Authors: Jez Strider
Antonio’s grip visibly tightened on the steering wheel.
“I can understand him wanting to keep you to himself.”
He stole a glance in my direction then shook his head.
“That’s horrible, though.
When we were in Versailles it was in the late 18
th
century. You had lived that way for over 200 years?”
“Yes, in various locations.
He told me as a weak, young vampire that I’d burst into flames if I entered sunlight and that people would kill me on sight because of my
vampiric
appearance.
He said my eyes were crimson.
My rooms never had a mirror, so I didn’t know any different. According to Dante, these features would fade with time.
He saved me.
He even told me he loved me.
I had no reason to question him at first.
By about the time of the October March on Versailles, I’d begun to question the truth.”
The frown on my former lover’s face deepened.
“Everything he said is supported by superstition.
I’m sure I would have believed him as well.”
My eyes followed the passing scenery as we sped by on the way to what I assumed was the airport.
“Probably.
Anyway, seducing the servant was easy.
Christophe quickly became my lover.
Later we became good friends after I learned French.
Dante didn’t leave me any books to learn French, but Christophe was able to acquire what I needed.
He even gave me a secret book that Dante didn’t know about to keep as a diary
.“
“It’s shocking to see your profession now when men have always been your specialty.”
He whispered softly trying to find humor but laden with a heavy heart.
“I would have saved you if only I’d known.
I should have known.
I’m sorry.”
His hand slid over and gave my thigh a small squeeze before resting there.
There seemed to be more he wanted to say.
Instead of speaking, he just closed his mouth and left whatever it was unsaid.
I put my hand on top of his.
“Really, it’s not your fault.
It wasn’t all bad.
A caged bird gets restless, is
all.
”
I continued my story.
“It was finally my shot at freedom when the women marched on Versailles.
Christophe had holed up in my room to defend me from the rebellion.
All had gone silent and he went to look out the door, brandishing a sword.
One of the women still in the hallway caught him off guard with a kitchen knife to the gut.”
Even after so many years, it was a hard day to recount.
“As he stumbled backward, he dropped the sword.
The enraged peasant charged at me. Quickly, I picked up the weapon.
I closed my eyes and swung the sword.
When I opened them again, I had decapitated her.
Pathetic, isn’t it?
The first person I ever kill is a woman…a woman fighting because she and her family are hungry.”
We’d arrived at the airport and he parked the car.
He wasn’t getting out until I finished my story.
There wasn’t much more to tell, not concerning my time with Dante, anyway.
“I see you as such a delicate creature, even now.
I can’t imagine you killing anyone but in self-defense.”
The last time I told this story was long ago and I was ready to end it.
“The door was still open and Christophe was dead.
I pushed the door closed slightly as I switched clothing with the dead woman.
I knew that if Dante thought I was alive, the pursuit would never end.
So…I fed on Christophe, drank until I felt strong.
I’d never fed so fully before.
With a flash of speed, instinct more than thought, I put the peasant’s head atop her body and broke the desk lamp to cover her with oil.
I grabbed the candle flickering in the corner and set the body ablaze.
She had my clothing, so I hoped if she was burned badly enough….”
My voice trailed off.
“Master
Sanuto
would think it was you.
Good thinking.
You were wearing the peasants clothing, so you could blend in with them.
Remind me to never underestimate you.”
He smirked faintly.
I gave him a half smile in return.
“I have had my moments.”
The sun shined on my face through the open car window and I revered the warmth.
“Fear kept driving me.
Anyone would have done the same.
The palace was chaotic.
No one knew me so it was easy to blend in.”
I hesitated.
“The only moment I really stood out was when I first entered the sunlight.
I didn’t get to gradually test and see if my hand burst into flame as I was told.
In the hustle and bustle of the crowd, I got knocked directly out into the sunlight.”
“I assume that was traumatic?”
His smirk changed to more of a full on grin.
Some vampires have such a dark sense of humor.
Sure, I guess it’s funny now, but at the time it was terrifying.
