A Shade of Halloween

  “What the mother...” Ros started, but was interrupted by the door flying open.

  Resort staff with guns in their hands and eyes as wide as ours raced into the room, looking around in disbelief.

  “Gentlemen, my name is Bob Jacob. I’m the head of security here at The Heavenly Calabasas. We’re not exactly sure what we witnessed via the security camera feed from this office but since you were in here, can you please help with explaining things? Where’s Simone? The manager?” One of the men who ran into the office spoke, shaking his head like he was trying to convince himself of what he saw.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it.” I replied honestly. “She was addressing us about our fight and next thing I knew, the air around her was moving. This ugly black hand came out of nowhere and grabbed her. Just like that, she was gone.”

  “That’s beyond shocking.” The guy replied. “Please come with us. We’ve already called the cops and they’re on their way. I’m sure they’ll need your statements. In the meantime, please remain calm as we try to figure out what the hell went on in here. We’ll also like to manage the situation so we don’t send our guests into a panicked frenzy. Kindly cooperate with us by not talking about the incident until the cops get here. We’re sorry you had to witness something so horrific on our property and we sincerely hope Simone gets found soon.”

  We followed the men to a private lounge area where we were asked to wait for the cops.

  “Are you going to evacuate the people at the bonfire?” I asked.

  “We’ll ensure all our guests are safely accounted for. Their security is our utmost priority. Please be assured that everyone will be safely monitored.” He replied, before exiting the lounge.

  “Ry, what do you think that was?” Ros asked once we were alone.

  “I honestly have no idea.” I replied. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “Listen, if it happened to the manager, how can we be sure it didn’t happen at the bonfire?” He asked, with concerned eyes.

  “Oh no. Selena and Trina are out there. We need to get to them or at least warn them about what’s going on.” I shot up from the chair and began making my way out of the lounge.

  “Wait, Ry. We need to think this through first. What if they’re safer at the bonfire with other people? Besides, the resort staff must have gotten to them already.” Ros yelled after me.

  “So what are you saying?” I asked. “You want me to sit here and do nothing? Should I just hope that they’re fine?”

  I was frustrated and probably not thinking straight, but I couldn’t help it. I had to make sure the girls were safe. It didn’t matter what I had to risk to do it.

  “Ry, stop! You can’t just walk out. Remember they asked us not to leave until the cops get here. What are you going to do if they stop you? Activate your vampire speed to get away? Do you know how much that would implicate you in this mess? What happened there was most likely a supernatural occurrence. The last thing you want to do right now is show any supernatural ability.”

  Ros was right. I needed to calm down and think of the best possible way to handle the situation but it killed me to stay back there, not knowing for sure if the people I cared about were safe. I walked back to the sofa and sat beside him.

  “You’re right. What do you think we should do now?” I asked.

  I studied his face as he sat there, staring at the opposite wall like he was lost in thought. I knew he was considering all possible options to come up with the best decision for us but my patience was wearing thin. While I knew for a fact that Selena was immortal now and no appearing black hand could fatally hurt her, I had no idea where the hand and spinning air combination took its victims. After hearing how terrified the resort manager sounded as she got sucked into nothingness, it was safe to assume whatever laid on the other side was far from pleasant. Regardless of what was there, I didn’t want to be separated from Selena. I took her on a vacation to get away from all the craziness, not to get increasingly immersed in it.

  “If only I didn’t pick this stupid fight with Ros. I would have been beside her now.”

  I didn’t regret a lot of my actions, but this fight with Ros was one of the few ones that forced me to have a rethink. It made no sense. As much as I hated to see Selena with anyone else, she was much safer with Ros than being all by herself amidst this freaky occurrence.

  “Calm down, brother. Hitting your leg on the floor a thousand times per minute isn’t going to change anything.” Ros’s voice pulled me back to reality.

  I wanted to glare at him but reminded myself I would only be spoiling for another fight which would be counterproductive. I needed to remain calm and focused.

  “Why can’t the police just get here?”

  “It’s been less than five minutes, Ry. Relax. I think we should wait here like Bob said.” He explained.

  “Wait? Are you kidding me? It took you five minutes to come up with wait? Sorry. I’m not waiting. I’m getting back to the bonfire.” I hissed.

  “Ry, it took me five minutes to explore all possible options. Vampire speed is fast, not invisible. You’re going to get caught on camera speeding out of here if you do that.” I could tell Ros was beginning to get irritated.

  “I can compel them to forget they saw me on camera.” I frowned.

  “Really? Are you going to compel them every time they watch the tape? Do you know just how many people receive the camera feed from this lounge? Assuming you do, how do you intend to reach and compel them before someone talks?”

  I took a deep breath and sank back in the sofa. Again, he was right. I was only going to complicate things by activating my enhanced speed.

  “Now that you’re calm, you can try reaching her mind. That way you don’t compromise your identity and you get to know if she’s safe.” Ros stated.

  “Why didn’t you tell me this first?” I asked.

  “You’re welcome.” Ros replied.

  “Fine. I’m sorry.” I pouted.

  “Drama king.” Ros teased.

