Immortal Fire Series; The Trilogy ~ Eighteen Summers, Severina, Rising Bloodtide

by K. M. Liss

  Even so, I am a little disturbed by my choice of meal of the day.

  We buy some water and grape juice for refreshment and begin our drive to the Tarquinii Monastery. It is a long drive through a mountainous region. I doze in the car intermittently. We arrive at Vulci early in the afternoon and make our way to the Monastery museum to speak to the Librarian of Antiquities.

  I sit quietly while Nico has a long conversation in Italian about the type of records we need to access. He smiles on and off at me but I can see he is not making much headway in accessing anything of such age. I had fears that this may be the case. After a few minutes, a young woman appears and joins the discussion. She seems to be suggesting something positive as the whole tone of the conversation changes. I'm getting very impatient and want to know what is going on. Suddenly, the young woman steps to one side and leads us off into an office.

  “What's the problem?” I ask.

  “All the ancient land title deeds are stored in Rome in climate controlled conditions. We are not able to access those. The earliest census in the region was carried out in 1400. That would not supply us with names, but only numbers of people and possessions they own on each estate, so that is unlikely to be helpful. As there are no birth and death records in the time period we are researching, our only avenue of inquiry is that of family history. I am told that the Caprice family would certainly have had such a volume commissioned. Sonia is checking her records to see if there is a copy here. There would have been three or four copies made at most, all hand written in Latin of course.”

  “But isn't Lord Raffaele writing such a book himself?”

  “I imagine a more up to date version.”

  “I don't know Nico. Reading a whole book might take a long time. We can't do it today, can we?”

  “If it exists we shall send Gabriel to read it for a few days.”

  Sonia looks up suddenly. “Ah, yes! Here.” She points at her register. She rises from her chair and beckons to us to follow. We are led down a flight of old stone steps to an underground library.

  “These not so precious books, but not for public use. Please use table here.” She says in broken English. She picks out our volume from the shelf and places it in front of us. “Please replace when finish.” She smiles briefly and leaves with our thanks.

  “Gosh, this whole book is about the Caprice family?” It's a thick volume. Nico gets his notes out of his pocket. “So does it cover the 1350-1680 period?” I ask.

  “Let us see.” He opens the book and slowly turns the fragile yellowed pages. I watch for a while but I cannot make head nor tail of the scripture I see. It is fancy ink work and although beautiful, not readable to me. “Yes, I am seeing some dates we need. We shall send Gabriel to read this. It should not take him long.” I am suddenly quite excited at our discovery and feel compelled to cover his face with hot kisses.

  “Cali, soon... I want you too.” He smiles and flashes his fangs quickly. I hiss back sexily.

  “Can't we stay here tonight?”

  “It is only three hours to the villa. I would like to get back and speak to Gabriel about this as soon as possible.”

  We make our way back to the car where we have a drink and then set off. Soon I am sound asleep again. I don't know what it is about me and cars. I can't seem to keep awake in them for long.

  My mind wanders off into the world of dreams. But I am suddenly in the middle of a nightmare. One that is so shocking I wake screaming. It takes Nico a long time to calm me down afterwards. I can't even speak. I just dry sob hysterically.

  “Calista please. Calm yourself.” He is holding me closely, patting my back soothingly, and kissing my face. It takes a while for me to realise we are still in the car and parked off the side of the road. “What is it? Are you hurt?”

  “NO!” I wail inconsolably, clutching him against me tightly.

  “A dream then... a very bad dream?”

  “Bad, so bad... Lord Raffaele...”

  “Yes, what about him?”

  “He killed Sofia and Gabriel in front of me.”

  “They are safe in the villa. He doesn't know we are there. Please calm down now. Sshhh...”

  “But Nico, he cut off their heads with a sword. We need to get back fast. They are in danger. I feel it.”

  “You are confusing what happened to your parents with your anxiety about Raffaele. That is the connection.”

  “No Nico. It was one of those dreams. I can foresee it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Completely.”

