Peris Night: Terakon (Secret Language)

by Eva Maria Klima

  “Just because I can see enchanted buildings, doesn’t mean I possess any special abilities. I don’t know anything about magic, and what I’ve seen so far was mostly coincidence, nothing else.” I looked back across my shoulder and met Daniel’s arrogating eyes. “Even if I knew what the source of my so-called abilities was, I wouldn’t tell you,” I added sassily, crossing my arms to signal that I wasn’t ready to cooperate any further. Before I knew what was happening, my seatbelt was unbuckled, the seat was flipped backwards, and I was keeping the vampire in the backseat company. I merely stared at him, frightened to death, not daring to move. I felt as if he was trying to burn a hole into my forehead with his eyes. Anything was better than remaining in this position, so I ventured: “You won’t harm me, because you still need me.” My voice betrayed that I was trying to convince myself it was true. At first he gave me an incredulous look, as if he’d just witnessed a cat take on a lion, but then he got livid with rage. It was a terrifying sight, the most frightening thing I’d ever seen.

  I shrank back and felt the tears run down my cheeks, while his finger traced a vein on my arm. “Last time you were quite useful despite a few minor injuries,” he said with a whole lot of menace in his voice. When I remained silent, he went on: “I’ll tell you how this will go down. I’m going to ask you a few questions, and you will answer them truthfully. If you refuse, I’m going to break every bone in your body, one by one. And let me tell you that I’ve had more than a thousand years to observe human behavior. I’ll know if you’re lying.”

  I swallowed hard as I felt panic wash over me. Daniel inclined his head, an ever so slight smirk curling the corner of his mouth. “I see you understand me. So who are your parents? All we could find in your university records are their names. Tell me about them! Where do they live?”

  I couldn’t answer those questions. I couldn’t allow this creature to get to my parents. Even though they thought me handy and useful, he had just threatened to torture me. Hell knew what he might do to my parents to exert control over me. Was I crying? I can’t remember if I did, but I know that I made a decision then. I would protect my parents. I held out my arm with a defiant stare. “So break them, go on!”

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Michael struggle to suppress a grin. Flaring with rage, Daniel grabbed me by the throat, and I could feel him bite down the next moment. I cried out with pain and fright. Everything happened so fast. “No!” Michael yelled and steered the car to the curb with a jerk of the wheel, stepping on the brakes so the tires screeched. He was out of the driver’s seat in a flash, moving with preternatural speed to open the back door on Daniel’s side and drag him off me, throw him outside. Then Michael was jerked from the car and hurled against a fir tree with such force that it was uprooted by the impact. The noise was deafening, as if two Mack trucks were fighting instead of two people. “Come on, don’t be so indulgent. You have to teach her respect early on, or else she will walk all over you, all the time,” I heard Daniel’s voice argue. Then I heard another loud crash.

  Holding my hand pressed against the wound, I got out. I had barely taken a few steps away from the car, when Michael was slammed against the side of the Audi. The vehicle was lifted in the air, flipped over in a high arc, and then it landed on its roof. Michael lay on the ground, but Daniel quickly grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to his feet.

  “Stop it, both of you! Daniel, I never gave you permission to drink my blood,” I whined. As soon as the words left my lips, I realized how silly and childish my complaint was. As if the vampire cared whether I gave him permission or not.

  “Are you happy now?” Daniel asked Michael in a gurgling yell, before he went down. All of a sudden he started to vomit, holding his stomach and emitting pained moans. Michael hurried over to where I was cowering, checked my wound, and kissed my forehead gently to soothe me. When his anger had subsided, he pulled away from me and turned around to look after Daniel.

  I sat down on the trunk of the uprooted tree, exhausted and shaky. Only when Michael shook me I realized he was speaking to me. “Sorry for all that, but now I need your help. I thought he was bluffing, but his condition seems really serious. I want to test a hypothesis. Tell him that you forgive him.”

  I gaped. “Pardon me?”

  Michael was desperate. “Melanie, please. It’s worth a try.”

