It took every bit of control she had to keep from crying out in relief when she saw Aris come through the revolving door. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and she began to relax a little. “It will be alright. Everything will be alright. I am here now. You are safe. You will always be safe with me, Sarah.” He stroked her hair as she rested her cheek against his strong chest. “You are fine. No one is going to harm you, I will see to that.” He kissed the top of her head then settled her back into the over-stuffed chair. “Stay here. I’m going to talk to the guard.” He approached the man behind the security desk.
“You saw no one this evening?”
“No, sir. No one even came into the building after Miss Hagan. It’s been like a tomb here all night. I called my supervisor to get a release to go through the security tapes and to send someone over to go through her apartment. I’m waiting for him to call me back right now.”
“You needn’t send for anyone else. I am going to her apartment now. Please watch her until I return.”
“Glad to, sir. We all really like Miss Hagan around here. I don’t know what’s going on, but we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
“Thank you.” He returned to Sarah. Bending down, he spoke softly. “Are you feeling better?”
“A little.”
“Please, may I have your keys?”
Panic lit her eyes. “Where are you going?”
“To your apartment.”
“What if they’re still there?”
He tapped his chest lightly as he smiled. “Invincible, remember?”
“I hope so.” Her hand trembled as she relinquished her keys.
It was as if she was physically pushing the hands of the clock on the wall, forcing the minutes to tick by. At last the elevator door opened and Aris stepped out. He hurried to her side. “There is no one there and no sign of any forced entry. Sarah, who has a key to your apartment?”
“Colleen and Maggie both do.”
“Let’s go upstairs. I’ll stay with you tonight. We’ll tuck you into bed and check with your friends tomorrow. Maybe one of them left you the rose as a joke and you didn’t notice it before.” She stood, taking his hand. “I’ll be with you. Nothing can happen to you as long as I’m there. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes. I trust you with my life.” And she meant it.
#
When at last sleep found her, it was fitful. Her chaotic dreams were fragmented and frightening, leaving her with a semi-conscious feeling of being somehow threatened. Each time she called out, he was there, stroking her hair, speaking soft reassuring words to her. As the first light of dawn stole through the window she sat up. “Aris?”
“Right here.” He sat beside her in the chair by her bed. “Always right here whenever you need me.” He moved closer to her, fluffing her pillow and laying her back into it. He covered her to her chin with her soft blanket. “Relax. I’ll make you a cup of coffee. Just close your eyes. I’m right here.”
Familiar noises of coffee brewing came to her from the kitchen. When he returned, a wonderful aroma filled the bedroom from the steaming cup. Placing it next to her on the table, he sat close, taking her hand in his.
“It’s too early to call your friends. Enjoy your coffee; take a shower. You will feel much better after washing off the fright of last night. See?” He pointed toward the window. “The sun is going to be bright today.” He was silent a moment before he spoke. “Things always seem better in the light of day.”
#
He sat quietly, waiting until he heard the water in the shower running. When he was sure she wouldn’t come out of the bathroom, he stood, crossing to the spot below the window that had caught his attention. There, just below the sill, was a dark smudge. It appeared to be from the heel of a shoe. He knew Sarah would never let a dirty mark remain on the wall. “Where did this come from? When? And most of all, who or what left it there?”
#
In the daylight, Sarah was able to deal with the phantom florist with a lot less fear. There had to be some logical explanation for the rose. Neither of her friends had any idea where it came from, but Colleen insisted Sarah stay with her and Bob until they could investigate. At first they thought it might be one of Manu’s gang members, however Bob did a thorough check and none of them had been around for months. It appeared they had all returned to Mexico. The security tapes showed nothing. No one entered or left the building who didn’t belong there. In complete denial, Sarah refused to think about it further and in spite of her friends cautioning her, she returned home. She waited for the holidays all year and she wanted to put the whole mystery behind her and simply “deck the halls.”
Aris didn’t write it off quite so easily. He watched over her from the roof of an adjoining building every night without telling her. He wasn’t sure exactly what was going on, but there was only one kind of being he knew that could climb a wall. He didn’t want whatever it was alone with Sarah. Sarah alerted the security staff to be extra wary; she made arrangements so that Aris could enter without them checking with her first. Somehow, she was able to put it all out of her mind in a frenzy of holiday spirit. Besides, she had someone with “super powers” watching out for her. She knew he would never let anything hurt her and she couldn’t imagine anything that could ever hurt him. Her imagination wasn’t broad enough.
CHAPTER 15
The fire in Sarah’s fireplace burned brightly; the flames leaped and bowed, adding to the colorful glow of the tiny lights that decorated the Christmas tree. They sat on the sofa enjoying a comfortable evening together. Sarah sipped from a glass of merlot she held in her hand, an untouched glass of wine sat on the coffee table in front of Aris. He could sip it if he wanted to but, at the moment, he had no need or any desire for either food or drink. He partook from time to time in social settings. Otherwise it was rather like breathing, a possibility rather than a necessity.