  We set off fast for the villa. We run inside an hour later.

  God, I wish one of these people had a fucking phone.

  I breathe a huge sigh of relief to find Sofia in the bath and Gabriel reading in bed. I don't know what they thought of me barging into their room without knocking first, but polite entrances seemed irrelevant at the time.

  “Thank God!” I breathe.

  “Thank God for what, may I ask?” Gabriel asks intrigued.

  “That you are both safe. I had a dream that you were in danger, Raffaele captured the three of us.”

  “Then we shall be extra vigilant in the next few days,” Gabriel replies, taking me very seriously.

  Nico sits on the bed and Sofia emerges from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. We discuss the events of the day in Vulci. But our news pales in comparison with Gabriel and Sofia's findings.

  The family they visited today recognised the names that Raffaele had gathered as those of Ristorian lineage. There were no such names in the Capri family. In fact the old gentleman in question had traced back the Ristorian connection to the family out of pure interest, continuing on from his great grandfather who had initially begun the task. It seems there was a Raffaele born just 250 years ago. Further still, a few of the later names on the notes that Raffaele had gathered for his 'family history' appeared on this family tree. Now this is not absolute proof that this is our Lord, but it certainly fits the facts so far. Nico and I sit quietly, looking at each other, digesting the information.

  “It could well be true. Your original supposition.” Nico looks at me with concern.

  “How long has he been with you?” I ask

  “One hundred years, I'd guess," Nico replies.

  “Oh my God. He has planned this. The whole thing. Ingratiating himself on you. Sucking up to my father. Behaving nobly, old, and oh so fucking wise. You have been living under the same roof as a Ristorian sadist who was given the perfect opportunity to murder my mother and father and get his hands on everything that was Gianni. And through me. I know it now.”

  “Cali, we have no proof...” Nico begins but I interrupt with a question for Gabriel.

  “What's his name? His full name, this Raffaele you found, do you have it?”

  “We do, it is Raffaele Carlos Andreas Ristoria.”

  “It's him.”

  “How can you be so sure?” Nico asks bewildered.

  “When he had me in his torture chamber he gave me a cane to hold.”

  “I remember it well,” Sofia snorts in disgust.

  “There were initials carved on it. I felt an R and a C and another letter. I couldn't decipher it in the time I held it. But now I am quite sure it was an A.”

  We all sit quietly looking at each other.

  “All the others, in London. We should warn them,” Sofia says in alarm.

  “We must take care. He may not be working alone,” Nico adds in warning.

  “Oh Heavens... Severina. She is part of this too. They were always looking at each other strangely.” Sofia exclaims in a panic. “And she knows where your adoptive parents live Cali.”

  My heart stops beating in that moment.

  If anything happens to them I'll fucking kill Raffaele myself and I don't care if I die in the process.

  “Elijah will help us. Contact him via George at the travel agency. Here's the number. Do it now Gabriel,” Nico orders.

  He shoots out of bed and I really don't care t
hat he is naked. I just want my parents to be safe. He pulls on some clothes fast, gathers some money, and sets off at top speed for the phone in the town. We sit for an age waiting for him to return. Three agonising hours later he arrives.

  “It's all fine Cali. Don't worry. Your parents have now been removed by Elijah's friends for their safety. They are of course somewhat pissed off and confused, but they cannot escape from our safehouse. They will be well cared for until our return. Lord Raffaele left London the day after we did. I assume he will be heading for Italy. Apparently Severina has been doing her best to turn the household against you in his absence, telling everyone you have abandoned us with your fortune to live the high life. But she has not been seen today and her room is emptied of her possessions. I explained our real reasoning for leaving secretly and what we have discovered here about their Lord. Elijah has since forced open the cellar torture room to display its contents to everyone. There was a chest in the corner containing old family letters and documents which were undeniable proof of his heritage. Of course he is now exposed and that will make him very dangerous and intent on further revenge, once he discovers this fact.”

