Rune System: The Crimson Knight

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“Mrs. Salazar,” Camila greeted with an unsteady voice. “Welcome, señora. I wasn’t aware of your arrival tonight.”

Releasing the guard’s head in his grasp, Draàl turned around, immediately star-struck by the woman strutting slowly towards him from the entrance.

Her long, flowing gown shimmered magically under the lights, morphing into a different color with every seductive step she took. A long slit parted the dress from the hem to her left thigh, revealing flashy heels and an alluring amount of skin. Long, glittering gloves covered the entirety of her lower arms, leaving the smooth, pale-pink skin of her upper arms and shoulders bare. An extravagant necklace consisting of emerald and sapphire crystals fully decorated her collarbone, hanging just above thick, exposed cleavage. Her hair—lengthy, full, and fashionably curly—swept over one side, partly covering her lovely face. When she got closer, Draàl noticed her stunning, rainbow eyes; multicolored and beautiful like her dress.

It was like watching a goddess walk among ordinary mortals, and everyone in the lobby was held in place by her enchanting movements.

But there was only one person she was looking at. Smiling at, even.

“And I wasn’t aware of your arrival, my lord,” she crooned in a smooth, low voice when she got close enough. “But that suddenly explains why Michael was trying to buy the hotel from me on such short notice.”

Draàl, who was getting lost in her eyes, only picked up half of the sentence. “What?”

“Valeria, my lord,” she said instead, holding the ends of her gown and bowing slightly. “My name is Valeria Salazar, the owner of this humble establishment.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned around, addressing the guests still present with a charming demeanor. “Thank you for witnessing the opening act of tonight’s event, ladies and gentlemen. As promised, you can expect more razzle-dazzle at the ballroom later tonight. See you all there.”

Without any complaints or questions, the crowd obediently dispersed in a matter of minutes, as if they were being orderly regulated by a remote control. For his part, Draàl struggled to understand why his anger had evaporated so quickly, and the fact that Valeria’s words and voice had a strange, soothing effect on him wasn’t helping either. He suspected it had something to do with the rune aura surrounding her figure, but he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it was.

Valeria, on the other hand, only noticed the assembled security guards for the first time, turning to Camila with a narrowed, questioning brow. “What’s going on here?”

For a moment, the receptionist wore a tensed expression, like she was struggling to speak, or trying not to. Eventually, she exhaled loudly and hurled her words out quite forcefully.

“He’s… a… criminal. Stole… a… black… card.”

Valeria frowned at her. “What black card do you speak of?”

Choosing not to speak, Camila handed the card over to her boss, who glossed over the flat plastic with amusement in her eyes.

“Well played, Michael,” she murmured quietly. She flicked her wrists at the guards, dismissing them without a word. Then she faced Camila again, appearing more grim than usual. “This man is my guest—a highly honored one, for that matter—and this card is rightfully his. On a different day, I would’ve had you thrown out for your mindless, far-fetched accusations. So, in order to put this whole charade behind us, you’re going to apologize to him. Right now.”

Camila’s violet eyes burned with contempt as they shifted from Valeria to Draàl. Again, the muscles in her jaw tensed considerably, as if she silently fought the urge to speak.

“I’m… sorry,” she said flatly through gritted teeth.

Unimpressed, Valeria cocked her head to the side. “What was that? A rehearsal? Speak up, damn it.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” Camila repeated a bit more clearly. But it wasn’t enough for Valeria.

“A bit stubborn, aren’t we? Maybe I should show you what happens to people who try to be headstrong around me.”

Draàl watched as Camila started to tremble, with the strength of Valeria’s rune aura skyrocketing simultaneously.

“That’s enough,” he ordered, fed up with the whole ordeal. “I don’t want her insincere apology, and compelling her forcefully changes nothing about her behavior.”

For a brief moment, Valeria’s hypnotic eyes carried a subtle hint of surprise. Then she beamed brightly, drifting closer to Draàl.

“Of course, my lord. You’re absolutely right. I sincerely apologize if your mood has been soiled in any way. May I suggest a party to alleviate your spirits?”

“A party?” Draàl grimaced. He’d endured enough of humans for a day. “I don’t think I should—”

“Allow me to insist, my lord,” Valeria cut in, moving close enough to place a hand softly on his chest. “I promise it’ll make you feel better. Besides, you’re already finely dressed for the occasion.”

She faced Adrián and Felipe, with her smile still frozen in place. “The general is in good hands, gentlemen. You two can go away now.”

