by Simone Lari
"Why don't you let me medicate your arm?"
"Because you're not a nice pretty Red Cross girl, and it doesn’t hurt very much."
"Maybe not, but the wound is dirty, and your jacket as well. Look, you’ve stained all the blankets, you’re really an animal."
"Leave me in peace for five minutes. I’ll go to the bathroom later and clean myself up, and I’ll disinfect the wound, ok, you wuss?"
"Do as you like, knucklehead!"
Chapter 10 – Tiptoeing back home
"Thank you, Tony, and sorry for the unexpected call" said Angelique, getting out of the car.
"Not at all, it was a pleasure. But rather, to go and get Jude’s car, I know a good mechanic if you need one."
"It was, uh, an electrical fault. I must have forgotten to turn something off and boom, the battery went" she justified herself.
"Maybe tomorrow I could have a look at it. I have some cables ...”
"It doesn't matter, I have a deal with an auto electrician near my house, and I’ll take it to him. Now start the engine and take me home!" ordered Jude.
"No, we’re waiting for Angelique to get inside" Nina decided bossily, looking carefully at the area adjacent to the short driveway, adequately lit and with just a low hedge along it.
The lights were still on inside the house and, as soon as she put the keys in the lock, they heard insistent barking coming from inside.
When the girl opened the door, her parents and the faithful dog, a husky with mottled hair and very light-colored eyes, welcomed her warmly.
Only when the door closed again did Nina breathe a sigh of relief at last.
"Can we go now? I'm cold and I'm tired!" Jude complained.
Nina nodded and Tony set off immediately for her house, not far from Angelique’s place. They arrived there in the twinkling of an eye and after fleeting ritual goodbyes, Jude hurtled toward the front door.
Nina looked up: a faint light could be seen on the upper floor, but it wasn’t her friend’s parents. They never waited up for her, because they knew how much she loved staying out late and how little she liked giving them explanations about how she had spent the evening. The lighted window was in Jude’s room: she had the habit of always leaving the light on before she went out so that it welcomed her on her return, and guided her to her own private corner of the universe.
Nina really understood that reassuring feeling, and so she stared at that light; it was like tasting her own imminent return home, to the safety her own room.
The two friends waited for the door to close, then set off again. As soon as they arrived at her house, Nina gave Tony a friendly hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you, Tony, you're a real friend" she said to him, not far from his hopeful face.
She made to pull back, but the boy didn't break the embrace.
When he became aware of her look of surprise, he let her go and quickly pulled away.
"Good…goodnight, Nina" he answered, somewhat disappointed.
"Goodnight, Tony" she said with a smile.
But as soon she turned with her hand on the safety lock of the door, he burst out: "What happened this evening? All three of you seemed so strange to me. Are you hiding something by any chance?"
She sat down again on the seat and taking a deep breath answered as calmly as possible: "Nothing particularly strange happened, apart from Jude’s car breaking down."
"Nina, I’m not stupid. I found you not very far from your house, freezing cold without your overcoats. Forget the car thing, but you didn’t want to go back to the restaurant to get your coats and bags. And you had a strange look the whole way home. Then, when Angelique and Jude got out of the car, you were too far too apprehensive, as if you expected someone to jump out of the dark at any moment, ready to attack them" he argued, serious, showing his perspicacity.
"What do you mean? I know you like stories, but this time your imagination is working overtime" she said, trying to make light of it.
"I don't think so. Tell me where you were and what happened. Please, I want to know."
She wheedled him, caressing his cheek. For a brief, fleeting moment the thought crossed her mind to tell him everything but Van's admonition and the fear that Tony would think she was mad or worse, and that if he knew about this it would put him in danger somehow, made her desist.
"We went to a night club and had a drink, and then we left in a hurry because there was some kind of brawl which caused a little confusion. Jude’s car had run out of petrol and she was too proud to admit that she was so absentminded, so we came back on foot as far as my house, and forgot to get our coats at the club." He looked at her, still unsure about the truth of her story, and she went on: "We were tired and freezing and realized how stupid it would have been to ask my father to accompany us; he would have complained and got some incredible thoughts in his head like some bad movie. So we decided to call a trusted friend" she concluded with a smile.
"Yes, well, of course, a trusted friend."
"Trustworthy, generous and invaluable!" she added, kissing him on the cheek again.
Then, without giving him time to reply, she got out of the car with a smile and a quick wave of the hand, and ran to the door of her house.
As she went, she took out her keys so she wouldn't lose time at the door then closed it gently behind her. In the same moment she heard Tony’s car depart.
Nina took off her shoes; the floor was cold and slippery under the thin nylon pantyhose.
She slipped silently and stealthily along the archway opening onto the living room, where the television was intermittently lighting up the room. The audio, at a low volume, covered her cautious step.
Once past, she looked in and saw her father with his head reclined on the back of the sofa, and her mother leaning on his shoulder, both of them wrapped in a warm blanket in autumn colors.
Favored by the sounds coming from the movie, she continued to the stairs that would take her to her room.
"Ah, Nina…" murmured the woman.
