“I’m getting to that,” Matthew growled. “It was that night Lane escaped. The details are sketchy but apparently he disappeared while under guard. It was rumored that they had no idea how he escaped. Couldn’t remember a thing. And well, Valentino couldn’t have guards that lost a two-year-old vampire that easily. So he killed the guards and put a death warrant out.
“Lane was sighted again in Ireland months later. Sometime, somehow, he realized he didn’t have to kill innocent people. He could kill vampires – others of his kind. The first ones he killed was the rest of the group that had murdered his friend and captured him. It’s believed he even fed off them. The coat he wore had been the property of that group’s leader. Lane was always seen wearing it.
Valentino sent many vampires after him over the years. Skilled vampires. Our intelligence said none of these assassins were ever seen alive again. You see, Julia, there are stories about Lane, about how he escaped. They say he has an unusual power – that he can hypnotize vampires. Some think it might be enough to stop Valentino himself. Hell, if it’s true, I wish I’d had his power five years ago.”
I reached over and touched his hand as I processed the information. “Lane hunts other vampires? And the Resistance isn’t the only ones trying to kill Valentino?”
Matthew nodded. “He enjoys killing vampires, presumably to feed off them. Most vampires believe Lane to be insane because of that and will obey Valentino’s order. All vampires are supposed to kill him on sight. Hunters who know of Lane leave him alone since he’s killing other vampires. That is why he is so dangerous and why you are lucky to be alive.”
“What do you think? Is it possible that he and Hunters work together?”
He frowned. “I am uncertain what to think of Lane. I always thought he was an insane loner. No one can say for certain whether he actually collaborates with Hunters or if they simply ignore each other.”
I imagined the Saladino twins’ team of Hunters striking a bargain with Lane and shuddered.
“It is unsettling to realize how easily Samuel could have ended up like Lane,” Matthew whispered, fidgeting slightly. “I honestly do not understand why Lane didn’t attack you tonight. I doubt he knows of us – of the Resistance. Or if he would even care.” He shook his head. “You even said you almost fed off him. Yet, he did not harm you. I wonder why.”
I shrugged. “The second I realized it was another vampire, I dropped my hand and stepped back. I apologized. Perhaps, he realized I meant no harm.”
Matthew smiled a bit. “I did not get the impression that Lane waited to find out whether the vampire who came up behind him had the intent to kill.”
“Then I have no idea. I’m relieved he did not hurt me. Besides, if he is an enemy of Valentino, we may be able to help each other.”
“I’m not even going to ask what you’re thinking now. It’s best to stay away from him. It’s safer that way.”
“Safe? Define ‘safe.’ We’ve had a band of Hunters after us for over a week. We’re in Rome – in hostile territory. And once that group realizes we’re here, they will not be too understanding about why we’re here.”
Matthew snickered. “And Lane wouldn’t care. He will just kill you.”
I threw up my hands in exasperation. “It’s hopeless trying to talk to you.”
“What is so hopeless? I’m merely stating facts.”
I shook my head and stood up. “He did not kill me tonight. Maybe things are complicated for Lane as well.” I paused, replaying the encounter in my mind. “How can he cloak so well?”
“We had no idea that he could shield his mind that well. Everything we heard about his ability to do so was purely rumor . . . until now.”
I nodded. “I am going to check on Samuel. Are you coming?”
“It is foolish to tempt fate by crossing his path again,” Matthew warned. “Yes, I’m coming.” He led me to a bedroom in back. He swung open the door and stepped inside. I followed him in and looked toward the bed. When I saw Samuel still unconscious on the bed, I felt my stomach clench into a tight knot. My actions, my words, had pushed him to this.
“Jesu, I’m sorry,” I whispered as I approached the bed. Soft light further illuminated the room as a candle next to Matthew flickered to life.
I dropped my gaze back down and shuddered. Samuel’s form was so still, his face so pale that if I did not see his chest rise and fall, I might have sworn he was dead. “He looks frightful,” I whispered.
