by Jackie Ivie
“Where is Mandy?”
“Electric guitar is rather fun. I think I’ve done very well for a beginner. I...tried my hand at drums, too. It’s really not that difficult.”
“It was you playing last night?”
“Whatever gave you that idea?”
“Akron. Please. Tell me where she is.”
Akron put the guitar down. Dusted his hands on his pants. Looked up.
“I believe she is back in her hotel room at the Palazzo Sequiem. That would be my best guess.”
“Her hotel?”
“Yes. Probably just waking up, as well.”
“Oh, shit! I need to be there! She doesn’t believe me! I have to convince her, and I have to ask—this is not good.”
“She’s fine, Nigel. I have Lizbeth on staff watching her. Well. Not just watching her. She’s a night clerk. She’s actually monitoring all kinds of things.”
“Our Lizbeth? The walking computer with...never mind. Forget I said that.”
“In answer to your question, yes. Our Lizbeth. She joined the hotel employment last night. Surreptitiously. Strange management staff they have over there. They didn’t even notice when she clocked in, nor did they note that she is still on the clock.”
“Who is manning the desk at VAL Headquarters? Not the twins.”
“Haven’t you ever heard of call forwarding, Nigel?”
“Yes. And—you know what? I don’t care. All I care about is Mandy, and—how did she get there? Did she—? No. No. Please, don’t tell me that she asked to go.”
“Don’t worry so. She’s fine.” Akron swiveled on his stool, picked up a pair of drumsticks and did a drum roll across his snare drum. His drum set was impressive. He had bass, snare, tom-tom drums, along with hi-hat, ride, and crash cymbals. “She was in her bed, sleeping soundly most of the day while her alleged friends checked on her...exactly twice. Not much of a showing in regards to empathy and concern from that trio. I think she needs better friends.”
“How do you know all this?”
“Lizbeth just checked in...and oh. I’ll just admit it. I know exactly where she is, because I delivered her.” And he punctuated that statement with a hit of a drumstick on a hi-hat cymbal. The sound was crashing and loud. It matched how his heart reacted.
“But...why? And you didn’t answer. Please don’t tell me she asked to go there. Please. Just don’t.”
“She didn’t.”
“Then why would you do such a thing?”
“Because when two Hunters disappear from their assigned posts as bodyguards, that creates a bit of notice. They will send other Hunters to investigate. I would hazard a guess that they are already here. That could be an unnecessary complication, so be forewarned. Let’s up the ante, shall we? Let’s conjecture what might happen if the object of their assignment also disappears? Well. That would create a definite complication. In times like that, Hunters tend to descend like flies on sh—. I mean, dung. Forgive my colloquialism. I must have picked up such verbiage from being around you younger associates. Anyway, had I allowed that scenario to happen, you would have had to finish your courting here. Indoors. Under all kinds of watchful eyes. That would be a shame. Venice really should be appreciated from the outside. It’s a lovely city. Very romantic. Especially at night when decay and decadence are easier to overlook. There would also be a risk that Hunters might discover Miss Mandy’s actual location. Should that happen? Well. It would be a shame to obliterate this beautiful old palazzo.
“You may notice I’m not even addressing the two gentlemen her uncle paid to watch her. Before you ask - one is in the morgue. The other has been hospitalized with a skull fracture. The authorities believe they are victims of a falling bit of balcony. Mainly because I made certain there was a decaying chunk of said balcony on site. The ‘accident’ is being kept quiet. Bad for tourism and all that. They are not broadcasting the news. Consequently, unless there was a program in place to check in with their employer, her bodyguards’ disappearance should be a non-issue. They have not been replaced that I can ascertain. It’s rather odd, actually. Mandy’s uncle appears to have the same lack of fondness for Mandy as her so-called ‘friends’ exhibit. Excuse me for a moment.”
“Akron!”
Akron did a rudimentary drum demonstration. Then he put his sticks down and swiveled back to face Nigel. “Yes?”
