Chapter Ten
Leo and Victor are in the town car, driving through the streets of Manhattan in silence.
Leo knows they should talk about what happened at dinner, but he doesn’t want to pry, letting Victor process this new reality at his own pace.
A short time later, they stop in front of a hotel.
Leo gets out of the car first and then offers to help Victor out of the vehicle.
Victor steps out and looks up at the hotel, which he doesn’t recognize.
Victor finally speaks after almost an hour of silence. “Where are we? I don’t recognize this hotel.”
Leo looks up at the hotel and responds, “That’s because, unlike the restaurant, this hotel has an illusion spell. To the mundane, it appears as a regular business building. This hotel is only for us, hence why we can see the hotel.”
“How come I’ve never seen it before?” Victor asks. “I’m not mundane. Well, not anymore.”
Leo taps his finger on Victor’s tie clip.
“This hotel is also protected by those who don’t carry this metal.
As long as you have this clip or another variation of the same metal on you, you can see protected things that are hidden from others.
If we were here before the attack . . .” Leo stops before he can finish.
Victor finishes the sentence for Leo, “If we were here before that witch attacked us, we would have been safe.”
Leo slowly nods. He lets out a sigh and then smiles at Victor. Leo nods to the entrance, and they continue into the hotel.
When they walk in, Victor is amazed at what he sees.
The lobby is exquisite, with pristine white-and-black marble floors.
The walls are painted white with thin vertical lines of gold.
Gold and silver trimmings along the crown molding.
Large crystal chandeliers hang down from the tall, vaulted ceilings.
In front of the elevators, a waterfall flows from the ceiling.
The air is filled with light floral fragrances of rose and lavender, with the added crisp scent of fresh water from the waterfall.
Several golden animals run around the lobby’s shelves, providing enjoyment to the children sitting around while their parents are chatting and enjoying a drink from the lobby bar.
Golden birds of different varieties fly around, singing a beautiful melody.
Musical instruments play by themselves as they hover over a platform off to the side.
Victor can feel the magic in the air while he looks around.
The concierge acknowledges Victor and Leo as they approach the front desk. “Mr. Oliveira and Mr. Russo, welcome. We have your rooms ready. Only the best for the two of you.”
“Thank you,” Leo responds as he approaches the counter. “Have our belongings been delivered to our rooms?”
The concierge smiles as they slide the keys over the counter. “Yes, sir. Including the few packages that arrived about an hour ago.”
Leo thanks the concierge again as he grabs the keys and turns to Victor, handing him one of the keys. Victor cocks his eyebrow as he holds up his key. Hanging on a placard with the room number is an old-fashioned brass key with an elegant design.
“What are we in the 1950s?” Victor smirks.
Leo snickers and gestures a nod toward the elevators. “Come on, we have rooms overlooking Central Park.” They walk up to an elevator whose doors open as they approach it. A bellman stands inside and greets them as they enter. “Floor 13, please,” Leo requests as he and Victor step to the back.
“How appropriate,” Victor chuckles under his breath.
“What do you mean?” Leo asks as he continues to look forward.
“We’re staying on the 13th floor,” Victor mentions.
“Well, this hotel only has 13. I don’t understand what you’re getting at,” Leo remarks.
Victor rolls his eyes as he chuckles to himself.
When they reach their floor, they exit the elevator and head to their rooms. Halfway down the hall, Leo stops in front of the door to his room. He looks at Victor, gives him a wink, and walks into his room. Victor opens the door and is amazed by his room.
It’s a large suite with floor-to-ceiling windows. Sure enough, he has a terrific view of Central Park. An oversized lounge chair sits beside the window, and a huge flat-screen TV hangs on the wall. The wet bar is stocked with his favorite snacks. Of course, they would supply his favorite snacks.
When he walks into the bedroom, he notices the king-size bed faces outward to enjoy the view on the other side of the window.
The TV rises from the cabinet at the foot of the bed.
He walks into the bathroom. The shower and tub both have a view of Central Park.
The shower itself is so large that it could hold eight people.
There’s a knock at the connecting door to Victor’s room. He opens the door, and Leo is on the other side holding two glasses of brandy. He’s already out of his suit and into more casual clothes.
Leo smiles gleefully and asks, “So, what do you think of the room? I’m sure you don’t get views like this on your layovers.”
“Not at all,” Victor answers as he steps to the side, to let Leo enter.
“Why don’t you get out of that suit and into something more comfortable?” Leo suggests.
“You’re probably right,” Victor responds, looking down at his suit. “I almost forgot that I was still wearing my suit. You weren’t kidding about how comfortable it is.”
As Victor disappears into the bedroom, Leo takes a seat on the couch and turns on the TV. “Anything you like to watch?”
