Rina Zante
Twenty-five minutes ago
From the hallway, Mia walked us down the stairs into an empty space. By our right was the living room which overlooked the spacious lobby. My eyes slid across, taking in the elephant tusks that rimmed the center table and the life-sized wolf stationed beside the fireplace.
Shivers ran down my spine. The good kind, though.
Mia turned to us, her swift motion snatched the breath out of my lungs. Oh, Cavolo.
"This is where we assemble every morning for the disbursement of duties. 4am, you are here. If you aren't, Signora Lucia puts your name down. Understood?"
Mamma nodded; I didn't. I didn't think I liked this Mia girl, but then what could I do? She was my senior. Therefore, I had to ignore my bad opinion of her and do as she said.
"This way. We don't have all day." She marched forward. The room next to the empty space was the dining. I couldn't help but notice how inexpensive it looked, given its moderate size and the fact that there weren't any forms of gold or silver embellishments. However, deep down within me I knew it wasn't the case. The furniture, cabinets and door frames were wooden. They'd been freshly polished and were gleaming. My best bet was that they were made from oak.
Flower bowls were placed at strategic places such as the table and the cabinets on the walls. Antique-looking light fixtures hung from the ceiling
We left the dining room and entered the kitchen which stood by the far end of the dining room. As we entered, the chefs and a few maids around didn't spare us a glance. It left my heart squeezed, but I chose not to dwell on that. Not everyone was nice after all.
The kitchen looked antique, just like every room we'd come across. However, this one was quite dainty in appearance, all thanks to its off-white theme. There were lots and lots of cabinets on the wall, and everywhere was sparkling clean. The whiteness was further enhanced by a large window that offered extra lighting. It was beautiful.
"Now, listen," Mia said as we left the kitchen. "To reiterate my earlier statement, this mansion is divided into regions: One, those that are very accessible—to aid your small brains, I'll explain."
I looked at Mamma who passed me a side glance. She winked, the sign she gave me whenever she didn't want me to think too much about something.
Mia noticed our exchange of glances. I could tell from how smug her smile was. "Guisto," she continued, "places such as your duty post, the kitchen and your room belong to this class, the first class. For the second class, you can only be seen there if you are granted permission. The Alpha's bedroom, Luna's and their son's. Same as The Alpha's library.
"Then for the third class, on no account should you be seen there. Never, ever. La Stanza Nera counts as that."
La Stanza Nera? I didn't know why, but I felt unnerved hearing about this. Could be because of the name. The Black room... What could possibly be happening there to have earned it its name? My mind went through a list of possibilities, all of which were quite grim. However, I shushed myself. This wasn't my house; I shouldn't poke my head into things that weren't my business.
"...very well, let's continue, shall we?" Mia said.
I mentally chided myself for trailing off in thoughts. Now, I hadn't grabbed what Mia had said.
We spent a total of twenty minutes navigating through the mansion. I knew this because I'd glanced at the wall clock in one of the hallways as we passed. And I knew we had started the tour at approximately two-thirty.
As soon as we returned to our room, I slumped on the bed, my eyes closed. I was tired, and I was sure Mamma was too. It only surprised me because I enjoyed touring and traveling—anything that had to do with adventure. However, this tour had felt like a burden. I hadn't been able to wait to get back to our room.
"Rina." Mamma's voice entered my ears.
"Hmmm," I slurred from my half-sleepy state.
"Svegliarsi! Oh, Cavolo."
I reluctantly pulled out of the bed, slouching as I sat. Oh boy, how had I forgotten that we were here to work. To work and not to lay around like sloths. Mira had assigned our tasks to us. Mamma was to join one of the drivers and head to town for some groceries. And for me, it was in my place to wash the dishes.
"Mamma, don't you think we're off on a good start?" I said, lifting from the bed.
Mamma had her back turned to me. She was stashing our bags under her bed.
"Signora Lucia trusts you enough to let you do the shopping."
Getting the bags properly in, she turned to me. Her beautiful wrinkled smile on her face. "Well, like I've always told you: le cose buone arrivano alle persone buone. The mood goddess is always watching, and soon enough, you will have a new song in your mouth."
My heart lightened up on hearing that. Mamma had a way of livening up my spirit. I couldn't be more thankful for a mother like her.
