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- Herausgeber: Emma Black
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Sprache: Englisch
Alice Cooper is a young, ordinary woman, very quiet and still a virgin.
Her life changes drastically when her friends drag her to a dark party where she meets Bill, a mysterious, charming man. Lust and passion explode between them and Alice wants him so much to accept spending the night with him, no strings attached.
Too bad destiny has other ideas.
He’s not who he claims to be. His name is not Bill, but Tom Fabius Buteo and he’s not even human, but a two-thousand-year old vampire. He was also one of the most loyal soldier of emperor Julius Caesar and still is the Centurion of legendary Legio X.
Forcefully thrown into a world she thought was only imaginary, Alice will find herself bound to Tom’s body, soul and mind, torn between the burning desire for him and her deep resentment toward their unwanted bond.
Painful experiences and terrifying discoveries will teach her that she cannot turn back to her old life and, most of all, she doesn’t want it anymore.
She will prove to everyone she’s not just a gracious, helpless flower, but a proud, strong warrior.
A fighting, hostile wife.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017
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Emma Black
The Hostile Wife
Legio X #1
This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locations are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in encouraging piracy of copyrighted materials in violation with the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Please note that this work is intended only for adults over the age of 18 and all characters represented as 18 or over.
This book contains strong language and sex scenes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emma Black is a pen name. The author lives in South Italy with her husband, her lovely daughters and a dog, who always helps her do the housework. After many sci-fi short stories, she has been trying different genres, among which erotic and paranormal. She writes every day, especially on weekends, when her Muses scream out loud in her head, after a wild night of drinking.
From the same Author:
Rimozione Forzata (aka The Hostile Wife), Legio X #1
Sotto la Pelle, Legio X #2
When in Rome..., Legio X #2.5 (Christmas novella)
La Voce del Sangue, Legio X #3
Credits
This book is dedicated to Trip,
who enthusiastically supported me since the very beginning, when the plot was just a confused dream. You're the best virtual co-author in the world: without you, many pages would have stayed blank.
You're a real friend and this is why I leave Cédric into your hands.
Thanks to my sweet Valeria,
for her support, her commitment, her love.
Credits:
Translators: Francesca Tripodo, Valeria Biancardi, Emma Black
Mother tongue editor: Mrs. Franca Parisi, English teacher.
For the cover free image pixabay
Follow Emma Black here:
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My mail: [email protected]
My Amazon page: Emma Black
I'm also on Goodreads
Stay tuned for info, giveaways, previews and much more! Thank you for every review you will write. Feel free to express yourself, but please, be kind. I'm a human being, not a robot. I have faults, I make mistakes, but I do my best both for myself and for my readers. Have fun!
Table of contents
Credits
1. The beginning and the end
2. Dead, but not too much
3. A bitter discovery
4. Dream and passion
5. Dresses and tortures
6. Undercover
7. Run, baby, run
8. The gala
9. Departure
10. Freedom
11. Tattoos and awakenings
12. Kidnapping
13. Don't bite me
14. History lesson
15. Home
1
The beginning and the end
Alice rolled down the window, looked around confused, then raised it quickly.
In the list of places, she had thought as a possible location for a Gothic themed party, the quiet outskirt of Starville, south of New York, wasn’t absolutely included. A refined club, yes. A private mansion, maybe. A small town renowned for its annual crusted pork festival? Very unlikely.
She scratched her chin, still brooding over it and looking outside perplexed.
“Gina, are you sure about the place? I can only see a dirt road and thousand trees. Have we got lost?”
Gina, her gaze focused ahead, shook her long black curls, which were even more voluminous than usual.
“Relax, I have the right directions. See? Even the GPS agrees with me!”
Alice adjusted her glasses, which slipped down her nose, and noticed, with a hint of panic, that the aforementioned GPS showed only an empty brown space, an unknown place off the map.
“Well, we all know how reliable your sense of direction is, darling,” commented Clara from her place on the backseat, rolling her eyes. Her twin sister Amber gave Alice the eye.
“Anyway, what matters is getting there! We're already so late...”
Alice frowned at them both. “What? It's your fault, not mine! I've been telling you for days I would’ve stayed home, finishing my Supernatural marathon. I'm here only because you rang on my intercom and ambushed me. By the way, the actor playing Bartholomeus is such a hottie! What’s his name?”
