Requiem of Humanity

by Catherine Stovall

  “How many vampires are there?” Soborgne was bouncing up and down in the backseat now. Her excitement could not be contained.

  “No one knows. There could be hundreds, thousands, or millions.” Matteo looked thoughtful and Jenda found herself pulled towards him. Something utterly lonely could be heard in his voice. She gently smoothed the hair back from his face and let her fingers trail down his cheek. He caught her hand just as it reached his jaw and kissed it and murmured, “I love you” into her palm.

  The conversation kept up all the way through the night. They stopped once to drink from the handy little bags of blood that Matteo had brought. There were plenty of jokes about giving a new definition to fast food and how the army thought they had good pre-packaged rations. The trip was long but lighthearted. The Dracul did not catch up to them and their spirits were high. The girls learned much about what their life would come to be and there was a lot of hopeful conversation about the places they would travel and the things they would see.

  Just as the horizon began to lighten from iron blue to midnight blue, Soborgne yawned. The three of them shared a look of knowing. The dawn was still an hour away but the thought that Soborgne might be endangered took a little of the happiness away from their evening. Jenda kept watching the mile reading on the GPS tick down. Hoping and praying they would make it. Matteo tapped her once gently on the nose, “Don’t worry love, we will be there in time.”

  36

  It was almost dawn, the night sky was fading fast, and only a few bright twinkling stars could be seen. Soborgne was so weakened that they had to help her walk. As they entered the hotel, a man held the door open. When he took stock of their dress and Soborgne, in her less than usual state, his greeting stopped dead in his throat and he eyed them suspiciously. Jenda got the feeling that this hotel in its splendor did not take lightly to riff-raff. Perhaps he thought they might soil the Persian carpet that lay out before them like a lush sea of red and gold.

  Before they could reach the front desk another man approached them, walking rapidly. Jenda was sure that he was going to insist that they leave but instead he smiled broadly and greeted them with a warm welcome. “Monsieur Angelleti! What a splendid treat. I was so glad to hear that you would be staying with us even for this short time. Your usual suit is ready as well as an equally splendid room for your guest.” For the first time the man’s eyes took in Jenda and Soborgne. Instead of being concerned for Soborgne’s state, the man simply nodded to two girls in the corner of the room Jenda had not noticed before. They rushed over with a wheel chair and Jenda suddenly found herself free of her friend’s weight.

  They were shown to an elegant elevator that took them to the top floor. Jenda was so nervous that she constantly wrung her hands together. She was not used to such luxury and the shock of seeing Matteo greeted so formally and treated like royalty was jangling her nerves. She had a million questions but they all fell away as soon as she was shown to her and Soborgne’s room. It was like something out of a fairytale. Two large beds stood against one wall, piled high with thick, rose patterned comforters and matching pillows. The carpet looked lush enough to sleep on all night. Everything was real cherry oak and the view was breathtaking. As the girls pushed Soborgne into the room, Jenda stood staring out at the world beyond that sky level window. The city was still sleeping except for a few cars and pedestrians scattered across the gray streets. She had never felt so removed in her life. Humanity seemed so far away. She wanted to weep.

  Instead, she briskly closed the curtains so that the oncoming dawn would not find its way in. Not certain it would be good enough to keep the lights out she decided she could hang the blankets from one of the beds overtop the blinds after the two women left. Matteo was already issuing orders for them not to be disturbed and handing out generous tips so it wouldn’t be long now. Jenda immediately went to Soborgne and began easing her out of the chair onto one of the beds. Matteo shut and locked the door and came to assist her.

  “How will we block out the sun?” Jenda’s mothering ways would never stop and it made Matteo love her even more. She was always much more concerned about others than her own needs.

  “We will cover the windows with the blankets and tape them to the walls so that there are no cracks.” Matteo had done this many times in the past and knew that it would work. Soborgne had already passed on to unconsciousness so they had to work quickly.

  Matteo left for a moment and came back carrying a role of silver tape. It took them only about five minutes to fully cover the window and apply the tape in double rows so that it would not come undone. Matteo clicked off the lights and they waited to make sure that not even the smallest sliver of light would pass the fluffy shield they had made.

  Matteo pulled up one of the overstuffed chairs and sat down. Jenda gasped in surprise when he pulled her down into his lap and nuzzled her neck. Every time she was this close, this intimate with him, she didn’t trust herself to be able to stand so she was thankful that he had chosen her seat for her. She curled up like a child and rested her head on his shoulder, lightly kissing his jaw line. They caressed lightly and their kisses were both soft and passionate. Jenda felt as if all her worries had dissolved.

  Soon the stress left her body and she felt all the tension flow away. Even as she relaxed, she could feel the same happening to Matteo. The sun was up, the room was as dark as night, and they had no need for sleep but that was all Jenda wanted. Even more than she wanted Matteo’s kisses and the feel of his touch, she wanted to curl up in one of those expensive down filled beds and sleep. Matteo made a satisfied sound of agreement as he placed a small kiss on the tip of her nose. His voice was shaky and she could feel his hesitation as he asked, “Would you like to come to my room with me?”

