Peris Night: Terakon (Secret Language)

by Eva Maria Klima

  When I awoke in our bed the next morning, I was alone. He’d left me a note on the pillow:

  Good morning, my love, something unexpected has come up. I’m sorry I had to leave for the company.

  I lounged in bed for another while, feeling happy and satisfied. I had liked my old life. I was grateful for my new life with Michael. I loved it. I was just about to head to the bathroom, when I heard a noise in the hallway. I slowly opened the door and peeked out, seeing Michael. He’d returned home and was standing in front of my den. He had made me happy and I was grateful. I approached him with a smile, stopped before him and kissed him. He didn’t need convincing; his arms wrapped around me of their own accord and he kissed me back. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him into my den, pushing him down onto the couch. He was aroused because he didn’t know what I had in mind. He watched my every move with curious and suspicious eyes, while I slowly opened the buttons of his shirt, one by one. I showered his athletic torso with kisses, feeling his chest muscles and abs twitch under my touch. My hands traced a line from his chest down his belly and to his pants. I unzipped his jeans and found his hard length, straining to be freed. I massaged him and then pushed down his pants so he could spring free. Michael pulled me towards him and wanted to kiss me, but I pushed his hands away and shook my head, giving him a naughty smile. This time I would be in control. There was something I wanted to try. I kissed his throat, moved down to his nipples and further down. My kisses had him shiver with arousal. Before I reached my destination, I raised my head and looked into his blue eyes, shining with desire and need. I could see his hunger, his passion, his elation. I put my mouth where my hand had been and he was mine. The powerful Peri was completely at my mercy for now.

  Michael was still lying half-naked next to me on the couch, when Stefan entered the room. He threw us a lewd glance and raised his eyebrows, but then proceeded to let Michael know that the others were waiting for him, as per his request. My Peri gave me a kiss that was filled with promise before leaving the room with Stefan. I remained on the couch, tranquil and happy.

  13 BREACH OF TRUST

  Several people seemed to leave the house, so I decided to go downstairs and find my boyfriend. I was still in the hallway when I heard voices. Iveria, Stefan, and Alessandro were speaking with Michael in the kitchen. “How is it possible that you haven’t found anything about her parents, guys? You are pros!” Michael sounded dissatisfied.

  “Michael, she does not seem to be in contact with them. I couldn’t find any matching calls or emails,” Iveria defended herself.

  I smirked. I had done a good job. A friend of mine worked as an IT engineer for my cell phone provider. When we’d been at Martellius’ manor house, I had called him the first chance I got. It had taken me some begging and pleading, but I’d convinced him to delete all my call data records from their database, going back several years. As soon as I’d been back at my place, I’d gotten rid of the printouts of my phone bills. Any photos and letters that involved my parents were brought to a safe deposit box at the train station. My digital photos were encrypted. I was glad that I had always taken pains to maintain my privacy on the web. My father disliked digital correspondence, so there had been no emails to delete. And a prepaid phone had always ensured that I could call him unobserved.

  “Sure, we have their birth certificates, but it appears that the dates are fake,” Stefan added to Iveria’s statement.

  My birth certificate was a fraud? And those of my parents, too? I felt cheated by my own family all of a sudden. They had obviously kept some important details from me. Had anyone ever been honest with me? Why had they chosen not to tell me about any family secrets? I didn’t want to ask them either, because first and foremost, I had no inclination to drag them into this new, dangerous phase of my life.

  “When I slept at her place earlier this week, I searched the entire apartment and found nothing. She was fast asleep, so I had the time to turn everything inside out.”

  How could he deceive me like that? I had trusted him. Disappointed and offended, I decided that this was the moment to confront him. “Michael, you searched my apartment? Really?” I tried to control my voice, but I sounded so hurt that I had to stop myself and take a breath. Michael was right in front of me in the blink of an eye, putting a placatory hand on my shoulder. “Melanie!” I didn’t let him say anything more. “Take your hands away from me! I invited you into my home. I trusted you. I don’t want any of your lot to find my parents. Why is that so hard to understand?” He didn’t move. I took a step backwards and slapped his hand away.

