Twice Bitten

by Aiden James

  “Chanson and Nora…do you feel the same about this one as Gustav?” He asked, turning toward them while his intense gaze landed on me. “If she is to become the catalyst that heals the growing conflict between humans and vampires, she will likely need to grow up very fast. Ralu seems determined to destroy all of our political inroads with the human race. They fear and hate us now more than ever, and several hundred years of diligent hard work is being destroyed in less than a year.”

  “We both feel the same about Alaia,” said Chanson, after she and Nora traded cautious glances. “She’s the one we were hoping for.”

  That caught my ear, and I looked at my cousin guardedly. They were talking about Alaia as if she were some kind of messiah. Even though I’d heard such talk previously, it had always been on a much smaller scale. What I mentioned at the beginning of my story, other than what inspired my baby’s name, was Gustav’s words spoken later on to me.

  “You need not worry, Txema,” said Koimala, studying me with the look I was begrudgingly getting used to from all vampires while they read my thoughts. “We will be able to protect you and Alaia from Ralu. Something about the coral reef composition of these islands make it very difficult—and painful—for him to try and follow you here. He never even tried to follow Chanson here after the birth of her daughters. She would be the first to admit that if she had decided to stay here, instead of returning to Perpignan so long ago with her young girls, her history—and that of her daughters—would have turned out far differently.”

  “I don’t understand…I thought as long as he can hear my thoughts we’re in danger, too.” I wanted desperately to believe an oasis like this could also mean protection for at least Alaia, if not for us both.

  “Not when he can’t determine exactly where you are,” said another vampire, from across the room. We all turned to look in the direction of the waterfall furthest from us, and the only vampire dressed in a changshen drew steadily closer. It was Xuanxang, and he smiled at me once he reached the spot where we were all gathered. “Too many centuries spent underground while building his army…this is the one thing that has hurt him. He can only go where his warriors travel first. That’s how his conquests in America and Europe were carried out. So, if his soldiers can’t find us, then neither can he. Anything he hears from your head will be useless to him.”

  “And, my dear, his soldiers will never find this place,” said Racco, smiling confidently again. Apparently, other than Chanson, no one presently in our midst blamed him for what happened in America the night before. More importantly, somehow he knew it. “Even if they did get remotely close, our own warriors will easily route them.”

  “All right,” I said, looking around the room at every vampire in attendance—by my count there were twenty-one. “I’d like to stay here for as long as you’ll have me and my little girl.”

  “I greatly favor that proposition! We will do our utmost to ensure your happiness, Txema, and Alaia’s,” said Koimala, visibly pleased. “Before we leave for our nightly hunt, I would like to introduce you to my family of vampires.”

  He motioned to a lovely female first, who stood to his left. Meanwhile, my mind was sorting through possible things the ‘hunt’ he mentioned might include. Likely, he solely referred to human beings, since that’s always been a vampire preference. While I would’ve liked to believe our guests would prey on the evil doer only, visions of the young mother I saw butchered in front of her children in China was the pervading image that came to mind.

  “This is Mohini, who is the love of my life!” he said, and for a moment, his gold eyes took on an orange glint.

  Impossible for me to know exactly what that indicated, the loving look this other vampire gave him made me think it had something to do with Koimala’s devotion to her. All of the Maldives vampires were lovely to the eye, but this one called Mohini was by far the most beautiful female vampire I had ever seen. Her lavender eyes were even more brilliant than Raquel’s, and her delicate facial features carried more definition, as well. Tall and statuesque with long flowing brown hair and more of an olive tint to her skin, it appeared her original nationality was altogether foreign to most of the others.

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Txema, and I look forward to getting to know you and Alaia,” she said, her musical voice even smoother than my cousin’s. A powerful sense of compassion emanated from her, and I liked her immediately. “Please, make yourself at home, and know that whatever your heart desires, if it is in our power to make it happen, it shall be done for you.”

  “I thank you, Mohini.” I looked over at my daughter, whose eyes were locked on her more tightly than my own had been.

  “You may not immediately remember their names, but in time you will get to know the rest of our little group quite well,” said Koimala, motioning to the rest of his vampire clan that surrounded us. “From right to left we have Aadi, Abhaza, and Adripathi—the three ‘A’s as Racco likes to call them.”

  These three looked like brothers in height and facial features. All were tall with classic Indian features such as beautiful brown eyes, dark hair, and brilliant smiles. More slender than Koimala, their builds were athletic in a runner sort of way. Each one took turns stepping forward to bow slightly toward me before stepping back—like awkward teenage boys dragged against their wills to a high school dance.

  Koimala noticed this, too, chuckling before moving on to the next three males.

  “These are among the fiercest warriors in the vampire world,” he said, proudly. “Their names are Bhima, Chatur, and Ravana. Xuanxang will attest to their prowess in rebuffing the Mongolian vampires a millennium ago, when their imperialistic nation sought to colonize everything from Nepal to the Maldives Islands.”

  I could tell these were older vampires, with similar multicolor eyes to Huangtian Dadi and Gustav, which left me more impressed by their deference to the apparent younger Koimala as their master. Their skin was more olive color—similar to Mohini’s but without her elegant smoothness. Nonetheless, the members of this fearsome trio were all handsome in appearance.