  I didn’t want to forgive him. He’d bitten me and had threatened to torture me. Michael read my thoughts, which wasn’t very hard this time. “Please, for my sake. He’s been my friend for centuries,” he pleaded, almost as if he’d heard my thoughts spoken out loud.

  “Daniel, it’s okay, I forgive you,” I declared haltingly, wondering what that was supposed to achieve. But as soon as the words had left my lips, Daniel stopped retching. He rose as if nothing had happened, sitting down next to us on the fir log. It was late and cold; and the car looked as if it had been through a scrap press. I rested my cheek on my tucked-up knees and closed my eyes. Michael got a blanket from the deformed trunk and wrapped it around me, holding me. I inhaled deeply, breathing in Michael’s scent. Everything smelled of him – masculine, somewhat acerbic, and yet slightly sweet. I liked this scent. After a while I straightened and leaned my head on his shoulder, despite the stinging wound on my neck. He pulled me closer and kissed my temple.

  I took in the wreck of his car. “What a pity about your beautiful car.”

  “I have comprehensive insurance.”

  Sitting together on the felled tree, we were forced to wait. I asked: “Do vampires need a victim’s permission to drink their blood?”

  “No!” Both men replied in unison, sounding annoyed. I gave them a frustrated look. “I think you guys owe me a few explanations. What do you know about me, and what the heck happened here?”

  Michael exhaled heavily. “Fine, if you insist. Apparently you’re immune to our magic. We can neither put a spell on you nor conceal things from you with our camouflage technique. You on the other hand are able to lift spells placed on us. Taking your blood against your will seems like a fatal act for a vampire, and as we’ve just seen, you have the power to heal the vampire and save him. I’ve never seen anything like it in a human being.”

  “Not in a human being, you’re saying? So you’ve seen it in … what?”

  He hesitated, and I got the feeling that he was undecided what to keep from me and what to tell me. “There used to be a very old people, but you can’t possibly be one of them. As far as I know, only two beings of this species exist today in the entire world. And those two would never mate with a human.” The conversation was cut short by an approaching police car, followed by a tow truck. When the first cop got out, I realized how difficult it would be to explain why the wreck looked as it did. Daniel rose slowly and walked over to meet the officer. “Good evening, we’ve been expecting you. We were en route to Salzburg, when a huge truck crashed into us and virtually catapulted the car against that tree over there.”

  The police officer examined the scene of the accident, wanted to know how many people had been in the car, and ordered us to get checked for internal bleeding and the like. But after a brief look into Daniel’s eyes he declared: “I guess that is all, then. You can come by and pick up the accident report for your insurance tomorrow afternoon.”

  A short while later Phillipe arrived in a huge BMW. Michael and I got into the backseat, Daniel took the passenger seat.

  When he turned his head and stared at me, I warned: “Don’t even think of biting me again!” He licked his lips in a deliberate, provocative manner. “Believe me, that will be all I’ll think about for the rest of the night. You’re delicious.” His smile sent a cold shiver down my back.

  My phone showed five missed calls, all from Andreas. He had left a message on my mailbox. “Hi, Melanie, please let me know that you’re okay. I’m going to dream of you tonight.”

  “Michael, you seem to have competition,” Phillipe said teasingly. My phone’s volume was so low that I had to s
train my ears to understand the message, but Phillipe seemed to have no difficulty at all, despite the noise from the stereo.

  Michael put his arm around me. “You should tell him you belong to me.” I only belonged to myself. I told him that in reply, which caused all the men present to laugh heartily. I was very cute and naïve, they assured me in so many ways. When I pouted and let them know that they were the first people to ever call me naïve, that some men even thought I was creepy, their hilarity knew no bounds.

  6 THE MANOR HOUSE

  The car was rolling down an unpaved road. I slowly opened my eyes. It was morning and the sun would rise shortly. I must have fallen asleep around three a.m., snuggled in Michael’s lap. I stretched and realized that he was watching me. Why were we still driving? I sat up with a jolt. “Where are we? I have to be back at the uni by two.”