She stopped suddenly, fossilizing herself like a thief caught in the act by a policeman with drawn pistol.
Clarissa rose slowly from the sofa. She turned off the television, carefully wrapped her husband in the soft blanket and then walked quietly to her daughter.
"Did you have a good evening? Would you like me to get you something warm?" she asked in a low voice, with a big smile.
"Everything went well, I’d say. But I don't want anything, just a good night's rest, but thank you anyway" she replied, trying to retreat.
"Wait, I’ll walk with you to your room, and maybe you can tell me about it" said the mother, hopeful.
"Clarissa, I’m an adult. How about if from now on we avoid the nocturnal mother-daughter chats, which always end in advice from someone who’s overprotective, unwanted cuddles and too much tucking in?" she shot back impatiently.
"Alright" the mother replied, resigned, "as you like, sweetheart."
She kissed her on the forehead then looked at her satisfied.
Although her face looked tired and drawn, Nina knew that in the eyes of her loving mother she would always be beautiful. She would never have openly admitted it, but this reassured her enormously.
She briefly ruffled her hair, and then noticed the chain with the Trequetra.
"I'm glad you took it with you" she said, gathering the pendant in the palm of her hand.
She suddenly looked gloomy.
She turned it around in her fingers then, with a forcibly relaxed expression, asked again: "So everything went well tonight? Nothing strange happened; maybe you met some guy a little special…"
Nina squeezed her eyelashes together, reducing her eyes to a thin slit.
"No!" she burst out, "Otherwise I would have told you… I think" she rectified with a mischievous smile.
"Okay, my darling" Clarissa reconciled, caressing her cheek in an understanding way. "Forgive the insistence of a mother who still doesn't accept the idea that h
er daughter is now grown up."
"It doesn’t matter, mom, when it’s all said and done I like your attentions, just as long as you don’t overdo it!"
She hugged her close for a while. The smiles they had exchanged changed into worried frowns as soon as the face of one was behind the other's back.
"Goodnight" they said in unison.
Nina went to her room, while the mother remained at the foot of the stairs, looking thoughtful and concerned.
In the quiet of her room, Nina breathed a sigh of relief.
She took off the dress.
You might be fantastic, but you’re really tight and you don’t keep me very warm! She thought as soon as she had taken it off.
Then she looked at her pendant. She took it in her hand, as her mother had done, and was about to slip it off, but a vaguely unpleasant feeling stopped her in her tracks. It was as if she was about to give up something reassuring, so she left it around her neck and put on her comfortable pajamas.
She dived under the warm blankets of her double bed and sank her head into the pillow.
She was aware that hoping to fall asleep immediately was mere utopia.
She went over the events of the evening in her mind, ignoring and almost forgetting about the most normal and fun part she'd spent with her friends at the restaurant, and focused instead on what had happened from the moment they had set foot in the Black Sun.
How did he convince me to follow him into the alley? I would never do anything like that with someone I don’t know, and furthermore I didn't even like him, with that slick-looking red hair. He must have done something to me, perhaps with his eyes and that strange gesture of the hand, maybe hypnosis or stuff like that, she reasoned, recalling the vampire's approach and how easily he had convinced her to follow him into the alley.
She turned onto her side, trying to find a more comfortable position, and pulled the blankets up to her nose.
The other vampire, the one with the sad expression, I wonder why he wanted to help me. I don't understand why he stared at me in that way, and then what he had to say about my eyes. He seemed kind, I don’t think he wanted to hurt me, or take advantage of me like his friend wanted to do, she said to herself, pondering on his providential intervention which had got her out of a most difficult situation.
She turned again, lying on her stomach and sinking her face into the soft pillow.
And that guy, Vans, is a real idiot! But… who knows what would have happened if he hadn't intervened. And what's more, he had such a serious look about him when he advised me to forget everything; he seemed genuinely concerned for me. He and Gabriel took care of us, and we didn’t even thank them.
"I wonder if I’ll ever see him again” she whispered, giving voice to her thoughts.
She sighed, and then breathed the perfume of the pillowcase for a long time, before finally giving in to fatigue and sleepiness. The Trequetra was lying immobile between her breasts. Unknowingly, Nina closed her fingers around it, as if to seek comfort in it.
Chapter 11 – The Lair of the Duergar
A sporty motorbike travelled fast along a long avenue through the countryside, until it stopped in front of a gate with two armed guards. The motorcyclist identified himself; they opened promptly and let him in.
He walked the short stretch of gravel road that separated the gates from the villa, large and impressive.
At the front door, another two armed guards carefully followed his arrival. He parked the bike carelessly, quickly got off, threw down the helmet and then rushed to the entrance. He went in accompanied by one of the guards. His facial features, sullen and tense, showed growing fear and concern.
Someone intercepted him immediately in the atrium; they had a brief conversation, then the first sat down on a chair, waiting, while the other went quickly up the staircase which opened to the floors above.
When he reached a massive door, guarded by two Duergar, he knocked lightly and a voice from inside gave him permission to enter.
