Sacrum

Sacrum

Chapter 31

Whispers from the Grave

After Ciprian's departure I slowly made my way up from the bed. There was still a slight burning sensation in my abdomen, shoulder, and chest, but it was starting to dissipate.

I knew that it was time for me to figure out what I was going to do. I had to have a plan in place-something solid. I couldn't just jump from one idea to the next and hope that it would all work out. I needed to make a decision that would not only affect my future-but potentially the future of many others.

I found my clothes in a drawer at the other end of the room. The place was bare- no photos or much dŽcor. No wonder Ciprian seemed to detest it. He must have been accustomed to a much more glorious way of life during the reign of his brother.

What a shock it must have been for him to wake up to this, I thought. But he appeared to assimilate quickly, despite his unhappiness. I wondered how he did that, as I pondered my own uneasiness about Baritone and how long it took for me to feel at home at my new school.

I got dressed and left the small room, hoping I'd find Vincent so that I could get the details of what happened and figure out my next steps. I also wanted to urgently speak with Graham.

The two-story residence was dark and quiet, and I silently wondered around for a bit without seeing anyone.

Then suddenly I heard hushed voices coming from a room downstairs. I tip-toed my way to the door and heard a female voice speak.

"Do it for our people, son. Our family, slaughtered like cattle by the useless peasants," the voice of the woman spat out as if the words were acid on her tongue.

"I won't disappoint you," I heard Vincent's voice reply, sending chills down my spine and making me take a step back, causing the wooden floor underneath to creak.

I froze in my spot, hoping nobody inside heard, but it was too late.

"Someone's at the door," I heard another female voice say and before I could escape it flung open, revealing a female vampire who shot me a dirty look.

For a beat, an unnerving hush gripped the room.

"Hello, Special," the red-head greeted me in a cold tone of voice.

There were four others inside with her. Vincent, Ciprian, as well as another female I deducted was Vincent's mother, and a male vampire who must have been his cousin, Giovanni, related to the red-headed Katarina in front of me.

"Dani, you're up," Vincent exclaimed happily.

"Well look at that, it's a reunion!" Ciprian beamed in a tone of voice that always sounded like it had an edge of derision to it.

"He was eavesdropping," Katarina said in an accusatory tone as she got in my face.

But in a split-second Vincent was at the door and his grip on her arm suddenly made her stop in her tracks.

"Don't be rude," he said in a controlled tone that had an undercurrent of fury in it.

"Rude? We still don't know which side he's one. Any information he gets here could be used against us!" She complained, ripping her arm out of his grasp.

"You're talking to my guest, watch your mouth," he warned.

"Oh, our little bubby has a crush," she mocked him, distorting her face with a hideous laugh as Ciprian watched in amusement from the sidelines.

But the laugh was quickly swept off her face in the next second, as Vincent hoisted her up against the wall by her neck. His fingers cutting into her skin viciously.

"Don't think that just because we're family I won't end you in the blink of an eye if you cross me one more time," he said in a menacing tone that I'd never heard before. She struggled to fight him, but his brute strength kept her in place.

I watched the scene unfold in stunned silence, never having experienced vampire family dynamics at play before. Was this a normal way for family members to treat each other? Nobody else seemed as surprised as me.

"Salvatore," called a calm yet assertive voice from behind him, "Put your cousin down. She's been asleep for too long and has forgotten her manners," Princess Alessandra said.

She was a beautiful woman with dark hair, dressed in a silk blue dress. There was a sparkling ruby red pendant on her neck.

Vincent loosened his grip and Katarina gracefully fell to the floor.

"Bubby's all grown up," she said, then laughed wickedly once more. But I could tell she was slightly shook up by the event.

He looked at her with revulsion but chose to walk away.

"We welcome your guest, of course," Princess Alessandra said in a voice that made me feel anything but welcome.

She stared at me with some form of apprehension and a glint of anger. But whatever the reason, she decided to keep it to herself. "Any friend of Salvatore is a friend of the entire Carandini family. Well, whatever is left of us," she added bitterly.

"Well, THAT was exciting!" Ciprian called out, shooting his wide smile at Vincent. "But your feisty cousin does have a point, Salvatore. We will need Dani's answer soon," he said, pointing his gaze and his wicked smile my way.

"Must I remind you, uncle, that he has just survived an assassination attempt? We do not need to barrage him with endless questions right at this very minute," Vincent replied, annoyed.

Ciprian nodded, but went on unconvinced, "Our little blonde friend is tough. He took those three bullets like a champ. But decisions about his alliances must be made, and they should be made sooner rather than later."

