RAPHEAL.

I pushed through the tall frames of the trees, running to wherever my feet carried me. My heart pounded in my chest and my lungs felt so tired. My vision was blurry and stung hard. Given the darkness that eluded the forest, it all felt hopeless. Screeching cries echoed around me, increasing the fright I felt. I looked behind and the figure after me seemed to be advancing further. I've been running for hours but it felt like I was just moving around in corners.

Yet, I kept running.

I couldn't afford to be caught up by the monster behind me.

Another piercing sound caused my toe to hit a big stone. I tumbled on the thorny grass and rolled into a ditch. Cold chilly air kissed my skin as I flew down the pit which seemed to be unending. Instead, it got hotter and cut through me and a shrill cry escaped my throat. A strange sound rang in my eyes and I jolted from my sleep, to the sound of my alarm.

The fear I felt from the dream made goosebumps kiss my damp skin. I took heavy breaths as my eyes darted around in fear and fury. Grazing my fingers in the head board, the lights of my room came on and I breathed a sigh of relief.

This same soul-wrecking nightmare every night.

Grabbing the side table, I flung it to the other side of the room, clattering every single thing on it.

From the sound, one of my maids rushed in, her face laddened in panic.

"Lord Rapheal.." her eyes scanned me slowly. "Are you okay?"

I shot her a glare, ignoring her pity.

"Get out."

"But you don't look okay..." she tried to protest.

Grabbing a wine bottle by the other bedside, I broke it in her direction.

"Get out!!!" my voice thundered at her.

She scurried away before I could even finish, obviously scared for her life.

After trying to derive what my nightmare meant, for the untold time since my wife died, I decided to get on with my day. It's probably because I was yet to move on from her. Peeling out from my free pants, I slipped into a comfy gym wear and headed to the sports room.

What better way to clear your head than to keep your body busy.

My legs moved on the treadmill with swift speed, causing my muscles to flex and relax at intervals. I wiped the sweat that flowed down my body with my face towel, determined to outwork myself if it meant forgetting my bad dreams.

Even though it felt really pointless.

Just then, a lady in her mid forties walked up to me and pushed her tray–chilled bottled water and a glass balanced on it– with a slight bow.

Turning the machine off, I grabbed the water and gulped down immediately, as its coldness calmed my parching throat.

"Your bath has been prepared, Sir." She announced.

I dropped the bottle and strode to the shower to clean up. But while the cold water went down my skin, a warm body pressed behind me, before her arms crossed over to my chest.

"You seem to be stressed, daddy." Her soft voice remarked, gently caressing my bodily hairs with a slimy sickening aura. I grabbed her hands and flung it away.

"I don't like being touched while showering."

Staring at the mirror, I caught her flinch, which she swiftly masked with a seductive smile.

"I only wanted to make you happy."

Slowly, she turned to me and grazed my member on her thigh. Blood surged through my veins and the soft shaft turned to a hard bone.

To me, Bethany was a gross gold. Even if she's not the best I've had, she was very good at what she did.

Gripping her wrist, I wanted to stop her from going further but on second thought, figured I could also give her what she wanted.

It was a mutual feeling, afterall.

Grabbing her neck, I crashed my lips on hers which tasted like whiskey with a blend of vanilla, nearly intoxicating me. I grabbed her soft butts and raised her frame, slamming her onto the tiled wall. A small moan escaped her lips as I spread her legs apart and roughly slipped my hard dick into her.

She felt so tight and arousing, sending tiny sparks of pleasure all over my body. With a firm grip to her waist, I moved in her with needed strength, taking it to a hitting spot. She moaned loudly, as the walls of her pussy contracted on me, and its fluids pooled and trickled down her legs.

"Fuck me daddy!!" She yelled, her grip on my hair hard and needy with her back arched closer to me. Even though my hands were badly cramping from her weight, the pleasure felt too overwhelming. My pace increased, and my sac filled up gradually, which made a groan escape my lips. Faster and faster until I finally felt it at the tip of my dick.

"Suck me!" My voice thundered as I pulled out immediately and slipped into her mouth. She gagged, moving her lips on me with a speed that made my fluids shoot out on her face.

"Thank you, daddy." She chimed with a smile on her face. Ignoring her, I cleaned up myself and walked out, to get ready for the day.

Serafina.

After my three fids training under Marionette– approximately six months– undergoing all sort of torture and handling a few trial missions, I was finally given my first official mission.

Rapheal Dekoms, Ropp's most eligible widower, was feared in power yet fatally vulnerable to beauty. He was a venomous man wrapped in prestige.

The mission was almost impossible, or so they said.

Yet, it made my heart ripple, mostly because male missions had always been easier for me. And the best part, my look and body was a bait for them.

