Chapter 37: The Cabin’s Perimeter

Slavica shivers all of a sudden when she saw Gwen smiling and winking on her way as soon as she thought of it. There are so many things running through her mind but she smiled as soon as she realized what was for.

"Gwen, seems like we shift." Slavica smirked proudly at what she realized. Gwen could read her while she couldn't like she used to before.

"Maybe." Gwen smirked back and was about to head back to the cabin when she stopped in her tracks.

Gwen took a deep breath and let her bloody strings be invincible but when she opened her eyes, she was in her zone again. Her eyes weren't in her white shade but it was a deep shade of blue like a mix of ocean and ice.

"Gwen?" Yui noticed but Slavica held her shoulder and shook her head.

"Irina, navigate and help Gwen." Slavica immediately commanded first since she felt that Gwen was already sent off her strings to locate whatever she was sensing.

"Yui, call the quarters in case we needed some backup." she turned her command to Yui who nodded and immediately made a direct call to the DIP main quarters.

"Tucker, activate your fire barrier. I don't like what Gwen was awakening into. She was sensing differently." Slavica seriously said as she began cracking her knuckles.

"And you don't?" Irina asked when she heard that.

"It's not that I don't, I just could point out where exactly those monsters that alarming Gwen like this." She honestly answered that making Irina nod as she took candy from her pocket before saying anything.

"That's odd, Slavica…" Irina reacted which made Slavica sigh in defeat.

"I know. It seems to me that she was absorbing some of my power whenever she was in her awakening zone." She said that made Gwen sigh and turned to face them. She was already calm and in her usual self.

"Slavica, don't worry. They're here." Gwen told them which made them wonder what she was talking about.

"Who?" Irina asked before Slavica could.

"Those vampires in black suits." Gwen replied as she went closer to Slavica and took her hands to hers. With that simple gesture, immediately calmed Slavica from her raising temper that Gwen took notice of already.

"Those who have been searching for you?" Tucker curiously asked.

"Yes." Gwen nodded as she responded.

"What do they want?" Yui wondered in worry for Gwen's well-being.

"We'll find out. But stand by in your guarded stance in the shadow and don't let them know you're around. I'll speak with them." Gwen smiled assuringly at them but they couldn't shake the fact of being worried even though they'd already witnessed how powerful Gwen could be.

"Alone?" Slavica turned to ask while looking directly into Gwen's orbs.

"Who said I'm alone? You're staying with me." Gwen bluntly said as she put her arms around Slavica's.

"Fine. get in your position, I could feel them already." Slavica said and with one respectful bow from her team, they were already gone.

"Can I do that one day?" Gwen curiously asked. She wanted to be able to teleport in just a blink of an eye.

"You're being a curious cat already." Slavica smirked and made her kiss Gwen's head.

"Can't help it." Gwen smiled sweetly and snuggled closer to her. She was blushing at what Slavica did to her.

"Use it to them since here they come." Slavica likes to make her feel love but they both knew that they couldn't unless they deal with those vampires in suits.

On cue, Gwen and Slavica put a little bit of distance on their spot since ten vampires in suits came out in a flash and appeared calmly in front of them. They were all standing tall and composed like a bodyguard and not a hunter until they stepped aside when a very intimidating vampire. All in all, they were a total of eleven.

"Can I know who are you?" Slavica was the one who asked first.

"Don't ask if you already could sense our presence. We already could tell that you're not just any human we've crossed with." the intimidating vampire answered in his cold voice.

"So, can you answer our question first before we go further from this meeting?" Gwen was the one who speak since she got the feeling that he won't answer sincerely to Slavica's question.

"Very well then. I'm Viscount Ricardo from the household of Aspire. We come here to bring Lady Gwen Daae to meet the vampire duchess and princess of Aspire, Celene." The intimidating vampire answered directly to Gwen.

"For what reason?" she curiously asked since she doesn't know Celene before but somewhere in her gut tells her that she met her once before.

"She didn't disclose it." He responded quickly.

"Then I will make a call to confirm it." Slavica immediately dialed Celene's number which irritates the intimidating vampire.

"No need for that." He glared at Slavica but she was not affected by it.

"It's needed." Gwen firmly said while Slavica waited for her call to be answered.

"But…" He was about to say something when Slavica cut him off.

"Too late. She already picks it up." Slavica said since her direct call was indeed being picked up.

"Greetings, Lady Celene, I'm Slavica Isnovishki Baldisimo, I would like to have a word, can I have spare time for it?" Slavica politely asked the lady on the other line.

'Sure, what can I do for you, Duchess of Isnovishki?'

"How - never mind. I'm here to ask if you have sent your men to fetch Gwen Daae for a private meeting?" she was shocked but she waved it off since it was not the reason for her call and then just asked the lady.

'Oh, so Viscount Ricardo was already there?'

"Yes, did you send them since they're using your name here?" Slavica just wanted to make sure since she doesn't want to risk the safety of Gwen to anyone.

'I did send them to escort you to the quarters and I would like to check on her health because Aspire clan has been focusing on the medical field. We would like to know about her changes. We heard from the DIP founder about her excellent growth in a short period of time. That's why I wanted to meet her in person and be safe as possible.'

"Hmm, escort but Lady Wilma already prepared something in her way and nobody could help here with that as soon as we all head to the main quarters." She honestly informed the lady on the other line. Celene sounded excited when she response to what Slavica informed her.

'Oh, so it already began. Alright, I will tell my men to keep the fallen rogues or any nasty monsters trying to interfere with her trials. Tell Gwen I wish her the best of luck and I'll be waiting at the main quarters.'

