“Did you enjoy that?” she muses.
“Mhmm.” I nod, a blush spreading to my cheeks.
“Yes, the blood of a young human is always more tantalizing.” Her eyes light up.
I try to hide the look of shock that threatens to show on my face. I swallow and lick my lips as I savor the last of the flavor that lingers. Deep within me, I say a silent prayer in hope that the young human was not harmed when their blood was harvested.
Allegra’s eyes regard me. “Your scent is mixed with something else. Something familiar.”
I open my mouth to speak, but Maria beats me to it. “Yes, Katalina was tricked into having another’s blood when we were in Craco a couple of days ago. I’m hoping this other vampire does not cause us too much bother again.”
I nervously look at Allegra who sits still, deep in thought, her eyes searching mine for truth. “Has this vampire sought you out since? If you have any trouble with them, please seek my assistance if needed.”
“No, they have not made any further contact,” I lie, surprised how easily it slips from my lips.
I sense both Maria and Sophia staring at me and I do my best to ignore them. I do not want to drop Toby in the deep end after he helped me with my transition. I will need to let Maria know this once we leave this place.
“It is only a matter of time,” Allegra sighs. “Your scent, even as a vampire, is alluring to say the least.” She clears her throat.
I fidget in my seat, the awkwardness of her statement getting the better of me.
“Now, Katalina, have you been versed in the rules of my city?”
“To some degree,” I answer. I sit up straight and wait for the onslaught of information.
“You are more than welcome to live in Rome for as long as you like, but you must abide by the rules. The main one being, you cannot under any circumstances turn a human into a vampire. We do not need any feral bloodlings running rampant. The second main rule is that you must keep our kind a secret from the humans. You may not openly display your abilities in public. The hunters’ rules are not to be taken lightly if you value your life. I do not care when and whom you feed on, or even if you kill your prey. The hunters on the other hand do,” Allegra explains.
“I understand these rules.” I nod and look at Maria for assurance.
“We live harmoniously with the hunters here in the city. They leave us to our own devices as long as we don’t break their rules. Or as long as they don’t find out.” Allegra grins and winks at me.
“Okay.” I can’t help but smile in return.
“Wonderful. Now let’s eat.” She nods at the butler standing at the ready in the doorway.
I am relieved when platter after platter of food is placed on the long table and not human after human is ushered in. The food in front of me smells off; I cannot bring myself to eat it. I sit and stare at the smorgasbord trying not to gag. I see Sofia pile her plate with various foods and it makes my stomach turn. I stand abruptly causing the chair to fall backwards and land on its side. All eyes land on me and I swiftly turn the chair upright. “Sorry.” I cringe. “Where is the bathroom?”
Allegra snaps her fingers and one of her butlers hurries to her side. “Show Katalina the restroom please.”
“Follow me.” The suited man shows with his hand.
The restroom is palatial; marble floors and bench tops glow under the crystal chandeliers. I hurry to the basin and splash the icy water over my face, the nausea disappearing instantly. I find myself thinking of my Nonna as I hold my pendant between my fingers. How am I ever going to explain to my family what I have become? The thought sends crippling anxiety straight to the pit of my stomach. Opening the door I expect the butler to be waiting to take me back. I look up and down the hall, but there is no sign of him. As I step to close the door behind me a hand covers mine. I gasp in response, turning to come face to face with Donato.
“Hello.” His smile is wickedly evil.
I swallow before answering. “Hello.”
“I know who you were with,” he breathes.
I try to move out of his grip but have no luck. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I stare down the hall.
“Don’t lie to me.” He runs his hand up my arm.
“I’m not l-lying,” I stutter, stepping away from him now that he has let go of me.
“It would be in your best interest to stay away from him.”
I stare at him, at his audacity to tell me what to do. I don’t respond as I feel it would be pointless. Donato leans his hand against the wall in front of me, blocking me from escaping back to the terrace. His eyes glisten in the light. I notice they are black in color and almond in shape. His dark chocolate-colored hair sticks up in all different directions, shining in the light. My eyes fall to his plump lips, slightly swollen and tinged red smirking at me. My eyes continue to his broad chest and shoulders. He didn’t look this built in the underground earlier today. He clears his throat and my eyes meet his once again.
He grins at me. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Katalina.” My name purrs off his tongue.
“I have to go back.” I duck under his arm and head back down the hallway. He follows me. I reach the terrace where Maria, Allegra, and Sofia all watch us as we approach the table.
“I see you found Katalina,” Allegra announces.
“Yes. I bumped into her down the hall.” He winks at me. “Hello Maria, Sofia.” He nods in their direction.
“Donato,” Maria replies, her eyes staying on me.
“Hello.” Sofia’s soft voice echoes through the room.
I make my way to my seat and sense Donato’s eyes on my every movement. I look up at him. He is watching me and smiles before turning his attention to Allegra. Sofia elbows me in the ribs and I simply shrug in response.
“Katalina is remaining in Rome for the unforeseeable future. Ensure the guards know this,” Allegra talks directly to Donato.
