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

by K. M. Liss

  “So do I.”

  “What is it?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Whatever it is, I like it. Hold me tight.”

  He held her to him, as if she was the most valuable thing in his life. She was fast realising he was the most valuable thing in hers. They both moved slowly together, relishing their new found closeness and deep intimate bond. Hours passed before they finally reached that point of ecstasy, where their minds and bodies soared, and they collapsed in each others arms. They lay quietly for some time. Words seemed unnecessary.

  Saba sat up and reached across to the bedside table, picking up her book.

  “Some more annoying Frodo and Sam?” he asked rhetorically.

  “Mmmm, that would be nice. You know, I do so wish the story had a better ending. The winged Fellbeasts could pluck them from Mount Doom and eat them alive. Or maybe the Orcs could stew them up in a broth over their camp fire and have Hobbit soup for dinner. Or better still, sweet little Smeagol could toss them both into the liquid fires and escape with his precious. Revolting little Hobbits,” she rambled to herself, yawning.

  He quite agreed that these would make very good endings and laughed at their bloodthirsty nature, which of course was quite normal for vampires. She snuggled up close, under his arm as he read to her.

  His mind couldn't quite process what had happened between them tonight. They had bonded so rapidly and completely. Reading this strange book she loved would be a welcome diversion from the unfamiliar feelings still raging through him.

  Four chapters later and he had had more than enough. His eyes were blurring and he was reading the same sentence over and over in confusion.

  “That's it. I've had enough of this damn Middle Earth,” he announced, replacing the bookmark and closing the book with a sigh of relief.

  There was no reply. He looked at her face, her eyes were closed.

  “Well that's just fucking great.” It appeared he'd been reading aloud to himself for God knows how long. He finally smiled inwardly in resignation and slid down onto the pillow gently, wrapped around her.

  He stroked her hair and ran his hand gently over the curve of her hip. His eyes drank her in with contentment. He had her now. All to himself. No one else was laying a fucking finger on her. She was his precious.

  He arrived in the apartment and sought her out while she was listening to a classical channel on the radio and sipping a long cool glass of iced grape juice.

  “Sevi, hey, guess what?... My human friend Esther has asked if you'd like to sign at their agency. Would you like to model for a while? The money's not to be sniffed at.”

  “What do I need with money? I still have my parents inheritance and it is almost untouched.”

  “Money aside, what the fuck else are you going to do with your time?”

  “I can amuse myself quite well thank you very much. I shall learn to drive and fence and there are martial arts skills I would like to possess, to have an even more deadly edge in life. We have to avenge Vini, remember? And another thing Saba, I want to teach you English so we can travel together. It's the most widely spoken language.”

  “You can still do all that. But you like fashion, don't you? You don't have to be ashamed of it.”

  “I do and I'm not. I shall think on it.”

  “Well don't think too long baby, she might find someone else even prettier than you.”

  “A very unlikely possibility,” she scoffed.

  One week later, Severina found herself squeezed into a hot pink catsuit and sitting backstage at her first fashion show. A young woman fussed with her hair, pinning it in ways that defied gravity. She had to admit she was a touch apprehensive. Performing in front of hundreds of humans focused on her wasn't exactly to her taste.

  Esther appeared at her side. “Oh look at you! You look so, so beautiful! You're a natural, just like Saba. Your training went so well, so just be yourself out there, everyone's gonna eat you up.”

  She attempted to compliment her and boost her self confidence. Not that it mattered to her what this human thought. What an annoying person she was, so simpering and sickly. Severina didn't like humans very much. She respected their right to occupy the same planet as she did, and that they were in fact the original species, but that's where the fascination ended. They were far inferior in her opinion. Mortal, easily sickened, weak, quite repulsive at times, and so very, very dull and stupid.

  “I am looking forward to it most enthusiastically,” she lied with forced cheerfulness.