  I laughed and closed my eyes. I could see why I didn’t think of this before. Panicking was never a good idea when faced with a complicated situation. I was thankful to Ros for remaining calm and coming up with the idea but I was never going to tell him that.

  I searched the expanse of consciousness for Selena’s thoughts and prodded only gently before I established a connection.

  “Selena, are you okay?” I asked into her mind.

  “Yeah. Where are you guys?” She asked.

  “We’re safe in one of the resort’s lounges. Are you safe? Where are you?”

  “I’m safe. Trina’s safe too. What happened? The resort staff evacuated everyone at the bonfire. We’re all in a conference room. They asked us to stay calm and wait for an announcement.” She replied.

  “I’m so happy you’re safe. Something strange happened to the manager. She was dragged into thin air by ugly black hands and no one has an explanation for it. Ros and I witnessed the incident and are being held back until the police arrives.” I replied.

  “Okay. Something just as strange happened earlier today. I was going to tell you about it at the bonfire. Someone visited me and warned me about a darkness I had to stop. She said our world was going to be destroyed if I didn’t stop this darkness. I didn’t get the entire message because Trina knocked and she disappeared.” She replied.

  “We’ll figure things out together once we’re out of here. Something really serious is going on. I saw it myself. Just stay safe with Trina and I’ll get to you as soon as I can. I love you.”

  “I love you too.” She replied.

  “They’re safe.” I smiled at Ros. “Have you contacted May?”

  “Of course they’re safe.” He smirked. “...and yeah. May’s safe too. Not like you care.”

  “Whatever.” I shrugged.

  “Whatever back at you, drama king.” He rolled his eyes.

  I chuckled and closed my eyes again, relieved to know Sel
ena was fine. All I needed to do now was wait for the police to show up, though I was sure they would have no clue as to what transpired in the resort manager’s office.

  Chapter Eleven

  Selena’s POV

  Shortly before the resort staff led us away from the bonfire, I felt an overwhelming surge of dark intentions coming from everywhere around me. I couldn’t quite grasp what it was or who it belonged to and was going to talk to Trina about it before I heard the alarm signaling the beginning of the evacuation. We were asked to remain calm, and for good reason. I already spotted a few crying women being cuddled and consoled by their husbands. It was almost ridiculous. Nothing had happened yet and they were already freaking out so much.

  “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.” A man dressed in a black Tux and white T’s addressed us with a microphone, pulling my attention away from my thoughts. “We apologize for the abrupt end of the bonfire a few minutes ago. An inexpiable event occurred within our premises, and has given us reason to believe that the resort’s security has been compromised.”

  “Has the resort been invaded by terrorists?” One of the men with a crying wife shouted.

  I couldn’t quite understand why anyone would think of terrorists at a time like this.

  “I guess fear makes you analyze things differently.”

  “How can security be compromised? What the hell happened to your surveillance?” Another man shouted.

  “How is this a ‘heavenly fortress’ if you can’t ensure security?” A woman asked.

  “Please stay calm. We understand your concern but be rest assured your safety is of utmost priority to us. We have not been invaded by terrorists neither has there been a physical security breach on the premises.” The man in black assured.

  The crowd fell silent and listened intently as he continued his address. From the curious looks on their faces I could tell they were wondering what kind of breach could compromise security and not be physical.

  “Only if they knew half the things I know.”

  “What happened here was more of a supernatural occurrence.” The man in black continued, but was interrupted again by someone else from the crowd.

  “What is this? Some silly prank for reality TV?” The interrupting man asked. “Are we supposed to believe your supernatural load of crap?”

  “The Heavenly Calabasas has a reputation to protect. We will not put people on TV without proper prior permission.” The man in black replied politely. “What we experienced is of a very serious nature. The police and other appropriate agencies have been notified and they are currently investigating the event. We cannot offer further details at this point until the required investigation has been completed. We will issue a statement after that.”

  “What are we supposed to do while they investigate? Stay crowded up in here?” A clearly irritated man asked from the crowd.

  “We will keep everyone together until we are sure it is safe to leave. Hopefully we’ll ascertain that in less than an hour. Once it is certified safe, your jetliners will be refueled for your trip back, on us. You will also receive a full refund of your holiday package fees as the resort unfortunately needs to close down until due diligence following the unfortunate event has been observed. Since we value your business and most of you are regulars, when this incident gets resolved, we will reopen for business and you will also get your first holiday package free. We understand that we can never fully compensate you for cutting your trip short but we hope that our offer will help ease the discomfort. If anyone has questions about the process I just explained, please ask.” He concluded.

  “Um... Can you at least give us a hint as to what happened? If our security has been compromised, then we need to know what we’re up against.” Another man from the crowd stated.

  “We don’t know for sure. Investigators are currently piecing together possible explanations. Once we have something, we will issue a statement.” The man in black replied. “In the absence of further questions, I will take my leave. Security staff will remain stationed within and outside this hall and once you’re cleared to leave, escort staff will lead you to your jetliners. You don’t have to worry about your luggage because they will be in your jets by the time you get there.”

