Chapter 5: The Unexpected

*VICKY*

The man let out a cough and moved against my hold. "L-Let me go…" his voice croaked out.

"Not until you answer my question," I growled. "Who are you?! How did you break the barrier?!"

"T-the Blessing—"

The Blessing? Shit. He was a church official. I let go, and the man's hands instantly rushed to his neck as he hunched over and coughed continuously.

"That's quite a grip you've got there," he stated with a smirk once he caught his breath.

"Sorry," I murmured.

That explained the Shadow Form. All Elder church members and assistants had access to the Blessing—it was like a magical key, allowing them entry through any barrier for government purposes. However, it automatically put the user into Shadow Form as a protective strategy for larger-scale matters.

Besides businesses and parliamentary buildings, the only other Kindred with barriers were those with seniority. As a superior, I was seen as a viable target for enemies of the clan. The barrier was a way to prevent such individuals from entering my property and home.

His appearance, then, only brought more questions. Was I in some sort of danger? Did someone maybe find the men in the alley? Would this affect my position at Kingsland Hotel? Several questions swirled in my mind, but none would be answered unless I asked.

"Why are you here?"

The man took out a black bat-shaped badge and showed it to me. It was the symbol of the Kindred Messenger. "Important news from the Elder's Church. They've decided to shorten the time between hibernations for the Bondless from 50 to 15 years."

15 years?! I had just woken up a little over a decade ago, and now they were forcing me to return in three years?!

"They can't be serious. How can they expect us to find mates when we're forced to sleep so frequently?!"

The man shrugged. "Not my business."

Of course it wasn't. I could see it written all over his glowing skin—he was already bonded.

He put the badge back in his pocket and pulled out another piece of paper, handing it to me. I took it and opened it. Inside was the notice outlining the new terms and conditions associated with hibernation and the transition period in bold. On the top left-hand corner of the page was the sigil of the Kindred Elders.

I sighed. Being a superior meant I was held in higher regard than those recently turned within the last century or two. But it didn't mean that I was exempt from Kindred law.

"It's all because of the Predators," the man spoke aloud. "They keep pressuring the Elders to change the policies around hunting humans that aren't bonded. The Elders are pushing back, but to protect the humans and Kindred who aren't bonded, they decided this was the best option."

The best option? Forcing those without mates to hibernate more often was the best option? I had a hard time believing it.

"Yeah," I muttered. I knew better than to argue—the last thing I needed was the Elders breathing down my neck. "Just…remember to take the front door next time."

The messenger nodded and fixed his jacket before heading out the door. Finally, I was left alone. Only, as I sat and took another bite of dinner, the original delicacy seemed to have no taste. Even my favorite television drama, The Witch, had become boring. I had no idea what I was going to do.

All I knew was that I needed to form the Blood Bond—if I didn't, my life would be dedicated to hibernation, making me more vulnerable to those with a secret agenda, like the Predators.

This realization brought in another fear. What if I woke up and found that the Predators had taken over? The Elders weren't the strongest leaders, but they were just and upheld the Kindred law with dignity. If the world were under Predator judgment…we'd all be screwed.

Every Kindred was once a human and transformed for various reasons—some were voluntary, and some were forced. However, no matter their reasons, once they became Kindred, they would no longer identify with humans. It was as if they were destined to be extraordinary from birth.

Immortality might be very tempting for those who have never experienced it. A hundred or two hundred years might be exciting and fresh for those who just turned, but what about five hundred or a thousand years?

What about when all the people and things one held dear were gone? What about when one was struggling endlessly in the painful cycle of losing and regaining? Would they still think that immortality was a blessing?

When I first transformed, I had no manual on navigating things: how to prepare for heightened vision and hearing, the loss of identity…and most importantly, the blood lust. I didn't want to impose this pain on others, so I never understood how the Predators willingly could.

Life was precious because there was an end. When that was gone…well, you just existed.

I fell asleep that night thinking about it, and before I knew it, I was woken up early the next morning by my phone alarm.

