by Thais Lopes
Until we finished one song with me leaning in his arms. Balrog Boogie, I wouldn’t forget. For one moment we stared at each other, his face too close to mine. I smiled, and he leaned closer and kissed me.
I was caught completely by surprise, I didn’t imagine he would dare to start that. A shiver crossed my body when I felt his cold lips against mine, and I didn’t hesitate. I let the kiss take me, and kissed him as I had wanted to do since the first time I saw him.
Suddenly Lucio raised his head and waited until I was standing before taking a step back, almost bumping against another dancer. He seemed just as surprised as I was.
“Kelene, I…”
“You think too much.” I didn’t let him finish, with no patience for his scruples.
Before he could say anything, I closed the distance between us again and rose on tiptoe to kiss him again.
For a second, I thought he wouldn’t kiss me back, as he stood still, not even breathing. But soon his lips parted and, again, shivers crossed my body. We pulled apart and he held me in a tight hug, as if he was afraid I would disappear. To my surprise, there, in his arms, I felt safe for the first time. How could that be possible?
Lucio released me, only to hold my hand and take me out of the dance floor, toward a side room where there were a couple of couches in the second floor. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who got uncomfortable standing in crowded places, nor the only one paranoid enough to want to see the exits.
“Kelene... Don’t you think you trust too much and risk yourself without reason?” Lucio asked, his expression carefully neutral.
I smiled, understanding what he meant. He wondered if I wasn’t overestimating his control and betting my life on it. But I wasn’t. I had spent too much time with a vampire, long ago. And since that first day when I first used the fire I had dealt with vampires. I knew what I was doing.
“No. I trust you, that’s true, but I also trust what I know about vampires. I can read the signs when a vampire is about to lose control, and know how to defend myself long enough to escape.”
And I knew he would never hurt me. He hadn’t, not back in the past, when he did have reason to. And Lucio was already protecting me, again, as that day he followed me to class proved.
“Are you sure?” It was a simple question, but I knew it hid too many doubts. Are you sure you’ll risk it? Are you sure you’ll know if I’m losing control? And that you’ll be able to escape if that happens? Are you sure you want to be with me?
I smiled. He didn’t recognize me, not that he had any reason to suspect we had met before. But I was sure it was him, the same man from my memories, the man who was with me the day I made the choice that changed and destroyed my life.
And maybe this time I would be able to grab that opportunity that had slipped by my fingers in the past.
“I am sure.”
Lucio’s surprise was almost palpable, and an expression I could understand crossed his face. Did he really think I would accept sharing my apartment with a vampire if I would stay all the time shaking with fear? At least in the old times vampires didn’t use to worry so much when around humans, they knew there were those who understood the bloodlust and were trained to deal with vampires, but now all that had been forgotten.
I wanted to be able to tell him that, for me, it didn’t matter if he was a vampire, that I had spent a long time with one of them, years ago. Even though that romance, if I could call it that, had a dramatic ending, I knew what I was getting into. But I couldn’t tell him, I wouldn’t be able to say anything without revealing my secrets and breaking my vow.
The night went by quickly. In the end, Lucio forgot all his reserve. We danced, watched some concerts and talked a lot. With each passing moment my certainty that I could trust him grew. He would never try to turn me against my will, as Seth had tried to do.
11. Lucio
I could barely believe what was going on. To Kelene it was as if I was simply human. Not even when my fangs extended she hesitated. On the contrary, she asked for another kiss, playing with her tongue around the sharp teeth and trying to contain shivers I knew had nothing to do with the cold. This time she interrupted the kiss and took a step back, smiling.
“It’s time to find a snack, don’t you think?” She asked. “I’ll be waiting in the bar.”
“I won’t take long” I answered, kissing her before leaving the room we were in.
All nightclubs had what was called the blood room, were humans and those from the Otherworld addicted to the vampire’s venom could get together and wait for one of us. It was impossible not to get hungry being surrounded by living and pulsing bodies, and those rooms allowed us to have a quick snack, avoiding any accidents. The only rules was to use only the ones in the blood rooms, and never kill one of them.
That night, there were few people in the blood room, all of them humans. From the door, I could see they were having some kind of orgy. The venom addicts were almost always seeking a way to satisfy their need for a pleasure their bodies couldn’t give them. As soon as I entered, the men and women surrounded me, from those who had just come of age to those prematurely aged by the venom. Without more than a glace to the group of addicted, I took one woman and went for her neck. Her skin was already fragile, and it was easy to guess that she wouldn’t live long if she kept like that. Even her blood had already lost substance and turned into a weak liquid that barely sustained her. I drank only enough to avoid losing control there, ignoring the desperate cries of the addicted, and was soon going to the bar, where Kelene said she would be waiting.
She was leaning against the counter, drinking something I couldn’t recognize and wouldn’t be able to smell, not in a full clubhouse. There was a rough looking guy beside her, and he moved away quickly before I could see his face, disappearing among the dancers.
“Who was him?” I asked.
“An acquaintance who owes me a favor.” She answered, moving away from the counter and leaving her glass there. “I was calling it in.”
“May I ask?” I held her by the waist when she approached.