  After they stepped forward, bowed, and then stepped back, Koimala moved on to the remaining females.

  “When my human life ended at twenty-eight years, nearly fourteen hundred years ago, I forever lost the love of my daughters,” he said, with an edge of sadness in his voice. “But these companions in the eternal earthly life we share have more than made up for what I lost long ago. Their names are Asura, Kama, Prasad, Rupinder, and Sitara. Chanson and Nora will attest to how wonderful and helpful they will be to you and your daughter.”

  All five stepped forward, and, unlike the guys, offered friendly smiles similar to what Mohini offered to me. I could already tell that Alaia and I would gravitate more to the girls on this island. Unlike Mohini, each of these females appeared to have been full-blooded Indian in their earthly lives, and looked as if they were slightly older sisters to Aadi, Abhaya, and Adripathi.

  “So, now that you have met everyone, it is time for us to feed,” Koimala advised. He then turned his attention to our European female vampires. “Ladies, would you like to come with us tonight? Gustav and Xuanxang will be joining us.”

  They all looked over at me, uncomfortably, as if afraid of offending me in some way. I’m sure it had everything to do with the way Koimala had presented the words ‘hunt’ and ‘feed’ for their dinner. But I had yet to see any vats or pitchers filled with blood anywhere around us. In fact, other than Racco’s staff, I had yet to see a single human being. I was half tempted to make a joke that Koimala and his circle of twelve vampires had eaten them all.

  “You all have to feed,” I said, when the wait for their response started to get awkward. “Things might be a little different in this part of the world, so know that I’m not expecting something like ‘True Blood’ to be served here.”

  At least Tyreen and Raquel got my joke, as they both snickered softly. I waited for them to patiently explain it to Chanson and Nora, and whe
n I saw the relief light up their faces, I knew things would work out. I just had to make sure I didn’t think long about where they got their nourishment. Much the same way I had to not picture the pet milk cow named Margie that my Grandma Terese kept when I was a kid, whenever I ate a steak or hamburger.

  “We’ll be back before long,” Chanson assured me, and then gently kissed Alaia after Raquel relinquished my baby girl to me.

  I heard multiple goodbyes as the vampires disappeared, leaving only Racco and me in the reception area. His crew began their task of unloading the plane, now that the area was vampire-free for at least a little while.

  It could’ve been the romantic moment I had dreamt of for the past six months. Surrounded by such luxury, the night songbirds looked down at us from the highest entablatures atop the marble columns. Not to mention a near-full moon peered in through the open galleries on the floors above us.

  “Come, let me show you to your room,” said Racco. He smiled compassionately, while taking my left hand in his. I held Alaia in my right arm, up close to my chest. He led the way to a curved staircase near one of the waterfalls.

  As I stated, this could’ve been an incredible moment that boded well for a night of passion. But I couldn’t focus on Racco and what I’d like to share with him in my bed. Not with the tragedy that happened to Peter weighing so heavily upon my heart.

  When we reached my room on the second floor, I was amazed…more like a little stunned at first. My room was spacious and beautifully furnished with a large four poster bed that appeared to be several hundred years old, if not older, along with a matching armoire. Even part of the bathroom, where one’s most personal business needed to be taken care of, contained the most lavish appointments. But, the shower/bath was out in the open, and where I expected to find windows above the marble railing that enclosed the room was nothing. The room opened up fully to the great outdoors—sort of like a partially enclosed backyard deck or patio.

  Oh Joy. No privacy, and a good thing I didn’t have love on my mind.

  “What do you think?”

  Racco seemed to accept this on the same level as the impeccable arrangements contained in his former French castle, and even the chalet at the bottom of the remote Pyrenees location we skied down to last November. I might add that both of those buildings had enclosed walls with glass windows.

  “I’m not sure yet.” I tried to picture myself eventually warming up to this arrangement.

  The only thing I honestly liked was the sound of the ocean, which seemed louder in this location than it had downstairs in the reception area. I walked over to the ledge closest to the bed and peered out toward the beach. A soft warm breeze caressed my face and body, and I could see the moonlight dancing on the waves. It was magical. The tension that had gripped my mind while deciding if I could handle a room like this began to ease. Even Alaia seemed to delight in what she saw, as she cooed quietly.

  “It may take a day or so to get used to the lack of privacy,” he admitted, and I knew then that he’d been studying my reaction as I moved through the room. “But remember, other than my staff, you and I are the only human beings here. My employees will only visit your room when you want them to do so, and will otherwise stick to their quarters on the other side of the palace.”

  Well, that made me feel a little better about it.

  “I want to thank you, Racco, for saving our lives,” I told him, voicing my conclusion to what surely would’ve happened to me and Alaia if he had not come to rescue us unwittingly in Nashville. If Racco hadn’t sought immediate resolution of where our relationship stood, Ralu would’ve surely made good on his threats to kill us.

  I walked over and gave him a hug, and then I kissed him on his cheek. But I also pulled away before he could seek more. His expression was a curious mixture of disappointment and regret, as if he could’ve somehow prevented the series of events that started with his banishment from Peter’s and my Relance de sang last November.