  Jenda raised her heavy head to look into the liquid blue eyes she so loved. She wanted to say yes but didn’t know how to explain to him that despite all the changes she had been through she was not ready to consummate their love.

  Sensing that she was ready to pull away Matteo reassured her, “Not to make love my dear, only to sleep. I am as worn as you are. I only want to feel you lying beside me, to know that you will not vanish when I close my eyes on this world.”

  Jenda could sense the need in his words and see it in his eyes and she felt the same. Without a word, she stood and allowed him to lead her from the room and across the hall. They entered the suite and the brightness of the sun shocked her. It still felt wrong but good in an incomprehensible way. Matteo left her standing by an enormous four-poster bed and went to rifle through a small duffle bag. He produced a men’s t-shirt and offered it to her. Still without speaking, Jenda went into the adjoining bathroom to change. One look at the bathtub sent shivers down her spine, it was a giant red oval that sat deep into the marble floor and was big enough for five people. She thought of what she would like to do in it later and that only involved two.

  With butterflies stirring in her stomach, Jenda opened the bathroom door and found Matteo standing in front of the window watching the city below. He wore only a pair of cheap cotton pajama bottoms and his broad shoulders shone bare in the sunlight. She stood mesmerized by the sheer beauty of him. Jenda had never understood how a man’s body could be called beautiful before now. The symmetrical lines showing the taut muscles that shifted with the slightest movement made her think of predators in the wild. Suddenly she wasn’t as tired as she had been before.

  She padded barefoot to his side, loving the way her feet sunk into the carpet. It was like walking on a cloud. As she reached one hand out to trail down his spine, Matteo turned his face towards hers. Before she could take a breath, his mouth was on hers, and his arms crushed her to his powerful naked chest. He covered her face, hair, and neck with kisses while he murmured Italian words under his breath, which was coming in quick gasps. Jenda’s hands took on a life of their own as they pulled at his hair and roamed his arms, back, and chest. She kissed him as hard as he kissed her and soon they were both breathless.r />
  A powerful shock passed through her body as one of his hands slid up under the shirt and gripped her hip while his thumb traced a delicate circle on her abdomen. She pressed her body to him, no longer wanting to hold back. She wanted him to be a part of her. She was no longer a child, she was a woman, a female vampire, and he was hers. She could sense his desire and it only fueled her own. They were two flames who longed to be united into a roaring blaze.

  Without warning, Matteo grasped her shoulders and stepped back. At first, she was afraid she had done something wrong. Tears instantly leapt to her eyes with the thought that he didn’t want her and she had acted so brazen. Embarrassment heated her already boiling blood. Matteo dropped to his knees before her and took her hands, kissing one then the other without looking away from her eyes.

  “I have waited so long for you, my Baobhan Sith. I have walked a million miles down a lonely and dark road searching for the woman I would love. Now that I have you, I do not wish to let new blood and lust rule our beginning. Please forgive me but I cannot shatter the innocence left to you without consience.”

  “Matteo?” His name was a question and then Jenda was speechless. She wanted him and knew that it would not be something she regretted but she could see the sense in what he said. So much had changed for her so suddenly. It would be wiser to wait. To find a time that they knew each other better and were not running for their lives from a dangerous vampire militia.

  Matteo stood and swept her into his arms. He kissed her once more and they simultaneously confessed their love to each other. They kissed gently and she could feel him keeping his passion in check with some difficulty. He carried her to the bed and within minutes they lay sleeping, their bodies entwined, and the soft comforters concealing them in a cocoon of warmth.

  37

  Soborgne was alone as she sat on the edge of the dock. The blue, foaming waves crashed into the thick support beams and the spray tickled her bare feet. The sun was high overhead and she loved the feel of it on her shoulders. She sat waiting but she couldn’t remember how she got here or why she was waiting. Then he was there taking her by her hand, helping her to her feet.

  They walked through the sand and let the waves wash up onto their feet. Soborgne wore a soft, white sundress and her black hair whipped free in the wind. “I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you look right now.” His voice was deep and velvety. “I am glad that you remembered. I was worried I would never see you again. If you no longer dream we will lose each other forever.”

  “I really didn’t remember, I just felt it was important to stay…stay um like a normal vampire.” It sounded more like a question than a statement. It was difficult for her to focus on words when she was so near to him. She could feel the sensation of his skin from an arms distance and when she walked this close to him it was so over powering that it took her ability to think rationally away.

  “Regardless, I am pleased. Now you must tell me dear, where are the three of you hiding?” The man’s voice was causing her to get dizzy.

  “There’s no one else here and I am not hiding.” Soborgne was confused; to her no one else existed. It was just her and her lover, walking in the sun, watching the ocean swell and cast out from its boundaries. She knew it yearned to claim the land as she yearned to claim this man.

