Bella Vita

by Jesse Kimmel-Freeman

  “Did she have a time frame?” His brow was pulled together in the middle.

  “She didn't say, I didn't ask.” I realized I probably should've asked.

  “Where in England?” He looked away thinking.

  “She said it was at some co-op vamp/wolf place that happens down in tunnels?” I wasn't sure of the place.

  “I know of it. We'll go to England soon, I think. I need to see to some of the BN stuff happening on site. We could call it a small holiday.” His mind was strategizing.

  “Yes, I suppose we could call it a 'holiday'.” I made air-quotes.

  “Do you have any idea how much more time we have?” He turned to stare at me.

  “It'll happen within the next month. We need to track down your sister or Jack... If we can't do that then we need to scope out this place every night. I'll try and get a fix on time besides night, next time I dream.” I nodded my head as I said this.

  “Then I'll make plans to have our schedules cleared for two weeks, in two weeks. Is that okay?” He shifted my legs off him as he rose.

  “That should be fine. Dom...” I reached out for him, “we'll do something for your sister. I promise.”

  “I know, mia bella. I know. But there are some things we can't fix for her, and I'm afraid what this kind of death would do to her.” He shook his head as if to clear out the bad thoughts.

  “Don't worry. Your sister is stronger than you give her credit for. But we'll do our best to prevent her from losing him.” I said to him right before he left the room.

  “I know...” His words trailed off as his thoughts seemed to pull him further away from me.

  I spent the next two weeks in a furry of luncheons, meetings, appointments, parties, dinners, and very little time talking to Dom or Mike. I got to see my grandfather once, but he was still tired out and I couldn't heal it away. It was good to see him awake and functioning. We didn't have the talk about how he was saved, yet. But we would once I knew he would be fine. My grandmother came in for a visit before he had to rest more. I left them alone together.

  Before I knew it, it was time to fly to England. I still had no clues about the club and we hadn't found Issy or Jack. I even had Mike looking for him.

  “I really and truly don't understand how you can't be found by royalty?” The words escaped out of my mouth as Dom and I landed in England.

  “Well, maybe famous people are able to pull just as many strings. It's odd that we can't find Issy though.” His face was scrunched up.

  “Hey don't make that face- it's gonna stick.” I laughed as he stuck his tongue out.

  “Come on, the car is waiting.” He took my bag and walked me over to the limo waiting for us.

  “Dude, a limo? Aren't the streets just as narrow here as they're in Italy?” I rolled my eyes at the car.

  “Unfortunately, this was the only one that was really up for the job of protection.” He didn't expand on his statement.

  “Right.” It came out as a snort.

  We drove in silence. Once we hit the posh hotel, I internally groaned.

  “I have a hotel in Ireland we coulda stayed at.” I pouted at the richness.

  “I know but we need to be here. We might end up trying to get out of here fast with Issy.” His eyes clouded darkly.

  “Fine.” I crossed my arms and tried to keep the pout off my face.

  “So I figure we'll monitor the other club at nights.” His voice was all business.

  “Yep. And deal with the Bella Notte stuff during the day?” I was trying to change my attitude.

  “There's very little that actually needs to be done with the England Bella. I figured that this way people would believe we were here for business reasons... not something like this.” He was lost in thought.

  “No matter what, we'll save her in time.” I sent a silent prayer out into the universe.

  “I know, Em. Mia bella, we will.” He took my hand and led me into the hotel.

  When the sun set, the city was rich with excitement. I could see why Dom wanted a Bella Notte here. England was entirely different from my last trip when I went to see Betty. This was the city, the beautiful grunge that the United States punkers so wanted but could never truly get to. The city tasted of grit from days of yore.

  We went out to what had once been the center of London. The City of London area was amazing in the forgotten and reclaimed sorta way. Dom took us to the Walbrook Wharf. From there we took several confusing twists and turns deeper into the long forgotten areas of the City. When we stopped in front of an old sewer, I began to worry that I wasn't fully ready for the world I was about to enter.

  “No worries, mia bella. You'll be fine.” His fingers gently caressed the back on my hand.

  He held his glowing tattoo to the stone next to the opening. I followed suite. The ground gave a gentle rumble and then opened the tunnel for us.

  My mouth dropped open.

  “Dude! A tunnel just popped open out of nowhere!” I squeaked.

  “Surely that isn't that surprising, Emma.” Dom chuckled at me.

  He walked forward, toting me behind him.

  The walls were black, the world around us swallowed us in its pitch black belly. I was tempted to reach out to see if the walls were coated in slime.

  Was this really a sewer? I tried to keep the disgust out of my thoughts.

  Yes. But it was never connected to the system. It was forgotten and then taken over by our kind. It's no longer written in the city's blueprints. It never stops to shock me just how deep our influence ran.

  After we had walked for about ten minutes in the maddening darkness, I began to feel it deep in my bones- the beat. The music called to a primal level of myself. I had to fight to stop the urge to start dancing in the tunnel.

  It's spelled. Dom cautioned me.

  It's done well. It's so hard to resist. My body screamed to move.

