Black Blood

When I reached the mansion, I tried to stay away from the few enlightened windows. Once more I turned on the smartphone's torch, hoping to find some interesting details.

All was quiet, the wind whispered gently weaving the manicured grass that I was stepping on.

I put my hand on a wall. The contact with that cold stone made me shiver deep down my spine.

What if those stories were true?

I closed my eyes repressing that thought. I didn't believe those foolish things. I was just been influenced by the situation.

A rustle on my back made my hair stand on end. The breathing became more intense and my heart almost exploded in my chest.

«Brave of you... Rebecca.»

I whirled around, ending starring inside two big, strangely bright eyes. They were different one from the other, the first of a delicate light blue, the other violet.

I bit my lower lip while panic took away all my rational way of thinking.

Those eyes were familiar, I had always found them attractive, but creepy in a same way.

«We were together in high school, remember?»

«Yes, of course, Sebastian», I answered gaining back a bit of my lucidity.

I had to find an excuse, something to justify my presence in his property. I should have listened to Josh. Thirsty or not, I came in their home with no permission: that was housebreaking.

Damn! I am always so impulsive

Sebastian settled his raven tuft that was on his eyes and looked at me passing the tongue on his fleshy lips.

I felt paralyzed.

«What is the reason for your visit, Rebecca? We don’t usually have guests, let alone late at night», he said, shortening the distance in between us.

I swallowed the lump out in my throat and I felt overwhelmed by its intense and wild scent. He had a hoarse voice, deep and vibrant. I didn't remember it like that, maybe I hadn't even heard him speaking at all.

He was always on his own at school, kept away from everyone, nobody got closed to him, it was like he didn't exist.

I thought that was sad, but it didn't seem to bother him.

But right now, the one in front of me was no more a kid, he was a man, the heir of the Winterbournes.

I shook my head repeatedly and I squeezed my lips. I felt terribly embarrassed and caught in a foul.

«My dog ran away. I am afraid she walked down your property, I wanted to take her back», I replied in a faint voice.

What a terrible excuse is that?

I scolded myself. I was never good in improvising and I had nothing better to say.

«I don't remember you had a dog, Rebecca», he pressed me.

The way he pronounced my name was giving me chills, nobody called me like that. I was Reb to everyone and hearing my name that way was shaking me, giving me strange feelings.

«Well, it is Hanna's dog : Beck's», I corrected.

How could he know?

At least, my best friend's border collie existed for real. And it was also very lively. A bitter smile animated his face.

«I see, and are you often taking Beck's around here in the middle of the night?»

I wanted to leave, getting rid of him and his arrogance as soon as possible. He was making me uncomfortable.

«I suffer from insomnia and such a badly idea came to my mind. That's it» I hissed a little more firmly. Even if his presence was making me feel dizzy, he wouldn't have succeeded in putting me in trouble.

«Interesting, Rebecca.»

Again.

His words were flowing so slowly and the sound of his voice was almost hypnotic. I didn't want to be overwhelmed by him.

He watched me carefully, I almost felt stripped under his gaze. He paused on the binoculars. I feared one of those questions to whom is hard giving an explanation.

«I should leave now, I really hope Beck's is not making any ailment, but if you may find her, I'll come to take her back. After that you'll be able to forgive this meeting», I said all in one breath stepping forward firmly.

He grabbed my wrist. His hand was frosted and that cold penetrated my skin freezing my blood.

«But I'll remember you. Maybe you are the only one brave enough to come up here, Rebecca Janette Cross.»

His words flooded my head impetuously.

What was that meaning?

It was all so strange and so absurd. Maybe I should had listened to my friends and give up the idea of writing an article about the Winterbournes, but my crazy mind was finding that whole situation amazingly interesting.

The more Sebastian was talking, the more my longing to investigate on them was growing.

I retracted my arm and he released his grip.

«We are not all fools and scared in Hazycreek.»