"And they will be," Vincent replied, heading back towards me. "But right now, what Dani needs to do is get more rest," he said, grabbing me by the arm and practically dragging me away from the others and back to the small bedroom upstairs.

"I don't need more rest," I protested when the two of us were alone.

"I won't hear it. You need your strength," he argued.

"I'm fine," I replied, shrugging off his concern. "Tell me what happened at school? The last thing I remember were those bullets hitting me," I said, as we both sat down on the bed.

"I was making my way back to school from a visit to Maratoni's training compound when I heard the commotion outside your door. I ran in, but you were already shot. When the assassin saw me, he opened your window and fled. I thought about chasing him down, but I couldn't leave you alone in that state, not knowing if there were any more of them coming. I got Maratoni and we helped bring you here. He alerted Trusting about what happened," he explained.

"But I don't understand. The school is filled with Protection League officers ever since Van Sant's murder. How the hell did that guy get in?" I asked. Vincent stared at me for a moment.

"The answer is in your question, Dani," he replied, and it finally dawned on me-the Protection League.

"You think Deadnus is behind this, you think she tried to have me...killed?"

"I see no other explanation," he replied.

The idea was contradictory in that it made sense but also didn't. Deadnus obviously hated me, but why would she want to get rid of a State weapon whom she so dearly wished to control?

And it was obviously a convenient idea for Vincent, as it illuminated why I should take his side over hers. However, I kept those thoughts to myself.

"So you believe she is behind Vinicius' and Van Sant's deaths as well?" I asked.

"I do," he replied, carefully watching my face. "Maratoni and I have had out theories for a while now, but not a lot of proof. However, the insane way she's been acting recently seems to confirm that she is on one hell of a power trip and trying to eliminate any threat to what she believes the vampire State should look like. As you know, Vinicius had other ideas. Ideas that to someone like Arani Deadnus would appear to be the most dangerous of threats."

"Rebirth," I said, and he nodded.

"When she felt like Van Sant was perhaps trying to pass you some important information in secret, she killed him too. And lastly, even though you are supposed to be her greatest weapon, you also stand for everything Vinicius represented, and so she had to try to eliminate you as well."

Suddenly I realized there were others close to Vinicius who needed to be warned.

"I have to talk to Graham, he may be in danger as well," I said.

"Edward Graham can take care of himself Dani," Vincent replied, surprising me.

"That may be, but I still want to talk to him," I insisted. He looked uncertain, and I couldn't understand why. "He helped you at your hearing. I trust him."

"It's not a matter of trust, Dani," he replied, "It's complicated."

"Try me, I have time," I replied frustrated by his evasiveness.

"It's my uncle. The two of them don't exactly have the best of history from what I've been told. If Graham sees him here, things may get chaotic, and now is not the time for that. I have to keep you safe after what happened. I can't have anything drawing attention to our home right now."

"Vincent, it will be fine. It's not like Graham is going to fistfight your uncle. Whatever issues they have, they'll have to put them aside," I insisted, but he still looked unsure.

"Hand me a phone so I can call him, or I will leave right now," I threatened, feeling like I was running out of options.

"Fine," he said, as his jaw tensed up. He dug into his pocket and fished out a cellphone, then passed it to me.

It took a good ten minutes to reassure Graham that I was, in fact, fine and still very much alive. He sounded so worried I almost felt honored. Not many people had ever cared about me that much, aside from Vinicius of course.

He then told me he was on his way, and I chose to omit the fact that Ciprian was in the house. Perhaps he'd stay in his room and Graham wouldn't even see him.

"I have to let Laura and Angelo know that I'm okay as well," I told Vincent as I handed him back the phone.

"I'll get word to them, don't worry."

"Where does Trusting think I am right now?'

"An undisclosed facility to help you heal. She's not happy about not knowing the exact location, of course. This is temporary. Deadnus will come looking soon. We'll have to relocate you."

"Relocate? But...I have to finish out the school year." He looked dismayed at my answer.

"Dani, there is no going back. Someone just broke into a high-security school to try to kill you. You're not safe there," he stated.

I pondered his words for a while. Since waking up I hadn't really given much thought to what would happen next.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door followed by a snarky voice.

"Giovanni and I need you downstairs, lover boy," Katarina said with a snicker. Vincent rolled his eyes.

"Please try to get some more rest before Graham gets here. I'll be back to check on you in a little while," he said, then leaned in for a quick peck. His lips on mine made me suddenly forget about all my worries.

"Vincent," I said, remembering something.

"Yes?" He asked, looking into my eyes.

"Thank you for saving my life," I said, and he smiled.

"My pleasure," he replied, then after another kiss, he made his way out.