  “Melanie, why don’t you understand that this is all just to protect you? Nobody would think of hurting your parents.” It sounded contrived and patient, as if he was trying to make a small, obstinate child see reason.

  “Sure, unless they refuse to tell you what you want to know. Or unless I refuse to tell you what you want to know. Or unless someone needs them to blackmail me.” My hand went to the barely visible scar from the bite wound. I knew how this world dealt with ordinary human beings.

  His gaze followed my tentative hand, and he guessed what I was thinking. “Melanie, I would gladly put them under my protection if that’s what you want.”

  I felt an urge to burst into hysterical laughter. Put them under his protection, the way he had put me under his protection? As if that could ensure their safety! I no longer felt hurt, but I was beginning to feel really pissed. “Come on, since you have taken me under your wings, my life has been in danger more often than in my entire life before I met you. You really can’t claim that you’ve increased my chance of living past thirty. But you know what, that’s okay. I want to be with you and I accept the price I have to pay for that. But when it comes to my parents, I have no right to gamble with their lives and make them suffer for my mistakes.”

  I had succeeded in making him mad. Unfortunately he was a lot more formidable than me in this state. His hands hit the wall on both sides of my face. He exhaled loudly and his nose was only an inch away from mine. “I’m desperately trying to find out why you are the way you are. Not knowing what you are could spell your death. Your parents just happen to be the key to this secret. But what are you doing instead of helping me? You’re piling up obstacles one by one!” He merely stared at me for a long time, before he spoke again, less angry this time, but domineering and redoubtable. “I’m sick of your games. You will tell me what I want to know. Now!”

  “No. I love you, but I won’t tell you where my parents are.” My frightened voice was a mere waifish whiff of its usual strength. He was furious. His fingers clawed at the wall. When his hands balled into fists, white dust trickled to the floor. I was shaking and beside myself with fear, but I shook my head. His glare was terrible as he tried to subdue me. I shivered but held his gaze.

  “You leave me no choice. I’m sorry, but I cherish you too much to run this risk,” he stated after a few minutes, his voice filled with resignation. He began murmuring something in a strange language. It sounded as if he was repeating the same sentence over and over again. I immediately recognized that for a spell. When he realized it wouldn’t work, he ordered in his boss voice: “Iveria, Stefan, Alessandro,” and they chimed in, echoing the same unintelligible sentence over and over. A few moments later my whole body started to hurt. I felt dizzy and was afraid they might be able to overpower my will if I let up. I wanted them to stop. I had to stop them. I stood my ground, defiant and obstinate. Then my nose began to bleed, and that was the moment they stopped. It was too late, for I could feel my knees buckle. I slumped to the floor, retching and twitching. An enormous pressure spread through my lungs, and it felt as if an invisible power was squeezing the air from my chest. I gasped and sputtered, unable to draw breath. And then I lost consciousness.

  I came to in Michael’s bed. He was sitting next to me, talking to a stranger in a desperate voice. The man assured him that I would get well again, but advised him not to try something like this ag
ain. I wanted him to believe that I was still asleep, so I kept my eyes closed. Even though it was obvious that he regretted what he’d done to me, I knew I couldn’t forgive him this time. Before he and the stranger left the room, Michael kissed me on the lips. As soon as they were gone, I rose from the bed. I felt weak and wobbly, but I walked over to the window. The lingering dizziness wouldn’t keep me. Michael’s bedroom was on the second floor. There was a rose trellis on the outer wall, leading all the way down to the ground. I opened the window as quietly as possible, but it still made a creaking sound. If Michael paid any attention, he would hear the noise I was making. If he didn’t, I might have a chance to escape. I wasn’t afraid that he would harm me, but I was sure that he wouldn’t allow me to leave the house. The slats of the trellis creaked under my weight. Every move was followed by the fear of being caught. When I reached the ground, I crept to the garden exit, head bent and silent. Once outside the compound, I ran for the bus stop, as quickly as my weakened state would permit me. And then I realized how childish my behavior was. If I really wanted to have a relationship with Michael, I couldn’t run away as soon as I encountered a problem. Michael and I needed to talk this through; I needed to make my point clear. But most of all, if I was honest, I wanted one thing: I wanted to lie in Michael’s arms and feel sorry for myself. At the same time I was proud that I had managed to leave the house unseen.