His laughter echoed in the silence that was surrounding. He squeezed his chin between his thumb and forefinger and smiled mockingly at me.

Oh, damn! He is even charming.

«If you are stuck in, the gate opens from the inside with a mechanical lever», he informed me.

I raised an eyebrow and turned my back on him ready to go back to Josh.

«Goodnight, Sebastian.»

«Goodnight, Rebecca.»

I walked fast, without running. I could still feel his heterochromic eyes watching over me. They were stinging my back insistently. I took some deep breaths and tried to calm down.

Once I arrived at the gate, Josh fidgeted on his spot.

«Where the hell were you?»

I gestured for silence, carefully, I studied the entry mechanism. I operated a large lever that was fixed to the walls and I released the lock. I pulled the bars towards me and got out.

Josh was astonishedly looking at me.

«How did you know?» he asked me while, no longer waiting, we started walking towards the car.

«Sebastian told me.»

My best friend got mad. He started gesticulating and nervously swearing.

«Dear Christ, Reb! You got caught, and you were supposed to be silent and careful», he scolded me as if he was my older brother.

I looked at him sideways.

«And I was! It was him coming from nowhere. But don’t worry. Nothing bad happened. He also told me how to get out, so everything is ok», I contested.

Josh gave up, I was healthy and safe after all and nobody had tried to bite my neck for sucking the blood out of it.

We got in the car and I almost drove flat out. I wanted so badly to be back in my apartment and wash away all the anguish of that crazy night. I drove Josh home and went straight at my place.

When I opened the door, Beck's ran up to me happy wagging. I founded myself laughing while rubbing her head, and thinking that thanks to her I had managed to save the situation with Sebastian.

A meowing distracted me, Loki, my black cat, had jumped on the couch and started purring with his yellow eyes ajar. I got closed and gently caressed him.

«Reb, is it you? I am having a tub», Hanna informed me. She must had just got home; she was on the night shift and always finished really late in those occasions.

I took off my clothes and joined her in the bathroom. I just needed a quick refreshing.

«Hi Hanna. I'm back», I said reaching the sink. She was in the bathtub, covered by a huge amount of scented foam. I opened the water and let it flow for a few seconds.

«How was it? I thought I had found you already at home, I was worried.»

«No worries, I had Josh with me, even if he was just helpful in stirring our spirits», I admitted laughing.

She did the same.

I dived my hands under the jet of water and plenty washed my face. I lifted the sight and stared at myself in the mirror. Those mysterious eyes bounced violently back in my mind.

«I met Sebastian Winterbourne. He caught me inside his property», I told her.

Hanna moved compulsively and let a large quantity of water wetting the ground.

«You are out of your mind. Josh must have had for sure a heart attack», she hysterically replied. I started laughing.

«I think he has actually lost ten years», I answered.

«He is mad about you, Reb», she suddenly changed argument.

«Oh, stop it! We are just friends», I said.

Hanna was convinced that Josh had a crush on me; while I thought it was just a sort of brotherly affection despite his concerns.

«Well, that is your thought but go and explain it to him!».

I didn’t want to think about it, I just needed to sleep.

«I lay in bed. I am a bit exhausted.»

My best friend nodded her head and I reached my room. I let myself fall in bed staring at the ceiling. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe slowly.

I noticed Loki jumping on the mattress and snuggling up my side. He was purring softly, helping me relaxing and, almost without noticing, I fell asleep thinking of those magnetic eyes painted in different shades.

Chapter 3

Rebecca

Next morning me and Josh founded ourselves dumb and involved in a perpetual yawning. Both our faces were marked with two dark and well sharped eye bags.

We slept, more or less, four hours.

We were no longer eighteen and we couldn't afford to stay out until all hours, our body was affected by that.

I rubbed the corners of my eyes before snuggling up my head between the arms. The laptop screen weighed down my sight, I was looking for some relief.

«I need to think about my next move», I mumbled, rotating the head sideways in direction of my best friend.

