Chapter 4
Remi Osuna's Side

6 Months Later

Things were happening really fast right now. Already, I had a top ten hit on both the R&B and Pop charts. I was publicised under the name of just plain Remi. I didn't even cut an album; I only made singles. That was only for the moment though. I had read the contract I had been offered through and through, and I made changes to suit my plans. Therefore, I was in complete control of my creative processes, I was free to appoint who I wanted for my financial management, and in terms of music management, I had the Firm. I do not really know why I am getting away with all of this. I don't really care about selling millions, selling 500,000 and receiving most of the royalties from it would be quite enough. However, I had told Kevin a secret that not many people knew. Secrecy made you more sensational. It kept up a mystery, and people constantly wondered who you were, and whose this delicate voice was. Keep them guessing. I did everything to create this mystery. As an added trick to this scheme, in my video, I only allowed small parts of my body to appear. I don't give tours, and the only contact you can make with me was to buy my album when it came out. It works. And the world loves it.

I think I have secured a goldmine. Now, onto more important things.

Now, when you get all this money, and you're me, what do you do with it?

Simple.

First of all, I had Delmar to deal with. No he was not a vampire. He was not a sorcerer. But he was an immortal soul. The entire supernatural world is looking for me. And the prophecy goes, the first one to come across me needs my blood (not all of it, only a little) and they would be freed of whatever affliction has been placed on them. Those supernatural beings must be male. There is another one of these Impure Virgins, however, he is for the women. Where does that leave me? All it does is take from me my life. Not my physical life, which would probably have been better for me. It leaves me drained, I walk around pointlessly, and I also assume whatever affliction I have cured. That could be anything, and unlike the rest of them, there would be no chance of salvation. You must understand; I do NOT want this. However, this life was predestined for me. I was told a long time ago that it was possible that I could get away from this. And I needed the good side.

All vampires, lost souls, sorcerer's, other supernatural beings, they're evil. All of them. There is NO such thing as a friendly ghost. They are all evil. Much as you would hate to believe, all the soppy love stories, fairy tales and romantic comedies with their happily-ever-after endings are all true. Things do turn out right in the end, proving that good conquers evil. There is nothing that the underworld can dish out that good will not conquer. So, even if I am alone in this, and even if it will be hard, there is no way I can lose. Plus, revenge will be sweet.

The money I will spend on the things that the book tells me I need. Things like crucifixes made of precious metals, hush up money, plus an array of different bits of prayers and writings that are extremely rare, extremely ancient and extremely expensive. I have to learn a lot about what they do, and delve deeper than is comfortable into their world, which I am involuntarily part of. And delving means experiencing, and feeling, and knowing how not to get caught. I had been caught before, and I already knew more than I wanted to know. I was not looking forward to this. But I have already started, and I know what I want, I want to fly free.

I did have a plan in place; however, I did not plan to meet another of those hated beings in close proximity to me, messing up all of my plans. Delmar would expect to use me, he knows who I am; I think he knew from the minute he saw me. I also think he has a good side to him. I don't know what sort of problems he would pose, but I do know that they will arise when summoned.

Let's not dwell on that now. First I must meet the Writer.

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Kevin Richardson

She wouldn't go away. No matter where I went. She wouldn't go away. She hung onto me like a wet glove. She made it seem as if we were still involved. She was driving me crazy. Luckily, for at least a few seconds of today, I had time to have a coffee at a café without her following me.

The boys - we're all men, why do we fool ourselves? - were as fed up as I was of her sitting through the band practices, the dance practices, sitting on the sidelines during interviews, tapings, video shoots, and I was fed up of her asking me why I was so interested in Remi.

Mallory was, is and will ever be an affliction.

However, things were going well with Remi. She had her own ideas. A bit too creative, and I was a bit sceptical. However, it seemed to me that she wasn't really interested in what was going on in her career. She was always with this book, called The Scientific Study of the Life of a Hermit. Why the hell is she always carrying it around? Why the hell is she so interested? It doesn't distract her; she still does what she has to do, however as soon as she is done, she goes straight to her book. And there is something strange about her, not just her ornery-like, stubborn attitude, something else that seemed to run much deeper. She wanted, and had, privacy, a privacy and secrecy that most stars long for in their heyday. And she did whatever she wanted. She did tell me that she wanted cash, which I found a bit odd. What's her motive really?