I tried to take his advice and get some rest, but my mind simply would not turn off. After tossing and turning for a while, I decided to leave the room and walk around to take my mind off things.

I wondered back and forth through the dark and glum upstairs corridor for a while, peeking my head into some of the rooms.

The house was depressing. No wonder everyone's mood was so sour being here. Was Vincent raised in this soulless place, I wondered?

Then I heard voices coming from behind one of the doors at the end. I made my way closer and couldn't help but listen, yet again.

"It's uncanny, isn't it? The resemblance..." I heard Ciprian's voice say in a curious way, and I could almost see the wide smile spreading on his face in my mind.

As if to confirm my thoughts, Princess Alessandra replied at that very moment saying, "Wipe that stupid smile off your face," in a furious tone, which only made him laugh out loud.

"You looked as if you saw a goddamn ghost!" He said in his booming voice, which sounded both excited and amused.

"You're delusional if you think he is in any way..." she said, not finishing her thought.

"It's all in the eyes and the mouth," he went on, ignoring her. "Funny, it's almost like hearing a whisper from the grave, isn't it?"

"Did you have anything to do with this?" She suddenly asked, enraged.

"Me? No...I did not," he replied, deep in thought.

"Then he's not..." she left her thoughts hanging once more. Her voice sounded scared.

"One of us?" He asked, amused by her terrified tone of voice. "No."

"Thank God for that," she replied, sounding relieved. "It isn't possible," she said after a while.

"Oh, it most certainly is possible," he said.

"It amuses you, doesn't it? You enjoy seeing others hurt, you soulless ghoul. My son should have left you rotting in Moldova," she said with venom in her voice.

"Words, my Princess! They hurt you know," he said in a mocking tone, and I heard the sudden footsteps indicating her departure.

When I was safely back in my room, I replayed the conversation back in my head. What was Ciprian getting at? It sounded like he believed I resembled someone; a person both he and the Princess knew. Clearly, he was very much mistaken. I knew how I was created. I was taught about it in my lessons. I had no mother or father to speak of. No Special did.

But their conversation raised some questions for me. Who were they so terrified of me being related to? It would prove useful to know.

Not a minute after I laid down, a fight broke out downstairs. I raced down the steps when I heard Graham's voice shouting obscenities.

Halfway down I took note of the scene in the living room. In the most violent display I had ever witnessed, Graham raced over to tackle Ciprian then viciously threw him against the wall with such force that it cracked in the middle.

"Separate them!" I heard Giovanni yell out, but Ciprian was already on his feet, smiling as Graham smashed into him once more, creating a sound that resembled that of a bomb going off nearby.

"Good to see you too," Ciprian shouted over the commotion, as Graham threw him across the room once more, causing him to shatter a dresser and the TV on top of it. Giovanni and Katarina attempted to hold him back, but they were no match as the attorney threw them off and headed for the now laughing Ciprian once more.

This time, the other vampire ducked Graham's fists and tackled him to the floor by the waist, then pummeled his face with three punches that caused an indent on the wooden floor underneath.

After the third punch the attorney moved his head, and Ciprian's fist connected with the floor, making another explosive noise.

The attorney took the opportunity to throw the dark-haired vampire off of him, but before he could do anything else, Vincent's voice made him pause.

"You're going to get us all killed. They'll hear this for miles! Dani is here, Graham, do you want to risk his safety?" He asked, getting in between Graham and his uncle. Graham suddenly noticed me on the steps, and his shoulders relaxed.

"Are you okay?" He asked. I nodded, still shocked by the scene I'd just witnessed. I had never seen this amount of fighting in my life.

"What...an...entrance!" Ciprian's voice boomed in approval, as he got back on his feet. "Action! I like it, Eddie. You know I do."

"Shut the hell up!" Graham shouted, further amusing Ciprian.

"Dani, let's go," Graham said, looking at me.

"What a dedicated attorney," Ciprian continued, in his seemingly always mocking tone. "I should hire you as my lawyer, I'm sure I have some cases to settle with the State after all. I would like to have that type of passionate individual working on my behalf. But, perhaps you only reserve such treatment for your very special clients, huh?" He asked, studying Graham's face carefully.

The attorney kept his face almost neutral, but something flickered in his eyes. Was it fear? Whatever it was, Ciprian spotted it right away. He chuckled in amusement.

"Yes!" He said with his famous wide-tooth smile. "Oh, how I do love being right Eddie."

"We're leaving, now," Graham stated in an ice-cold tone.

"You can't leave," Vincent interfered. "It's not safe for Dani."

"Neither is staying here with this maniac," Graham replied, shooting Ciprian a look of pure loathing.

"Ouch," Ciprian playfully replied. He seemed completely at ease with all the chaos, leaning against the wall in a relaxed manner.