He turned on the chair he was sitting on, and looked at me with half closed eyes.

«Isn’t there any remote chance that you might change your mind?» He asked me tiredly.

I lifted up and went back watching my laptop screen.

«I would say no.»

«I understand. I won't try to stop you any longer, it would be useless by the way. But I am going to help you only within certain limits. Just to be clear: I am not getting close to that cursed house anymore», he told me resigning to the idea that I had made my mind and my intention was to go all the way.

I tenderly smiled, he was doing all that for me and I could imagine how much it was costing to him.

Josh was very emotional, he lived everything to the ninth degree and feared the Winterbournes more than everything else. Beliefs that had been instilled in his head as a baby, and that was the result.

«Thanks Josh, I really mean it... thank you», I told him getting up from my seat to give him a hug.

I had just bent over him when the editorial's chief, William Sullivan, a masterful man, despotic and gruff in his ways, broke quickly in our office. He coughed noisily before speaking: he was a chain smoker. Probably he was paying the consequences of that unhealthy vice.

Sullivan was not particularly loved in Hazycreek, he was hated by many, mostly his employees.

«Cross!» he called in full voice with his usual irreverent tone.

Me and Josh snapped to attention. I took a deep breath and I wore the good-obedient-girl mask.

«Tell me, Mr. Sullivan», I answered showing off my best smile.

He peered at me with his stern eyes and rubbed his grizzled beard.

«People need news. Find something about Rose Weather and write one of your articles. We need to ride the wave», he ordered me, again coughing.

«I am working on it. I was right about to exchange a few words with the Weather», I informed him with calm voice.

«Ok. Go on. But don't take too long, Reb», he concluded blatantly just before turning around and leaving our office.

Sophia Sullivan, the chief's wife, came running, wobbling on stilettos.

As her husband, not even she stood out for sympathy, she was considered an inept goose capable only of acting as a secretary to her husband.

She stopped in front of him with shortness of breath and all her unkempt brown hair. She looked at him in a shocked and agitated way while Josh and I stood watching the scene.

What could have happened?

«Sebastian Winterbourne asked for consulting with you», she reported with the breathlessness that came along with her words.

The chill seemed to drop in the ward. There were long seconds of silence.

A Winterbourne in town and without warning?

That for sure was a sensational event.

The fact that Sebastian had shown himself to the editorial office was somewhat strange. the Hazy Daily was owned by the Winterbournes and that may have been the only reason for his visit, however, my distorted mind suggested that was not the only reason.

William Sullivan hesitated caught off guard. He cleared his throat.

«So? Without an appointment?» He said looking unnatural.

Those weren't the right questions; he was stalling as if he had panicked. Sophia nodded.

«He's waiting for you in your office», she concluded in an uncertain and shaky voice.

I grinned under my moustache. I took pleasure in seeing those two troubling.

The Sullivans always put on a lot of airs and addressed others with superiority.

How would they cope with someone they feared too?

The chief editor clenched his fists and grunted something confused. He looked around and clapping his hands shouted:

«Come on, everyone to work! What are you doing standing there?».

The whole department moved after stopping to witness those moments. We returned to our desks leaving Sullivan to his fate.

«I wonder what he came to do», I whispered to Josh as I watched husband and wife disappearing through the elevator door.

«That's not our business», he replied, belittling the whole matter in a moment.

I snorted and gave him a push.

«I want to meet him.»

I could not let that opportunity pass me by.

I had the chance to further my investigation over the Winterbourne family by talking to Sebastian again in a completely casual way. After all, he showed up at the Hazy Daily. I would have simply let myself be found near the boss's office.

«Don't do foolish things, Reb», Josh said pursing his lips.

I looked straight into his eyes. I wouldn't have done anything reckless walking in front of Mr. Sullivan's door at the right time.

«Nothing will happen to me in such a crowdy place and in broad daylight. I'll make it look like a coincidence.»

