Table of Contents
FRONT PAGE
1 PROLOGUE
2 SARAH
3 RENDEZVOUS
4 CONFUSION
5 FORBIDDEN BLOOD
6 THE MANOR HOUSE
7 THE ABDUCTION
8 ANDREAS
9 PERIS
10 THE BUSINESS DINNER
11 MOVING IN
12 HUGORIO
13 BREACH OF TRUST
14 NIKELAUS
15 THOMAS
16 THE OUTING
17 BLUE SAFFRON
18 POISONING
19 CHRISTMAS
20 SIGHTSEEING
21 LONDON
22 REVELATION
23 FRIEND OR FOE
24 THE STRANGER
25 ROSALIA
26 THE CONFESSION
27 THE VISIT
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Impressum
Peris Night
Terakon
Secret Language
Eva Maria Klima
1 PROLOGUE
Most people would be excited to realize that they are more than an ordinary human being – special, rare. That was not quite the case for me. I loved my life. Many people would have considered it a boring life, but I did not think so. I had my friends, my studies, and my parents. What I enjoyed most were the small joys life has to offer if you care to see them: the color of the sky at sunrise, the scent of morning dew glittering in the sun, or that of the first snow at the onset of winter. I did not yearn for excitement or adventure, but I got both of those anyway, and more than enough. Was this change good for me, or bad? Who can say? We’ll see.
2 SARAH
Eyes that gleamed purple, sneering down at me, while my mother was screaming with pain and fright under a veil of purple fog. Panicked, I pressed my small hands over my ears. Inwardly I cried for help, desperate until I saw my father’s face. In my childish naivety, I was convinced that everything would be okay now, but the worst was yet to come. I felt trapped in a haze of nameless, mortal fear, combined with despair and pain. No, not pain – agony – drenched in the stench of charred flesh. When I thought I could not bear it any longer, I awoke in my own bed, my skin clammy with cold sweat. Once again this dream, why did I keep having this bizarre dream? It had been haunting me throughout my childhood, throughout my life until that day. There was only one person however who knew about the dream – my best friend Sarah. I reached for my cell phone, ready to dial her number, but then I hesitated. Was it a good idea to bother her with my dream yet again? No, because Sarah was on her way anyway, sitting on a train. She lived in Innsbruck. Although it was my third year studying at Salzburg University, this was the first time she would visit me here. I rarely felt like going out, not since the unexpected, far too early death of my beloved sister. But now I was looking forward to head out on the town with Sarah, despite it all.
I strolled along the river Salzach, soaking in the last rays of sun for the day. This was the shortest and most beautiful route from my apartment in Akademiestraße to the faculty of law. In the trees, which were already changing color, the light was refracted in a myriad of warm shades, and the air was filled with the smell of wet leaves.
As agreed, Sarah was waiting for me in the faculty’s courtyard. I spied her from afar, with her short hair dyed blonde and her enviable figure. Even in her baggy purple winter coat, she cut a fine figure.
“Great to see you again!” we greeted each other with an affectionate embrace.
My pretty friend was what my mother would have called a man-crazy dame. With a lot of passion, she started to tell me about the men she had met on the train ride. Sarah remembered every change in expression, every word that had been spoken. Even though I wasn’t the least bit interested in these men, I still enjoyed listening to my friend’s stories. When she was finally done, we were sitting in a pizza parlor and had already finished our dinner.
The people at the neighboring table were in a boisterous mood, but we were so engrossed in our conversation I didn’t even glance at the people sitting there. In retrospect, I know I should have looked, for maybe then I would have registered the leer one of the men was sending my way. Though I doubt it would have changed anything about my future.
Sarah slammed her palms down on the table, asking how I was doing. She wasn’t satisfied with my simple “very good,” either. She had expected a more thorough answer, so she rolled her eyes impatiently and waved a hand, inviting me to tell her more.
“Basically nothing much has changed. I attend my courses and do my homework. On Saturdays I work at the cinema.” That was it, from my point of view. She still wasn’t satisfied with my reply though, and looked at me with expectation. I knew what she wanted to hear. “No, Sarah, I haven’t met a man, and yes, it’s my own fault because I don’t go out enough. I still think that it doesn’t make a lot of sense to desperately search for Mr. Right.”
After some back and forth she finally crossed her arms in frustration. “If you go on like that, you’re going to end up an old, bitter spinster, and your significant other will be a fat cat named Timmy.” She had always possessed a slightly dramatic streak, while my outlook was more sarcastic. “If you want to, you can move in with me in twenty years, after your fifth divorce or so, and then we’ll fatten Timmy together,” I replied. We paused to share a smirk, before paying up and leaving the pizza parlor. “Off into Peri’s Night we go.”
Peri’s Night was actually Salzburg’s hottest nightclub. Located on the outskirts of the city, the place even had its own VIP area, which I deemed rather silly. Though I had to confess that I was curious what the prerequisites might be for being part of Salzburg’s nightlife VIP crowd.
We strolled down Getreidegasse and towards Hanuschplatz. In front of Mozart’s birthplace I was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of euphoria, so I stretched my arms wide, threw back my head, and turned in a circle with my eyes closed, reveling in the sensation. “Sarah, I’m so glad you’re here.” I had a bunch of friends and fellow students, so I didn’t feel lonely, but Sarah was very special to me.
