by G. K. DeRosa
The rest of Marco’s explanation was nothing but a blur of Italian names to Celeste as all the brothers and their wives began filling in the seats around them. They were a loud and boisterous bunch, and just like Marco were all very attractive. After introductions had been made, platters of food began to arrive. Celeste stared at the plates filled with salami, prosciutto, mozzarella, crusty Italian bread and various antipasti as her mouth began to water.
“That’s only the first course, so pace yourself,” whispered Marco as he saw Celeste’s famished face.
About half way through the five-course meal, Celeste finally began to be able to distinguish among the brothers, their names, and their beautiful wives. Coming from a small family herself, Celeste really enjoyed the loud talking and playful banter that ensued among the family. They all tried to speak English throughout the meal to make sure she felt included, but would occasionally break into Italian when the conversation got heated, which it often did. But then moments later, everyone would be happy and laughing again. Celeste was really enjoying herself and had momentarily forgotten all about the dark raging storm building inside of her.
Just as the staff was serving the dessert, a delicious homemade tiramisu, the doorbell rang. Celeste saw Luiggi, the butler, run hurriedly across the foyer to answer the door, and then heard a series of angry voices she recognized very well. Celeste elbowed Marco and quickly stood up. “I’m sorry, I think that might be for me,” she said as eight pairs of curious eyes peered at her. She darted to the door and found Roman with Nico, Maddie and Maks standing behind him.
“What are you all doing here?” she asked as Luiggi backed away from the door looking confused.
“I came to ask you the very same thing!” shouted Roman.
“Shh!” hissed Celeste. “Keep your voice down. You guys are kind of interrupting dinner.”
“Celeste, you are unbelievable! You sneak out of Stellan’s house, hop a plane and travel thousands of miles away without telling anyone, and you’re mad at us?” barked Roman, trying to reign in his temper.
Celeste ignored his question, her gaze falling on Aunt Maddie and Maks and the realization setting in. “Aunt Maddie, you came too?”
“Maks and I moved here about a month ago. We needed a change of scenery, but don’t you dare try and change the subject young lady! What you did is completely inexcusable!”
“I’m sorry if I made you all worry,” she said finally, “but I’m just here visiting a friend, having a nice relaxing vacation in Rome.”
“Cut the crap, Celeste. We all know very well why you are here,” said Roman. “And where is Marco? I have a few choice words for him as well.”
Mr. Caccia walked up behind Celeste and put his hand on her shoulder. “Celeste, are these people bothering you?” he asked politely.
“No, I’m so sorry for this intrusion, Mr. Caccia. It’s my fault,” she answered. “These are my friends and family.”
Mr. Caccia’s eyes widened as they fell on Maddie. “Matilda Wilder?” he asked.
“That’s me,” she answered, then lowered her gaze immediately.
“It’s nice to see you after so long,” he responded courteously. “And who are these gentlemen?” There was something in the way that he said gentlemen that had Celeste convinced he knew exactly what they were, if not who they were.
She quickly spoke up. “This is Roman and Nico Constantin, and this is my aunt’s friend Maks – sorry Maks, I don’t know your last name.”
“Maksim Azarov,” he said with a slight bow.
“A pleasure,” responded Mr. Caccia. “And Constantin. That is a name I am quite familiar with.”
At this point all of the Caccia brothers had come to the door, no doubt having felt the supernatural presence of the three vampires in their home. They all watched the uninvited guests suspiciously, but no one made a hostile move.
“Please, won’t you all join us in the sitting room,” said Mrs. Caccia, appearing behind her husband and motioning toward the entire awkward party. As they all moved into the spacious living room, Roman beelined toward Celeste but was cut off by Matteo, the eldest Caccia brother. Matteo positioned himself defensively in front of Celeste, blocking her from Roman’s advances. Celeste was mortified.
“It’s okay, Matteo. I actually do need to talk to him,” she said with a reassuring smile. He frowned, but moved his hulking frame out of the way once finally convinced she wasn’t in any danger.
