Between Darkness & Light

by Theresa Van Spankeren

  I looked at Matthew. “What else did you discuss while I was asleep?”

  “He really was worried about you,” Matthew said as he sat down in the chair Samuel had vacated. “He also agreed to be your sparring partner tonight.”

  I blinked a few times, wondering if I had somehow misheard. “What?”

  “Samuel agreed to be your sparring partner tonight,” Matthew repeated. “Are you certain your head is all right?”

  I scowled at him. “My head is fine, thank you. However, I am wondering if you have acquired a touch of the madness you think I have concerning Lane. Why would you agree to that, knowing the anger that Samuel still harbors toward me? He is going to kill me!”

  “No, he won’t. There will be no weapons involved and I’ll be supervising,” he replied. “Besides, I think this will be good for both of you. You need an opponent that won’t be too lenient. And yes, Samuel does have a lot of pent-up anger toward you. Rightfully so, many would argue. I am simply proposing he expresses it in a constructive, controlled way.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Constructive and controlled? Pardon me for being skeptical, but you weren’t constructive or controlled when we discussed things in Sienna, and we were simply talking.”

  “Actually that was. Perhaps our talk was not as constructive as it could have been initially, but it was controlled.”

  “Threatening to kill me was a controlled response?”

  Matthew sighed. “Considering what I did a few years ago, yes. It was good you were not around then, Julia.”

  I shivered slightly. “What did you do?”

  “I burned things. Lots of things. Forests up in the mountains still bear the scars of my wrath.” Matthew stood and gestured to a small table where the bag containing the trousers was. “I’ll let you get dressed. We’ll see you outside in the garden area.” I nodded and he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

  ***

  Fifteen minutes later, I joined them outside, ready to train. Nervously, I shuffled my feet. “I still am unsure how safe this is,” I murmured as I sized up Samuel standing across from me.

  Matthew stepped between us and smiled at me reassuringly. “This is a training session. There are no weapons. I have no problem with either of you venting some frustration, but if I think something has gone too far, I will stop it and we’ll be done for the night. Is that understood?”

  Both of us nodded and the sparring commenced. Various types of blows were parried or struck their target. Although I felt clumsy when we first started, as time went on, I felt my body fall into a familiar rhythm. My strikes and counterstrikes seemed to grow in accuracy. Things seemed normal again. Well, almost. There was something missing – talking, instruction. Both my dueling partner and our mediator were conspicuously quiet.

  A short time later was when the atmosphere changed. It seemed as my skill escalated, so did the viciousness of the blows directed at me. Soon, I was on defense entirely as I tried to fend off all the punches and kicks aimed at me. “Samuel, that’s enough,” I gasped as a particularly hard kick landed across my ribs.

  A blur of movement and sharp twinge in my right shoulder and the back of my head announced that I was on the ground with my arm being twisted uncomfortably behind me. I struggled to take in a breath as pain and fear flooded me.

  “Enough! You are going to break her arm, Samuel! Let go!”

  I was afraid that he wasn’t going to listen, but the pressure disappeared. Panting, I remained on the ground, trying to make sense of what had happened and what all was hurt. “Matthew?” I croaked. I lifted my head slightly to see him standing a couple feet from me. Samuel was nowhere in sight.

  Matthew crouched beside me a moment or two later. “Julia, are you injured?”

  “My right arm feels numb. A little dizzy,” I mumbled with my eyes squeezed shut.

  “Take some deep breaths. I do not think it’s as bad as it first felt,” he replied. “I’m going to move your arm. Let me know if it hurts too much.”

  I focused on my breathing and felt a dull throbbing as Matthew manipulated my right arm. My heartbeat slowed and the vertigo disappeared. As I opened my eyes, I saw him looking down at me in concern. “I do not think it’s broken,” I said.

  “No, just sprained,” Matthew answered as he helped me back to the house. A candle flickered to life as I sat down at the table, carefully placing my hurt arm on it. He sat down across from me and said, “As strange as this sounds, focus on the flame and remember to breathe.”