Gina's excited and ear-deafening scream suddenly filled the vehicle. “Here! This is the place! I’m dropping you in front of that hulk, so you won't ruin your shoes while I park.”
In fact, they had almost reached a square-plan building. It seemed to be ancient, short and flaked, barely illuminated by few lampposts and surrounded on two sides by a dense, lush forest. At first sight, it could be confused for one of those run-down abandoned constructions, infested by stray animals and shady wicked guys, who people stayed away from. Only the massive gate looked new, judging from the shiny black paint. On the third side of the building there was a crowded parking space with cars organized in compact rows.
The bouncer, a seven feet tall beast, dressed in black and with shoulders as big as Minnesota, scrutinized them from head to toe, as if he had an x-ray vision. Although a bit unsettling, he merely seemed interested in carrying out his job, so the girls waited on the front steps in a fearful silence, without looking at the two big caliber guns he displayed on his sides. The only perceivable noise was a buzz coming from the woods, but that didn’t sound too dangerous. Then Gina ran there headlong, in one hand her five inch heels, red as blood (to stick to the theme, she said), in the other the group invitation for the party, which she got as a regular in an online urban fantasy forum. She handed it to the bouncer smiling mischievously at him, which made Clara roll her eyes once again. When he opened the gate, she went forward with no hesitation, dragging them behind her.
They ended up in a small, bare and dirty hall. No sign of the fabulous party.
“Isn't it exciting?” Gina squealed, widening her dark made up eyes and lowering the neckline of her tiny, strapless leather dress.
In truth, Alice was worried that a giant rat or a stinky crackhead, with the tourniquet still on his arm, could appear and rob them. She gulped, huddling up with Amber, who also had a weird feeling about the situation, but had the wise idea of saying nothing, to avoid any fight. Sometimes Gina was a real pain in the ass.
Another bouncer reached them, coming out of a side door. Same sober clothes and wrestler build, identical weapons on his belt. He read the invitation as well, carefully analyzed them, then pointed at a worn-out beige brocade curtain, riddled by woodworms, and went back where he came from, offering no more info.
Gina jumped from excitement. “Can you believe it? We will join one of the most exclusive parties in North America! Imagine if we meet some famous actors like Patt...”
“Cut it out!” Clara exploded. She’d been holding back for a while and was tired of that farce. “There will be just a bunch of nerds, dressed up like Dracula, with a lot of greasepaint on their faces. How original! New York is full of places like this.”
Gina, however, was too lost in her own fantasy and, before Clara ended the sentence, she had already pulled the dusty curtain aside, unveiling another reinforced door. She touched it with embarrassing deference, then pulled the handle.
Their jaws dropped when, a few steps ahead, the scenario completely changed. The room was huge, decorated with refined furniture and suffused violet lights. In the middle, there were a few small round tables, most of them occupied, while large and comfortable sofas surrounded the room, up to a crowded bar area. At the right end, there was a security guard, standing in front of another black door. The shouting was intense, but the building was clearly soundproofed and everyone seemed to enjoy their evening, laughing and drinking. No one was wearing masks nor costumes as the girls had thought. On the contrary, the men were dressed in elegant suits, while the women, all young and in perfect shape, looked like Victoria's Secret models.
Alice thought the atmosphere wasn’t too bad and she would’ve stopped at the bar for a pep drink: then, if she had found a nice guy and felt the sparkle, things would’ve got interesting. It wasn’t likely, but she believed it was about time to have fun, like any other girl her own age. After all, she would not be twenty-four forever and wasn’t planning on being a virgin much longer.
Gina had promised her it would have been as easy as pie. She had been talking for days about charming men, strong feelings and, more than Alice could be comfortable with, the chance of wild sex, to convince her. An unforgettable night, in her opinion. Not that she didn’t trust her friend, but when mythical and obscure creatures were involved, Gina wasn’t reliable: she had a very unhealthy obsession.
Alice saw her moving toward the bouncer with fast steps, whispering to herself and swaying her hips. She and the twins resignedly followed her. They showed the invitation one last time and came into the Vampire's Lair.
“Gosh, what a headache! This is a nightmare!” complained Clara, rubbing her temples.