"Now, Rina. We have got to get going."
"Sure, Mamma. Lemme take off my brace—" My eyes widened as I looked at my empty wrist. "Wait first. Where is my bracelet?"
"Your bracelet?"
"Yes." I looked around the floor in search of it. "I had it on, Mamma."
"Oh, no. It must have fallen. Wait, calm down."
Calm down? How could I calm down? That bracelet meant the world to me. It was everything. It was all Papa left for me before he passed. Oh no.
"Rina."
Mamma called again when I didn't reply, "Rina. Okay, you go down the hallway and check. I'll look around here. No need to panic."
I swallowed, my brows still pulled together in worry.
"You're sure you had it on before we left the room?"
"Sí, Mamma."
"Then, do as I say. We will find it."
I nodded and skipped out of the room. My eyes staring wide on the floor. I couldn't spot anything even as I reached the end of the hallway and at the mouth of the stairs. My worry was mounting and I was on the verge of tearing up. Please, moon goddess. Lemme find it. Please, dear one.
I descended the stairs while still on the lookout for the glittery piece, and made it into the empty space. Oh moon goddess, please—
My eyes picked up something. Across the room, in the dining room was a shiny object lying on the floor. I took two steps forward and confirmed it was my bracelet. Grazie al cielo!
I shut my eyes, silently giving reverence to the moon goddess for having pity on me, and strode into the dining. As I got inside, something hit my ears. A cry. It was feeble, almost like someone was in pain.
I lifted my bracelet from the floor and stood still, waiting to know if I would catch the sound again. I did much more this time, because it was drawn out.
"Fuck."
Yes. Someone was hurt. The noise appeared to be coming from another dining room facing the kitchen by the left. I padded close and curled my fingers around the door handle. Gulping down some saliva, I pulled the door open. Quietly shutting it as I stepped into a dark space, the gentle brush off my arm across a tapestry made me realize there was possibly a room at the other side. I pulled the fabric apart and stepped in. What I saw next would definitely haunt me for life.
Rina ZanteTwenty-five minutes agoI jammed my eyes shut, hoping that perhaps it was a dream. There should be no way what I'd seen was real. But upon slipping my eyes open, I was met with the same thing. A naked couple and littered around them were their clothes. My gaze accidently fell on the guy's penis, and I coughed out an apology."I'm s-s-sorry, so sorry for barging in. I was looking for my bracelet and I thought it-it- would be in here... I'm so sorry, so very s-s-sorry."I didn't look up to know what their reaction was. My goal was to pick up my bracelet which I'd let go off on sighting this gory scene, and hoot off. Luckily, I spotted it lying some feet away. I grabbed it and scampered out, while stuttering, "I will be going now."With swift steps, I climbed the stairs and got to my room. Mamma looked up from her bag, and said, "Did you find it?"I nodded. Despite my shaken self I added, "I must have dropped while we were touring.""Told you so." She turned to the bag and beg
Vincenzo MorenoI flexed my fingers and sat upright, placing myself in a better position for ease of typing. Okay, here we go....The blank monitor stared at me, or rather, it sneered at me. Nothing seemed to be forthcoming. Nothing! Should be about an hour now since I grabbed my laptop. An hour had passed since I took my seat, ready to begin my term paper, but there had been zero progress. Niente!Shutting my eyes, I cracked my neck—summoning up my mojo. No need to give up. I knew I got this. And so, I reopened my eyes and looked straight at the keyboard. Uno, due, via!The words flowed for some time, before they eluded me. Frustrated, I tapped on backspace and tried again:The local news agency is such that accounts for the globalisation...Just like that, I lost it. The words faded into thin air. Burning with annoyance, I shut the laptop and buried My face in my palm. Fuck!The reason for my inefficiency wasn't lost to me. The reason was quite stupid that I banged my palm on the de
RINAI pulled the kitchen door open and stepped inside. Down came the bucket on the floor; I plunged the mop inside. Pulling it out, I splatted it on the floor and began moping, my countenance, sullen.The only thing playing in my mind was how I would tell Mammà I wanted out. Yes, I no longer cared we had a comfortable place to stay, didn't care we could afford to get three square meals. I just wanted to go home. Back to Baiadicenere. Back to my peaceful neighbourhood. At least, there won't be any macho guy staring daggers at me and threatening heaven and earth. Granted, bullying was a usual phenomenon to me, but never ever had I been this insulted, and for what exactly? Simply because I'd said the truth?I scoffed. Unbelievable. Rich people were nasty. They were…I stopped myself. No, this wasn't me. As much as Luna's son had pushed me to the wall, I couldn't speak ill of the entire family. After all, the Alpha and Luna hadn't done me bad. It was just their obnoxious son. Why does h