  He laughed and she wished the sun wasn’t so bright so that she could clearly see his smile. “No Soborgne, I mean where are you in the real world? Where have you gone there?” He closed the few inches between them and wrapped a heavy arm around her shoulders. His skin was cold fire scorching her own with a powerful, pleasurable burn.

  Talk. He always wanted to talk and ask questions. She wanted to touch, to taste, and to communicate in much more powerful means. She nuzzled her head into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She tried to stop them from walking or at least slow him down so she could slip in front of him. Maybe she could stand on her tiptoes and kiss his mouth. Maybe if she made him look at her and she could really look at him he would see what other boys had seen. Of course, “boys” was the key word there. This was a man, he said he loved her, he said he needed her, and yet he would not give in to her.

  “Soborgne, you are not listening.” He chided her like a child but his voice was still kind. “Please, ma cherie? Can you tell me where that beautiful head rests right now?”

  “I don’t know. I wasn’t really awake when we got there. I can’t really remember. I know we drove all night and the…the Dracul were after us. I can’t remember much else. I’m sorry.” She felt the tears coming and fought hard to keep them back. She didn’t want to cry in front of him. He was so strong and she didn’t want him to think she was weak.

  “It’s okay, mon amour. I understand but if you remember anything else you will tell me, won’t you?” He wasn’t really asking. For the first time, Soborgne felt a little threatened by this man.

  Soborgne murmured a quiet agreement to his question. Her mind was becoming more of her own as the fear crept in and the chill blotted out some of the warmth and dizziness he created inside her. “What’s your name?” She didn’t even know his name.

  Instead of answering her, he smiled brightly and quoted that old Shakespearean masterpiece. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Then he stepped behind her, in one sweeping motion wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her tight to him. Nuzzling his face near her neck, he continued the imitation of the great lovers, “By a name. I know not how to tell thee who I am. My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, because it is an enemy to thee. Had I it written, I would tear the word.”

  Soborgne had sat through almost every day of Mr. Todd’s English Lit class because of Jenda’s insistence. Even though she had been present, she hadn’t paid a lot of attention and she never finished the section on Shakespear because she was kind of kidnapped by psycho vampires before she could. She wondered if this was a romantic way of trying to tell her that his name was Romeo or if he was just being a typical male and he was playing games with her.

  Something Matteo said kept trying to creep in but she was surrounded by a mist of energy. She was buried in the arms of this man, her Romeo. She was lost in her love for him. Soborgne felt the powerful possessiveness fill her. He was hers and hers alone. No one else could have this man without losing their life to her hands. She turned her head to capture his lips and to her surprise, their mouths met in an explosion of passion. She leaned back into his chest; her head was turned upward to more easily deepen the kiss. His tongue slid into her mouth and she moaned audibly. The sheer joy and passion threatened to cause her heart to explode from her chest. All worries and doubts were forgotten. She knew within her heart of hearts and inside her own damned soul that he was everything for her. He was life and death to her. She would die without him and would live only to be by his side.

  She opened her eyes just in time to see the shadows again. They were coming again. Just as they had done before, in the last dream she knew he would leave her when darkness came. Too late, she tried again to glimpse his face but the shadows concealed him. She held on with all her might. She would not let him go. “Wait, don’t leave me please.” Despite her efforts, the tears came now spilling down her face. “Please stay with me. How can I face another night without you? I love you.”

  His voice sounded far away even though he physically was still standing right in front of her. “I love you, ma cherie. I will return to you soon. Perhaps someday we will meet in the flesh.”

  Soborgne woke up angry. She snarled and snapped at the air. Her eyes shone like black glass as she tore at the pillows and bed. She cursed and screamed. The pain of waking without him was unbearable and her throat burned as it had back in the compound. She was thirsty for blood. Fresh, living blood that would pump into her mouth and spill hot strength down her throat as the human’s heart sputtered and fought to live.

  The dream had been too short and he had left her too soon. Never was too soon f
or her. She wanted her lover, her Romeo. She still had not seen his face and she feared she never would. She didn’t really know his name because somehow she knew it was not Romeo. The anger bubbled out of her and she could not control the rage that was pushing her. It was pushing her out the door of her room. Hunger pulled at her gut and burned her alive. She followed it even though some rational part of her knew she shouldn’t. She followed it down the hall and into the elevator.

  She emerged into the crowded lobby of the fine hotel and nearly lost what little composure she had left. The heart beats of so many humans thrummed inside her head, their petty thoughts fueled the fire, and their smell drove her to salivating. Hunger, blood, thirst, and fire were all synonyms now. No fear, no love, nothing left of her was human. She was vampire and she wanted her prey.

  She stumbled out the door, ignoring the strange looks from the people around them. She snarled and thought to herself how much they were like cattle being fattened for the butcher. She understood now. Matteo had spoken of others who thought that vampires should claim their rightful place. They should not be hidden in the dark. Vampires should be ruling the world like humans did now. Belle understood it, which is why she had girls like Maya. Feeders were all humans were meant to be.