  “Right. Now stand over there in two minutes,” she pointed and then air kissed her cheek. Sevi had to concentrate hard to stop her fangs from descending. Having a fresh and young human neck thrust in her face was a challenge to resist. Thankfully she wasn't hungry.

  Esther and the hairdresser left her sitting alone and she stood to take a proper look at her finished self in the mirror. She sighed deeply in disgust and blinked rapidly. The contact lenses Saba had insisted she wore on assignment were irritating her eyes no end. She turned slowly, taking in her appearance.

  Well... the design is quite superb, but what an abhorrent and common colour this is. I look like the world's tallest tube of lipstick. Why couldn't it have been black? I would have looked so much sexier in that. Humans were very strange creatures. Who would buy such a thing as this?

  “So,” she announced to herself. “Here goes my maiden voyage. The pink ship must set sail. How dreadfully tiresome, I really cannot believe I am doing this ridiculous job! Fuck Saba and his silly ideas...”

  She swept over to the queue of giggling, bitching models and took up her place at the rear. They all turned and stared at her with open hostility and started whispering to each other. Severina lost her patience after a few seconds of listening to their drivel.

  “Oh do shut up. I can hear every stupid little word you say and really you are all so ugly you defy description. I don't know what your agencies were thinking when they signed the lot of you. Perhaps beauty was hard to come by on those days. Your nose... and your ears... ugghhh, absolutely dreadful features.” She grimaced as she gestured cruelly at her fellow models imperfections. The six of them looked at her in shock with open mouths. The one with the big nose started to cry. “How pathetic! Pull yourself together. How can I strut the catwalk with you snivelling like a baby in front of me? Out of the way you second rate creatures, I'm going first.” She barged through them and took up residence at the head of the queue. She turned and gave the next model an evil glare over her shoulder. “Leave a nice long gap between us my dear, or else you'll feel the sharp edge of my tongue in the dressing rooms. There's plenty I could say about you that would ruin your week.”

  She stood waiting with her miserable gaggle of females cringing in silence behind her.

  Even the ugliest vampire would be an improvement on this lot. Not that there was such a thing.

  The curtain drew aside, the music piped up nice and loud, and Severina sauntered out sexily in her detested pink creation and thigh high black boots. She trailed her little daisy chain accessory behind her sensuously and wiggled her way along the long raised platform in front of her, her perfect body and swaying hips causing eyes to be riveted to her from all directions. She stood in the spotlight at the end and posed, turning this way and that, for rather too long, with a half smile on her face as instructed and then glided back slowly to the awestruck queue awaiting their turn. She raised an eyebrow at them haughtily and breezed off for her next change of clothes.

  Needless to say, her maiden voyage had been rather successful. She had actually enjoyed it. She smiled to herself as she was dressed in her next outfit, a silky black biker style jacket and short matching skirt. She fingered the material with delight and licked her lips lustfully.

  Mmmm. Now this is much more my colour and style. I shall keep this jacket as a memento. Saba will love this, most definitely, especially if it is all that I am wearing.

  Chapter 4

  August 2017, New Yorkr />
  Saba watched her flip the knife around her fingers with the skill of a twirling majorette. She still fascinated him so much his brain was almost saturated. But he had concerns about her feelings for him. He had no real skills. Nothing like her massive list. He wasn't driven to improve himself like she was. In fact he was a real lazy bastard, if he was really honest.

  She could play the piano like Mozart, probably better than Mozart, and her classical guitar was so beautiful it made his heart weep. She could drive, in fact it had only taken her one lesson and she had passed her test, which he was yet to even attempt. She could fence like a champion, better than he could by far, and was a black belt master of karate, a martial art which he hated with a passion and point blank refused to go to. All that discipline and inner strength wasn't him at all.

  It seemed like the whole fucking world was in love with her. Her face appeared everywhere. On the internet, magazines, billboards, even Times Square! Every bloody place he looked. She was a modelling sensation. The face of the decade apparently. It wasn't that he was envious of her popularity and fame... No, in fact he had encouraged that and supported her unreservedly. It was more of an insecurity issue.

