“I’m in the lobby of the building. Tom is here with me.”
“Stay right there. I’m on my way. I’ll get in touch with Richard and Gabriela to meet me there as soon as possible. Are you feeling a bit more settled?”
“Yes.”
“Make sure Tom doesn’t leave your sight and I’ll be right there. If you need me, call my cell phone. You will be able to reach me any time you need to.”
“Okay.”
“Sarah, we will not let anything happen to you. You are safe.”
“I know. I’m just sick to death of all this scary movie crap.” She fought back angry tears.
“Hold on, I will see you very soon. Do not leave the lobby.”
“I won’t. Bye.”
She watched the digital clock on the wall tick the seconds away. In record time, he hurried through the door. “I’m not leaving you alone again. Richard and Gabriela are on their way.” He lifted her chin and it trembled in his hand. “What happened?”
She glanced at Tom who had busied himself with a stack of papers on his desk, ignoring the couple as best he could.
“Well, I came home from work and noticed the light on in my bedroom. I thought I had turned it off when I left for work this morning. I went into the bedroom and there was something on my pillow. I could see from across the room it was a gnarled bramble from some sort of thorn tree. Aris, the thorns were coated in something that looks like dried blood.” Her voice was hoarse and deep as she fought a new wave of tears.
“I am here now. Just let it all go. Cry if you need to, I am here.”
Composing herself, she continued. “No, I’m feeling better. I ran out of the apartment and came to the lobby. Then I remembered. A while ago there was a bramble on my desk at the office. I thought Maggie had left it there as some sort of joke. I got busy and forgot it and never mentioned it to her, but now I know it wasn’t Maggie. She can’t climb the outside of a building.”
The sound of the revolving door caught their attention as Richard and Gabriela entered the lobby.
Aris told them of the re-emergence of the intruder. Gabriela sat with Sarah while he and Richard searched her apartment. There was no sign of anyone having been there except for the bramble. Richard stayed upstairs while Aris returned to the lobby to gather the women. Richard broke the bramble into small pieces. Taking the liner from the bathroom garbage can, he wrapped the broken branch securely so Sarah didn’t have to look at it again. She was right; the thorns were covered with blood.
When they were all settled in the living room and she was reasonably calm, Aris questioned her about the first appearance on her desk.
“I honestly don’t remember when it happened. It seemed so insignificant at the time, I just forgot it. What can all this mean?”
“I honestly have no idea, Sarah, but I plan to find out. Gabriela, will you stay with Sarah again until this is settled once and for all?”
“Of course I will. She will not leave my sight.”
“Richard, will you telephone Sebastian? We need to know where De Flores is and what is going on in his coven.”
“Yes, I will do that now.” He stepped onto the balcony to speak in private. His concern was for Sarah. Whatever the outcome of his conversation, he wanted to make sure she wasn’t further upset.
“Lie down. I will brew some tea.” Gabriela stood, moving to the kitchen as she spoke.
Sarah began to shake as the shock of the experience began to wear off. She fought an hysterical laugh. Only she would feel safe in a house full of blood drinking vampires, more safe than she ever felt before in her life. She curled against Aris. Closing her eyes and feeling the warmth of him against her, she fell into a healing sleep.
#
She slowly woke to the sounds of soft voices. Her face was pressed against Aris’ chest as he held her, cradled in his arms. Her slight movement caught his attention. He kissed her forehead tenderly. “Are you feeling better?”
“Yes. Did I sleep very long?”
“A few hours,” Richard spoke from across the room.
“What’s going on?” She sat up, stretching her arms over her head, stiff from sleeping on the couch. “Did you speak with Sebastian?”
“I did. It seems De Flores has just taken his consort as wife and the coven now has a Queen. They traveled in Europe. Some days in France, some in Portugal, a few in Switzerland. It seems they were visiting covens of their own kind, rallying them around the new self-proclaimed royal couple. Queen Mariska returned to Spain, but the spies lost sight of De Flores.”
“The only reason they made contact with the other wild ones could be war.” Aris rose and paced the floor. “These creatures do not socialize even among their own covens. They are isolated, untrusting of each other. To create a kingdom of these primitive killers would be impossible.”
“I am not sure that is so, Aris.” Even with the strain of the evening, Gabriela’s voice was gentle, melodious. “I believe they understand there is strength in numbers despite their savage minds. When there are more than just a few, there must be a leader. None of them has ever attempted to lead until now as far as we know. This De Flores seems powerful. He has proven himself by leaving his own country and traveling across the sea. Perhaps that was his reason for seeking Sarah. She may have just been a random choice, a challenge. That we may never know. However, the fact remains that they now have a King and Queen. They have a community with a leader who is thinking, reasoning. That is very dangerous not only for the Catacombs, but for humanity. These are brutish butchers; their new Queen the most ruthless of them all.”
“Why do you say that?” Sarah reached for Aris’ hand without forethought. He sat beside her.