My best friend sighed, spreading his arms. I hugged him, he wrapped and hugged me as well.

«Thanks, Josh. I promise, I'll be careful», I whispered.

In a while I remembered Hanna's words. I asked myself if I was sending him the wrong messages. If he had different feelings regarding me, maybe I was fooling him. I drove away those harshly thoughts.

I had something else to focus on: Sebastian Winterbourne.

Two endless hours had passed when the deep voice of Winterbournes' heir woke me up.

«Very well, I'd say that with this we are done.»

He had raised the tone of his voice so much that his words sounded clear.

All that time I had been lurking along the management corridor. There was only the stationery, a bathroom and Sullivan's office.

More than once I had tried to eavesdrop their conversation but the words came to me distorted and confused, I could not understand anything.

I took a deep breath and swallowed. I got a stack of A4 paper from the warehouse, tucked it under my arm, and slowly walked to the study door.

«I'll let somebody taking you to the exit.»

«Don't worry.»

«I insist.»

«This way you are offending me Mr. Sullivan. There is no need, I know the way.»

I did not understand the chief's answer, but I found Sebastian's tone rather arrogant.

Those rich people full of themselves!

I thought with disdain, I couldn't stand that kind of people, those who, aware of their wealth, assumed brazen and insolent attitudes towards the others.

I put my annoyance aside just in time to see the haughty Winterbourne heir coming out of the office and closing the door behind him.

He noticed me instantly.

His sinister irises settled on my figure and remained glued to it.

I hesitated for a moment, then, with a firm step, I joined him.

«Rebecca.»

«Sebastian.»

Our eyes remained chained to each other.

I couldn't stop looking at those eyes.

He was staring at me with a cheeky smile, a dimple had appeared on his right cheek decorating that face with rigid features, so perfect that it looked carved in marble.

«And so, we meet again, Rebecca. What a coincidence, isn't it?»

We were side by side, the air was impregnated with Sebastian's scent, I could almost feel it all over me.

«I am a journalist. I work in this place», I boldly answered. I had to keep a low profile, but I wouldn't have ever let him believe that he had me in his grip.

Not me.

«I am aware of your job, Rebecca.»

Rebecca.

My name bounced off his lips like a hypnotic symphony, I liked the sound it was making.

Suddenly something clicked in my head.

«You knew you would have found me here», I murmured with a thin voice.

Sebastian looked at me and gifted a sarcastic smile.

What should I have read on it?

He had a way of expressing himself that I found twisted to say the least, his phrases were riddles to solve and mysteries to unravel.

«Did you find Beck's ?»

The tone of his voice brought me back to consciousness.

Sebastian Winterbourne was able to numb me with just his presence, but charisma, money and a beautiful face would not be enough to fool Reb J. Cross.

I shook my head just closing my eyes, then I returned focusing on Mr. Richness.

«Oh, Beck's. She was waiting me at the car. Luckily, she is an intelligent dog», I slowly replied hoping to appear as natural as possible. I brought the stack to my chest and squeezed it with both hands.

I saw Sebastian grin, he lifted his arm and ran his fingers through his hair, adjusting the shiny black tuft. It reminded me of a crow's feather.

«Very well», he observed looking at the ceiling.

«I wanted to apologize for last night», I said catching back again his attention.

I was pierced by his mysterious eyes, then his mocking smile appeared again. He looked at the corridor that we both should have walked.

«Would you walk me out?» he asked me pointing the way as a gentleman.

It was the perfect occasion for having a chat.

He was a snob with too much self-esteem, aware of the power he wielded and convinced that with money he could have bought everything. People included. This was the idea I had made of him by observing his attitudes and his behaviors. Nonetheless, there was something in him that tickled my stomach, distracting me and sending me into confusion.

«Let's go», I said showing him the way

«You can also leave those papers here. I know you don't need them», he hissed passing by and overcoming me in a few strides.