  It's to stop the newcomers in the tunnel for inspection. Anyone coming down here that's been here before would know to guard themselves from it. It keeps the club safe. It lessens once you get inside- but not much. People tend to allow the spell to take them once they're inside. I could feel his memories pulse through our link.

  The blackness began to slide away with a mixture of colors. I felt like I was walking into a rainbow. Once we finally stepped into the club my mind went blank and all I wanted to do was enjoy the pleasures that this place had to offer. The music coursed through my veins, my vision was heightened into Technicolor, and the air smelled as though it had been custom made just for me.

  Yum. I closed my eyes and threw every protection I could up to block out what was trying to distract me from my mission of saving Issy.

  More spells. Each person is assaulted with their own piece of heaven. The blocks you threw up won't keep it out for long. People don't come here to not enjoy themselves, it forces you to. They'll dull the effects for some time but that's all. Let's see if we can find her, then if we don't dance and enjoy the patrons will suspect something. Dom's words were like dangling a carrot in front of a very wanting horse.

  We walked several circuits around the club searching for her signature- anything that would direct me to her. I couldn't find her and I didn't know Jack, so I couldn't pick up on him. We sat at a table and drinks manifested in front of us.

  My eyes bugged out of my head.

  “Drink. We'll watch as best we can as we enjoy.” His smile was like radiating sunshine, I wanted to drink him in.

  I took a testing sip from the glass and it was like a combination of werewolf blood and my favorite soda. I looked at Dom.

  “It's custom to you. No one else will taste the same thing. If you sipped from my glass it would just be another drink of your fancy.” He shrugged as if to say don't question the magic, just enjoy it.

  “Wow.” That was my big come back.

  After several glasses of the most delicious drinks I could've ever imagined, we stepped into the pulsing beat. Waves of music washed over us. It
was as though the melody was made of my soul and was calling for us to rejoin. I watched Dom react the same way. I secretly wondered if this was like heaven because surely this place should be... it was hard to remember what we had came for.

  Every chance my mind touched back to what brought us to the club, I checked to see if I could pick up on Issy or any weres with the name of Jack. I didn't have any luck. Dom looked like an avenging angel under the lights and the pulse of the music surrounding him. My body seized with a yearning for him every time I stopped to look at him.

  Mia bella... The words touched my want and sparked it into a consuming fire.

  Dominic. I knew that he could hear the want.

  Not in this place. It feeds on emotions. Ours will out us if we were to fully enjoy ourselves, my love. I think it's time to go. My head spun with disappointment.

  I don't wanna. My lip shout out in a pout.

  Believe me, I would never turn you down. And if you still want to once we've returned to the room, I'll happily oblige to fulfill your desires. But the spells are working too strongly against you. Your natural sensitivity to the undercurrents of the world are working against you. We must go. His voice was firm as though he was talking to a small child.

  Fine. I huffed and allowed him to lead me back to the tunnel.

  As we walked further from the music and atmosphere of the club, the pull it held over me broke, and I felt truly embarrassed. I couldn't believe I had just propositioned him in a club. My cheeks burned with my shame.

  “Mia bella, don't feel shame or embarrassment. You're special and that place manipulates the very thing that makes you very special. I'd never take advantage of such a situation. And I promise that you're not the only person that gets that desire while in the atmosphere. The bottom level of the club is filled with rooms for couples.” Shocked filled my mind.

  “If it's something that's so common that they have rooms, why were you so concerned?” I didn't understand.

  “Usually it takes people at least four hours of being in there to get anywhere near that point. We were in there for two hours, my little Emma bird.” He laughed and squeezed my hand.

  My cheeks flushed deeper and I could feel the heat climbing up my neck.

  “Come, we shall go back to the hotel now.” His hand was warm and soft as he led me from the tunnel.

  The cool night air danced across my hot face- licking the warmth from me. I exhaled in relief. It felt like a cooling balm on a hot sore muscle. I listened to the world around us, in its sleepy state as we walked back to the waterfront. I reached down for my bag and realized I left it back in the club.

  “Eh, Dom?” I felt like an even bigger idiot.

  “Sì, mia bella...” His beautiful blonde hair danced in the gentle breeze as he turned to me.

  “I, eh, kinda left my purse... ya know... back there.” I thumbed back toward where we came from.

  “Ah. I shall get it. You stay here. I think it'll be better if you didn't return there tonight.” Dom chuckled to himself as he kissed my knuckles.

  “Is it safe?” I was surprised to hear the concern in my voice.

  “Emma, my darling, if I thought there was anything more dangerous than you out here I wouldn't leave you unattended.” He smiled.

  “I know, I forget... go on, go.” I shooed him away.

  “I'll be back before you notice I'm gone.” His lips brushed my hand once more and then he was gone in a flutter of light.

  I stood and inhaled the night's breeze. The world was quiet in the late night hours. I wanted to shout to the world that it was too early to sleep, but I fought the need to draw attention to myself.

  Instead I walked to the water and watched it lazily slide by. It brought back memories of the day on the bridge when I died as a human and woke up as a vampire. I shivered as I remembered the change taking hold of me just as I was drowning. The fact that vampires weren't dead, but danced that line very closely seemed to bug the very survival instincts that caused me to change the rest of the way into a vampire. After all, survival was the key.

