“As long as you let me attend my courses … oh, no! Michael, don’t give me that look!”
“The semester’s almost over anyway, isn’t it? You won’t miss that much.”
“Michael, forget it.”
“I’d rather you would stay inside voluntarily.”
I wanted to flare at him, but then I gave him a cheeky laugh instead: “How do you think you can keep me from leaving? I’m sure you have better things to do than guarding me the whole day.”
“Please be reasonable. I’m positive that we will have taken care of the matter within a few days. You won’t lose more than a week, max. Compromise – do you remember what you told me this morning?”
My own words were already being used against me. No surprise there. But unfortunately he was right. “I’ve already missed my seminars too often this semester. I have to go to those on Tuesday and Wednesday, but I could skip the rest.”
“Alright, then I’ll accompany you Tuesday and Wednesday, and you will stay in the house for the rest of the week. Can we agree on that?”
“But may I sit in the garden, too?”
A smile and a nod gave me permission.
So I wouldn’t compare homework with Andreas the following day. I was still nestled in Michael’s arms when I dialed his number. He answered on the second buzz. Before I could say as much as ‘Hello,’ Andreas launched into an apology for his pushy behavior. I canceled our Monday morning session and told him I was sick.
“Pushy behavior? Melanie?!” The reproach in Michael’s voice was hard to miss. Oh my, I had neglected to mention that part on purpose. Feeling caught and sheepish, I gave him a watered-down version of what had happened between me and Andreas in the pizza place. He promised not to harm him, though I hadn’t even asked.
Stefan came into the room and threw Michael a meaningful look, which made him rise at once. He kissed me goodbye and followed his son out. So much had happened; there were so many things I still hadn’t processed, but I wasn’t in a state that allowed me to think straight. Too much anxiety. I had the rest of the day to myself, so I sat down at the desk and studied. I sent the professor an email with my homework for Monday. It was after midnight when Michael joined me in bed. He woke me in a manner that nipped any possible complaint in the bud.
The next morning I heard someone rummaging in the kitchen. I thought it was Michael, so I hurried downstairs in my pajamas. A woman in her fifties was busy cleaning and tidying the kitchen. She gave me a disapproving look. Granted, my pajamas might be a little too flimsy for her taste, considering that her appearance had best be labeled respectable. It turned out that she was Michael’s housekeeper, Magda. She cleaned house, did his laundry and his grocery shopping, and sometimes cooked for him, too. Apparently he had told her to cook for me this week, and make sure that there was enough food in the house. I was used to doing these things myself, so I tried to dissuade her, but to no avail: At noon sharp, she served me a vegetable casserole. She even stuck around to make sure that I ate a generous portion. I would have to talk to Michael about this.
I finally explored the sprawling building, room by room. I counted twenty bedrooms with adjacent bathrooms. There were two offices or dens, six living rooms or lounges, whatever you wanted to call them, several extra guest bathrooms, the giant kitchen, the basement spa area, and a well-stocked gym. How was the poor woman supposed to clean all those rooms? There had to be more staff somewhere. I didn’t dare use the pool, Jacuzzi, or exercise machines without asking, so I spent the rest of the day back at my desk. Magda kept bringing me snacks and beverages. There was no laundry to take care of, no food to prepare, no dishes to wash, none of the things you normally did at home. The only sensible thing to do was study, study, study.
When Michael finally got home, I threw myself into his arms and started prattling. I was so happy to see him, so glad to be distracted. I couldn’t let go of him. He was amused by my clinginess. “Melanie, it was only a day.” I squeezed him more tightly. “A very long day.”
He shook his head and stroked my cheek. “You’re going to have to stay put for a few more days.”
“But will that really be necessary? I could buy me some mace.”
“We’re not really speaking of dogs here.”
“What are we speaking of then?”
“It wouldn’t be advisable to tell you. It would even go against my nature.”
What did he mean? I knit my brows.
