My mind got wrapped into a spell
Entwisted by two hands
And slowly, my resistance fell
Into a man’s presence

My toughts began to twist and spin
Into thin fingers touch
And faster, I’m entangling
Into a frantic clutch

Out of two dark, abyssal eyne
I drew new force and energy
And realised I can’t decline
A kind of curiousity

And fled myself into a vibe
Both flustering and soothing
Until I found myself beside
A control I confide

Yes, I do see what you going through. Now I understand it. How many times are you going to remain me. Ppl make mistakes in life. No, one is perfect. Nor your not perfect either. I’m not perfect at all.
Old wise man told me last night. For two couple wants to make it right. You both need to sit down talk. Be two grown adult. Being loud don’t cut it. One will go do something else. If two is carrying the pass. It won’t work. Both of them has to let go the pass to able move on to the future. I’ll leaving my pass. But does mean I’m a bad mom nor a person.
All I really wanted to do was curl up on my chaise and cry for my boyfriend, who I would never see again. He’d been the only one who’d ever truly loved me, and now he was gone.
No time for crying, I reminded myself, blinking the tears away. At least I can try and save someone else from having their heart broken.
I’m trying to hold it together, I
grabbed a brush and fluffed my red curls around my face as a decision came to me. Maybe tonight, I would complete my assignments and then tell Dechon’e that I needed some time off. I’m sure he will think, I wanna go into hiding, but to find Idelfonso and give him the kind of meeting that he really deserved.

Plus, I didn’t want to get into the details with Jarrett right now. He’d cancel all of our appointments and I didn’t want to do that to our clients. But he end doing it anyway.
He ****** in his breath. “ Did you finally hear from your mother?”
“We haven’t spoken,” I said softly.
Richard knew my mother had left, but didn’t know why.
“Sophia, you sound weird. Are you crying?” He asked, his voice deepening.
“I’m okay.”
“No, no, no..... something is wrong. I can feel it. I’ll be right there.”
I frowned. “ No, seriously, I’m fine and well talk later. I promise.”
“You sure? I can be there in less than two minutes.” I promise, we’ll talk later.” Okay. If you insist. I’m really worried about you, Jarrett.”
“ Okay. Do you have the list of targets for tonight? I emailed the info to you earlier.”
“ Yeah. I’ve got them. Oh, and I also spoke to Patrick Strom and to him that I could fit him wife in as well tonight. “
“ Of course I do. It might have to wait until after Thomas leaves, though. I hope you don’t mind.”
“ Who is Thomas?” I asked.
“ He’s an old friend from Vegas and in fact..... should be arriving any minute.”
Something in his tone made me believe that Thomas was more than casual friend.
“Good idea. You probably don’t want to walk in on us when we’re....in deep conversation, said Racheal, chuckling devilishly.
I snorted. “ Okay. Have fun molesting each other. I’ll talk to you later. Especially with Mr. Strom. Does she want to keep that *******?”
“Of course.”
Thomas sighed. “ I guess I saw that coming.”
“Me, too. Oh, “ I glanced at the time again, “I’d better get going. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“ Go and make us some money.”
“ Your turn tomorrow, right?”
He snorted. “Of course. I wouldn’t make you do this two night in a row.”
His voice grew soft. “ You do trust that I have your back, don’t you?”
“Of course I do. Without you, I’d be in bad shape.”
“ Me, too, Christopher. Me, too, “ he replied, his tone almost sad.
Smiling, I hung up the phone and turned back to Lillian, who was watching me closely.
“ So, you’re really going to ignore my warnings?” he asked.
“No, of course I’m not going to ignore them.
I will prospect the all matter issue. I will keep my eyes open. I am going to keep my eyes open but I like I said before I’m not going into hiding.”
He let out and exasperated sigh. “Fine.”
I open my eyebrows, surprised that he was backing down now so easily. We stared each other for a few seconds and then he walked over to my patio. I guess I should be going then.
You can stay here if you want, I said suddenly not wanting him to leave. I mean, if you need a place to crash for a few days.....
He unlocked the sliding glass door and pulled it open. Why I couldn’t smell the chlorine from the pool and imagined the both of us skinny-dipping under the moonlight. “ Are you sure? “ Think of the possibilities.”
“I can’t. I have other immortals to find.
To warm them about your father and see if they’ll stand against him. “
“ My sister?”
“Wasn’t Unfortunately, I don’t know who or where they are. I’ve only heard of India and rumors has it.....she’s gone underground.”
“Do you think she knows of Mustard plans to steal all of our powers?” I asked, wondering what India was like and if she knew about me.
“I wouldn’t imagine that’s the reason she’s made herself scarce.”
“So, this guy, my father, he has a lot of enemies?” I asked, my stomach knotting up now as he prepared to leave. Than I suddenly didn’t feel so very brave.
“Yes, but he also has a lot of followers. Taking him down isn’t going to be easy. Yeah, hell, I don’t know if it’s even possible, but I’m not going to sit back and watch him destroy any more lives without trying to do something about it. “
My stupid phone began to vibrate.
“ I’m sorry, “ I said, turning around to reach for it again. “ It’s probably one of my clients.”
“Stay safe, Sophia, “ he replied softly.
When I turned back around, Emilio was gone.
Sighing, I walked over and locked the patio door, then went upstairs to prepare for the evening. After cramming myself into a little black and red dress that barely concealed my assets, and tall strappy heels, I thought about my mother and her obsession with shoes. Seriously she’d owned more pairs than even Lillian, who had an entire room dedicated to stilettos.
And now she was gone.
Fighting off another wave of
tears, I stepped into the bathroom,
picked up a tube of candy-apple red lipstick, and applied it to my lips.
Standing up straight, I smirked at my reflection. “ Mission
accomplished, I look like a **** , “ I mumble, throwing the lipstick down on the counter.
But normally, I enjoyed dressing like a *****, especially in New York.
The truth was, I’d been trying to abstain from ***, which was very challenging for someone who was part succubus.

