Annika was stunned. It took her a moment to address her husband.
“So…let me get this straight. Your government sponges off of my world’s technology and uses it to their advantage whenever they want, but then they ban everyone else from using it because they say it’s not safe.”
“That’s about the sum of it. Although, there’s a cultural mindset that you aren’t taking into consideration,” he explained. “The old ways teach that the closer one lives to the land, the more virtuous and righteous they are. There’s a saying back home; ‘idle hands find sin faster.’ The more we move into cities and enjoy all the modern conveniences they bring, the more corrupt we allegedly become. Think of all those idle hands with nothing to do but cause trouble. Think of all the trouble one could get into if everything was done at the touch of a button.”
“Fair enough,” Annika said, walking fast to keep up with his long stride. “I might not totally agree with that ideology, but I understand it. I can’t help thinking of all the things you could do with more free time. You could study and innovate and invent things to make life better. You could spend more time making music and art. Life wouldn’t have to be such a grind.”
“That’s precisely why the old ways are falling out of fashion,” Talvi went on. “The younger generations are the ones moving into the cities, searching for better work and a better way of life. Not everyone appreciates manual labor the way my family does, but my mother comes from a very old family. That’s why she insisted on living in the country, even when Father’s work was so far away at times. She wanted to be an exemplary mother and raise exemplary children.”
Annika smothered a laugh.
“I’m not so sure I’d call you an exemplary son.”
A strong arm pulled her close, cupping her ass through her jeans as they stepped through the doors and onto the sidewalk.
“I must’ve been exemplary at something, for you to marry me less than three months after being introduced.” He steered her towards a taxi cab and motioned for the driver to open the door. Suddenly Annika planted her boots on the pavement, refusing to get in.
“You’re also exemplary at being a jerk sometimes. If you put me in a cab and ditch me again, I’m leaving,” she warned. Talvi took one look at the accusatory finger pointing at him, then took her hand in his. He tossed his messenger bag into the back seat and coaxed Annika closer to him, and closer to the open door.
“I’m not going anywhere without you, love,” he said with a wink. He sat down in the cab and patted the spot next to him. “I thought I’d give you an exemplary tour of Prague from the back seat.”
The cloudy February sky cast the city in a dim blue light as the afternoon gave way to the evening. Their taxi didn’t stop at a hotel. Instead, Talvi had given the driver an address located in the oldest quarter of the city. Like so much of Europe, the old world elegance was supplemented with touches of modernity. Stone buildings were stained by centuries worth of weather, and yet, colorful awnings and signage decorated the doorways that opened up to the cobblestone streets.
The taxi came to a stop in front of an elegant dining establishment, and Talvi offered his wife a hand getting out of the car.
“I don’t remember you being this chivalrous,” she remarked when he opened the door to the building.
“I don’t remember you allowing me to be, you independent American lass,” he countered with a smirk. “I know perfectly well that you only need me for one thing.”
With a sultry glance, Annika looked him up and down, then gave a nod of agreement.
“Yeah, to change light bulbs.”
Talvi snorted a laugh in response, then strolled inside after her.
The low lighting normally would’ve taken Annika’s human eyes a few moments to adjust, but her new, reborn elven eyes took in the sights right away. It wasn’t a large space, although it was dripping with such macabre grandeur that it appeared to be much larger. Annika could just imagine the interior designer—she was probably a goth chick from a wealthy family. The ceiling was made up of rose gold tiles pressed carefully into detailed patterns. The warm glow reflected down upon the patrons, casting everyone in the most flattering light. Black chandeliers hung down from above, dripping with red stones that glittered in the electric candlelight. All of the linens were black, and all of the chairs were cushioned with red leather. There were a few small clusters of people enjoying wine at the tables and booths, and a larger group gathered around the bar, which was a vision of gold and red and dark wood. Annika lifted her nose to figure out what might be on the menu that evening, and was met with nothing; nothing but the scent of alcohol and a whiff of perfume from the hostess as she stepped up to the two of them.
