“Please just stop.” I pull my hand away from him. “I like you for some unknown reason, but we can only be friends.”
A smirk appears on his face. “Friends will have to do for now. But I will change your mind.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Maria is not happy with what you did. You should probably leave before she finds you here.”
“Maria will get over it. Besides she is in no position to be threatening me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Forget I said anything.” He dismisses my question. “So, are you angry at me?” He smirks and his eyes light up.
“Yes, I am. Why did you approach us in the street before?” I scowl.
“I’ve been following you all day.”
“What!” I push at his chest with little effect.
“I was curious.” Toby shrugs.
“Curious about what?” I stare up into his intense, dark eyes.
“About who you were texting back in Craco.”
“It was none of your business. Now he knows that I know about you all and he has had to reveal what he is.” My voice is pained.
“It’s better this way.”
“I leave in a week. It wouldn’t have mattered if I were oblivious to the fact that there are bloodsuckers roaming around and that he must kill them. Tell me honestly, why you are here?” I leer at him. My anger is at the boiling point and I want to hit something.
“To see you and to make sure you got home safely.” His gaze shifts to the floor and he places his hands in his pockets.
“Oh.” I am unsure of what to say as my anger melts away. “You could have just texted me like a normal person.”
“I’m far from normal.” He smiles revealing his perfect set of white teeth.
“Do you always have to be sarcastic?”
“No. You seem to react better when I’m trying to be funny.” He winks at me.
“I need to get upstairs before Maria sends out a search party.”
“I’ll see you around.” He eyes me speculatively before he exits through the main doors.
I stare after him, bewildered, and watch as the door clicks closed, the echo vibrating through the empty entrance hall. That’s it? I think to myself. He left without another smart-ass comment, without being forced. I take a deep breath and as I climb the marble stairs, my head starts to pound with each step I take causing my vision to blur. I manage to stumble through the apartment door and head straight to the kitchen, dumping my presents and bag on the bench. I splash my face with cold water just as Sofia enters.
“How was your date with lover boy?” she chimes.
Her voice vibrates through my skull as though church bells are ringing right next to me. I cringe at the sound and scrunch my eyes up hoping to ease the pain. Hunching over the sink, the pain in my head intensifies with the movement and I cry out grabbling the side of my head.
Sofia is at my side at once. “Kat. Kat. You need to come lie down.” Her voice is frantic.
“Stop talking. It hurts so much.” I swat at her arm that has a firm grip on my elbow.
“Maria!” Sofia shrieks.
I stand up straight and dizziness takes over my body. I am forced to hold on to the bench for support. “I think I’m going to faint,” I barely whisper as darkness washes over me.
The crippling agony jolts me from unconsciousness. My eyes bulge as the light pierces my retinas and sends shooting pains through my skull. I manage to reach out and come in contact with the cupboard doors, realizing I am still on the kitchen floor.
“Katalina. Can you focus?” Maria gently whispers.
My burning eyes follow the faint voice to my right and all I see are vivid colors blending together to form an outline of Maria. Unable to focus clearly, I reach out for her hand and it feels like acid against my sensitive skin. I snatch my hand out of hers, cursing under my breath, and close my eyes to ease the fire in them.
“What is happening to me?”
“Do you think you can stand, sweetheart?” Maria asks.
“I will try,” I croak.
I slowly move to sit up and manage to breathe through the agony. Maria gently places her hands under my arms, careful not to come in contact with my bare skin, and slowly lifts me to stand. I wait in the middle of the kitchen taking in deep, even breaths and ride through the waves of pain.
“Sweetheart?” Maria’s whisper brushes my ear. The sound is hollow.
“Just give me a minute.” I close my eyes.
“Drink this. It will help with the pain.” Maria touches a glass to my hand.
“What is it?” I look at the glass.
“Pain relief. It will take effect within minutes and ease the pounding in your head,” Maria explains.
The icy liquid pours down my throat and I feel it settle in my stomach. I do not dare to move as I wait for the pain to subside.
“Is she okay?” Sofia’s soft voice echoes in the distance.
“I hope so,” I whisper back.
“She will be fine.” Maria’s voice is saturated with uncertainty.
I wait, eyes closed, heart thrumming in my chest, for what seems like forever as the throbbing in my skull eases. Maria helps me to the lounge, each step becoming more unbearable, before I lower myself to the sofa, careful not to make any sudden movements. I lean against the backrest and breathe a sigh of relief.
“Can you turn the lights off please? They’re burning my eyes.” I wince.
“How’s the pain?” Sofia asks as she switches off the lights. I cringe at the ringing her voice causes in my head.
“Not as bad as before,” I manage to choke out. “What is wrong with me?”
I watch through blurry eyes as Maria seats herself next to me. Her usual guarded self seems defeated. “Sweetheart, tell me everything that you are feeling.” Her voice is shaky.
“The pain in my head is still pounding, but not as much. My eyes are still fuzzy.”
“Anything else?” Maria looks down at my hand.
“Every time you both speak, it vibrates through my skull.”
“You flinched when I touched your skin,” Maria reminds me.
“Your hand stung my skin; it feels like acid.”
“Do you have pain anywhere else?”
