Lyra's POV
My life was as miserable as any human born underground.
I left my home when I was sixteen. My mother had finally decided she didn't need me when her client, some hotshot wolf, promised her a hand of marriage after impregnating her.
Yet, years of being homeless made me realize…the world was tougher out there. Being bullied by my peers after seeing me sleeping at the abandoned gymnasium, creeps catcalling me everywhere I went to, and I had to carry a weapon with me.
I couldn't count the number of times I had to stab someone's eye or the times I got beaten up by some hungry hobos who were trying to steal my food.
At first, I thought running away from home without money was a horrible move. Well, it still was.
That was until I discovered street performance.
Because humans had now lived in the dirtiest and poorest parts of Slumber Hound City, we hadn't watched any films or those cinema theaters that I'd heard of. The only source of entertainment was the stage plays acted either from the school gymnasium or the streets.
I auditioned, passed, and performed with the theater troupe since then.
After working hard honing my acting skills, I started getting more roles and more recognition around the streets. My acting troupe were the kindest people I had ever met and they offered me to live with them so we could practice and rehearse together.
Soon, we traveled from one street to another showcasing our abilities to wow the audience.
For the first time, I experienced true happiness and I thought by being with my troupe, I didn't need anything at the moment.
Yet, I acted greedy. My passion for acting grew when one day, one of my crewmates found an old CD and DVD from the scrap yard.
"Will this be your first time seeing a movie, Lyra?" Adam, the director and leader of the troupe, asked as they started preparing the DVD into a small TV.
I nodded. Only a few families were lucky enough to own a phone or a DVD set at home.
"My mom didn't bother to buy a TV so I grew up never seeing a movie once," I told him, half-lying. But in reality, we just couldn't afford it at all.
"This movie is way older than me. It's called "Mrs. Miniver". I am sorry you won't be watching amazing CGI but the acting and story makes up for it."
Gibberish words that were new to me were on deaf ears as my eyes glued at the screen for the first time.
But wow, after watching that movie, I was amazed, impressed, and ecstatic! Never had I ever seen such amazing acting prowess that made these characters so…believable.
After that, I had a dream.
I wanted to become an actress and be as convincing as that Walter Pidgeon guy or to become as charming as Greer Garson.
I wanted to be like them. And since then, my new goal in life was to be a famous actress. I wanted to wow the audience with my skills.
However, my happiness was cut short when I received the news of the death of my mother.
And her child—I later found out was my half-sister—was taken by her biological dad.
But the worst part was that wanted posters with my face on them scattered around the streets and I became a criminal in the eyes of our small civilization.
I didn't know why and what my mother did that I had to be a part of her scheme but all I knew was that I couldn't get caught, no matter what.
So, I left the troupe. I didn't want them to get involved in my problem. I started working different odd jobs—jobs that could bring more money so I could survive.
And I silently prayed they would give up on finding me and those posters would be replaced by newer ones.
==========
CRASH!
My body jolted and collided against the bottom of the barrel and my eyes shot open from the impact.
"Well, that's the first one. Let's get the rest of them back in the truck."
"We need more backup, boss!" The other whined. "There are too many of them!"
"Quit complainin' and let's go!" The voices became distant as their footsteps moved farther away.
But I couldn't believe that I dozed off into a deep sleep!
I opened the barrel lid and slowly peeked to see if the coast was clear. The room was dark and I was surrounded by the stock berries of crates and barrels.
Seriously, what was with the creatures' obsession with berries tonight?
"This must be the storage room of Diamond Hotel," I muttered to myself, seeing that no one was around.
I jumped out of the barrel and slowly snuck out of the storage room. I saw another room across the hallway.
A laundry room filled with machines that were still working and some clothes were hanging on the clotheslines.
My eyes flickered as a thought came to my mind.
"Yeah, this will do," I smirked.
So I stole some clothes and threw my old, worn ones to the incinerator.
The dress didn't even look exactly expensive either. The bodice dark blue dress that hugs the curves of my body was a bit short as its skirt reached at the tip of my knees. I kicked off my old combat navy boots and replaced them with black leather shoes which were conveniently situated next to the dress.
I hoped I wouldn't attract attention, seeing that I just sneakily came out from the lower ground floor.
Fortunately, they were too distracted by the music, the loud chatters, and the food they consumed that once again, I was lucky enough to roam around casually.
The place I was in now was the function room of the hotel. I recognized familiar faces of affluent families from the human side. These were the same ones who sold their souls to our enemies just so they could remain wealthy.
'Fucking traitors,' I thought as I looked away.
Yet, this was the first time I was seeing different creatures in one place—wolves, vampires, faeries, ogres, elves. All in one place, enjoying without a sound of prejudice.
No, I didn't have time to dawdle, I needed to leave quietly.
However, when I passed by the buffet table, I stopped as my eyes wandered at the sight of fancy food. And when the amazing food wafted through my nostrils, my stomach grumbled.
And next to it, as I couldn't help my lips curved into a smile, were filled with more berries. Was today a berry festival for these monsters?
"Excuse me," one of the staff of the hotel approached me with a clear skeptical look in his eyes. "Do you mind showing us your ID as your proof of identification?"
Oh, crap. I spoke too soon that I would be safe from their suspicions.
I turned to them— two young dwarves, as I gave my most dazzling smile, changing my demeanor instantly.
"Do you ask this to every human in the vicinity, young gents?"
The two exchanged looks. "Err…we are asking because we haven't seen you before."
"Oh my," I said with exaggeration as I gave a dramatic gasp. Then gave them a haughty glare. "How could you not know that I, Audrey Hepburn, a world-renowned thespian of stage plays, huh?"
"Ma'am, your name isn't on the list."
"Then, shall I ask the Alpha, Noah Bates, to come here for confirmation, hm?" I smirked. "I happen to know him personally and I'm well acquainted with the Alpha. I am sure he wouldn't mind meeting you and having a "private" talk."
They both flinched at the mention of the notorious wolf. He was one of my mother's clients, after all.
"I'm s-sorry, ma'am. W-we thought—'' his face turned red with embarrassment. "If you excuse us."
And the staff members scurried away, leaving me alone as I continued acting haughty and entitled and gave a loud harumph.
Not going to lie, it was a whim that I pulled through this act and I was proud of my performance.
Now, I couldn't go out until I was completely off the radar of the guests here. I sighed as my eyes wandered back to the buffet table and pondered.
M-maybe I should stay here a bit and sneak some food down to my bag. I was sure they wouldn't notice a thing.
As I slowly gathered my food and gave those who were staring at me with my smile, I was thinking everything would be fine.
I would be back home safe before I knew it.
"This party would be different from the rest," said the wolf next to me. He was chatting with his female wolf companion. "We rarely had mixed parties like this, huh?"
"What makes this different?" His date asked.
"Oh, didn't you know? The Ancient High Vampire Julian Czarnel hosted it for the first time."
I froze.
Julian Czarnel? He was here?
"For real? I've always wanted to see him in person!"
"He will show up soon. It's the Red Moon Party," he smirked while placing his hand possessively on the she-wolf's hip. "He is bound to come here."
'Nope, nope, fucking nope,' I thought.
I had to get out of here, fast.
I was about to leave but then I stared at the buffet once more. On cue, my stomach growled and it had been rumbling since entering here.
My fight and flight instinct broke as soon as I caught sight of that delicious meatball pasta displayed on the chafing dish.
Running away could wait, I needed to bring them home.