“It was you playing last night.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. But I do like to think I’m playing the part of matchmaker. And doing it quite well. So. About your Mandy. If I don’t miss my guess, she’ll awaken soon. She may wish to delegate last night’s happenings to the realm of a dream. Perhaps not. She may go out with her so-called friends. She may not. Lizbeth will keep us notified. However, you really do need to take some time to dress properly. I don’t think it’s a good plan to meet her again in your tightie-whities.”
“My what?”
“Although you will probably create a riot in St. Mark’s square. Before your arrest, of course.”
“My arrest?”
“For indecent exposure. I mean, they’ll allow you to show up nude, as long as you have something on. Even if it’s see-through. But to walk about in your underwear?”
Nigel looked down and then back up. “I need a ring. Do the jewelers stay open this late?”
“A ring?”
“Yes.”
“Any particular kind?”
“With a really big diamond. You know. An engagement ring. So I can propose.”
“To Mandy?”
“Yeah. Duh.”
“Excellent idea. Truly. Excellent plan, lad. Allow me to assist.”
“I think you’ve done enough.”
Akron chuckled. “Go and try on your suit. The one with the velvet jacket.”
“Good plan. I really like that one.”
“Oh. And check the inner pocket before you go out.”
“No way. You can’t be serious?”
“About what?” Akron asked.
“You included a ring? Oh, Sir! I don’t believe it! Thank you! Thank you! You are amazing!”
“Oh. That reminds me. I need to apprise you of something more, in case she thanks you.”
“Thanks me?”
“I took the liberty of sending a series of gifts to her today. In your name, of course. Well, I actually only used your initial. Creates a bit of mystery.”
“What kinds of things?”
“A stuffed animal. Some flowers. Tokens of your feelings. You know. Things a gentleman of your supposed age would send to the lady he adores. I was going by instinct, however, so I may be a bit off.”
“You sent her flowers? Wow. You do think of everything.”
“Well. It is like I always say. Proper planning prevents...oh. Never mind.”
Nigel had already sprinted out the door. He was probably at his closet already. Akron shook his head and picked up his guitar. But this time he played softly. And with a mournful air.
CHAPTER NINE
She heard singing first. The gondoliers serenaded their passengers occasionally. The voice was male. Clear. Melodic. And distinct. As if she was in the boat with him. The sound of waves lapping against foundations joined in. Then the music started – several differing genres of music, mostly classical. She heard the sound of drinking glasses clinking. Then she started picking out voices. Easily understood. Especially since they weren’t speaking Italian. She recognized Chelsea, Ariel, and Bridget.
“She probably doesn’t want to go.” That was Chelsea.
“Maybe we should check on her. I mean, she’s been asleep all day. And somebody needs to decide what to do with all this stuff.” Bridget.
“There is a ‘do not disturb’ sign on her knob.” That was Ariel.
“She didn’t mean us. I mean, come on. We are her friends.” That was Chelsea.
“I’ll check on her,” Bridget offered.
“I hope she’s not sick,” Ariel remarked.
“Yeah, that would r
eally suck,” Chelsea replied.
“For us. I mean, who wants to stay in and nursemaid her?”
“Wow. Ariel, that’s cold.”
“Yeah. Well. The night is young, and Chad said to meet him at eleven. We’re going to be late. And you know, she probably doesn’t want to meet Chad. Or Bruce. She had the chance last night. She bailed on us. Remember?”
“Well, she is paying for this trip. Don’t you think we should at least ask her if she wants to go?” That was Chelsea.
“She might have a rendezvous with the mysterious ‘N’ who is behind all this stuff,” Ariel remarked.
“Well, don’t you want to know about that, too?”
“You’re right. I do. But hurry it up, Bridget.”
Mandy sat up with a move that didn’t take any effort. Her room was dim, but she could pick the dresser out easily. Then the chaise lounge across the room. The window with a little balcony that overlooked a portion of the Grand Canal. The polished wood flooring. She hadn’t noticed it before, but the place could use a coat of paint. It was flaking near the moldings. She also hadn’t noted how old the red velour draperies looked. Nor how over-mended and over-washed.
The door opened. Bridget stuck her head in.
“Hello sleepy-head!”
“Where am I?”