That’s a lie,” I replied angrily. “ My father’s name was Robert Boreman. My mother met him in Philippines, where I was conceived.” Robert been a vampire and she love him dearly. Unfortunately, he’d disappeared before I was born, under suspicious circumstances.
She’d believed that he’d been murdered by a previous jealous lover, but never really liked talking about it.
“ Unfortunately, that’s not true at all.”
“ Of course it’s true. What make you think that she will lie to me? To come to think about it, why should I believe you?” I snapped, placing my hands on my hips.
“ You’re a freaken stranger. Hell, you could be lying about all of this. “
He reached into his leather jackets and pulled out an envelope.
“ I don’t understand your anger and suspicion. If I were in your shoes, I’d feel the same way. But here, Goerge held it out. “ This letter is from your wife. It explains everything. What so ever Lillian knew that her life was in danger and wanted to make sure you learned the truth, so she gave it to me several weeks ago.”
I snatched it out of his hands and tore open the letter. Than I recognized her handwriting, I felt the blood rush to my head.
My Dearest Sophia,
If you’re reading this letter, then frank has found me and I’m no longer among the living. I know you’re going to be angry and confused by the time you’ve finished reading this, and for that, I’m so terribly sorry. I’ve kept so many secrets, but only because I was trying to protect you.
Let me start out by admitting that John was not your biological father. He was a mortal man that I met and fell in love with when you were just a babe. Your real father, and I’m so sorry to break this to you, is David Ellis. Admittedly, I once cared for David, before learning what kind of monster he really was, and what exactly he was capable of. David killed John when he learned of my feelings for him and wanted to do away with me as well. Fortunately, I was able to escape with you before he carried out his plans. This is why I haven’t hated David Ellis and why I never told you much about him. I had that feeling he wanted me dead and I couldn’t bear the thought of him or his vile council getting their hands on me. David would have told you so many lies, making you believe that my love for Dechone had broken his black heart. The truth is, Dechone only loves what he can’t have and right now that’s you and your friends. I stopped reading. “ Me and my friends?” Did you know that I have brothers?”
He nodded.
“ How many are there?”
“ At least three more that we knew about. Your father wasn’t exactly sure the correct number.”
“Are they alive?”
“ I believe so.”
“ Are any of them Sophia’s daughters?” I asked, horrified. All of this was making lies and secrets.
“ No. Each of them had different fathers.”
Sighed in relief. “ Do they know about us?”
I’m aware of it. In fact , I believe only Fonzi who knew about David being her father.”
“ Fonzi?”
“ Yes, Lillian. She’s one of my sisters. There are two others. There only one I’m sure of her name.  “ This is crazy, “ I mumbled, going back to the letter. We could have somehow stood up to David and his hunters together.
“Are you okay?” ask Sophia, studying me.
I look up at Jarrett. “ What do you think?” On his face. “ I imagine you’re furious that she kept all of this from you.”
“ You shouldn’t do that.”
“ And you’re also thinking that because you’re part vampire, you might have been able to help save her life.”
“ Yep.”
“ That both of you could have defeated David and his hunters.”
“ Ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a mind-readers,” I said dryly, reaching over to the nightstand to grab a tissue.
Lillian eyes twinkled. “ Your mother warned me about your snarkiness.”
“ It’s called a sense of humor. I take it you don’t have one?”
“ Only at the expense of others,” he replied, smiling slowly. “ And don’t worry, I’ll leave you alone right now. Considering the circumstances.”
“ You’re too kind.”
“ You should be flattered. It usually isn’t one of my strong points.”
I smiled and shook my head.
“ So, what’s your story, anyway,” I asked.
How did you know my mother? “ The man you thought was your father, Celso, he was my step father.”
“ Really?” I said, not expecting that answer. “ Were you close?”
“ You could say that. He practically raised me.”
“ What happened to your parents?”
“ My grandma died in illnesses and cancer to the heart. My grandpa died when I was seven, he had a stroke. “
Obviously he wasn’t born a vampire. Lillian had had a rough life. “ I’m sorry to hear that.”
She shrugged. “ It’s been a long time. Unfortunately, I barely remember either of them.”  
“ How long ago was it?”
“ My grandpa died in 2006. “
“ And that’s when you guys already here in Vegas?”
“ We move into our apartment, actually. Then we moved out to a different apartment. When I was eight I couldn’t actually remember so much. What about your mom and dad. And your two brothers.
“ Idelfonso has a wife?”
Why, is it’s hard for you to answer.
“ Yes, khaila. Khaila is my wife, we have a beautiful daughter. Her name Xana. Beside of all that, sometimes I get pain on my legs. Even enough to tragedy my life. What are you talking about. I’m talking about my pain. And your talking about, you saw David hunter ****** someone. “ One of the females took a liking to me. I was charmed and the next thing I knew, I was in her bed and her fangs were buried in my neck.
My eyes widened. “ But you escaped?”
“ Not right away. I was Serena’s captive for about a month and then she decided to make me into a vampire.