At Hanuschplatz we took the bus to Europark, Salzburg’s biggest mall. From there it was only a few more minutes to where we wanted to go. The outside of the building was nondescript, and the only thing that gave away that this was a nightclub was the azure lettering spelling out the name Peri’s Night – and the people waiting in line to get in. The place was already packed, the music too loud, and the lighting was typically dim, the way most dance halls seemed to like it. But contrary to those I remembered from when I still went out regularly, the light here was blue, soft and shimmering. We were surrounded by walls of natural stone, with flowers growing from cracks and fissures, and an actual waterfall running down one of the walls, bathed in turquoise lighting. To its left, the entrance to the coveted VIP area loomed, guarded by a tall, heavily muscled man, who regarded the crowd with a dark stare. Sarah confessed to me that she would be thrilled to be invited inside. Why wasn’t I surprised?
We found a spot from where we could watch the goings-on, slowly sipping our drinks and chatting animatedly. After about an hour I excused myself and went to the restroom. A quick glance in the mirror to check how I looked. My long, dark blonde hair with its natural highlights and hint of red fell in soft waves over my green blouse. I liked that blouse, because it really brought out the blue in my eyes. I was wearing a shimmering pink lipstick to accentuate my pout. Though I wasn’t skinny, my curves were harmonious.
When I returned, Sarah was talking with two men. Even from a distance, I had a queasy feeling in my stomach just studying them. Something
about them set off all my alarm bells. They looked sophisticated and more than handsome, but there was also something alienating about them, something off. Every fiber of my body seemed to tell me to run. I suppressed the flight instinct and gathered my courage before walking over, trying to look as confident as possible. When I reached them and Sarah, I introduced myself politely. “Hello, I’m Melanie.” I glossed over my insecurity by flashing Sarah a teasing grin. “Can’t leave you alone even for a minute, can I?” She countered that with a look of mock outrage.
Meanwhile the two men eyed me up. Their taxing scrutiny was disconcerting, and I felt like a race horse appraised before the start by those who would place their bets on a winner. When they were done with their impolite evaluation, they exchanged a quick glance, which told me that they liked what they saw. The shorter one smiled at me, and it was such a charming smile that no woman could have resisted its lure.
“Hi, my name is Phillipe, and this is my friend Alessandro,” he said in a very likeable voice. Had I only imagined the offensive scrutiny?
Alessandro turned to me. “Your friend agreed to join us at our table. Would you like to come along?”
What else was I supposed to do? Leave my friend alone, who’d come to Salzburg to see me? “Why not?” I gave in.
The taller one, Alessandro, waved a hand and indicated that we should follow him.
Sarah nudged me. “They’re both so cute, I was sure you’d agree.” I nodded and glanced over my shoulder. Phillipe smirked. Had he overheard her? No, that was virtually impossible. Alessandro led us over into the VIP area, and Sarah beamed with excitement. She reveled in this kind of attention. As for me, I wasn’t sure whether to be happy with how things were progressing. Sitting here meant everybody else would want to know who you were. And I was sure that our company believed we’d be thrilled, which probably made them feel superior and see us as easy prey.
“Do you have a problem with sitting here?” Phillipe asked suddenly. Apparently I wasn’t good enough at hiding my aversion. “No, why would I?” I replied sheepishly.
“You don’t look pleased. Your captivating smile has vanished. What’s wrong?”
I shook my head and offered him a shy grin, trying to get across that I’d merely been lost in thought. He eyed me suspiciously for another moment before he resumed walking.
There were five men and three women at their table. The ladies had obviously been bestowed the same honor as Sarah and I. All of them were brunettes, and very fashionable, hard to surpass in looks and charisma. Sarah fit neatly into this company, but I felt a little out of place.
Phillipe introduced us to the people around the table. The first guy, Michael, was incredibly handsome. He was of athletic build, sporting dark blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a strong jaw. A real showpiece of a man. I was on high alert and quite interested as I held out my hand, but he didn’t take it. Instead he merely nodded and looked at me with a scowl, utterly unimpressed. In that moment I knew how the hunchback of Notre Dame must have felt.
The men were all very attractive and greeted me cordially. Still, the initial impression was one that made me wary and cautious, because something about the lot of them was alarming. At the same time I felt I was in the wrong for being so uncharacteristically prejudiced. What had come over me to judge them like this? I simply felt a frightening vibe from these gentlemen, before we had exchanged even a single word.
We sat down on the sofa next to Michael. Someone handed us a cocktail each, though we hadn’t ordered anything. Once we got to talking, my misgivings vanished into thin air, and the mood quickly got boisterous. Michael was the only one who appeared bored and annoyed. His behavior confused me, for it seemed as if he didn’t want to be here at all. I almost felt sorry for him, so I gave him an encouraging smile, but he merely rolled his eyes and looked in another direction. He’d managed to make me feel embarrassed and rejected once again. One of the others, a guy named Stefan, studied him from under knit brows, before throwing me an accusing glance. What crime had I committed? I hadn’t even said anything, and a wink and a friendly smile couldn’t be that objectionable, could they? For a moment I wished I’d stayed home.