“The hotel. Palazzo Sequiem. You okay?”
Mandy swiveled and stood. That didn’t require any effort, either. It took two strides to reach the door. A distance of at least ten feet. It was almost as if she glided between steps. Weird.
“Wow. You look great. New outfit to go with the new beau?”
Mandy looked down. She was wearing a form-fitted, knee-skimming, sleeveless sheath, cinched at the waist. She rarely wore a dress, and never while on vacation. If she had to guess she’d say it was fashioned of linen in a red shade, with a large insert of black about the armholes and neck. That matched the black pumps on her feet. She wasn’t fond of wearing heels, either. She tipped an ankle and looked. Yep. She had two inch heels.
That was even weirder. She looked back to Bridget. “What stuff?” she asked.
“We’ve been receiving gifts since noon. About every ninety minutes or so, the lady at the front desk calls up. Her name is Lizbeth. We’re on a first name basis now. So. We go down. There’s a gift that’s been delivered for you. We tried sketching out a timeline so we could find out if they’re coming via messenger service, or the actual buyer. We even scoped out the lobby the last two times, trying to see them as they arrived. It’s creating quite a lot of notice. Everybody wants to know what’s going on. You’ll probably have a mob when we get the eleven o’clock call. Oh. Wait a minute. It’s after that. They’ve stopped. Well. Don’t just stand there. Come on. See for yourself.”
The girl took Mandy’s arm and pulled her into the communal area of the suite. Every surface seemed to be covered in something eye-catching. In every conceivable shade of red. There were large neon-red bows. Floral arrangements. Ribbons with a lot of glitter. A spray of iridescent feathers that shimmered. And a seven foot teddy bear was propped onto the couch, taking up half of it. He had a red bow around his neck. Mandy’s mouth went as wide as her eyes. And then she saw the other occupants. Chelsea and Ariel standing over by the door. They were dressed exactly like they’d been last night. Slacks. Small top. Flats. Mandy looked even more overdressed in comparison.
“Well? Are you going to tell us or not?”
“What?”
“The name of your new admirer.”
“I don’t believe this,” Mandy replied.
“You don’t? Heck. We’re about to drown in...oh. Let’s just list them. Okay?” Bridget started pointing and explaining. “It started with this amazing bouquet of long-stemmed red roses. I mean, that almost took up the countertop. The following hour another bouquet arrived, this time all sorts of flowers, mostly red. And it was even larger. It’s in the center of the table. Three-fifteen brought us Belgian truffles. They’re in that corner. Four-thirty was when the teddy bear arrived. That was fun to bring up here. Six o’clock brought this pack of a dozen tins of caviar. A dozen! Seven-thirty-ish was champagne delivery. We put it in the refrigerator. This is all premium stuff, too. We’ve been checking it out online. Talk about expensive. I mean wow, Mandy. You have really got an admirer here.”
Mandy approached the table. Pulled a rose from the first bouquet. Sniffed it. Her heart was beating hard. Her hands shook as she pulled a card out of its envelope.
“At nine, you received some ‘Impossible-To-Afford-On-My-Salary’ perfume. I can’t even pronounce the name of it. We had to look it up. So, come on. You have to tell us. This is really cool and you must have had a really amazing night.”
That was an understatement. Mandy rubbed at her neck. It felt sore. And when she moved her hands away, there was a pin drop of blood on a finger. She regarded it uncomprehendingly for a moment. And then she looked at the beautifully written note. If she wasn’t mistaken, it had been hand-drawn. With a quill-type pen. It was exquisite.
“We snooped. They all say the same thing. ‘From N. With love.’ I’m so glad you’re awake. Finally! We are dying of curiosity here.”
“Nigel,” Mandy whispered.
“Who?”
“They are from Nigel.”
Chelsea and Ariel approached. Mandy turned toward them.
“Nigel? Sounds mysterious,” Ariel remarked.
“He...is a boy I met last night. I mean...a man.” Mandy blushed. She stuck her nose in the rose blossom for a moment.
“You got details?”
“Um...” She didn’t finish. The silence stretched for a bit, and then Bridget spoke again.