“The spies say she is evil incarnate.” Richard’s words were matter-of-fact, without emotion. “Sebastian searched the Diaries for both De Flores and Mariska. There was little to be found. It seems they both traveled from England sometime in the sixteenth century, but separately. De Flores arrived in Spain first. She followed close behind. They were both changed by the same coven that created Gabriela and me. For centuries they lived apart without any acknowledgement of one another. We do not know if they were acquainted in England but it appears not. She seemed to search for something, yet to this day no one knows what that was. Some treasure without price it seems. De Flores lived as a hermit, with the coven yet separately. Then he fled to England. There he joined the Catacombs. From there you know the story.”
“Yes,” Sarah’s tone was muted as she remembered.
“He journeyed to the United States, but returned quickly to Spain. He took Mariska for his consort and recently for his Queen. And now, they look to make an alliance of all the evil vampires in Europe. Whatever their reason, it is for no good.”
“But what can I possibly have to do with it all?”
“We do not know, Sarah. The Diaries have no mention of you being involved with these wretches, but the Diaries are not yet complete. The full story is a mystery to us now but one we will solve.” Richard paced as he spoke.
“In the meantime, my love, Gabriela will stay with you once again. We will watch you every moment until we have answers. That I promise you.”
Richard wrapped his arm around Gabriela’s shoulder. “We are here to protect you, to keep you safe. You will not come to harm under the wing of the Immortals.”
“I am so grateful, but I just don’t understand why you would do this for a human.”
“Human or Immortal, you are the soul-mate of our brother. Gabriela moved to stand by the woman’s side. “Besides,” she laughed. “You are the only human to know what we are and still want to be friends. You are a rare bird to be sure.”
“It’s easy to be your friend.”
Gaby sat next to Sarah as she spoke. “It seems whoever the intruder is, they do not want to harm you, Sarah, or they would have already. They simply want to frighten you.”
“Well, they’ve done a damn good job.”
“We will not rest until
we solve this puzzle.” She turned to her mate, “Richard, what will we tell Sarah’s friends is the reason I have not left for England? They expected me to travel.”
Sarah smiled her first of the evening. “I have it. We’ll tell them you really like living in America and want to stay here to work for a year. I’ll tell them I’m sponsoring you for a work permit and you’ll work part time in the office. It all makes sense and they all know how much I like having you here.”
“A wonderful idea. Now Aris will stay with you while we return to the hotel to gather my things. I will live here with you until we have found the answers we seek.”
Aris drew her into the crook of his arm once again and before the couple had left her apartment, she fell back to sleep.
CHAPTER 38
Sarah settled into what her friends called her “Scarlett O’Hara Syndrome” and refused to dwell on her fear. She enjoyed having Gabriela living with her once more. She felt safe and cared for.
They held to their story of the beautiful Immortal wanting to work in the states for a year and being Sarah’s roommate. The two women settled into a routine that seemed satisfying to both of them. Whenever Gabriela and Richard went to “dinner” Aris stayed with Sarah. They made sure she was never left completely alone yet somehow she never felt her personal space was being violated.
Sarah’s friends accepted Gabriela as Carlos’ cousin. Her good humor and obvious care for Sarah made her a welcome companion whenever she chose to join in for group activities. Richard wasn’t a part of the equation because Maggie had met him as a policeman and a short term visitor to Chicago. It seemed so long ago when he had come into her office in the guise of a detective looking for a criminal. She had no idea he was a vampire until she mentioned his name to Aris and he told her. So much had happened since that day. Richard and Gabriela were in her life. The close friendship that had developed between them. A new depth in her relationship with Aris. Sarah marveled at her double existence and the ease with which she lived it. She had always worked to simplify her life, yet somehow the complexity of her strange new world was not only comfortable, but welcome.
In the days that followed the bramble incident, Richard continued to communicate with Sebastian for news about the Spanish coven. As it grew in numbers, the Council of the Catacombs became more unsettled. Their spies weren’t able to ascertain the true reason for De Flores’ recruitment of new members, yet it was apparent to those who knew the facts, he was developing an army for his kingdom.
One evening as the four friends sat on Sarah’s balcony enjoying the balmy evening air, Richard announced his intention to return to London for a few days. “I want to look at the Diaries myself. Perhaps I will find a link that has passed the eyes of the others. According to Sebastian, the Spanish coven is now almost as large as the Catacombs and they are making and stockpiling personal weapons as well as a weapon of mass destruction.”
“Weapons?” Aris leaned closer. “They need neither weapons nor an army to kill humans. It is obvious they plan to battle the Immortals.”
“That is why I feel so strongly about returning to England.”
“Does he know any reason why they would attack us? We are peaceful and they know that.”
“He does not know their true motive. We wonder if it does not have something to do with the Infinity Diaries. To possess them would put great power in the hands of the unscrupulous. Once De Flores learned of their existence, he began to band his people together. Sebastian is positive the two events are linked. We are told the royal pair are driven by their hunger for power. The spies have not yet been able to breach the inner circle of their government, however, they tell us there is now some sort of Council that sits with the King and Queen. Even with a governing body, the coven remains wild, without law or order. As more of them join the coven, there is greater unrest among them. They are uncivilized and unsocialized. They think nothing of murdering each other and there are no consequences for anything that they do.