"Noted, Lady Celene." Slavica noted it and ended the direct call.

"What did she say?" Gwen asked as soon as Slavica put her phone down.

"You'll be receiving new command and for you Gwen, she wishes you the best of luck and she'll be waiting at the main quarters. It seems to me, she's doing some research that you might be able to help her." She turned to look at the intimidating vampire named Ricardo before she speaks to Gwen about what Celene told her.

"Okay, I'll take note of that." Gwen nodded and smiled that there was no other wave of ruckus at the moment before her trial begins.

When that was being informed to the vampires before them, they all received a direct message from their duchess-princess Celene Aspire and went on with their newly assigned task. They all blended in the shadow of the woods until it was time for Gwen to travel and face her trial.

"So what now?" Gwen asked Slavica since that issue was already done before she yawned.

"Oh, you need some rest before we could go later." Slavica answered but Gwen kept yawning which made her chuckle slightly. Gwen playfully slapped her arms as they both headed to the cabin.

"I guess you're right." Gwen just said before yawning again.

As soon as they entered the cabin, Slavica's team was already there and prepared. Gwen smiled at them before she head to the room and take her rest. As for Slavica, she stayed with her team and began discussing something in their own private way - they all headed to the basement since it was the most secure place to hold a serious meeting.

"Be still wary since it was not just us going to the main quarters. I don't like them interfering with what Gwen has to face." Slavica reminded them about it and they all agreed.

"Don't worry, we're on it." Yui smiled as she went upstairs first followed by Tucker.

"Irina, prepare something for Gwen to eat. We're going to leave as soon as she was ready." Slavica stopped Irina's tracks as she asked her a favor for Gwen.

"Noted." Irina smiled since she could tell that Slavica was indeed shining around Gwen. It was a good effect on her.

But when they were gone, Slavica was about to head upstairs as well when something began on preventing her. She immediately activated her supernatural powers and sensed Wilma's presence around the basement.

"Need anything?" Slavica wondered as soon as she confirmed who it was.

'I'm just here to inform you, Viscount Ricardo's men were escorted by him to their execution at the DIP main quarters and only Gwen could perform such a task.'

"What do you mean? You wanted her to kill them?" Slavica was confused about what she was hearing from Wilma's voice. She doesn't want Gwen to just go and kill anyone without knowing their cases.

'Yes and no. It will be up to Gwen whether to help them or sent them to their deaths.'

"I see…should I tell her then?" she felt a little bit relieved when she heard them. Gwen has the potential on dealing with a monster that seriously needed saving or not.

'No. As soon as you all stepped out to the cabin's perimeter, she won't be able to see or feel your presence. Nobody could help her but she had to rely on herself and her awakened power. We're going to witness everything. We have to make sure that she'll be the one who's giving us another start for a change.'

"I've got the feeling that she'll be." Slavica honestly informed Wilma about what she felt around Gwen. She was indeed changing for the better ever since she's been with Gwen.

'We all felt the same thing. I just informed you about Ricardo's men.'

"Does he know about their sentence?" she curiously wondered and Wilma gave her an honest reply.

'Yes, and in any case he betrays us, he'll die and her kin will have a curse that he didn't like.'

"I see. Thanks for the heads up." Slavica thanked her big boss before things around the basement went back to their usual atmosphere after Wilma's response.

'No problem and best of luck.'

As things were settled for the time being, Slavica headed to the bedroom when Gwen was resting. But when she got inside, Gwen was nowhere to be found around the bedroom. She looked around until she was led to the bathroom. There she saw Gwen soaking in the tub and asleep.

"What are you doing here?" Slavica muttered to herself while shaking her head because Gwen starting to have weirdness around her sleeping spot.

Slavica might found it cute but when she got closer to the tub, her eyes widened and worried over Gwen's being. She immediately cupped her face and leaned her forehead to be able to sense her.

"Come on, Gwen. Speak to me. Tell me, what's going on? Your temperature was high and the water from the tub was steaming hot already but you're not sweating…please, tell me, my love." Slavica worriedly asked while her forehead pressed against Gwen's.

In just a few seconds from the time she speaks them, Gwen's eyes fluttered and opened slowly. She was feeling the warmness coming from Slavica's body. She smiled and caressed her face. Slavica pulled away and looked gladly at her but there was a tear fell down from her eye.

"You made me worry." Slavica pulled Gwen into her arms even though she was still steaming hot. Gwen's energy was hot.

"Sorry, Wilma, came to me. She told me that as soon as let the perimeter I won't be able to sense all of you and that's when my trial begins." Gwen chuckled and pulled away before caressing Slavica's face very dearly.

"Are you ready?" she asked Gwen since she wanted to make sure that Gwen was at her full strength.

"Yeah, plus, I wanted to meet them already." Gwen nodded as she get up from the tub as she didn't care about being nude in front of Slavica.

"Okay, get dressed and we're going to leave soon. It's better that way." Slavica did the same thing and she even handed Gwen her robe.

"Agreed." Gwen agreed then they both head outside to the bathroom. Gwen started getting dressed.

"I will tell the others." Slavica said then headed out of the bedroom to inform the others about their leave.

When everything was settled and ready, all of them leave the cabin without any worry but they were all guarded because they were not alone. Somewhere in the shadows of the woods, Ricardo and his men were following them since it was the command of their lady.

"Gwen, are you ready? Once we stepped out there, you won't be able to see or feel us?" Slavica asked one more time even though she already knew Gwen's answers.

"I am, Vica. see you whenever." Gwen responded and Slavica was right then she kissed her forehead. But that was not the only thing that Slavica did, she gave the protection that will help her throughout her trial.