The Price of Tragedy

Modern Day





Xemia stood before the mirror adjusting her clothes again. She had another meeting today. she hated meetings. sitting for hours listen to people argue over mundane things. Being part of the advertising world was hard cut throat work. Sighing she grabbed her purse and headed towards her door and work.



Lucas was adjusting his red silk tie in the mirror a last time, he dusted off the strands of hair that got on his Armani pants and picked up his briefcase before heading out the door. Being the CEO and owner of a major computer software company was hard work and now it was time to present a new product to the market. A totally new fully intractable house ‘brain’, capable of taking calls, e-mails and a large variety of other stuff.



Walking into her building with her double expresso in hand she smiled and greeted everyone. Seeing Beth her colleague and partner in crime.



"So are we ready for this?" Beth smiled "Well I see you are. coffee in hand."



Xemia laughed and headed for the conference room.



Lucas was making him self ready in his huge office, he knew that the people from the firm he had hired to handle the presentation of the product might need a little time to set things up. But as his secretary opened his door with a cup of hot tea, he could smell an aroma that he had not smelled for hundred of years. His eyes shifted to silver at the pure thought of her, his secretary looked strangely at him.



“Are you alright sir?” she asked.



He quickly shifted his eyes back to the normal dark blue.



“Yes I’m fine thank you” he accepted the cup and watched the woman walk out of he office.



Her and Beth made their rounds in the meeting office, laying out their proposal. Finishing her coffee, she tossed the empty cup in the trash. Popping a mint in her mouth she took a seat to wait. She had done this a dozens times but she still got nervous.



The secretary entered his office and told him that they were ready. He stood up brushing off his suite and fixed his tie a last time. Now he was nervous too, he hadn’t seen her in so many years. And when they parted ways, they were still very young. Far from what they would look like as adults.



She looked at her blackberry. Checking her meetings and notes. Her ears picked up the sound of feet coming down the hall. Her cat smell caught the perfume from the secretary and another one she had not smelled in centuries. How could that be? Him here? She glanced up at the door opened and they entered.



The secretary entered first to hold the door open, then Lucas entered and saw the two women. Both were attractive but one was far more then the other and he could smell it was her. He gave a smile at her and flared his eyes in silver for a moment, signaling it was him indeed.



She saw his eyes change and knew she was correct. She looked him over, the boy she had met all those years ago had grown into a very handsome man. She smiled and stood. "Hello, I am Sarah and this is Beth. We are from Harper and Harper Ad agency. We look forward to working with you."



‘Sarah’?” he though for a moment, why did she change her name. He walked up to the two women and first shook Beth’s hand then held out his hand towards ‘Sarah’. “I am sure our two companies will have a long and prosperous relationship”



As she took his hand, warmth and tingle went up her arm. She had not seen or touch another of her kind in a very long time.



"We look forward to it."



She could tell he was shocked by her name. She had changed it several times in her life. It was easier to stay hidden in the crowds away from the evil that still prowled.

He pulled her hand up and gave it a soft kiss. His secretary dropped her jaw in shock; she had never seen him do that before. Lucas went over to the head of the table to listen to the presentation.



She lost her train of thought for a moment after he had kissed her hand. That was not expected but was nice. She took her seat again and cleared her throat, looking over her proposal.



"As you can see from the outline. Your new product has a wide verity of uses. We thought a ad in compassing a series of everyday family things would be the best way to show the public what its value is."



He looked over the papers for a moment, but he could not help to move his eyes towards her with steady intervals.



“Please continue” he asked as he interlace his fingers as he placed his hands on the table in front of him.



Her gaze met his and again she lost her thought. "Ummm..well..ahhh...We thought if we could set up a house with your product in it. Have people live there to experience it, record it and their comments. It will be a unusual way of selling and should grab the public attention."



“Like a open house concept?” he asked, he tilted his head slightly to the side as he looked in to her eyes. His eyes flared what looked like silver flames. He could feel the guide in him growing more restless. Could it be that there can be romance between guides as well?



She felt and saw his power flame. Her cat wanted to answer but she tramped it down. Looking down at her papers.



"Yes. Open the house to carefully screened people. They can experience it and even stay there if they wish."



“I like it. When can you start?” he asked as he clapped his hands together and rubbed them against each other.



"Well, we can start immediately. We have a home plot. We can begin building it as soon as you are ready. That way the devise can be properly installed during its construction."



“Good” he nodded to his secretary who walked out of the room. “I’ll notify my people on the double, I will send for a limo to drive us your location” he stood up, walked towards them and shook their hands.



"Wonderful. Here is my contact information. Feel free to contact me anytime." She handed him her card. Shaking his hand again.



“May I have a word with you in private Sarah?” he asked as he took her contact info and handed over his own.



"Of course. Beth? I will met up with you later back at the office." Beth nodded. She turned back to Lucas, tucking his card into her pocket book.