- Gabriella -

We looked at each other not knowing what to say. Isabelle shrugged. "Well."

"What in Suola's name... We've been here so many times and there has been a secret pathway all along?" Vesna muttered in disbelief.

I was studying the wall with intrigue when Damien reappears with a torch in his hand. "What are you guys waiting for? Christmas?" I noticed his eyes flicking towards Isabelle to read her reaction, but Isabelle looked away.

"Like what Damien said let's move along guys." Fenrys shushed us as he followed after him with Jonathan behind his heels. Without waiting, Isabelle stepped into the shadows. Not wanting to miss out, Vesna and Qas trailed behind her. I eyed the gap in the wall warily. Anxiety roiled in my belly but there was a sense of excitement. I hesitated for several minutes, cotemplating if this was what I wanted. There's no turning back after this. Stepping forward, I plunged into the darkness with nothing but my wild imagination and spirit.

***

The place leads to an underground tunnel, covered with moss and ruins of a forgotten construction. Under the faint torchlight, I can make out the dark outlines of an abandoned construction bot, one of the outdated models before tech bots were developed.

Something drips noisily in the background. Once in a while, a gust of lone wind blows into the place. Making soft whistling noises. From the far background, I could hear the faint bustling of traffic and blaring of horns above us. We're close to the city's road or we might even be under it directly.

"Here." Vesna says as she passes me a torch. I nodded in thanks before realising that the only people who are holding torches are me and Damien.

"This is a pepper spray. I think you might need it." Vesna slipped a small object into my hands. It is a lipstick cleverly modified into a pepper spray. "Out of everyone you're most likely the fastest to go down in a fight. But if anyone suspicious comes too close or so much as threatens you, spray this and scream. We will come running."

Vesna noticed my questioning stare and explained it to me quietly. "Demi-fae can see in the dark perfectly. Especially Jonathan and Fenrys, who can shapeshift. They just require a few minutes to adjust. The torches are for you and Damien."

"Thanks." I whispered gratefully as I watched Fenrys stand from sitting on one of the stones in the rubble, while waiting for us. I slipped the pepper spray into my small dress pocket.

"Okay. Let's go." His eyes glowed eerily in the dark, and his voice echoed in the tunnel. From the dim light, I could only make out his silhouette. Without my torch, I couldn't tell who is who.

I glanced towards Jonathan, and he too, has a strange sort of gleam to his eyes. If I ever had doubts that they were not mortals, now is a clear indication that they are not. Vesna chuckled softly as she angled her palm up, lighting her hand and fingers with fire. She's flaunting her abilities. I eyed the flames dancing in her palms, recalling what they told me. If I could set a quarter of the school's forest on fire, I should be able to perform a small trick like that right?

As we made our way in companionable silence in the half darkness of the tunnel, I discreetly tried to place a flame on my palm. No matter how much I concentrated, not even a spark of an ember appeared. I was so engrossed that I didn't realise Damien had stopped walking and I tripped over a concrete slab.

Before my face kissed the wet moss that covered the floor and whatever strange smelling fluid dripping from the ceiling, strong hands gripped my elbow. "Watch your step." Fenrys laughed. Somehow, I have a feeling that my attempts at fire making weren't missed by those sharp gleaming eyes. With a huff through my nose, I tugged my elbow away and marched forward. Fenrys followed along silently, his eyes withholding his mirth.

The tunnel leads directly into the heart of Soren's city and soon we are waltzing up the swinging doors of the VVIP club.

"Pass?" The bouncer at the red ropes asked as he studies us with his hooded eyes. Our attire passed the dress code and he grunted. The bouncer is wide-shouldered and packed with kilos of rock hard muscles. But Fenrys and Jonathan tower above him. The bouncer eyes the demi-fae twins warily.

"I am Damien Ytger. We have an appointment with Mr. Beast, 12 am." Damien says as he stepped between them, trying to ease the tension.

The bouncer's eyes flicked to Damien's and he nodded, moving aside to let us pass.

"That was rugged." Vesna chuckled wryly as the booming of music pulses in the sickly sweet air.

"Hey, do you have a boyfriend? Or an interested party?" Isabelle asked me. I shook my head and shrugged. My mind briefly flashing back to Res' face and I berated my stupid brain. Right, I can't keep running from him either.

"Well, that makes three of us." Vesna punched the air with a fist before placing her arms on our shoulders. "Are you ready to pick up some new toys?" The whites of her mischievous grin flashed in the dark. I shook my head in disbelief as Isabelle snorted, while we were pushed forward by the sexy queen dressed in red.

The loud music pounds across the floor as we enter the club. My thoughts drifted over to Damien's words and the warning behind them.

The Royale Lè is a grand place with marble flooring, posh decorations and splendid bars offering a range of high quality wine. However, everyone here is dressed in their fine clothes dancing to the beat of the music as much as they could. The atmosphere is strained. It felt as if the classy suits and dresses are caging them from expressing their bodies.

One of the bouncers escorted us across the room and into an inconspicuous backdoor. It led us to a second room, a smaller area but filled with more people. The fae. Here, there are almost little to no humans.