For three hours, they were immersed in the most absolute chaos, dazed by loud music, pushed around by an eager, dancing crowd of people dressed as their favorite demoniac characters, who were socializing and flirting with no inhibitions near the tables and the black and blue sofas.
Alice thought it looked like an average cosplay more than a fabulous, exclusive party: studs and fake leather were a must, followed close by steel chains, earrings and necklaces. The people were wearing a heavy, theatrical make up, to show off their creativity, so the Lair was teeming with pale and gaunt faces, flaming red lips and eyes colored in the darkest shades. Someone had painted bloody holes on his necks and wrists. A girl had a couple on her legs, near the femoral artery, right where her tiny red underwear began. Or was that a skirt? Alice didn’t prefer to enquire and came closer to her friend.
The atmosphere had become oppressive to Clara: she couldn’t stand anything of that ridiculous night and, on top of that, shortly before she had argued with a girl who was wearing tiger skin contact lenses, because she believed her slave had shown Clara one of his genital piercing.
“I'm gonna leave in ten minutes. First, I need to rescue Amber, before that guy with a chain around his neck persuades her to wear leash and muzzle. Are you coming with us?”
Alice shook her head and rubbed her tired ankles, realizing just then that her delicious drink, a Juicy Vein, according to the menu, was almost finished.
“I'm staying. This music is not my thing, but I'm having fun, and since I'm here...”
Clara frowned. “Are you sure you're okay? Did you check your drink for drugs? These days you never know!”
“Nope, there's only a bit of alcohol and a lot of blueberry juice in it. It seems vampires and werewolves are quite moderate when they drink. The same can’t be said about that guy over there. Can you see him?”
Clara looked in the direction she pointed. “Jeez! That can’t be his chest, right? Not with all those hairs! Now I know why they say squirrels are on the verge of extinction: that freak glued them all to himself!”
Alice burst out laughing, not caring about the guy who caught them staring. She was laughing so much, she got tears in her eyes and cramps in her stomach, but couldn’t resist from looking at the squirrel-man again. Somebody else, however, captured her attention.
In retrospect, she wouldn’t have been able to explain how, why or if there was a detail, a casual event that made her look on the left. Did she drink too much? Had her glasses slipped once again down her nose? Or was it a weird twist of fate? Because there had to be a reason if, suddenly, the man she had wished to meet her whole life was in front of her, in a charming, hot, irresistible wrapping of flesh and bones. Moreover, the stranger glanced back with such an intensity it was like he wanted to swallow her in one bite. He was so ravenous and mysterious that, even at a distance, he aroused an absolute excitement in her body, mind and heart. Every single cell of Alice was irresistibly attracted to him and there was no logic nor ethics that could make her reason again.
She had to have him. She had to belong to him.
Alice perceived, more than heard, Clara asking something, but it was as if every noise surrounding her had ceased and every person, every object, had fallen into oblivion. Except herself and that man, who stared at her like a predator, before devouring the trembling, yet eager, victim of his bites.
In that moment, with blood roaring in her ears for the furious beating of her heart, Alice could only obey the desire which, slow and hot as burning lava, was pouring onto all her erogenous zones, destroying all inhibitions, loosening muscles and nerves, re-writing her DNA to impress upon her the unique mark of those eyes. Those dark, intense, paralyzing eyes, that traveled over her, as if he was trying to memorize the position of every single, vibrant cell.
Alice watched those eyes getting closer in a few, precious seconds that seemed like an eternity to her; adorned by thick, long eyelashes, they narrowed down to two thin slits and started to scrutinize her, as to capture her secrets.
“I'm Bill.”
Here, done. It only took a few syllables, uttered by a sensual voice, with the most erotic timbre in the world, and she was gone. Head over heels.
Without a motion and in silence, Alice took time to admire his straight, dark brown, shoulder-length hair. She dreamt for a moment of curling a lock around her finger as she would have done with hers to feel how smooth it was.
The stranger's face looked like an artwork, with a straight Roman nose, high and sharp cheekbones, full and red lips, which stood out of his fair skin. The lower lip, in particular, was an illicit invite to sin. Unlike other men, he wasn’t wearing any make up. He had close-fitting but elegant pants on, black lace-ups with inlaid tip and was holding a jacket in his hands, so tight it got all wrinkled.