"Where exactly are you planning to take him? The League is definitely watching your house. They'll apprehend him the second he gets out of your car and drag him back to Baritone, where he is not safe," Vincent continued.

"He hasn't done anything to be apprehended for. He was attacked in the middle of the night."

"We're talking about Deadnus here. This only gives her more reason to transfer him to whatever damn facility she pleases."

"His proxy won't agree to it."

"His proxy won't have the time to say no, Graham. Deadnus just tried to kill him. You think she's going to wait and listen to his proxy's wishes?"

"What exactly are you proposing, Vincent? That he stay here where this psychopath," he said, jabbing his finger in Ciprian's direction, "can fill his head with utter garbage, and enlist him to fight some insane war on your behalf?"

"It's not insane, and I'm not asking him to fight, Graham. I'm simply asking him to be on our side. You've seen what the State has turned into. I know you don't want him working under Deadnus anymore than I do. And after what happened last night, what other option do you see?"

"How do I know it was Deadnus and not this monster that did this?" Graham asked suddenly. "It's coincidentally perfect timing for Dani to get attacked and for you to just happen to be there and save him then bring him back here so that he could be forever grateful to you and join your cause."

"You're suggesting I ordered an attack on Dani?" Vincent asked outraged.

"Maybe not you, but I wouldn't put it past some of the others in this household."

"How dare you speak to us like that?" Princess Alessandra said in a warning tone as Katarina and Giovanni looked ready to fight him.

"Nobody in this home would ever do such a thing, I assure you," Vincent replied in a measured tone. "And nobody makes such decisions without my consent."

Graham snickered, unconvinced.

"You cannot send him back to Baritone, and you can't take him home. We have to relocate him somewhere else," Vincent insisted.

"Where do you propose?" Graham asked, but suddenly Vincent's phone rang. Soon after he answered it, his face fell.

"No more time to argue. They're on their way here. He needs to go now."

"I can take him to Melinda," Graham offered.

"No, not safe," Vincent hastily replied. "We'll take him to Maratoni's compound, they already searched it this morning. That should buy us some time. Plus, if anything goes wrong, Demetrius can handle it."

"For how long?" Graham asked.

"We'll see. Let's just get him there safely for now."

"Dani?" Graham asked, looking over at me. "Is that alright with you?"

"I don't know. I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me. Declan..." I suddenly said, worried that others at the compound might suffer the same fate. I couldn't live with Demetrius being hurt while fighting for my safety.

"Dani, that's not going to happen. And we don't have time to argue about this, you have to go, now," Vincent said. I nodded with hesitation. Once I got to the compound, I could figure out the rest.

"I'll go with him," Graham offered.

"No, you need to get back home and be there when they come. It will look suspicious if you're gone," Vincent stated. "I'll take him."

"No, you won't," Ciprian suddenly cut it. "I will."

"Like hell you will," Graham replied, getting ready to fight again.

"We don't have time for this!" Vincent yelled out.

"I'm not letting him get anywhere near Dani," Graham stated, furious.

Ciprian looked at the attorney and said, "The League is on their way here. If Vincent is gone, they will rightfully assume that he's hiding Dani somewhere, and they will go looking again. They might even arrest him. If I'm gone...well, nobody will notice because technically I've been dead for eighteen years. Perfect solution."

Both Graham and Vincent looked unconvinced.

"Look, there's no time to argue about it. The compound is a thirty-minute ride from here. If you call and we're not there by then, you can send out a search party, Eddie," he said, smiling at Graham.

The attorney looked at me.

"Call as soon as you get there. Not a minute later," he stated.

"I will," I replied.

"If anything happens to him Ciprian..." he suddenly expressed almost as if against his will. The uncle's smile widened.

"I'll keep the Golden One safe," he replied, staring at Graham with amusement. "I'll watch over him as if he were my own."

Suddenly, the thought of a 30-minute car ride with Ciprian Carandini sounded frightening. But it was too late to change the plan.

"Clean this mess up before they get here, then disappear down into the tunnels," he said looking over at Katarina and Giovanni, then he grabbed the car keys from Vincent and winked as he passed me by.

"You'll be safe," Vincent said, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze. "I'll see you soon."

"Okay," I replied, suddenly worried about what could happen to Vincent if the League discovered the fugitives he had hidden away underneath the house. "You stay safe too," I added. He smiled.

"Time to hit the road!" Ciprian's impatient voice boomed from the hallway.

Vincent gave me one more encouraging look, and then I walked into the darkness, hoping we would both survive whatever was to come and see each other once more.

Questions and feedback can be sent to c.hendersonfic@gmail.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.