by Hannah Hill
During our short ride, I had not found the courage to tell my unsuspecting escort that he had taken the wrong girl. I felt nervous that he’d get word from Layla but fortunately as soon as his limousine drew away he turned off his phone, determined not to let anything disturb us.
“I forgot to tell you that we´re having a party tonight,” he said before stepping down from the vehicle. “And what did you do to your hair? I love it! You somehow look different, that’s for sure, but also more gorgeous than ever.”
There was loud music coming from the mansion and, as soon as we arrived, we were greeted by some of his friends partying near the swimming pool.
“Hey everyone! Pietro and Layla just arrived! It’s party time!” the DJ screamed into the microphone, sending waves of excitement through everyone as his friends greeted and complemented us both.
It was damned hard to pretend to be someone I was not. Not only did I not know Pietro and Layla’s friends, but there were many things I didn´t know and obviously should, plus I wasn’t accustomed to people calling me Layla!
I felt lost but safe with him, wishing I could tell him the truth but also feeling selfish because I wanted to be with him for the rest of the night. Somehow, Pietro had cast a spell on me, a deep and sensual incantation that I could not find words to explain.
“Are you okay, Layla?” he asked me somewhat confused, without actually being able to pinpoint anything.
“I’m fine, why do you ask?” I asked.
“You just seem detached from our friends tonight,” he replied raising an eyebrow. “Why is that?”
“Sorry, honey. I guess I’m just not feeling quite myself tonight,” I promptly replied. “Let’s get a drink and go to the pool, please. I want this night to be just for you and me.”
We picked up a couple of drinks and walked to the poolside holding hands. After sitting near the far end, away from the crowd, I silently stared at him as I drank from my glass. I had decided not to speak too much or else I’d risk the possibility of getting found out.
Suddenly, a short, chubby kid with shaggy red hair and a particularly long nose walked up to us, a beer in his hand. He definitely looked like a cute hobbit!
“Wassup, guys?” he greeted us with a gentle smile. “Guess who’s here Pietro?”
“Don´t tell me you brought your mother Billy!”
“No way!” he replied chuckling. “I´m talking about your old pal, Cesar Diaz.”
“Cesar?” Pietro asked, evidently surprised. “He´s here?”
“Yeah, bro. He just got back from Chicago and dropped by to say hello. He’s eager to see ya. Let me get him …”
As soon as Billy left, Pietro turned to me and said: “I know you’ve never met Cesar, but he’s part of the fam. We grew up together and he’s always been one of my best friends. Man! It’s been over a year since I last saw the dude. I wonder how he’s doing ...”
Less than a minute later, a tall and slim albino walked toward us. His long, wavy hair was as white as snow and fell upon his broad shoulders, framing a thin, pale face that gave him an odd ghostly look.
“What´s up, buddy? Long time no see!” he said with deep voice, greeting Pietro with a warm hug.
“Cesar! It’s great to see ya! I’m really glad you dropped by. Honey, I want you to meet my friend Cesar,” Pietro said, introducing us with a grin.
“Pleased to meet you, bae,” Cesar said, turning to look at me. I must admit I felt rather uncomfortable when he laid his intense, gray eyes upon mine and gently kissed my hand.
“It’s my pleasure, Cesar. I´m Bella,” I nervously said, accidentally using my real name instead of my sister’s.
“Bella?” Pietro grunted, gazing steadily at me with a frown.
“Just kidding, honey. I´m Layla,” I chuckled, trying to play it off as a joke. “Pietro says you’re one of his dearest friends.”
“I sure am, Layla. We’ve been buddies ever since we were in first grade.”
“So, what brought you to New Jersey, pal?” Pietro asked curiously. “How long are you planning to stay?
“Just a week, buddy. I came to see a client I’ve been doing business with.”
“So, are you still working in real estate?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “How about you, Pietro?”
“Killing it, like always. You know how it is. I´m making tons of money so I really can’t complain. Well then, are you staying for the party?”
