67. Crushing Doubts

Laura - Bucharest
My first stop is Paul’s villa. It’s been a while since I last came here. The guy at the entrance gate says Paul’s not here.
I look at the phone. It’s already past 7 PM. Is he still at work? I have to try.
I dash through the streets, thinking about what I'll say to Paul when I find him.
As a result of the moisture in the air, the city has a less pungent smell. It reeks worse than wet dogs; the stench of wet hobos instead of filthy hobos. The crowd swarming the city center disgusts me.
I cut through the narrow streets of the city center. A sudden gust of wind forces me to walk faster, but it also stirs the cobblestones beneath my feet, making the sound of breaking glass.
I stop and stand outside Paul’s office building. The rainy evening washes the streets. The cars swish as they drive past on the wet asphalt.
When I step inside, I'm already soaked. Water splatters across the floor tiles as I make my way to Paul's office.
I nearly forgot the building's interior. It's one of those businesses that look like a daycare, with primary-colored walls and beanbag seats everywhere.
A part of me is glad I don’t work here anymore. The catchy slogans on the walls create the type of environment carefully calculated to make you feel comfortable. For me, it looks like a gorilla enclosure for the naive. I guess I’m not the corporate type.
I knock on the door. A few seconds pass before his secretary answers in a forced cheerful tone, "Yes?"
Irina is sitting behind her desk. Her face shows a look of surprise when she sees me.
"Laura! How are you?"
“Hi, Irina. Is Paul in his office?”
His secretary has a tired pout on her face. I'm not sure how much she knows about me and Paul, but I hope she still likes me from our time working together.
“Paul has an appointment with Ion Corvin and other peculiar men in meeting room B. They asked to start the meeting after working hours, and now I’m stuck at work. What a drag!”
“Thank you!” I say as I rush past her desk.
Meeting room B is at the end of the East corridor. I barge in without a second thought.
The door to the meeting room dramatically opens, and I stomp my feet inside. When I halt, everyone stares at me, and the silence is so loud.
Paul is facing me at the far end of the U-shaped table. Strigois line up on both sides for this gathering. At the left and right windows, Alin and Dan keep guard.
All of these men seem to be staring daggers at me. I'm surprised by the sheer number of them.
As Paul explains, he doesn't seem too disturbed, "Laura, I had no idea you were coming. Either wait for me in my office or remain quietly there until we finish the meeting."
Ion Corvin smirks. “Let’s go back to business. Are you going to sign the papers?”
Paul hesitates, then finally picks up the pen.
'I've never been happier to see a pen move,' Ion Corvin thinks as he watches Paul's hand.
“Don’t sign it, Paul,” I shout, making everyone turn to me again. “Whatever it is, he’s up to something.”
Paul's eyes widen as he stares at me, his pen carelessly held as if forgotten.
"I studied the documentation, and everything seems to be in order," Paul says flatly. "Laura, please step outside."
Shaking my head, I reply, “No, I’m staying here.”
I examine the strigois one by one. The majority have no surface thoughts as if they're taking a walk in the park.
I pause scanning, my gaze drawn to a strigoi seated three chairs over on the left side. He's anxious. His eyes focus on Ion Corvin, and the latter nods. The strigoi stands and walks over to Paul, ostensibly to get the signed paperwork.
His thoughts flicker wildly due to stress. As he walks by Alin, I yell, “Grab him. He’ll try to kill Paul.”
When Alin seizes the strigois hands and holds them at his back, I go and take out the dagger beneath his jacket.
‘Plan B,’ he thinks, glaring at me. ‘I have to make a wolf kill me before things get out of hand.’
He doesn't care about anything as long as the accord is broken tonight. I don't have any other options. Alin is still holding him when I pounce on him and bite off a piece of strigoi flesh from his neck. I instantly take a step back.
Air whistles through his vents, and blood rushes from his neck as he lets out a sharp whine. He staggers and raises his hand to Ion Corvin. A jolt knocks him down, and he lies on the floor, blood gushing from the large, jagged wound on his neck.
I spit out the disgusting meat in my mouth, trying to shrug off the horrid taste.
Ion Corvin's face contorts, and he looks like a rabid animal. He snarls at me. "You'll pay for that."
Paul wraps an arm around me, trying to push me back. I shove his hand away and face the strigois with determination while cleaning my face with my sleeve.
"No wolf wounded him. The situation does not jeopardize the accord. I didn't kill him, and he'll recover. No harm, no foul. Nothing unusual here, just a little spat amongst strigois."
Ion Corvin rises and grabs my arm. “You’ll come with us. This time you can’t go free.”
I come closer to his ear, whispering, "There are a few strigois in this room who will be upset if they learn of the games you play without their knowledge. What will happen if you lose their support? Will a new coup occur? Or will they just stake you? Should I mention their names aloud?"
Ion Corvin clears his throat and straightens up. “What are you? I feel you digging inside my mind. Strigois can’t use their powers on other strigois.”
"Wouldn’t you like to know?" Despite my quivering legs, I fake a smile. "Get out of here before I change my mind and reveal your plans to everyone."
One of the strigois comes and flings the injured one on his shoulder as if it were a bag of potatoes. They all storm out of the room without saying any goodbyes.
“Alin, Dan, you can leave too now,” Paul says from behind me.
I turn around and face him the moment we remain alone.
He clicks his tongue to express his disapproval. "I was prepared to deal with Ion Corvin. Why did you have to provoke him and reveal your abilities?"
“I had to. There was no other way. They wanted a wolf to kill a strigoi to break the accord.”
He grabs my shoulders with both hands, his face kneading with unrest. “I understand. But why did you expose your powers like that?”
“I was worried, and I don’t care what happens to me because—” Crushing the doubts I’ve been tucking away for so long, I spell out the words I never thought I'd say. “I love you.”