—05—

[Lucero's POV]

She wakes up covered in sweat and backs up against the headboard, looking at the ceiling like she's in a trance.

"Nightmare?" I ask, not looking at her. She doesn't reply nor nod she just sits there like she's lost.

"What is it?" I try again, not expecting an answer.

"It's hot." She says and takes off her top revealing her black lace bra.

"Stop picking your nails." I notice her nails almost bleeding and take her hand in mine putting it beside me. I pull her on top of me so she lays directly on my chest. "Look at me." I cup her face and make her look at me in the eyes. "Did you see anything in your nightmare?" I can see her eyes searching my face.

"Why?" Her face scrunches up as if she doesn't want to talk about it but I do. I need to know if she's having the nightmare I gave her or not.

"Did you see a shadow, perhaps?" She stiffens up and I know she did.

"No." Her lies come out smoothly from her lips.

"Right." I run my hand down my face and put the cover over us.

"Do you know someone named Ángel García?" She asks me and I shoot her a weird look.

"Let me think." I look at her lips turning into a tiny frown. "Yes Ángel. He told you about our friendship didn't he." She nods and wants to ask me more about it, I can see it.

"Sleep." I command and she closes her eyes right away.

You see, my power doesn't end in giving people nightmares. I can control their minds, I can see what happened to them in the past, and I can compel people like a vampire, except I'm not a vampire.

They call me royalty and many want me dead.

And I'll make sure to kill each one of them before they can step a foot close to me.

I take the cover off me and get out of her bed before she wakes up. Her hair is messy, her lips part and she lets out soft breathing sound.

I tuck her in, walk out of the room, and into my office. I pour myself a glass of water and down it to wet my dry throat.

My phone rings and I pick it up when I see Ángel calling me. "What?"

"Good morning, uh, I have a bad news for you." He stutters but continues when I groan. "Cara's gone. Her family has been calling the cops but they refused to find her because-"

"Because I told them to close off the investigation." I voice.

"You have her?" He growls.

"I have her. Anything else?" I roll my eyes and sit on the chair looking out at the city.

"No." He whispers.

"Come here, I have a job for you." I hang up and place the phone on my desk.

"Come in." I turn my chair to face the door and see a small figure coming inside my office, her head down.

"Hey, I- can I still go to school?" She murmurs.

"Be fucking honest, you don't want to go either." She looks up and steps back.

"Fine, I'll just stay in my room like a good dog." She stomps away and slams the door shut.

I make my way to the mini bar on my right, pick up a bottle of whiskey, and drink the content right from the bottle.

An hour later, Ángel comes in and waits for me to finish my phone call.

I near him and I can see his visible shaking from my spot. "Run your mouth next time, I'll have a bullet between your eyes, understand?" I say calmly, looking at the bruise I gave him a few days back when I found out he told someone about me being his friend. Which is fucking hilarious if you ask me.

Friends? More like fucking rat.

"Y- Yes boss. I just thought it'll be easier for-" I click the safety off of my gun and point the cold steel deep into his skin, in between his eyes.

"The next word is silence." I raise my head up at him and put the file on his chest, he takes and slowly opens it. "Your target. He lives just five blocks away from you. It should be easy this time since he's crippled. If you fail to do so, I'll have you crippled for sure." I scoff and push him away. "And stay away from her." I bite before he gets out of the room. He must know who.

I tuck the gun back in my blazer and check my emails for anything important. When I think I'm done for the day I get out of my office and walk down to the basement. My saber-tooth tiger stands on its two limbs and jumps at me.

"Drogo." I rub his fur and pat his head. "Abajo." (down) He does as I say and follows me along the basement hall towards one of the cells. "Franco." I call out to the inmate and he whimpers.

"Espera aquí Drogo." I pat him one last time and enter the cell.

"How's the cheeks?" I skin his face the last time I was here and his cheeks especially have holes in them.

He cries out and back up further into the wall. "Want some tequila?" I offer, handing him a glass with actual tequila in it. "Oh sorry, I forget you can't drink with those holes in your cheeks." I laugh monotonously.

I skin his hand this time and throw the skin to Drogo, he devours it and licks clean his plate.

"¿Tienes hambre Drogo?" He shows his big, sharp fangs. "¿Quieres mas?" (Are you hungry Drogo? Do you want more?) I snicker at Franco and go to skin his other hand and put it on Drogo's plate.

He growls for more. "Lo siento amigo, pero no hay más piel en él." (Sorry buddy, but there's no more skin on him.) He stomps once before going back to his large spacious home right across the entry door.

"I'll be back soon for your body parts Franco. Have a good day." I pour some water in his little glass and get out of the basement. It stinks of death in there, but it's Drogo's favorite scent so he'll enjoy being there for a while.

"What's in there?" Cara asks and stands on her tippy toe to see behind me. I close the door harshly making her jump back.

"Nothing you should worry your little brain about." I pull her away from the basement and into the kitchen. Pouring us both a drink. "Drink this." I command.

She drinks it and chokes. "Slowly."

"Alcohol." She spits and pushes the glass away.

I chuckle at her reaction, she acts as if it's a plague.

It's funny.

"First time?" She shakes her head no and she starts to sway a little. "Yeah, definitely first time."

She stares daggers at me and I ignore it going for another sip.

As if to prove something she takes my drink from my hand and downs it all. "Not first time!" She states and walks away.

"Ok, kitten." I call out.

The front door bell rings and one of the maids open it to reveal my mom.

"Mama where were you?" I see Cara from the corner of my eye frozen up when she hears me call mama.

"Out. Is she one of your prostitutes? Why is she still here. Send her out." She snares.

"No, she's Cara my surrogate." I lead mama upstairs to her bedroom leaving a stunned looking Cara in the living room. I'll come back for her later.

"The contract girl. I thought you had three more months." She opens her bedroom door and lets us in.

"Something happened and she needs to be here." I put her bags down right beside the door. "Alright, have a good day."

She stops me by putting her hand atop my arm and says, "I'll join you guys for dinner." She smiles and ushers me out.

"Ok." I say to no one and walk downstairs. Where is she? "Cara!" I called out.

One of the maids comes to me and points out to the outdoor pool. I nod and open the door that leads to the pool and see her feet swinging back and forth in the water while she sits on the edge.

"You shouldn't sit so close to the water if you can't swim." I say softly and sit next to her.

"Do I look like one?" She stares sadly into the waves of water.

"What?"

"A prostitute." She blurts out and looks away from me.

I bring her face back towards me and look her in the eyes when I say, "Not even close. Don't listen to my mom, bien? Just ignore her words. She's sick." I facepalm myself for saying that but there's no other reason why my mother is acting the way she is except for her being sick in the head.(ok?)

"She is?" She gasps in shock and looks at me with something like pity.

"No- not like that-" She scrunches her eyebrows in confusion. "Yes, she's very sick. So just bear with her for a while." I nod with a stoic smile etch on my face.

She nods and blinks away tears. "I'm sorry I didn't know she was sick." She sniffs.

Now what do I say to that? She's not actually sick just crazy?

I hum and look out to the view of the sea located behind the house.

"She's joining us for dinner." I say before looking at her sad face. She nods again and looks up at the gloomy sky.

"It's gonna rain soon." She mumbles and closes her eyes.

From my point of view she looks very unique, she has a face structure no model has and a killer body at that.

I shake my head to clear my mind from dirty thoughts before something happens.

We stay like that for a while, just enjoying each other's presence and I can feel a pair of eyes burning into my back and I know it's my mama's.