  He felt she was becoming increasingly bored with him. She seemed so miserable and moody lately. Nothing he did was right. He couldn't think of what to do to draw her interest positively. He had learned English, taught himself mainly, although she had helped him with the basics and did still help by correcting his pronunciation from time to time. He'd watched endless movies and some rather comical American TV shows to get to grips with its modern form. But he knew his brand of English wasn't cultured and that this annoyed her. Hers had been instilled in her through her upbringing, and living with the Gianni in the London house for nigh on thirty years, had enhanced it further. Her speech was eloquent and measured. Her vocabulary was extensive in English, Italian, and French. Her accents were so refined he almost came with the pleasure of listening to her sometimes when she read to him from her books. That was something they shared at least. A love of reading. As long as she read and he listened, that was.

  She threw the knife at the dart board hanging in the kitchen and it spun on its axis and speared deeply inside the treble twenty.

  “Saba, I think it is time,” she announced slowly, pulling her knife out of the board and turning towards him.

  “Time for what?” he asked miserably. This was it, she was dumping him, he was sure of it. His heart sunk to the floor and his stomach clenched up tight as he prepared himself.

  “Time to avenge Vini, I have waited long enough for the courage and now I feel I am prepared and ready. It is brewing inside me like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Each year since his passing the pain has grown deeper and stronger. Do you not feel it too, my love?”

  His heart brightened wildly at her endearment, and his misunderstanding of her increasingly moody ways, but in truth revenge was not in him. He mourned the loss of Vini and Maxi and remembered them so fondly, but faults were on both sides of this family feud. It must come to an end one day, and someone had to be strong enough to swallow their pride and go against tradition. Brave enough to say, that's enough. Sadly, he didn't feel it was going to be Severina. He had to tread carefully so as not to upset her with his reply. Her need for revenge obviously ran deep and passionately within her.

  “No, not really. Vini was dear to me, but I don't want to open those old wounds. I beg you, let sleeping dogs lie Sevi. You have a good life with me here in New York. It's a great city, stuffed with food and fun and many other vampires like us. Let's carry on as we are, enjoying our days and nights. You are famous and wealthier than you could have dreamed. Humans would sell their own mother for the lifestyle you have. Please think hard before you start your own blood bath. This world of privilege you have created could all end in an instant if you have to go into hiding.”

  “But Saba, I can't stop myself from thinking about it. It invades my dreams and all my idle thoughts. My twin's death. It was so dreadful. Axed in the head for no real wrong doing. And as for Raffaele, well, I know you don't like me mentioning him, but his end rankles me so badly I could scream for him.”

  “But we were all to blame in some way. We did kidnap them and knock them out cold and we did tie them up in that fucking old barn. Raffaele was going to interrogate them. Now you and I both know Raffe wasn't known for being kind and pleasant.” He tried to reason with her and spread the blame of the terrible end his cousin had met. He couldn't give a fuck about Raffe, he was a psycho. He wondered what she would think about it all if he had told her the real truth from the start. The way they had been tortured so appallingly. He still couldn't think about the two women without wincing at their agony.

  “NO! I won't have you blacken their names, or yourself. You did nothing untowards. Nico, Calista, and Sofia ran off and abandoned their household. They deserved whatever came their way for that.”

  “Have you forgotten that Raffe planned to dispatch Calista and take her fortune?”

  “She is a biological Gianni. Of course he did. It was his duty to rid the vampire world of their pathetic kindred!”

  “Isn't that just as bad of a planned end as what happened to Vini?”

  “Not at all, they are supposed to be civilised. We are not.”

  “Talk about double standards!”

  “You don't understand do you? It is an insult, to be dispatched by a peace loving, soft as a cushion Gianni. And he wasn't even armed! Raffaele at least had a chance, he was a swordsman. Vini had no training in combat. He wasn't prepared for it in any way. It was a barbaric act against an unarmed vampire. I can never rest until he is avenged.”