Her half smile told me she would answer, but not with the whole truth. “He will find out if someone is in the city.”
I didn’t insist. I knew it would be useless, and if it had anything to do with me she would tell me. Somehow, I knew I could trust Kelene, knew she would never betray me. And every time I looked into her eyes I was sure she was the one Seth was looking for, no other human had that strength hidden in their gaze. By the end of the night, I knew I would defend her from any threat, even knowing that a premature confrontation with Seth could mean my end.
It was past four in the morning when we left. The habit of keeping the secret kept me from telling her that the sun wouldn’t hurt me, and Kelene insisted on leaving early, to make sure we would arrive home before the sunrise.
As soon as we crossed the door, I felt Seth’s presence. He was standing on the other side of the street, leaning against the wall, his face in the shadows. Somehow, I was sure his eyes were on us. I had forgotten that club had shields, or I would have felt his approach. Kelene didn’t see him, but obeyed when I told her to get into the first taxi.
The drive to her apartment was made in a tense silence. I kept alert, feeling Seth following us. He wasn’t even trying to approach, as he knew we wouldn’t try to hide. Kelene ran to the door as soon as the taxi stopped. I left his money on the seat, telling him to keep the change, and followed her. Soon we were inside the apartment and she locked the door.
“What happened?” Her question was sharp and sure, as if she had no doubt that something had happened, even though I had only told her to get into the taxi.
“What?” I tried to pretend I didn’t know what she was talking about.
For one second she seemed annoyed, and then she sighed. “Don’t try to fool me. There was a threat. Something put you on edge. What was it?”
What would be her reaction if the knew about S
eth? What would be the risks? Without knowing what that name meant to her I couldn’t risk saying anything.
“I can’t tell.”
I was ready for more questions, but she nodded, serious. I didn’t hide my surprise, and she smiled.
“I know some things are better kept secret, and others have a time to be told. I respect it.”
Those words were familiar, but I couldn’t place where I had heard them before. Still, “You can’t be real, Kelene.”
Her smile widened, but she didn’t answer. Instead, she approached and kissed me. I kept her there for a moment, before she broke the kiss to take a breath. After another quick kiss, she left to her bedroom.
Now I was at an impasse. Seth knew where we lived, and it would be easy for him to get in there, even without an invitation, and attack Kelene or take her with him. It didn’t matter if she was or not the woman he was searching for, he had seen us together and would attack her just to hurt me. And, even tough I could feel his approach, I had no guarantees that I would be able to reach Kelene before him. She was in danger. I wanted to be with her, more than I had thought possible but, that night, all I wanted to do was to protect her.
“Kelene?” I asked, from her bedroom’s door.
She turned to face me, already wearing one of her sets of old t-shirts and shorts.
“I don’t know if it will be safe to leave you alone. You may be at risk because of me, and I don’t want you hurt because I have old enemies.”
“Do you want to spend the night here?” Her question was soft and so natural that for a moment I couldn’t react.
And when I could, I didn’t answer. I had no idea of what she would hear in my voice.
“All right. You will only get bored, as I don’t have a TV here.” She said with a quick laugh, understanding my silence.
12. Kelene
It was unreal when Lucio laid down beside me. It had been too long since I had a man in my bad, and I didn’t have exactly good memories of the last. Actually, the memories of the last man with whom I shared my bed had made me avoid any kind of relationship for a long time. I didn’t know what was going on, and I trusted that Lucio would tell me when it was safe. He had a reason to be worried, I was sure, and all my instincts screamed the same. I didn’t even think he would try anything, as had more trust in his control than he did.
“I’m sorry about this, Kelene.” He said, clearly uncomfortable.
I sighed.
“I’m going to be blunt. There is some kind of problem, a threat. And no, I’m not asking for an explanation. Let me finish.” I shut him up with a sharp gesture. “You can’t or won’t tell me what it is, and I respect it. I believe you. I believe I might be threatened inside my own home. And I thank you for trying to protect me. Don’t offer apologies.”
I kissed him, noticing how surprised he seemed. But I knew that sometimes even the lack of an invitation wasn’t enough to stop someone from the Otherworld. Without saying anything else, I turned around in the bed, getting ready to sleep.
It was my turn to be caught by surprise when he put his arms around me.
“May I?” His question was a soft whisper.
“Yes.” I answered, settling myself in his arms.
In a couple of minutes I was already in that trance I entered when I wanted to sleep but there was some threat near. Yes, I could feel something hostile, but didn’t know for sure who or what it was, even though there was something familiar about that presence. Anyway, the threat didn’t come any closer to the building, or I wouldn’t even be able to get into the trance. I could also feel Lucio, completely alert beside me. His presence there made me feel safe in a way I had never felt before. If it was anyone else, I would be worried. But it was Lucio, the same vampire who once offered to help me run away and to protect me.
Not long after that, as the sun rose and the streets were no longer empty, the threat went away. It was only then that I finally fell asleep.
“Are you sure you would rather stay? I can help you disappear, if you wish. You know it is not safe.” He was worried and didn’t try to hide it.
Kelene smiled, regretting not having met him before. Things could have been different, but now it was too late.