Alice wanted to introduce herself, she had to, but her mouth was dry and dirty thoughts were filling her head, leaving her speechless. So, Clara did it in her place.
“Hello Bill. Bye Bill. Say hi to your friend, the squirrel,” she said with her usual sass, dismissing him with an impatient movement of her hand.
Yet, Bill stood there, not interested at all in that rude invitation. Surprised by her own goofiness, Alice hurried to rectify the situation, stretching her arm out to him.
“I'm Alice Cooper.”
Curiously, Bill stared at her little hand and seemed unsure about what to do next. Then his long fingers grasped it.
A swift flash, an almost imperceptible flick appeared in his eyes and he looked at her with such astonishment that Alice didn’t understand why. His face seemed to pale more but, after a split second, he recollected himself and smiled.
Alice's heart started jumping. Unable to look away, she nervously pulled a lock of hair behind her ear. Bill was tall, with a slender, wiry body, which models could only dream of, and Alice was sure it was all natural, not the result of an intense workout. So, why, among all women, had he approached her?
She sighed, forcing herself to let go of his warm, soft hand. He was way out of her league. How long could this flirt last? She had learnt by experience that, once that hunk had realized how small, curvy and inexperienced she was, he would find some lame excuses to run after the first bombshell in sight. He was a giant, she was a smurf. A nice one, but a smurf just the same. If then he had heard her sharp tongue on action, he would have disappeared faster than light. So, better get it over and test him.
She got up from the sofa to take some distance from him, but had an abrupt giddy spell and, before she could realize it, her waist was surrounded by his strong arms. He towered over her, but she wasn’t as bothered as she was expecting. On the contrary, she was at ease, safe and hoped he could feel the same.
“Are you alright?” Bill asked with a bit of concern in his voice.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’ve just stood up too fast.” She wouldn’t dare look at him straight in the eye and read disappointment on his face.
“Sit down, I'll be right back.”
Gallantly, he helped her, then puff, disappeared. Disheartened, she sat on the edge of the sofa.
“I knew this would happen but… Damn! Tonight, I'm breaking every record! It took what, two minutes’ top, for him to be gone?” She sulked, while she was still trying to find him in the crowd. “I don't get what's wrong with me, scaring men like this. Do you think that they can tell I'm still...?” She bit her lip, not daring to say the word virgin out loud.
Clara got closer to her ear to answer. “Don't be silly, of course not! He didn't run away, look over there: he's just getting something to drink. Anyway, don't let your guard down, there's something about him that gives me the creeps.”
“Ok, I won't,” she murmured absentmindedly, now admiring Bill's long legs while, with elegant strides and a glass in his hand, he was going back to them. The black shirt he wore was partially opened, showing a perfect chest with no trace of body hair. She had already noticed how well proportionate he was and, even though there was no detail that stood out in his aspect, it seemed impossible for her not to have noticed before his intimidating height and his ancient, old-time charm.
“Here, I thought that cool water could help you. It's too hot in here,” he thoughtfully told her, sitting by her side.
The contact between the soft fabric of his trousers and her naked legs made her aware of how her black, one-shoulder dress had gone up too much again. Embarrassed, she took a big gulp of water that dripped on her chin, but Bill wiped the drops away, brushing a finger on her lips.
The impulsive, yet familiar contact paralyzed both of them. It was like they had touched each other in a previous life and were renewing acquaintance. Or they had dreamt about it and now were realizing how reality could be just as satisfying.
Bill’s dark, unfathomable eyes showed concern, then he looked up from his hands to her face. She didn’t know him, yet she was sure his longing was as deep as hers. His full, tempting lips were just a few inches away and Alice wondered which taste he might have, while his fresh and energetic scent, with a light hint of ginger, was impressing in her memory.
He smirked, her infatuation was written all over her face. Then, slowly and deliberately, he put his finger on his mouth and sucked. That mischievous gesture set her lower body on fire and she thanked heaven she was already seated, otherwise her trembling legs wouldn’t have supported her.
Behind her, Clara cleared her throat. “C’mon, let’s go, this place is full of freaks.”
She stood up and grabbed Alice’s arm but, with a speed worthy of an Olympic sprinter, Bill blocked her. Eye to eye, in a deep compelling tone, he suggested that she should leave alone.
