Chapter 2: Who's that?
I glowered at the fitted dress on me. It is a sonic blue strapless that stopped at mid-thigh, but the only reason why it stopped there is because I had to beg Coco to let it be at least there. The fabric was shiny and flared out some at the hips. The torso was tight, but I convinced her to let it be modest and have it stop right above the slightest showing of cleavage. It was rather simple, but the high heels boosted it up a lot. The shoes were jet black with intricate straps and silver spikes poking from the back of the heel.
"You look fabulous!" Coco applauded. She pressed her black manicured nail to her violet lips. "You need these." She disappeared into her closet. She had decided to pick me up an hour earlier to dress me up like a Barbie. I stared in surprise of how good she was with hair. My hair was slicked back into a sleek ponytail and my eyes are heavily lined with charcoal liner and my already black lashes were lifted up with a good dose of mascara. Some blue that matched my dress barely winged out and faded into my pale skin.
"Here we go!" She chirped as she returned and placed a delicate chain covered in sparse and long silver spikes that rested on my collarbones. She handed me matching earrings and I obediently put them on. I pursed my soft pink lips. All this blue sure makes my eyes pop even more.
"This look sure makes me look…" I shrugged. Coco smoothes out her skintight lime green skirt. Her matching tube top was completely covered in sparkles and sequins.
"Hot! Sexy! A woman?" She interjected with a playful smile and I blush.
"Come on! Let's head out before I change my mind." I waved my arms in the air comically. She hops to her red pump shoes and leads me out of her apartment. She must really be nervous.
"Ok! Let's get there early!" She shouts in her thick accent and pumps her ring-studded fist in the air while I shake my head with a snicker. We slid right into her canary yellow bug and take off immediately. I stared out the window as Coco blabbed on about how nervous she is. Goosebumps rose up on my neck when I noticed the pearly moon beyond the gray clouds. Please don't let anything happen tonight. My mind relaxed and floated off into the not too distant memory even though I wish it were.
A man in a long and billowed red suit strode through the doors of the large stone room. I sat there in a wooden chair in the middle of the empty area. I glanced up at the tall man to my right sporting a fitted black dress shirt and pants. His shirt is wrinkled and not tucked in with the collar unbuttoned. He continued to stare at the angry elder with an unreadable face.
"What have you done Gabriel?" The man snapped as he stopped abruptly in front of me. I shifted my aching arm to a more comfortable position in my sling. Gabriel?
"Saved a life. You know it's in my job description." The dark haired man shrugged sarcastically. The old man sneered, raised his untamed and sharply arched brows.
"I mean her!" He shouted in his thick Italian accent as he pointed his shaking finger at me.
"I'm right here! Continue to talk about me in such a manner I will bite off your finger." I growled that seethed with anger and annoyance. They pair almost jumped, but instead stared at me in momentary shock. I clenched my fist and glared at the rude ancient one.
"Bah! Take her to the injury ward for her injections." He waved away my bark. He turned around with his cloak trailing behind.
"What is going on here?" I demanded to the man that I found out was named Gabriel.
"Nothing you need to know about." He latched onto my good arm and hauled me up. A younger man came rushing in. He wore a brown tunic and fumbled with a stack of papers.
"Ah! Helsing!" The gray haired lad franticly waved at us. Helsing? Gabriel Helsing? I pondered.
"Nick?" Helsing crossed his arms expectantly.
"Um. It's Nicholas, but any way. Here are her documents and protection papers." Nicholas handed the stack to him. Helsing grimaced.
"Documents?" I raised a brow.
"Yes. By the church you are now under our witness protection. You are to be transferred to Paris, France as soon as you are fit for travel." Nicholas nodded.
"Wait? What?" I gaped. Helsing pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
"You are going to live in Paris until you are deemed safe. Until then you will keep your first name to lessen confusion, but you will lose your last name. You will be Isla Ortiz. Your background of speaking Spanish will help your story of being from Spain." Helsing stated it simply. My jaw dropped.
"And you are to never speak of what you saw and who we are." The silver head finished. "For your safety and protection." He wiggled his finger like a grandfather would.
"How long will I have to do this?" I gulped. I won't be able to talk to my friend or anyone that I knew before. The short man shrugged.
"We don't know." Helsing looked down at me with his gray eyes.
"We're here!" Coco slammed on the brakes and shook me out of my revelry. I blinked and looked out my window. A rather large building between two brick ones glowed with neon lights with loud pulsating music vibrating the car. The building is completely painted black on the outside and purple lights glowed through the windows.
"Baiser Roux…" I murmured as I read the scarlet cursive letters that shine on top of the club.
"Come on! Hurry up." Coco was already outside opening the car door for me. I reluctantly step out onto the damp cobblestone and followed after the bubbly girl. We bypassed the long line of eager young people and greeted a behemoth of a bouncer.
"She's with me." Coco put on her serious face and showed him her employee ID. He nodds and removed the velvet rope and let us pass. I scurry right behind the socially excelled lady. I nervously dodge the drunken and sweaty partygoers. Coco noticed my discomfort and reassuringly grabbed my hand with her tan one and led us to the large circular center bar.
"Coco! Baby!" A puny man of African roots threw his arms up in celebration.
"Claude!" She squealed and leaned over the counter. They hugged each other warmly. Claude looks at me in surprise.
"Is this the famous Isla?" He chirped over the deafening music. I nodded with a shy smile.
"Yep!" My friend pulled me to her side with a triumphant grin.
"Girl! If I wasn't interested in guys I would so date you!" He wiggled his finger. He pulled me into a hard squeeze and patted my back. I giggled and hugged him back.
"He's gay?" I mouthed to Coco. She nodded with a wink. Claude pulled away.
"It's nice to meet you, Claude." I hollered in a friendly manner over the noise.
"Same to you, Baby Girl!" He hopped to the beat of the song. "My shifts over! Time to get to work Coco!" My friend whooped and went behind the counter.
"All right! Can I get your drink sir?" She faced a patron. The short man squeezed out from behind the tight space behind the counter and skipped over to me.
"Take good care of my Baby, honey!" He winked as he loosened his polka dot tie. Claude pumped his fist with a howl and disappeared into the sea of people. I laughed and took a seat over next to where Coco was serving.
"What can I get you, miss?" She smiled ear to ear ash she emphasized the last word.
"A non-alcoholic drink if you could." I beamed at her joke.
"You sure?"
"I'm sure. If you get some drinks too, who would drive you home?" I stuck out my tongue. The red head shrugged and poured me a glass of some sort of soda. I took a sip and sighed. I observed the rolling wave of people on the dance floor. I arched a brow at how much fun the people are having. Oh yeah, packed into a crowd of sweaty drunks is the best way to go
. I chuckled and took another gulp of my fizzy refreshment. My eyes scanned the VIP tables in the back for any sort of danger. My turquoise eyes fell upon a tall figure in the back. I couldn't tell if it was male or female. Must be a man. It's too tall to be a chick. I had felt eyes on me ever since I took my seat here, but for some reason it feels like it is coming from him. Whoever it is. My eyes narrowed as I watched a large, but elegant hand that was barely darker than mine hold up a wine glass full of crimson liquid. Do I know him? So familiar.The shadow that hid him only revealed his clean-shaven jaw and mouth. His lips curled up into a friendly and pleasant smile that showed his perfectly white teeth. I could see the outline of his head nodding. I was stunned for a moment by his polite gesture. I smiled kindly at him and raised my glass in hello.