The Dark Secret of the CEO by Sofia de Orellana

“…So this isn’t a dream,” I mutter.

“No, Dear, it’s not. You’re very much awake.”

“But I’m… dead.”

“Yes, and no. You’re not like any human anymore. It will take time, but you shall get used to it, eventually. We will teach you everything you need to know as one of our own.”

“Like… what?” I mutter. “I can’t… Sir, I’m…”

“Richard,” he smiles. “You can call me Richard.”

There’s a hint of amusement in his tone, but this is also a real thing. He is giving me permission to call him by his name, a permission I wasn’t sure I had before… It’s like meeting a very old person, and not being sure how familiar you can get with them. Richard’s been… strangely nice to me so far, but it makes me all the more confused. I nod faintly.

“It’s alright to be a bit confused at first,” he continues. “But worry not, Dear. All the answers will come, and… as it so happens, you’ll have all the time you need to get the answers.”

“Do you mean I’m… immortal or something?”

“No, you’re not. But… If you listen to me, and avoid trouble, you will get to live a very, very long time.”

I hesitate. I don’t feel immortal, that’s for sure, but I feel… different. I’m aware the fresh cuts on my wrists should still be bleeding, not already fading into thin scars like they are now. My skin looks a bit different too. It’s hard to notice in the night-blue darkness of the plane, but it seems a couple of shades paler. My veins are slightly more visible, and… wait. The darkness of the plane? I glance up. The lights have been off all along. We’re in the dark, but I can see… perfectly fine.

“Did you notice?” Richard smiles. “Night vision. We tend to forget, but it is quite useful, isn’t it? You’ve become a creature of darkness now, Darling.”

“I am going to grow… claws and fangs?” I scoff.

“Only the fangs,” he chuckles. “The claws are more of an… aesthetical choice.”

His fangs aren’t so obvious that they’d trigger much suspicion, either. In fact, it’s hard enough to look him in the eye as it is, I wouldn’t mind his longer-than-normal canines otherwise… Perhaps it’s a reflex, but he also doesn’t open his mouth enough that I’d see it much either. I try to look for mine with my tongue. I don’t know if they’ve really grown, but my canines do feel sharper… pointier. I wonder what else has changed…

“Then… what?”

“It will come with time,” he said. “Like I said, we’ve got time. Your senses will be what you should listen and follow from now on, Hera. Only your senses. You’ll see that everything is different, when you’re different.”

“That name… Why are you calling me that?” I frown.

“Because you cannot be June anymore,” he says. “You’ve been reborn, child. And especially because you were born in such times, your new life will need to start under a new name, a new identity.”

I do guess it will be hard for me to appear as “June Starr” again… Millions of people knew my name, my face. How am I going to ever be able to step out again? I’m supposed to be dead… I can change my name, but can I really change enough that no one will recognize me? Judging from his attitude, Richard already has something in mind. Taking me to a different continent is probably just the start.

“…Why Hera, though?” I ask. “You could have… let me pick a new name myself.”

“No child chooses their own name.”

That’s a rule for babies, but I’m a full-grown twenty-five year old…

“You don’t like it?”

hate it,” I shrug. “I don’t really care,

get rid of no matter how I tried. Most people hate their name because it doesn’t sound good to them, or because

know who

she a

Gods… and her Roman

name that’s somewhat related to mine. It’s not like it will be forgettable, I guess… It’s a bit overwhelming, in fact. Hera Heartgraves… It does sound good, maybe a bit pretentious, but I’ve got no issues with that. I like it a lot better than my previous name, for one. I have no

although I’m well aware my opinion doesn’t matter. “Then… what do you

“You need some time away from the media, and to get familiar with everything. Becoming a Heartgraves is going to keep you busy for a little

familiar with his… family will be more challenging than becoming a… a vampire? I try to take a breath, but it feels unnatural. Well, at least I’m a bit confident in my adaptation skills. I am… I mean, was an

you?”

have

vampire,” he smiles,

don’t know much about vampires but that sounds awfully vague,” I groan, a new

he says, sipping his wine. “You’ll have trouble meeting vampires as old as I am, Darling. I hope

no idea how I’m supposed to identify “old” vampires, when Richard looks like he could barely

to turn me?” I frown. “Are you

“I can’t say I’ve seen more than a couple of your movies, and to be honest, I did

got good taste then,”

he saw… They were probably just as

acting skills

I don’t answer; I’m the type who just gets clueless and speechless when I get a

you were just passing by and

that,”

than average as an actress, but I can detect a lie when I hear and see it. I won’t press it further, though; whatever reasons he had, he’s not telling me. Perhaps it was pity or something… I put my chin on my fist and look outside again, hoping looking at

am I feeling so sick?” I

Like… You die and bam, you’re reborn and everything’s fine, glowing skin and all? What the heck is this

changes,” explains Richard. “The transformation differs for each individual. Some have it quick and easy, for others, it can take

flu, and a gastroenteritis all at the same time. I feel feverish, but I can’t

fail?” I suddenly worry. “Can I… just die again,

“No. You’ll survive.”

amused. Well, it couldn’t hurt to ask… I need to think of something else to ask. It’s hard to ignore the nausea, but at least when we talk, I’ve

“Why England?” I groan.

you, it’s home. It really bothers you, doesn’t it?” He squints his ice-blue eyes at me. “…It’s your homeland

to him, shocked. How the hell

you told the media are of no concern to me,” he said. “I’m just curious why you were so adamant to lie about so many things of your past. Things such as your birthplace and birthday don’t seem enough to

I sigh.

were always trying to dig around my family and my private

“Including your mother?”

well? I grimace. For a woman I barely remember, she sure made herself overwhelmingly

know about

made the headlines for a while,” he simply says. “Her

enough to make the headlines on every continent… I didn’t think my own death would be the same, but it does feel