“Sorry, buddy. I need to see my client tonight.”
“What? Don’t tell me you’re leaving.”
“I have to, Pietro. Business is business.
“Come on, pal. At least stay for a while.”
“No can do, sorry. I really need to take care of my client tonight. But why don’t we get together Sunday night and play some pool at the Yacht Club, like in the good old days?”
“Sounds cool, Cesar. Will do. Too bad you can’t stay. But give me a call tomorrow and we’ll work it out. We really need to do some catching up!”
As soon as his friend Cesar left us, Pietro put his drink down and pulled me closer to him. His blue eyes mirrored the beauty of the sky, shaming the moonlight glare in their perfection. Falling prey to his handsome sorcery, we locked lips and made out. My breath became heavier with each melting kiss, until he suddenly stopped and led me into his mansion.
CHAPTER 7
“I have never met a vampire personally, but I don’t know what might happen tomorrow”
Bela Lugosi
PIETRO’S BEDROOM WAS beautiful and luxuriously decorated, with huge, colorful paintings covering the walls and a cozy fireplace flickering in one corner. Its red curtains were opened, showing the full moon, and a king-sized bronze bed sat against the back wall, its satin sheets silently calling our names.
After lighting a pair of black candles, Pietro opened a drawer and took out a small jewel case before showing me the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen.
“I got this for you, my dear.”
Attached to a shiny golden chain hung a small verdant green emerald shaped into a heart.
“For … for me?”
“Of course, Layla, especially for you.”
I was speechless.
“So, Layla, do you like it? You know I’ve never been able to read your mind. Like I say, must be your genes.” He chuckled.
“Don’t be silly, Pietro!” I sighed. “It’s gorgeous, of course I like it. How could you not know?”
Instead of answering, he silently leaned forward with a smile and delicately clasped the necklace around my neck. I looked up at him, pressing my hand against the jewel, while he wrapped his arms around me and gave me a deep, delicious kiss that made me shiver from head to toe.
Dropping on his bed, he gently pulled me on top of him as he lay on his back, pressing my body against his while running his warm hands down my back. I was deliciously consumed by desire when he started kissing my neck and worked his way down to my collar bone, his hands caressing me everywhere he pleased. Forcing a gasp from my throat, he pressed his thigh between mine, making me tremble with agonizing pleasure. My heart pounded hard as we continued kissing. In spite of my scarce experience with men, I knew exactly where this was going.
Sure, I had slept several times with Jason Mijalevich, my former boyfriend. But although being with Jason had been a delightful experience, it was nothing compared to this!
I must admit that deep inside I knew I was making a huge mistake. But somehow Pietro had a strong spell on me, a crazy enchantment that didn’t allow me to stop. We were both literally on fire that night and, without him knowing that I was actually the wrong girl, we inexorably ended up making love.
Sensual, wild, steamy love.
As we lay naked on the bed, silently caressing and staring into each other’s eyes, there was a sudden knock on the door.
“Who’s there?” Pietro asked with a frown.
“It´s me. Joe. We need to talk, dude. It’ll only take a minu
te.”
“Wait hun, I’ll be right back,” he said jumping off the bed before putting on his pants and answering the door, shirt in hand.
I almost cried out when Pietro turned his back on me. I actually couldn’t believe what I saw. There, on the back of his left shoulder, he had a red ink tattoo resembling an eagle’s claw!
A sudden wave of fear groped my heart and made me tremble as I realized it looked just like the symbol used by the vampire gang terrorizing Manhattan.
No! It can’t be! I desperately yelled within myself as he dashed out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
CHAPTER 8
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
COLD CHILLS SWEPT through my body as I scrambled out of bed and heard their conversation through the door.
“What’s up, Joe? How’s the party?”
“Way live, Pietro. I hate to interrupt, but we really need to talk.”
“No sweat, man. Just shoot.”
“Well, Doctor Roberts just came by and dropped off the new body. What do you want us to do with it? Dump it in the canal like the other two?”