“Right now you are full of joy, happy to see me. You feel safe. This mix of emotions is every Peri’s dream. If I answered your question, I might scare you and destroy the moment.” He paused, then pulled an ‘I’ve-told-you-so’ face: “There we go, you’re already feeling scared.”
“Michael, out with it!”
“Werewolves.”
The day I had realized that vampires were real, I had suspected that werewolves were not far behind. I would be housebound for the next few days, like it or not. That left only one question: “May I go for a swim?”
“Excuse me?”
“I suppose there is nothing I can do to defend myself against those werewolves. So if I’m confined indoors, may I at least use the pool in the basement?”
“Why are you even asking? This is your home now.”
“So I can do as I please?”
He nodded. “If you need anything, Magda will fetch it for you.”
“Michael, could you please talk to her and tell her that I can take care of myself? I know she means well, but it felt as if she was ready to spoonfeed me if I didn’t eat quickly enough.”
“I guess you look very young when you don’t wear make-up. She called me at work earlier and gave me a piece of her mind. She thought you were only fifteen or sixteen, and on an unhealthy diet, starving yourself. She was impressed with your stamina however, telling me that you spent your entire day studying for school.”
I had to laugh. “That explains a lot. She thought you were my sugar daddy!” He pulled away from me, took a step backwards and cocked his head to one side, saying: “Gotcha, I’m on my way.” I surmised that Stefan or another relative was waiting for him in the car and had urged him to hurry up. It must be cool to have such sensitive hearing. I kissed him goodbye, hugged him once more, and then turned around. “Alright, I’m getting my bathing suit. See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow, my love,” he whispered, a hint of dejectedness in his voice, and then I was alone again.
I thought of Sarah on my way to the basement. I knew exactly what she would say: ‘Poor girl, stuck in a luxury mansion with a pool, a Jacuzzi, a sauna and whatnot. You’re the only person I know who’d complain about something like that. Why don’t you simply enjoy it while it lasts?’
I was doing my fiftieth lap, when inexplicably a cold shiver ran down my back. I paused and stood in the water, listening. Nothing. Where had I left my phone? I knit my brows and remembered that I’d left it in my den. How provident of me!
“Your instincts are excellent. As soon as I had set foot in the house, you stopped your swimming. And I didn’t make any sound.” I didn’t dare turn around, but that wasn’t necessary. He suddenly emerged from the water in front of me, studying me with a satisfied look. I stared back into his green eyes, unable to do anything else. What did he want? He was probably aware of the fact that I was alone.
“So you remember me. I wanted to pay my beloved nephew a visit. It’s really too bad that I missed him.” He grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the pool, through the basement, up the stairs and into my room. His clothes dried magically as soon as he was out of the water. “Get dressed!” Frightened and intimidated, I waited for him to turn around, but he didn’t. The things I’d worn earlier, a pair of jeans and a tight-fitting green shirt, were on a chair by the bed. I took a set of fresh underwear from the closet. He followed me with his eyes and didn’t seem ready to avert them.
“A little privacy so I can change, would that be possible?”
“I don’t think so. I
want to see what’s mine. Come on, hurry, or I’ll help you along!” I didn’t need further prodding. I quickly took off my bathing suit and slipped into my clothes. He watched my every move with a malicious grin, studying the curves of my body. Once I was dressed, I crossed my arms in front of my chest, feeling humiliated and shy.
