Chapter 22

I am missing something…

I don't remember where I was yesterday at all. I woke up in my bed but I had the feeling that something is missing. Did I sleep too much? It was scary. I even strolled my room searching for anything that moved from its place but nothing changed; everything was perfectly fine watching me from its place. Such a strange feeling of déjà-vu engulfed me!

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my eyebrows pinching in confusion. Nothing was missing yet I couldn't help feeling the opposite, even my body was in the shape I left it with, just slightly tired, like I was drained from energy overnight. My confusion faded and it left place to a gently pity over myself and Anais. I was growing selfish; I wanted to stay human, even at the price of her body. Do I look like a villain? My reflection didn't say so… It was odd and terrifying. I was growing into the side we were warned about several times back in the moon, a heartless and cruel side tainted with selfishness.

I wrenched away after taking a cold bath; it was good for causing a thermic shock to the body, even if I still had my period. I think this is the last day. In the cool light, the lines around my eyes and mouth deepened; I was too tired and it was Saturday.

I got a call after ten in the morning and it was from Alexandre; glad he finally decided to show himself. I want to talk to him about the threatening call. I feel like he is lying to me and I hate liars; I was always surrounded by liars. I wore the simplest dress I had and left the home I looked as like my own for a short time. Something in me died seeing it; I wasn't Anais, I was my own persona. I was Cleopatra and no one was going to take away my name. I was somehow free from the worries I had and I was ready to be my own.

My eyes shifted to the heart-shaped gold watch pinned to Alexandre's pants; he was dressed weirdly today. I looked around me at the gray fog that descended upon the streets of Paris before joining him.

"Mister Alexandre finally got out of his den. I am happy to see you all well."

"I presume Eliana already shared what she was supposed to with you. Seeing your complex, it is the case. Pardon me for lying to you previously but I had to prove you had the skills to the higher-ups."

"To a point where you had to cripple the detective, fair enough. Do you know he was fond of the friendship you all had?"

"I know. Once he gets into this work, he will understand why I did it. It's better to keep the others away. Our work is highly dangerous and I don't like putting others in danger."

"But I wasn't in the others you just mentioned."

"Obviously, you belong to my side, Anais. No matter how far you deny, we were made for each other. You will understand it one day and accept me," he kissed my hand tenderly. Strangely, nothing fazed me. My heart didn't move an inch. His gesture didn't touch me at all. I stared at him, deadpan. But I wasn't Anais. Can't you see that? You, who said cared for Anais, can't you see I am not her? "There are still things left to do before showing you the others of our team. I presume she didn't tell you anything about me or the main focus of the work."

"I know you are investigating supernatural cases and I assumed le prisme de l'amour is only a façade for your underworld work. You are a superhero in hiding, saving the city from constant dangers… I'm sorry but it's funny."

"You don't believe in the existence of aliens. It might be hard but you see, you will come to admit it eventually. I was like you when I first started, everything was chaotic and no one knew what to do but someone had to do it. I presume you saw the body… Her missing blood was a matter I couldn't look away from so I ordered to find the cause. If we theorize about it, it must be the work of someone who needed blood."

"You turn around the pot, boss. Just say it, you are doubting the existence of vampires. If we assume they exist, wouldn't they be so distinguable? With their red eyes and pale skins that makes them look like corpses… I walked around Paris and I visibly didn't see anything looking like that. Wouldn't they come out at night because the sun burns their skins?"

"Ammm… Even though your theories are on point but, haven't you ever considered that not only humans evolved but also vampires. The corpse had traces of bites. They looked like belonging to human mouths. I seriously don't know anything about their nature and the stories and mangas I read weren't helpful; they just confused me more."

"So you think those stories can be based on real suspects? That's funny coming from a grown-up like you! But I don't deny the claim. After saying the body with my own eyes, I can conclude the same thing; the existence of beings with supernatural powers. It's terrifying!" my arm wrapped around my body, consoling me for a thing I felt strangely. My inside clenched with such force that I trembled. Loneliness and fear urged me to shout at him that I knew they existed and that I wasn't a human, that I wasn't Anais. I wanted someone to befriend for what I am, not the one who is the original host of the body.

"Exactly! We will continue the case that you worked on. We… looked around la Fontainebleu, inside all the trees without damaging them and the place was a forest cemetery. There were many corpses… Some of them decomposed but died with the same way, which made us think…"

"The suspect is someone living in the city and frequently visits the forest."

"The victims had one thing in common; they all had type O blood. We thought of baiting him with someone. Of course, we will be all armed and waiting around."

"So you need someone to play the part," he eyed me a wide grin spreading over his lips. "Don't tell me you want me to play the part. I can't do that."

"Why?"

"Just because. I won't put myself in danger for someone else." In fact, it wasn't my body and I had to keep it well.

Unknowingly, we reached the Fontainebleu quickly. A whole gang appeared chatting and in a good mood. I recognized the silhouette of the detective and Eliana, the other one, I averted my eyes from it unconsciously, shiver running down my spine. It was Claude, crossing his arm and with a confident and seductive aura.

"Look who is brightening my world with her light! It's been such a long time since I saw your beautiful face. How was your days?" his hand beckoned to me to come closer and strangely again, I executed. I joined them. Why did I listen to him? It must have been something about my dizziness, but I was fine now.

"Can't you pick other lines? Your words turn stupid."

"Such a good day it is! I like fogs."

For a moment, I felt warm and heavy of limbs. My eyes didn't leave Claude; every movement he did and every word he said was graved in my mind.