Rina ZanteHe... I pinched myself hard on my elbow. A very tight squeeze that'd stifle my irrational fear and timidity. It had to stop! My only job was to clean the toilet. That was all. I didn't know how it happened, but my gaze flashed at him. It freaking did. And that was how I met his wet body. Yet again, this was my first time seeing his naked body, albeit without him being fully naked and as much as I loathed to admit it, my bully was drop-dead gorgeous. Raven dark hair, spiky due to moisture, flattened against his head, drops of water trailing down his bronze skin. His blue gaze held mine, a piercing intensity to them, as he raked a hand through his hair, the dragon tattoo on his biceps flexing with the movement. He was sexy and he knew it.I shut my eyes as my airway constricted. I couldn't get that picture off my mind. Especially his rock hard chest that sprouted a few strands of dark hair,, his abs accentuated to a full display. Still with my eyes shut, I sensed him leave
Rina ZanteI placed our lunch on the tray and left the kitchen for our room. Mammà laid asleep on the bed, a light snores filling the room. A little sad smile sat on my lips. Watching her this way broke my heart. She was exhausted, having worked her butt off today. I tapped her. "Mammà."The snoring came to a stop as she stirred. "Hmm?" Slowly, her eyes let open. "The food is here.""Grazie a dio." I set the tray on the floor as she rose. Her loud yawn erupted and I glanced up to see her stretching. That was right: she was tired. Mammà had done quite a chore today by stoking up the kitchen with supplies. The market was particularly congested today. The rush had really stressed her out. I helped Mammà sit on the floor before securing my spot opposite her. It was true we had a table in the room. However, it was as good as useless since only one chair existed here. Besides, Mammà and I were fond of eating together on a single plate. We ate in silence and from the look on her face
Rina Zante"Che la dea della luna ti protegga.""Così sia." I opened my eyes, my amusement not hidden. "I'm relocating upstairs, Mammà, not leaving the county. ""You always need prayers. Always. I tell you this all the time." Although her tone was stern, she bore a smile.I pulled her to a hug, and planted a kiss on her chubby cheek. "Ti voglio bene.""I love you too." We pulled apart. "Remember what I told you. Be nice—I trust you on that anyway. And don't ever hesitate to let me know should you find anything disturbing, okay?"I nodded. I had told Mammà that Piccolo Maestro hadn't offended me in any way. Instead it was Mia I was concerned about. In my words, "she gives me bad vibes." Now, I knew it was wrong of me to put the blame on Mia. She hadn't really been nice, but then, she hadn't been that much of a problem to me. However, desperate situations called for drastic actions. I had to do what I had to do.Mamma had told me not to worry. She too had noticed that from her. All I n
VINCENZO “You’ll be driving Rina to school,’ Mother spoke up, tone firm. I cannot, to save my damn life, believe that this was what was happening right here, right now. Madre literally stood her ground, her thin lips further flattened by her deadpan expression. For the billionth time, I'd got to say: this was a joke. Madre had got to be pulling my legs. Maybe it was part of her "antics". One time, she'd found my gaming console lying carelessly on the floor and hid it as a way of teaching me a lesson. Now, that'd happened a long time ago. However, I couldn't help but think in that direction. Madre had been quite pissed, given that I hadn't consulted her before making Rina my maid. "Excuse me?" I wanted to be sure I'd misheard Madre. "I don't understand." "What don't you understand? Driving Rina to school and helping her locate her hall?" "Yes, that part." My voice was unbelievably calm despite the raging inferno in me. I still wanted to get the situation straight. Madre simp