  “Why? How will that help?” I asked. “I can’t use it as you can.”

  “You are upset and hurt. You need to calm down and regain your composure. A candle can aid this.”

  “A candle?” I repeated skeptically.

  He nodded. “Why do you think Kali is always staring at one? It’s not because she thinks she can harness fire like me. She uses fire as a meditation aid to focus her power and ignore distractions.”

  “Meditation can help me with my powers?”

  Matthew sighed. “Eventually. Let’s take it one step at a time, shall we? You need to learn to control your emotions first. Now, please do as I instructed.”

  I frowned and turned my attention to the lit candle in front of me. As I stared at the orange flame, I found the way it danced to be quite mesmerizing. The longer I gazed at it, the calmer I felt.

  Sometime later, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Blinking, I turned my head to see Matthew standing behind me. “When did you get up? Did I fall asleep?”

  He smiled. “I got up a while ago. You weren’t asleep, but in a trance. You did well for your first time, Julia. How do you feel?”

  “Truly, this is the best I’ve felt in a long time. I do not remember the last time I felt this . . . peaceful. Thank you for suggesting this.”

  Nodding, he sat back down beside me and we held a discussion about the training earlier about what I could have done better and things that went well. “As long as you continue to practice, you will find that your skills will come back quickly. Considering how long you have trained with us, the time you haven’t used them is rather short by comparison.”

  I nodded, but said, “Rome’s group had taken me down in minutes. When Samuel became more aggressive, he too had taken me down within a very short time.”

  “Yes, but you are forgetting that both Samuel and I have four centuries or better of fighting experience than you. I wouldn’t doubt it if those vampires Valentino sent also have a similar amount of experience. After all, they were sent to track down and eliminate Lane.”

  I sighed and looked around the room. “Where is Samuel?”

  “He left to calm down.”

  “He’s somewhere in the city alone? What if Rome’s vampires find him the same way they found me?”

  Matthew smiled wryly. “Samuel had been able to hide from the rest of the ka-tet when he came here. He probably knows Rome as well if not better than the group that now lives here. He’ll be fine.”

  I nodded, but couldn’t keep myself from tapping my fingers against the table as time ticked by. Matthew tried to make small talk as he tended the fire and sharpened some of our weapons, yet I found myself distracted and would have to ask him to repeat himself.

  About an hour before sunrise, the door to the villa finally opened. We were about to head out to search for him. “Thank God, you’re back. You had us worried,” I scolded.

  Samuel looked at Matthew. “I said I would be back by dawn.”

  “Yes, but you had Julia worried. She isn’t accustomed to your disappearing acts, Samuel. You had the younger vampires fooled into thinking you were normal.”

  He scowled slightly before glancing over at me. “I apologize if I caused an undue amount of stress. I needed some time to think. May I speak to you for a few minutes alone?”

  I hesitated a moment before nodding. Not knowing why he wanted to talk made me a little nervous, but talking had to be better than the alternative. It was the only way to move past what had hap
pened.

  Matthew stood up and yawned. “I’m headed for bed. Do not stray too far away.”

  Samuel nodded and gestured for me to follow him back outside. Before doing so, I turned to Matthew. “Thank you for the help. Sleep well,” I said and joined Samuel outside.

  He was leaning against one of the pillars, looking out across the city. The sky was starting to lighten to a charcoal gray in the east as he spoke. “I am sorry if I hurt you earlier. I did not mean to come at you that hard in practice.”

  I walked up and stood on his right side. “I appreciate your apology, although I think we both were letting out some aggression. Besides, an enemy won’t come at me delicately.”

  “True enough,” he acknowledged, his gaze flickering from me back to the street and buildings in front of us.

  I reached for his hand, and he allowed me to take it. “Samuel, what are you thinking about? You’re keeping your thoughts as cloaked as ever from me.”

