"Wrong?"
"Si." He answered me but was lost in thought. "One moment I am angry—but in control. And the next I begin to do things which I do not understand. Very wrong things..." He shook his head, seeming baffled. "Finalmente, not even knowing what I do, I destroy a vampire without reason." He shrugged, like the act had meant nothing—at the time. "I simply see him, take out my stake, and destroy for the thrill of doing so." He knitted his brows and frowned more deeply. "It is as if I watch the whole thing. Dream it—but it is real. An allucinazione that I wake to find has truly happened."
My own fingers tightened around the arms of Lucius's chair. I struggled with Romanian, but I recognized the Italian word he'd just used. Hallucination. I shivered like the windows rattling in the wind. Could the pressure of this place really drive you mad?
"I have never experienced anything like this," he said. "I was a killer before, but never without order from the Elders."
"And to destroy without provocation is the highest crime, isn't it?
"Si," Raniero confirmed. "I am fortunate that those who witnessed my act did not destroy me that night."
"So why are you still...?" Alive.
"Lucius dispels the crowd, for though he is young, vampires already listen to his command. And at my trial, he pleads for my life and has enough power to win my reprieve from destruction." He held up his hand. "I am instead marked as blestemata. A vampire who will be destroyed without even promise of a trial should I commit another act of violence." He dropped his hand. "Of course, no vampire marked as such has lived long, for violence begets violence in our world, but I am grateful to Lucius for his mercy. I did not deserve it—especially from him."
I was a little confused by Lucius's compassion, too. "Yes, because you fought each other until you bled. How did you end up 'brothers'?"
Raniero finally smiled again, more genuinely. "You do not understand. We are forced to fight. But the Elders know that in truth, this will forge a bond between us. When we are not battling, we laugh, with bleeding mouths, about our sad fate." His smile grew warmer. "And we are rebellious together, too—especially when we are very young. We are not easily controlled, and like to make trouble for our uncles."
I managed my first small smile of the day. I could picture Lucius as a mischievous child. I was glad that he'd had a friend.
My smile quickly died. And what if Lucius hadn't known friendship? Would he have become like his uncles? Would my husband be missing that light in his eyes, and his willingness to sacrifice for others? Would he be cold and unable to love even me?
I realized then that Raniero's childhood had been stolen and spent on my behalf, too. And suddenly, as I grasped the bond that existed between these two very different vampires, I also understood the sacrifice that Raniero was making to come back to Romania. "You feel like you're risking everything to come here, don't you? That you might lose control again, or get sucked into the violence that's already started. That's why you live like you do, surfing and meditating on the beach."
"I follow a new path, yes." He shrugged. "But to come here is what I owe Lucius, who does not believe that I will ever lose control again. He believes that I can help you both without becoming that vampire who destroys wantonly—or destroys at all."
I studied Raniero's troubled eyes. "You don't have faith in yourself, when you're here with terrible reminders of your childhood, do you?"
He didn't say anything for a second. "I think the question, Princess, is whether you have trust in me. For you hold the throne now. You can dismiss me or enlist my aid as Lucius wishes, for I will admit that I understand how to find, and punish, the worst of our race."
I nodded, clearly understanding my choice. Did I trust Raniero not to snap? I'd already seen him get agitated that very night. What if his bloodlust came back and he walked up to me—or Mindy or someone else?
As the wind roared around us, an awful thought struck me. And if he does lose control and do something terrible, I will be responsible for destroying my first vampire—or vampires. His act—and its consequences—will be on my hands, because I selfishly wanted him to save Lucius instead of turning him loose to "follow his path."
"I have a lot to think about." I stood, so he did, too. "I need time, but I don't have that, do I? I didn't realize how quickly Luicus would get weak."
Raniero nodded. "Yes, you have choices to make, and quickly." He moved toward the door. "I will await your decision about me."
"Raniero?" I stopped him as he reached for the knob. "Mindy..."