Shockingly, no objections came from both men as they wheeled around compliantly and marched to the front doors like robots. Draàl’s head rotated slowly as his puzzled gaze followed them out, then Valeria tilted his chin gently with the tip of her fingers, returning his focus to her attractive countenance.

“The ballroom is that way, my lord,” she informed with a steady, luring stare, pointing behind him. “We should make haste before the party is over.”

Minutes later, as large doors opened to the ballroom, Draàl immediately began to detest enormous spaces. Capable of accommodating over five-hundred guests, the gigantic hall was the epitome of excessive flamboyance. Several massive pillars stood spread out across the room, carrying spiral flower decorations and lamps designed like ancient torches. An extensive platform with multiple steps was set up just ahead, with an orchestra already assembled and playing on stage. The ballroom also possessed a stunning domed ceiling like the lobby, only that a giant, glittering crystal ball—instead of a chandelier—linked to hefty silver chains hung from the ceiling, adding disco lighting to the already bright hall. The room was spacious, yet packed with the elites and ridiculously wealthy, all of whom donned expensive tuxedos and elegant dresses. Adding to the crowd were the ever-busy line of servers, strolling back and forth with trays carrying glasses of champagne and costly snacks.

As refined as it all looked, the occasion made Draàl sick to his bones. Never had he despised so many people at once, and for no apparent reason as well.

“This way, my lord,” Valeria pressed, lacing his arm with hers as she led him forward. “You have a reserved space as a special guest of honor.”

She ushered him past the mass gathering—saying hello to a few guests in the process—and made it all the way to the front lines of the crowd, stopping just a few feet away from the stage. Then she detached herself from Draàl, scaling the steps gracefully as a single spotlight shone over her.

Immediately she stepped on stage, the orchestra stopped playing. Even without a microphone, her voice echoed clearly across the hall when she spoke, drawing everyone’s attention with ease.

“As special as tonight is,” she began, “it also carries a heavy reminder of sorrow and loss. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, marks the tenth anniversary of my husband’s death.”

The audience bore faces and expressions of pity and sympathy, with some individuals even shedding silent tears while consoling themselves.

“You all know what kind of woman I am,” she continued, feigning a sad smile. “Nothing but joy and happiness exudes from my person daily. But this was undeniably a tragic affair. That’s why I’m immensely grateful to you all for your continuous support and love. Despite being his sole survivor and inheriting all he owned, including this wonderful hotel, you all never treated me like a stranger. And, most commendable of all, the Salazar Donation Act has been active for ten whole years because all of you kept it alive. Words can never be enough to express how grateful I am for that act of support.”

Valeria paused, allowing her words to sink into her audience’s hearts. When the orchestra began with a low violin intro, she carried on without missing a beat.

“In a few moments, the screen behind me will flicker to life, so you can make your generous donations into the displayed account. In the meantime, I shall be performing my late husband’s favorite song, as a humble token of his legacy.”

As the violin’s pace picked up, accompanied solemnly by other instruments, Valeria began to sing.

Her soprano voice quickly serenaded the hall, infusing the serene atmosphere with a heavenly melody. In no time, the guests were enchanted by her performance, with a few swaying faintly to the tune.

But only Draàl noticed what was happening behind the scenes.

He watched as her rune aura, robust and powerful, swept across the hall like a giant shadow, hanging over every corner like a cloud. Like zombies, Valeria’s audience remained transfixed on her act, staying eerily silent until someone yelled abruptly from the far corner of the room.

“I will give a million dollars to the Salazar Foundation!”

As if on cue, others began to shout their pledges as well, with each trying to outdo the other.

“Two million from my family and me!”

“I’ll donate three million!”

“Make that ten million dollars from me, Valeria!”

“Twenty-two million to your cause, Mrs. Salazar!”

“Fifty million to the foundation!”

Amid the growing clamor, and the steadily increasing numbers, Draàl turned back to Valeria, who now stared directly at him, still chanting her hypnotic tune. As she started swaying towards him, moving her hips expressively, voices suddenly flooded his head, whispering chaotically of hidden lust and desires. As Draàl struggled to make sense of the chatter bombarding his mind, Valeria was suddenly in front of him, rubbing her thigh on his leg and circling his neck with both arms.

“Forget the grand suite, my lord,” she murmured, her multi-colored eyes glowing like a kaleidoscope. “You’re coming home with me tonight.”

Draàl finally lost control when she angled his head downward and gave him a deep, soul-stealing kiss.