“If you had continued down your destructive path, you wouldn’t be looking any better,” Matthew replied.
Memories that seemed a lifetime ago swamped me. Learning how to fight, training together, dancing together flitted through my mind. I still didn’t know how to bridge the distance between Samuel and me, but after reconciling with Matthew, I wanted to try to rectify the situation between us. “I’m going to stay in here. If he wakes, I want to try talking to him.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Matthew questioned. “I thought we decided I should try first.”
“I know, but you shouldn’t have to face Samuel’s ire for this. It was me who caused this mess; I should try talking again,” I replied.
“What if he doesn’t listen to you?”
“Then there is nothing else I can do. I would let you try.” Tiredly, I located a chair and sat down beside the bed.
“Good luck, Julia,” he murmured and left the room. I stared at the glowing candle and meditated about what to say when Samuel woke up.
***
I was roused from my thoughts when movement on the bed caught my eye. Samuel was finally coming to. I remained still, not wanting to startle him too badly when he woke.
A few minutes later, Samuel opened his eyes and stared blankly at the far wall as if he didn’t understand why he was still alive, let alone in bed. After a moment, he seemed to sense he wasn’t alone either and swung his gaze toward me. His eyes met mine and we stared in silence. Samuel groaned and closed his eyes.
“We need to talk, Samuel,” I whispered.
“Did you come all this way for that? To talk?”
“Yes. I was worried.”
“You found me here? I wish you’d left me alone.”
“Matthew and I came here.”
“Matt– I see,” Samuel murmured. “I thought he wasn’t going to forgive you. What tale of woe did you make up to change his mind?”
I leaned back and crossed my arms. “I did not invent any tale of woe.”
“Why did he come with you? Why does he talk to you?” he asked without opening his eyes.
“I insisted on going with him. I saved his life from a Hunter . . . and we discussed things.”
“Go away, Julia.”
“No,” I replied. “This has gone on way too long. Samuel, you’re killing yourself here!”
Samuel’s eyes snapped open and he glared at me. “And what do you care? You do not give a damn about me.”
I scowled. “That’s not true and you know it. If I didn’t care, I would not be here.”
“I don’t want to hear your lies.”
“It’s not a lie. I still love you.”
He trembled. “You betrayed us to Valentino and killed a friend of mine five years ago. You consorted with the goddamned murderer of my family! How the hell can you come here begging for forgiveness?” His eyes were bright with pain and unshed tears.
A shattering sound from behind me made me jump and turn around. There had been a bottle of some wine on the floor in the corner but now there were just small pieces of glass and spilt liquid. Samuel must have caused it to break with the ka-tet’s power, but strangely I had not sensed the gathering energy stir in the ka-tet itself. In his condition, I hadn’t thought he would have had the strength to do so.
I turned back toward him. “I’m not asking for forgiveness,” I said unsteadily. “I know it’s not warranted. I just want to explain . . . for your sake.”
“Please spare me. You have told me enough,” Samuel reto
rted, turning his head away. “I want you to leave me alone.”
“No. I cannot watch you do this to yourself anymore. Please Samuel, hear me out. After that, if you still prefer me to go away, I shall.”
I waited a moment, but he said nothing. I decided that was the closest to assent I would get and continued, “I know I told you what had happened five years ago. There were a few things I left out.”
“How many times you fornicated with him?”
I leveled my gaze at his averted face. “It was only once. No, I neglected to tell you I have seen people aside from Gregory.”
There was silence again from Samuel.
“The night I confronted Valentino before you regained your memory, he slit my throat. I awoke the next morning to see Adam leaning over me.”
“Adam’s dead.”
“I know. But he was there – and he guided me to safety. I wouldn’t have gotten there if it hadn’t been for his help. And recently, I have been keeping company with a girl around Kali’s age.”