Demi-fae with glowing skins, eyes of electrifying hues, strange girls with floating wispy hair and a lot of skin. This is a place for the fae folk to hang out, drink and have fun. A hidden club within a club. They look like an exotic bunch of people twisting and moving smoothly to the beat of electronic bass. Suddenly, the notion of the Royale Lè decked with top notch security levels and the numerous bouncers stationed around the room made sense to me. If the fae decides to participate in a rampage, who will be there to stop them?

The atmosphere feels different here, even the music is wilder and free. Strange drinks are offered at sky high prices that even Damien's eyes widened when he saw the number of zeroes. I watched in astonishment as demi-fae, part fae or whatever fae are gyrating their bodies to the music, a tangle of limbs and sweat.

Never have I seen anything like this. Girls with long beautiful hair that floats like silk. Attractive guys looking like carbon copies of Raziel. Some of them have feline eyes that glow in time with the music. The boy standing directly in front of me looked like a rugged pirate prince, with tattoos covering his arms and chest. There were beautiful shimmering purple and blue scales peeking from underneath his dress shirt. His eyes noticed mine staring at him and he winked at me.

"Now this is what I call a club." Vesna said in awe.

Somewhere, from above the club, I think I saw myself standing rooted with my jaw hanging open.

"This way please. We would appreciate it if you do not keep our treasured guest waiting." The bouncer bowed and directed us to move to the direction of the VIP rooms. He led us to an elevator to the second level which reveals another crowd of demi-fae hanging out and drinking. The music and bass can still be heard here, but not as loud as below. Down the aisle, small acloves were built in designed with low purple lighting. "All the rooms here are reserved for our VVIP guests, Mr. Beast is in room 707."

The bouncer led us to one of the acloves which led to a door before he left us. The seven of us stared at each other as we eyed the VVIP guest room door. This is the first time a door can look intimidating as hell.

"Do we just knock or what?" Fenrys whispered. "What if whoever jumped on us when we opened the door?"

"Good idea." Damien whispered back equally unnerved. He rubbed his sweaty nervous palms against the lapels of his expensive suit before taking a breath. "Okay guys. This is it. We go in and then we play by ear." From the back, I watched how nicely his suit seems to fit his build. Perfectly tailored. Do all children of prime ministers own personal tailors or something? Even Isabelle doesn't seem surprised at how good looking Damien is in a suit.

Damien knocked before opening, and we walked in to find the back of a chair behind a simple desk facing us. Our client, Mr Beast sat as he faced the soundproof glass panels. The view of limbs and skin flashed from below, the energy from the dancing crowd palpable even from up here. But the bass can't be heard.

"Mr Beast? Are you him?" Damien asked as he tentatively stepped forward.

The man wore gold-rimmed spectacles and he turned slightly upon hearing us. "Good evening, we are the S.P.A.D. whom you have requested for our presence. May I know how we address you, sir? Or do we call you Mr Beast?" Damien asked the man formally. I studied his side profile, powerful muscles fit his body concealed within his grey tuxedo. He looks to be in his mid-forties to fifties with slightly greying hair at the sides.

One would mistake him for a human if you did not notice the pointed ears and the unearthly glow of his irisis. The man stood gracefully as if unfolding himself from the chair and his full height was revealed to us.

I gasped in shock. There was something about his towering height or the strange irises that cover most of his pupils that gave an impression of a beast caged in human skin. Immediately, the air is drenched with a sickening taste. The cold taste of fear chokes us and all at once the air becomes too heavy to breathe. My lungs struggled as my mouth gaped open trying not to suffocate.

My hand instinctively went to my chest to clutch at the ring hanging on my neck. My lucky charm. My other fumbled with my skirt trying to whip my secret weapon out. The pepper spray that Vesna gave me. I couldn't scream because the air was cut off.

In an instant, all the other members drew their weapons. Vesna's eyes flickered dangerously as the tips of her fingers were aflamed. Fenrys is in his feline form, his face pulled back in a snarl, a low growl emanating from him. Beside him stands an equally large silver wolf, which I guessed was Jonathan's transformed form.

As quickly as the threat came, it disappeared. The air lifts and breathing became easier. I gulped down fresh air greedily. The man standing in front of us scratched his head. "Apologies. I am afraid I forgot that I am not dealing with the fae but halflings and humans. I have placed a damper on my magic now. It should be better."

True enough, the suffocating heavy presence had disappeared but the air still reeks of the taste of fear. Everyone breathed in collective relief and lowered their weapons. In a flash, Fenrys and Jonathan had transformed back. We eyed each other warily, knowing this person is not someone we can trifle with.

"Hmm interesting. That is some powerful bloodline you've got there. Only nobles of the night court have the power to transform at will." The man smiles faintly at Fenrys and Jonathan. But it looks more like a genuine smile than a smirk. I expected it to reveal rows of serrated teeth, but a set of very human teeth flashed.

Funny how moments ago I thought about pulling my pepper spray out to defend myself. How does pepper spray defend me from such a creature? Screaming only serves to amuse him when all the walls are soundproof as thick as a bodyguard. We are basically trapped with no room to escape.