Working for Love

Nicknamed (4)

Two people were waiting for me when I entered the Ashdown Properties building the next day. One was the vampire receptionist from yesterday. The other was another woman, maybe in her twenties despite the pure white hair that was held in a bun with many braids woven through it. Her ears were pointed, revealing her elven heritage, as did her light green eyes which sparkled under the white lights.

And here I thought everyone in this company was a vampire.

"Good morning, Alessandria," said the receptionist with a smile that showed off her fangs. "This is Viveca—the two of you will be working together. She's going to show you around and help you get your sea legs." She winked one red eye at me.

"Hello," said the other woman with a welcoming grin. "I'm so excited to have an assistant, I'm sure we'll be good friends." Usually, when someone said that, I felt trepidation—people didn't say that unless there was a reason we wouldn't be friends. But with Viveca, whose name I had apparently gotten wrong last night, I sensed only goodwill extended towards me like an olive branch.

I did my best to smile back. "Hi. It's nice to meet you." Maybe I should have mentioned how nice it will be to work with her. Too late now.

"Well, let's show you our office first. Bye, Addison," said Viveca, making sure I was going to follow her before turning walk to the elevator. "We're sharing one since we'll be working so closely. I hope you don't mind. I'm sure I could request for a separate one for you if you would like, but mine is big enough for the both of us. Managers have their own floor—like, all of us are on one floor. It's floor twenty-four, just so you know. It should be easy to remember since it rhymes." She pressed the button, and the elevator began its ascent.

I stared at the elevator doors, not sure how to start a conversation with an elf. She filled in the silence for me. "Where are you from, Alessandria?"

"I've always lived in Atlanta. You?"

She laughed brightly. "That comes with a long answer of all the places I've been, but I am originally from France."

I had forgotten that elves lived basically forever as well. She must have seen so many things throughout her life. I wonder if she's travelled the world? How old is she exactly? Seems like it would be rude to ask. Why doesn't she have an accent?

"Do you have any siblings?" she asked.

"Four. Two brothers and two sisters, all older than me." Did she not do any research on me before she came? I assumed they had given her my resumé. Then again, maybe she's just trying to make conversation. Do elves have a lot of siblings since they live so long? "Do you?"

"I'm the third of ten. Seven brothers and two sisters, all massive pains in the rear." She rolled her eyes as the elevator doors opened.

"What did you just call Aldous?" A male vampire said, turning around with a grin as we stepped out of the elevator. It looked like he had been headed down the hallway that was in front of us with the man beside him but stopped when he heard Viveca's remark.

The other man hit the vampire with his folder. "Rude. I don't call you names."

"I don't call you names either," said the vampire with wide, innocent red eyes. "I let Viveca do the work for me."

"Hey," my guide scoffed. "I don't want to do your dirty work." She glanced at me. "This is Alessandria, guys. Alessandria, this is Xiyang and Aldous. They're in charge of buying new properties." I noticed that Aldous also had dark red eyes, so he was a vampire as well. This place seemed to be swarming with them.

The Asian-looking vampire folded his arms. "It's Xiyang," he said snottily. Nothing in his pronunciation sounded any differently than when Viveca had said. But after a moment, he grinned again, so I assumed it was just a joke.