“Ouch!” Before I had even realized that he was moving, my arm was bleeding. He’d cut me with a knife, and now he tore off a piece of my bloodied shirtsleeve, smashed the window behind me, and stuck the green-and-red rag on a shard of glass that was left from the windowpane. My arm was bleeding badly. He made sure that the blood spattered all around the window, until it looked as if a giant beast had dragged me through the opening. Next he tore away part of my pant leg, wrapped it around my arm, threw me over his shoulder, and ran from the house with me. Although I knew it wouldn’t save me, I hit him with all the strength I possessed. Once in the garden, he unwrapped the makeshift bandage again, threw the piece of denim to the ground, held me under my armpits, and ordered me to go limp. He obviously wanted it to look as if a werewolf had dragged me out the window and then across the garden. I shook my head, refusing to cooperate any further, but his solution was a simple one. He moved backwards towards the street with quick, powerful steps. He was too fast for me. I couldn’t follow and lost my balance. He dragged me along until we reached his car, where he dressed my wound with more care than I’d expected, and then locked me inside. I watched him spread something in the garden. I didn’t think it would help if I screamed, so I saved my breath. I was certain that he’d made sure nobody would hear me. All I could do was wait in the car until he was done. It wasn’t long before he got in behind the wheel and drove off. I was doomed. Michael would think I was dead. This time he would not come to my rescue. I was completely at Nikelaus’ mercy. My arm throbbed, I was shaking with fear, and the cold was excruciating. I was freezing, not properly dressed for the winter day. My abductor met my eyes in the rearview mirror. “The car will be warm and cozy in a minute; I’ve switched on the heater. Don’t be scared, I won’t harm you again.” If he wanted to calm me down, he wasn’t successful. I felt tears roll down my cheeks, and quickly wiped them away with the back of my hand.
“Your fear of me will pass, you’ll see.” He spoke as if he could see the future. My future.
14 NIKELAUS
The air in the car got slowly warmer. I was cowering in the backseat, barely breathing for fear of drawing his wrath. I tried to suppress the sobs that kept coming, but with little success. “I’m not going to harm you. Don’t be afraid.”
During my audience with Martellius I had made a mockery of Nikelaus, embarrassing him in front of his peers. He surely detested me. I was confused by his repeated assurance that he meant me no harm. “Don’t you hate me?”
He smiled at me in the rearview mirror, trying to inspire confidence. “My hatred is not directed at you. I’m intrigued by you. What are you?”
“I don’t know, beyond my humanness. I didn’t even know your world existed before I met Michael.” I couldn’t see where we were going, for it had gotten too dark. We both remained silent until we reached a sprawling estate. He stopped the car right in front of the stairs that led up to the front door of the house. The steps were white marble.
Nikelaus turned to me. “You could refuse to come inside with me, but we both know that you don’t stand the slightest chance against me. Save us the drama and simply do as I tell you.” I nodded and followed him into the house. The entrance hall was white marble all over again. My stomach clenched as I climbed the white stairs after him. He led me through a long, white hallway. With each step I took, I was further away from the exit and the lure of freedom. The thought made me slow down. Finally we reached a lounge, and beyond that a smaller room painted a soothing shade of turquoise blue. Someone had put a lot of thought and effort into furnishing this room.
“This is where you’ll sleep.”
I stopped in the middle of the room, feeling trapped. What would he do to me now? I was certain that he wanted to exact revenge for the humiliation. His body language was neutral, but I sensed that he relished my panic, enjoyed the fact that I was helpless and at his mercy. I felt ready to puke with anxiety and fear. I could no longer bear the uncertainty: “What are you going to do with me now?” He ignored my question. After what felt like an eternity to me, he said conversationally: “From what I’ve heard, you managed to withstand the Filguri.”
“The who?”
He laughed out loud. “Hugorio. You are so utterly clueless.”
“Nobody ever tells me anything. I can’t pull the answers out of thin air.” My voice was trembling.
He shook his head. “That’s Michael for you, always prim and proper. Never breaks the rules. Contrary to him, I will be honest with you. I see myself as your savior. All Michael did was use you. He’s already made several hundred thousand Euros, thanks to your talent. Has he ever thanked you or offered you a share?”
“I didn’t ask him to.”
His hand moved towards my face in slow motion. My breath hitched with fear, but he merely stroked my cheek. “No need to feel ashamed. He is old and has long mastered the manipulation of mere humans. He’s had a lot of time to practice, you know. He can manipulate your thoughts without recurring to magic. You practically had no choice but to fall in love with him.”