“No,” Victor responds from the bedroom. “Do they have any streaming services?”
“Did you really ask that question?” Leo responds, selecting the menu for every streaming service available.
Victor walks back into the living room as he pulls his shirt down.
He’s ready to relax, wearing a T-shirt and cotton shorts.
Victor takes a seat, and Leo hands him a glass.
They clink their glasses together. A delicate crystal chime rings around them.
Victor snuggles into the couch to relax.
Leo puts his free arm across the back of the sofa behind Victor and kicks his feet onto the coffee table.
Leo points at the TV. “The Warlock, season two is available.”
Victor giggles as he raises his glass to his lips. “I’ll have to watch season one again and start commenting on how inaccurate their magic is.”
Leo smiles as he looks at Victor. “Someone seems to be in a better mood.” Victor shrugs his shoulders. “Would you like to debrief about dinner?” he asks Victor.
Victor decides to knock back his drink, then nods. “Do you know who she was?”
“Her name is Magenta,” Leo responds in his glass, gulping down his brandy. “Her coven is always up to no good. Since the last time I fought her, she’s been able to increase her Fire Magic.”
“You two fought before?” Victor asks.
“About ten years ago. She lost, of course, but I never would have killed her. It’s not who I am,” Leo states while looking at the television.
“You looked like you were about to earlier,” Victor comments without looking at Leo.
Leo side-eye glances at Victor before he answers. “I almost did. But then you stopped me.”
“About that . . .” Victor sets his empty glass on the coffee table and then turns to give his attention to Leo, “. . . what happened back there?”
“What part?” Leo asks as he watches TV.
“The part when this flash of light came out of me.” Victor keeps his attention on Leo, ignoring the scene playing on the screen.
Leo sucks in his lips and then puckers them, making a kissing noise as he ponders his answer. “That was your empathic energy being set free. That’s the best way I can describe it to you without going into confusing details.”
Victor sits back, calculating Leo’s response. “So, in other words, I can extend my empathic abilities onto others?”
“In a sense,” Leo replies, nodding. “But it’s more along the lines of being able to shut down the emotions of others, which is what you did to me.
I couldn’t hear anything or anyone around me because of the rage ringing in my ears.
I couldn’t hear Magenta gasping for air as I took it from her.
I didn’t hear anything until you yelled stop. ”
“So . . . it’s like a failsafe switch?” Victor questions.
Leo scrunches at the stubble on his cheek and nods. “I suppose so. I never really thought about it like that.”
“She called me a Melee Warlock,” Victor remarks. “That sounds like something out of D&D. D&D, right? I never played, so I’m spit balling here.”
Leo smiles with pride, “Who do you think created the game? A bunch of warlocks.”
“So, why was she after me?” Victor asks as he leans back against the armrest.
Leo looks at Victor and says, “Because you’re special. You have something more rare than other people of magic. I don’t think you understand the full potential you have within you.”
Leo adjusts his body to look at Victor better.
“Akisha told me she visited you yesterday. She mentioned that you told her she was nervous. But what she didn’t tell you was that you were absolutely correct.
You have untapped magic that can be a blessing or a disaster.
I’m here to make sure that it’s a blessing. Magenta wants it to be a disaster.”
“How did they find out I was alive?” Victor inquires. “From what you mentioned back in S?o Paulo, I was off everyone’s radar. I just started walking into this, and now it feels like I’m already being fought over.”
Leo looks away as he responds, “I don’t know. But we’ll find out soon.”
Victor slumps his shoulders. He looks up at Leo for reassurance. “Should I be worried?”
“No.” Leo places his free hand on Victor’s shoulder. “As long as you’re with me, you’ll be safe.”
Victor and Leo maintain eye contact in silence. Without a word, Victor leans in and kisses Leo. Leo embraces Victor’s affection. Leo places his glass on the side table without breaking his kiss with Victor. He then wraps his arms around Victor to pull him in closer.
Victor can feel Leo’s tongue massaging his. Victor almost forgot what kissing someone with so much passion was like. He hadn’t felt that way in a long time, even with James. After a few passing moments, Leo breaks free, and they rest against each other’s foreheads. They breathe heavily.
Leo licks his lips, knowing the kiss was a mistake. “As much as I enjoyed that, we should stop. I’m supposed to be your mentor.”
He looks into Victor’s eyes, and deep down, he wants to kiss those lips again. Leo stands up and walks toward his room. “I . . . I should . . . I think we should go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow.” Leo stops at the doorway and looks over his shoulder, “Have a good night, Victor.”
“Good night, Leo.” As Leo closes the door, Victor puts his fingertips to his lips and keeps looking at the door. A moment later, he turns off the TV and walks into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.