“Thank you.” I grin at her. I open the smallest parcel from Sofia and it’s a Pandora bracelet with charms of Italian landmarks on it. “It’s perfect,” I squeal.
“So you always remember your trip and us,” she says giving me a huge hug.
“I’ll be back, you know.”
“That’s what they all say.” She snorts.
I pull the second present toward me. I sense Maria’s careful gaze on me as I gently tear the paper off. Inside the box is a leather-bound journal, the pages yellowed with age. I carefully open it to discover page after page of diary entries, which are beautifully scripted.
“Our family’s history, rewritten in English,” Maria explains.
“Thank you, it’s beautiful.” I give Maria a hug.
After breakfast I head down the road and set up my chair against the stone wall admiring the view in front of me. I text my mom that I have phone reception for the next half an hour and then text Dominic. Neither responds. I bask in the sun with my eyes closed, absorbing the tranquility of the silence that surrounds me when a presence startles me.
“I didn’t hear you approach.” I squint up at Toby.
“I find it hard to put on the pretense of being human.” He shrugs.
“Thank you for the other night at the festival.”
“You really shouldn’t roam around by yourself, especially at night.”
“Not you too. I can look after myself.” I scoff.
“I don’t think you realize how close you came to being attacked.” He shakes his head. “Your scent is mouthwatering and it’s hard to resist, even for more civilized vampires.”
I stare at him, floored. Clearing my throat quietly, I breathe in deeply and continue to stare at him.
“Do you get it now?” He stands with his hands in his pockets.
“I think so,” I whisper.
“Come and get me if you want to wander off by yourself again.” His eyes become intense.
“Okay,” I sigh irritated by his statement.
He hesitates for a moment before half turning. “Happy Birthday.” He saunters off.
It is our last night here in Craco and a pang of sadness creeps into the pit of my stomach at the thought of leaving. I hear the roar of Toby’s motorbike as he takes off down the driveway. I secretly hope to see him again before we leave. I take one last look in the bathroom mirror, checking my straightened hair and makeup, before heading out to the feast that is being held in the old town.
Craco is once again awash with lights and the crowd slowly shuffles through the main gate to then be ushered to the rows of tables and chairs. It is a somber affair compared to Friday night’s theatrics. Traditional music is played by the band on stage, and there are kids and adults dancing happily on the makeshift dance floor. Lanterns hang above the tables and glow against the dark sky. We follow Maria to the long table at the far end, shrouded in darkness, and take our seats by one of the portable gas heaters.
A gentle wind brings with it the aroma of vanilla and my eyes dart to Maria. Her mouth is set in a straight line. I swallow as realization dawns on me. There is a vampire somewhere having its own feast on an innocent human.
“I’ll be right back.” Maria shoots a warning look at Sofia.
“I wonder if it’s the same one from last night,” I whisper.
“I doubt it. We usually don’t feed in the same place twice.” Sofia shrugs.
“Are there many here for the festival? I mean, civilized ones,” I ask.
“I have only noticed five. But there is a definitive increase in the scent of our kind. It is much more concentrated here in the old town than where we are staying,” she explains.
Sofia snaps her head toward the ruins, sniffing the air, and stands abruptly. “Maria needs my help,” she whispers. Her lithe movements are graceful as she glides across the rocky ground.
The urge to help Maria and Sofia becomes overwhelming and I find myself following in the tracks of where Sofia flew through minutes earlier. As I slide through the gap between the locked gates, my jacket catches causing the makeshift fence to sway. Climbing the first set of stairs, I carefully step through the broken doorway and stand still to listen, hearing nothing but the faint howl of the wind. I continue to climb through archways and up the narrow passages until I am certain I am near the summit. I circle around the outside of a building and come to a closed wooden door. I push the door and it creaks open. Crumbling stone falls away from the doorframe causing a dusty cloud to circle me as I enter. Using my phone to light up the darkened room, I see that the space is empty. A small window to my left is the only opening and it dawns on me that I am in the tower. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle as my eyes adjust to the dim light and come to rest on the scratch marks that are displayed on the walls—thousands of them that continue up the walls and cover the ceiling. My breath hitches and I let out a small gasp; these are Cassia’s markings. Her maddened attempt to escape her eternal prison. I am transfixed by the horror in this room. My eyes scan the walls and images of a woman crazed and starving, flying from wall to wall trying to claw her way out, dance across my eyes.
