“We have many other gifts that you humans don’t know about, but you have to wait for Maria to show you. She has made it clear that I not try to persuade you with all the glamour of being a vampire. Her words, not mine.” Sofia shrugs.
“Can’t wait,” I reply, disinterested.
I stare out the window and sigh at the sight of the grey clouds and the drizzling rain. A need for an umbrella today is certain, but I am determined not to allow the miserable weather to affect my day.
“I’m off to class for the morning and then I will be out with some friends until about two. Ciao,” Sofia’s voice echoes from the front door.
Making my way back to my room, I think for a split second about what it would be like to be the same as them, to live forever and see the world century after century. The thought quickly dissipates as I remember their constant hunger for human blood. I get dressed quickly in my haste to get out the door. I decide on skinny jeans, a long-sleeved top, my leather jacket, and my ankle boots in the hopes that it will keep me warm and relatively dry. As I head back to the kitchen, my stomach growls and my feverish hunger is making me feel sick. I down a banana and a biscuit, barely satisfying the ache in my stomach.
Once out the door I open my umbrella and head across the piazza toward the Pantheon. The drizzling rain comes down in what seems like slow motion. The cloud cover sets a gothic feel to the city, turning the usual warm stone walls into dark grey, omnipresent buildings. The chilly air stings my bare face, and I have to angle my umbrella to stop the rain from dampening my hair. There is barely a soul to see and I quicken my pace, managing to make it to the piazza without getting too drenched. As I approach the Pantheon I can’t see Dominic anywhere. I stand under the cover out of the rain and wait next to our pillar staring off into the piazza. I feel an arm snake around my waist and pull me into an embrace. The scent of cologne and leather tickles my nostrils and I know it is him. I can sense the electric charge between us as our bodies touch.
“Hi,” Dominic whispers into my ear. I feel his breath against my cheek and the tightening of his arm muscles as he inhales.
“Hi,” I whisper shyly. I slowly turn around and his beauty leaves me breathless. His full lips are curved into a grin.
“Have you been waiting for long?”
“No,” I reply, unable to tear my eyes away from him. He leans in and his lips touch mine so softy that they leave whispers of goosebumps on my skin. The kiss is slow and I can taste his sweet breath on my tongue.
Uncurling his arms from my waist he takes my hand. “Come, my car is parked just over there.” He indicates with a nod of his head.
“We’re driving? Where are we going again?”
“Remember, it’s a surprise. You ask. I deliver.” He grins, cocking an eyebrow.
I cannot help but return his infectious grin as I take in all of him. He is wearing black jeans, a black tight T-shirt that stretches across his muscled chest, and a leather jacket. He smells good enough to eat. I let him lead me to his car, a sleek black Alfa Romeo. He opens the passenger door for me and I slide onto the smooth, black leather seat. I watch as he quickly scoots around the car to get out of the rain and climbs in next to me.
“Ready?”
“I guess?” I answer as excitement runs rampant in my stomach.
Starting the car, the radio turns on and I cannot understand a word of it. Dominic presses something on the steering wheel and the music changes to some house music. He looks over at me as he takes off and I am pushed into my chair from the speed of the car. Do all Italians drive like crazy, I wonder to myself. I break the silence, “Are we going far?”
“Only about thirty minutes. I didn’t want you to walk in the rain looking at all the usual tourist sites, so I thought I would take you just outside of the city to somewhere better,” he answers without taking his eyes off the road. “So, tell me something else about you.”
“Like what?”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“I have a sister, Nicolette. She’s younger than me.”
“Do you miss her?” He looks at me this time.
“More than I would like her to know.” I smile. His eyes return to the road.
“Is there anyone else you miss?” He asks, a little reserved.
“Mom and Dad and my Nonna,” I answer a little confused as to where this conversation is going.
“No one else?” He pushes.
“Not really. I miss my best friend and my other friends.”
“No boyfriend then?” He looks at me, his eyes intense and claiming.
I bite my lower lip to stop the grin that is about to spread across my face. “No boyfriend,” I answer looking out my window.
“Buono,” he says under his breath.
Two can play at this game. “What about you? Do you have brothers or sisters?” I look at his strong jawline.
“Only child,” he answers my question instantly. “No girlfriend.” He smiles and then looks sideways at me with a wicked grin.
My heart flutters in my chest as I glance at him. His face is relaxed and he is concentrating on the road. I wonder what he is thinking about. He notices my staring and I see the corner of his mouth turn up into a smile. Taking his hand off the steering wheel, he reaches toward me and puts his hand on my thigh and squeezes it gently. His touch sends goosebumps up my thigh straight to my erratically beating heart. I notice that his hands are large and smooth; there are thick scars over the back and across his long fingers. I gently run my cold finger over one of them.
“Casualties of the job,” he interrupts my thoughts, gently running his thumb back and forth over my thigh.
“Do you cut yourself often with the glass?”
“Only when I don’t pay careful attention to what I am doing.” His eyes grow dark as he looks back out the front windshield.
