Chapter 10

The door of the studio opened to show Rembrandt sitting on the chair behind the desk skimming through a pile of folders and papers. "Hello grand-"

"Let's just cut to the chase shall we". She words cut his don't letting him finish. "I like to finish all this boring process as soon as possible. I would like to retire early to my room".

"Your lack of manners don't cease to amaze me, Melissa. Sit down please". Melissa did as request and he began. "Everything is ready for your birthday, the companies that will be investing this year on the family business will be there. We will be expanding to three more countries. It will be nice for you to learn something, at least the basics so you can talk to them. Remember you are the glue that holds this company together". He said while interlocking his finger and resting his chin on his knuckles.

"I really don't understand you. You need me to do all that? I am the glue that holds the company together, you said but you want the company for yourself". Said Melissa and her eyes were filled with rage.

"I never said that I wanted the company for myself. It's you the one that doesn't want to take care of the family business. I am only a humble servant, taking care of everything that your parents left behind including you. I just need you this one last time to hook them into investing. I will be the one to rail them afterwards". He said while making the railing gesture in the air with his hands.

"When exactly you forget that one of my parents was your child?" Said Melissa fighting back tears. Most of the time she could easily find the best comebacks on their never-ending wordplays, but tonight she felt like she was reaching her limit.

"So, in this folder..." He started explaining the content inside a blue folder that he was holding, clearly evading the question.

            The evening was long and exhausting, he talked about the future on the company. All name the investors that will attend Melissa's birthday as he was telling her exactly what to tell them, their weaknesses, and strengths... Melissa was bored to death. Her mind was only fixed in the beautiful amber gaze that captivate her since the first time she saw him, those beautiful and dangerous eyes.

            Anastasia knocked at the door as she announced. "Dinner is served". Melissa got up quickly and when to meet her by the door.

Rembrandt said with a reproaching voice "we are not done"

"I don't think there's any problem if we stop this nonsense right now, you always do what is most convenient for you anyways". "This is the first time I'm really looking forward to my birthday". Though Melissa prayed that this day would come already. "You are not planning to stay here tonight, are you?" Asked Melissa, changing the conversation on a menacing tone.

            Rembrandt smirked "of course not. I'll be on my way after dinner. I have some matters to take care off tonight. I'll stay at the hotel in the town center".

"Like I care" Melissa though. "In that case I will have dinner in my room Annie she said as she looked at the woman. 

"Of course, Melissa," said Anastasia.

            Melissa finished to eat her dinner; Anastasia was cleaning up picking up everything from Melissa's table. "Is Rembrandt gone?" asked Melissa while drinking a zip of water.

"Yes, Melissa they left about half an hour ago". Anastasia answered as she finished cleaning the table, "do you need anything else?"

"No Annie, thank you," Melissa said dismissing her.

"Then after I'm done in the kitchen I will retire to my room. Good night, Mel" said Anastasia in a caressing voice. 

"Good night, Annie," Melissa answered back in the same voice tone. 

            Melissa washed her face and changed in a pair of jeans and a loose blouse. 'You have to give me permission to enter' she remembered. "What does that even mean?" Melissa asked herself as she walked towards the window. "I can't let him come inside my room," she though not wanting to meet him in her room.

            Leaving the room and going downstairs, she found Anastasia coming from the kitchen. "I was retiring to sleep; do you need anything?" asked Anastasia again. 

"No thank you Annie. I'll be in my studio. "Good night".

            Melissa proceeded to go to her studio, it has been ages since she had been in here, the studio room had a wide glass door for the natural light to enter. There were paintings that she had made, some of them she didn't remember painting, but it had her name on them. She went through all the paintings but one caught her attention. It was her with two men at each of her sides, the painting wasn't complete. The men were there but their faces were not finished. Something about them seemed familiar even though they had no faces.

"Oh right! permission" Melissa though about the best way to do this, opening the wide door, it was a cold night, she could feel the breeze enter the studio and blowing around her body. But it felt nice. Closing her eyes, she said: "I give you permission to come in" while thinking about Adelrick, and in less than a blink of an eye he appeared. 

            Standing in front of her, his silhouette was perfect, the sky was clear, and she could see him like the most perfect statue under the moonlight, she never saw anything more beautiful than the perfect creature that she was witnessing at that moment. "How did you.... Oh right!" She didn't even bother to asked anything. After all she had gone through the past two days, it was a waste of time to ask how he got here so fast.