Celeste could tell by the tortured look on Roman’s face that he was doing everything in his power to remain in control. “I’m sorry,” she said, taking his hand and leading him into a quiet corner of the foyer. “I know this was stupid, and I knew you’d be mad, which is exactly why I kept my plans from you.”
“Celeste, this is beyond stupid. I don’t even think they have a word for this! Do you have any idea how much you are risking by coming here?”
“I couldn’t let you do this alone. I needed to be here no matter what the consequences. I had to do it for you, for Nico and for Natalie,” she said, trying to force down the lump that was forming in her throat.
“What am I going to do with you?” he asked as he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. “I was so worried.”
“Everything will be fine. I promise. Now that we’re all together, you can keep an eye on me,” she said with a smile as she led him into the living room to join the others.
The air in the formal living room was thick with tension as the Caccia men sat on the edge of their seats, pretending to casually drink their espressos. The Caccias, much like the Wilders, came from a long line of guardians, and having vampires mingling with their families for coffee and dessert was unheard of. Still, everyone was acting cordially following Mrs. Caccia’s tactful lead.
Maks abruptly stood up and two of the brothers were on their feet before he took a step. Once he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, they quickly sat back down, embarrassment written across their handsome faces. Marco rose and offered to accompany Maks to the backyard, in an effort to ease mounting tensions in the room.
Before long, animated conversations began again among the brothers and their wives, and it seemed that the Caccia’s were becoming more at ease with their vampire guests. Across the spacious room, Celeste saw Mr. Caccia engrossed in conversation with Aunt Maddie. She wondered briefly what they could be talking about, then turned her attention back to Roman who was still fidgeting uncomfortably.
“I’m very pleased you came today Matilda. It was quite an unexpected surprise,” said Mr. Caccia. He had caught her arm as she was heading outside to join Maks for some fresh air. He had her cornered now, forcing Maddie to make polite conversation.
“It was unexpected for me too, but I couldn’t let a silly little thing like an old family disagreement get in the way of retrieving Celeste,” she replied.
Mr. Caccia chuckled. “Disagreement? So that’s what you call it?”
“Yes. You and my father had made an agreement and I disagreed to it,” she retorted, crossing her arms across her chest defensively.
“And do you still think you made the correct decision?” he asked, taking a step closer to her and glancing out the back door where Maks stood.
“I do,” she answered resolutely.
Mr. Caccia turned his head toward his eldest son, Matteo, who was laughing happily with his wife. “Perhaps,” Mr. Caccia answered. Maddie spun around toward the back door, but he caught her arm once more and gently restrained her. “I wonder if Celeste would disagree.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, whirling back toward him.
“When you reneged on the agreement made between your father and myself, he had to make it up to me somehow,” he said with a wry smile. “He didn’t have another daughter so –”
Maddie frowned. “What did he do?”
“He promised me his granddaughter instead.”
“What?” she hissed, trying to keep her voice low.
“Celeste has
been promised to my Marco, and I certainly do not believe she will refuse as you did,” he answered, catching a glimpse of Celeste and Marco chatting together out of the corner of his eye.
“That’s never going to happen,” she said. “Who knows about this? Because I know for a fact Celeste doesn’t, nor does her mother. She will never approve of this.”
“Her mother has no say. This is guardian business. It was decided many generations ago that strong hunter families should intermingle; it is what’s best for the bloodlines,” he replied. “Marco knows what is his birthright, and I am certain that Celeste will make the right decision. You were a fool not to accept marriage to my son, Matteo, and for what? That vampire?” He turned his glare toward the back door again and gestured at Maks in disgust.
“I will certainly not discuss my love life with you,” she spat back, “but my father had no right arranging my marriage when I was just a girl. And now that he’s gone, he won’t do it to Celeste either – not while I’m still alive.”
“There’s nothing you can do if Celeste agrees,” he retorted.
