CHAPTER 2

"You could have just said no." Ayoki and I were seated by one of the poolsides of our multi-million-euro mansion, drinking a hundred-year-old wine, and I figured it was a good enough time to bring up the meeting with Don Garca and the other family heads.

"Azul, you know this is what they have been grooming us all our lives for. It's the reason they made us get married in the first place."

"So we can manage odd places and force our children into marriages with members of the other four families," I said as I sipped on my wine. "Sounds awful."

"What about us, Azul? This marriage was a blessing that we didn't know we needed.We got lucky, Ayoki. He let out a long exhale. "You're not wrong." "What if our children decide to marry outsiders?"

Ayoki laughed. "The council would definitely disapprove."world,"The council didn't bring them into the world so we shouldn't expect them to care much for their happiness." "The secret of the hotels isn't something that shouldn't be taken lightly. No member of the five families, including us, would ever expose it. Can you really say the same for a stranger?"

"We could always threaten their families." "Or we could wait to have adult children before worrying about things like this." He put his glass of wine on the stool beside him and took my free hand in his. "My love, if you don't think you can handle managing the hotel, just let me know. I'll call the don and decline the offer." "Our families would go insane if they heard that. Our mothers most especially" "They'll be fine. I just don't want you to go insane."

I smiled at him. I don't know how he did it, but every time he opened his mouth, he said things that made me fall in love with him over and over again. And now here, he was ready to disappoint both our families and the entire council just to make me happy.

I would have agreed if I wasn't aware of how much he wanted to manage a hotel. Growing up, we'd been told incredible tales of the hotels, but he was more enthralled by them than I ever was. Most of the time, it was the only thing he ever talked about. It was true that I didn't fancy the idea as much as he did, but I knew that robbing him of this opportunity and getting him in trouble with his family was unfair.

"Brazil doesn't sound too bad. I could really use a change of environment; I've had enough of Japan." I didn't mean any of that, but it seemed to make him happy. His eyes grew brighter, and his smile widened.

"So you don't mind running a hotel with me?" bad,"I mind dealing with wethings,ings but I don't mind doing it you. you" I took a deep breath. "Besides, anything that gives us this much money can't be that bad right?" "You really mean that, my love?"

I nodded. "But you owe me a new house." "I'll buy you anything you want," he said, leaning forward and kissing me. Ayoki's kisses were just like he was: romantic, sweet, warm, and tender. He was an amazing man, and I would have given both my kidneys if it meant it kept him this happy.

We had that conversation a few weeks ago, and now I found myself seated next to my very excited husband in a brand new Rolls Royce that had come to get us from the airport, driving down a mostly deserted Sao Paulo road that allegedly led to the hotel.

The driver was a quiet man who spoke only when necessary. Aoki planted a small kiss on my cheek. It felt like a 'thank you for this' kiss, and I could tell that he could hardly wait to get to the hotel.

"Do you think that it's just going to be like in the stories that my mother told us?" You should know, husband. Didn't you and your mother move to India to manage a hotel?"

"Correction wife, my mother was the one managing the hotel. Besides, she was overly protective of me and never let me go near the place." "Why not? Is it that dangerous?" I didn't want to sound too bothered, but I was now more uneasy than before.

"There were a number of unscrupulous customers coming around that time."

"And now?"

happening,"TIndia,sn'tlove,ia my love and things are munow,better now so don't worry too much." He adjusted his watch for the sixth time during the drive. "Can you believe this is really happening Azul?" "Fraternizing with supernatural beings seems like a hard thing to believe." "Not exciting enough for you?" "I'm concerned. These beings have the ability to erase us from existence if they want, and I'm supposed to be comfortable around them." "Comfortable? no. The key to keeping your head glued to your neck is to be respectful and nothing more." "Noted" "But they won't do that. They need us as much as we need them," he said, placing his hand on mine and giving it a small, reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry too much, Azul. Who knows. You might end up liking it more than I do." "The minute I sense either of our lives are in danger we are going back home." He laughed and helped put my stray hairs back in place. "Our lives are safe, my love. The only thing that should bother you is how much money you have to spend. These beings tend to pay really well.""Promise me, Ayoki." threatened,"Okay. The minute our safety is threatened I promise you we're leaving immediately." exhaled and managed a smile. The whole situation was still unable to sit right with me, but I was willing to look past it and keep an open mind.