A while later, after we’d all gotten to know each other a little and felt more at ease, one of the women admitted: “I would have followed you here even if you didn’t look that hot. I’ve wanted to check out this exclusive back room ever since I came here for the first time.”
The other ladies present giggled their agreement, except for me. The men seemed unsurprised. Phillipe flashed a knowing grin. “Melanie wasn’t exactly thrilled when she realized we would be sitting here. So there’s at least one among you who came because she genuinely likes us.”
I shook my head, amused. “To be honest, I was intimidated by you guys at first. The only reason I didn’t turn on my heel and run away screaming was Sarah.”
Everyone at the table, especially the men, thought that my statement was funny. And strangely enough, after I’d said it, I felt a lot more comfortable in their presence. I realized how tense I had been. I inhaled deeply and joyfully, then exhaled feeling lightheaded. Now I felt unburdened and almost coltish. It was the first moment that Michael didn’t regard me with an expression of utter indifference. He even seemed taken with me, joking: “It’s part of our spiel. First we make females mortally afraid, so we can later act as their heroic paladins.” With that he got up, wedging his frame in between Phillipe and me and pushing his friend away in the process, before throwing a nonchalant arm around my shoulders and winking. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll protect you.”
Confused, overwhelmed, but also a little thrilled by his sudden interest I scooted away and avoided his gaze. What was this about? Was he trying to lead me on? After another while, during which Michael kept trying to start a conversation with me, I felt the urge to dance. Sarah and the others weren’t enthusiastic at the idea, but that didn’t hold me back. I rose quickly, took another large sip from my cocktail, and walked out of the VIP room with my back straight, headed for the crowded dance floor. I had barely started to move slowly with the music, when the first drunkard was there, eager to move with me. I refused him gently and moved away, hoping I hadn’t offended him. I started to sway with the rhythm once again, happy and one with myself for a brief moment. But then the drunken guy was back, snaking a sweaty arm around my waist and trying to pull me close. I got angry. I squirmed out of his embrace and told him more forcefully to leave me the fuck alone. One of his pals had been watching us. He came over and apologized for his friend. He was just as drunk however, and his company no less annoying. My dancing mood was ruined. It was no fun when you had to push away strange hands every few seconds.
Heading back I spied Michael. He was leaning against one of the trees that marked the VIP entrance, arms crossed and studying me with a cavalier, confident gaze. When I walked past him, he followed. “Didn’t last long on the dance floor.”
I turned and saw the bouncer kick out the two drunkards. The others in the VIP room also commented on how I hadn’t been gone for very long.
I was embarrassed to admit that a pair of intoxicated guys had spoiled all my fun, so I decided not to say anything at all. I’d just wait until the awkward moment had passed. But Michael thwarted that. “Two drunken men bothered her on the dance floor, so she fled.”
I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. Everyone was staring at me.
Sarah knew how much I hated to be the center of attention, so she saved me. “Whew, we were in luck then! I’m sure we would have seen the last of her for the rest of the night. If that girl starts dancing in earnest, she never stops.” She gesticulated exaggeratedly, drawing everyone’s attention to herself, fidgeting on Alessandro’s lap.
Phillipe threw Alessandro a meaningful glance, which caused him to nudge Sarah and rise, making room for me next to his friend. It was obvious that Phillipe wanted me to sit next to him. Michael had caught it, too, and plopped down in my designated space. I knew it was kind of rude
, but I couldn’t suppress a brief burst of laughter. Their antics were really too hilarious. Phillipe gave Michael a dumbfounded look. This was not the seatmate he’d bargained for. I sat down next to Michael, who donned an innocent expression.
Stefan had witnessed the whole episode, and contrary to Phillipe, he seemed glad to see that Michael had developed an interest in me. After a while Michael and Philippe put their heads close together to talk. They seemed convinced that nobody around the table could understand what they were saying, but in this area the music was less obnoxious, and we were sitting very close together. It was inevitable for me to overhear their exchange.
“Hey, I found her first, so she’s mine!” Phillipe flared at Michael.
“She doesn’t want you and she’s not going to sleep with you tonight. So why do you think you can claim her?” Michael shot me another sideways glance. “I’ll admit she’s got something.”
Baffled that they spoke so freely, I thought to myself with an inward giggle, well, if those cocktails keep refilling of their own accord, who knows what’s going to happen? For as soon as I’d emptied my glass, the waitress set down a new one in front of me.
“Michael, I’m not stupid, but anything is possible with a little magic.”
Michael let out a disapproving sigh. “Look at the other women. They’re so thrilled to have scored the attention of the VIPs, they’d do almost anything to keep it. Why don’t you claim one of them?”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Michael had just dismissed Sarah and the others as shallow sluts. Outraged, I crossed my arms and turned to the two of them. “Okay, enough, would you please get a grip! That’s my best friend you’re talking about. Plus I’m here to assure you that I won’t sleep with either of you tonight. Maybe you’d better focus your attention on someone else.”
Peris Night: Terakon (Secret Language) Page 1