“Have you heard the grim fairy tale?” A deep voice from behind me echoes around the room.
I spin on my heels and Toby is standing in the doorway, the only exit available. I feel trapped. A sudden sense of danger saturates the darkened room.
“Yes,” I reply.
His gaze is fixed on me, eyes glistening in the small amount of light that seeps through the window.
“I have heard she still roams these parts on occasion.” He takes a step through the door.
“Did you follow me?” I step back as he steps forward.
“Would it bother you if I said yes?” He pauses for a moment before he stalks toward me.
I stand my ground knowing fully well that I shouldn’t fear him; he has saved me twice now from other vampires.
“Would it bother you?” he repeats.
I stare up at him. His face truly resembles a vampire; his skin is translucent in the dim light and his pupils are dilated.
“Yes.”
“Why?” He leans closer to me.
“Why? Because that’s just weird.”
“What if I told you that I can’t stop?” he whispers.
Alarm bells ring in my head and I look at the door behind him.
“I won’t hurt you, Kat. Don’t be afraid.” His voice has turned to velvet.
“I’m not afraid.” I stare up at him.
He steps closer to me and his proximity is dizzying. I can see the vein in his neck pulsing and the dark danger in his eyes as he stares at me through black lashes.
“Aren’t you? Your heart rate seems to disagree with you.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “I’m going back down to the festival.” I step around him, and as I pass, he takes my hand in his. His skin is cool and smooth. His touch alights me with anticipation. I turn to look up into his beautiful face, confused as to where this exchange is leading. His carnal gaze sets me on fire.
Leaning in to whisper in my ear, he inhales. His voice changes from a purr to something deeper, more dangerous. “Do you know what it takes for me not to taste you? Your sweet blood sings to me. I am possessed whenever I am near you. I seek you out and resist the urge to hunt you, like the predator I am. It is a game I play unbeknownst to you.” His breath tickles my neck.
I close my eyes and hold my breath waiting for something to happen. Wanting something to happen.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” Toby whispers against my cheek before I feel a gush of wind and he is gone.
I am left in the dark shaken. My fear and confusion turn to anger as I make sense of Toby’s actions. I take a clarifying breath and head back down to the safety of the crowd. Approaching the end row of tables I see Sofia sitting by herself. I scan the area for him, but he is nowhere to be seen and I breathe a sigh of relief. I drag the chair roughly from under the table gaining the questionin
g stares from people sitting nearby.
“What’s wrong with you?” Sofia looks at me.
“Nothing.” I sulk.
“Have you been making out with Toby? You reek of him,” Sofia accuses.
“No!” I exclaim. “He is a pain in the ass. If I see him again I’m going to give him a piece of my mind. Stupid asshole,” I mutter under my breath.
“Whoa, what happened?”
“He said my blood sings to him. He keeps turning up everywhere I go.” I look around at the other tables hoping they didn’t hear what I just revealed.
“What did you say?” Sofia leans toward me alarmed. “Is there something you need to tell me?”
“What do you mean?”
“He is a predator, Kat, a cute one at that. He is dangerous from what Maria has told us. He has taken an interest in you despite Maria warning him off. He either has a death wish or there’s something else.” She eyes me with concern.
I look down at my hands hoping she can’t read the emotions on my face. Just as I am about to answer her, Maria sits in the chair next to me.
“What are you two whispering about?” Maria looks from me to Sofia.
“Kat.” Sofia raises her eyebrow.
