“Zuri? Zuri?” her assistant, Emma called.
Someone was calling her, but she barely seemed to register it, her assistant lightly placed a hand on her shoulders.
“Zuri?”
“What? Sorry were you saying something?” Zuri asked.
“I was asking if there was anything else you needed me to do,” her assistance went back to sit in front of her, “You’re been out of it for the past few weeks.”
“Yea, I know but I’m fine really and no there’s nothing else,” she said with a smile.
“Ok,” her assistant replied skeptically.
“Zuri, I know I’m your assistant but I’m also your friend and you can talk to me about anything. I will always stay between us.”
Zuri smiled again and nodded, she knew she had been acting weird and people were worried but how could she explain what happen and even more how could she explain Eros. She missed him.
“Hey, Emma. Umm do you believe in love at first sight?”
Her assistant laughed, then stopped when she saw Zuri’s face.
“You’re serious. Well, I don’t but my parents do. They said they fell in love on their first date and then got married after 3 months. They’re still together after thirty years.”
“Oh wow, that’s awesome,” Zuri said.
“Yeah, I guess it just depends on the people sometimes it is and sometimes it not,” she shrugged and left.
She groaned at herself and dropped her head on her desk, what was wrong with her, she thought. It was one night, one night and here she was acting like it was a lifetime. She needed to stop thinking about him besides it had been two weeks and she hadn’t even seen him once. So, it probably didn’t mean anything to him, and it was probably just his influence that made her think it was more.
She picked up her phone and sent Ari a text, lunch at Los Tres @ 2pm.
She placed the phone back down and picked up the file that Emma dropped off. She was forcing herself to concentrate on anything else other than him. Her phone chimed and she picked it up, the message read, absolutely. She knew that Ari would cheer her up and get her mind back on track.
She picked up her bag after reapplying her lip gloss and headed for Los Tres. She took an Uber there it wasn’t very far from her office but walking the seven blocks in heels were a no-no for her. She was a jeans and sneakers type of girl and made no apologies for it but sometimes work called for a strong business look so here she was, two clients meeting down and dinner meeting to go.
Los Tres was a small but vibrant spot with a festive after-work scene It boasted a rustic-chic setting, down home Mexican comfort food and margaritas that could make anyone happy and dancing in no time.
Ari was already there waiting on her and had ordered a pitcher of mango margaritas, “You do know I’m still working right?” she dropped her bag on the seat next to her before she sat down.
“Yep, I do but I also know that you need this more than I do, and they won’t fire you because you are invaluable to them.”
Zuri laughed, “That’s a delusion on your part and they will replace me within ten minutes of being fired so don’t be the little devil on my shoulder.”
They both laughed, “What about you? How goes the family business?” Zuri asked.
Ari shrugged, “Good, I mean I can’t complain. I think we finally nailed one of the big bounties we were after.”
“Hey, that’s great but why do you think?”
“He got away, I shot him with something that should have made him sick as a dog at least sent him to the hospital but …”
“But?”
Ari sighed, “We couldn’t track him he had people around him, and they hurt a couple of our guys.”
“I’m sorry… why do you do that job anyway it just seems so dangerous.”
The waiter came over and took their orders; Zuri ordered a virgin banana daiquiri and appetizers she would share with Ari.
Ari poured herself another glass of the margarita before she responded, “It is but someone has to do it, you don’t know Zuri there’s some dangerous and scary things out there. Real monsters and demons and someone have to keep us safe.”
Zuri stared wide-eyed at Ari, what did she mean real monsters and demons, she thought.
“What?”
“Umm, nothing it’s just that you said real monsters and demons.”
“Oh, well you know what I mean, people can be monsters,” the waiter brought her daiquiri
“Yea, of course,” she took a long drink of her drink, “Ari, do you I mean… ok so do you think people can fall in love in one night? Or like in love at first sight?”
“Oh wow, I guess but it depends on the people. You see some people quickly say they’re in love then a month later they’re broken up those I don’t believe. But you if you were to tell me that you did then that I would believe,” Ari responded
“Why would you believe it if it was me?”
Ari thought for a moment before she answered, “Because you don’t rush into things and for you to risk bringing someone into Romi’s life and yours then they would have to be amazing and sweep you off your feet in the first moments of meeting you.”
Zuri shrugged, “Oh, ok.”
“Why do you ask? Wait, did you meet someone?” Ari gushed
“What? No, no of course not,” she scoffed, “I was just curious that’s all.”
“Hmm, ok. I guess when you’re ready you’ll tell me.” Ari smirked.
They finished eating and said their goodbyes to each other. Zuri returned to work, completed her in office meeting and met with her last clients. She impressed them enough to gain them as new clients earning an impressive her addition for the company.
She made it home by eight-thirty that night and turned off the slow cooker she had set before leaving in the morning. She took a shower then had a thirty-minute chat with Romi about his day. Then she made herself a plate and sat down in front of the television to watch Supernatural, her favourite show. There was nothing more like watching Dean take out a monster, demon or whatever they were hunting.
Although it did make her think of Eros, she paused the show and got up to stretch before going to her balcony. It was something she found herself doing over the two weeks since it happened. She looked to the sky and hoped maybe that she would see him flying towards her but like always he never came.
I really need to stop thinking about him, she thought. She was acting worse than a heartbroken love-sick puppy and it was making everyone around her suspicious.
She sighed and looked at her watch, it was after ten and although she didn’t have to be at work tomorrow, the long day had her exhausted. She completely her nighttime routine and climbed into bed after reading for a while then scrolled through Facebook. It was well after twelve am before she fell asleep.
Zuri was in the subway again but this time she was with Romi. The subway was dark, empty and they were alone. There was an eerie atmosphere that hovered in the air and an ominous stillness clung to them like wet clothes. Suddenly, the female succubus appeared and rushed towards them. Fear swept over Zuri as she grabbed Romi’s hand to run but as she turned to run, he was ripped away from her. She screamed and ran after them as the succubus dragged a screaming Romi away, the faster she tried to run the slower she went. Then he was gone, faded into the darkness, she screamed.
“Nooo, NO!” she jumped awake, covered in sweat and tried to calm her heavy breathing down. She got out of bed and went to the kitchen for water, she downed two glasses of water before the effects of the dream dissipated. He’s safe with his father she thought. She walked back to her bedroom and screamed dropping her glass.
Eros was sitting on her bed, his eyes blazed red as the locked on her, “How long?” he asked.
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