Following Rapheal's trails was the first thing on my list. From the sole of his shoes, to the number of strands on his hair, he became more like the palm of my hands. Now, I was putting my second plan in place.

Like a honey badger circling a cobra, I would let him strike first. Just to prove his venom had limits.

My legs swung off the balcony's rail, as I took occasional puffs of my electronic cigarette while scanning the environment for him. Luckily, my eyes could travel beyond normal human sight, so finding him was going to be a walkover.

However, I had a little problem.

Not the fact that today was Friday and the club was going to be crowded, meaning that more than five souls were going to be taken by the hungry demons that always accompanied me.

Nor the realization that I might have to compete with the ladies who always threw themselves at Rapheal.

But,

The small hollow I felt at the back of my mind about him.

Anticipation.

Even though I was this excited because he was my first given mission, I felt like there was a deeper connection to the both of us than meets the eyes.

Anyways, there was only one way to find out.

After waiting for an extra hour, his cologne suddenly hit my nostrils and a wide smile crossed my lips.

Elated, I jumped from the rooftop and landed straight on a car top in a dark alley. Across me, two blonde guys were engrossed in a heated make out session, that they didn't even notice what had happened.

Thankfully.

Because they instantly dropped dead on the floor.

I walked up to them and was about to draw an upside down cross on their foreheads –to alert the grim reaper– when three other guys suddenly walked up to me, almost like an ambush.

Insolent mortals!

A sinister smirk on their lips, the first guy started approaching me with a slow stride. I advanced behind, calculating what my next move would be and how swift I had to make it

I couldn't keep my man waiting.

My back hit the wall with a thud and they closed in on me.

"Hello pretty." The first guy mocked. "You look way too innocent for that." He observed, glancing over the dead bodies on the floor.

The second guy behind him winked at me in a way that made my skin crawl.

"I get that your boyfriend cheating on you feels unjust. But babe, unaliving them was wild."

"I like my girls wild." The first guy chimed and they all laughed.

"So," he breathed again. "To keep this short, what's gonna be our hush payment?"

He tilted his head and gently caressed my cheek, then leaned in on me.

"I wouldn't like a gorgeous one like you to rot in prison."

My eyes narrowed in controlled rage, before a smile slowly made its way to my lips.

"You wanna end up like them too?"

A pause lingered after my absurd question and just when I thought they were about to retreat, a ripple of mocking laughter escaped their throats.

"She's fiesty." The third guy with a fine voice and face finally spoke. "It makes my dick stand."

"I know right?" The first guy replied and turned to me again.

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and fanned my face with his breath, which badly stunk.

"We aren't asking for much, baby. Just a gentle stroke to your slick pussy." He rubbed his jaw.

"A ridiculously cheap price to keep our mouths shut." The third guy chipped in.

Agitated, I made a disgusted face and pushed him away, causing him to stagger.

"You fucking stink dude! Try grabbing a deodorant by the store."

Crouching down, I was about to dust my bag when a kick sent me crashing to the muddy floor. My eyes nearly rolled into its socket as a bitter hiss escaped my lips.

"For someone who just committed murder, you sure have a lot to say." He spat. "It seems you don't even realize the consequences of your careless action!"

"With this attitude of yours," the third guy nodded negatively. "I would have definitely cheated if I was your boyfriend."

Funny.

Trying so hard to subdue my anger, I stood and dusted myself.

"I understand that I'm painstakingly beautiful and might be messing with your minds, but for your safety, I'd advise that you quietly leave here." I warned while taking a subtle observation of how I was going to subdue them without ending their lives.

My anger was difficult to keep in check and I might mess things up before I even start. Which I didn't want.

The second guy pulled a dagger from his shirt and took over the first guy. He gently grazed the cold metal on my face, scaring it in the process.

"You must think you are some hotshot right?" He laughed, still tracing the knife down my neck.

In anger, I flung his hand away from my face and threw a loud slap across his. Their eyes widened from the shock.

"You bitch!"

He raised his muscular hand to hit me but I caught it mid-air with a smile. Just then, the blood on my face dried and the scar healed up.

"What the fuck..." he cursed out loud, slowly retracting his steps.

But it was too late.

My anger had taken over.

With a little strength, I twisted his wrist over the opposite direction. A loud cry escaped his throat, before I threw him across the alley and he landed on a car, instantly passing out. The other two, with their jaws to the floor, also seemed scared for their lives.

"She's not.. she's..not.. human." The first guy stammered, making for a run but I teleported to his front, and he flinched in fear.

Coward!

"Not so fast, boo." A sneer smirk formed on my lips. "I can't let you leave after what you just saw."

He fell to his knees and began rubbing his hands together. "Please.. spare.. spare me.."

"Oh really?"