  “It’s surprising how little the city has changed since I last saw it,” he said softly.

  “You’re thinking about the past then.”

  “Si,” he answered, not seeming to notice he had slipped back into speaking Italian. “The last time I had been here had been about two centuries ago. Valerie and Matthew went with me. I’ve only traveled back to Rome a few times since I became a vampire.”

  “How are you sure that it hasn’t changed much if you come so rarely?”

  “This city had been my home at one time. I had known almost every street. It is painful to come back here at times, but I cannot resist seeing how it changes with the centuries.” He paused, then continued, “Years ago, I had dreamed of coming here with you and showing you the beauty of this place. Of course, that was under vastly different circumstances.”

  My sight blurred as tears obscured my vision. “So why not go back to Florence like Matthew had wanted?”

  Samuel shrugged. “I suppose it is selfish. I’m not ready to leave yet.”

  “Why not?”

  “I didn’t expect you to follow me here, but it could be fun to share some of the sights with you.”

  “That could be a little dangerous, considering it is hostile territory.” I glanced at him. Instead of answering, he turned and headed back inside. I shook my head and followed, well aware that sunrise was mere minutes away.

  Chapter 8

  The next night I once again dressed in my repaired blue and black dress, ruing the fact that I didn’t have another with me to change into. I wanted to be appropriately dressed if I had to mingle with mortals tonight. Matthew was already in the sitting room, arming himself. He glanced over as I walked in, his eyes lingering on the repaired sleeves.

  “Mary Anne said she was bringing a couple of dresses for you,” he said as if he could sense what was on my mind.

  “That is good,” I answered. “Do you think this one is still acceptable to wear out and about?” My gaze drifted down to the hemline, torn and mud-stained. “Samuel and I may be headed out for a while,” I added.

  “It’s a little ripped, but under the right light humans won’t notice. Since the overdress is black, it hides the dirt well.” He paused, staring at my left arm. “How are those cuts healing?” he asked.

  “All right, I guess.”

  “Does Samuel know about the cutting?”

  “No,” I replied. “I haven’t told him about it. I don’t think I will.”

  Matthew frowned. “Why not?”

  “I am not comfortable discussing that with him.”

  He sighed, but didn’t say anything else. I watched as he strapped his sword around his waist. I blinked, realizing his attire was different and more elegant than the last few days. His shirt was a dark blue and he wore a black doublet with the Medici crest etched on a sleeve, one blue ball near the top of a shield, and five red balls spread out underneath.

  “Matthew, why are you dressed like that?”

  “I need to go to Villa Medici for a few hours. I still have obligations.”

  “Wait. You are going all the way back to Florence? That seems quite silly, especially with Mary Anne and the others on their way here.”

  Matthew rolled his eyes at me. “No. It is on the other side of Rome. I wasn’t supposed to be here for another two- and- a-half weeks. However, since I am here, I am going to verify everything is ready for their arrival.”

  I frowned at him. “You were planning a trip here before we left to find Samuel?”

  He nodded. “I had been planning on asking him to travel with me so he can get away . . .”

  I nodded. I hadn’t known it, but that was what I had overheard him referring to when he had asked Samuel if he wanted to stay with him. To get away from me. I coughed, trying to break the awkward silence.“How were you going to avoid detection from Rome’s group?”

  “Uh, normally I simply cloaked and did not leave the villa’s grounds. I blended into the entourage and they never knew I was here.”

  “They are aware of us now. I am not sure if it is such a good idea for you to go.”

  “I’ll cloak. It’ll be fine.” He scowled when he saw my dubious expression. “Julia, I have a life outside of the ka-tet now. All of you need to remember that.”

  I glanced at the fireplace behind him. The small yellow flames had grown as our conversation had continued. It seemed the discussion had started to irk him. I raised my hand in acquiescence. “I wasn’t saying you cannot have it. I’m simply concerned that you will encounter them like I did before the rest of our group arrives.”