  Michael replied with a mischievous smile. “We were pressed for time. Did I forget to mention we’ll be away from the city for several days?”

  “That is not funny! I can’t miss my lectures for no good reason. If you had told me beforehand, I wouldn’t have gotten into this car.” The amusement in his face told me that this was exactly why he had kept this small detail from me.

  Meanwhile, the car was rolling through a forest along a narrow gravel road. Mighty old trees rose into the sky left and right. When we reached a clearing, I spied a magnificent manor house. The sprawling main building was flanked by two square towers that protruded into the front yard. The main building sported a high-angled, hipped roof with large, trapeze-shaped garret windows. The towers were topped by shapely caps with one window each looking out to the front. The entire ensemble was painted a shade of yellow that shimmered orange in places. The building was now bathed in the light of the rising sun, which made the colors dance and melt into one another. It was a magical sight, and I guessed that it was actual magic that caused this enticing play of colors on the façades. In front of the manor, a sprawling garden stretched all the way to the forest’s tree line, with a beautiful pond in the center of it. The wide expanse of green was dotted by artfully clipped decorative trees and shrubs, delightful little marble fountains topped with water-spouting hummingbirds, dolphins, and fairies. Fall had obviously not touched this garden. The first rays of the morning sun caused the water lilies to open up their petals, while the majestic apple tree by the pond was in full bloom. A cobblestone path lined by pretty flower beds led to the stables and barns on the left-hand side behind the manor. It was as if you entered a fairy tale world. My fascination made me forget my worries about missing my seminars, and the resulting irritation with Michael. Eyes wide with wonder I got out of the car, and then I flung my arms around his neck, beaming with delight. Infected by my excitement, he put his arms around my hips, lifted me up and whirled me around in a circle, before letting me slide down along his body again slowly. After that brief moment the previous tiredness visible in his face was gone – miraculously wiped away. While we walked towards the building hand in hand, I had to suppress an overwhelming urge to skip ahead like a small, overexcited child. I threw glance back at our companions, who followed a little behind. They were conversing busily. “The way this girl is virtually giving off sparks, we won’t starve even if we don’t take anything,” I overheard Phillipe say. What were they talking about?

  There was a weathered, time-worn coat of arms chiseled in stone over the arched doorway. We marched through long corridors and then took an elevator up to the top floor. Michael led me into a suite of rooms. There was a spacious living room area with a comfy-looking couch, a gigantic plasma TV, and a bulky refrigerator, and beyond that a bedroom with an oversized four-poster, furnished with everything you might need or want. My apartment would have fitted into this suite several times. The most intriguing bit for me however was the larger one of the two adjacent bathrooms, because it featured a luxurious Jacuzzi. I was busy exploring everything in detail and gaping at fixtures and fixings. I appreciated the fact that Michael gave me the time to do so, apparently even shared my delight.

  When I was done with my inspection, he said: “You were up most of the night, so you should try to get some more sleep. Afterwards, once you feel fit and ready again, we need to talk.” I gave him a tired smile and a nod. Before he left the suite, he turned around one last time. “Please stay in this room until I return.” And with that he was gone.

  As he’d promised, everything I needed was there. The bathroom was stacked with towels, toothbrushes, make-up of the most expensive sort, and lots of things more. I took a shower and brushed my teeth. In the bedroom closet I found a pair of blue silk pajamas in my exact size. I had already put them on, when someone knocked on the door. It was a doctor sent by Michael. He treated the wound on my neck and then took his leave again. Before slipping into the large, fragrant bed and making myself comfortable, I made a quick phone call.

  I woke up around four in the afternoon. Michael was already waiting in the front room. I stretched, took a seat next to him on the brown leather couch, and studied him with curiosity. “You wanted to talk to me.”

  “We’ll take part in the festivities today. You should know a few things before we go downstairs. You’re officially my girlfriend, which is why we share this room. Not because I want to coerce you into doing anything, but for your own protection. I won’t molest you.”