“Si.” Donato nods. “How refreshing to finally have a new face in the city. We don’t come across many new vampires in Rome; mother forbids ferals from entering.”
“For good reason, my son. Although I do make an exception when warranted.” She smiles warmly. “Besides, Katalina does not show any signs of being a new vampire. She seems more poised and controlled.”
“What do new vampires act like?” I ask genuinely curious.
“They are unable to control their hunger and rip apart any human that comes near them. They do not care if they kill, they do not hide their abilities very well, and they tear through the city like the ferals they are,” Allegra voices with disgust. “Just over a century ago the city was plagued with bloodlings. The guards had a tough time ridding the city of them. It is not an experience I would like repeated.”
“It remains in my mind like it was yesterday,” Maria speaks quietly. “I thought our beautiful city would never recover.”
“As did I. I am thankful there has been peace in the city since, and I hope it stays that way,” Allegra agrees.
“It will. I have no doubts. Our guards are well equipped to handle another outbreak,” Donato adds.
“Thank you for your hospitality tonight, Allegra. Thank you for allowing Katalina to remain in Rome.” Maria stands to leave.
“My pleasure. Let’s not leave our next gathering for so long. Donato, see our guests out please.”
Sofia and I stand in unison and quickly follow Maria toward the front door. I feel a gentle hand on my arm, and I turn to see it belongs to Donato. He pulls me back so that I am a few steps behind and presses a folded piece of paper into my hand. His enigmatic smile lights up his beautiful face. I look at him, bewildered.
“It was a pleasure meeting you. Until next time.” He smiles at me as I step through the door.
The car pulls up and we swiftly leave through the front gates. I keep my fingers clenched around the paper in my hand, too afraid to look at what it may be.
“Something was amiss with both Allegra a
nd Donato tonight. Don’t you think?” Sofia breaks the silence.
“I very much doubt it had anything to do with us—more likely something to do with their family,” Maria answers contemplatively.
I avert my eyes to the darkness outside my window. “You should see that bathroom; it’s fit for a king,” I change the subject.
“That whole place is fit for royalty. I would love to roam around and explore all their secret rooms.” Sofia snickers.
“I wonder if they keep prisoners?” I add.
“Maybe they have werewolves too.” Sofia laughs.
“Are werewolves real?” I ask, alarmed.
“No, sweetheart. They’re just in the movies,” Maria chuckles.
“That’s good to know.” I lean back against the headrest. We sit in silence for the rest of the drive. Soft music fills the cab of the car and I close my eyes but am distracted by the folded paper as it presses into my hand.
“I will drop you girls off out front. I have somewhere to be,” Maria says.
The piazza is packed to the brim with people. I shove the folded paper into my pocket as we meander through the crowd. A hint of mouthwatering vanilla floats around me. The closer a human, the longer their smell lingers, making it impossible to ignore the deep ache in the pit of my stomach. “Please can we hurry upstairs? I can’t control it much longer.” I grit my teeth.
“Shit,” Sofia hisses.
I hold my breath the whole way trying to concentrate on my footing. My heart rate beats in my ears and I look at each person we pass with hungry eyes. We burst through the front door, Sofia closing it behind me securing it shut. I let out my breath in one big gush. “Does this get easier?” I breathe. My heart rate thumps in my chest.“Yes and no.”
“Not what I wanted to hear.” I shake my head.
“Come on.” Sofia pulls at my hand and drags me up the stairs.
I head straight for the fridge that houses the blood bags. I suck one dry within seconds of it hitting my lips, my breathing spiking and my canines elongating. I cannot control the need for more. I rip into another blood bag and then another before Sofia finds me. I have blood dripping down my chin and I am licking the remnants off my fingers. I look at her in anguished horror. “What has happened to me?”
“It’s completely normal.” Sofia comforts me as she pries the blood bag from my fingers and throws it on the floor. “Do you need another one?”
“Yes. I think so?” I breathe heavily.
Sofia pierces a straw through a fresh bag and hands it to me. I suck on it until the bag folds in on itself. I hand it back to her and wait for it to satiate my thirst, but it only takes the edge off.
“Another?” She smiles at me.
I nod in response and watch her as she pierces another bag and hands it to me. This time I drink the cool liquid slowly through the straw like a civilized being.
“I should be okay. For now.” I slurp the last of the blood out of the bag and throw it on the floor with the other empty bags. Ashamed of the way I reacted, I try to wipe the remnants off my face and hands but only manage to smear it everywhere. I look down at my bloodstained hands; it’s as though I am looking at the hands of a stranger.
“You will go through the motions slowly.” Sofia’s comforting voice disrupts my thoughts.
“What do you mean?”
“At first you will be horrified, in shock as to what you have become, which I am certain you are feeling right at this moment. Then come the feelings of anguish as you try to fight the urge to feed. The need for blood will take over these feelings. It is only then you will find relief. While you feed you will feel euphoria; afterwards you will feel guilt. These feelings of guilt will disappear eventually, and you will have no feelings or reactions toward the human you are taking from,” Sofia explains.
I don’t have anything to say in response. I look down at the mess I have made. “I think I might go have a shower and wash all this off.”
