widen.
"Humans does have a sickening way of entertaining children. To show such complex spell for children to see ... I am appalled." No. She's getting herself confused.
"I don't think we have the same view about the twelve dancing princesses. The version I'm talking about is a kids friendly movie where there were summoned to a magical place that allows them to dance all night since the life in the palace forbids them to do so. Tell me your version." She pointed at the book.
"They're fairies who each possessed different kind of super powers. They act as my last line of defence whenever the situation gets dire. Ever since I was told that my father had planned something, I store them in a safe place so that no one, even Baracus can find them. If and only if they are fallen into the wrong hands, without knowing their full capability, your world and mine will be doom. All humans and creatures will be nothing but speck of dust." That sound serious.
"And how did my father managed to get himself something so dangerous like that?" She close the book and continue to unpacked.
"He was once a young and adventurous man. He desire nothing but fame. Finding a rare kind of artefacts did so much to a man who desire popularity. Yes, he did achieved everything that he had desire before but he has no idea that if my living enemy knows about the twelve dancing princesses in his possession, he's going to die. And I won't be there to help him if he decided to be the way he is now." This is a serious matter!
I've lost my mother! I don't want to lost my father just because he's being selfish.
"How did you know about this?" I asked just to make sure.
"Keres managed to touch his hand when we had a conversation over tea. She knows everything single detail about his life including the moment you were born." Imperia smiled. That's just plain crazy.
"What should I do? I don't want my father to die." Imperia hummed as her respond.
"You can always find the twelve dancing princesses in your home. It should be simple enough, right?" I don't even know what should I keep my eyes open for.
"Did you put them in a jar or something?" I asked.
"Have you lost your mind? Did I specifically mentioned that they're princesses? I don't want to be cursed for putting them in some lame pottery. It should be easy to find because they were kept inside a medium size golden chest. There should be a symbol, my symbol just outside the box. You won't even miss it." That's easy enough except my father has a lot of golden chest from his expedition in his study.
But the only difference between the other chest from Imperia's is that it possessed her insignia. That should be easy, right?
"Alright. Since I'm coming home for thanksgiving, I will find the chest for you." Imperia seems happy to know that I'm willing to risk everything.
"That's good news. Just don't open the chest when you actually found them. It's important that I'm the only one who opens it, okay?" I nod.