  The man stepped out of the hall and once he was out of sight, people began to propose theories and counter theories to explain whatever they thought the security breach could be.

  “Do the boys have anything to do with this?” Trina whispered.

  “No. They didn’t do this. They were in the manager’s office when it happened. Ryan said we’ll figure it out when he gets here.” I replied.

  “Okay. Seems we’re going to be stuck here for a while” Trina offered a small smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right beside you.”

  “Thank you, Trina. Really.” I smiled back.

  I sat beside Trina and waited for the next steps. Deep inside, I believed whatever happened to the manager had something to do with the evil force I felt at the bonfire, and the strange girl who warned me about something evil.

  Chapter Twelve

  Ryan’s POV

  Two policemen walked into the lounge after what seemed like an eternity. They shook our hands before the taller one spoke.

  “Sorry to have kept you waiting but we understand an unusual event took place here. I’m Detective Long and this is my partner, Detective Tony.”

  “Nice to meet you, Detectives.” I replied.

  “We’ll like to go straight to the point if you don’t mind.” Detective Tony stated.

  “Oh sure, please. I’ll like to get back to my girlfriend.” Ros replied.

  I stopped myself from giving him a curious look. Since when did he have a girlfriend at the resort?

  “Very well then. Please sit.” Detective Long stated. “We’ve seen the tape of the incident and to be quite honest, it’s unlike anything we’ve witnessed. I know you two must be scared but it’ll help if you can recount exactly what happened in those final moments before Simone Richards disappeared.”

  Quite frankly, I wondered what else they wanted us to say. If they had seen the tape, then they should know what happened. Since they were asking, I explained everything to the best of my ability.

  “Did you notice anything out of the ordinary before the hands showed up? Maybe something that might have triggered the event?” Detective Tony asked when I finished.

  “No. None that I know of.” I replied.

  “Did you see anything other than the long fingers? A person maybe?” Detective Tony asked.

  “No.” I shook my head.

  “Okay. From the tape, it is clear that whoever kidnapped Simone didn’t leave the room. If they did, it means they did so in a way that neither your eyes nor the camera lens could capture.” Detective Tony stated. “I don’t expect them to get too far. Our men are searching the premises as we speak.”

  “I don’t think ‘someone’ did this.” Ros interjected. “Didn’t you say you watched the tape? Did that look like a person to you?”

  “They could have been using a form of cloaking technology we’re not currently aware of. We need to figure out who might have a motive to want Simone gone, and what that motive is. Detective Tony replied. “We also need to know why that person invested so much into the operation. Technology that can conceal them like that will surely not come cheap.”

  I shook my head in disbelief. Humans were really frustrating sometimes. Wasn’t it clear this attack was done by a supernatural creature? What else did they need to see to acknowledge it?

  “We thank you for your time, gentlemen. We have your details from the resort’s records and if there’s any need to contact you in the future, we’ll be in touch.”

  Both detectives shook our hands again before exiting the lounge.

  “You’re welcome.” We replied.

  The resort staff escorted us out of the admin area, towards one of the cars that usually drove to the landing area.

  “Where are we g
oing?” Ros asked.

  His question prompted me to focus on what was out of place. My mind had been so preoccupied with the event and getting back to Selena that I didn’t really pay attention to our destination.

  “I’m sorry for not telling you first. I thought you already knew.” The escort staff apologized. “The resort is evacuating guests and staff.”

  “You’re just shipping us off?” Ros asked.

  “No, sir. We’re ensuring everyone’s safety. We can’t afford to have anyone else disappear without an explanation.” She replied. “Your jet has been refueled and is ready to fly.”

  “Okay. Not bad.” Ros shrugged.

  We got into the car and were driven back to the jet. Selena and Trina were standing at the top of the stairs, probably looking out for us. It warmed my heart to see them there. Knowing Selena cared about me so much gave me boundless joy. It was a beautiful thing to love someone but to be loved back was a priceless experience.

  As soon as we stepped out of the car, Selena ran into my arms. I picked her up in a happy embrace, ignoring Ros’s eye roll. We climbed into the cabin after expressing our happiness to be with each other again.

  “Welcome on board, everyone.”

  The sound of May’s voice forced a pang of guilt to clutch my heart. I had completely forgotten she came with us on the trip, worrying only for Selena and Trina’s safety.

  “It’s great to see you, Ros.”

  Her second statement erased all traces of the guilt I felt. She clearly wasn’t bothered about me too. Her affection was reserved for Ros alone. If only she knew his taste in women. He had always preferred humans but then again, Ros was pretty unpredictable. I remembered walking in on him and Trina after she became a vampire. She probably had a chance after all.

  “Thank you, May.” Ros replied. “Can I please have a drink? The red kind. It was an awful long wait in there.”

  “Sure.” May smiled, disappearing behind a curtain.

  I took my seat beside Selena and cradled her.

  “I was going crazy in that lounge away from you.” I said, kissing the top of her head.

  “I felt so relieved when you contacted me.” She replied.

  May returned with three glasses of blood and a glass of red wine for Selena. Looking at the tray made me delighted. I hadn’t had a drink in a while and I was beginning to crave one.