Sold To The Billionaire

COMPULSION

In a split second, it was the c***k of dawn and the roosters were up in their daily routine of crowing. The light rays shone through the blinds, almost blinding the eyes of Hailey. The sun she was always eager to see daily suddenly had a very different feel to it and gave a burning sensation.

The events of last night came flashing through her mind and she believed that indeed, she had fed on human blood and cringed at the thought.

"What in the name of Macbeth is this? Is this me taking my pound of flesh or what? I can't take this!!!!!" She yelled the last part.

The most baffling thing was the fact that the victim of this human feast, this living sacrifice was in high spirits and was oblivious about anything happening because, she had been compelled to act like it was a ruse, a façade and another episode of things that never happened.

"I am becoming the monster, the same monster that ripped my family apart. I'd rather hunger than repeat this feasting on human blood. How did I even get here? Who cast a spell on me or turned me without my knowledge? Oh wait, what if I was compelled to forget the transformation too?" She was so lost in thought until the voice of Maggie brought her back to reality.

"Hello???? Hailey?? Earth to Hailey??" Maggie snapped her fingers and waved in the blank face of Hailey.

"Oh hi, did you say something Mag?"

"I have been asking whether you wanted coffee or something like pancakes for breakfast. It is your big day at the office, it has to be perfect."

"Oh really? You never cook breakfast, so what is the occasion today?" Hailey rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Oh come on Hailey, I have my good days and today happens to be the happiest. Besides, let me make it up to you. I made a mess of your favourite flowery bed sheets. I'm so embarrassed." Maggie mused.

Feigning ignorance, Hailey spoke "so, what did you do again?"

"So, you know I usually have a hangout on a quarterly basis with my buddies from college, like a sorta reunion."

With trained eyes out to spot however little a flicker of oblivion Maggie was experiencing, searching thoroughly into her thoughts; Hailey spoke, "go on??? I really don't have all day. What is the issue?"

Okay, the thing is I had way too much alcohol in my system and I lost track of my body metabolism and my cue to pee was misplaced. Iendeduppeeingonthesheets and I am really sorry." Maggie let out a big breath awash with relief.

"Bullocks, you are sorry for doing what exactly? You compressed everything into a word spoken without breathing through it." Rising to leave the kitchenette, Hailey acted the ignorant folk effortlessly.

"Apologies Hailey, I peed on the sheets. This is me making it up and fixing it going forward. I promise to be responsible too." Maggie wrung at the hem of her denim shirt and waited for a favourable resolution.

"Oh well, fine. Fix the issue, no worries about that. Can I go to work now?" Hailey was being coy but it worked best to help her ease her punctured conscience. Then she prodded to ask the bite mark question, to see if her compulsion story will check out.

She bit into a slice of pancake and relished it, while watching Maggie from the corner of her eyes. Then, she acted shocked to see the marks her fangs indented in that creamy skin.

"Oh my, Maggie is there anything bugging you that you want to talk about?" "Nothing is, why do you ask?"

"Oh dear, I don't mean to pry but I just saw some marks on your neck. What happened?" Hailey asked.

"Psst, about that... hiking and some tsetse flies or something like that weird bug bite. I'd apply ointment for a few days and it will clear out. Don't worry about me. Now eat Hailey." Maggie said with an aura of finality.

Hailey ate the rest of her food in silence, fighting desperately to tell Maggie the truth about the previous night but she couldn't do anything until she found the recalcitrant fellow in the whole of Mystique Falls who put her in this fixation on a human blood feast. Her thoughts running wild like a forest wildfire.

She was determined to put a lid on this discovery or find answers to this torture and everything else that lie in wait. She had no clue the eventualities in store for her at work. She packed her bags hurriedly and bid Maggie goodbye.

"Take out the thrash Maggie, I'm out." With that, she walked to the driveway and entered into her shabby looking car. The only thing from the inheritance she could call her own after moving from one foster home to the other in France.

It sure needed a nice body work and an upgrade to touch it up, but a lot of other pressing needs took a huge toll on her already struggling finances.

She grabbed a tissue from the dashboard and wiped her sweaty forehead. It was going to be a very hot day, she could smell it.

Adjusting her side mirrors she set the car in motion and drove to Emiliano Corporation, a place where she was a wine expert and connoisseur.

Little did she know she was at the brink of losing her office placement or would fate be kind enough to tag it as something along the lines of the start of a new beginning.

Either way, she has always proved herself tenacious. The ride was hitch free and in no distant time, Miss Hailey Brentwood pulled up in the driveway of the office complex.

She heaved a sigh of relief, maybe it was one laced with anxiety or something similar to the discovery of being a blood thirsty monster, she couldn't tell.

A knock on her feeble car window brought her thoughts back to the present, "good morning ma'am. The Board of Directors sent me to get you. It has been 40 minutes. I hope you're ready."

The homely young man said curtly.

"Oh hello, ummmm..."

"Oh, I'm Frederick but I love to be called Fred." He replied.

"Fred, it has been a long day. I am ready. Let me get my laptop and I'd join up in a few minutes. I'm trailing right behind you."

"Okay ma'am. Welcome." He turned to leave.

"And Fred? Hailey is better to be addressed as, so we're clear."

He mouthed a quick "okay," while smiling shyly at his long time crush who was probably unaware of his antics and how he had to walk on eggshells to talk to someone who was a spitting image of dexterity and confidence.

It was a good day in waiting, so he thought. To him, watching his love interest and crush smash this big proposal pitching for the wine corporation was all he needed to keep his grin growing wider from ear to ear.

Hailey locked whatever was left of her scrawny car and walked into the office complex. The big day she was barely prepared for was staring her in the face and she hoped not to flop on this multimillion dollar deal, the company depended on her and she just had to bring this pitch home.