“I’ll clean all this up. Come and see me before you go to sleep please.” A worry line forms between her eyebrows.
I turn on my heels and concentrate on walking normally back to my room. I drop my jeans on the bathroom floor and the note from Donato falls out. I stare at it, willing it to go away. It sits there taunting me.
Sofia sits at the kitchen bench, her laptop open. I make myself a strong coffee and stand opposite her leaning against the bench. My phone pings alerting me to a new message; we both look at it.
“Are you going to check who it is?” Sofia asks.
I slide the phone toward me. I eye it cautiously and take a long sip of my coffee.
“You will have to face everyone eventually, you know.”
“I know.”
“At least scroll through and see who messaged you. How long since you last spoke to your family?” Sofia looks up from her laptop.
“I honestly have no idea. The past couple of days seem to have melded together. I’m not sure when one ended and the next one started.”
“Family is everything. Before long they will all be gone.”
“That’s a bit morbid.” I screw up my face.
“It’s true. Make the most of having them around while you can.” She doesn’t look up from her laptop.
The heaviness of her words cut to my core. I miss my family, but I don’t need them seeing me this way. I look at my home screen and see that I have five unread messages and only a few missed calls.
“If you need anything at any time, please come and get me. I know firsthand of how hard all this is. Promise you will come to me for help.” Sofia’s gentle voice interrupts me.
“I promise, and thanks.” I smile at her. I grab my phone and coffee and head to my room.
The light from the church catches my attention. The mysterious figure in the window has returned. I stand staring at them for a few moments, trying to work out who it is, but before I manage to get a better angle, the light goes out. I sigh as I crawl onto my bed where the note from Donato sits on my pillow. I ignore it, grabbing my phone and scrolling to the first message from Dominic. My heart flutters as I click it open.
“Sweet dreams, beautiful.”
It was just after I got home last night. I scroll to the next one.
“I’m near your place on my morning run. Text me if you’re awake. I want to make sure you’re okay after all that happened.”
I check the time it was sent and realize I was under the city, most likely being stalked by him and the other hunters. My heart fills with anguish. How am I supposed to see him again? How is this ever going to be okay? I groan into the pillow out of frustration. I click on the next text from him.
“I hope last night hasn’t changed anything. Hasn’t changed us.”
Everything has changed. My whole life has turned on its axis. I want to scream at the top of my lungs. The thought that he must think I was ignoring his texts and not replying because of what I learnt about him makes my heart hurt. I scroll to the next two messages, but neither one is from him. I decide to reply to him.
“Hey, sorry about the late reply. I had a few things going on. What are you up to?” I try to keep my text as normal as possible.
I check the other two texts and see they’re from Toby. “Did you see Donato? I need to know if he said anything about me.”
I quickly reply. “All he said was he knew who I was with.”
I stare at my phone, confused by Toby’s concern about Donato. My ears prick at the distant sound of laughter and muffled voices. I concentrate my hearing on the voices, but I cannot make out what they are saying. I leap to my window and must brace myself from the swift movement. Leaning out the window my curiosity gets the better of me and I strain to hear. Frustrated from not tuning into the chatter, I spin and return to the bed only to spot the damn note sitting there like an unwanted visitor. I snatch it up from the pillow, tempted to tear it to pieces, when my phone pings at me, the shrill noise tweaking my ears.
“Can I see you? Tonight?” The
text is from Dominic.
I sigh as I fall onto the bed, my back against the mattress.
“I can’t tonight,” I reply.
I hear Sofia’s soft footsteps pad down the hall and come to a stop at my door.
“Come in.” I smile.
“It’s amazing all the trivial things you can hear.” She climbs onto the bed.
“It’s distracting. How do you put up with it every day? It’s like having the television on constantly, only it’s in my head,” I try to explain.
“You learn to block it out.” Sofia’s eyes land on the folded paper. “What’s this?”
“I don’t know yet.” I tap my fingers on the note before picking it up and turning it around between my fingers.
“Who is it from?”
“Donato.”
“What?” Her eyes bulge.
“He slipped it to me as we were leaving. I don’t think I want to know what is written in it,” I confess.
“I’ll read it.” Sofia snatches it out of my hand before I have a chance to realize what she is doing.
“No, don’t,” I squeak.
“Why not?”
“Just do it then.” I exhale and close my eyes. I hear her unfold the note; every turn of the paper crackles in my ears. I open one eye and see Sofia’s grin. “What does it say?”
“It has a time and place, that’s it.” She holds up the paper to show me.
I take it from her hand and stare at it for longer than needed. “What is it supposed to mean?”
“I think he wants to meet you.”
“Why?” The shock in my voice vibrates through my lips.
“I don’t know but you should meet with him seeing as he is the ruling vampire’s son.” Sofia’s eyes avert to the window.
“Do you think he meant tonight? What’s the time?” Anxiety seeps out of me.
“It’s just past eleven. You have half an hour—plenty of time.”
“Where is this place? You must come with me, Sofia. Please?” I plead.
“Of course I’m going with you. Maria would never forgive me if I let you roam the streets by yourself at night.”
Bequeathed Page 19
