Dark Faïz ( Book 1 ) [ COMPLETED]

Chapters 12-4

Dressed and made up, we were ready to leave. The cold showers had recharged our batteries. The three of us admired each other in front of the large mirror in the room.

— "We no longer look anything like the wrecks we were when we come in here," Lexy said, delighted with the reflection in the mirror.

— "Let's hope it lasts," said Asarys. "Don't forget that we have a few miles to go. Let's pray our makeup doesn't fuck off."

— "Where should we meet David?" I asked, suddenly remembering that he was also coming to the birthday party.

— "David is waiting for us on campus. He is expected to follow us with his car," she replied.

The end of the day was approaching. The sun, lower and lower in the sky, indicated that night was about to arrive. As I left the apartment, I looked at the girls. Lexy had opted for a teenage, sexy look. She knew how to dress her curves perfectly while highlighting herself. She wore a white dress with bands and a small fine touch of fake fur on her collar and waist. Her outfit fell to her knees, where her open gray velvet thigh boots began. Asarys kept a trendy working girl look with a very short top, black, slightly transparent. It surrounded her neck and closed at the back. Her black pants, as loose as possible, tightened her wasp waist. Her simple outfit nevertheless remained very elegant. My friend had taken my advice by wearing open-toed pumps. As for me, I had opted for sportswear trousers, smartly dressed, high waist, cream-colored. My golden bodysuit gave me a romantic look. The embroidery was in the right place, strategically.

— "You really have a perfect, airy figure, Zoe," complimented Lexy when we arrived near Asarys's car.

— "Thank you, but tonight we're all perfect," I told her.

— "All Hollywood can go and get dressed," Asarys added in a haughty tone.

She turned on the radio. I t handed her my USB.

— "It's Cuban salsa," I said, "to get in the mood for tonight's party."

— "Let's go," she exclaimed, putting it into the reader.

Marc Anthony's voice sprang from the speakers and the sensual rhythm of his music forced us to dance inside the car.

— "I love this one!" exclaimed Lexy as she turned up the volume.

Salsa always brought me back to my roots. I found in the melodies so many consonances from all horizons, Latin, Afro... The emotion that this tune gave me was particular, transcendent. The three of us wiggled to the music, while the Bentley ran at full speed through the streets of Los Angeles. The night loomed on the horizon.

Unfortunately, I couldn't guess what would be done tomorrow. I didn't know everything would turn. There was no way to pause at that moment. If I had known...

**

— "Oh, my God," Lexy articulated when we reached the vacant lot where Asarys was parking.

David, who was following us, was parking right next to us.

— "Zoe, you're scaring me. Are you sure of the address?" Asarys insisted, turning to me.

— "I don't see any houses, mansions, or castles! Just a place where you can bury someone and be sure they'll never be found," Lexy added, worried.

I got out of the car, ignoring my friends' remarks. It was cooler here than in the city. It was a relief for all of us.

— "William's mansion is here," I indicated to them with my finger, " I assure you. You just don't see it. Besides, it's almost dark."

The girls started walking, as did David.

— "Night or no night, a house can't be missed," Lexy exclaimed.

— "I don't know how anyone can miss something like that. If I didn't know you, I'd really think you were one of those cracked people," David said to me.

— "Let's go," I said, "we're late again!"

As we proceeded, the top of the mansion appeared in the distance. Only the top floor was visible. My three friends' eyes widened in shock, realizing that the house was underground.

— "What the hell? What the fuck?" David whispered.

— "It's always the effect it has for the first time," I told them. "I warn you that the interior is also extraordinary."

— "Where are we going? To the vampire ball?" grumbled Asarys.

— "It's similar," I said.

Her remark made me smile. I walked up to the hatch and pulled it. It opened without any problem. Little screams came out of the mouths of my three sidekicks.

— "Holy shit, Zoe! No way I'm going in there," Lexy shouted.

— "I've been here before. Well, I'll admit, at first glance it doesn't look like it, but there's life underneath."

— "You surprise me! The thing is: what kind of life?" Asarys grinned.

I started to go down, knowing that they would eventually follow me. I pressed the switch next to the steps and the large vertical staircase lit up, offering a glimpse of the beginning of this special place. As we started the descent, David asked me,

— "Is the site open to the public?"

—"Where do you think you are?" replied Lexy. "This is not a museum, David, but a private home."

— "It's clear that you see mansions like this on every street corner," David replied defensively.

— "You know, this staircase reminds me of the ancient chalk pits dug in Roman times," said Asarys.

— "I also think," I replied, that the walls are made of chalk limestone.

— "If so, it will be easy to dig in case of a landslide above our heads," Lexy pointed out.