It had been difficult at first to understand that most of the legends about vampires that had been passed through the centuries were false. Fables. Vampires could walk out during the daylight. Sunshine didn’t burn them. Crosses didn’t frighten them. They reflected in mirrors the same as anyone else. Garlic didn’t bother them. They didn’t need to sleep in a coffin or out of one. They simply didn’t need to sleep. But they could. They could do all the things that human beings could do. Eat. Drink. Sleep. Breathe. If they chose, they could live in a human society without anyone ever knowing they were Immortal. Sarah had begun watching people on the street and wondering if they, too, were Immortals like Aris.
He had just finished telling her a story about a Christmas he had spent in the Tudor court with Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Sarah was mesmerized. She was always enthralled by his stories. Those stories were what had drawn her to him the first time he appeared during a session with Carlos.
Aris’ tale that she was his beloved from a past century had been difficult for her to accept, yet through her sessions with Bonnie, it became more and more a possibility her mind could not deny. If she honestly believed her own theory of past life regression, it was most definitely more than a possibility. She knew Aris believed it without any doubts.
“Sarah?” He leaned toward her. “Where were you just now?”
The sincere questioning look on his face caused her to laugh as she reached to pat his hand. He turned his wrist to interlace her fingers with his. The heat from his hand warmed her. His eyes locked on hers and she could see little reflections of the dancing firelight in the black circles of the iris. Sarah felt his other worldliness, the inherent seduction in the gaze of an Immortal.
Moving even closer, he kissed her tenderly. His lips barely brushed hers. They were softer than she remembered. He rested his full mouth on hers and the feel of his breath, a breath he breathed just for her, was warm and sweet on her skin. She hungered for more of him and without thinking she reached to wrap her arms around his neck.
His hands grasped her wrists with the greatest of care as he s
topped her from holding him. He placed her hands in her lap and kissed her sweetly on the forehead. “Don’t get up. I’ll show myself out.” He looked down at her in the glow of the firelight. “You are so beautiful.” He slid into his jacket as he walked to the door. She heard a soft click as he closed it behind him.
Sarah drew her legs close to her chest, wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on her knees. She was silent a moment then spoke softly to no one except herself. “Absolutely. No doubt about it. My feelings for him are getting out of hand. Where can this possibly go?”
She leaned back on the sofa and thought of the two men in her life. When DeMarco left the country she thought she would get over him, but he had already been gone a few weeks and she still felt heat when she remembered his kisses. His attention to her was so much more demanding than Aris. Of course, she and DeMarco could actually have a sexual relationship --something she could never have with Aris while she was human. Her decision was made long ago, she would never give up her human life to become an Immortal. So a sexual relationship with the vampire was impossible. Her dreams had made her aware that she wanted and needed to be intimate. It had been way too long since she had felt more than a dream man in her bed.
CHAPTER 16
The children’s furniture store was exploding with plastic elves, reindeer and an enormous red and white Santa Claus ho, ho, ho-ing and moving its arms up and down. Sarah supposed the decorations were to make the shoppers feel festive enough not to mind spending more on an infant’s crib than on their own beds.
“So,” Colleen questioned, “are you ready to finally admit what I’ve known all along?”
Sarah held a tiny pair of jeans to show them to her friend. “How about these? They’re as unisex as you can get.” The prospective mother and father chose not to know the sex of their unborn child so all of the tiny clothes they bought would fit both boys and girls.
“Sarah, answer my question. What’s up with Carlos? Even Bob said it’s obvious you two are nuts about each other.”
“C.” Sarah lifted her palm toward her friend in an attempt to quiet her inquiring mind.
“Don’t do that to me Sarah. It’s clearly apparent. Why can’t you just admit that you care about him? And don’t give me that age crap. I don’t buy it.”
Sarah paused, keeping her thoughts to herself. “If you knew the real age difference, you most certainly wouldn’t buy it.”
When she spoke, it was the truth. “I honestly don’t know what is going on between us. You keep asking me and I keep telling you, I have no idea where it’s going. The only thing I’m sure of is that we really enjoy spending time together.”
“What in the world do the two of you talk about?”
Sarah laid the little pair of jeans on the counter as she thought, “If you only knew C. If you only knew.” But there was no way to explain Aris’ true nature to her friend.
Colleen guided the shopping cart as the two women moved toward the checkout counter. “So?”
“We talk about all kinds of things. What do you and Bob talk about?”
Colleen laughed. “For the past couple of months, nothing but little Eggbert in here.” She patted her round stomach. “What about the Italian doctor? Is he still in Italy?”
“Yeah.”
“When is he coming back?”
“After the New Year.” They crossed the store in silence.
“Is that all you’ve got to say? ‘After the New Year?’ I’d like a little more info if you don’t mind.”
Sarah sighed. “There isn’t any more info, C. He calls. We chat. He’s coming back to the states. We’ll see each other again. That’s all. We’re just friends.”
“Hon, as a good looking woman who is in the prime of her life, it’s time for you to find a man who is just a little bit more than a friend, don’t you think? You better use what you’ve got before nobody wants it anymore. If you know what I mean.”
Sarah shook her head and laughed at her friend’s words as they got in line, but she knew that Colleen was more right than she cared to admit.