Interrupting my train of thought, as usual, was my darling dearest most flecking annoying she-dog. How did she find me here? She pulled up a chair beside me and addressed me with affectionate familiarity.

"Kevin honey, what you so wrapped up in that you don't have time for me?"

"Business Mallory, business that is also none of your business."

Why didn't she just go home? Why didn't she go get a job? Why couldn't she at least clean her damn hair from the sink drain?

"Well I never! Just asking an innocent question and you gotta be all rude with me. Why do you hate me Kevin?"

I rolled my eyes and got up out of my chair, heading for the door.

"GET A DAMN JOB!"

Many people turned in their seats and stared, and I saw her face going red and her head catch on fire. I flung money at the waitress and left the building.

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Remi Osuna's Side

I fixed my hair and watched the long, tight curls cascade down my neck and shoulders. My face shone golden-bronze, and my hazel eyes were set off by subtle but shimmering green eye shadow. Satisfied, I pulled on my long black Armani coat, picked up the keys and left the apartment.

~2 hours later, at a club~

American clubs never have good music. They play techno. Two minutes of that is annoying enough. Dodging tons of offers to dance, I searched the club for someone I wanted to see. Soon enough, someone did come.

A hand had tapped my shoulder.

A skinny young man whose face was riddled with rings and rods of all fathomable shapes and sizes was looking into my eyes.

"You Remi Osuna?"
"Yeah, but don't be saying the name so loud. Who you be?"
"Come to bring you to Shezrae."
"I can only be sure that you're telling the truth if you have I.D."

He brought out a silver bookmark about the size of a credit card. It had dragons curling in the centre to form the letter 'S'. I showed him my identical bookmark.
"Well let's go."
I followed him through the thick, sweating crowd. Soon I was at the bar, climbing under the table and going through a hidden back door. In the room behind it were kegs of beer, and barrels of other alcohols. Through another door, and I was facing a woman in a stylish, slim-fit black pantsuit. Her hair was dark brown with streaks of natural red highlights. Her skin was a creamy tan and her make-up was impeccably done.

I smiled warmly.

"You must be Shezrae. I'm Remi."
"I know who you are. Nice music."

I smiled again embarrassedly. I was in awe. She was nothing like I expected. I expected her to be dressed in robes like a psychic with a crystal ball.

"You may sit down if you wish."

I sat steadily on a cushioned office chair.

"Your book inspired me," I said, starting with the speech I had carefully prepared before hand. "I would really like to fight for the greater good…"

"You want to bring down somebody who has wronged you. Is that not so?"

I was slightly taken aback.

"Well, that may eventually happen in the process. However, I do think it important that people work to fend off these beings -" I began again.

"I am well aware of this. And I also know you genuinely want to rid yourself of your affliction. However, these two reasons that I perceive you have are both rather selfish."

I said nothing.

"Remi, answer me this, are you willing to fight not only for yourself, but for the good of the world? The world also needs you and others working with you to stave off the evil that has befallen it. And it will also be for the greater benefit of those we are fighting. If we are successful in our endeavours Remi, we have a chance of saving their souls. I know you have a fire, and a fighting spirit. One look and that says it all. But you must be sure you are fighting for the right reasons."

I felt completely deflated. I had come to her seeking advice and counsel, a first hand account of what it's like to be doing this. I thought I was doing right by wanting to finish Kane and all of them. And also for getting rid of this title of Impure Virgin. I thought she would sympathise with me. Maybe she does. But she does make sense. I felt sheepish and I despaired. Then her hand gently touched my shoulder.
"Remi. I am willing to give you a chance. Yours is a difficult burden. I will help you as much as I can to get rid of it. But please understand that you may be called on for other motives than your own. Now. Do you have the book with you?"

"Yes."

"What does it say on the first page?"

" 'I write this as a person who has been through it all and seen it all; as one who does not deny the existence of evil, and one who is not afraid to fight for the forces of good…'"

"Stop. Remi… do you have any doubts in your mind about this?"

"No," I answered truthfully.

She smiled.

"Welcome to my challenge. We begin tomorrow."

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Chapter Five

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