“I’m here to speak to the owner,” Talvi said to her. The woman’s faultless complexion didn’t move a muscle.
“He’s not here.”
“Then call him. It’s important.”
The woman looked at Annika, then back at Talvi. There was something strange about her eyes, yet Annika couldn’t quite place it.
“He’s away on business. I don’t know for how long.”
Shaking his head, Talvi motioned for Annika to follow him towards the bar.
“Then we’ll wait for him,” he said, and helped his wife out of her coat.
“You misunderstand. Mr. Pyrzynski left months ago,” the hostess continued. Upon hearing that distinctive name, Annika stiffened. Images flashed in front of her eyes, visions of a slight male figure dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, kneeling down to pick her up. Then she was lying on an exam table, watching him bathe her damaged body and bandage her wounds. He kept her left arm exposed and bent his head until his mouth covered the crease of her inner elbow. A warm tongue massaged the holes left in her skin, sucking and drinking until her eyes fluttered open. There was pain, but there was pleasure…so much pleasure from that hungry mouth. His hands caressed her bruised skin, making love to her arm as he fed on her. She caught sight of a hand resting on his shoulder. A string of numbers was tattooed on the forearm. But that was the tattoo on Mr. Pyrzynski’s arm. That meant someone else was drinking from her.
Using all the strength and skills that Tripp had taught her for recalling lost memories, Annika tried her best to cut through the dark fog and see who else was there. The tattooed forearm gave an affectionate pat on the shoulder before brushing aside a long mane of golden blond hair. Then a pair of emerald green eyes were gazing up at Annika, hypnotizing her like a kaleidoscope. She watched as Konstantin reluctantly withdrew his fangs from her body. He dragged his warm, wet, blood-stained tongue across her skin and licked it clean while he continued to gaze at her. His face was flooded with color now, and his eyes were consumed by pleasure. They rolled into the back of his head, leaving a euphoric, red smile on his pale face.
“Go back to sleep, kochanie,” Mr. Pyrzynski sang to her.
“Yes, kochanie,” a woman agreed. “Go back to sleep.”
Annika turned to look at where the voice was coming from. The last image she could recall seeing was Yuri, who was dabbing at the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief.
She blinked as Talvi’s warm hand intertwined his long fingers with her small ones and pulled her close. The imagery faded into the darkest corners of the bar, bringing her back to the present moment.
“I can’t tell which one of you is more surprised to see me,” said Yuri, who was now standing in front of them. The rose gold ceiling reflected down on her, making her pale skin pass for that of a human. A vibrant, violet dress brought all the attention to her sparkling amethyst eyes, and she let them wander from Talvi to Annika, then back to her brother.
“It’s not that I’m not surprised to see you,” Talvi said, still holding Annika’s hand. “I’m surprised to see you working. I also didn’t expect you to be up this early. I thought younger vampires liked to sleep in late.”
“Yes, well, I was missing out on all the fun,” she said with a mysterious smile and beckoned them to fo
llow her over to the bar. She stepped behind it and brought out a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. “As for managing the restaurant, it’s only temporary. As soon as Pavlo returns, we’ll be on our way.”
Talvi’s forehead wrinkled with intrigue as Yuri set three champagne glasses down in front of them.
“We? Does that mean Konstantin is with you?”
“It does,” she said with a nod. There was a soft pop as the cork slid out of the bottle. “And I’m sure my darling Kostya would love nothing more than to hear you express your undying gratitude for rescuing Annika last summer.”
Talvi shot her a contemptuous look and hugged Annika against his chest.
“He’ll have to wait a while, given that it was his men who nearly killed her.” He took a moment to caress his wife’s long red hair before kissing the top of her head.
“They’ve been dealt with,” Yuri said in a severe tone, taking care to keep her voice low so that no one else would hear. “Do you have any idea how much he risked losing to drop everything and go fetch your wife himself?”
Annika could hear Talvi sigh from above before maneuvering her to his left.
