"No, it's up to the player's will, but the more they kept pressing on something that didn't belong to them, it would cause life." She corrected before adding a more precise comparison, "Think of this game as the layers of security that I put around our pack."
"I see, no wonder our security is untouchable." Medina sighed, but clearly understood the meaning of the game they came up with.
"That's sick." Joey reacted with a heavy sigh, yet stayed on the same page as their boss, excited
"And since you two were targeting Rudolf, is he the player?" Vincencio guessed, making Skylar nod.
The game of Clock was created for fun, testing skills and knowledge in a closed space, or outside to make it more challenging. However, if the game used to change a life, like what Fredric did to Skylar's life, it could either lead to a death sentence or something to survive with. Like what happened to Skylar, she was molded to be a strong woman, better than she used to be, and yet, she also became a vengeful soul that later awakened what had been sleeping for years. And Rudolf Strange would be the first one who would taste every poison they had prepared for him because the fun game was now a life-threatening survival game – if they allowed him to live.
"The main player who would taste the dark side of the game, but to make it happen, there are things that need to be done. A kind of risky scene that could either win or lose, yet let's hope it will fall into our favor." Her mischievous tone turned serious, saying those words before studying them carefully, and added, "Which I think my brother left something for you to do to make it more believable."
"Now that you mentioned it, he did send me this letter." Medina showed her letter first, making them look at each other curiously, but not Skylar. She was more ecstatic than confused.
"What roles are you playing?" She wondered, taking the letter, reading it.
To the loyal beta,
Beta Dina must play the two-faced information provider of her boss to give misleading information to any eavesdroppers in the shadows while sticking to the plan under the culprit's nose.
"It's the usual, but I had to be obvious, sharing some information to mislead the shadows," Medina answered briefly, making Skylar snicker.
"You have to make it believable, and I know you could do that perfectly." She grinned, expecting Medina to do it smoothly.
"Here's mine." Joey grinned, handing the letter to his boss proudly. "Me, I have to provide you two with weapons. Lucky, it's my forte."
"But, Joey, Rudolf Strange is a different case. You have to upgrade your smithing." Skylar seriously reminded Joey.
"Then give me more information about him. I'll be damn creating a masterpiece in no time." Joey grinned as he demanded what he needed.
"Asked Delta and Fredric about it and do it quietly." She suggested making Joey stand up. He was holding up his phone and starting to make calls before asking the rest, "And you two?"
"I have to be around the royal vampire council to spy who has been helping Rudolf in the shadows, and help the vampire who's been eager to capture and end him," Irina answered first with a heavy sigh, crossing her arms, pretty much annoyed with her task, making Skylar laugh. "It's not funny, Mom. I left the royal connection and now, I have to use it."
"Well, if it's for the sake of our peaceful pack, then we have to." She reasoned, making Irina sigh if she put it that way before adding, "And don't worry, I won't let them corrupt you, but I suggest being like Lady Ceres in handling them."
"No, Mom. I don't want to die young." She quickly declined the suggestion, making Skylar arch her brow daringly.
"Really, young?" She challenged, making Irina frown.
"Fine, but you know what I mean, I don't want to die because I imitate her." In defeat, Irina corrected herself, making them laugh.
"Hahaha, I know, but I might be able to help you prevent turning into a corrupted one." She shared her reason for suggesting it.
"I'll keep it in mind." She sighed, considering her blood mother's suggestion.
"I'll be with you since I'm the worst but famous." She winked, reminding she was still the famous killer in the city before turning to her husband, who had been quiet and thinking deeply. "And how about you, Hubby? What role had Fredric given you?"
"Oh, me…ahm, something goes around being a driver bodyguard of my wife while searching for our daughter and more information about our prey," Vincencio answered. But Skylar sensed something that was left unsaid, making her eyes narrow, but she didn't question further.
"Oh, Hubby, you're hiding something." Skylar thought slyly before asking, "Anything else?"
"Nothing…" He answered, but Skylar noticed his sudden skeptical expression that he quickly masked with an assuring smile.
"Hm, it seems my brother told him something that he didn't want to share yet." She thought, nodding, but inside, Skylar was smirking dangerously. "Hubby, what punishment should I give you for this one?"
As the roles were shared with Skylar, she began collecting their letters, shredding them into tiny bits before burning them in the fireplace. She stared at the fire while Vincencio saw the three of their old house to start what they were assigned to do. But when he returned to the living space, Skylar was already sitting by the couch, crossed legs, sipping her wine with class, but her eyes held danger, making him gulp.
"Ahm, are you okay, Wifey?" Vincencio asked with a little shakiness at the edge of his tone.
"Submit to me, Vince," Skylar demanded coldly, surprising Vincencio because it was a different tone, making him shiver and his knees weaken, but not kneeling. Not yet, at least.
"What?" he wasn't sure how to react and just looked confused at his wife's demand.
"Don't make me repeat myself and submit to me." Skylar held her ground, demanding and authoritative, making him tremble.
"I…" He was about to say something, but Skylar's aura shifted dangerously.
"NOW." She hissed with venom, making him fall on his knees, confused by what had changed in his wife. "Good. I like your view from here."
"Wifey, what's gotten into you?" He asked nervously.
"Reminding you who I am." She sinisterly grinned, making him frown.
"But you don't have to make me kneel and submit to you." He said, sighing and slouching on his knees.