“I know. But I cannot hide. He will only come after me, and I cannot stay hidden forever.”
“You can. I would protect you.”
She looked around, barely seeing all the nobles in their finery and the riches in the ballroom, so different from the village where she had been born. None of that mattered, not anymore. She had a choice to make.
“Thank you, but no. I have to do this.”
It wasn’t a surprise that I dreamt about that night. No surprise at all. That was the night when I had made the choice that changed all my life.
I was still in Lucio’s arms when I opened my eyes. Smiling, I turned around to face him and froze. He was sleeping.
Surprised, unsure about how to react, I smiled. Vampires don’t need to sleep. They are always away, only falling into a light trance when their bodies have gone too long without rest. That is, unless they are with a human they trust. And not a “normal” kind of trust, but the deep one, that trust that only happens when you know you can put your life – your existence – in someone’s hand. I never understood why it was like that, as almost all relationships between vampires and humans ended in problems. The venom, the bloodlust, the fear… It was never forgotten. That’s why people who know vampires aren’t thrown into death with sunrise believe they never sleep.
And still, Lucio had slept beside me. Holding me – me, with all my secrets, that I was sure he had noticed. And he still trusted me. That was an honor unlike anything that had happened before.
Feeling my gaze, he woke up.
“Good morning.” He said, starting to release me and move away, again with that unsure expression.
“Good morning.” I held his arms where they were and put a hand on his shoulder, making it clear he didn’t need to move away.
He halted, starting at me, his expression now showing some kind of vulnerability. Vampires and their prejudices against themselves. With the same hand, I put a lock of dark hair behind his ear, echoing something he had done to me a long time ago.
“You slept.” I whispered, not hiding my surprise.
“Only when I knew it was safe.” His smile was still fragile, unsure.
“I know. I know.”
He laughed, releasing me, and got up. I did the same after a second, and called him when he was already leaving my bedroom.
He turned to face me, waiting for me to continue, and I hesitated for a moment before going to him and hugging him tightly. “Thank you. Thank you, Lucio.”
“It was nothing.” He answered, and I knew he didn’t understand why I was thanking him. But he hugged me back, and kissed me after a second.
I guess he thought I was thanking him for staying with me to protect me. Lucio was always surprised at how much I knew about vampires, and I was sure he didn’t imagine I knew about the sleep restriction. I was thanking him for trusting me. To someone like me trust wasn’t easy to be found, be it to give or to receive. Knowing that I had his trust was something I would guard as a treasure for the rest of my life.
The day went by quickly, while I cleaned the apartment and washed my clothes. I always left everything that had to be done for the weekends. And doing that after two nights of parties left me exhausted. Add to it the fact that I would have the first time class tomorrow, and I decided to go to bed early.
Lucio, who spent the day doing something with a number of old books I had never seen before, followed me as soon as I said I was going to bed. The threat was still there, he didn’t need to say anything to remind me.
That night, I dreamt about Seth and that night, so long ago, when I died trying to destroy him, after he tried to turn me against my will. I woke up with a strong hand on my face, his touch just like Seth’s.
�
�Don’t touch me!” I screamed, sitting up and turning to face the hand’s owner.
It was Lucio.
13. Lucio
Seth wasn’t near, as he had been just before Sunrise. But he was stronger during the night, even if he could move in daylight. I couldn’t let myself relax.
It wasn’t long after midnight when Kelene started moving in her sleep, muttering incoherent phrases. I put my hand on face, trying to calm her as I used to do with the children from my village, when I was alive. But her reaction was totally unexpected.
“Don’t touch me!” She screamed, sitting up. I could hear her fury, and could almost touch her fear.
I moved away, surprised, her words cutting me like a dagger. I thought there was no chance of that happening, that she wouldn’t remember I was a vampire and a threat, but obviously I was mistaken. Now was the time to leave quietly and blame myself for keeping that illusion.
Wordlessly, I got up. Kelene turned to face me, with fire in her eyes and that strange strength easily visible. I almost doubted my senses telling me she was scared. As soon as her gaze stopped on me she hesitated, her expression changing completely, and she fell back on the bed.
“Lucio, stay, please.” She asked, her voice weak.
“You don’t need to ask me to stay if you’re not comfortable with it. I won’t be offended.” How could I? She was finally doing what was sensible.
“It’s all right.” Kelene went on, refusing to look at me, her voice full of fear and vulnerability. “It was a nightmare. Please?”
Slowly, I went back to the bed and laid down. She inched closer to me, as if asking for forgiveness… and protection. Her voice was less than a whisper when she started talking, and I knew she was trying to explain what had happened.
“I once fell in love with a vampire. He was everything I had ever dreamt of finding in a man, and I though he loved me. I knew what he was, and that was never a problem. But he was only playing with me. Death had ordered him to turn me. Me, someone who can never allow Death any kind of control over my actions. When he saw he wouldn’t convince me he tried to force the transformation. It should have been the end of my existence, I would die before being turned into a vampire, but I survived. I thought I had been able to destroy him… But now I know I was wrong. He was here yesterday.” She sighed. “Your touch is just like his, I hadn’t noticed it before. Please, don’t leave me alone.”