The car glides through the city center and before I realize it we are outside the ancient walls. I am surprised to see so much greenery and open space as we leave the eternal city behind us. The freedom I feel makes me relax and I lean my head against the headrest and close my eyes, forgetting about the curse that feels like it is suffocating me. For the first time in days I feel free and back to my usual self with not a care in the world. My eyes open as Dominic takes his hand off me and changes gears. We are pulling into a petrol station.
“I need coffee,” he says as he pulls into a car space.
“I always need coffee.”
We enter through the front doors. A smell I am only faintly acquainted with hits me with force. The scent of vanilla is thick and choking. My nostrils flare, my eyes dilate, and a surge of energy pushes through me. I stand stock-still in the entry as my eyes scan the room to detect where the smell is coming from. Behind the pizza counter there is a man swearing in Italian and holding a blood-soaked tea towel around his left hand. He looks in pain as he holds his hand level with his chest. Realization washes over me that the aroma that is so strong is the smell of this man’s blood. Bile rises up my throat and I feel as though I am going to be sick. My eyes dart to Dominic; he is looking at me with alarm.
“Are you okay?” he asks as he stands in front of me, blocking my view of the man in the pizza area. He takes a step closer to me and places both his hands on my waist. The heat from his body mixed with his delicious cologne breaks the hold the scent has on me.
“I’m okay.” I close my eyes to rid the sweet smell from my brain. “I saw the man behind you with the blood-soaked towel around his hand and it made me feel sick.”
“You had me worried there for a second,” Dominic soothes placing his arm around my shoulders to steer me toward the coffee, always keeping himself between me and the injured man.
I am relieved once we step outside. The drizzling rain is refreshing as it touches the skin on my face and hands. I breathe in deeply and close my eyes momentarily. As I walk toward the car, my boots crunch on the wet gravel. Once in the car I feel a wave of relief. We take off toward our desti
nation. As the rain falls in sheets against the road, visibility becomes nonexistent.
“Will we still be able to visit wherever we are going with all this heavy rain?” I ask, concerned that we will have to head back home.
“It’s…” he hesitates. “Indoors so it will be fine. It shouldn’t be too overcrowded if this rain keeps up.” Dominic smiles mischievously. His smile is infectious, and I find myself grinning back at him.
“Can you give me a hint of where we are going?”
“Impatient, aren’t you?” he teases.
“Just a small hint.” I giggle.
“Nope.”
“Grrrrr.”
“Did you just growl at me?” He laughs.
“Yes.”
“No one has ever growled at me in such a cute way before.”
“Thanks,” I remark sarcastically.
We arrive at our destination and I read a sign that has Via Appia Antica written on it. I am mystified as to where we are. There are only a few other cars and a lonely tour bus parked on the wet grass. Dominic is out his door and around my side of the car with a large, black golf umbrella before I can ask him our whereabouts. I climb out of the car and stand close to his side.
“Ready?” He beams.
I can see in his eyes that he is excited. Pulling me close to him, we set off on foot down the ancient cobblestone road lined with tall trees that look odd against the dark grey skies.
“Where are we?” I say out loud more to myself than as a question.
“This road here that we are standing on dates back to 312 BC. It is one of the oldest roads in Rome,” Dominic boasts.
“Wow!”
I am blown away that I am standing on the same road where two millennia ago Romans were walking and going about their business. I look past the fence and into the green fields where crumbling ruins and overgrown rubble of sculptured monuments have taken residence for many centuries. Dominic takes my hand as we approach a large cemetery with two staircases leading below ground.
“We are going down there?” My voice betrays me and gives away that I am slightly nervous.
“Only if you want to,” he reassures me. “This is one of the many catacombs along this road.”
“Is it dark down there?”
“It has lights throughout. Don’t be scared,” Dominic whispers into my ear as he holds me close to him. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I grip his hand as we descend the stairs and enter the catacombs, noticing the sudden temperature drop.
“I should have expected something out of left field today. You did say you like the obscure.” I smile up at him.
He laughs freely as he pays for our entry fee. “You said to surprise you.”
We walk slowly down another set of stone stairs. My heart thrums in my chest as we reach the last step. Dominic runs his thumb soothingly along my waist as he looks at me and grins wickedly; there’s that devilish edge to his demeanor again. I can sense something beneath his dark eyes, something dangerous, yet I feel completely safe with him. The walls on either side of the small room that we have entered are decorated with faded frescos that would have been magnificent in their day. As we walk single file through a narrow hall and enter a second room, the light dims and the temperature drops again. I reach out for Dominic’s hand and he takes it without hesitation. Leading me toward the back of the room near the entry of another narrow passage, he suddenly pins me against the stone wall with his muscled body and runs his hand roughly from my hip up my side to the back of my neck. There is a carnal need in his eyes, and his breathing has spiked to match mine. His firm grip at the nape of my neck makes it impossible for me to look anywhere but at his beautiful face. His mouth claims mine and he kisses me roughly, eagerly; my senses heighten, and I lose myself in him. He breaks the intense kiss and steps back from me leaving me wanting more.
“I have wanted to do that ever since I first laid eyes on you this morning. You are so innocent and it’s driving me crazy,” he breathes.
“Oh,” I mutter whilst trying to catch my breath.