"Do not worry," he reassured me. "We are very fond of each other." He smiled sadly. "Although she does not always think so!" He paused and grew wistful. "But we agree there is no future."
I noticed how he didn't say "for us." It was like he was resigned to having no future if he got caught up in a world he'd abandoned. "Okay. I just want her to be safe, you know?"
"I wish that also. She is the one person or vampire whom I cannot imagine hurting, even if I should lose all trace of sanity."
For some reason, I believed that. "Does she know about your past?"
"Very little," he admitted. "I have tried to convince myself that the old Raniero does not exist, and she does not need to know of him." Of all the things he'd told me that night, that confession seemed to make him the most miserable. "Of course, I was fooling myself—and worse yet, her."
"I've fooled myself, too," I told him. "And Lucius, by pretending I could handle this life. Don't feel so bad."
"I wish that you will not tell Mindy my story," he added. "There is no reason, now."
"If you're sure there's nothing between you. Because if there was, I'd have to tell her."
I could tell it pained him to say, "I am certain. There is nothing."
Then, as Raniero twisted the doorknob, he turned back one more time. "I forget to tell you the story of how I nearly destroy Lucius—at the urging of Claudiu."
I froze in place. "Yeah ... why did that happen?"
Raniero opened the door and shrugged again. "Claudiu merely toyed with the idea of having me rise to the throne. For as the only other son of a full-blooded Vladescu—sister to Lucius's father—I am next in line to rule. But that is a story for another day, yes?"
Next in line? And Claudiu...?
I was too surprised to talk, and Raniero left me with my jaw hanging open and a lot to think about, from trials to succession to the chilling revelation that I wasn't the only one to hallucinate in that castle ... and the awful consequences suffered by the first vampire to see things.
Chapter 49
Lucius
RANIERO—
Of the various luxuries that I will no doubt come to miss (freedom, light ... sustenance) as a prisoner in my own home, technology is already proving to be high on the list of things that I crave the most. (I purposely omit the companionship of my wife from this roster; words such as "crave"or even "long for"are inadequate to explain how I already feel to be forcibly separated from Antanasia. Perhaps there is no descriptor in even my substantial vocabulary?)
Weighing only those losses which I can express, I would have to say that e-mail, the Internet, and the various "apps" on my cell phone constitute my most irksome deprivations.
Time and again I find myself reaching for my Vertu Signature with the intention of trading a stock, checking the state of global affairs—and, I will admit, playing the occasional game of virtual polo. Then I catch myself recalling that there are no "bars" behind subterranean bars, and I must resort to the only diversion available, which consists of kicking at a persistently aggressive rat who apparently believes he has squatter's rights to this dismal corner of the world. (The fight for supremacy goes on even here. Perhaps it is waged more fervently when the stakes are the only crust of bread!)
Most distressingly, I am reduced to surreptitiously "passing you a note," as if we were both at Woodrow Wilson High School. (And trust me, Raniero, you are fortunate to have missed that experience. You may have suffered the occasi
onal concussion-inducing blow at the Vladescu estate, but at least you never endured a year of "Health Concepts" with substitute phys ed instructor "Vic" Baker. Imagine, an entire mandatory course dedicated to encouraging mature individuals to brush their teeth—while basic economics was an "elective"! When the American financial system collapses once and for all, at least the denizens will have gleaming teeth to gnash over their self-induced fate!)
And yet I will grudgingly admit that high school does hold a certain charm, in comparison to my present accommodation.
Raniero—the situation is a bad one. I've no idea how Claudius blood came to stain my weapon, but the unfolding plot, as I begin to piece it together, shows promise of being compelling, to say the least.
To orchestrate my destruction by employing my own insistence upon rule of law against me ... It has a certain elegance that I would appreciate more if I hadn't just kicked a rat.
But as I reflect, sometimes "bouncing ideas" off my companion as he bounces off my foot, I also wonder at the perpetrator's wisdom in choosing me as first target of the scheme.
