“And who’s this Vuk guy you mentioned?”
“He’s doing research on gifted people in that part of Europe. What are you doing?” I took the opportunity to ask him.
“I’m a private detective, sorta.”
“A snoop?” I smiled, and that made him laugh a little.
“Something like that. I work for myself and for the others, but mostly myself—and then I sell information.”
“That’s why you came to Balthazar.”
“Yeah.”
“And that’s the trade with Balthazar? Information for information?” No selling of souls?
“That’s how he works.”
Theo’s line of work justified his nomad reputation. That’s why he was constantly moving.
“And that’s why there’s no wireless Internet in the house. Security issues,” he continued.
“Yeah, I’ve been wondering about that. He sure looks like he would have Internet at home.” And now, I knew.
“I’m gonna check with him about this letter,” he said, leaving.
“Okay. Goodnight.”
Closing the door, I stood there for a while looking at its texture. I projected Belun’s face onto it, that moment when he was leaving the building. He looked hot in that black jacket, his hair had grown a little; and his beautiful eyes seemed tired. Seeing him made me feel happy and sad at the same time. Happy because I had gotten to see him at least in the pictures. Sad because for he was so far away. In another story. In another life—the one without me.
Chapter 23
Swearword
I couldn’t sleep well that night. I tossed and turned, and thought about Belun crossing the street in that unknown city, meeting with an unknown man. Every time I closed my eyes, his face would pop up, and his eyes seemed even more tired than they were in the pictures.
Even when I’d finally fallen asleep, I saw him with that man in front of the restaurant. Only fragments, though. Talking in a strange language that sounded as if it could be both Latin and Cyrillic. Of course, I couldn’t understand a thing, but I saw the man give an envelope to Belun. And that hadn’t been in the photo.
My phone buzzed again from its place on the nightstand next to the Vonnegut book. It was the second time that morning. Finally, I stretched my hand out and took the call.
“Hey Nika, what’s up?” Julia’s voice came through.
“Jules, hi.”
“Still sleeping?”
“More like still trying to. What’s up?”
“I’ve stopped work, I couldn’t stand the sickness. They call it morning sickness, but in my case it stretches throughout the whole day!”
“That’s what you get when you carry a little alien inside you,” I said.
“Ha-ha, funny.”
“Do you know what it is?”
“Oh, not until the end of the fourth month. But I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl.”
“I didn’t mean the gender,” I said. There was a pause.
“Now, that can’t be determined until the baby is a few months old. The doctors told me that I do have several indicators, but that they could also be due to my late pregnancy, I guess.”
“What would you prefer?” I asked, wondering what my own answer would be.
“Honestly, I don’t know. The thought of a vamp baby scares me, but still, it will be mine so I hope I wouldn’t mind. François suggested that I visit his friends in Bristol; they have small kids, so I could see what to expect.”
“That sounds like a good idea. I don’t think you should worry much, you’ll be a great mom, Jules,” I heard her smile, exhaling lightly on the mouth piece of her phone. “So how’re things at the compound? Any changes in the atmosphere?”
“Actually, it’s gotten quieter. I’ve heard them talking about Baldur’s new temper, but I haven’t seen it for myself. He seems pleasant as always.”
Right, pleasant as always—wouldn’t be my choice of words to describe him.
“Have you heard anything about Belun?”
“A few times, but I didn’t catch the meaning. Sorry.”
“Maybe something in context with Baldur?” I pushed.
“I think I did hear them mentioned once in the same sentence.”
“Okay Jules, thanks.”
We talked for few more minutes and she mentioned that Blake had probably finished his research paper. I wondered if he had shown it to Baldur.
It seemed like Baldur was carrying a new temper around. Had he heard of Belun’s adventures on the other side? Was that what had pissed him off, or was it something entirely else? Would Belun be on his shit list then—and what about my job?
What could Belun do if Baldur turned his back on him? I guess Kyrill’s court would be a secure enough place. But then I remembered Simona staying there, and the idea quickly became extremely non-welcoming. One thing was bugging me, though. If Belun had been healed recently, why was he still hiding? Why was he still using the Underground channels? Why hadn’t he returned to the compound? Who was he protecting, and why?
I texted Blake.
nika: I hear you’re done
blake: Yup! But it’s not time to present it now
nika: ?
blake: B is too busy these days
nika: Yeah, maybe you should wait
blake: How’s your vacation?
nika: Let’s say I’ve learned a lot of new things
blake: Can’t wait for you to tell me about it
nika: In seven days, my friend
Maybe it wasn’t a bad thing for Blake to withhold his research paper. Who knows, maybe it would be bad for Baldur to have that knowledge. I mean, if he was already planning his Vocati army, it would make it easier for him to approach them, knowing the Rh Negative thing. Actually, when I thought about it, it was better that he didn’t read it at all! I texted Blake, telling him to keep his research to himself for now. A fear of Baldur’s plan to develop a Vocati army flew up my spine. Blake’s research would make it that much easier for Baldur to find the Inquirers he needed for communication with the Vocati—if that was indeed his plan. But how much of that plan would really be possible? He was a vampire and the Vocati killed vampires. How would he command them? Then the telepathy possibility hit me. Really? How did that fit into everything? My head threatened to explode.