Biting my lip, I tried to keep still as I felt the ground crumbling beneath me.
“Is Roberts done with her?”
“Yeah. But he decided not to take her lungs.”
“Why not?”
“He said they were trash. That badass slut was a heavy smoker, man.”
“That sucks, Joe. That’s gonna cost us a few grand.”
“I know. Just tell Master Cain that we'll still make plenty of bucks with her other organs. I know he’ll understand.”
“Sure he will. But we gotta make a better choice next time. Only non-smokers from now on.”
“Got it.”
Leaning on the door with a broken heart and tears in my eyes, I sighed and continued listening in shock.
“About the body Joe, forget the canal. Haven’t you seen the news? That place is loaded with cops!”
“So, where do you want us to dump it?”
“Let Roberts handle it. I'm sure he'll think of something. Right now we need to concentrate on our plans for tomorrow. Don’t forget Master Cain wants us to raid the New York Mayor’s home shortly after sunset. He’s throwing a family dinner and we´re gonna drag him to the ground! By the way, did you tell the fam?”
“Done, man, the fam already knows.”
“By the way Joe, I want you to take a quick look at the floorplan of the Mayor's mansion. I saw the layout of the back entrance and really need your opinion.”
“Sure, dude. So, you finally managed to get a hold of the floorplan, after all?
“Yeah. Sal brought me a copy last night, as promised. It's down at the library, let me show it to you. It'll only take a minute.”
My heart pounded fast as I heard them leave.
Crying bitterly and with growing tightness in my chest, I headed for the window to catch some fresh air. I was in despair and could hardly breathe. But I almost fainted when I looked out and saw Pietro’s friends naked in the swimming pool. They were all wildly dancing; their long, sharp fangs, bloodshot eyes and red-claw tattoos visible for all to see!
This horrible sight boosted all my fears. I needed to escape as fast as I could!
Knowing that Pietro had gone to the library for a few minutes, I picked up my dress and quickly put it on before making my escape out the window. A nervous wreck stormed within me as I descended the stone wall and reached the lawn. Straightening up, I wiped away tears and adjusted my dress as well as I could just in case someone saw me and got suspicious. Watchful of my surrounding, I remained in the shadows and breathed deeply, trying to keep my cool.
A few seconds later, I rushed down the empty driveway, my feet loudly pounding against the pavement. Fearing the worst, I took my shoes off and made a run for the front gate. Fortunately, there was no one in sight and I managed to open the gate with no problem. Convinced that nobody had seen me, I finally dashed out of the place as fast as I could.
When I reached the street an empty cab happened to drive by. I felt so lucky! After flagging it down, I hopped in and told the driver where I needed to go. He rapidly took me back to my sister’s house, where I had left my car earlier.
Trembling and crying, I started my vehicle and rushed back home. I just had to tell my father about my horrendous experience (skipping all the private stuff, of course), including what I’d heard about the teen vampires’ new victim as well as their vile and imminent plan to attack the New York City Mayor.
That had certainly been the scariest night of my life –or so I thought at the time, for I was ignorant of what fate still had in store for me.
CHAPTER 9
“I hate and love. And why, perhaps you’ll ask. I don’t know: but I feel, and I’m tormented.”
Catullus
I WOKE UP the following morning with a profound feeling of vast emptiness filling my soul.
Was it only a dream? I asked myself before reaching for the necklace and gently caressing its heart-shaped gem. I needed to send it to Layla anonymously. It really belonged to her, not me.
Every cell in my body longed for Pietro, even though our love had never meant to be. Damn it! Not only was he in love with my twin sister instead of me, but he was also a vampire!
Oh, my God! I suddenly thought to myself. I need to warn Layla before it’s too late! But how?
I was too shocked and confused to think straight, so I ultimately decided to leave it for later. Yes, that was the best thing to do.
The previous night I had fallen asleep thinking of Pietro, after telling my dad everything I knew. Of course, he immediately picked up the phone and had a long talk with Chief O’Neill.
