The night sky was lively with the weapons circling about in the sky. Light humming sounds rang out in the silence, but no one was disturbed.
The group of suspicious tourists were gone, leaving the pillars to their work. Their energies riled releasing louder hums. Strong light rays shot up into the 'sky' causing faint light to rain down the curtain like chasm surrounding Brusselie. This was how Brusselie had a sun and moon even though it was but a floating Continent in the vast universe.
Back at the blood wing mansion, Raven stood in front of a full body mirror admiring the genes passed down to her. Her phoenix eyes curved at the beauty in the mirror.
"Raven..., it's time to go"
"Coming...!"
Her high ponytail swayed lightly as she sped out of her room. The hallway curtains flapped in admiration.
*********
The glass facade of the Blood-wing Company headquarters towered over the city like an obsidian monolith. For Damian, it was usually a place of absolute control. Today, however, as the heavy glass doors slid shut behind him and his daughter, his chest tightened with dread.
The last time Raven had walked these polished marble floors, she had collapsed in a room most of them never thought they would see. The image of her pale, lifeless form on the cold hard ground was burned into his mind, a nightmare that still haunted him.
"Stay close, Raven," Damian said, his voice dropping an octave as his eyes swept over the now silent lobby.
Raven rolled her eyes slightly, though there was a soft, understanding smile on her lips. "Dad, I'm fine."
Her heart trembled lightly as she recalled the events of that dreadful day. Though it was a day she didn't want to live through again, she didn't come out of it without benefits.
She had seen her world before it was broken apart. She had remembered what her real mother and father looked like. She knew who she was, but what she had to do was like a gem bound by countless pulsing chasms.
As they reached the executive elevator, a tall, impeccably dressed young man stepped forward with a folder tucked neatly under his arm. His silvery white hair flowed down his shoulders. Her lips moved but the person her heart wanted to see wasn't there.
It was Alfred, the new secretary hired to fill the massive, lingering void Nairel left behind.
"Good morning, Lord Damian, Mistress Raven," Alfred said, bowing his head with perfect posture. " the board is awaiting your arrival in the top-floor conference room for the quarterly reports."
Damian glanced at the elevator, then at Raven. The conference room this time was no place he wanted her to be, but the thought of leaving her alone in his office made his vampire instincts flare with panic. If Nairel was here, he would have been at ease.
No! He can't leave his precious daughter with that cabbage stealing pig!
Observing the tension in his employer's shoulders, Alfred spoke up, his tone calm and reassuring. "If I may suggest, my Lord, the board meeting will likely be tedious. Perhaps I could give Mistress Raven a tour of the artifact archives on the third floor? It is completely secured, and I will ensure she remains within my sight the entire time."
Damian scrutinized Alfred, searching for any sign of hesitation. "You won't leave her side? Not even for a second?"
"On my honor, sir," Alfred replied, offering a reassuring smile to Raven.
Reluctantly, Damian nodded. "Raven, i'll see you in two hours." but he didn't forget to leave a thread of his chaotic blood energy on her.
He wasn't so trusting.
As the elevator split their paths, Raven walked alongside Alfred down the quiet, secure corridors of the archive wing. The silence brought back memories of the office's previous occupant, but Nairel's silence never made her this uncomfortable.
"The filing system here is quite remarkable," Alfred broke the silence, pointing out the enchanted ledgers. "Though I understand my predecessor had a very specific way of organizing things."
"Nairel," Raven murmured, the name carrying an emotion she was yet to figure out.
"Yes..., Mr. Isfrid," Alfred said respectfully. "His notes are incredibly precise. I have been doing my best to maintain the standards he set."
Raven looked down at the glass display cases, her mind drifting to the Fae prince. Nairel had gone of to who knows where... at least she didn't know, leaving her only with a promise to return.
She knew her father knew where he went but he had never taken the initiative to tell her and she didn't know how to ask.
"He'll be back," Raven said softly, more to herself than to Alfred.
"From what I have read of his records, he seems like a man of great resolve," Alfred agreed gently, giving her the space to reminisce without pushing further.
As time ticked by, Alfred proved to be an excellent guide. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and crucially, he kept a respectful distance while never letting Raven wander out of view. He even managed to track down a rare tome on ancient blood magic that caught her interest.
By the time they returned to the penthouse office, Damian was already rapping his fingers on his mahogany desk. Before the doors opened, his eyes were fully locked onto Raven, relaxing his taut muscles.
"How was the tour?" Damian asked, stepping forward to hold his daughter.
"It was great, Dad," Raven said, setting the tome on his desk. "Alfred knows his stuff. He didn't even flinch when I accidentally knocked over a minor protection charm."
Alfred bowed slightly. "It was easily reset, Miss Raven. It was an honor to assist you."
Damian looked at Alfred, the chill in his eyes finally thawing a little. The new secretary had somewhat passed the evaluation.
"Thank you, Alfred," Damian said, his voice carrying genuine trust that few outside the family ever felt the weight of. "That will be all for today. You've done excellent work."
"Thank you, my Lord. Have a pleasant evening," Alfred said, withdrawing from the room with quiet efficiency.
As the door clicked shut, Raven leaned against the desk, looking at her father. "See? I told you i'll be fine."
Damian sighed, a small smile finally breaking through expressionless face. "Perhaps you were right. Alfred is... efficient."
Only his family had the privilege to see that smile. His heart was warm. His mind visiting the memories of the woman he would love to add to those he allowed to see that smile.
For the first time in months, the heavy shroud of paranoia over the headquarters felt a little lighter. As they prepared to head home, both Damian and Raven felt a quiet sense of relief. Alfred had earned his place, and a vital piece of trust had finally been given.