“Miss?” You shake your head. Right, changing gender. You grit your teeth, suppressing the desire to curse the company and tell them to go to Hell. Then you sigh. Suppose best you can do is roll with the punches.
“You said there would be a jacuzzi, right?” The driver nods. “…And air conditioning?” She nods again and offers you a tiny shrug. You glance toward the mansion; it's far beyond you're wildest dreams about what you could ever afford. And if you did some work with the garden and the vines crawling up the sides, then maybe it wouldn't be so creepy. Well, less creepy. “...Fuck,” is all you say before snatching your backpack with your essentials and leave the van.
Outside you immediately spot the moving truck. Its rear is open and empty. A few burly men are standing at the truck's side. You recognize most of them from earlier, although the towering demonic minotaur is new. He notices you first on account of his height and waves before flashing you a thumbs up. Guess they finished moving in the boxes, which only leaves the van for them to handle. Afraid that your continued gawking at the demon-man would be considered rude, you turn and continue to walk toward the porch.
While the mansion's exterior is well cared for, the garden is fairly dull and it's clear those who tended it kept it from growing wild but little else. You wouldn't exactly say you had green fingers, especially after living in the city these last few years, but you felt an eagerness to leave an imprint and make this place yours. Maybe you could actually make a home here. As the pleasant feeling settle in your stomach, you groan and struggle to pull open the twin arched doors of the main entrance.
Inside, everything seems grander and larger with the open spaces made for a giant like the minotaur rather than a regular human like yourself. The dark Victorian décor is lavish. The deep brown mahogany of the paneling and wood sections mingle with regal purple tapestries and stone. All highlighted with silver accents. The cardboard boxes stacked against the grand staircase leading to second floor balcony are an eyesore however. Almost like you had stepped into another time period. Although after moving around a little you notice an archway open up into a fully equipped kitchen. Inside stood a modern freezer and an induction stove.
Entranced with the splendor of your new home, you nearly jump out of your skin when you hear thud coming from behind you.
“Ugh, sorry.” The minotaur's voice rumbles, but is also surprisingly kind and youthful. He had to be around twenty. You see him unloading two towers of heavy boxes he must've carried here from the van. How strong is he? “Saw the guys working outside and decided to be neighborly and help. Just hope they don't contained any glass.” He holds out a hooved, five fingered hand. “Freyr.”
You take it and return the introduction, a little overwhelmed by his massive presence. “Tracey. So you also live here?”
“Second generation. Born and raised,” he puffs out his muscled barrel of a chest, clearly proud. “One of the few who are actually. Hellbent is growing, still lots of empty houses as its kinda hard to get people to move next to the Underworld. Think that's why your bosses put you here to entice you to stay...,” realizing what he said he hurries to add, “but it's nice if you give it a chance.”
His bumbling isn't too bad and even draws a light laugh from you. “Suppose I will,” you glance at the other movers carrying their own, singular, box, while your driver is coming off a phone call and is clearly hoping to catch your attention. “Think I need to take this and then focus on unpacking. Catch you later? Coffee or something?”
“Sure!”
“Making friends already, miss?” She teases you as the minotaur walks away after you exchange cellphone numbers. “Anyway, the company called and said that your liaison would be over tonight,” before you can respond she holds up a finger, “they also added you shouldn't stay up late and make sure you're in bed by midnight. The second key hangs on the coat hanger. Have another client moving here in a few days, so might check in with you. Otherwise not much else to take care of except to welcome you home to Hellbent.”
It takes a few minutes for everyone to leave, but eventually you are alone.