Chapter 11 (re)


    Finding a mall and parking, her mother brought it up, “So,what happenedst night on your charade,


    you seem different, lost in thought.” re’s face turned white, and she gulped. She needed to remain


    cool, and go with partial truth, she knew the drill. Her mother could sniff her lie out before she even said


    it, “Actually, ahm, uh…”


    “Spit it out, re.” She hated it when her mother used her name whenever she addressed her, “I met


    this guy, Okay, he seemed really sweet, walked me home. I think he’s American or something didn’t


    quite catch his name.” Not wanting to get into too many details re quickly added not giving her


    mother a chance to speak, “Don’t stress I probably wouldn’t see him again.” She shrugged, “He’s not


    my type anyway.”


    Hastening her steps, she let her mother know the conversation was mute. She paused in front of the


    mall''s sliding door. Looking up she caught the name, muttering it, “GATEWAY.” From the outside, it was


    a three or four-story building, not much to look at. Painted in mustard color with a bit of blue which she


    presumed was supposed to resemble a wave.


    A loud yawn escaped her knowing the hours ahead was going to be no pic in the park, seeing as


    re hated shopping of any kind. But when she spotted her mother sidling up to her, the dead look in


    Michelle''s eyes andck of interest, re felt a new surge of energy kick in. The woman could be


    difficult, but she was still her mother, and right now that said mother was hanging on by a thread.


    stering a smile so wide her face might crack re rubbed her hands together, “Come on mother


    dearest let''s go shopping.”


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    Unexpectedly she pinched re’s butt, as she brushed past her, muttering “Smartass.” Talking louder


    than usual re chastised her, “Woman, we in public, behave.”


    They were parading the second floor when they came across a jewelry shop, when the gem caught


    re''s eye, “Mom,” she gestured with her head that they should go inside, “I wanna see that chain.” By


    the time her mother followed her inside, re had already shown the man in the shop the tinum


    chain, with a heart-shaped locket embedded with blue sapphires. She might not like shopping, but it


    didn''t mean she didn''t know-how.


    Michelle looked at it, “It’s stunning, put it on.”


    “What''s the verdict?”


    “An early birthday present, what do you say?” re pretended to think about it before she beamed and


    nodded. Havinge from old money her mother never worried about cost and being a general


    surgeon was an added benefit. But Michelle never spoilt re. So she was stunned when her mother


    agreed to buy her a pricey gift, even if it was an early birthday present.


    Fingers on the sp of the chain, she was seconds away from taking it off when a hand brushed her


    fingers away. Goosebumps rose on her neck, she sucked in air and froze. Attached to a masculine


    scent the heat of breath startling, as the man whispered in her ear, “Let me help you with that dear.”


    The voice was so sharp and cunning it could cut you like a razor.


    re turned quickly to face him. He was dressed in a ck tailored suit, and a grey shirt loosened at


    his corbone. Long brown hair neatlybed back, slightly taller than re with a trim waist and


    broad shoulders, this man looked sleek for someone in his thirties. When re opened her mouth, to


    say just that, her mother grabbed her arm a bit too harshly, but the look on her mothers face made her


    shut up, “Take my card, go pay, let me talk to this man very quickly,”


    Franchesca:


    “She would’ve made a remarkable warrior. Such a pity she can’t remember, if it was up to me, I would


    return her memory now, at a small fee.”


    Franchesca clenched her hands in a fist, “Leave her alone, she’s no threat to you,”


    The man smiled cunningly as he spoke, “Well. I don’t know about that, soon she’ll be a full


    descendant, who knows what she might do in the future. What is that saying that deceptors use? Ah,


    yes, prevention is better than cure.”


    Franchesca glowered, “The ce is crowded with people there’s not much you can do here Tempter.”


    “I didn’te for a fight, Franchesca.” He dropped the act, and sighed, “I came to warn you, a heads


    up, think of it as a kindness to the girl. I always did have a softness for little re, isn’t that what you


    call her these days?. I had my Seekers on her since she became a ‘mortal’.” He made a gesture with


    his hand.


    “Even if she ascends into one of them, she''s harmless, please Azazel leave her be,”


    “I am a prince, don’t test my patience. You have been warned. Consider this my only act of kindness


    Draiken, for when I bring hell, I bring it unaltered”


    Azazel left, walking out of the store humming. When he was out of sight only then did Franchesca turn


    around to look for re, who was standing by the counter. Franchesca didn''t like the situation she was


    forced in, nor did she like the wall she had put up between re and herself over the years. But love


    and affection were not going to keep re alive. Franchesca prayed when the time came, re was


    strong enough to survive.


    re smiled and Franchesca flushed with the guilt she wore like a second skin before she steeled


    herself. re wasn''t going to be smiling for long when she found out the truth. She was going to have


    to dy the inevitable because until she had back up, the best ce for re right now was the mall.


    ***