  He opened the door when I knocked. It was obvious that he couldn’t believe his eyes. I didn’t hesitate, but kicked his shin as hard as I could. He suppressed a grin.

  “If you try one more time to magically subjugate me and break my will, I will not come back,” I declared, my face intransigent. I heard Stefan and the others laugh in the background.

  He put both hands on my cheeks in a loving gesture. “Forgive me. I never meant to harm you.”

  My body was overstrained and exhausted. I swayed and almost fell. I leaned against the doorframe to help me stand. “Michael, you have to start respecting me, and you have to stop patronizing me, or you and I will never work. I have a will of my own. You have to accept that.” My exhaustion was audible in my voice.

  He merely shook his head, incredulous. “It’s impossible to miss the fact that you possess a strong will.”

  By now I had to hold on to the doorframe with both hands. It was a cold winter day, and the cold was creeping into my very bones. I asked: “Could you please drive me home to my apartment?” He wasn’t happy with my request. “As soon as you’re able to stand on your own two legs, I’ll take you home if that’s what you want. But you look as if you’re ready to keel over, so I don’t think you should be alone,” he argued with a scowl, before he picked me up and carried me back into his bedroom. I was still mad with him, but I also reveled in the way he held me. He laid me down on the bed gently and lovingly. Then he sat down next to me. I glanced at my phone, realizing that it was past noon and I had missed Adelheid’s funeral. Grief and guilt washed over me. When I had seen her last, we had parted in anger. She had tried to make peace, but I had been the one to rebuke her. I wanted to apologize for my intransigence, but I hadn’t even made it in time for her funeral, to pay her my last respects. My wistful gaze snagged on the flowering poinsettia in Michael’s bedroom. A withered leaf fell, sailing to the ground in slow, lazy motion. What was I supposed to tell Astrid and the others, why I hadn’t attended? Would they think I was still mad with Adelheid, bearing a grudge beyond the grave? My friends would think I was a deadhearted bitch. Frustrated, I took Michael’s hand and turned away from him. He had no choice but to spoon me.

  After a long while, he spoke up cautiously: “I do respect you, but you can’t expect me to stand by and watch while you’re headed for disaster. I’m a lot older and more experienced than you. Even smart people make mistakes, especially at your young age. You’ll understand me one day.”

  He sounded like my parents had when I was younger. Did he think I was still a child? I pushed his arm away. “Maybe you need to figure out whether you want to sleep with me or to adopt me. For me, a relationship means communication, listening to the ideas and opinions of your partner, and giving them serious thought. Seeing eye to eye. If you really want to have a relationship with me, you should stop acting like a father. Next thing I know, you’ll lock me in my room and tell me I’m grounded. I already have a father. What I want is a partner.”

  He kissed me on the cheek and put his arm back around me. “If we don’t know where your abilities come from, I have a hard time protecting you. Most supernatural creatures have weaknesses. Any decision we make could prove fatal, because we don’t know your weaknesses. Or we might overtax you again, but you don’t merely faint as a result, you die. Please understand me! Help me find out what you are.”

  I hesitated. “The idea of being anything but human scares me deeply.”

  He turned me around so I face him, and his beautiful eyes looked directly into mine. “And yet you cannot deny that at least some part of you is not human.” I felt a tear on my cheek. He wiped it away with a gentle thumb, kissed me, and said: “Regarding your earlier question: I definitely want to be your lover, not your father.” His tone became playful when he added: “Though the idea of locking you up in my room is very tempting.”

  “Michael, would you please drive me home now?” I asked with a smirk. He nodded and kissed me again. His hand slipped under the waistband of my pants, his fingers found their destination and began describing small circles around my most sensitive spot. “Do you really want to go home?”