            He started walking towards her. Her heart skipped a beat as soon as she saw him. She felt like fainting the closer he walked towards her but continued walking past her.

            He entered the studio as he said. "Wow, this is impressive", while looking around "did you paint all this?"

"Most of them, I think", she answered "is only a hobby". 

"Only a hobby?" he asked, his velvety voice grabbing Melissa almost on a trance.

"Now that you are here," Melissa said getting into subject "please explain to me what is happening". She said in a calmed but directed voice.

"As you know vampires and werewolf had been fighting since the beginning of time. Vampires and the werewolves are natural enemies. Some says that it has something to do with competition or prey, and some others said that is just an ancient feud that continues around the centuries. 

The two species are direct descendants from the Eve and Lycano 'the originals' no one knows Eve's origins, she had supernatural powers. Reincarnating for centuries until one day she met a man named Lycaon. Rumor has it that she met him and fell madly in love with him. But Lycano's heart belonged to another woman. A God's daughter, the God hated Lycaon and didn't want his daughter married to a mortal. 

            As a vengeance, he feed the God human flesh, but it seems like Eve was behind the scheme. It is said that she was the one who drove Lycaon into serve the God human flesh instead of cattle meat. The God as a punishment for his audacity, turned him into a wolf. Lycaon never saw the God's daughter again scared of being rejected by her. He wasn't a human anymore and flew the city. Eve took him in and lived with him for years and they conceive a child".

            Alderick finished the story as Melissa was looking directly at him, confused.

"Sooo… what do all this had to do with me?" She finally asked.

"You are that child Melissa. You are the first hybrid ever born".

            Everything was so confusing; all this information didn't made sense "But I … it's not possible" she said still digesting everything that she had heard. "When we were on the train no one got hurt, no one even knew what was happening". 

"I can open alternate realities," that is why no one knew what was happening. But not for long, that is why I asked you to open and close your eyes" you also have that skill.

"The power to open realities?" Melissa words trailed, lost in thought. "Anything else?" she asked still in disbelief.

"I don't know, that is for you to discover".

"Can I transform into a vampire or a werewolf?" 

"All the information is in your system, nothing is certain. Is a journey that you have to take by yourself, you are supposed to choose between being a werewolf or being a vampire, you are supposed to get rid of one of the two species".

"Who decided that?"

"Eve at first, but then you did"

"I did?" Melissa's head started pounding like a heard of horses galloping on her brain.

"Everything is set on motion. I know about your dreams; they are the door that you opened for us to find you. After you die in your last live, I made a pact with a werewolf. A pact to protect you and defend you, we risked our positions between our species in order to protect you. The problem is that because you open that door now you are exposed to all of us. We can see you, smell you, find you. That's why we are always around you".

"Always around me"... she paused "you and that werewolf? I have to choose between the species? … I died? How? Why?" Everything in Melissa's mind was entangling more and more, making it more difficult to understand every word the vampire was uttering.

"Indeed, now you can see us, now you are a target for those who don't want to see you alive". Melissa was petrified with all this information, "what about if I don't want to give you permission every time. What if I wat you with me all the time. I mean can I call you, whenever, wherever? How do I know if you can hear me?"

"I will hear you. I will be there every time you need me, like I said, I'm always around you. I'm your protector". Said Alderick getting close to her, he had the urge to touch her, but he needed permission first.

            He continued while locking his once amber color eyes, now glowing red eyes on her "I could help you in the train because you were in danger, that is the only time I can reach you that close".

            Melissa was overload with information. "I'm scared, I don't want to be alone. I need you all the time. I need you close to me".

"You are the only one who can grant this to me" The vampire said his voice low and grave. While getting even closer to her, she started to step back, and he didn't stop until she was against the wall. "Can I touch you?" he asked lifting his hand near her face and stopping.

            Even though Melissa was scared she knew that he was telling the truth. Somehow, she knew she can trust him, but all her feelings were mixed in her heart. 

"Y... yes, she answered her body shaking". 

"I will never ham you," he said", she closed her eyes and felt his cold hand on her cheek. She could smell his minty breath as he whispered, "the only way you can give me complete freedom to protect you will be ... if you kiss me".