I waited a minute or two, but there was no reaction. Apparently, I had failed to make my case. Staring at him, I clasped my hands together as I tried to think of anything else.
“I told you about the dreams I had then. The other thing is that Gregory told me he had had an affair . . . and a bastard son.”
“My, your imagination is even more creative than I ever gave you credit for. Should I give you a round of applause for making up something so creative?”
I laughed hollowly. “Matthew said the same thing at first, but it’s true.”
“Why did he change his mind?”
“He saw the one Hunter and I remembered her twin calling me by name the night I had mistakenly gone off on you. Donna Saladino resembles Gregory. Her twin brother, Stefan, knows my name, my given name. In English. Don’t you see? There’s only one explanation for that. They’re direct descendants which means Gregory had a child. What I saw five years ago is true.”
Samuel sighed. “Even if that is true why did he appear to you? And why the hell did you listen to him?”
I swallowed hard. Looking down, I said, “I think he did it on purpose. He knows my weaknesses, where I’m most vulnerable and manipulated me. And, fool that I am, played right into it. Those dreams I tried to explain to you are hard to explain, but the voices seemed to make sense. Why else would my ability to see things fail when I needed it the most? Why did I listen to what he said? Isn’t it obvious? Even now, from beyond the grave, Gregory is stronger. He had confirmed what the voices had said. I listened to him because I have never done anything else. I’m sorry, Samuel, but that’s the only explanation I can give you.”
I got to my feet and turned to leave the room. My explanation was probably not what he wanted to hear but I didn’t have a miracle justification that would be acceptable to him and I knew it. I told the truth though, and lame as it sounded, it was better than nothing. I sighed and said, “Just don’t hurt yourself due to my stupidity. I’m not worth getting that upset over.” I stepped away from the bed.
I was startled when I felt a hesitant grasping of my wrist. Glancing over, I saw Samuel had reached out and caught ahold of me. I searched his face with questioning eyes. “He’s not here. Don’t you think it’s time you learn to be strong? I thought you knew that by now,” Samuel snarled.
I looked at him sadly. “So did I. However, he and those voices were right. Maybe he was the voice in the dream as well. As far as things go, he’s won. And he still wins, even now.”
“No,” he said. “He’s dead. So what if he appears to you now? He cannot touch you, Julia.” His fingers tightened on my arm. “Ignore the visions. You cannot allow a vision of a dead person to control
you – especially not a half a century later! You need to face it and move on.”
I glanced at the wall. “I know, but I have no idea how.”
“Telling him to get lost next time would be good for starters,” Samuel said sarcastically. Abruptly, he let go of my wrist and closed his eyes, assuming our conversation was over. However, I had been ready to leave when he unexpectedly continued the conversation, even willingly touched me, and his movements sparked the first real hope I’ve had for months, even years.
I remembered what the ghost girl said about Samuel feeling guilty about my “hallucinations” and that he did not hate me. The night she told me, I had scoffed at her words, but now I wonder if it’s true. I turned back to face him, also remembering his hurtful words. “Do you really hate me, Samuel?” I whispered. “Honestly, I don’t want to fight with you for the rest of the decade.”
Samuel opened his eyes and looked at me with a tired expression. After what seemed like ages, he shut his eyes again and shook his head faintly. I walked back over to the chair and sat down. “I am still a little confused about why Matthew changed his mind about you?”
I frowned at him. “Matthew believes my past affected how I dealt with things. He also thinks there might be a possibility that I am not imagining seeing these people.”
He sighed deeply. “Kali must have talked to him. As I told her the chances of anyone–”
“I know. Matthew told me. No one has shown a proven ability to see the dead in hundreds of years,” I interrupted.
A scowl darkened his features. “Why would you be any different than they are?”
For a moment, I sat staring at my hands. Samuel’s unwillingness to even consider the possibility almost made me doubt myself again. I opened my mouth to answer but closed it as I remembered what Matthew had said to me soon after reaching Rome. “You sensed it. The energy of this place. You are among the very few who can.”
