Drew was back on the work site after two hours going over the schematics Sir Turi had. She turned back to her current corner, carefully carving out the bricks with one of her smaller shovels. It was pretty straightforward warnings of what could be laid within the Manor's basement. Especially when it had been fortified to keep people out. So here she was carefully going at the behemoth layout with a tooth pick. One of the biggest issues — the main to her — was the fact Sir Turi didn't know where exactly the trip wires were. Whether they were at the bottom of the stairs or if they were right as one was to enter the stairway.
The exact placing of each and every booby trap was lost to time. That was for the ones written about. Heaven knows that the paranoid ancestor to Sir Turi, didn't write everything down. That would be too simple. As he had explained it when someone was as powerful as their family, having surprises could save lives. Now it was risking killing lives. It wouldn't do good to protect the dead.
So here she was squatted back in the dirt and dust with a small shovel. The use of large shovels to clear the area could possibly injure them or worse kill somebody. She scraped away layer by layer, sun beating down on her exposed back. Drew was happy she'd all but changed back into her normal outfit she lived in on sight. Much more comfortable for the movements she was making.
"How'd it go?" Davina questioned while she helped on the other side of the opening.
Drew raised a brow coming out of her own thoughts. "What?"
"Meeting Sir. Turi. Is he as terrifying as Az makes out." Davina urged not looking up from her work.
Drew bit her cheek momentarily. Was he terrifying? She'd spent a good portion of the meeting staring at him while images of him having his way with her in that office filled her head. She'd barely retained anything the man had said. He complimented her a few times on various things, from her penmanship to her key eye for detail. He'd been so close his scent intoxicating. She was hardly aware of the desk between them at times. She'd been so hypnotized he could've asked her to disrobe and she probably would've done it.
She believed in firm science. Never one to believe in the supernatural or things as silly as Hypnosis being at all possible. This man proved her otherwise. She hardly remembered having an immediate lust for a man like this. Her attraction was usually upon women on first sight. Men took time to develop feelings for. He made her a desperate woman in a desert thirsty for a drink of water, and he the best tasting water on Earth.
Davina cleared her throat looking over to her. Drew's cheeks burned, she looked away to the dirt wall before her.
She shook her head of the thoughts. She could analyze the meeting later. "He's an intense man, if that's what you mean. I'm very sure he is intimidating if approached the wrong way. Any man of power comes across that way. Sir Turi though when we spoke he was very polite and friendly. I could not ask for a better interaction with a manager. He owns half the town doesn't he?"
"A third, his brothers own the other two." Davina corrected.
She coughed at the number. She hadn't given much attention to who the Turi brothers were had she. She had some research to do on them. Drew paused. Davina was more into the gossip of the town.
"You know of them?" She asked.
"Not really. Just what the secretaries and other young hands gossip about. They are like Mafia but they aren't from what we know. Well, that is what Anthony says. He's local to Italy after all. He's also been around Volterra longer than most of us. This is a safe town from all sorts. They protect this town, no one questions it even if they do monopolize the place… The issue is no mafia claims this area, it's a dead zone on their territory maps. At least that's what Anthony said. Family connections."
"Fascinating, didn't encounter those sorts back home."
Drew never really paid much attention to organized crime. She knew it existed. She had grown up in a heavy metropolis where many gangs and organized crime was located. The Greater Toronto Area was notorious for all kinds. The heart of the country would do that. A lot of the world was like that. She'd kept her nose out of trouble the moment she'd gone into foster care. Stigma followed her already, she didn't need to add troubled teen to her rap sheet. Her motto was keep yourself out of others business, and you won't find it. Trouble only comes for those who go looking.
"What's your home like? You never really talk about growing up in Toronto."
"Not much to discuss, it's like any big city. Newer than Europe that's about it. You grew up with London right by."
"I grew up in Oxford." Davina sniffed.
"Stuffy Brit."
"Colonist."
Drew laughed continuing on. "Truly though there isn't anything different. Beyond it being Canadians more than English folk. A giant diverse city that is the heart of the country. Lots to see and do. Tourist traps and actual city life. Cold during the winter."
"I want to see Canada, I have been across Europe and some parts of Asia. My next goal is to see North America." Davina declared. "Maybe I'll follow you home."
"I'd be down giving you a tour of TO. You'll enjoy it, my advice is immerse yourself in the culture. Go head first. It's a massive country. Do be warned you cannot have breakfast in Toronto and then go to Vancouver for lunch." Drew warned.
"People actually think they can?" Davina looked up from the brick she was carving out.
