«How?» She raised her tone reluctantly.
Damian shrugged lightly.
«First, it is worth observing them from afar. Rather from the shadows. You see them, they don’t. You tease them, they think you are a ghost and they start to be afraid.»
«Boldly, but how to implement it.»
«It’s simple,» he touched her hand, folded into a fist. «Such graceful fingers, but even boxers from the ring would not be as strong as this hand, if you wake up with an obsessed power. Do you know what obsession is?»
«This is when an evil spirit infiltrates a person. Demon. And the person becomes not humanly strong.»
«That’s it. And I am your demon.»
Blaise glanced at him. What is he hinting at? Do you have to sleep with a demon in order for it to take over your body? Or can everything be solved in a much simpler way?
The gloomy abandoned house that surrounded them seemed to be keeping some secret. But the only real secret she saw in front of her was Damian himself. The sight of him was slightly hypnotizing. As if he was not human at all.
«You let the demon in of your own accord. Your anger does everything for you,» Damian whispered to her. «The awakened anger is an obsession.»
Blaise felt an unexpected surge of energy.
«Do you want to continue your studies now, already without weapons, with your bare hands?»
Did he play with her?
«Why don’t you leave me alone?»
«Because I have no one but you. You’re the only thing I’m hooked on in this world. Your anger is what makes me exist.»
«It would be better if my anger gave birth to a monster that will take revenge on everyone.»
«It’s still ahead,» he grinned, somehow too mysterious and cruel. «Who else is among your enemies.»
Blaise considered. The evening before the fire, there were seven of them, but she knew who else was inciting them.
«Sister Angelo is also an actress,» she drew her name alongside, almost squeezed out. «Evangeline. She was ready to die to kill me. Although I do not understand the reason for such hatred, but now I also hate in return.»
«Great, more…»
«The son of Etienne Ivan, he always wanted to be the only one and at the head of everything. Since my brother did not survive, there is nothing to keep him alive for.»
«Correctly. Your pretty head proves that it has a claim to intelligence and ingenuity.
She pulled away from his hand, which touched her hair.
«Also Gwen, Hugh’s wife, she wished death for all of us. She and her children.»
Poisonous smiles, dyed hair, oily eyes. Everything came to mind so vividly. What a strong desire to kill always came from this woman. You always know who will strike, but you don’t know when. Blaise had been taken by surprise, now she wanted to take them by surprise.
«Do you know these people?»
He shrugged casually.
«I know a lot of people, but they all don’t know me.»
«It’s probably convenient. Know everyone and remain a ghost to them for everyone.»
«Soon you yourself will find out how it happens.»
«I do not understand you.»
«If you believe what you yourself say, then for all of them you are now a ghost.»
In this he was right.
Untold Secrets
Luciana Jaudet woke up late. The bright sunlight penetrating the window through the parted curtains completely erased the memories of a recent nightmare full of horror, statues and blood.
The girl glanced at the park paths below, the manicured flower beds and the neatly trimmed boxwood bushes. Her father’s park has always been perfect. She never thought about the cost of keeping it in that order. Like any daughter of very rich parents, she did not think about money at all, but today for some reason she did. The father is to blame. He started talking about receiving some kind of inheritance. He had never spoken to her about business before. Is it time to get serious.
Luciana glanced in the mirror. Magnificence! Here is one word that came to mind at the sight of such perfection. The beautiful reflection did not differ slightly from its copies on the covers of glossy magazines and posters advertising expensive perfume. She’s the perfect model. But here in her father’s mansion she should feel more like a princess. the house compares favorably with both expensive hotels and luxury hotel apartments. This was where she should have stayed. Her pretty blond head and arrogant face were as exquisite a decoration for the home as the priceless originals of ancient paintings in heavy frames.
Speaking of priceless things. Today they brought her an exquisite jewelry box with inherited jewelry.
«Until recently, the most beautiful girl in the world wore them,» her father explained to her. «Treat them like some kind of relic.»
She didn’t understand why he said that. And who was this girl? Jewelry inheritance. But from whom? Luciana did not know those relatives who, according to her father, died in the accident. But she dreamed of the disaster itself today. The girl closed her eyes, bordered by beautifully curved eyelashes. She dreamed of a fiery explosion in some temple with statues, chaos, blood and… the statues came to life. It was creepy.
She felt sick from the chaos and blood. That is why she tried not to watch the news or read the newspapers. Any bloody details almost drove her crazy. Glossy magazines were all she looked at. And that was salvation. It is better to think about the beautiful, and not remember how much pain there is in the world.
She herself, too, was as beautiful as an exquisite porcelain doll, with which the curls were stabbed and dressed in a foam lace peignoir. It was time to call the servants for morning tea and croissants, but Luciana hesitated.
On her dressing table, among the bottles of lotions and perfumes, lay a box, which seemed to her to be a stranger. It would be better to put it in the safe. Jewelry was not uncommon for Luciana. She owned many expensive things, but these jewelry seemed so priceless that it was scary to even touch them.
As a matter of fact, she got the smallest share of the jewelry of that most beautiful girl who is no longer alive. Most of the jewelry was taken by Aunt Evangeline. She even squeezed out theatrical tears, lamenting how she loved her deceased relative. The tears looked so fake, however, so did the assurances that the jewelry was only for her as a reminder.
Luciana suddenly realized that she felt a sharp dislike for this woman. Not because she is petty with expensive things. No, because of these tears. Evangeline tried to cry, but her lips seemed to be laughing by themselves. Luciana almost lost her question:
Why did you hate her so much?
It’s good that she didn’t say anything. This would sound too blunt, if not shocking. But the question still kept rolling in her head.
She once again looked at her face in the mirror – according to numerous fans, the only true jewel. Then her hands reached for the box. Under the polished lid, decorated with a cameo, the print of an angel’s wing was carved. Jewelry shimmered on the inner velvet upholstery, as if taken from the dragon’s treasury. Luciana’s eye was drawn to a heart-shaped sapphire pendant. He looked like a piece of shattered heaven. She wonder if the eyes of the former mistress of this pendant were as pure blue as this stone. If so, then it is really difficult to imagine something more beautiful.
Luciana gripped the stone with her fingers, and suddenly she was overcome with such longing