“The Council fears their blatant killing will bring attention to our kind. While they live in the mountains and hunt away from the cities, they are relatively safe from discovery but as their numbers grow, they will be forced to hunt where prey is more plentiful.”
Aris stood and gazed over the railing of the balcony deep in thought. When he spoke his voice was soft, obviously concerned. “If these weapons are to be used against the Catacombs, we are defenseless. We are a peaceful breed. We have never, in all the millennia our society has been in existence, known war.”
Richard responded. “What you say is true. This is yet another reason I must return to London. I must meet with the Council to discuss the possibility of eventual attack. Sebastian says at this point they will not even consider the idea of an army. It is against all that we stand for. They must be made to understand these creatures are without rational minds, without conscience. I hope, because I was changed by them and lived with them, the Council will listen to me.”
Aris placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Then go, but come back as quickly as you can. We wait for your return.”
CHAPTER 39
The late afternoon sunshine illuminated one of Aris’ paintings as it sat, showcased in the gallery window. Sarah squeezed his arm as they entered the door. His work filled the walls of the main gallery, which was already full of people milling about, sipping wine and discussing Aris’ art.
John Marshall approached the couple, a huge smile on his face, his right hand extended toward Aris. “Great to see you both.” He kissed Sarah’s cheek softly.
“You too. Wow! I didn’t expect such a turnout.” Aris grinned as he spoke.
“Once we publicized your shady past, your work took on a whole new dimension.” The gray-haired man laughed. “Come, let me introduce you to some of the collectors who have a real interest in your ability. I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback and I honestly think you’re going to do very well with this collection.”
He led them from group to group gathered around the various paintings hanging on the walls. All were of distant lands and times past and all had the haunting techniques of old masters. Sarah smiled as she watched the ladies. They marveled at the work, but seemed even more enthralled by the artist.
Aris was his usual handsome self with just a little bit of added old world charm. Sarah stood back a bit to watch him work his magic. It appeared she was not alone in being made breathless by his magnetism.
#
Sarah spotted Bob and Colleen soon after they entered the gallery. Bob carried the baby in his arms. “What a beautiful family,” she thought.
“Hey, this is quite a turnout.” Bob’s eyes searched the crowd. “Where’s Carlos?”
Sarah kissed her friends on the cheek and the baby on the forehead before she answered. “He’s doing an interview with the journalist from Impressionism Today. She seems really taken with his story.”
“John Marshall had a great idea to bring his gang-banger-turns-artist past into the promotion. It makes Carlos even more intriguing.” Colleen took hold of the baby as Bob guided them to the refreshments laid out in another room. “Man, this is really remarkable. Where’d all these people come from?” He filled a plate with cheese and crackers and offered the women something to drink. They both refused so he poured himself a small glass of wine.
They moved from painting to painting, listening to the patrons talk about the work. “Everyone seems to really like it.” There was pride in Sarah’s voice as she spoke. Bob and Colleen looked at each other with a knowing smile. It had been obvious for some time that their friends were in love and they were glad to see it was something they no longer held as a secret.
“Even I can see it’s great and I don’t know anything about art.” Bob leaned closer to read the small slip of paper under one of the paintings. “Whoa. There are some pretty steep prices going on here.”
“Yes, John felt they are really worth it. Besides this crowd wouldn’t be nearly as receptive if th
e prices were lower.” Sarah turned to Colleen. “Here, let me take the baby for a while. You two go look around. I’ll just hang out here and eavesdrop.” She changed her handbag to her left shoulder then nestled the baby into the crook of her right arm. The little girl looked like a miniature of Colleen with her dark spiky hair and long black lashes.
“If she wakes up, come get me. It’s almost her feeding time.” Colleen linked arms with Bob as they moved across the gallery to look at a very large painting of a thin lipped dark haired woman seated on what appeared to be a throne.
Sarah whispered to the sleeping baby, “Wonder what they would think if they knew that was Anne Boleyn painted from memory?” The infant stirred as if in acknowledgement, then settled back into a deep sleep.
#
It was almost closing time so Saul’s had only a few customers, most seated at the counter and an occasional two or three to a booth. The late hour promoted softer voices and less clatter of dishes and cutlery so Aris and Sarah spoke in quiet conversation.
“That was quite exhilarating this evening.” His untouched coffee sat in front of him.
“I’ll say.” She ate the last spoon of soup from her bowl before she went on. “Twenty-two-thousand dollars on the opening of your first real show? John couldn’t believe it. He said it’s never happened before for a new artist.”
“Well Sarah, I would not call myself new.” He laughed. “Rather more seasoned than that.”
“How did you paint so many pieces so quickly?”
“Super powers, remember?” She did remember. He acted so human, so Carlos-like that, more often than not, she still forgot what he truly was.
“You have really brought that time in history to life for me.” She tilted her head, gazing shyly at her empty bowl as she spoke. “You have brought my own existence to life for me. I can’t remember what life was like before you and when I try, I feel empty.” Melancholy welled up inside of her. “I would never want to be without you.”
Aris Rising: The Court of Vampires: AN INFINITY DIARIES NOVEL Page 16