I groaned and rolled over in my bed, tossing my feet over the edge. I was eager for my first day, but after an almost sleepless night, I could've done with another few hours of sleep. I stood and went to the bathroom, fixing my appearance with makeup before grabbing my tools and leaving the house.

I had made sure I had made sufficient preparations. When I reached the entrance of the hotel, I stuffed my nose. I prepared three doses of tranquilisers and walked into the lobby confidently.

I continued down the length of the hotel toward the kitchens when I collided with another figure.

"Shit," I mumbled, letting go of my nose for a split second. And that's when I smelt it; that sweet, sweet undertone immediately sent my brain into a frenzy.

My eyes darted upward and through my increasingly blurred vision. In front of me stood Leon, and he was looking straight at me.

"Stare at me any longer, and I'll consider you late," he stated, causing my body to jolt. It was as if his words held some kind of magic for me. I couldn't figure out who was the born mate.

The Blood Perfume filled my senses, overwhelming every morsel of my being. If I didn't cover my nose sometime soon, I was going to become feral very quickly. And as if my body knew what to do, I lifted my hand over my nostrils, blocking any scent from coming through.

Leon frowned. "Why are you stuffing your nose?"

"I-I…"

Truthfully, I had no idea how to respond. So, instead, I pressed past him and raced toward the kitchen. I heaved a sigh of relief. It was a good thing that I'd be spending most of the day here. Otherwise, even 30 bottles of tranquilisers wouldn't have been enough to stop me from claiming him as my own.

"Good morning, Frank," I said as I set my tools down and hung my items on the hooks nearest the break room door.

"You're almost late," he stated, almost sounding exactly like Leon. "That's your spot over there. Get ready. There will be more customers after half past ten."

He pointed to two expensive 8-burner gas stoves, and my nerves increased. Wasn't I supposed to train first, or at least assist on dishes? I was, after all, the newbie.

"You're not mistaken, are you?" I asked, hoping I had just misinterpreted his actions.

Frank scoffed. "Of course not. This is arranged by the chef himself. You will be responsible for all the desserts for today's guests. You can set the menu yourself."

I couldn't believe my ears. "What?"

The finest restaurants served dishes according to the mood of the chef. When the customers sat down, they didn't even know what they would eat. To be able to make the menu on my first day…this would never happen in the real world, but then again, I shouldn't exist in the real world either, right?

"And..." Frank continued as he pointed to the pile of food ingredients at the side. "Those are for you and you alone. If you need anything else, please ask Cherie. She's the one who has been building the desert menu since our last baker left."

Instead of pressing him further, I nodded. I was comfortable in my abilities—over 500 years of experience would do that for you—but I was still scared shitless on my first day anywhere.

I randomly picked a few and looked at them. Oh my god, they were all high-end goods imported from Orene. These cheeses, butter, and eggs were all specially flown over from Forda and Seland. Also, the fruits… entirely imported from Moreg. I groaned at the thought of what I could prepare.

After a busy morning, I cleaned off my tools in the sink and left them out to dry before washing my hands in preparation for the lunch rush. It was a great feeling getting to run the dessert menu, and I felt a sense of pride swelling inside me. If nothing unexpected happened, this would be the best day in a long time.

The rest of the day passed moderately slowly, and it was almost dinnertime when Frank pressed over to me.

"Vicky, I'm moving you."

"What?" I asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Apparently not," he stated abruptly as he began clearing my station and wiping the counter. "Chef has requested you prepare dinner for him. He's waiting in the kitchen for you with further instructions."

"But isn't this the kitchen? And what about the rush—"

Frank stopped cleaning and stared directly into my eyes. His pupils were dilated, and I could smell the anger emanating from him.

"Don't worry about the dinner rush," he spat out. I could tell from his stance that his anger wasn't with me but rather Leon's demands. "Let's go."

Fuck. If only he knew the consequences that could arise due to what he was asking of me. I wanted to give him an excuse to stay, but that would only do more harm than good, especially with Frank's current mood. I grabbed my tools off the counter and placed them back in their holder before following Frank.

I held my breath. Talk about the unexpected.