  I feel a flood of relief about my parents on the one hand, but on the other I am still extremely nervous about Raffaele. I am sure that the vision I saw earlier in my dream is going to occur some time soon. I couldn't bear it if these two vampires, who I have come to care for a great deal, were harmed. The only way I can see that we can avoid such an outcome is to dispatch 'Lord' Raffaele himself. I start to change my mindset. We should hunt rather than be hunted. Our one big problem is that we do not yet know exactly how many we are dealing with.

  My first change of thinking is his name.

  “As he is no kind of Lord in my mind, I insist we call our adversary Raff from now on,” I announce.

  “I agree, he is no longer worthy of any title,” Sofia adds in confirmation.

  “So it shall be. It is much easier to pronounce in any case.” Nico smiles at me approvingly.

  “What shall we do Nico, sit tight and wait or call Raff out?” I ask.

  “As we have no idea where he is and he has no idea where we are, both could prove to be difficult.”

  “Are you sure he knows nothing of this place?”

  “Quite sure.”

  “But if we go back to London, he would hear of it.”

  “That is one option open to us. We could take a flight from Rome to London in a few hours.”

  “Then we would have more people on our side. Lots of back up and protection.”

  “Yes My Lady. Is that your wish, to return to London?”

  It has suddenly dawned on me that I am their leader. I laugh with an eighteen year olds idiotic sense of humour. Now I am sure I am not the youngest leader ever, but still, I am a very poor choice.

  “Nico, I'm not a good judge of what is the best course of action here. Why don't we all decide by vote?”

  “I think that's fair,” Gabriel agrees. “Those for London, raise your hand.”

  I raise mine. The others follow suit.

  “You're not just agreeing with me for the sake of it, are you?” I ask them all. Sofia and Gabriel shake their heads in reply.

  “No My Lady,” Nico replies tongue in cheek. “It is a wise choice Cali. I agree personally.”

  “Good, then book the flights for the weekend Gabriel. That gives us two more days of this Italian paradise.” I put my arms around Nico's waist and kiss him seductively. “You and I have something to do. Don't we?”

  “We do. Right away. Very urgently.” He takes my hand and leads me off.

  “Be gentle with him, won't you Cali my love? Don't damage anything important,” Gabriel calls after us humorously.

  “You have no idea Gabriel. Calista has the wildest nature,” Nico calls back.

  I look at him in surprise.

  “I do?”

  “No Cali, it is male humour. And in bad taste, admittedly. I apologise.”

  “What would I have to do to be considered 'wild'?” I ask curiously.

  “Take control of us. Force me to do things your way. Be rougher with me.”

  “Would you like me to do all that?”

  “I like you as you are and however you want to be.”

  “Is Sofia wild?”

  “Ha ha ha...That is so amusing... No! She is a kitten. Sweet and soft. She even purrs like one.”

  “Is that how you see me, kinda cute, like a pet?”

  He opens our door and closes it behind us. He pushes me against the door gently.

  “Oh no, I see you very differently. I feel you.”

  “How?” I ask, my heart pounding like mad.

  He picks up my hand and places it first against his lips and then on his heart.

  “Like that.”

  I can hardly breathe. Is he saying he loves me?

  We stare silently in the darkness, our eyes glowing brighter.

  He finally breaks the silence.

  “And how do you see me...?”

  I pick up his hand and kiss it and hold it against my breast.

  “Like that.”

  “I'm just dying to fuck you,” He growls deeply in my ear. It really sets me alight.

  “Not as much as I wanna fuck you baby. Now get your damn clothes off.”

  “Do I detect a touch of wild behaviour?”

  “You bring out the bedroom bitch in me, obviously.”

  “Do I now? That must make me a bedroom bastard.”

  “A really hot bastard and I'm a bitch on fire.”

  Our clothes discarded, I wrap myself around him revelling in his beautiful smooth skin against mine. He picks me up, carrying me over to our bed. He throws me in the middle of it and leaps on top of me. We kiss and bite for ages, our hands roaming all over each other.