“No, but I have a feeling you’re about to tell me,” he said to her, and set their bags on the floor under the bar. “You might as well take a seat and get comfortable, love,” he said to Annika. “Yuri’s going to tell us a very detailed account of exactly how put out they were to do the right thing. We may be here for some time.”
Annika climbed onto the bar stool, happy to have Talvi as a buffer between herself and his sister. Yuri scowled at her brother for a brief moment, then reined it in to give a courteous smile to a passing customer.
“I’ll spare you the details, but I’ll tell you this much—he risked losing everything that he’s been working for to save Annika’s life! The least you could do is thank him when he comes downstairs.”
“Fine,” Talvi said, rolling his eyes. “But don’t you mean when he comes upstairs?”
“No. I meant downstairs; that’s why I said it,” she replied as she filled three tall glasses with a generous pour. “We’ve been staying in the penthouse since we took over for Pavlo.”
“But even with the best black-out curtains, isn’t that taking a rather large risk? The penthouse is almost entirely made of windows,” Talvi pointed out.
“Believe me, I know. And the view is incredible,” Yuri beamed. Her eyes drifted from Talvi back over to Annika, who had remained speechless the entire time. The vampire gave her a subtle smile and a barely perceptible wink. “Quite a lot has changed since Kostya and I last saw either of you.” Her fingers danced across a long row of dark amber bottles before picking one out. She squeezed a dropper full of thick red liquid into her champagne flute, then put the bottle away. “Shall we drink to freedom? That seems to be the universal theme uniting us this evening.” She raised her glass and held it perfectly still, waiting patiently until Annika and Talvi raised theirs up and gave it the obligatory tap. A few delicate, beautiful chimes rang through the air.
“Real crystal,” Talvi observed before taking another drink and finally sitting down beside Annika. “I see you spared no expense. I’m not certain that’s wise, given how empty this place is.”
“It’s early,” Yuri said with a dismissive wave. “If you’re still here in a few hours, you’ll see a line out the door. We’re the number one vampire lounge in all of Europe. We cater to an older clientele…they have more money to spend. They also have better manners. It keeps the overhead costs for security down.”
Annika swallowed hard as she took a closer look at the bar patrons. All of them had perfectly flawless skin. All of them had that same light in their eyes that the hostess had in hers. One of them laughed quietly to another and revealed a set of fangs. There were a few curious looks cast in Annika and Talvi’s direction, but just as Yuri said, these older folks knew how to behave. No wonder there were no smells of simmering meat or roasting vegetables weaving through this restaurant. The only things on the menu were booze and blood.
“You have lines out the door?” Talvi remarked. He made a point to look around the sparsely filled room and shook his head in mild disbelief. “If that’s the case, then I’m happy to hear business is going so well. But aren’t you concerned about getting caught operating on this side of the portals? The embassy’s practically down the street.”
“Do I look concerned?” She took a carefree sip of her blood-tinged champagne. “Everyone knows that the Prague embassy is very sympathetic to the vampire community. As it happens, some of our best customers work there.”
Talvi put on a deliberately fake smile and took another hearty drink from his glass.
“Perhaps the sympathy you’re experiencing has something to do with the bribes you’re paying those officials to look the other way?”
“I think it has more to do with the fact that the officials have realized the same thing we did—that there’s an underserved market here on Earth, and it’s not going away.”
“It should go away,” Talvi argued. “There’s plenty of sympathy for the vampire community, but that arrangement belongs on our side of the portals, not here on Earth. Why didn’t you put this bar in Prinza instead? It’s not as if the embassy would shut that one down.”
“I’ve already explained it to you,” she said, exercising much more patience than Annika thought her capable of. “It’s purely supply and demand, and there’s a large enough vampire community here on Earth.”
“Suppose you get caught by modern humans instead?”
“Modern humans can’t get enough of vampires!” she laughed. “They’ve gotten so used to the idea of our existence that it’s never been a safer time to be a vampire. Times are changing, Talvi. Just you wait and see.”