  What if I wanted to be molested? I was going to spend a few days with a breathtakingly handsome man, sharing a room, sharing a bed, and he’d just told me he would keep his distance. Was I supposed to be happy about that? I wanted to interrupt him, but he raised his finger to indicate that it was still my turn to listen, so I remained silent. “The festivities will commence today and last for four days. My father Martellius will preside over it all. Rumor has it that my human has already broken two curses. As you probably know, rumors travel fast, so naturally my father has heard those stories. Now he wants to know how much truth they contain. He wants to meet you so he can decide whether you are worthy of our attention with regards to magic. An audience with my father is a formal event, so I’m asking you to wear a cocktail dress. It would be advisable to cover up the bite wound, too. There is a set of rules how to behave in the presence of my father, and I want you to follow them. You lower your head when you stand before him, you wait until he addresses you, and only then can you raise your head again. Always be polite and speak to him in the third person. Only answer his questions and don’t speak up of your own accord. If you feel that he doesn’t show you enough respect, for heaven’s sake keep that to yourself.”

  He had made it clear how little I was worth in his world. I was his human – which sounded suspiciously like his possession – I couldn’t decide for myself whether I wanted to attend this audience or not, and I mustn’t expect basic respect. Still processing these revelations, I brooded.

  “Melanie? This is important, have you been listening to what I just said?”

  “Yes.” His expression was doubtful. I rolled my eyes. “Trust me, I can do this. Parents love me. I’m going to be on my best behavior. But there’s one vital question,” I said confidently. He waited for me to go on. “If the opportunity arises, am I allowed to dance or should I return to my doggie basket?” My voice was dripping with sarcasm.

  “Melanie, you have to understand that your status in my world is actually comparable to a superior pet.” He stroked my cheek apologetically, but I flinched away from his touch. I’d had more than enough of his stupid, elitist world!

  “Please be fair. Even if we’re not in a relationship, you’re part of our world now and have to live by its rules. I’m trying to make your new life as comfortable as possible. You shouldn’t punish me for that,” he sighed.

  If I was honest with myself, he’d always treated me well … at least if it wasn’t about ‘business.’ “Is there anything else I should know?” I asked, feeling sheepish.

  “After the audiences, meetings and negotiations of each day, there will be a celebration, a party wi
th all the works. At those parties, there will be other humans present as well, and I’d be honored if you cared to dance with me then.”

  “Alright, how much time do I have to get ready?”

  “Forty-five minutes.”

  I gave him an innocent look. “If I promise to be good, will you answer me a few questions?”

  “I will try.”

  “How old are you?”

  “Let’s just say, my age has more than two digits.” What a precise answer. That could mean anything upwards of one hundred. “What are you?”

  “Melanie, we don’t have a lot of time now, and you should get dressed. We’ll play Q and A later.” It was obvious that he did not look forward to that.

  In the closet I found a backless dress with a wide halterneck strap, which would be perfect for hiding my bite wound. It was silver and clung to my body like a second skin. I pinned up my hair, leaving a few curly strands down left and right. I found mascara and a lipstick whose color suited me. The shoes that went with the dress were silver with a medium heel.

  When I was dressed and made up for the occasion, I joined Michael in the living room again. He was just about to drink a sip of water, but when he saw me, he spilled it down the front of his shirt. Heartened by his reaction, I did a twirl and gave him a questioning look. He smiled and nodded his approval. Michael was wearing a black suit and a tie. He looked stunning. He held out his arm for me to take it and then led me to the conference rooms. When we stopped before a set of gigantic double doors decorated with elaborate gilded symbols, waiting to be invited in, I began to feel nervous. The doors were opened slowly, and I saw a cavernous hall with panorama windows facing south. The wide corridor in the middle of the room led to a podium with a massive wooden chair on it. A young man was sitting in the chair. He didn’t look any older than Michael. His curly blonde hair highlighted an extraordinarily symmetric face, and his prominent nose made his features interesting. The resemblance gave away that this must be Michael’s father Martellius. At first I was surprised by how young he looked, but what had I expected? If Michael didn’t look much older than me after living more than a hundred years, why would his father?