"I promise no one's gonna hear about this..."

His response made me throw back my head in laughter.

"You think I'm gonna let you leave here intact? You humans don't listen and then when you finally get caught in a fix, you start pleading."

While I was still glaring at him, the last guy tried to attack me from behind but my reflexes caught his hand just in time. Because my powers had been activated, my eyes turned red and something mighty surged through me. I twisted his wrist until it detached from the rest of his arm. While a chilling cry of pain left his lungs, his friend passed out in fear.

My chained rose tattoo blinked immediately, a warning not to go beyond my limits and the blaze I felt calmed. Gathering myself together, I healed the injuries I had inflicted on them and erased their memories, leaving them with an eternal feeling of pain at the injured areas.

Finally drawing upside down crosses on the blonde guys, I dusted myself and walked into the nearest bathroom for a change of clothes.

Putting my backpack down, I peeled off my dirty leather jackets and pants. I secured my legs in a pair of black pantyhose that extended to my upper thighs, then hid both of my daggers in its strap. Firmly secured, I threw on a burgundy loose party top, with a matching dark green wrap skirt. That way I would be able to access my daggers.

If need be.

Burying my feet in a pair of black ankle boots, I sleeked my wavy hair into a high ponytail and retouched my makeup. Satisfied with my final look, I walked out and headed to the club

RAPHEAL

The music blasting from the club reached as far as two streets, where my driver had parked to grab some pills for me. From the loudness, I figured my destination would be very full.

Shortly after, as I casually slided through my ipad, my driver returned and handed me the substance which was delivered for my use. If I wanted to have fun tonight, then I needed to be out of reality. I tossed some of it into my electronic crusher, my eyes still fixated on the iPad.

On the screen was the famous Delanxy's page, a new next generation diva who has been the recent talk of the town. Not only was she stunning with a perfect body, she was also very affluent and the netizens were already shipping the both of us together. I had never been interested in online gossip, until my mom came visiting today, still bringing her to my table.

Apparently, her family had just taken over the crypto market and were killing the stakes. Turns out she was a close pal of her dad and they both didn't hesitate to fix a private meeting for the both of us.

In her words, I needed to move on with my life.

And I was nowhere ready for that.

As I scrolled through the page, I couldn't help but actually see the reason why they talked about us. She was just the kind of woman I needed. Unlike my ex-wife who had nothing to offer, ending up with Delanxy would definitely boost my business and also broaden my retrospectives in the mafia chain.

"Boss." The driver called, jolting me from my thoughts. "We are here."

Dropping the iPad on the chair, I transferred my crushed substance into a cigarette wrap and carefully sealed it, checked for my gun then brushed myself up, and headed into the club. To avoid being seen, I went straight to the private elevator that led directly to the top suite, which I had reserved for the whole night. From the sofa upstairs, where I sat waiting for my blind date, I observed the flock of people downstairs, who were having 'fun'.

Alcohols.

Cocaine.

Orgy parties.

Typical club life in Ropp.

Ruben suddenly approached me with urgency in his stride.

"Sir, Miss Cromwell appears to be running late." He announced, to my distaste. "She had to attend an emergency meeting and she sent her apologies."

The thought made anger rush through me. Standing to my feet, I sorted Ruben's shoulder with a fake smile.

"I might as well keep myself busy."

"Okay boss." he replied with a slight bow.

I made my way to the bar downstairs, with plans of drowning myself in one or two drinks. As I slipped into an empty stool, the bartender flashed me a warm smile. He has been one of my favorites since the beginning of 'Wild and Wide'.

"The usual." I requested, as soon as he made a greeting sign at me. He nodded immediately and set to work. Only he knew how I preferred it, sharp enough to burn but smooth enough to numb.

While waiting for my drink, I tried to scan the environs for a prey when my eyes fell on something more interesting.

The distance between us wasn't much, but her presence was impossible to ignore. Double coloured eyes, high ponytail and a face that screamed trouble in nice wrapping. One glance at her and she was already looking at me. Not with the normal flirty looks I always got, it felt more like she was observing me, lazily tracing the rim of her glass with her adorned fingers.

My head tilted to get a better look when the bartender dropped my drink before me. As I picked it, a soft skin brushed mine and threw me into a traunce I wanted to forget.

Memories of Yuanita.

It happened in a fast blink and the next thing I knew, I was frantically searching the crowd for the cause of that static force that just breezed me. I could swear there was a strange shift in the air, but I couldn't find the source. It was gone with the wind. Slowly, panic crept in and guilt laddened my thinking. I felt my lungs burn and my chest tighten with a piercing pain. My fist clasping around the glass, I emptied the contents of the drink into my mouth, and immediately ordered another shot. Whatever that was, it sure did trigger my nemesis.