“Let’s keep exploring before I can’t control myself again.” He grins at me.
Hearing him say those words makes me giddy and I grin like an idiot. The effect he has on me is unnerving. I follow closely down the darkened hall. We enter a small room with narrow compartments like shelves carved into the walls. I make my way toward one and am fascinated by the sight that is before me. A lone human skull sits staring at me. I am tempted to reach out and touch it, but I resist out of respect for the deceased ancient Roman. Hundreds of images and thoughts flicker through my mind, wondering what this person’s life was like when they were alive. What did they do for work? Did they have family?
“This place is… I have no words.”
“It’s spectacular. I come here every so often to clear my head and connect to my roots,” Dominic explains.
“Your ancestors were from here?” I ask, intrigued.
“Yes, originally. However, centuries ago they migrated to other parts of Europe and then eventually came back,” he explains then changes the subject. “Which corridor should we take?”
“This way,” I announce, taking his hand and dragging him after me. We slowly make our way down the dimly lit passage. The feeling that we are descending further underground is confirmed by the gradual slope of the rough ground beneath our feet. The ceiling is low and the light from behind us seems to fade the further we head into the intricate maze of the burial ground. The path veers to the right and the light is so dim I am unable to see properly. We walk through another burial chamber and continue down a staircase that leads us to a small room with enclosed tombs. The area is lit by one small lamp attached to the far wall, and I spot a dark passage leading to more tombs, I presume. I turn to face Dominic. The expression on his face is confusing as he glares past me down the darkened passage. I touch his arm, and he blinks hard and looks down at me smiling. He lifts my chin with his hand and gently kisses me.
“Shall we go back up now?” he asks hurriedly.
“No, I want to look at these enclosed tombs first.”
Dominic glances back down the dark passage and takes my hand in his. “Let’s look at the ones over here then.”
We stand as far away from the entry of the unlit passage as possible. I am absorbed in paintings of the noble family that is buried here when darkness falls around me. I reach out instinctively for the wall to get my bearings and feel Dominic touch my arm.
“I can’t see a thing,” I whisper. I hear Dominic curse next to my ear.
“Wait here. Don’t move from this wall,” he commands in a hushed tone.
The next thing I know he is gone and I am left standing in the pitch black with my back against the cold wall. The silence is deafening. I call out to Dominic but receive no answer. Where the hell has he gone? I hear a muffled shriek echo down the hall and my heart rate explodes in my chest. I am so scared, I feel as though I may burst into tears at any moment. I listen for more sounds in the distance only to be startled by a shuffling noise a few feet from where I am standing. I can hear breathing and am relieved that Dominic is here.
“Dominic, where are you?” I whisper into the cool air.
The breathing seems to be getting closer, but I cannot hear his footsteps.
“This is not fucking funny,” I hiss into the darkness.
The thumping of my erratic heart echoes in my ears so loudly that I hardly hear the approach of the person in the room with me. All I feel is the heat of their body brush past my trembling hand and their breath bathing my cheek. My muscles clench as I register that I am not alone. Every fiber in my body is begging me to run, but my feet are cemented to the floor.
“Dominic!” I shriek into the darkness.
The light on the far wall flickers on and off and my eyes dart in the direction of where I felt the heat form the person in the room with me. Nothing, not even a shadow, is visible to confirm there was someone else here. My h
eart beats in my ears, my blood turns to ice, and cold sweat beads on the back of my neck. I feel as though I cannot breathe, and the need to escape overwhelms me. The continual flickering of the dim light illuminates the claustrophobic space and without thinking I launch myself toward the stairs that I descended earlier. My legs have taken on the consistency of jelly and I can hardly scramble up the steep stairs. I proceed through the next burial room and up a dimly lit passage. As I turn the corner I see Dominic rushing toward me, eyes blazing with adrenalin. I run toward him to close the distance and launch myself into his strong arms.
“I told you to wait in the room. I was coming back for you,” he soothes, gently rubbing my back.
I step out of his embrace and look up at him, my stare hard and accusing. “Were you out here the whole time?”
“Yes, where else would I have been?”
“You didn’t come back to the bottom burial chamber after you left?”
“No. Why?”
“There was someone else in there with me, but I couldn’t see a damn thing. I thought it was you and you were just trying to frighten me. The person came close enough that I could feel the heat of their body on my hand and their breath on my cheek and then I screamed.” I glare at him.
“What do you mean there was someone else in there?” he growls.
“The lights flickered on and they were gone. It was as though they were never there,” I whisper. Dominic’s eyes grow dark as he processes my statement. Anger washes over his face and there is a hint of malice behind his eyes as he stares past me.
“We are leaving, now,” he commands as he roughly grabs my hand in his and pulls me behind him toward the exit.
Dominic’s body is rigid and his fingers dig into my hand as he strides through the labyrinth of narrow passages. I manage to keep up with his quick pace. The only sound to be heard is the shuffling of our feet, and I dare not look back behind me. Stumbling into the entry, the front desk is empty, and an eerie silence has enveloped the small room. Dominic whips out his phone and from the tone of his voice I am glad I am not the person on the other end; he sounds vicious.
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