The very few. Samuel had chosen me because of my power all those years ago. While it was true that no one could say what it was, it had been strong enough to lead him to me all those years ago while I had still been human. Powerful enough to make him believe I could defeat Valentino at some point.
I hadn’t thought of myself as special or powerful in a long time. Startled by the thoughts, I lifted my head and glared at him. “You chose me, Samuel. I can only assume you sensed something about me that was different from all of them. I sensed the energy in this city. Matthew is still awaiting confirmation of a couple things, but that seemed to impress him.”
“That is hardly enough to say you have the gift.” He frowned and closed his eyes again. “I should have . . .”
“Stop blaming yourself.”
“What makes you think I feel guilty for something you did?”
I smiled, knowing he couldn’t see it. I finally had the chance to bring up the dream. That was something Matthew was waiting for Samuel to confirm or deny to prove the information given to me by the ghost girl.
“I know you do. You blame yourself because you didn’t reach me soon enough. Yes, the possibility that could have arisen if you had gotten there ten days – or even ten minutes – earlier will always be in the back of my mind. But you know what would have happened if you had gotten there ten minutes later. You dreamed what would have happened two nights ago.”
Samuel’s eyes flew open and he looked at me in surprise. It was the first time all night that I had rattled him. “How do you know about that?”
“I had the dream too.”
“How the . . .?”
“It was your dream, Samuel. You shared it with me. I couldn’t figure it out at first; it was all from your perspective. It was the girl who visited who told me it was actually your dream.”
“Alack,” Samuel muttered, either not hearing or ignoring the final thing said. “The last thing I need is for you to invade my dreams.”
I frowned. “It isn’t my fault.” I pointed to his bandaged wrist. “Doing that was stupid. You should have realized that Matthew and I would have felt it. It was a rude awakening.”
“I forgot that you two would have felt it. Damn telepathic links.”
“Not damn links, useful ones,” I corrected. “You’ve been so drunk lately it’s no wonder you�
�ve forgotten we’re linked.”
“I wanted to forget. I even wanted to forget you still live.”
“What are you feeling now, Samuel?”
“I do not know.” He glanced at me. “I’m still angry at you. You cannot begin to comprehend how much you’ve hurt me, Julia. I had just remembered the past century and started to grieve the friends and teacher I had lost when you left. At the time I needed you the most, you abandoned me. I tried to ignore what I felt when I brought you back five years ago, but couldn’t. I tried to deal with it rationally; I tried to deal with it any way I could, but that did not work. So I tried the only way I could think of to stop the pain.”
“Slit your wrist. What now, Samuel?”
“I wish you had trusted me enough to come to me then.”
“I was afraid you would think I was mad. Then it was too late. I don’t want you to die. I – I want to be friends again at the very least, Samuel.” Studying his face, I said, “You do hate me, don’t you?”
“No. I’ve never ‘hated’ you. I would like to talk to you, to recapture what we shared. However . . .”
“However?”
“I do not know if I can trust you again.” He pressed a trembling hand to his face. “I know you made a mistake but there’s no way I can take pain such as this again. Please, Julia, never again. This can’t happen. Promise me.”
I heard the desperation in his voice as well as the pain and tiredness. His shields of ice he’d had up the past few years were gone, letting me sense he was utterly exhausted. “You know I cannot give that kind of guarantee, but I promise to seek out one of you if I’m having problems.”
“Thank you,” he whispered as his eyes slipped closed.
I looked at his wrist again; the bandage was stained red. “Samuel, may I change the bandage?”
Slowly, he nodded. I got up and got an extra bandage from a table on the opposite side of the room. I sat back down and picked up his arm. I undid the dressing and examined the wound. The deep cut had begun to heal. I started bandaging the wound again, surprised to see a smile cross his face. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen him smile.
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