"We're almost there, Mr. and Mrs. Zenin." The driver informed us, How long until we get there?" Ayoki asked. "A little above a minute, master Zenin."

"Thank you, Chaffeaur." The rest of the short drive was done in silence, as all three of us seemed to revert back to our thoughts. For a brief moment, I wondered what the quiet driver thought about the hotel and its strange guests. The car turned right onto another deserted road that led us to an unusally large warehouse that looked like it had been abandoned for years.

I didn't know what to think as I stared out the window. Why were we parked in front of an abandoned warehouse and not an incredible-looking hotel?

"We have arrived at your destination, Mr. and Mrs. Zenin," the driver announced. I looked back and forth between the driver, the building, and my husband. What was going on, and why wasn't Aoki saying anything? Was he, maybe, just as shocked as I was?

"Have you lost your mind? How dare you play such a silly prank on my husband and me? Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get yourself into?"

"I assure you, Mrs. Zenin, this is exactly where you and your spouse are meant to be." I didn't know which one upset me more: being dropped off at an abandoned warehouse, the calm manner in which the chaffeaur spoke to me when I was clearly infuriated, or the fact that Ayoki still wasn't saying anything. How long was he going to be lost for words? Ayoki stepped out of the car, and I followed.

"Husband, why aren't you saying something?" He extended his hand to me, and regardless of how I felt, I still placed my hand in his. "Why aren't you bothered by this? The driver is obviously playing a trick on us.

"Calm yourself, Azul, and come with me. I assure you, there is no foul play involved here," he began to lead me toward the warehouse. "I'm surprised that it didn't cross your mind that I brought you all the way here to murder you or something like that." "Because you're still in love with me. But we'll see if that changes ten years from now."

He wrapped his arm around my waist. "Ten years from now, we'll be dealing with hard-headed children who never listen.I wonder which of us they'll get that from."

"You obviously. You never listened as a child." "I never listened to you. Everything you said back then was annoying."

And that's why you missed very vital information.And what would this vital information be?"

We were at the main entry into the warehouse by now. "The hotels are usually shrouded in disguise, and this one is no exception," he said, placing his hand on the handle. "Shut your eyes, my love. I shut my eyes.

"Take five steps forward. I stepped forward.

"Open your eyes, my love."

Before now, I had imagined what the hotels looked like, but when I opened my eyes, I realized that it was nothing close to what I had ever imagined. The roof was so far up and bright that it looked like an alternate version of the sky; everything from pillars to furniture was coated in gold. The place smelled like roses and incense, and a soothing, etheric sound constantly played in the background. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought I had died and somehow made my way to heaven.

There were queer human-shaped creatures with gold-colored skin dressed as hotel staff, moving about rather quickly. I grabbed Ayoki's hand and squeezed it with a combination of fright and awe.

"Ayoki, what is this place? What are those things?" He leaned in close and whispered, "This is the hotel, and those things are my staff." As the words left his mouth, three of said creatures came over to greet Aoki and me. They bowed low and spoke in a language that I wasn't supposed to understand but did.

"Master and Madam Zenin. We are honored to have you here."The first one, dressed in a red suit, spoke. "My name is Hio," he said, gesturing to his other two colleagues. "These are Qeas and Los."

The other two, also dressed in red suits, bowed again, and Hio continued to speak. "We have been appointed by the council to aid you in whatever it is you may require assistance with."

"Thank you, Hio, Qeas, and Los. My wife and I will be sure to reach out if we need anything."

"Madam Zenin, your wardrobe has been updated to suit your fashion needs as requested." Qeas, the only female among them, addressed me; she had the voice of a young child, and it immediately put me at ease.

"Thank you, Qeas."

She bowed once more.

"Have any new guests checked in?" Ayoki questioned.

"Since the last time that you were here, master? only two" That revelation seemed to catch me off guard. "You've been here before? You never told me that." "My apologies, my love. Don Garca felt that I needed to get started on managing through a mountain of paperwork as well as meetings with some of the clients." He turned his attention back to Hio and kept on with his inquiry. "And who was it that checked in?"

"That would be the west African god of iron, Ogun, and the Brazilian moon goddess, Yacy."