"Sir, one of our emissaries of death has returned from the mission."
"Good, Duncan. Bring him to me."
"At once, sir."
At the sight of the austere and contracted face and the regal clothing of the old man, the Zmeu hesitated, intimidated.
"Speak!" he ordered.
"Lord Gregor, my lord, we followed the two young Morlands to a nightclub, the Black Sun. We waited for them to perform their mental games to procure some females, and then we waited in the alley to ambush them", and here he interrupted the story, his eyes filled with terror.
"Go on."
"We attacked them, but ... they were not alone."
"What does that mean?" he flung at him irately.
"There were hunters with them" he hastened to clarify.
The vampire was grasped by the throat and lifted from the ground; he did not put up any resistance, nor did he object.
"You're saying that the Morlands are in league with some hunters?"
"Ex-exactly, ye-yes sir!"
The grasp loosened, and the vampire could put his feet on the ground again.
"What happened then, and how many were there?"
"There were four; seven if we count the girls in their following; they were numerically superior" he justified himself.
"Tell me about the hunters" he insisted outraged.
"They were very young, one was robust, with a big revolver, and the other thinner, with a silver Ankh around his neck."
"Your companion on this mission died fighting, why didn't you do the same?"
"I have come back to you, my lord, to warn you of this unexpected alliance between the Morlands and the hunters. I was certain that it was important for you to know about this. I sacrificed my honor and I pulled out of the fight to let you know what is happening!"
"Well, you've done that. Your role in this story is finished" he stated.
He drew the katana quickly from its sleeve and, with a rapid and precise movement, beheaded him.
"My lord" said Duncan, "Do you think we should inform the elders of this unforeseen alliance?"
"I shall tell them, but nothing will change for us. The orders we have received are clear. Our campaign has just begun and is already bearing fruit; we certainly won't let a couple of hunters get in our way."
The acolyte nodded with deference.
Chapter 12 - Request for Mediation
"Thanks for giving me a life, I feel safer with you," said Nina, clinging to the arms with her two trusted friends.
"I feel safe as long there's him, up there" answered Jude pointing to the sky.
"Oh, you're finally starting to believe in God!" exclaimed Angelique, ecstatic.
"Of course not! I haven’t gone mad yet. I was meaning the sun. As long as it’s high in the sky, then I feel safe, in fact today there are far too many clouds for my liking" she stated, making her friend frown.
"Here we are, we’ve arrived" interrupted Nina, "there’s your car."
"I’ll wait with the engine running, if you want me to" Jude suggested.
"Don’t even think of it: you’re coming inside with us!" Angelique tightened her grip.
The three of them froze when they arrived in front of the nightclub and saw the sign indicating the opening hours.
Evening opening: 19:30 until late.
"Damn it! We'll have to come back later, when the sun has gone down" Jude remarked, dejectedly.
"We should have expected that a place like this would be deserted in the afternoon" commented Nina, looking inside to see if there was any movement.
"We could call Tony and Heric, and have them bring us. Or we could use the number that Gabriel left me" Angelique proposed.
"No!" Nina burst out. "We’ll come back alone, the three of us. I don't want to live in fear just because I now know that in addition to maniacs, rapists, thieves and all the other bad things we can find in mankind, there are also vampires around."
"You're not completely wrong" replied Jude, "
but you've got to admit that it would be better if those things weren't out there too. What’s more, I wouldn’t like to see them come here again, maybe to look just for you. It seemed to me that you'd aroused some interest in the red haired one last time."
"You're right, and by the way, I haven’t had a chance yet to explain my behavior the other night to you... Nina answered, lowering her gaze.
"What’s so strange? You wanted to celebrate. The only questionable thing was the choice of the subject: a bit short, awfully thin, a crest full of gel on his head in pure eighties style. The only interesting thing about him was the red hair, and even the blue eyes weren’t bad, come to think of it" decided Jude lost in thought.
"What on earth are you on about, are you crazy? I can overlook your total atheism, your love for alcohol and nightlife, but spurring Nina on to give herself to the first one she comes across doesn’t seem like good advice from a friend. Especially when there are a lot of nice guys that she knows who are fond of her, ready to be by her side!" Angelique retorted, extremely angry.
"Calm down, girls. The truth is that he must have done something to me that somehow charmed me, when he looked at me and moved his hand in front of my face. Therefore, if you ever happen to stumble upon him or someone of his kind, be careful not to look too hard into his eyes."
"Yeah, as if they've got warning, vampire written on their forehead" muttered Jude, taking the car keys, "Let’s go, come on, I’ll take you home. We’ll come back later."
"The sun has set, let’s hurry" urged Christopher on the threshold of the old mansion bereft of the protection of the Elder.
"Listen up, who said you're the boss and can give us orders?" argued Sting.
"It’s alright with me if he's the one to lead us" Alyna asserted.
"Hear that? It’s ok with her. And if we put it to a vote, I don’t believe I’d vote for you. Anyway, I'm the eldest of the group" Christopher pointed out.
"Wow, older, just by a few months. But your plan sucks!" he protested indignantly.