  “If that happens, I hope I’m lucky enough to be close enough to make it three against their group. Four, if Lane decides to help again,” he added after a moment.

  “I wouldn’t count on it. Lane paid back a favor, nothing more,” I replied. “What if Mary Anne is wrong and the Hunters are still nearby?”

  “The more the merrier?” Matthew quipped. He frowned when he saw my dirty look. “Honestly, I think that would be chaos.”

  “If they come into Rome, they should be after their group. Hunters tend to go after vampires who pose the greatest harm to humans first,” Samuel stated from the doorway.

  Matthew looked past me and nodded, although there was a trace of unease in his face. “I should be back within a few hours.”

  “Be careful. Julia and I probably won’t be too far away. I’m going to take her around the city while we’re here.”

  “Have fun and be safe,” he replied as he left.

  Samuel and I headed out a short time later. As we turned toward the city’s center, I saw the fountain I had seen when Matthew and I first arrived. Water cascaded down each tier of marble until it landed in the large basin at the bottom. I remembered passing a couple of others like it during my meanderings.

  Glancing at Samuel to my left, I asked, “Did the city always have these fountains?”

  He smiled and nodded. “There had been a few such as this when I was growing up. They were usually centered in piazzas and wealthy areas.”

  “It is pretty, just like the church over there,” I said, pointing at a large building adorned with crosses near the top peaks and sculptures of angels set into the front façade. As we continued walking, I exclaimed, “That is a curious design. It has a row of large columns in front holding up a roof.”

  Samuel stopped walking and looked at me thoughtfully. “Do you find the buildings that fascinating, Julia?”

  “I’ve never seen ones like these before. Nor have I ever seen roads made of rock either,” I replied, looking at the large smooth pieces of stone beneath my feet. Not all of the roads were made of that material in the city, but several were.

  He stared at me for another few seconds and then said, “I want to show you something. I think you will find it quite interesting.”

  As I nodded, he started walking down the oddly constructed road again. I followed, noticing that as we turned a little south, the roads seemed to deteriorate and become uneven. The shops, churches, and homes on
both sides of us became farther apart until they were almost non-existent. Trees became more numerous as the city appeared to give way to grasslands. Occasionally, we now passed a crumbling structure or a pile of rubble. The smell of manure became more distinctive.

  Puzzled, I frowned at Samuel’s back. Where was he taking me? The city was now behind us. There didn’t seem to be anything but uneven grassy terrain, some old rubble piles, and grazing cattle. I found myself watching the ground in order to keep my dress from tearing any more than it had already. “Samuel, are you lost? I think we left the city,” I called.

  “No. This is the city. Or at least it was,” he answered. I stumbled and almost fell into him when he stopped short. I started to snap at him, but he ignored my words and stated, “Look up.”

  I lifted my head. Blinking, I found my gaze going higher and higher in order to take in what I was standing in front of. It was a large structure, constructed into three arches joined together. The largest was in the middle. Rectangular pieces supported each of the archways and decorative pillars were in front of them. Detailed but eroded battle pictures were sculpted above the openings. Finally, at the very top was writing that spanned from one end to the other.

  “What is this place?” I questioned as we passed through the large structure.

  “Welcome to the Forum Romanum. This particular portico is known as the Arch of Septimius Severus. At one time this area was the heart of the entire empire.”

  I gasped as I stepped out the other side. To my right and directly in front of me were various structures in disrepair. Many were half collapsed, although there were traces of the intricate detail that once adorned them. Near the edges of the area were two buildings that were still intact. They looked as if they had been converted into churches.

  The moon peeked out from behind the clouds as I looked left to see eight magnificent columns of granite bathed in silver light from above. Piles of rubble extended out from them, but the columns themselves stood tall against the landscape. Delicate-looking scrolls decorated each pillar near the top. “This was the Temple of Saturn,” Samuel said from behind me.