Tainted Blood

Erna

Too bright.

Too groggy.

Ugh, Why is it so bright?

My eyes wander to the source of light and I shut them almost instantly.

What the fuck?

Who opened my curtains so damn early in the morning?

Whoever did, must have a death wish.

But right now, this light is killing me.

It is trying to penetrate my already hungover head.

Hold up.

Hungover?

Oh right.

I drank gallons last night.

But I never get drunk.

Then why..

Right

Fucking son of a bitch.

I sit up straight in my bed with a jolt. My blanket dramatically swings in front of me landing in a messy pile on my thighs.

My consciousness comes back in full swing. The events that took place last night are suddenly crystal clear in my mind.

He had the audacity to dump me, publically!

My mind starts running around in circles, trying to gauge the amount of damage my reputation sustained and also the publicity the event must have garnered. It was a high end bar, which meant it was crowded with gossip mongers and people with smartphones, ready to catch their next viral video on a camera. It will be a big cleanup. And if someone has already taken the liberty to post it online, it will be a much bigger mess.

I take a deep breath and straighten my spine, adjusting the blanket on my legs. Looking around I find my water tumbler and take a big gulp down.

Let's get to work, Erna.

Picking my laptop from the bedside table, I take a second to admire the sun pattern on it, a family crest. But remembering that I have other things to deal with first, I quickly switch it on and get to work.

Three hours later, I have cleared the CCTV footage, hacked into every single person's device who recorded the thing and wiped it clean.

Last part was the most difficult. But I had a hidden ace up my sleeve. A facial recognition system that worked in cooperation with the government population database.

And yes it is illegal. I mean obviously.

My university professor almost turned me in, to the police when I tried to submit it for my final submission and told me to destroy it. Of Course I didn't. I kept it; for personal use.

But there is one thing that keeps bugging me. There were no backup files when I hacked the Bar's security detail. It should be common for a high end bar to keep the footage in case a hacker comes across but there was no footage at all for last night.

Unless, someone took the files before me.

Argh, I feel so tired.

Stretching my limbs, I push the blanket away from me and step down on the carpeted floor.

I take a look at the mess I must have made when I came back drunk out of my wits.

I step towards the bathroom attached to my room, skipping over the scattered contents of my handbag. I gotta clean this mess up before my mother comes in.

I wash my face and gaze at myself in the mirror. Dark strands of hair were sticking to my forehead and cheeks, wet from the water that cascaded down the curves of my face. My blue eyes look clearer after the little crying session I went through in the bar's washroom.

I sigh wondering where I had gone wrong in my relationship with Jacob. I feel like it was the moment he chose Angela, a transfer student, over me. She was beautiful and rich. But it wasn't like I wasn't, I just didn't like to show off.

But lesson learnt. I will show everyone who the fuck I really am.

But I have to be careful because in my profession, the fewer people know me, the better.

I take a last look at my face before turning back and going back to my room and stop short in my tracks.

Immediately something feels amiss. Something is just not right.

I look around, not quite sure as to what I am looking for.

Focus. Focus. Focus.

Something is not right here.

As if my eyes are latched to one single point, my gaze catches on to a blue envelope that is peeking from my... underwear drawer!?

I rush forward, and pluck the pretty thing from the white wood.

The envelope is so pretty, that I take an actual second to admire it. There is a jute thread holding it together and the opening is sealed with a wax stamp which is embossed with an insignia of the moon pattern.

The insignia stares back at me as if taunting me.

I walk to my study table and grab a letter opener. I open the letter, careful not to damage the wax seal. As soon as my fingers touch the wax seal, I feel a tingling sensation run through my body. A spell. The letter is actually protected by a spell, and something that could even affect me.

I remove the envelope and place it on the table before honing in on the letter. The whole letter is written in fancy cursive handwriting. It is beautiful and I wish I could say the same for its contents.

---

Erna, my dear

I am not sure if you know me or have your parents told you about the history of our families. But I am sure that if they haven't, they will soon. And if they don't, I will.

And while we are sure you have grown into a wonderful, beautiful young woman, we would like to see you for ourselves.

For that I hereby extend an invitation to you for your birthday banquet which we will be holding on your coming twenty first birthday. It is a small gathering of The Two Families.

It's time for you to come back home with your parents, my child.

To seeing you again.

Estella Richmoth.

---

I gape at the signature, but not before spying another note attached behind it.

---

Hope you had a wonderful night yesterday.

Z.

---

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?