"Common sense is a luxury." She snorted.
Davina laughed turning to the side to place her shovel down and pulled out the brick.
Drew watched eyes wide as a slip of metal slinked off of the brick.
She blinked once. twice. Sun caught the metal. She lunged forward. Hands out grabbing Davina by the hand yanking back. She tossed herself over the younger woman. Brown eyes widened. Face twisting up.
Drew tensed.
Boom!
Sharp edges of rock went flying. The ground rumbled. Dirt and dust tossed above blocking her sight. Stinging rained all over her exposed skin. Barbs hitting her arms and legs. Davina grunted. Drew coughed. The ground rumbled below them. Two more explosions sounded off. Further down from where they had been working on.
Smoke surrounded them. More rocks went flying. Drew hissed, one hit her shoulder. Davina flinched. Drew caged the girl in under her. Low breaths, between coughs.
"Davina…"
Seconds ticked by.
one. two. Three. four. five. six…
She forced her eyes open looking down. Drew carefully extracted herself from Davina. She propped herself up slowly. Small stones fell off of her onto Davina's abdomen.
Drew sat up, she brushed her short curls free of any more debris. She surveyed their surroundings. Dust and dirt swirled in the air around them settling once more. A lot fell around her where she was sat up on the dirty stone step. The once smaller entrance with only a few bricks missing, was now fallen open into a good human sized hole. The edges jagged from the explosion the bricks were partially missing chunks.
"Are you two okay?!" Azrael called over. His voice distanced. Ringing echoed in her head.
Drew squinted looked up seeing in the dust cloud his figure from a safe distance. Other hands that had been close by were covered as well. She waved the dust away.
"Yeah, we are!" Drew croaked.
She turned pushing herself to her feet. She looked over to Davina who was sprawled on the stairs propped up on her elbows. She was taking shallow breaths, chest rising and falling, mouth fallen open. She gave herself a once over. Drew scanned her tanned skin seeing little scratches and dirt bits cling to her. The dust coated her braids. Glasses thankfully switched for contacts and protective eye wear. Drew sighed.
"What's wrong?" Davina asked meeting her gaze.
Drew shook the concern away, she stepped over to her. "You're alright just a bit dirty. You may wish to go wipe yourself down."
Davina looked Drew over.
"You too." She suggested.
"Why?" Drew scrunched her nose up.
"You've got blood trailing down your arms and on your legs. Shit you're actively bleeding." She motioned to her left arm.
Drew looked down. Her light brown eyes went wide while taking in the red dribbling down her forearm. It was along a scrape near her elbow. She continued her inspection seeing a few more scrapes on her legs and nicks to her clothes. The most concerning was the cut in her leg were blood bubbled over actively. She hadn't felt the pain of impact. Still she didn't feel it.
"Yeah." Drew nodded blinking a few times as the dust and dirt settled around them.
She helped Davina up and they made their way up on shaky legs. They made their way up the stairs up to the more level ground. Azrael stopped them looking them over.
"Shit, you two take the rest of the day." He directed.
"I'll be fine, let me escort Davina to the hospital and I'll be back."
"I was more referring to you Drew. You're actively bleeding."
"I'll be fine."
"Don't make me write you up Danvers for not taking safety to heart. Go see a doctor."
Drew met his dark gaze. She frowned but didn't argue. "I'll be fine. If it gets your knickers out of a twist, I'll go."
The two stumbled their way out of the site. They made it onto more even cobblestone roads towards the urgent care clinic. It was three streets over between the site and the city centre. Davina kept close to Drew arm looped through hers.
Drew was relieved feeling her belt up finding her small pocket where her passport and ID was located. She didn't want to make Davina walk too far after that. "Do you have your health care info and ID with you?"
She opened the door to the clinic for Davina.
"In my ID holder." Davina held up her lanyard.
"Good, makes this easier."
"Drew are you sure you're doing alright? You've got blood pouring down your leg."
Drew looked down seeing her leg where she was pointing. She dug for her napkins and began patting at the streaking crimson liquid. More only replaced it. She sighed.
"I'm fine, let's get through triage."
Drew led her to the admin sitting behind plastic shield with her computer. The woman checked them in immediately, telling them to go sit down. She barely made it two steps when Davina grabbed her shoulder.
"Excuse me, can she be seen a bit sooner, she's actively bleeding."
The admin's head snapped up she stood, zeroing in on the blood. Her eyes went wide she buzzed open the door to the back emergency beds.
"Why did you not say!" The admin tutted pulling her through.