  The air stirred around me and brought with it a scent I knew.

  Issy... I inhaled deeply.

  It was her, I could smell Jack too.

  Dom, she's here... I haven't locked onto her location yet, but she's somewhere near the waterfront or she was there recently. I shared everything I knew through our link and then pushed myself back to my surroundings- I needed to find her.

  I could feel Dom's distress as he was coming back from the club, my bag slung across him. He was trying to decide whether or not to stay by the club or come to my side.

  Do as you need. I sent and then shoved everything but Issy out of my mind.

  It wasn't difficult to find her energy. She left a visible trail for me to follow once I had locked onto it. I could feel the familiarity of the path she had taken. It wasn't how Dom and I had gotten to the club, but I knew it like the back of my hand.

  Dom, this is it. I sent one last image of where I was.

  “Issy!” I shouted out to the echo of the buildings.

  I could hear the tapping of shoes in front of me, the wind was sending me their sounds but blocking mine.

  “ISSY!” My voice raised as high as I could shout- she just couldn't hear me.

  Isabella! I tried to mentally hail her, but my words bounced back into a loop.

  Dom, they're spelled. We can't reach them. I don't know what to do. My legs itched as I prepared to run.

  Follow as close as you can... I'm coming, Em. Panic was flooding our link.

  My steps clashed down on the ground as I used my vampire speed to catch up to them. I stalked behind them as though I was just a shadow. Every time I tried to get closer or to touch them, I was repelled. My frustration lashed out as objects moved and windows cracked. I wasn't a caster of any kind, I couldn't get through the bubble that surrounded them.

  “WHAT THE FUCK! LET ME IN, DAMMIT!” I shouted, a few lights came on in the upper lofts.

  I could feel Dom getting closer- he was having a hard time locating us. I sent him mental images of where we had been and where we were going.

  Issy's blonde hair danced around a corner and I heard the scream. I ran full blown into an invisible wall. Dom was suddenly at my side.

  “I can't get through!” There was a small cut that bled into my left eye from me falling.

  “Up, my love. Now!” Dom's words were a command as he used my energy and his own to power through the spell holding us back.

  Issy was covered in Jack's blood. She clutched him to her chest. Her eyes were void and empty. She was lost to this world and locked in the moment of what had happened.

  Shit! My mind whirled as I heard the steps coming.

  Let Michael know. Dom told me.

  Mike! Mike! A wolf has been murdered and it's going to look like Dom's sister did it, but I can swear she didn't. I forced the words into his sleeping mind, I felt him become instantly alert.

  What? Emma, what's going on? His voice was sleepy but concerned.

  I can't tell you more than I know. The evil witch people are at fault, but I can tell you, your people are going to call for blood. I can sense them coming. I will not let her go with them. I had to let connection snap as we were surrounded by shouting wolves.

  “My brethren, I know this looks bad, but all is not what it appears.” I held up my hands in peace.

  Mia bella, get behind me. Dom's voice was full of fear.

  No. I will not look like I need to be defended. Try to get her away from him. I didn't know what to do.

  “She has murdered our brother!” A woman shouted.

  “No! Jack has been slain by the same people that have killed several vampires. I can swear to this.” My voice was raised above the shouting.

  “You say that to protect your own! You don't care about us! You're just a stupid vampire!” Words were thrown out as fast as knives... and soon stones were cast.

  I caught a sharp piece of glass that went
across my cheek and cried out in pain. My rage kicked in then.

  “Dominic, pick her up if you have to. We leave now!” I shouted behind me as I cleared a path through the pack.

  My waves of energy lashed out at anyone in my way. The wolves moved back as I lit up like the Fourth of July. My hair flew back in static. Dom came to stand next to me. Issy was shrieking about leaving Jack. I shut down her mind and put her into a silent sleep. I could feel the toll of protecting us beginning to slow me down.

  Dom, we have to run. I can keep them off of us. But we need to leave now. I can get us to the airport, if you can get the pilot ready now. It was all I could do to create a plan.

  Already done. Our bags are on their way to the airport and the pilot is ready for us. You'll have to drop the energy once we get there though. He was being practical, but I could tell that he was afraid of the mob following us.

  We'll be fine. We ran at the same time. Our bodies nothing more than streaks of light. Some of the wolves shifted on the spot to follow us- but most wouldn't change in the city. By the time we reached the airport, the wolves were a few miles behind us. The energy faded from me as we crossed into the plane's area. My body wanted to collapse right where it was. An attendant came to my aid and carried me into the plane.

  “Your Majesties, your luggage is stowed and I'll be traveling with you. Please, if you'll allow me to take Miss DeDominico...” The tall blonde vampire held out his arms for Dom to give him Issy.

  “Do it, Dom. We have to get out of here.” I had been placed in one of the seats.

  Dom passed his sister to the vampire and then came to sit by my side.

  “Mia bella, are you okay?” His eyes were clouded with worry.

  “I'm just tired. You'll have to call Michael during the flight. I don't think I'll be of much use.” I could feel my eyes beginning to close.