“No.”
“Good.” She lets out a long breath before rattling off something in Italian to Sofia.
I faintly hear Sofia in the other room on the phone speaking rapidly in Italian, her voice urgent. She enters the lounge and sits opposite me.
“On her way,” Sofia says.
“Who’s on their way?” I ask, alarmed.
“Someone that will help you,” Maria answers. “Just lean back and breathe through the pain as best as you can.”
“What is happening to me?” My eyes dart from Maria to Sofia, my voice strained.
Maria sighs as she leans closer to me. “Sweetheart, don’t be alarmed, but I don’t think the elixir took effect.”
My heart thuds deep in my chest as anxiety takes over my body. Cold sweat washes over me drenching my already sticky back. Words fail me, and I reach out trying to grab hold of something to ground me. Sofia takes my hand squeezing it, burning it with her ice-cold touch. I do not let go because feeling pain is better than concentrating on the alternative. I suck in the thick air and let it fill my lungs.
“I can’t sit still.” I scramble off the couch; the pain in my head feels like my skull is being torn apart. My breaths come in quick successions and I start to hyperventilate. “Make it stop,” I screech.
“Breathe through it. Breathe with me.” Maria is at my side at once. “Breathe with me.” She holds me in place as I jerk under her strong hold.
“I can’t,” I cry out. “Please make it stop! It hurts like hell.” I close my eyes as I try to breathe deeply.
The front door buzzes and I drop to the floor scratching at my ears. The piercing noise sends shock waves through my body and I writhe in pain.
“Le
t her in,” Maria whispers to Sofia as she kneels beside me.
Tears trickle down my flushed cheeks—tears for the pain, tears for the unknown, tears for the fear. I sob as I try to hold myself together with my trembling arms. I look up when I hear the shuffling of feet. Standing in the entrance is an elegant, old lady with her white hair in a large bun. Her face is impassive, void of any emotion. She wears a floor-length black dress with an unbuttoned black peacoat over the top. She looks as though she has come from a gala of some kind.
“How long?” she speaks to Maria.
“Less than an hour,” Maria replies.
“Boil the kettle. I will need a jug of hot water and some towels,” she commands as she walks toward me.
“Katalina, I need to warn you that this will not be pleasant.” She eyes me with concern.
All I can do is nod in response. I watch through burning eyes as the woman sets up her workspace with an odd assortment of bottles, herbs, and sterile equipment. Maria returns with the steaming jug of water and sets it down on the coffee table.
“I need you to take your shirt off; I need access to a vein.” The old woman is all business.
“What?!” I ask, alarmed.
“I need to give you an IV infusion to counteract the change that is taking place in your bloodstream. I will also be taking blood out of your other arm to help the process. We don’t have much time, so I advise you to hurry up,” she explains as she draws up a syringe with a purple substance.
I look at Maria in horror.
“It’s the only way, sweetheart. Don’t be afraid. Here, I’ll help you to the couch.” Maria pulls me up slowly.
My eyes dart around the room and come to rest on Sofia who is looking as much if not more horrified than me. She mouths sorry before turning and disappearing into her room. I take the few steps to the couch and drop myself into the cushioning.
“Shirt?” The old lady points to me and then goes ahead to get the cannula ready.
I pull my shirtsleeve up and hold my arm out for her. I look away and hide my face behind a pillow. I feel a bee-like sting as the needle enters my vein and slowly remove the pillow from my face. I watch in fascination as the IV line is connected and the purple liquid mixed with a bag of clear substance hangs from a metal bar. The IV line is opened and within seconds the sting is unbearable.
“It feels like acid,” I cry.
“Don’t touch it. Bite on this.” The old woman hands me a towel. Her eyes regard me curiously.
I push the towel away from me and grit my teeth. “It fucking stings!” I shout.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Try not to think about it.” Maria rubs my back.
“Your other arm?” The old lady gestures toward me.
“No.” I flinch away from her.
“Katalina, it’s the only way,” Maria whispers.
A cold sweat breaks out across my skin as the liquid painstakingly spreads through my veins.
“I need to speed up the process,” the old lady says matter-of-factly as though she carries out this procedure regularly.
I watch as she moves the small switch on the IV line to let the infusion flow faster. I shake uncontrollably as the mixture flows more freely and starts to burn further and further up my arm, spreading over my shoulder and through my chest.
“I need your other arm for this to take full effect.” The old lady glares at me.
I glare back without moving and grit my teeth breathing heavily through my flared nostrils.
“Katalina, she needs to do her job,” Maria says firmly.
“It burns so much, Maria,” I whimper without taking my eyes off the one who is torturing me.
“It’s okay, I will just have to inject some more anti-venom straight into your vein. If you think this diluted version stings, you don’t know what you’re in for.” The white-haired woman smiles at me as though she is enjoying my pain.
I watch as she prepares a large syringe and fills it with purple liquid. The acid coursing through my veins burns to the point of making me want to vomit. I heave but nothing comes up. My saliva sticks to my tongue and the roof of my mouth making it hard to swallow. I grab the towel next to me and spit into it. I look to Maria for answers, for reassurance, and see her furrowed brow. She too is breathing rapidly as she gently rubs my back to soothe me.