“I know my niece and there is no way she will agree to an arranged marriage. If you knew her at all, you would understand that much.”
“We’ll see about that,” he answered and sauntered away.
Celeste looked up just in time to see a bright red-cheeked Aunt Maddie rushing out the back door. She wondered what had her so upset and stood up to follow her, but Mr. Caccia blocked her way.
“Celeste, what are your plans for the remainder of your stay in Rome?” he asked.
“We have a few family matters to attend to,” answered Roman appearing beside her.
“He’s right,” she echoed. “Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll have any time for fun during this visit. But I really appreciate you welcoming me into your home. You’ve made me feel like part of the family.”
“We really should be going soon,” said Roman to Celeste.
“I simply must insist that you come see us one more time before you leave—perhaps after you’ve taken care of this family matter,” said Mr. Caccia.
“I’ll try,” answered Celeste with a smile.
“Marco has filled me in on some of the details of your trip here, and I want you to know that if there is anything we can do to help, we are here for you. The boys would be happy to assist in any effort to capture the fiend responsible for all the deaths in Astor,” he said.
“Thank you,” said Celeste, wondering just how much Marco had disclosed to his father about their trip.
“We’d like to keep our presence here as quiet as possible,” interjected Roman. “The fewer people involved, the better,” Celeste shot him a look, “but thank you for the offer,” he added.
Aunt Maddie and Maks walked back into the living room, their cheeks rosy from the chilly night air. “We should get going,” she said, approaching Celeste. “It’s getting late and we have a busy day tomorrow.”
Celeste nodded and began saying her goodbyes, starting with the wives whose names she barely remembered. As she made her way around the room, she hoped that she would get a chance to come back and see the colorful Caccias again before heading back home, but somehow she didn’t think it was likely. Celeste finally made her way to Marco, but he stopped her as she leaned in for a goodbye hug.
“I’m coming with you,” he said.
Celeste could feel Roman’s steady gaze over her shoulder as she contemplated a response. Having an extra guardian could prove useful against Alek, and Marco had had her back many times before. Still, she knew Roman wouldn’t be happy. Finally, she said, “Okay.” Avenging Natalie’s death was the most important thing, and if that meant Roman would have to deal with some feelings of jealousy, he’d have to get over it.
After quickly packing up her suitcase and saying their final goodbyes, the six of them headed silently out to their cars. Marco jumped into his sporty Alfa Romeo and the remaining five piled into the Fiat. He had offered for Celeste to ride with him, but she knew better than to accept. She could already feel the annoyance radiating off of Roman, and he hadn’t said a word since she had agreed to let Marco join them. As she, Roman and Nico bounced around in the backseat of the tight car with Celeste in the middle, she wondered if she had made the right decision. To beat Alek, it was essential for them all to be on their A-game, and right now they seemed to be far from it.
When they arrived to Aunt Maddie and Maks’ apartment, they all convened around the coffee table in the compact living room. Celeste knew they needed to devise a plan for tomorrow, and she sensed the growing anxiety in both Roman and Nico. As they all huddled around the table, Maks took out his iPad and pulled up a map of central Rome, zooming into the area surrounding the Villa Borghese. Switching to street view, he pointed out the villa where Alek and Lilliana were presumed to be staying.
“What does it say on the gate?” asked Celeste, noticing a small white ceramic sign.
Maks zoomed in closer and his sharp vampire eyes were able to make out the small letters. “It says Villa Negrusurori.”
“Negrusurori?” asked Roman, his brows furrowing.
“What does that mean?” asked Celeste.
“It’s Romanian for black sisters,” he answered as tidbits of memories began racing back to him.
“Wait, isn’t Albsurori Romanian for white sisters?” she asked.
“Exactly,” he responded. “This is definitely where they are.”
“How do you know that?” asked Marco.
Roman offered the relevant history: “No one knew much about Fabian’s background, but it had been rumored that his mother had been a part of the Negrusurori coven. They were once the most powerful witch coven in the world, and then they just vanished. For centuries, people speculated that Fabian was the only living heir.”