The rest of the day passed slowly. Too slowly. Considering the previous day’s talk, I had hoped for some action, but no. Half of the day Balthazar wasn’t home, and the other half, he and Theo spent talking in his office—without me, of course. Too bad, because I was on friggin’ pins and needles the whole time.
Doris forced me to go out with her that night, and when I heard Theo was coming, I hoped to get something from him. But no such luck, either.
“What’re you drinking?” Theo asked me after we found a table in a little indie club.
“Mojito,” I said, Set passing through my mind.
“Mmm nice!” Doris asked for the same.
We sat near a wall covered with some strange installation of wires with a chair mixed in it. It looked a bit bizarre, but in a good artistic way. Art. That reminded me of Belun. Not that I needed a reminder.
“Does Belun paint?” I asked Doris, who burst into laughter.
“Really? Who do you think painted your new painting?”
Right. I kind of had suspected it, but it still surprised me. I guess it explained the covered part of his room. There must have been an easel under the cover. Wow! His paintings were great! It was weird to think of him as an artist; I mean, after all the sweat he had put me through, it was hard to imagine him with an artistic soul.
“Simona has returned to Greece,” Doris told Theo when he returned with our drinks.
“Has she?”
“Yeah, Mia told me earlier today.”
So she wasn’t with Belun. It was a rather happy thought, even though I had ruled that possibility out some time ago.
“What’s going on back home?” I asked her, sipping
my cocktail.
“Bryn and Vuk made out. Finally.”
“That’s good news!” I smiled, thinking of how happy Bryn must be at that moment. “Any new gossip?” I asked, hoping to hear more about the whisperings.
“Nothing that comes to mind, except that they visited Arna again.” I chuckled.
“Have you heard from your father?” Theo asked Doris, but she shook her head. I guess Mr. Lazar was busier these days than usual, if there was something to the whispers.
An indie-rock band took the little stage and started playing, and turned out to be pretty good. This time I took it easy with the drinks; I didn’t wanna repeat my pool night behavior. Set’s startled face popped into my mind, but it was obscured by the image of me sitting on Belun’s lap in the car as he whispered my name. My muscles jerked at the thought, and seeing Theo bobbing his head to the music, I realized that it was as good a time as any to do what I’d planned on doing.
“I have a major crush on Belun,” I blurted out, pulling my chair up next to Doris. She laughed.
“I know, hon.”
“But you didn’t say anything!”
“Well, you didn’t tell me. You let Mia in instead.”
“It’s hard to talk to you about him since you two are close,” I admitted.
“I’m glad you finally did,” she insisted warmly, taking my hand. “Now talk! I’m so curious about things between you two!”
It felt like a huge load just fallen off my shoulders. Finally, I had overcome the barrier between Doris and me, and I poured out all the moments that Belun and I had shared. Well, there wasn’t that much to tell, but there was the dance, the car incidents—and she called me a slut. I even mentioned my making out with Set and the pain I’d felt in my chest during the Vocati attack. I also told her about the bite, which made her laugh even louder and call me a savage. I also told her about the dream I had before I went to his room that night when Simona was there. Everybody, including Theo, was too into the band, so it gave me plenty of privacy to talk to her about all of this.
Doris said Belun had asked her for that Massive Attack song that we had danced to—Paradise Circus. She teased him about it, but he didn’t want to tell her a thing about his “feelings.” Shocker.
“It was so cute to see him interested in you. I had my doubts though . . .”
“Because of me being a human?” I asked.
“Yeah, you know the story of his mother and sister. He’s never dated a human girl. Well, he’s never dated anyone for that matter. Nothing official.”
“What?” This was new!
“He’s been with girls, but no real girlfriends as far as I know.”
Well, it’s not like he had ever mentioned a relationship to me.
Then I told her about the figurine and her face instantly changed.
“He’s not planning to return to Tromsø,” she said, her eyes wide and looking straight at me.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, and the only thing I could do was blink.
Theo nodded in our direction as if to ask if everything was okay, but neither of us replied.
“Are you sure?” I finally managed to ask. She nodded slowly.
“Couldn’t it be a goodbye-for-now present?” I tried.
“I don’t think so. I hope it is, but I don’t think that’s the case.”
Dread fell over our faces as we watched the band play. We didn’t talk much. Theo tried to make us laugh with some stories, and we drank a few more rounds. But later in bed, I had the same difficulties calming my mind and getting to sleep.
I stared into the dark for hours.
The following day we left for Spain with less than a week before we would return to Tromsø. What was waiting for me there, since my team leader was probably permanently gone? Was I still going to have a job? Or would my mind be cleaned, and then would I be sent back to Berkeley? Would I ever see Belun again?!
There was an anxious knock at my door.
“It’s me, Nika. Open the door.” At the same time a light on my phone went on, heralding its buzz. It was also Doris.
I jumped up and let her in.
“You okay? What’s wrong?”
She nervously paced my room in a dark blue pajama bottoms and a white tank top.