  “Give me time to sort things out,” I said, trying to be gentle. “My heart has been through a lot, and it’s not only my heart’s welfare that I must consider.”

  He nodded thoughtfully while alternating his somber gaze between Alaia and me.

  “I’ll give you as long as you need,” he said finally. “But, remember that I’m not like the vampires. I can’t read your mind. So, when things change in your heart, you must tell me, and not keep me guessing.”

  “That’s fair,” I said, and reached out my hand to grasp his. “I promise you’ll be the first to know when my heart is free again.”

  He smiled weakly and then left. I thought I might stay up until Chanson and the others returned. But after feeding and changing Alaia, my eyes grew progressively heavier, and I ended up falling asleep with her in my arms. It was the last thing I recalled when I awoke the next morning.

  Chapter 19

  The birds were what woke me the next morning. There were three of them sitting on one of the marble railings, and they looked like small green parakeets with crimson rings around their necks. They chirped merrily to one another and flew away once I sat up in my bed.

  Someone had visited my room after I fell asleep, as a pink blouse and white shorts had been laid on a chair across from my bed, and white sandals sat next to the chair. There was also a small pink and white onesie for Alaia.

  I must admit that receiving such attention has always calmed my uneasiness since my vampire adventures began last year. Especially since every time something’s been left it has always been a perfect fit. That morning, I immediately felt better about Alaia’s and my situation, and it didn’t hurt when a cool breeze from the ocean neutralized the tropic heat in my room.

  I felt exhilarated, and ready to face the day.

  Even Alaia seemed excited, giggling as I spent a few minutes playing peek-a-boo with her. After taking care of her needs and dressing her in her latest outfit, I laid my bedclothes on the floor and headed for the exposed shower that stood just outside my bathroom. All the while I wondered if any peeping toms were watching from some remote place. At least the water was incredible…. It felt so warm and gentle that I would’ve loved to linger under the light spray if not for the paranoia I felt. Still, I looked forward to how wonderful this experience could be once I got over the fact it was right out in the open. Once dressed, with only light makeup that morning, I picked up my daughter and we exited the room…hoping to find other human beings for conversation and definitely something to eat.

  When we arrived downstairs, I heard the sound of a harp being played. The harpist was quite skilled, although the hauntingly beautiful music was unfamiliar to me. I followed the music, which took me past the reception area and through a small alcove as it grew louder. When I stepped out of the alcove, I immediately gasped.

  Despite the palace’s lavish luxury, I didn’t expect to step into an enormous garden, featuring a wide variety of exotic flowering trees and plants. The top of the immense room was enclosed in glassed sections contained within a sprawling white marble frame, and the sides were left open—much like my bedroom. Supporting the ceiling and jutting up along the sides of this garden were huge white marble pillars, each one adorned with intricate gold designs. In the midst of this marvelous place sat a beautiful blue lagoon, with a fabulous golden fountain in the middle that was a collage of Hindu sculptured deities.

  Similar to the much smaller pool inside the palace, a pair of natural waterfalls fed the lagoon. But all of this was not what caused my astonishment.

  Surrounding the lagoon were a number of marble pedestals, with the largest ones perched between the waterfalls. And, sitting upon these pedestals were a variety of large predatory felines.

  A male lion sat on the tallest one, and his lioness mate was perched slightly below him. A pair of white tigers sat on pedestals to either side of the lions, and further away on either side of the waterfalls sat two jaguars—one black and one white—a cheetah, and two spotted leopards.

  All wer
e lounging, as if in a zoo exhibit or resting between circus performances, but none of the animals seemed forced into this arrangement. They could easily jump down from their pedestals and race around the lagoon to reach me in a matter of seconds. From where I stood, I could see the top of the harp just below the lion, and openly wondered what kind of idiot would have a death wish to play music in such close proximity to one of mankind’s most feared predators.

  “They take turns playing it, since the harp itself is shaded from the sun,” said a familiar voice.

  I whirled around to where Racco stood, less than twenty feet to my right. His dimpled smile was fed by some amusement, as surely he observed my awed expression from the moment I stepped outside of the palace’s main building. Standing in the shade from a mangrove tree, his form-fitting attire tugged upon my heartstrings and libido. I think I mentioned long ago that he’d look sexy wearing a burlap sack. The khaki shorts and short-sleeve safari shirt opened halfway down his chest did a hell of a lot better job than that, and as he walked over to where I stood my heart began to beat faster.

  “Well, good morning to you, too!” I said, while I sought to protect my emotions from the sudden flurry of my hormones. “And, who are ‘they’ that you’re referring to?”

  “Why, our hosts of course!” he gleefully responded. “But you can’t really see much from here. Allow me to escort you to a table with a fine view of our breakfast entertainment!”

  He held out his arm for me to take, as if he was an usher at an ancient airy cathedral, and I was a little old lady in need of support. I’m sure it was all in fun. I slid my hand down the length of his muscular arm and grasped his hand instead. He paused to study my yearning expression, allowing his smile to widen slightly, and then he proceeded to lead me along a marble path toward the lagoon.