Buckets of tears ran down my face. They came in such force I hadn't felt before. Hurt, shame, anger and disgust tumbled within me. Whatever had I done to deserve this? I'd taken a while to reflect. Was there a time I'd gone astray? Had I maybe done something terrible without knowing? My reflection turned up zero answers. That meant that I was either blameless(which was impossible) or I'd unknowingly erred. The latter looked to be a better explanation. I sniffed. We strayed ever-so-often. We did things that angered the moon goddess and gave her a reason to unleash her wrath. However, according to Mammà, she was a considerate being. All she needed from us was a repentant heart. Once, we turned away from our wrongdoings and sought her forgiveness, she would have mercy. Yes, one could call me crazy for all these mental ramblings. But could I be blamed? I wanted to get something straight. I wanted to know why my luck was this bad, this ugly. Yes, for heaven's sake, I had done bad. I ha
EPILOGUE Vincezo Moreno They were removing her off life support today. Jaw clenched, straight went my gaze. At infinity. Thunder droned at a distance. Clouds, gray, were laden with rain. It'd fallen all night. I'd taken an early morning flight, fortunately, and so, had been able to make it here. I didn't know if I should be comforted that nature empathized with me. Mourning along with me. Or I should break more, knowing that Rina had been to be next Luna, the reason why the skies mourned her imminent exit. I gave out heavy, fervent sobs, fishing out some tissue from the armrest. I wept into it. No. Grief hadn't left. It never would. As long as I lived, this was what I'd be: a grieving man. Wiping my nose, I set out to the pearl white walls of Andrea Filemone International Hospital. My fingers curved around the tiny velvety box. I held back the tears till I got to ICU: Room 4 and shut the door behind. The heart monitor beeped. My Rina still laid like a corpse on the bed, not d
Vincenzo MorenoDay 3: post operation. White stark walls moved behind as I was wheeled into ICU: room 4. My system was asleep, with just my ears acknowledging the clomp of feet on the floor, muddled chatters and the squeal the wheelchair had as it rolled on along the tiled floor.The nurse pushed in the door. My heart throbbed the instant I spotted her. It wasn't good for my recovery, as the doctor had said; I didn't care. I couldn't, not when she was involved. Something washed over me. Hurt that clawed at my core. The nurse placed me next to her and left. I lifted a hand, then placed it on Rina's. My cloudy eyes moved to her face.It was unbelievable, so much, because I'd thought I'd lost her. Almost pushed to tears, I kissed her hand—my eyes shut tight as I communicated using my mind. We'd converse this way until she recovered.I cannot believe it: I'm holding you. You are here with me, life and direct. There's so much that's to be said. So much I should let out that I have th
Vincenzo Moreno When I'd gotten a text from Alessio, I hadn't done the expected. Rather than steam with rage, I shut my eyes in relief, for it was all over. I would get Rina at long last and eliminate that son of a bitch.I'd gone straight to Padre and stood my ground. I'd venture into the jungle of Valle del Teschio. It'd been clear Padre was too interested in the whereabouts of the moon statue to see the emergency at hand. He'd been too distracted to think clearly. And not only that. This was my fight. My mess. And only I could clean it up. Nearly twenty-four hours down the line, I was marching into the unwelcoming forest, accompanied by an army of soldiers. The only thing I saw good about my pack was the level of organization it showed. The soldiers who were armed to the teeth were proof. They made up the emergency tactical unit. Always on their feet at the snap of the finger. The undergrowth impeded our movement; our determination was the driving force that kept us going. The
Rina ZanteFire crackled in the background. It was one marker that showed the girl on the floor, whose legs laid sprawled and eyes closed, was alive. That, together with the occasional forcing of air into her nostrils. I hadn't seen my period in months; so the growing pain around my belly felt strange. It'd started yesterday with just a dull throbbing. Now, it came more frequently, resembling my period with its undulating intensity. A low and a high. At the onset, I'd worried something was wrong with the babies. And even as I'd figured what could be amiss, dread sank deep into my bones—chilling my blood. It wasn't supposed to happen now. I pressed my teeth into my upper lip as the painful wave waltzed across. It wasn't supposed to happen now. A tear of heartbreak escaped. I couldn't have the babies here. Not now. My heart wept out of disappointment. I'd had faith the moon goddess would come through for me. I'd been in Central Temple, in my dream, happy like never before as I ca