“Doris?”
She stopped and I saw there were tears in her eyes. I took her arm and lightly pulled her onto the bed. She was shivering.
“I have to tell you something. But you have to swear not to tell anyone!” she said. It was still dark but I could feel her staring at me. Something big had happened.
“Swear it!” Her voice was a bit crazy.
“Okay. I swear.”
“Aidan just told me something highly confidential and I shouldn’t be saying it to you, but it’s about Belun. He called Aidan an hour ago telling him to gather their Warrior team, and to do it under the radar.”
My heart stopped for a few seconds. This wasn’t good.
“It means he’s definitely not returning to Tromsø,” I said, wondering why he needed the Warriors. A mission, or protection?
“That’s really really bad. Aidan said that I wouldn’t hear from him for a while. And he didn’t even know for how long that would be.”
“Why does Belun need Warriors?”
“He didn’t tell Aidan, he only said to gather their ‘A team’ and to do it quickly and quietly.” Her voice cracked. “Aidan told me that if anyone in Tromsø asked about him, I should say we’ve broken up.” Doris burst into tears and I hugged her.
Okay, that meant serious trouble. And we both knew it.
“That we broke up!” she cried. “He’s never said anything like that no matter how serious the situation. What the fuck has Belun done!”
My thoughts exactly, and while I was hugging her, I realized that I was shivering. I covered us with the comforter and her tears fell on my pillow.
Belun needed Warriors that he could trust, and he needed them without Baldur’s knowledge. Or permission. In the light of these new events, it was impossible to imagine that Belun’s leaving had nothing to do with Baldur’s monstrous plan of a Vocati army. Even if I still wasn’t completely sure of it, the image of Balthazar’s face when I had mentioned it reassured me. The plan was probable and the things were connected.
Chapter 24
Pain
The next morning, Doris and I were both grim as Balthazar drove us to the airport. Since we hadn’t had time to speak alone, I had written him a note about Belun’s call to Aidan. I didn’t know if Doris would approve of it, but Balthazar was the only person, other than her, I felt I could trust or rely on. And in light of how things were developing, I felt like I needed such people.
The flight to Palma was short. Not even the view of the palms and beautiful Moorish buildings lightened our mood. The chauffeur turned onto a street that held a striking cathedral, and we entered through a gate that led us to a castle. And I mean, a castle!
“Your cousin lives here?” I asked, bewildered.
“You’re now going to enter an original Middle Ages palace,” she said, a hint of joy in her voice.
“Middle Ages?”
“Yep. This is Palacio de la Almudaina. Don’t worry, you’ll get a professional tour.”
“It’s open for tourists, too?” I was confused.
A big wooden door opened as the chauffeur parked the car. Two female servants and one male servant came to greet us and take our things. They weren’t exactly thrilled to see us, but they were smiling politely. Somehow with palaces of this size, I’d always imagined them being overwhelmed with servants.
Only when we got inside did I see a man walking down the long and large stairs. And when he said, “My dear Doris,” I was expecting more emotions in his voice. He appeared to be in his late forties, but his pompous air implied that he was older. He wore a silk cape over his suit. A cape! Who wears a friggin’ cape? His movements were slow and measured.
“And you brought a guest,” he said, glancing
at me.
“This is my friend, Nika,” Doris said. After he had graced me with a highly unconvincing polite smile, he looked away. It must have been three seconds that he spared for me. On the other hand, Doris’s mood had changed. She was really happy to see this guy; but cousin or no cousin, I couldn’t understand why.
The palace was all white: the walls, corridors, and tapestry. My bag awaited me in my new room, which was right next to Doris’s. I lay down on the queen-size baldachin bed, and looked at the old wooden desk, closet, and sofa. The room wasn’t exactly big, but it lacked furniture so it seemed spacious enough. If there had been a stretched, headed bearskin on the floor, I wouldn’t have been surprised.
The odd thing was that the palace had no odor. Every old house has one, and I wasn’t sure if its lack of smell was a good or bad thing. I also realized that his highness, the cousin, hadn’t blessed me with the knowledge of his precious name. What a snob. And thinking back on his looks, a thought hit me: could some noble families be older than some Elders? The Lazars, for example, had Udama as their ancestor—the second oldest vamp in the world. Were his offspring older than Baldur, or even Kyrill? It was possible, considering the cousin’s age. I hadn’t thought of it before; I had always taken the name “Elders” to literally mean “older than the others.” But Baldur was much younger than the other Elders, as was Kyrill. And it’s not like the vampire community developed in the Middle Ages.
Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.
This time, my dream was much more creative than usual. I was in a big cage, sitting on a red sofa. Through the cage bars I could see Baldur and some other people I knew, including Doris’s cousin. And there was a double ring of Warriors, among whom I hopelessly searched for Belun.
I felt a light breeze and Baldur’s strong eyes on me. At first I thought that he was smirking, but when I looked more closely, I realized that wasn’t the case at all. His lips were tilted, but not in a smile—and that change in him told me one strange fact: I was in a cage, but it was him who they had surrounded.
Then why the cage?
Darkling Page 28