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“Toby is following Kat around,” Sofia states.
Maria looks at me confused. “Is this true? How long has it been going on?”
“Since the first night here,” I say guiltily.
Maria lets out a few profanities in Italian before facing me. “Has he hurt you?”
“No. He saved me from another one of you on Friday night. I wandered up into the ruins and stumbled across one feeding. Toby turned up just in time and then he called you,” I defend him.
“He only told me that you were feeling ill,” Maria sighs.
“He said her blood sings to him,” Sofia whispers.
Maria touches my hand before she speaks. “Has anything else happened I might need to know about?”
“Well, the night I sprained my wrist. I... He, he kissed me and gave me some of his…” I cannot get the words out. “He healed my wrist,” I stutter.
“How could you be so naive?” Maria exclaims.
“I don’t know. He just did it without asking permission. He didn’t give me a chance to protest; he just kissed me to shut me up and then I kind of got carried away.”
“I can totally see why.” Sofia holds her hand up for a high five.
“Sofia, you’re not helping.” Maria shoots her a warning glance.
“Do you know what this means?” Maria exhales.
“No.” My voice quivers. “Toby said he has done this many times before and nothing has happened.”
“Toby lied. We feed you our blood and then we let you go, let you think that is it. With our blood in your veins we have a connection to you. We know where you are at all times. Not a pinpoint location but more like a ten-kilometer radius, even if you are in another country. We let you go, sometimes for months. We then shadow you. It is like a game of cat and mouse. The hunt is what gets us excited. He will be able to show up anytime and anywhere without you knowing.”
I feel the tears spilling over and trickling down my cheeks. I cannot speak. Maria pulls me into her and squeezes my shoulders.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I will fix this. I’m sorry.” She kisses the top of my head. “We’re leaving tonight.”
As Maria and Sofia finish packing up their belongings, I sit at the kitchen table staring toward the hall that leads to Toby’s room. The mixture of emotions swirling through my head is confusing. Despite all that he has said to me tonight and the information Maria has shared, I don’t fear him. I need to see him before we leave. I need answers. I make my way to his room and stand just outside his door to listen. I cannot hear anything. Pushing the door open I step inside and the room is filled with his scent. I stand at his desk; his belongings sit in a messy heap to one side. Without thinking I grab a pen and quickly scrawl my mobile number on the front cover of the book he is reading. I don’t write my name as I am sure he will be able to smell that it was me who wrote it there.
I slouch in the back of the Maserati with my pillow against the window. The car glides through the night and becomes one with the darkness. I watch the stars in the inky sky for what seems like an eternity, and before I know it, we are pulling up in front of the apartment in Rome. It’s two in the morning and the piazza is deserted. Even the light in the church is out. I sigh as I step out of the car and follow Sofia up the stairs. Neither of us speaks. Once safe in my room, I climb into bed and check my phone. There are missed calls and texts from home and one missed call from Dominic. I text him, so he knows I’m back.
My phone pings. “Can I see you?”
“Why aren’t you asleep?” I shake my head and smile. God, I’ve missed him.
“Can’t sleep,” he types back.
“Me neither,” I type as I stifle a yawn.
“Can I see you later today?”
“Yes. I would very much like that,” I quickly type back.
“Meet me at eight. Now go to sleep so you’re not tired,” he orders.
“You go to sleep too. See you soon. Night.”
“Sweet dreams, beautiful,” he replies.
As I approach the pantheon I see him waiting in his black jeans and tight, knitted jumper, leaning against the pillar. He is the epitome of masculine beauty, with his strong, broad shoulders and angelic face. The butterflies in my stomach have awoken at the sight of him and I feel all giddy when he looks up and grins at me.
“Ciao.” He smiles at me as he steps off the pillar ledge.
“Hi.” I smile back unable to take my eyes off him.
“Happy Birthday for the other day. How was your road trip?” He smiles.
“Interesting.”
“How so?” he asks, a crease forming between his dark eyebrows.