Leonardo (Alessio)Everywhere was soaked in green. Even the air. It oozed of the scent of herbs. I got out of the car, which was something I'd looked forward to since the journey began. Not just because my bones ached, but also the car had been suffocating in the figurative sense of it, and till now, I couldn't explain how or why I was subject to guilt. Leaves rustled and twigs snapped from the weight of my feet as I trudged ahead, stopping in front of a beastly truck. This was our new home for the meantime. Until we got to the endgame. The hood bore dust and leaves laid strewn over its surface extending to the bottom rim of the windshield, bringing to my notice a poster of Mario Domenico—a well-known survivalist. A wooden wall was mounted at the tail region of the car. The wall formed a convex hood above the windshield. I went to the side of the truck for further inspection. There was a door, a pigeonhole notched close to the back tyre, a large window towards the back. And a ch
Vincenzo MorenoI forced open the door, cutting Dr. Yolanda short. "See it now? They've fucking succeeded."Initially taken aback, Dr. Yolanda sent her gaze to the receptionist standing beside me, eliciting an explanation for why I had barged in from the dumb girl. Dr. Yolanda didn't show she was mad. Rather, she waved the receptionist away, turning to me. "I'm currently having a session, Vincenzo.""This is a matter of life and death. Definitely it's worth looking into with immediate effect." She paused, eyes fixed at me, and pressed back against her swivel chair. "What is it?"I frowned. "Yes. What is it?""You don't expect me to talk…now." I looked at the client seated across from her. "So, it's private. Surely, it isn't something too pressing you can't spare some minutes." I glared at her, the intensity almost lethal. Yet, she held my gaze, not at all intimidated. "Go on, Vincenzo. The longer you stand there, the less your chances of meeting with me." After several seco
UnknownA four lettered bitch. Something cruel and unfair. A tyrant who everyone feared. None questioned it. None could challenge it to a fight. That was what life was. Life wanted me to be like everyone. Accepting the shit it threw my way with open arms. It was an absolute impossibility for me to succumb because none of it made sense. How was it that one was favored, and the other person disposed of like garbage? Alessio Salvatore wasn't better than me. He hadn't been taller nor with more powers. In actual fact, we both—like other babies—had been born with zero abilities. He hadn't been more facially endowed, nor blessed with an angelic cry. We'd both had the potential to keep our parents up at night with our wails. Yet, he'd been chosen over me simply because he'd been the first to arrive. I had been seen as the lazy one. Belief had it that I still was attached to the other world, and so would have a negative impact on the true born and everyone around me.They hadn't blinked be
Rina ZanteBit by bit, the wardrobe came into view. I fixed my eyes at it for a while before finally heaving up. My arms bore the under of my belly. A huge yawn left my mouth. I was tired, even though the sleep had been long and peaceful. Then again, I didn't see myself fancying the idea of taking another nap. My gaze moved to the curtains. It was well lit. A clock hanging next to it stated the morning had long started. Some minutes to nine. Off to the bathroom, I couldn't say what would become of today. One thing was sure, however, I'd be out of town in a short while. As I brushed, a thought materialized. It was one that widened the soft spot that'd been attached to my heart ever since my belly became visible. The bathroom sink had inspired the thought. It looked just as cozy as the tub in my dream. Clean in its pale blue color and adorned with cloud patterns around. The dream had been lucid; I could remember details of it. The babies had been having their bath. Just me with the
Vincenzo MorenoHer room was a brown monochrome. Fairly furnished and with large panel windows. I couldn't stop myself from wondering if every therapist's office was this way. Depressing. Dr. Yolanda edged close and handed me a cup of coffee. "I'm going to be honest with you," she said while lowering to her seat. "I'm glad you called."Her gaze spoke volumes. She expected me to lay my worries bare—my greatest pet peeve. However I had no choice. I wanted none of these anymore: torn away from Rina, waking up miserable, and being in exile. "Do you want to talk about it?" I stroked my thumb over the handle of the cup, then sent the hot beverage sliding down my throat. "How much time do I have?" I asked. "Forty five minutes, but I'm willing to make it an hour."Why? Because I'd make an interesting study?My focus laid on the coffee as I mentally prepped myself to talk."I want all this to end. I just want to wake up and see this as part of the past." A short pause followed. "I don'