  He sighed heavily. “Okay, okay, you've made your point... So, what do you plan to do?”

  We shall go to London, stake out their house and pounce, speedily, with one of these.” She threw her knife into the bullseye.

  “You want to stab Calista and Nico to death?”

  “I do indeed.”

  “Are you sure? It makes me feel kinda uneasy.”

  “Get used to it, as that is the plan. I shall fatally wound her and whilst he is tending to her you shall attack from behind and cut his throat.”

  “Jesus fucking Christ!” If truth be told he didn't wish ill to any other vampire, whoever they were. He was having a severe problem with all this.

  “Are you not a Ristorian Vampire, proud of your lineage, Sabato Accosi?”

  “Of course I am.” But getting less so by the minute.

  “Well fucking act like it then!”

  She waited for him to return from his feed with a little trepidation. She knew he wasn't keen on going to London and avenging her brother, but she couldn't quite understand why. She'd thought about it some more since their talk, and decided to make it sound a little more appealing. They would travel to London primarily for pleasure and work. They would participate in the London Wedding Week together at Olympia next month. She hadn't ever wanted to do this before, not being interested in human 'nuptials' in the slightest, but two leading bridal designers were currently in a price war to persuade them to model their gowns and morning suits as a couple. Severina did so love a little drama like this. It was very convenient timing too. After their work they could spend some time sightseeing as well. She had never indulged in the tourist attractions in all the years she was there, although she had spent some time enjoying London's culture, its museums and libraries and of course her beloved theatre. But it would be such fun with Saba. She couldn't wait to visit the London Eye, the Dungeons, and the Tower of London and see where all those pathetic and ugly human wives of Henry VIII had been so beautifully dispatched.

  After that they would strike their blow.

  She didn't want to upset Saba. She loved him with such a passion it hurt. But this needed to be done if she was to have any peace in her immortal life. How Saba could neatly exclude this dire need for revenge from his, was a mystery to her. Perhaps it was the male and female mind, working in d
iffering ways. She had long ago given up trying to fathom Saba out. He was an enigma to her. She was fascinated and enamoured with him, and after five years together the feelings were growing stronger. She melted in his arms and dissolved in ecstasy when he took her. She had hardly ever felt the urge to be rough, tough, or overly dominant with him. They were equal partners in all ways. It was as if she was another being in his company. She loved the new her far better than the old. All that whipping, caning, and torturing that she and Raffaele had got up to made her feel quite ill when she remembered it. It wasn't the way things should be.

  The only issue with her was Saba's coarseness. He swore incessantly, like a dock worker, and had no grasp of the arts or anything of fine quality. Well, apart from cars and wine, and she supposed that was at least something. They also seemed to have a shared love of reading and music and she often played the piano and guitar for him. He was spellbound when she entertained him this way and it touched her heart. She was trying gradually to change him in other areas of life, but he was so resistant. He hated any activity she suggested they try. She literally had to drag him out to their fencing class. Museums and the theatre were a big no. He preferred to 'hang out' with his vampire friends and play billiards in the bar, watch endless reruns of Seinfeld and Friends, obsess over the Yankees and Jets, and to go and 'catch' a movie instead. She was insecure with him at times and felt he was a little put off by her superior and 'posh' ways. Not that she could change the way she was, it was too deeply ingrained in her.

  She felt as if she wanted to have a deep heart to heart about their cultural differences and agree somehow to meet half way, but she couldn't decide how to approach it tactfully. She'd tried several times and it sounded as if she was criticising him, which in truth she was, and it had resulted in a nasty row.

  She fingered the piece of paper which contained the details of their first class flight reservations to London. If she could get this done, then they could move on and make adjustments for each other. If he improved just one thing, maybe his speech, then she could overlook the rest. In return she would not drag him around those places he hated to visit and would accompany him to places he liked now and then too.