Drew looked back to protest but a nurse was already pushing her into a wheel chair and bringing her back. She settled into the chair until she was in a small doctors exam room.
"The doctor is on his way now, may I ask how this happened?" The nurse asked in broken English.
"An accident on site for an excavation. Set off an explosion." Drew replied in Italian.
The nurses eyes bulged. She was already getting rags to make the area sterile before she could begin stopping the blood. Drew hissed at the solvent being applied to the legs.
"You were in an explosion on a work site? That one outside of town for the Turi family?" The nurse asked for clarification. Drew nodded. "I should notify my daughter. Giovanna, she is a secretary at town hall."
"Don't worry about it. It was minor. I'm sure my boss is already reporting it. No need to panic too many people. I'm quite alright I assure you. It's but a scratch. Sure maybe some stitches but that's it. I've got travel insurance for my health care and such. Please do not cause such a fuss over scratches."
The nurse didn't get time to reply.
The door opened and closed. The doctor was an older gentleman in a white coat.
"It is better safe than sorry Dr. Danvers. We may need to do some shots to prevent infections and illness. That site was how old?"
"A few centuries…"
"Then we will need to do some tests. There could've been a few things within those explosions that have entered your blood now. The owners, are the Turi brothers, correct?"
"Yes, however this was an expected risk."
"They may know what lays within those traps if any poison or led were there. If not just rust. This is quite a serious situation, Dr. Danvers."
Drew slumped in the bed as the doctor began to stick the needle into her leg. She watched the freezing begin to spread at once. The doctor began to stitch the big chunk out of her leg closed. It only took ten stitches to close completely. A few others the nurse began to clean. The process repeating on a few small cuts on her other leg and arm.
"What of my coworker, Davina?"
"Was she bleeding?"
"Not that I saw…"
"Then we will look her over momentarily. You need to be seen first."
"Fine."
Drew was released within two hours and a few minutes. They gave her some shots as a preventative. They were firm, in their directions that she was to immediately return if she began to feel ill. She had papers that needed to be put in her office to be dealt with.
She saw Davina sitting with two to go cups in hand on a bench as she exited the Hospital.
"Drew, here I got you a tea latte."
She took it. "You're a gem. Thank you. What do I owe you?"
"Nothing, think of it as a thank you for jumping in and saving me." Davina replied.
"It wasn't anything major." She shrugged. "I make more than you I should be treating you."
"You do on a regular. Az texted, said we are to take the rest of the day off. After we fill out the incident report at the labs." Davina advised.
Drew quirked her brow sipping from her latte. "An incident report? It wasn't that serious, unless you're more injured than you look."
"While we were in the hospital, Sir. Turi reached out. He heard the explosion. He insists it is reported to them immediately so appropriate action can be taken." Davina prattled off. "Health and Safety officer's orders too."
Drew's nose wrinkled. "HSOs are a pain in the ass. They do great work eighty percent of the time. The other twenty they are redundant. It was a simple accident on us. No one is to blame for this explosion. If they wish to have inventory marked on what was destroyed in the explosions then I will do that. I don't want disciplinary actions taken against anyone. We knew the risks associated with this job. Plus no one alive is to blame for those trip wires."
"Sir. Turi made sure we knew to report all accidents —especially involving blood to them. He takes this very seriously. That was the first thing he warned us of when we started months ago." Davina explained. "So let's fill the report out hand it over, then go get dinner with wine."
Davina wiggled her brows with a smile growing. "We hardly get nearly a full afternoon off. Tomorrow is Saturday let's take the evening and live a little."
"Won't they want us working over time we lost time this afternoon?"
"The site isn't going anywhere. Live a little Drew." Davina nudged her.
"Alright."
She gave in following arm in arm with the younger woman. Davina had become her closest friend working on site. Her humour was close to Drew's and they both enjoyed the occult and DC comic books. They'd bonded over Buffy the Vampire slayers and the town's vampire history.
St. Marcus came and drove out all the vampires that were plaguing the town. Thus St. Marcus day was born. One of the only Rumours she knew about the Turi brothers, was according to legend that the Turi brothers were descendants of Marcus Volturi himself. The town of Volterra was named after him. A legend that funded the tourist attractions in the town.
They made their way to the main lab where the incident reports were located she grabbed her favourite pen out of her belt and flipped through the five pages stapled. They were double sided. She groaned.
"Ten pages. I told you. H&S is utter bullshit. This could've been shortened to two pages surely. If they want a contract saying I won't sue I'll do it. Davina will you hand me the scalpel so I can end my misery?" Drew pleaded slumping down on the lab table before her.
