Circle of Death (7 page)

“Thank you.” I looked down again, concentrating in my cup of broth.

“And you are a great singer, besides having a lovely voice.” He continued.

I blushed. I didn’t know if that was a simple praise, or if there was something else behind his words. He was staring at me with an intense expression again, after all.

“Thank you.”

I resumed eating, and he was silent for a couple of minutes, looking at the starry skies and the crescent moon. Lucio was still going through his memories, I realized. And that wasn’t really a surprise. In nights like that even I had to strain to remain in the present.

“One thing caught my attention.” He said, suddenly. “The fire really seemed to follow your movements. How do you do it?”

“It’s a pretty effect, isn’t it?” I smiled, and this time I had to lie. That was one of my biggest secrets, and what had initiated all that in my life. “I don’t know, it simply happens.”

“It’s fascinating.” He answered, staring at me.

I looked away, once again unsure of what he really meant with those words. My heart was beating too fast, and I didn’t know if it was because of the possibility that I could almost taste in the air, or because of the fear of what might happen.

Kelene slept until three in the afternoon. All right, we returned to the apartment as the sun rose, after a lot of music and talk, and that was just because she insisted a lot. My habit of keeping secrets kept me of telling her the sun wouldn’t affect me.

On that night, after she finished eating and I realized she was getting uncomfortable with my questions, we sat with the musicians around the fire. They were still playing and singing, even though they changed to some modern music, some with interesting arrangements, other ones just following the original. Kelene joined them in some songs and she was always telling stories when she wasn’t singing. I was impressed with her voice.

Actually, not just with her voice. While we talked I found out a lot about her, and felt more attracted to her at each passing moment. She was simple, funny, and I didn’t even remember all the secrets that seemed to surround her. Kelene was just a young human woman, with a still spine hidden behind her ordinary appearance. To my surprise, my attraction to her had nothing to do with her blood. That was barely present, as if she wasn’t completely human, even though that was one of the few things I was sure about her.

The strong coffee was ready when she woke up and dragged herself to the kitchen, looking like a sleepwalker. I couldn’t avoid laughing.

“Laugh all you want,” she muttered. “You’re lucky you don’t have to sleep.”

I raised my hands in a gesture of surrender, while she started drinking her coffee. In a short while, she seemed to be awake.

“Tomorrow will be worse, just wait.” She added.

“I was thinking about it.”

“You think you’re funny…”

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly, with Kelene throwing down her wardrobe as she searched for something to wear for tonight’s party. I didn’t imagine she would take that much time to get dressed, she didn’t seem that kind of person. Fortunately, I had my TV, and I watched a couple of movies while she complained.

We left the apartment at nine. Kelene was stunning, wearing a blouse that marked her waist, a skirt and high-heeled boots, completely black. I was already used to seeing her in t-shirts and jeans and hadn’t even imagined she had such a beautiful body.

I called a taxi, as I wanted to make sure we wouldn’t be alone. If Seth found us, he would initially avoid an attack in front of any kind of witnesses. I couldn’t guess what he would do after some time without success, but for now we were safe.

When we arrived there was already a line by the door. I offered my arm to Kelene, and she accepted without any hesitation, surprising me. While we waited I noticed that, even though she seemed distracted, she was fully alert to everything around us, restless, as if something was bothering her. I knew that reaction, she was feeling some kind of threat near us, but considered me safe. What had I done to deserve that trust? It was true that I wouldn’t do anything against her, even without our contract, but how could she be so sure?

Fortunately, we didn’t wait long and were soon inside the club.

The loud music hit us as soon as we crossed the door. The strong and fast rock beat made Kelene smile, excited, and I felt myself answering her smile.

“This night is promising.” She said, not raising her voice, knowing that I would understand her even with all the noise.

“Yes. Do you want to dance?”

“Of course!” She opened one of her rare sincere smiles.

I smiled again, taking her to the dance floor.

Before my transformation I had been, in part, a dancer. Everyone trained in the Sanctuary were musicians and dancers, it was necessary for our work. The pleasure of dancing had never abandoned me, but most vampires were usually too worried about appearances and the impression they were causing to truly dance, and I would never dare to put a human in risk just for a couple of minutes dancing. But now… I knew Kelene was a great dancer, after what I had seen in the fire circle. And she knew what I was and didn’t fear me.

Of the modern music, what attracted me most was rock and its various forms, the strong, fast and alive, or at least heavy sound, made me remember the old times in the Sanctuary, somehow. I allowed the music to carry me, and when I noticed my surroundings we were already in the dance floor.

Kelene understood perfectly what I wanted to do and moved accordingly, without missing a beat, and always with a sensuality that wasn’t intentional but seemed to be part of her. I still tried to keep some distance between us, but as the music asked for proximity she held her body close to mine, fearless, in a natural and almost unconscious way. It was the first time since my transformation that I danced like that with someone.

Yes, I noticed Lucio was trying to keep some distance between us. That is the problem with vampires: they want to be accepted, but when they aren’t killing machines they have more prejudice against themselves than anyone else. He was afraid of hurting me, of losing control, but I knew I was safe. There are signs that can give a clear warning to anyone who knows how to read them, and that tell when a vampire is about to lose control. I had learned those signs a long time ago. With that in mind, I ignored all his care and worry and got closer and closer as the music asked.

And he was such a dancer! By all that’s sacred, what a dancer! I relaxed, letting the music carry me as we created choreographies that became more and more complex and the songs changed. It had been a long time since I had so much fun, since I felt so alive.

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.

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.