My eyes dart to the old lady and she steps toward me. “I will need to push this through the IV line seeing as you won’t allow me to take your blood. Hopefully this will work or I’m afraid you are doomed,” she huffs. “Try to stay as still as possible please.”
Before I allow myself to think, before I allow her to come near me with that syringe, I rip the cannula out of my arm, spraying crimson blood over my shirt, and launch myself off the couch. The agony in my head sends flashes of lights through my burning eyes and I blink rapidly to try to clear my sight.
“Katalina, what are you doing?” Maria stands cautiously off the couch and stares at me as though I have gone crazy.
“I can’t do this,” I whine as the pain increases. I grab hold of the sides of my head and tear at my hair trying to stop the sharp, stabbing pain. “I need it to stop!”
“That’s what I’m trying to do. You need to sit still so I can inject this.” She holds up the syringe.
I back away from her, tears streaming down my face, and scramble to the front door, jerking it open. Without looking back, I take the stairs two at a time. I stumble as I reach the bottom and manage to regain my balance without toppling over. I tear through the oversized green door and run through the deserted piazza, blinded by my tears. My breaths heave in my aching chest as I frantically try to outrun the horror taking place. I barely make it to the piazza in front of the Pantheon and find myself pacing back and forth amongst the columns. I jump down into the shadows on the right-hand side and slink to the floor with the rough stone against my back. I cry uncontrollably, unable to breathe, and hold my pounding head in my hands. My face is sticky as I wipe my eyes and nose in my shirt, uncaring of what I look like. I manage to get my breathing under control, but the tears fall rhythmically down my cheeks and leave patches on my jeans. Leaning my head against the rough stone, I look up at the inky sky in wonderment. This was not supposed to happen to me. I took the elixir to stop this horror from occurring. I gaze at the moon, which sits high in the sky tonight—a small dot that illuminates the buildings with its clear white light. I hope that the miniscule amount of infusion that I received is enough to stop the transformation. Closing my eyes, I work through the increasing pain. The darkness extinguishes the burn in my eyes enough to give some relief. I am unsure of how long I sit in the dark; the pain makes it feel as though hours have passed. The noise of the city hums in my ears and slowly fades into the background. I sit with the cool of the stone against my back, taking in slow deep breaths. I feel his presence; I do not open my eyes. I wait for him to speak first.
“Katalina?” his voice is questioning.
“Don’t say anything.” I cringe.
“When? How?” He squats next to me.
“Why did you come here?” I open my eyes without looking at him.
“I felt your pain. I thought you were in trouble.”
“Can it get any worse than this?” My voice is anguished, and I try my hardest not to fall apart again and end up in tears.
“Let me help you.” He places a hand on mine causing me to flinch.
“Please don’t touch my skin.” I breathe heavily.
“Sorry, it’s been so long since…” He doesn’t finish.
“Ow!” I cry out in pain as a new sensation rips through my upper gums. I slump in defeat as I ride through the waves of pain.
“Kat? What happened?” Toby’s voice echoes through my ears.
“My gums,” I manage to say through the build-up of saliva pooling in my mouth. I massage my gums with my fingers as tears fall freely from my swollen eyes.
In one swift movement Toby cradles me in his arms as my head lolls against hi
s shoulder. I have no strength to fight him. I barely manage to stay within the realms of consciousness as he stalks through the dark streets. The gentle wind on my face dries up the salty tears making my cheeks feel sticky. A sharp, stabbing pain jolts me back to reality. My upper gums throb; I can feel my pulse quicken, and it all becomes too much to bear.
“Can you stop?” I cry out.
Toby gently places me in a standing position. I bend over gripping my knees for support as my gums—I am sure—are about to rupture. I feel something small and hard in my mouth as warm liquid fills the small space under my tongue. Dark blood sputters from my lips as I spit into my hand. I straighten up slowly and look at Toby in horror. It takes a few seconds for my mouth to catch up with my brain.
“My fucking tooth fell out!” I shriek into the night as I hold my blood-covered hand toward him. I carefully run my tongue along my upper row of teeth until I find the empty space of where my tooth was. The gum is soft; the feeling of raw flesh comes to mind and I can taste the blood on my tongue. I carefully touch the tip of my tongue to the same tooth on the other side. It moves from the slight pressure and easily comes loose from the gum. The warm trickle of blood slowly mixes with my saliva. I spit my tooth and a mouthful of blood into my trembling hands, the intense pain easing slightly. Toby watches me; his eyebrows knit together.
“It will be okay,” he sighs.
I stare at him dumbfounded. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.
“It won’t take long now.” He stands with his hands in his jeans pockets, a deep crease furrowed between his brows.
I stand rooted to the spot with blood dripping down my chin, holding my teeth in my blood-soaked hands. “It’s really happening,” I whisper into the darkness.
I wait for the feeling of dread to drop to the pit of my stomach. I wait for the hysterics to bubble up and explode out of me. I wait for the tears to flow freely. I wait for something, anything. All I feel is numbness. The agonizing pain has vanished. The feeling of being is gone.
Bequeathed Page 15