“Alice’s in no danger; I'll be a real gentleman. You should look for your twin, I believe she’s the one who needs your help.”
For a moment, Clara looked irritated and seemed to be hitting back but, after Bill gave her one long stare, which didn’t admit replies, she nodded and walked briskly toward Amber.
Surprised by her friend's compliancy, but relieved not to have to convince Clara to leave them alone, Alice relaxed on the sofa and picked up her glass again.
“So,” she asked, “what brought you to this party?”
He sat down, crossed his legs and stretched an arm behind her shoulders, as to protect her.
“Business,” he said, settling the matter once and for all.
He was staring at her as if she was a crossword to solve, but she didn’t let herself be so intimidated. Rather, she hoped to get to know him better, before other women could fix their eyes on him.
“What’s your job?”
“Forced extractions.”
A brief smile, then he resumed his silent scrutinizing but, this time his eyes fell on her chest, when she was just taking a deep breath and her breasts were in plain view. A drop of sweat slid right in between them and Bill followed its path mesmerized. He was breathtaking and, so still and imperturbable on that couch, he could be mistaken for a flawless marble sculpture created by Michelangelo himself. The only thing that betrayed him was his hand, opening and closing on his knee.
Alice was relieved to notice she wasn’t the only one to be jittery. After all, why would she? It was obvious they liked each other and, if she had played her cards right, that might still have been an unforgettable night.
She crossed her feet and rubbed at an ankle with the heel. That little gesture attracted Bill’s attention, so she took advantage of it to stretch out more on the sofa. Accidentally with her head close to his arm.
“I think I saw a TV show, whose name is Forced Extraction: do you do that?”
“I'm sorry, I haven’t been watching TV since... Well, let's say in a long time, so I'm not sure what you're referring to. My job is complicated to explain. One might say, with quite accuracy, that I clean the city from the garbage.”
The confidence dripping out of his attitude was almost hypnotic. If he was a garbageman, he must have been the most educated and elegant. He was looking in her eyes again, and his hand, moving on its own, started caressing her knee. A wave of excitement fired up her senses, sticking words in her throat.
“And what... what do you do for fun after work, if you don't watch TV?” she stuttered blushing.
God, how could she say such a nonsense? As if there wasn’t anything else to do beside that! She knew it well, because after long hours spent behind a desk, she did everything but that, except for the Supernatural binge watching, of course.
Bill seemed lost in his thoughts. Clearly, the question didn’t have an easy answer.
“I don't do much else, to be honest. My job is quite demanding, takes up all my time, twenty-four seven and, to perform it at best, I also need to sleep and to recover my strength. Anyway, tonight I'm determined to carry out more satisfying activities,” he concluded with a naughty sparkle in his eyes.
Feeling more intrepid than usual, Alice thanked her good luck: yes, tonight she would finally say goodbye to her awkward virginity and welcome to the same sexual freedom everyone seemed to enjoy, except her.
“May I ask you how come you joined this party? Are you also a paranormal fan, one of those women who daydream about the erotic power of vampires' bites?” Bill asked, then rose his eyebrows and bent his head toward a noisy group sitting not too far to express his conception. There was sarcasm and an ill-concealed, peevish tone in his voice.
Alice paid attention to the group and was tempted to cover her eyes out of shame. The less eccentric man was wearing a long brown duster, equipped with a cowboy hat and a pair of worn-out boots. On the one hand, he was carrying a wooden piece and was pretending to impale one of the women. However, she didn’t look scared at all, instead seemed pretty busy groping the front of his pants, while biting his neck with her five dollars’ fake plastic fangs.
“I suspect he thinks he’s a modern Van Helsing...” he whispered, less than an inch from her ear. His lips brushed her neck and Alice closed her eyes, letting herself go against his chest.
As she hoped, Bill's arm surrounded her, exuding a peculiar warmth that spread through her whole body. His long, delicate fingers started moving on the smooth skin of her thigh, never going beyond the dress' hem, but before the situation could get hotter, he moved away and offered her his arm.
“Come on, let's go dancing.”
The deejay chose that moment to turn the music from techno to a softer rhythm, so it was easier to dance. Finding a space to fit into was not as easy, but Bill threaded his way through the crowd, as if his simple, majestic and elegant appearance intimidated people.