“ Let me guess, that was her undoing?”
A grim smile spreads across his face. “ Aye. Right after Sophia turned me into her kind, the spell she had over me died.

I’m sure she did, although at the times, I saw only red.” “ You killed her?”
“ I.....slaughtered her, “ he replied, looking almost repelled by the memory. “ To be honest, I’m not exactly proud of the way that I handled it. It was the one and only time I lost complete control.
“ Regardless, don’t blame yourself. She deserved to die. “
He didn’t say anything but I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was still reliving the moment.
“ What happened to your wife and son?”
I asked after a while. He cleared his throat. “ Minging moved in with her parents.”
“ Did you go to her?”
“ Yes. I told her that I’d been kidnapped, but didn’t get into detail.
“ She must have been so relieved to see you again. “
Lillian nodded. “ Yes, and I her. I’d thought that maybe Montour had sent his hunters after my family.
Sophia, they were still alive.”
“ Did they know what you’d become?”
“No. I didn’t want her to be frightened of me. I left the next morning. I was afraid of endangering Sophia and Lillian. “ Do you know if she was able to move on with her life?” I asked, imagining the pain she must have felt, believing that her boyfriend was lost. Then there was her son. He must have been devastated.
Yes, it took few years, but she eventually fell in love with a farmer and they got married.
I lost track of them years ago after moving to the United States, Unfortunately.
My cell phone began to ring,
somewhere in the house. I looked at the time on my alarm.
“ That’s got to be Jarrett?” I said, standing up quickly.
“ Who’s Jarrett?”
“ My partner. We own a private online business. I have some appointments that I’m going to be late for if I don’t get my *** in gear, “ I said, walking out of my bedroom.
“Wait a second,” said Lillian behind me. “You need to go into hiding. David hunters are searching for you. “
“ Good, let them find me. I’d love to meet the ******* who killed my wife and turn him into dust.”
Unlike Lillian, I was a hybrid vampire and succubus. I could not only drain someone of their blood, but a simple kiss from me could be toxic, since I had the ability to extract their life-force. Sophia asked Lillian, do you have to think like that. Lillian your so evil. Well, Sophia your too nice. I understand are family is crazy.
I wasn’t about to share that information with them, however. Jarrett was still a stranger.
“ These hunters are skilled and deadly. For surely they wouldn’t let you get close to them, “ he said, as if reading my mind again. “ They’d have your head on the ground before you caught their scent.”
We’ll answer, I whipped around and shoved him against the wall. Staring up into Lillian’s eyes, I gave him my most seductive smile. “ kiss me.