Davina laughed. "Nope. Your death means I'll have more paper work to do. So get to it woman."
She patted her shoulder and turned to fill out her booklet.
"Can't we do just one since it was one incident and we sign it?"
"Protocol Dr. Danvers. Must be followed to the very letter. I require every T crossed and every I dotted. You were such a good girl this morning. Are you so blatantly defying my request? Do tell me I am wrong?"
Drew stiffened hearing the low soft yet curt voice interrupt them. She straightened her back. Her breath stumbled as her heart did. Her chest heaving as she took shallow breaths. Her cheeks burned the moment he called her a good girl. She quickly picked up the papers, she clenched the papers tight turning to face him. Why did he need to show up now? She mentally groaned.
A. Turi stood in the same suit. His hands clasped behind his back. A perfectly carved brow arched, and lips pressed in a line. Her gut flipped. He looked disappointed. She inwardly cried. He stood towering over her his dark eyes she swore were penetrating her soul. It wasn't the only thing she wanted penetrated… she shook herself of the thoughts. This was her boss. Highly inappropriate…
An ache sparked in her lower abdomen, spinning around before beginning to spread down to her groin. She pressed her legs together. She took a shallow breath. Her heart slammed into her chest. She had to be the colour of a tomato now if she wasn't before.
"Apologies Sir Turi. I did not know you had entered the office. I was merely joking with Davina, my friend and coworker. While I do not see the full need for this much information needed, however, I will fill out the information. As I am required." She explained her cheeks on fire.
He came forward until his dress shoes were nearly hitting her dirtied steel toed boots. Her grandma would've whooped her for having on such dirty shoes on even in the lab she was currently in. The tiles were still shining with the recent waxing. She was ruining it. She looked up from under her thick lashes. Her thoughts of dirt on the floor vanished. She was locked in the deep dark pools of his eyes.
"I see," he nodded, turning his attention to Davina.
"Yes sir, see? Sorry…" she held out the papers the first two pages done.
Sir Turi clasped his hands together in front of himself. He returned his attention to Drew. She offered a slight smile. Had she drank any alcohol recently? She mentally questioned herself, why couldn't she pull herself out of his hypnotic gaze. She'd only met him twice in less than six hours and now here she was frozen and under his spell.
"I heard the explosion, I came to make sure no one was dead or severely injured." He said.
"Dr. Danvers quick reflexes saved me from it being worse. Only a few shallow scrapes. She took the worst to the knee." Davina reported.
Sir Turi gave Drew a slow once over, he ultimately zeroed in on her legs. Drew followed his gaze seeing thankfully the nurses had wiped the dirt and grime from her. She wasn't looking like the heathen she felt like. The day's activities were wearing on her and the dirt she noticed clung to her like a second skin.
"very minor injuries. The doctors ran tests. I am all right just a few stitches and a bandage."
"I do not call a few stitches minor, Dr. Danvers. I expect it filled out. You are to take a break until they heal." He ordered.
"Sir, surely such a thing is unnecessary?! It is but a scratch." Drew protested.
"You are a defiant young thing aren't you?" Sir Turi questioned under his breath.
Drew's cheeks turned scarlet and her heart beat increased. "Sir—"
"If you begin to bleed on Monday, you are taking the week off. I expect you to report to my office in the town hall at seven thirty am on the dot that morning. Am I clear?" He challenged.
A finger slid under Drew's chin, he tilted her head upwards to capture her undivided attention once more. She blinked a few times, nodding against his cool touch. She wondered if A/C had something to do with it. Something she found odd here in Volterra was their use of A/C. In other parts of Europe it wasn't as common, at least in her experience.
"Yessir," she breathed.
"Good." He pulled back breaking their connection. "Good day ladies, I have some things that require my attention."
He turned on his heel walking away. Drew stared after the man in his perfectly tailored suit. The pants she swore were painted onto his behind—
"Drew, you have to close your mouth… you'll flood the lab."
"Gah!" Drew startled pushing Davina's hand away.
She shot the younger woman a glare, though her cheeks burnt as she returned to her paper work.
"You think he's sexy." Davina teased.
"Anyone can see he's a good looking man." Drew waved her off.
"True, but you Dr. Danvers want to ride him like—"
"Ah! I'm going to stuff your mouth with my sock. I find him attractive yes and wouldn't be beyond a date. However, I do know it is highly inappropriate to even think of doing such a thing!" Drew huffed. "Now let's finish these and go get a bottle of wine. It is apparently now the weekend after all."