I was shaken by a tremble of anger. I threw the stack on the ground, weathering the temptation of throwing it at him.

«How insolent!» I muttered to myself as I was picking up my pace to catch up with him again.

«What brings you in town?» I asked right before turning the corner.

The second-floor ward turned to look at us. I could feel everyone's eyes pinching my skin.

But he didn't seem to care at all about what was happening around, perhaps he hadn't even noticed how much the tones had subsided upon our arrival, there was only a background buzz of chatter and gossips.

«Business: you know, this place is mine, Rebecca», he replied haughtily, turning in my direction.

Of course, I do, you boor.

I answered in my mind biting my tongue.

It was only thanks to Winterbournes' money that a small village like Hazycreek could boast the presence of such a renowned and avant-garde, although modestly sized, editorial board.

I looked at him closely, a tingle in my thighs made me flare up.

Why did I think him that way?

What was happening to me?

Concentration and professionalism. He is going to be your article.

I recited in my mind like a mantra.

Sebastian was only a means to my ultimate goal.

«Your presence here is something extremely rare. You don't often show around», I teased him ready to embed any response from him.

Sebastian let out an amused snort.

His presumption made me nervous, but I couldn't look at him without feeling somehow intrigued.

«This is what happens when people fear who is stronger than them», his answer was brief and chilling, I remained silent in an attempt to understand its true meaning.

We reached the elevator; I pressed the door opener and in a short time that metal box welcomed us inside.

«What are you working on?» he went on turning a little in my direction, without realizing I imitated him, we found ourselves face to face and my heart sped up.

«On the Weather case. Sullivan wants an article as soon as possible.»

«Do you think this is my family's doing?»

He got straight to the point without dancing around.

He surprised me; I never expected such frankness.

I was afraid of not being able to handle that situation and I would have had to arm myself with all the will in my possession in order to reach the target without allowing myself any distraction.

Who knows why it was so difficult for me.

Sebastian was disarming. He had an elegant bearing, refined features, a persuasive charisma and lots, lots of charm.

And I felt weak in front of him. His every gesture, every word that was coming out of that perfect mouth, intrigued me, unleashed daring thoughts, uncontrolled emotions.

All this, confused me.

«No, maybe I'm the only one in town who doesn't think so», I replied just as direct.

Suddenly I found myself stuck against the elevator wall.

He forced me to back away without noticing his sudden movement.

He lifted one harm and placed his hand against the metal sheet, he touched my head, imprisoning some of my tufts of hair under his fingers. He observed me with those contrasting eyes of his: one of an angel and one of a demon. He lowered himself on me and put his mouth to my ear. He was towering over me.

«Maybe you are wrong», whispered caressing my neck with his cold breath.

I winced.

Why does he have this effect on me?

He wanted to scare me, why on earth feeding those rumors?

He was playing a part, the one that the dogmas of the past had attributed to the Winterbournes.

He wouldn’t fool me.

I placed my palms against his chest, it seemed so solid and resistant that I had to take a breath of air before being able to push it. He barely raised, but he didn’t move from there.

«Maybe not», I pressed pushing him again.

An acoustic sound announced the doors opening. The entrance hall revealed in front of us.

Sebastian composed himself as if nothing had happened, adjusted his shirt’s collar and took the road to the exit.

I followed him worried about the consequences of this unexpected situation.

«You have always been a rebel, Rebecca», he declared ready to tease me again.

I became suspicious.

«We don’t even know each other.»

«I remember you since you were a baby. We always went to the same schools, and like everyone else, you kept me distant.»

Sharp, cutting words came out of his mouth. Stinging daggers, hitting me in one side.

I almost felt guilty.

Sebastian remembered me and the first memory that came to his mind was the worst. I too had contributed to his marginalization from Hazycreek's life.

Not that he was looking for someone's company, in fact he had that slightly snobbish attitude since he was a child. He always looked bored and absent, as if nothing stimulated his attention and didn't deem anyone worthy of even a glance.