#
Sarah placed her keys and purse on the small table by the door. She removed her coat then sifted through the day’s mail. A few bills, some advertisements and some holiday cards. She opened an envelope that she knew was from Colleen and Bob. It was a wonderful photograph of the two of them in Santa Claus hats and fake, cottony white beards. Sarah laughed out loud at the silly looks on their faces.
The next card she picked up had a strange looking stamp on it. She noticed it was international mail and her heart skipped a beat. It was from DeMarco. With him so far away, it had been relatively easy to keep him out of her mind, to pretend her feelings for him were just a fantasy, to concentrate on Aris. Yet, now that she held a message from him in her hand, read his greeting written in his own handwriting, he was once again very real to her. Suddenly she missed him. Missed their conversation, the gray on his temples, the way he held her hands in his. Knowing he would return excited her. “No, I won’t go there. I’ll think about him later. After the holidays. Now, I’ll just focus on Aris and our strange friendship.”
She slid the card back into the envelope and placed it at the bottom of the stack of mail.
CHAPTER 17
The hour’s drive from the city to her mother’s home in the northwest suburbs was uneventful. A light snow fell as they left her parking garage, but by the time they reached their destination the flurries had stopped completely.
The outside of the house and all the trees in the yard were decorated with twinkling white lights. It was still late afternoon but the gray cloudy sky created the perfect contrast as they blinked on and off. Aris carried a stack of colorfully wrapped packages as they hurried up the walk. Sarah slid her hand under his arm when she nearly slipped on a hidden piece of ice on the sidewalk.
As they stepped onto the porch, the door opened in welcome. The smells of Christmas dinner cooking and the warmth of the house enveloped them. “Merry Christmas.” Sarah’s mother drew them out of the cold into the entrance hall. She hugged and kissed her daughter. “I’m so glad you could join us, Carlos.” She took the packages from him, placed them on a nearby table and shook his hand. “It’s good to see you again. Please, come in.”
The dinner was intimate. An old friend of the family and a couple that lived down the block were the only guests other than Aris. They laughed and joked as they sat around the dining room table after dinner, enjoying the conversation and each other’s company.
“John has a gallery, Carlos.” Delores Hagan patted John Marshal’s hand as it rested on the table. “Sarah mentioned that you sketch and you are quite good at it. Perhaps you might show some of your work to John.”
“Why, yes. I’m always looking for new artists to showcase.” At middle age, the gallery owner was tall, handsome and had a head full of thick gray hair. “Stop by and see me and bring some of your work.” He reached into his suit pocket, withdrew a business card and handed it across the table to Aris. “We’re having a winter finale at the gallery. I can’t promise, but let’s see if you have anything we might display.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you.” He tucked the card in his shirt pocket. “I’ll telephone you this week to set an appointment.”
As he spoke, Sarah’s grandmother brought in a flaming Christmas pudding. “Dessert anyone?”
#
“He really is a lovely young man, Sarah. It’s hard to believe he’s a criminal. But don’t you think he’s a bit young for you?” Sarah and her mother rinsed the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher.
“First of all, he isn’t a criminal. He made some mistakes when he was younger but that is all behind him now. And the age difference? I hadn’t thought about it,” she lied. “Besides, we’re just friends. That’s all.”
“I find that hard to believe. I saw how he looks at you.” Mrs. Hagan added the dishwashing liquid, shut the door of the appliance, and pushed a button to turn it on. “An
d how you look at him. I’m not making any judgments, Sarah. I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
The sound of a piano echoed from the living room as Sarah’s grandmother played Christmas carols. Soon voices were singing about decking the halls.
“Don’t worry, Mother. I’m not going to get hurt.” She dried her hands. “Come on, let’s go sing with them.” She took her mother’s hand to lead her out of the kitchen as the dishwasher hummed along with the song.
#
“You spoke of my sketches to your mother?” He drove through the falling snow. The wipers made a steady clicking sound as they erased the tiny wet marks made by the flakes as they landed on the windshield. The heat of the defroster warmed the glass and the flurries melted instantly as they touched it.
“Well, yes.” Sarah was a little embarrassed and she wasn’t sure why. “I told her about them before. I guess she remembered.” She turned to look at him. His handsome profile was outlined by the lights of the oncoming cars. “You can still draw, can’t you?”
“Of course. It was my influence that inspired the sketches Carlos created. It is a natural talent I inherited from my human mother. She was quite the artist and I watched several other well-known painters through the years.” He grew silent as he reflected on his human life with his human family so many, many centuries past. Christmas carols played softly on the radio. Sarah hummed along.
Aris remembered his vampire life at the court of Henry VIII. His sketches had been prized by Anne Boleyn. After his trial in the Catacombs, his vampire home, the death of his human body and the banishment of his essence, during the years he floated though time and space as consciousness only, he witnessed many of the great masters as they created some of the most treasured paintings in the world. He watched and he learned. Monet. Da Vinci. Picasso. So many great artists. His present artwork was a combination of so many of the masters’ talents.
Aris Rising: The Court of Vampires: AN INFINITY DIARIES NOVEL Page 7