“Assuming that that is true, the same would apply to you, wouldn’t it?”
“Make yourself at home. We’ll talk in the morning.”
“What are your plans for me? You can’t lock me up in here for the rest of my life.”
“Oh, I could if I wanted to, but I won’t. I told you, I just want to help you.”
“Don’t play me for a fool. I think I saw your true self in Martellius’ house.”
“I’ll admit that I got carried away and projected my hatred on you, but I quickly realized that you are nothing but a frightened little girl. You were so scared and intimidated by our world. It must have been so easy for him to manipulate you.”
“Michael likes me,” I protested, feeling offended.
“Ah, your shining knight and protector! Any Peri who got from you what Michael got would like you.” His body language matched his words, but I still had the feeling that he was acting, playing a scripted part. He was the one trying to manipulate me. “It would be best if you stayed in your room for now. I have other guests I need to attend to.” He left the room and shut the door behind him.
Oh, of course I would stay put and not attempt to escape, sure! I waited a few minutes and then tried the door. It was not locked. That was too easy. I suspected a trap, but I crept down the hallway past several doors, before someone grabbed me by my arm and pulled me into a room. “What do we have here? Ah, Miss Personality, what are you doing here? Is Michael already fed up with you?”
Rubin! I was beginning to understand. He had told Nikelaus about the business dinner, and the Peri had decided he would abduct me and make me his plaything.
“You’re afraid of me, and yet you’re just as good as a happy person.” He licked his lips and placed both hands on my shoulders. “This is going to hurt.”
“Let her go!”
“Come on, boss. The little toad insulted me when I last met her. I merely want to teach her a painful lesson.”
Nikelaus moved in a flash, and Rubin was bleeding. “I told you to treat her with a little more respect. She’s under my protection now.”
Rubin took his hands away hastily. I wouldn’t have thought I’d ever be glad about Nikelaus’ presence. I turned on my heel and quickly went back to my room. A short while later, he brought me a stack of papers. He had gotten study things from my fellow students.
“So I’m allowed to attend my classes?” I asked, perplexed.
He pulled a thoughtful face. “Most likely not this semester, but your professors will give you the option of taking a solo exam. You won’t lose the semester.” I was unable to process all that, so I merely stared
at him. He laughed. “Did you think I would lock you up and try to turn you into my sex slave? I’m not Michael. Whatever you are, one thing is clear: You’re a rarity, and exception. You shouldn’t be treated like an ordinary human.”
None of this made sense to me. It was as if someone had exchanged his character with somebody else’s. First he watched me undress and reveled in my humiliation, and now this. “What are you going to do with me?”
“I’m going to show you who your beloved Peri really is. Once you’re free of his brainwashing, I will let you resume your normal life, under my protection. I admit that watching you get dressed wasn’t in the best taste.”
Did he think I was stupid? “What do you expect in return?”
He took a step towards me and put his hands on my cheeks with a smile, squeezing them as you would do with a small child. “So suspicious!” Then he left the room. I sat down on the edge of the bed, utterly bewildered. Was this whole episode merely some insane nightmare?
When I awoke the next morning, I felt someone next to me. “Oh, Michael, thank God it was only a dream.” I nestled against the warm body without opening my eyes.
He put his arms around me. “Don’t be disappointed, Melanie, it’s me.”
My eyes snapped open in panic and I jumped from the bed. Had I really just snuggled up to Nikelaus? “If you’re not planning to make me your sex slave, what are you doing in my bed?”
He shook his head in disbelief. “Michael has done a thorough job, hasn’t he? You really are completely under his spell. You’d never question his motives. You were sleeping, so I sat by your side and watched you for a while. I was hoping to pick up a hint at your ancestry.”
“Why is that so important? Why does everyone want to know what I am? What difference does it make?”
“It would tell us how valuable you really are.”
Peris Night: Terakon (Secret Language) Page 17