  I'm sure I've just flown away to vampire heaven...

  All of a sudden, he pushes my legs wide apart and enters me so fast and hard that I gasp loudly in surprise, and a wave of heat rushes through me. He grins at me with fiery eyes.

  “Whoa, you're such a huge, huge hit with me,” I whisper with filled up pressure and pleasure. He thrusts even harder inside me again. “Ahhh, that is just so, so deep.”

  Any fucking deeper and he'll spear my heart... What a way to go...

  I lick his lips with the tip of my tongue and wriggle up against him.

  He turns us over and lies back lazily, putting his hands behind his head, and gives me a seductive jerk of encouragement with his hips.

  “So, my little bitch, you can be as wild as fuck tonight.” He licks his lips in anticipation.

  “Nico! Your language is dreadful... I must be a bad influence on you.”

  “Now that we know each other so well, I will leave my culture at the bedroom door. Gabriel is not the only one with a filthy mouth.”

  “I love the idea. No holds barred bedroom talk.” He gives me such a wicked dirty little smile. If he gets any sexier, I'm going to pass out.

  I growl seductively like a tigress on heat next to his ear and nip at his neck and earlobes ravenously. I kiss his face and rake my nails slowly all over his head and his eyes close in delight. I lick his eyelids and sink a fang gently into his lip, drawing a little blood. I suck at it and hiss a little with the erotic thoughts running through my mind.

  “Your tongue... I want to bite it,” I snarl. He offers me his tongue and I nip at it over and over, licking the tiny specks of blood that appear. He seems to be enjoying this so far, based on his glowing eyes and the sounds of appreciation I'm hearing.

  I sit up and suddenly feel quite powerful in this role. I slip him out of me and start to indulge my imagination. I push my finger hard into his belly button and wriggle it about watching his face. He is so loving this. I dip my head and sink my fangs either side of it and watch the blood gently fill it. I dip my finger into the tiny pool and lick and suck it all clean.

  “Baby, I'm gonna taste every part of you tonight. Very slowly... Now open your
legs nice and wide, boy.” He sighs with pleasure as I run my tongue up his inner thigh.

  Omigod... I want to say and do things to him that I can't even think, they're so bad...

  Something big is building up inside of me.

  I feel like a force five hurricane is about to explode from deep within my soul.

  Maybe I really am wild?

  I wake early and I'm alone. I hear the shower running and lie back full of contentment. He soon appears and springs at me from the bathroom door.

  “Morning baby.” I kiss his fresh damp hair.

  He takes my face in his hands. He kisses me back for a long time.

  “Morning tiger.”

  “Sorry, but my tiger is back in her cage for now.”

  “That is just as well. I don't think I can survive such a physical and verbal mauling so early in the day.”

  “I promise I'll only tiger you now and then.”

  “When I suggested you were wild I had no idea you would be end of the world crazy.”

  “Oh, didn't you like it?” I ask in a hurt tone of voice.

  “I am playing with you. Of course I liked it, more than liked it. It must have been very obvious how much. I insist you do it often.”

  “Only if you ask me very nicely...” I smile with satisfaction.

  I am suddenly well and truly in the mood for some morning action, but it appears he has other ideas.

  “Come now, get dressed and we shall feed together early in town.”

  I get up and take a slow sexy walk to the bathroom, swinging my hair from side to side, and rubbing my hands over my hips.

  I stop at the door and turn.

  “I'm not sure I'm that hungry yet, maybe later, shall we say lunch?”

  I bet he can't resist me.

  Oh yeah, here he comes and so ready for me too...

  I turn on the shower and pull him close waiting for it to warm.

  “Want to scrub my back for me?”

  “I have plans to scrub you from head to toe, now get in there.”

  I am sitting by the fountain much later that morning, enjoying the sunshine. Gabriel appears at my side.

  “I have arranged our flights for tomorrow evening at nine.”