I spent most of the day in bed, crying my heart out and thinking of Pietro and all the possible could have beens. When evening arrived I finally summoned the courage to leave my room in search of something to eat, having taken nothing the entire day.
Oh, Lord I hated him for being a vampire. But at the same time I missed him so!
***
That night my dad got home earlier than usual.
“I sent Mike and Freddy over to the Mayor’s house to cover the news,” Dad commented when he arrived. “If anything happens tonight, they’ll be the first to know. I also told Joan and Bob to take care of the new edition as soon as we get some information about the Red Claws gang. So far everything looks calm. Are you sure they’ll attack tonight?”
“That’s what I heard Dad.”
Shortly after dinner, the phone rang.
“It was Jane,” Dad told me after hanging up. “She said the police just managed to defeat the vampires and told me to watch CNN.”
After turning the TV on I sat with my dad in the living room and we both turned our eyes to the screen and heard the breaking news.
“The Red Claws Vampire Gang suffered a major setback tonight while plotting to kill the New York Mayor after a fierce confrontation with the New York police force and FBI agents.
“After months of successfully terrorizing the streets of Manhattan and eluding the authorities, the teenage vampires suffered their first defeat thanks to an ingenious trap designed by the NYPD and the FBI’s Vampire Slayer Unit. Over a dozen members of the dreaded Red Claws Gang were either killed or apprehended after a brief and intense battle.”
As the news recounted the event, I awaited the list of causalities as I was certain the names of those killed would be read out.
I closely listened as the broadcast continued:
“In spite of the fact that that the vampires defeated tonight only represent a small percentage of the total members of the Red Claws Gang, it has been confirmed that one of its main leaders, who went by the name of Pietro Milani, stood amongst those who were slain during the combat.”
I was deeply struck when I heard the broadcaster read out the painful news. In
a bid to conceal how I felt I ran off to my room, weeping fervently over Pietro’s death. It was so hurtful to hear he had been killed; I decided to lock myself in my room with no intention of ever leaving. The fact we had shared such a wonderful night made me feel hurt within. I could still perceive Pietro’s sweet fragrance on the dress I had worn the previous night. My God! How I wished things had turned out differently! Yes, I had definitely fallen for Pietro and losing him wasn’t something I could easily cope with.
Suddenly, my father knocked on my door.
“Hey Bella, are you all right?” he kindly asked.
“Yes Dad,” I bluntly replied.
“But you left in such an awkward manner, honey. Are you sure you’re alright?” he voiced his concern.
Mopping my face dry and keeping calm enough to speak I said, “I’m fine Dad, I just need some time alone.”
“Okay dear. By the way, Chief O’Neill just called. He´s coming over tonight and said he needs to talk to you.”
“Does it have to be tonight? Can’t it be some other time?
“He said it’s really urgent. Is that all right?”
“I guess so Dad. Just give me a few minutes.”
“Take your time, honey. I’ll wait for you downstairs,” he said before walking away from the door.
No sooner had his footsteps faded than I continued weeping, wetting my sheets with more tears.
CHAPTER 10
“While seeking revenge, dig two graves - one for yourself.”
Douglas Horton
AFTER TAKING A WARM BATH I stepped down to the living room where my dad waited for me. I found him sitting in front of his laptop, reading the front-page story Joan had written about the Red Claws Gang.
Just as he stepped into the kitchen for some water, I heard someone knocking at the door.
“Bella, can you please get the door?” Dad said from the kitchen. “It must be Chief O´Neill.”
Thinking it was truly the New York City Police Commissioner, I opened it absentmindedly. To my surprise I found my sister Layla standing by the door.
Jesus! It was though a mirror had been placed right in front of me, there at the doorway, showing me an exact image of myself! But what the heck was she doing there? And how had she found my address?
“You slut!” she screamed as soon as she saw me, without showing any surprise, before slapping me on the face with inhuman strength and making me fall backwards in pain. Her eyes were as red as hot coals and her teeth long and sharp. Oh no! She was a vampire too!