"I have to ask you, as you intend to hide things from me again." She reasoned before reminding what almost broke them apart. "Remember what it almost cost us, well, unless you wanted it to happen."
"NO! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" He growled, shouting defensively as he stood, grabbing her shoulder. He was furious, fearing he would lose her for good, making Skylar soften a little.
"Then don't do it. Say it. Tell me the secret lies in that letter. The real role you have to play." She demanded softly, but there was firmness in her tone.
"I…is this about it? Just because of it, you're making me submit? You…" He reacted in disbelief, trying not to flip, and Skylar sensed it.
"Don't start with me, Vince, if you ever desire to have a little you running around the house." She spat a warning, making Vincencio flinch. He's frowning.
"You're being so…" He tried to come up with something, but staring at his wife's cold and demanding eyes, he couldn't find the right word to describe her now because he knew she was still his wife.
"Difficult? Confusing? Charming? Dangerous? I could be all." She scoffed, daring him, but he sighed.
"You…" He softly said, making Skylar blush slightly before he continued, "Fine, I didn't tell you because it's a reminder and not a role."
"Reminder about what?" With eyes narrowing, Skylar wondered.
"My connection to him before we got married." He simply answered, trying not to sound nervous.
"Vincencio Saison-Monsour, what exactly are you trying to tell me? Hm?" She dangerously asked, making him shiver since she called him by his full name.
"We're going to look for our daughter." He dodged and attempted to leave her side, but Skylar quickly pinned him on the couch, straddling him on his lap.
"Tell me, Hubby, or I won't let you move us from our bed." She daringly whispered, taunting as her nails sharpened, tracing his lips down to his throat, chest, stomach, and waistline before whispering, demanding again, "Tell me now."
"He orchestrated our second meeting after learning my truth that you're my second chance, mate…" Stuttering a little, Vincencio confessed honestly, letting his wife tower over her. But seeing her hurt reaction, he quickly cupped her face and sincerely added, "God, Sky, don't think that it's his entire fault. I agreed to his terms to be with you."
"What terms are they?" She held her cold tone firm as she asked, still demanding.
"That I could stay with you if I report to him your daily activities, I spied on you inside and out of business…" he answered honestly, but got hurt when Skylar moved away and created a quiet distance, making him quickly add, "…but that doesn't change anything. You're still my mate, and I kept falling for you every day and night."
"This is not what I'm ready to hear…" Skylar secretly thought before mumbling, "So, from the start you knew…you knew my mask…tell me, it's not true…"
"I…I do…I knew from the very start that you're the infamous Rose Slayer…" His voice started to shake because he could feel Skylar's emotions were haywire. "…Sky…"
Skylar began shaking her head because it was a confession she did not see coming. Her head was spinning with something untold truth that she thought she already knew before they claimed each other. She stepped back, making Vincencio step forward, but she raised her hand, stopping him from getting close, before looking at him with pain.
"Tell me exactly…did you know it on or before we got married?" Skylar's voice slightly trembled when she asked.
"Before." He answered with worry.
"No…" She whispered before softly mumbling, "You know it, but didn't tell me when you had a chance."
"Wifey…" He called, but Skylar's turned bloody, and it burned, making him flinch.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" She shouted in pain before continuing, letting her feelings about the subject, "YOU KNEW IT FROM THE START AND HAD A CHANCE TO TELL ME THE TRUTH BEFORE WE MADE LOVE, VINCE. WHY DIDN'T YOU BOTHER TO TELL ME? WHY JUST NOW? OR DO YOU EVEN PLAN ON TELLING ME ABOUT IT? ANSWER ME!"
"NO! I DON'T PLAN ON TELLING YOU BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY HERE. I don't want to ruin what we already had." He shouted back, broken, before softly continuing, sharing his reason for not telling about it. "It won't change a thing. You're my mate, my wife, and the mother of children. The home that I will always be returning to."
"Home, you say…" She bitterly scoffed, hurting Vincencio before she whispered, "Vince, some buried secrets hurt when they surface at the wrong time…"
"What are you saying? Are you leaving me?" He asked, frowning, letting his pain surface.
"No, but it changes things…" She sadly smiled, admitting it would shift something in their relationship. She felt it again, her painful past that she thought she was already past. Then she continued, "…let me breathe for a while…"
"Skylar, don't run away from it." He begged, and Skylar was hurt hearing that kind of voice from her husband, but she had to breathe. It's mixed up.
"I'm not running away, I just…I just need time to breathe this confession…" She admitted, reassuring him, yet Vincencio's painful expression made it difficult, but she held her ground, adding, "I'm not leaving you or our family. Just let me breathe away from this. I'll come back before you know it."
"Sky…" he weakly mumbled as Skylar kissed his cheek before turning her back on him.
"Stick to your role." She reminded me before walking upstairs. She locked their bedroom, curled up on the floor, crying and praying. "I'm sorry, hubby. I'm just hurt from what I heard. Let me take time to digest them…please, wait for my return…"
The sudden confession shouldn't hurt them much because they had already passed on it. However, learning a grave truth shook Skylar. After learning about Vincencio's knowing her truth before they even got married, it truly caught her off guard. She thought she had it masked, and controlled, but it was the other way around.
"You're a master of disguise, not me…" Skylar scoffed, staying curled up on the floor with dried tears, and the only noise in the bedroom her breathing and the ticking clock on the bedside table. She sighed and stretched out her hands up to the ceiling like she was reaching it when she noticed her wedding ring. "Vince…"