  He’d given me a taste and of course I wanted more, but I still pushed his hand away. “Yes, please take me home!”

  He hadn’t expected that answer. “Once you manage to get up and head for the door without swaying, we’re leaving.”

  My first attempt was a failure. I was ordered to return to the bed and fell asleep right away. When I woke up again, I felt much better. I said goodbye to Iveria and Stefan, and headed out to Michael’s car. He followed me reluctantly. The silence in the car was uncomfortable this time, like stale, muggy air. I was glad when I saw the smirk form on his lips, until he asked smugly: “So you do love me?” Oops, right, I had given myself away when I didn’t watch what I was saying. I ignored his remark, but my blush spoke volumes. A Peri wouldn’t miss an obvious reaction like this. He knew that my blush was tantamount to a resounding yes. Now the silence felt even more oppressive. He had the upper hand again. When we finally reached the building where I lived, all I felt was relief, but that wouldn’t last: The parking lot was busy with police officers and detectives. One of them wanted to know whether we lived in the neighborhood. He asked if we had noticed anything out of the ordinary the night before, especially around apartment J5 on the fourth floor.

  “Why, what happened?”

  “This morning, Melanie Merino was found dead in her apartment. Did you know her?”

  “That is impossible. I stayed with my boyfriend the last few nights. I’m Melanie.”

  “Well, Miss, then who do you think might be the dead woman in your apartment?”

  “Oh my God, no! Silvia!”

  I immediately ran towards the house, but several other policemen stopped me. After some detectives questioned me for at least two hours on Silvia and her boyfriend Manuel, Michael ended the interrogation for me. An officer told me I wasn’t allowed to enter my apartment for the following two or three days, they would let me know once I could go home again, and I needed to call my landlord. He was under the impression that I was dead. Back in the car, I took Michael’s hand, still in shock. “She’s the third woman to die, and I ...”

  “I know.”

  On the way back I had time to think. Silvia and I hadn’t been close friends, but I’d liked her. Once again I was forced to acknowledge how transient and volatile life was. How quickly it could be too late. I brooded in silence. When we arrived at Michael’s house, I went straight to my den. I couldn’t focus, so I lounged on the couch. When I’d woken that morning, I’d pl
anned to explore the rest of the house, but now I no longer felt like doing that, or anything else. I couldn’t bring myself to move. And then my phone rang. It was Astrid. I reluctantly took the call, and just as I had expected, she wanted to know why I hadn’t attended the funeral. When I told her that Silvia had been killed in my apartment that morning, I didn’t need to explain anything further. She offered her condolences and support. Since I was already holding the phone in my hand, I decided I would call my landlord and get it over with. He was surprised to hear my voice, but the conversation was awkward. He was not sympathetic and didn’t understand why I had sublet my apartment to Silvia for a few days.

  Gerlinde, Adelheid, and Silvia had been murdered within a single week. I remembered that Andreas had tried to kiss me, that I’d hugged him as well. I felt sick and hoped that at least he was still alive.

  “We need to talk.” I gave a start and looked up. I hadn’t expected Michael, but I nodded. He sat down and pulled me into a comforting embrace, brushing the hair from my face and looking at me with a grave, haunting expression. “The three women were mauled. They think that someone set a trained dog on them.” He paused, but then added: “My guess is that whatever it was that killed them was lured by your smell. The victims all died in their apartments.”

  I didn’t want to picture being mauled by a large dog. “But that can’t happen without a lot of noise. Didn’t the neighbors hear anything?”

  “According to the police, no. Which tells us that some sort of magic must have been involved in the deeds. Nicky’s human was killed in the same manner last night.”

  “Let me get this straight: Someone is after the humans that are in relationships with Peris? But why? Is this person suicidal?”

  “They want to provoke us, send us a message of superiority. It is very humiliating if we’re unable to protect our humans. Why am I telling you this? Because I want to ask you to stay here with me, at least until we’ve taken care of this matter.”