And here Jessica was now—standing in front of the towering, ancient building. She looked up, stunned by how run-down it was.
Sintria Palace, huh?
Shit. A bat just flew out from one of the broken windows.
"Welcome, Mr. Javiero and Mrs. Jennie," a well-dressed woman greeted them as she walked out from the front door. Her elegance was undeniable. "I'm Jenaya Yabella, caretaker of Sintria Palace since the day it was shut down."
After the formal greetings, Jenaya was introduced to Jessica, Sam, Lucy, little Jammy, and their dog, Kkami. She smiled politely and gestured toward the entrance.
"Come on in, I'll show you around."
As they walked toward the building, Jessica glanced around. There was a dry, broken fountain, an old, massive banyan tree, and vines climbing across the stone walls like nature trying to reclaim what was once hers.
"This place is a freaking horror movie," Lucy muttered, hugging herself. "No way I'm gonna survive here."
Rustle. A sound from behind the tree caught Jessica's attention. She froze.
What was that shadow? she wondered. There was clearly a silhouette—someone or something—just beyond the tree. She leaned forward, squinting, trying to make out the figure.
"Jess! Let's go!" Sam called from ahead.
"Coming!" She picked up her pace and caught up.
When the door to the hotel opened, the inside stunned her. It was way better than expected. Jessica thought it would be all cobwebs and gloom, but the lobby looked clean, polished—even a bit luxurious. Jenaya must've worked hard keeping it in shape, despite no guests for who-knows-how-long.
Still … the air felt heavy. Unsettling.
"Kids," Jenaya said to the three siblings. "This hotel has 125 rooms and 6 suite rooms. You may choose whichever you want—except room number 666 on the 66th floor, the very top. That one's off limits. Understood?"
"What's with that room?" Sam asked, raising a brow.
"I honestly have no idea, sir," Jenaya answered smoothly.
666. Jessica froze. That number … wasn't that the number associated with the devil? Just like in the book she read yesterday?
"Well, I'm obviously picking a suite," Lucy said, rolling her eyes. "Where are those?"
Crash!
A guy in the distance dropped the stack of books he was carrying. Everyone turned to look.
The guy was wearing thick glasses and had a bob cut that made him look oddly adorable. Nerdy adorable.
"Oh, that's my son—Halton," Jenaya explained. "He grew up here."
Halton adjusted his glasses and bowed politely to Jessica's parents.
"Halton, honey, take the kids to pick their rooms, okay? I need to speak to Mr. Javiero and Mrs. Jennie."
"Yes, Ma'am. Follow me, please!"
Sam started chatting right away, Lucy kept glancing around nervously, and Jessica trailed quietly behind, eyes locked on Halton.
That shadow I saw earlier … was it just him? she thought.
"Here we are," Halton said as he guided them into the elevator. Jessica noticed him readjusting his glasses again. Nerdy? Yes. But probably a genius too—those books he dropped earlier looked insanely thick.
"So, why was the hotel shut down?" Sam asked, breaking the silence.
"Uh …" Halton looked visibly uneasy. "I don't really know. But … trust me. You don't wanna find out."
"Why not?" Jessica asked, tilting her head.
He glanced at each of them. "Because once you know … you can't unknow it. And that sucks."
***
Jessica eventually picked her room. Of course she chose one of the suites. It was way too fancy to pass up.
She stepped inside, removed her jacket, and walked over to the window. Three months here? Not too bad. Creepy for sure, but the place was surprisingly posh for something built in the '90s.
Something … brushed her bangs.
Soft. Really soft. Like a hand gently pulled her hair back.
Thump. Jessica spun around instantly, heart thumping. Her eyes scanned the room.
Empty.
🎶 I hear a lot about sinners~ Don't think that I'll be a saint~ But I might go— 🎶
Jessica's phone is ringing.
"Hello?" she answered, shaking off the fear.
"Get to my room. Now," the voice on the other end snapped before hanging up. It was Lucy.
With a sigh, Jessica stepped into the dimly lit hallway. Her footsteps echoed as she walked, texting Winter.
> To Winter
| I just moved into this old creepy hotel. You HAVE to see it.
"Ugh!" She dropped her face mask. Bending to grab it—
Step. Step. Step.
Wait … those footsteps weren't hers.
Jessica stood up quickly, spinning around. The corridor was completely empty.
Okay. Weird.
She kept walking.
***
"What took you so long?!" Lucy snapped when Jessica finally arrived. "Hurry up and clean this place! There's dust freaking everywhere. Ugh— cough, cough."
"I'm stepping out for air. This room better be spotless when I get back. Got it?"
And just like that, she was gone.
Jessica sighed and got to work, vacuuming and unpacking Lucy's stuff. She found a stack of photos. Lucy looked stunning in all of them. Jessica felt a pang of jealousy. She wished she was that pretty … and that popular. There were so many people in Lucy's pictures. So many smiles.
"I wish I had this many friends …" she whispered.
She didn't know that, from the balcony, two strangers were watching her.
"Think she's a child of Adam?" one of them asked.
"Looks like it. No suspicious aura."
"Why are there guests here all of a sudden?"
"How should I know? But maybe we can use them… get out of this cursed place."
"She picked Suite 5, right?"
"Yeah. I watched her enter."
"Ugh. Lucky bastard. Asmodeus always gets the pure ones."
"She's coming this way. Let's vanish."
Poof!
They were gone.
Jessica stepped out onto the balcony, breathing in the cool mountain air.
"Maybe I'll like it here," she said with a smile, eyes on the scenic hills and small houses below.
"This your room?" a voice asked behind her. Jessica turned around—her dad was standing in the doorway.
"Geez, Dad! You scared me," she chuckled.
"Nah, this is Lucy's room. I was just helping her clean up."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I wish I could've given you a better life," Javiero said, his eyes soft.
Jessica looked up at him with a bright smile. "Are you kidding? This place is amazing. It's cozy, has a cool vibe … we'll be just fine."
She hugged her dad tight.
He held her close, gently patting her back. "Thanks, Jess. I'm really lucky to have you. You're smart, kind, responsible—everything a dad could ask for."
"Dad, stoppp," she laughed, pulling away.
Javiero ruffled her hair lovingly. "Go wash up and get some rest, okay? I asked Miss Jenaya—she said the water's good here."
"Will do, Dad."
Her dad smiled and walked off.
As Javiero walked alone down the hallway, a man watched him from outside the window.
Wait. Outside? But this was the upper floor.
The man wore old-fashioned clothes. He had blonde hair, strange snail-like eyes, and a dangerously handsome face—just like the other six.
One of them was reading in the library. Another was hanging from the tree. One soaked in a bathtub. Others hiding behind furniture.
They were the seven deadly sins.
They were the demons of Sintria Palace.