Ten years for now. That’s how long it’s been since I last saw the Welcome To Ellis sign as I drove away as a newlywed in the back of a limo filled with regrets.
Since I can’t say how many times I’ve thought about making my return. Hundreds? A thousand? Somewhere in between, most likely. I’ve pictured myself in a fancy sports car with my hair down into a scarf like I was Grace Jenavia, or maybe in a chauffeur-driven SUV.

Once in those ten years did I think I’d be coming back to town on a Greyhound bus.
A woman next to me snores so loudly, she wakes herself up. Her head jerks from side to side as she wipes drool from the corner of her mustache.

Nothing,” reply as I pull my baseball cap over my eyes and read- just my sunglasses to hopefully cover my black eyes where the makeup is wearing off.

Hoping my iffy luck will hold until I’m off this bus, and she won’t have a clue who she say next to on this long ride from L.A.

What’d I miss?” Leans over me to look out the window as we approach the bus station. He’s six feet under, and I’m the famous one because I’m the black widow who killed him.

Know the truth, but no one else cares about anything so mundane as that. Fall from wife of a rock god to the most hated woman in America has been a rocky one, and to be honest, I’m lucky I made it out of L.A. alive.
Greyhounds brakes squeal as it slows to a stop. Changing the direction of my thoughts. Stop thinking about what I’m running from and put it behind me.

I just never thought I’d be running toward Smith, the place I spent so many years desperate to leave. I want is a simple, quiet life. Something normal. Aways from the paparazzi and accusations. Even away from doing guilty that I fear.

I glance out the window, expecting the old wooden train depot, but we’re on the wrong side of town for that.

Smith. That’s one major reason I don’t know if I’ll ever find peace here.
Soon as we hit the city limits a few minutes ago, my heart is like stone.

Force my breathing to slow and try to look at the name without feeling anything.
Instead, I glare at it, like that’s going to help me find some inner strength.
I would match everything else in this town em blazoned with the Smith name.

Hospital that’s probably only a mile from here. Court-house that takes up one side of the town square. Smith bank and trust two blocks over, near the Rodriguez Art Gallery.

The only thing that doesn’t have their name is the town itself. Pretty sure my ancestors are still smiling in their graves about snaring that honor right before they jumped the Rodriguez’s gold claim and started a feud that’s lasted over 180 years.

I did my part too, and I’m not proud of it.
Wait my turn, specifically for the woman beside me to move, I can haul my *** off the bus. The bus rumbles to life again, and I watch as it rolls away. Left surrounded by the sum total remains of my former life, in the form of ridiculously overpriced Savellia Vuitton luggage, while I wait for my chronically-late-from-birth cousin to come get me.

Cricket begins me to come back to California, I probably would have stayed on the bus all the way to New York. Well I heard they’re friendly up there........ unless they’re Idelfonso Rodriguez fans.

Ohhh, baby! Look at that **** thing just waiting on a ride. You wanna come on up with me, girl?”
Catcalls had come from a man, I would tensed and prepared to bolt, but no. A voice I’d recognize even if it had been eighty years since I’d been home in stead of ten.

First time in months, a genuine smile stretches my lips. I know I don’t get into a strangers van unless someone offers me candy first. “
As well, get up here, little girl.
I’ve got sugar for you. Cricket puts the van in park and hops out, running around the front of the faint Econoline. *** Jesus Christ, you look just like a real beauty celebrity-who forgot to tell her chauffeur where to pick her up.”
So, I rush to meet him. We collide ina hug. “ I thought you were my chauffeur. But is to early too. I wasn’t prepared to wait an hour for cricket Time.”