You and I were both schooled as hunters, Raniero, and the first lesson the predator learns is to take down the weakest prey first. Then, fed on that victim, one has strength to pursue more powerful quarry.
I do not wish to paint Antanasia as weak—although she increasingly perceives herself as such—but we both know that I am a more formidable mark, and will play this game as ruthlessly as any opponent. (At the risk of expressing hubris, more ruthlessly—and more adeptly.)
So the question becomes: Is the vampire who attempts to undermine me incredibly brave and powerful himself, or merely unwise? Or is the plot so twisted that I am missing something entirely? An end I have not yet imagined?
These are the questions we need to answer—and expeditiously, brother.
I also need you to "spread the word," quietly, that if any harm should come to Antanasia during my imprisonment, I will not only tear down these walls stone by stone, but—once freed—shatter the rule of law and destroy, with great satisfaction, anyone who arouses in me even the slightest suspicion. Indeed, if so much as one hair on my wife's head is disturbed while I cannot protect her, this kingdom will see retribution that will go down in the history books—to be read by the very few who remain standing.
Lucius
P.S. You will note that I choose to correspond with you and not Antanasia. While I am not allowed visitors, there is at present no rule governing whether I may communicate in written form. I know that you, as one skilled in subterfuge, will have no trouble exchanging letters without drawing attention to this "gray area. " Further, should I begin to seem weak or even incoherent, I would only worry Antanasia and distract her from duties that she must shoulder bravely now. It is better for her not to witness as I—let us be blunt—inevitably falter, should my incarceration continue. In short, your complete discretion regarding our communication is requested.
P.P.S. If your response could include a brief update on standings within the NBA, that would be much appreciated, too.
Chapter 50
Mindy
SOMEBODY SHOOK ME awake in what seemed like the middle of the night, and I about screamed till I saw Jess sitting on my bed. Actually, I almost screamed then anyway, 'cause she really looked like heck. Like she hadn't slept all night—which I'd hardly done either, 'cause there is nothing like a blizzard on a Romanian mountain, even when you're in a stone castle.
Then I remembered everything that was going on and I felt bad for even thinking about how Jess's hair was in knots.
"What happened?" I asked, scooching up in bed. I picked up my Hello Kitty watch and saw that it was actually seven a.m., Romanian time. "How'd the meeting go?"
"It was awful," she said. "They led Lucius away, and he's being held in solitary confinement." She got a weird look on her face. "And without blood, which I didn't expect."
"Oh, gosh, Jess. I'm so sorry. Even though I don't know what that last part means."
"He ... we ... can't last long without blood," she told me. "We—vampires—go into something worse than a coma."
Wow, her life seemed to get more and more terrible, and I didn't even know what to say. I just made some room for her on the bed, and she climbed in like we were kids at a sleepover again.
She changed the subject anyhow. "I didn't really come here to talk about Lucius. I mainly wanted to ask you about Raniero. About what happened between you guys—and what you think of him. Really."
I guessed there was no more hiding that mess. That hot, hot mess. "I shoulda told you months ago," I said. "But I was embarrassed that I left your reception to make out with him." I got kinda red. "That wasn't cool."
"It's okay," she promised. It was good to see her smile, even just a teeny bit. "I know what it's like to be swept off your feet by a vampire in a tuxedo."
"Yeah, except Ronnie didn't always wear the tux." I picked at the folk design on my blanket. "I also shoulda told you that he kinda drifted back to Pennsylvania with me for a while." I looked over to see if she was shocked—which she was. "He crashed with a bunch of stoners who had a band in Lancaster, and we hung out—and made out—a lot."
I got sad, wonderful chills just thinking about that. It had been so disgusting and so good.
Jess's eyes were huge. "You didn't ... He didn't ever bite you, right?"
"No, I'm no vampire." That came out wrong, and I gave her the world's sorriest look. "I didn't mean that like it sounded." If anything, I was mad that he never even offered.