“Shut up.” He gave a shrug and I allowed myself a small laugh. “My eyes were burning so I may have convinced myself I was on fire.
It didn’t take me too long to realize I was fine.
The people in the crowd that noticed just shook their heads at my behavior.”
It was good to see him smile.
“Yeah, people often do that with you.” He teased and I gave him a playful smack before getting to the more serious matter at hand.
“All these years, I assumed he thought I was dead, Antonio.
He had to think it.
I don’t know how he found out.
Please, is there nothing he’s said that would give you a hint?”
I pleaded.
Antonio shook his head somberly and I regretted having to kill the humor.
“Nothing, and as far as I knew I was his closest friend.
After Versailles we returned to Venice to distance ourselves from the French Revolution.
Besides, it had been so long that no one remembered us anymore.” He hesitated then gave an irritated snort of a laugh.
“
It’s
evident now why he was so depressed when we returned to Italy.
Did you ever love him?”
The answer seemed obvious to me.
“If I’d loved him, I wouldn’t have fled.
I’m not sure he loved me either.
He just wanted to possess and control me.
Life would have been very different if it’d been you instead of Dante.”
I caught his gaze at me and I wished I hadn’t added the last part.
“Yeah,” He got out of the car and came around to my side to open the door for me.
“We will have a much better story.”
As much as I wanted to be annoyed by his confidence (or was it arrogance?), it was an attractive trait.
“Where are we going?” My phone rang interrupting us.
Surely it had to be Marcus.
A deep sigh came from Antonio beside me.
“Finish that call and break it.
You know they can trace that.”
“Shit, right.”
The call was from my friend and vet tech, Ashley.
She was African-American, tall, and had sort of a hippy vibe.
A few years back she’d went for the natural hair look and she was rocking it.
The men loved it.
The woman could be really eccentric, but she was honest.
I thought about our heated debates about everything from religion to movie stars and wondered if I’d ever even come back to this city.
It’s harder to find a good best friend than a boyfriend.
Apparently, she’d decided to go by my place when I didn’t show up for work.
My behavior had been out of character and she was worried
..
“Evelyn!
Thank god, you’re okay.
I came by your place and the door was kicked down.
Maybe I should have called the police first, but I ran in to find you.
The place is ransacked.
Your poor kitten was hiding in terror under the bed.
She’s fine now.
I had a cat carrier in my car so I put her in there.”
My friend seemed to be waiting for me to say something, but I listened in mute shock.
I didn’t care about my stuff, but I was relieved my cat was okay.
After a minute, she continued reluctantly.
“Eve…there’s some blood and….and sunflowers like those at the office scattered everywhere.”
My relief was short lived.
“Get out of there, Ash.
You are going to have to trust me.
Don’t call the police.
They may be in on it.
I don’t know.
Take Lucia with you and go home.
I’ll call you when I can.
Okay?”
My voice was surprisingly calm.
She stammered, “But…”
“Do what I’m telling you.
You don’t want to risk your life and that of your kids.
I’ll try to explain when I can.”
Luckily, she agreed and I dropped the phone to the ground, smashing it with my foot.
Antonio looked angry. He didn’t ask me what the conversation was about. Maybe he already knew.
I stared straight at him.
“They have Marcus.”
The moment seemed to drag on as Antonio debated what to do.
He was pacing back and forth in front of the car and then suddenly stopped and pointed at me.
“Nothing has changed.
He pulled two plane tickets out of his pocket.
“I was going to go with you, but now you just take your ticket and get out of here.
I’ll save the boy.”
“Over my dead body.”
I grimaced at my choice of words.
“He wouldn’t be in this mess and neither would you if it wasn’t for me.”
“You’re not going to be able to do anything to help.
Do you think you can just walk up and recite some old poetry and wiggle your hips and Dante will forgive you?”
He slammed his fist against the hood of the car, leaving a dent.
I suppose he and Marcus both punched things when they were pissed off.
My temperature was rising and I walked close and gave him a shove.
“If you think I’m the same little courtesan that did what all the men wanted without question, you’re sadly mistaken.”