Cuz my cousin smells exactly the same as the last time I saw her- like *** smoke, coconut, vanilla and sunshine.
“ Lord , I miss you, girl. It’s been way too ******* long.”
Pull back. Your tawny eyes dance, and her dark brown hair is braided around the crown of her head like she’s a perfect flower child.
But she’s alright.

Her heart squeezes at her smiling face. I’ve miss her so dear to much. I shouldn’t have stayed away so long. “ I know. I’m so sorry__

Got called home like a ******* dog. Like one of the obedient retrievers Commodore uses to fetch her birds. Came when I was called.
Didn’t mean I had to like it.
Twenty-five-year-old man worth his salt packed up everything. Just to skipped home, his grandfather snapped his fingers?
What a good heir to are family fortune did.
I didn’t just do it for the money. I did it because Commodore had hammered the family. I was ******* four years-old-Preserve and protect the legacy. What Smiths did. Are family coffers with even more money than was there.
My dads was doing ******* trouble ****** job of living up to his Commodore’s rigorous standards, base on his reports.
Been getting it in California. That he spent more time with his mistress than his own family.
Last message made clear. According to him. It’s boring for him, just sit in the office and do what. He rather collect all the money. And spend time with his mistress. I was *******, explained why I was sitting in a deep hole-in -the -wall. Losing out money left and right. David has no, right to collect the money. Without asking his wife.
Handle whatever responsibility Commodore threw at me, I wasn’t ready to come back to Las Vegas. Long shot.
California was better than Las Vegas. Proving myself and my worth.
David might be at my house, but I’m not comfortable him being there. With his mistress. His broke again, he needed more money.
Over the years my family seen so much from David. His troubles taking care his kids.
Bad on Finance and can’t protect stuff of legends, and it wasn’t dying anytime soon.
Like David getting behind on taxes. He just enjoyed taking something from his mistress.

Day after the sale, his mistress came to his wife’s house. Demanding for money, Mrs. Rodriguez Ellis had to called the police to Escort David mistress out her property.
I didn’t ******* know the truth, I didn’t want to know. All that mattered was that I couldn’t go anywhere in this ******* town without people looking at me and talking behind my back. About my husband and son girlfriend.
I surely hate that. I wish I could move my company in New York or Hawaii.
Maybe I could open another business in New York.
I found a bottle of Patron in front. Rub me three times and make your wish. Took me all of three days to actually Decide either I rub the bottle or not.
Basically I was shack about another problem with my son girlfriend. That girl will never walk down with my son. Her family to Considerate up nose.
I couldn’t wait to escape my son .
The perfect hideaway, and tonight I wanted to drink in a peace. I tried to settle into the idea of accepting my fate. Hell with that. Give me tequila.

Thinking about tossing back the liquor in front of me when the door opened and a gust of powerful wind dragged everyone’s attention to ward the door.
**. *******
Her hair was as black of the night. Beautiful lips as red apple. Her sin was soft as buttermilk. And a big heart that anyone have. Not only beautiful outside, Genuine heart. Perfect for my son.

David. *******.
Wasn’t drunk, but the whole world seemed to slow down as her voice. Your mistress ****** to show your wife photo pose you and her ****. Something in her purse and looked up.

David are you ******* serious?
Her vivid brown eyes kicked him in the gut, sucker punch from the way she pursed her lips as she surveyed. Gonzalez personified the saying walk in like you own her. David you like it that young. Gonzalez shoulders back, **** out and chin pointed up.
A woman on a mission. To **** David that’s hot to her. There’s no more secrets between David and his wife. David still married, but choose to mess around with his co-workers.
In another hands, khaila Smith is as same like David. Thank god , her son is not married with that.

Right about the woman-on-a-mission part. Poor ******* David, his wife *******. For mother ******* 19 years of married. Servicing this country. Than turn around tell your wife. It made your **** shift in your jeans. Seriously you crazy and weird.
Some people like her style. Smile crossed my face for the first time since I got the call from Rodriguez E grandfather that it was time to trot along home.
Won’t be why.” Turned on my stool and held out a hand, driven by pure habit.
City boy. Don’t need to know your name to drink your tequila. She saved me from giving up my identity, made her attitude even sexier-and made me want to prove her point.

I’m a city boy?”
Her gaze dropped to my shoes. She even show her biker boots, hiking boots, or steel toes. No, one cares.
I was from California, but I wasn’t raised here. My parents hired private tutors for me until I turned twelve, than I was throw in boarding school