“That deserted town is enchanting. You should go see it one day,” I blurt out before thinking. I wouldn’t want Dominic anywhere near that place with all those rogue vampires roaming free.
“Maybe,” he replies as he looks out to the piazza. He steps closer to me, his eyes smoldering. “Did you miss me?”
I notice he hasn’t shaved and have the urge to reach up and touch his face, but I resist. “Maybe.”
“I fucking missed you,” he breathes and pulls me into him, his mouth claiming mine. He is gentle at first, his tongue parting my lips, and he gently nibbles on my bottom lip. His kiss becomes deeper and he pulls me tighter into him, his hand snaking its way up my back and stopping with a firm grip on the back of my neck. He kisses me once, twice before pulling back.
“What am I going to do with you?” he whispers leaning his forehead against mine.
My mouth feels swollen from the prickly stubble on his face. I shrug as I lick my lips to soothe them. “Keep doing that.” I grin.
“Oh, I plan to.” He raises his eyebrows. “Let’s get coffee and then I have a surprise for you.” He grabs my hand and pulls me into his side.
“I didn’t think Italians swore like that.” I laugh as we walk hand in hand away from the Pantheon.
“I am not your typical Italian.”
Dominic leads me to a small coffee bar, and the rich aroma of strong coffee beans tickles my senses. He is pressed up against my back with both arms on either side of me resting on the bar when my thoughts flicker to Toby and I freeze. Is he here somewhere watching me? Dominic senses my unease.
“What are you thinking about?” he whispers in my ear as he places his hand on my stomach and pulls me tighter against him.
“Nothing really,” I lie. Our coffees are placed in front of me. I smile at the man and subconsciously thank him for bringing us our coffees at just the right time.
I watch as Dominic drinks his within seconds of receiving it. It seems to be the Italian way, as though no one has the time to sit and enjoy their coffees. I cradle mine in my hands and the war
mth is welcoming. Dominic watches me as I slowly sip my coffee, a smirk turning up the corners of his inviting lips.
“What?” I say.
“It’s mesmerizing to watch you casually sip at your coffee. Like you have all the time in the world. It relaxes me,” he explains.
“Everyone here seems to always be in a rush. I swear. You all drink way too much coffee.” I laugh. All the time in the world, I think to myself and the irony is not lost on me. “So where are we going after this?”
“One of many surprises today. I have the entire day planned.”
I grin at him and take a sip of my coffee. “Should I let my aunt know that I will be out all day? What time do these surprises finish?”
“Late tonight,” Dominic whispers against my ear sending shivers down my spine.
I lean up and kiss him, unable to resist his lips any longer. He returns the kiss and wraps his arm around my waist. “Hurry up and drink your coffee,” he murmurs against my lips.
We slowly make our way toward the Spanish Steps, fingers intertwined. Dominic leads me into a gelato shop, and it is hard to choose which flavor I want.
“Let me choose for you.” Dominic laughs.
“Okay,” I agree.
We exit the store with five assorted flavors and head toward the Spanish Steps. I follow him up the steep set of stairs until we come to a stop near the top. The view is spectacular, and I sit and marvel at all the Romans and tourists going about their day.
“Close your eyes,” Dominic tells me.
I do as he asks wondering what he is going to do.
“Try this flavor, but keep your eyes closed.” His mouth is close to my ear.
I part my lips waiting for the gelato. He feeds me a small spoonful and I savor the taste. It fills my mouth with a field of the sweetest strawberries.
“Keep them closed.”
I sit still, and Dominic feeds me each of the five flavors, one after the other; all the while I take in the sounds of Rome. I can smell his cologne, and it brings me back to the night I bumped into him. So much has happened in the last couple of days and it’s mind-boggling that so much has stayed the same. I am thankful I am the same and am not burdened by the curse anymore. I open my eyes after the last spoonful and notice the crowd of people on the Spanish Steps has doubled.
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