“I don’t believe times are changing as fast as you think they are,” he insisted. Yuri gave him a compassionate smile.
“That’s because you’ve always been so loyal to your beliefs, even when your loyalty has left you blind. It’s your greatest strength and your greatest weakness.” She reached up to pet his head like a cat who was very displeased with its owner. “Not only are you unwavering in your loyalty to your family, but to the government you work for. How long has it been, now? Seventy years since you swore your allegiance? That’s a lot of indoctrination under your belt…a lot of enforcing laws that can’t keep up with the times, obeying a code that occasionally goes directly against your own. I can’t imagine your superiors were too pleased to learn of your choice for a bride.” She stopped playing with her brother’s hair and gave his wife a hopeful look. “No offense, Annika.”
“None taken,” she replied. “I’ve read what your papers had to say about me. Not everyone’s a fan.”
“No, but an awful lot of them are on your side,” Yuri pointed out with a genuine sense of appreciation. “They argue that where you came from really shouldn’t matter. Not in this day and age. Unfortunately, I’ve been traveling often enough to know that not everyone agrees. I hope to the gods that you aren’t planning to go back home anytime soon. I can just see the headlines now… ‘National Hero Takes up Again with Modern Mistress.’” She turned to her brother, who wasn’t half as amused by the fictitious headline. “I’m not trying to make you cross, Talvi, but that does make you a bit of a hypocrite since the government disapproves of your marriage. How can you truly be loyal to such opposing forces?”
“I’ll figure it out,” he said quietly.
“I’m curious to see how you go about doing that,” she smirked, and looked around the room. She took a moment to admire the view before facing her guests once more. “Vampires belong to the world of the dead, yet we depend on the world of the living to survive. Even you belong to one world and live in another. You both do. Aren’t you getting tired of being forced to choose sides?”
Talvi shifted on the stool and glanced over at Annika. She knew Yuri had hit a nerve with him. She’d hit a nerve deep in her, too. Suddenly the comparisons weren’t so different, ha
ving been born on Earth and reborn on Eritähti. A smug smile spread across Yuri’s red lips.
“Of course we’re sick of having to choose sides!” Annika blurted out. “What do you suggest we do about it?”
“I can’t tell you what to do,” Yuri replied, and took another sip of her sparkling wine. “I can only tell you what’s working for me, and that’s to choose neither side. Until things change, I’d rather play both sides against one another and double the pleasure. It’s a great deal more enjoyable way to pass the time. And a lot more profitable, too.”
Talvi grunted his displeasure and promptly emptied his glass. His sister refilled it before topping off the other two.
“I’d like to know how profitable that actually is, since I heard a rumor that la Familia Vladislava was going broke.”
Yuri laughed to herself and walked around to join them on the other side of the bar.
“I’m glad to hear that rumor’s finally gotten around,” she said, and took a seat next to Annika rather than her brother. She gave her a soft pat on the arm and a genuine smile, assuring her not to worry. The more Annika thought about it, the more she realized that the safest place to be in a vampire bar was sitting directly beside one of the owners. She couldn’t tell where Yuri’s dress came from, but she caught the scent of expensive perfume, the glimmer of a huge emerald engagement ring, and the distinct flash of red from the soles of her Louboutins when she perched herself on the bar stool.
“Even if I believed the rumor—and I don’t—how are you affording all of this?” Talvi asked. To prove his point, he flicked the side of his crystal glass and let another beautiful chime fill the air.
“What can I tell you?” Yuri shrugged and batted her eyes. “Business has been good.”
Talvi tilted his head to one side.
“Don’t pretend to be mysterious or humble. Not with me. What’s the business? And how good is it?”
With another one of her soft, contented laughs, Yuri’s manicured hand slid into a hidden side pocket of her dress and took out a small, flat object. There was a reddish-gold symbol on the front, and the warmth of the rose gold ceiling made it nearly glow, while the black metal case gleamed under the light.
The Darkest of Dreams Page 37