“Well. Whoever he is, he’s got great taste. And he knew your fave color. Red.”
“Yes.” She’d told him that while they’d been slow dancing to a rock ballad. Nigel not only had great taste, he was a fantastic dancer. Lithe. Graceful. Being matched against him while they swayed to music had been magical. His glance heated up a room. His touch could ignite it. A swell of warmth bloomed through her, starting at her chest. Oh! How she wished she could remember every single moment...especially his sweetness as they’d made love. Oh, my. Her heart started thumping a little harder. Her blush deepened.
Somebody coughed.
“Say...Mandy? We weren’t sitting around counting pigeons last night. We...also met some gentlemen. Had a great time. We are supposed to meet them again. Same place. Same table if we can get it.”
“You are?”
“We were just about to leave.”
“Yeah. We’re probably going to be late.”
“Oh,” Mandy replied.
“You want to come? Or did you make plans with this Nigel?”
The warmth about Mandy started receding. She almost shivered. She might need a sweater with this dress.
“I’m...not sure,” she finally replied.
“Well, I’d say by the extent of his gifts, he’s pretty sure.”
“We...didn’t make plans.”
“Okay. Color me a little naïve, but any guy who goes to this much time and expense,” Chelsea waved her arm to encompass the room of gifts before continuing. “Well. Let’s just say, that guy is definitely looking to hook up with you again. Did you give him your number? Get his?”
“Oh. No. I couldn’t. I lost my phone.”
“You lost your phone?”
All three girls said it simultaneously. Mandy giggled.
“Do you know where?”
“One of the canals.”
“You lost your phone in a canal?”
“It’s...a long story.”
“I, for one, can’t wait to hear it,” Bridget remarked. “But first things first. You need a replacement phone. Like...now. Anybody know a good place?”
“It’s Venice. The night is made for romance, not commerce. I don’t think we’ll be able to find any store that’s open.” Chelsea answered.
“It’s okay,” Mandy replied.
“What? No way. You are being way too nonchalant about this. So, tell us. What really happened last night?”
“I met a man. Nigel. And he’s...very...um.”
“Very um?” Ariel asked.
“Something massive went down last night. We are not stupid. And nobody loses their phone and says it’s okay. Period.” Bridget pulled out a chair and plopped into it.
“What are you doing? We are already late!”
“I want some answers.”
“Can’t she tell us later? I mean Chad and Bruce are pretty hot. And they did ask us to meet them.”
“Oh. Not me. Chad and Bruce are strictly interested in you, two; the Ariel and Chelsea show. I have been delegated to third wheel category.”
“They said they’d bring a friend for you, Bridget. Remember?” Chelsea offered.
“Great. I get to be set-up so I don’t feel bad.”
“Well. You could always hang around here and see if a mysterious guy named Nigel shows up,” Ariel said. “Maybe he’ll accompany his next gift.”
“Let’s all go,” Mandy offered.
“That works,” Bridget replied. “Because we’ve got all night, and I, for one, really want to know more about this Nigel. I mean, who wouldn’t?”
Mandy pressed the note into one hand, and held the rose in another. She followed the others. Down the flights of steps that sucked up sound. Out into streets that felt alive with music, light, and laughter. It was underscored by the continual sound of waves. And all accompanied by the sighing and creaking of thousand-year-old buildings as they supported the weight of history.
There was no place like Venice. It was a city of romance and dreams. And every night felt like a renewal of that promise.
The group moved at a fairly brisk pace. That was fine with Mandy. She didn’t want to talk about Nigel. She didn’t know what to say. She was in love – and one did not fall in love in one night. And they really didn’t fall for anyone claiming to be a fictitious creature. He wanted her to believe he was immortal? Really? A vampire?
Oh. Please.
It was ludicrous...but what other scenario made sense? How could she explain anything? She’d had a crush on Paul Henry mostly due to his handsomeness, and what had happened? A man with the same looks shows up. Without warning? Nigel was almost the image of her ex. Only...he had a dark, sinfully dangerous side that set him apart. It couldn’t be because he was a vampire.