“That’s right,” interjected Nico recollecting stories he had once heard from his mother. “The Albsurori and the Negrusurori were all one coven hundreds of years ago, then they had a falling out among the leaders, resulting in two separate but equally powerful groups.”
“And that would also explain why Fabian was so obsessed with our mother. He must have believed that reuniting the two covens through a marriage would only strengthen his own power,” finished Roman.
“Wow, that’s crazy,” said Celeste. “It’s a good thing he was never able to do it.”
“I wonder if Alek knows about this,” said Aunt Maddie. “He would now be the last living heir.”
“It’s doubtful. He didn’t even know Fabian was his father until a month ago,” said Roman.
“So if Alek is Fabian and Lilliana’s son, he should have the power of both covens, making him virtually unstoppable?” asked Celeste with an audible gulp.
“If he knew how to tap into that power,” said Roman, “then yes.”
“I think we need to bring Stellan in on this,” said Celeste. “Maybe he’ll have a better idea of what we’re up against.”
Moments later, Stellan’s hologram appeared in the small apartment. Celeste could see how worried he must have been, even in his translucent form. He had dark bags under his eyes and his shoulders sagged as if he were carrying the weight of the supernatural world. She suddenly felt terribly guilty for lying to him and sneaking off. As he spoke, he refused to make eye contact with her, making her feel even worse.
“So it is true about Fabian and the Negrusurori then?” he asked as he scratched at his scraggly beard.
“I believe so,” said Roman. “If you put everything together, it’s what makes the most sense.”
“Yes, quite so,” he said, furrowing his brows as he walked back and forth the short length of the sitting room. “I’m afraid I don’t know much about the Negrusurori as they were even before my time. But I am almost positive of this: the Albsurori ring will be the only thing strong enough to defeat Alek.”
Celeste looked up at the mention of the ring she was absentmindedly twisting around her finger. “My ring?” she asked.
“Is it safe for Celeste to be using that kind of powerful magic given her current state?” asked Roman.
“Definitely not,” he said, shaking his head, “which is exactly why she shouldn’t be there.”
“I’m sorry, Stellan,” said Celeste. “I’m sorry I lied to you. I know I shouldn’t have, but don’t you see? They need me.”
“It’s not you they need, Celeste. Someone else could have wielded the power of the ring. What you did was incredibly stupid and selfish. You won’t do anyone any good if you lose control,” he reprimanded.
Celeste felt like she had been slapped in the face. She had expected Stellan to be mad at her, but not that mad. He had practically told her she didn’t matter at all.
“They do need me,” she retorted, “and I’ll stop him.”
“I would try to forbid it, but we all know that you don’t listen to a word I say,” he said, throwing his hands up in the air.
“I’ll be by her side at all times,” said Roman. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“So will I,” interjected Marco.
“We all will,” echoed Nico.
“I’m afraid none of you understand that this threat comes from inside of her, and if it takes hold there won’t be anything any of you will be able to do to help her,” warned Stellan.
Celeste let out the deep breath that she hadn’t even realized she was holding. She had already made her decision: she came here to help Roman and Nico get their mother back and to avenge Natalie’s death—and all the deaths Alek had been responsible for in Astor. She would put an end to Alek once and for all. She couldn’t back down now, no matter the consequences.
Lilliana had been tossing and turning in bed all night and as the first rays of the sun shone through the window, she was immeasurably relieved. The culprit was a vivid nightmare, dredging up her past and revolving mostly around Fabian. She sat up and shook the disturbing thoughts from her mind, gazing out the second-floor window and admiring the bright yellows and oranges of the rising sun. It had been a few weeks since their arrival in Rome, and Lilliana was beginning to feel restless. She longed to find the sons she had left behind, feeling guilty for how she had left things with them. Alek had promised to consider her request to see them, but somehow she knew he would never allow it.