But Jess was used to me sticking my foot in my mouth. "No offense taken."
"Anyhoo..." I shrugged. "It didn't work out."
"What happened, exactly?"
"Jeez, what didn't happen?" I started listing it all on my fingers. "He didn't get a job. He didn't cut his hair. And he never had any money, even though his parents are super rich."
"Yeah, I've heard that." Then she, like, put me under a microscope. "Did he ever seem ... dangerous? Like, violent?"
I had a half-broken heart, but I still had to laugh. For a second. In a sad way. "Jess, the worst thing he didn't do was stand up for me when one of his stupid roommates accused me of stealing pizza outta the fridge, even though I bought it. Me and the stoner got in this big fight, and he shoved me, and I was like, 'Ronnie, did you see that?' And all my boyfriend did was say, in his crazy accent, 'I am sorry, Mindy Sue, but I can do nothing.' Then he walked away—and I left, too. And that was that!" I sighed. "He's a drifter just like my dad, anyway. It was never gonna work."
"Raniero really just walked away, after you got shoved?"
"Yup." I was so embarrassed to say that to a girl who was married to Lucius Vladescu, flattener of Frank Dormands. And I didn't get why Jess said, "Good for Raniero." She looked at me again, real close. "And you're sure he never seemed the least bit violent?"
"Jess, he never even offered to bite me." I grabbed one of the million pillows on the bed and slammed it against my stomach. "That was really the worst part, to tell you the truth." I gave a big Raniero-style shrug. "I guess he just didn't wanna commit."
I wasn't sure what I said, but it was like Jess made up her mind about something, and she said, "I'm really sorry it didn't work out for you guys, but thanks for telling me everything. I need to know who's living in my castle now that Lucius isn't here to guide me."
"Oh, I know Raniero, Jess, and trust me—he is the world's nicest guy. A bum with no ambition, but nice."
I wanted to sit there and talk, maybe call for breakfast in bed, but all of a sudden there was a knock on the door, and the next thing I knew, somehow Jess's new friend Ylenia was there with us—at freakin' seven fifteen a.m.—and saying, in her way that was sorry but not sorry at all, "I don't mean to interrupt, but I tracked you down, Antanasia. I was afraid you forgot that we need to plan a funeral today. We were supposed to meet in Lucius's office at seven."
"Oh, gosh, I did forget." Even though she still seemed tired, Jess hurried out of
bed like Ylenia was the boss. "Sorry, Min," she said. "We'll talk more later. Maybe have lunch, okay?"
"Yeah, sure." But I was sizing up Jess's cousin, who looked like she'd slept okay.
"Hey, Jess," I said, before she and her new pal could get out the door. "If you're gonna use Lucius's office, can I use yours?"
She looked surprised but said, "Sure, I guess so."
I watched Ylenia, who was ordering Emilian around in Romanian like she was his boss, too. "Thanks. I just wanna Google some stuff."
Or somebody.
I just hoped I could figure out how to spell that girl's name right.
Chapter 51
Antanasia
MY UNCLE DORIN was waiting for us outside Lucius's office, and he hung his head as Ylenia and I approached. "I'm so sorry about Lucius. I feel as if I played a role..."
It was irrational to be angry with him for just telling the truth—he'd had no choice, and I'd put him on the spot—but I couldn't help feeling a little upset about the way his words had helped land Lucius in such a terrible position. But of course I said, "It's okay." I unlocked the door and changed the subject. "I know Lucius has the right book here. We just have to find it."
"Yes, yes," Dorin said. "I'll start looking."
We were supposed to be searching Lucius's overstuffed bookshelves for something called Carte de Ritual: Nasterea, Moartea, si Casatorie, but I went to the desk, sat down, and shook the mouse on Lucius's laptop so his e-mail came up again. There were at least six messages dated from the morning of Claudiu's death between my husband and somebody with the screen name nightsurfer3, who had to be Raniero. I couldn't imagine any other "nightsurfers" he'd know.