Alice indulged into the excited, enthralling music, closed her eyes and started swaying sinuously, raising her arms and playing with her long brown hair, which hung down over her back. She liked dancing, but tonight she wanted to do it for him to show her sweet and passionate femininity, hoping that he would soon decide to ask her to go home. Together.
But time passed by and Bill was neither touching nor hugging her with excitement. Fearing he was lost in the crowd, she opened her eyes again to search around, only to find him right in front of her. Completely still and deadly serious, he was studying her with such an intense expression that she felt her stomach knot. His eyes had become two black, deep and magnetic ponds and a strange energy, so thick it was almost tangible, was spreading from his body, making him look somehow less real and more dangerous.
“Is everything all right?” she asked puzzled.
“I... Nothing, it doesn't matter.”
His voice was just a whisper, it still resonated inside her, making all her fears awaken. Wasn’t she his usual type? Wasn’t she maybe enough for him? Tears threatened to gleam, but Alice pushed them back and, with a swell of pride, she ignored him, keeping on dancing.
It worked. Bill got out of his torpor and closer to her in a few rigid steps.
“Forgive my clumsiness. It's been so long since the last time I danced, I fear I might stamp your feet.”
That gentleness caught her off guard: she really wanted to believe him, but feared he could lie and she had to protect her heart, more than anything.
“You don't have to like me at all costs. Feel free to go whenever you want. I'll find someone else to spend the night with.”
She let the heavy hint echo in the air between them, then closed her eyes, not to see him go. Instead, with a strong grip, he held her tight, bent his head over her hair and smelled her vanilla scent, inhaling it a bit. His hands started moving on her back as he was drawing abstract patterns. The sensation was new and intoxicating and it made Alice get rid of her last hesitations.
Building up her courage, she skimmed her hands over him, from his well-toned chest to his long and graceful neck. With the palms of her hands she caressed his chin, glided up to his smooth cheeks and, after tickling his ears, she slid her fingers through his soft hair, pulling him more to herself.
Again, Bill's body appeared to tremble with that powerful, inexplicable energy. Was she arousing him? Fine, that was her purpose. As it was the most natural movement, she brought her hands on his chest again and, once she felt his turgid nipples under his shirt, she rubbed on them lightly. Then she pressed her body against him, wiggling her hips, touching and teasing him to the music rhythm.
Bill let their bodies join, bending his knees a bit, and they magically started vibrating in unison. The song growing frenzy made them stick together, until he turned her around, his front to her back. He grabbed a big lock of Alice's hair and pulled her head, exposing her neck. He bent and, while Alice was waiting for a hot kiss, Bill surprised her, pretending to bite her with his mouth wide open, like a vampire.
She heaved a lengthy sigh, hoping not to be ridiculous. Her reactions were genuine and uncontrollable because she was terribly attracted to Bill. When she pushed her pelvis against him, she clearly noticed how he returned her feelings. In that moment, she didn’t care anymore to be brazen, neither that anyone could think she was too easy. She wanted to enjoy every instant, needed to feel him ready, willing and capable of anything. Even taking her in front of everyone, right in the middle of the dance floor. So, after a few seconds, playing on the lower lights, she followed her desire and, unconcerned about the consequences, took Bill's big hands and placed them over her breasts, which he promptly grabbed and squeezed.
As before, a piercing squeak escaped her, followed by a whisper of pure pleasure. Bill's tongue and teeth ravished between her neck and her ear: she melted in his arms, while her heart started thundering in her chest. That's when Bill roughly turned her face toward him and kissed her.
As soon as their lips touched, the world stopped moving and time slowed down, until it halted. They were tied on their passionate hug, lost in a kiss which was so deep it seemed to last forever. For long moments, their hot, hungry mouths fed on each other, without ever separating nor getting tired. At times, Alice remembered she had to breathe, but Bill didn’t give her time, as he was absorbed in devouring her whole. He had seemingly found his favorite drug and didn’t want to get clean.
“Wait!” she managed to say, gasping for oxygen.
His face showed a curious expression, soon replaced by another of full understanding, when he saw she had brought a hand to her chest, panting.
“I'm sorry, sometimes I forget how... obsessive I become.”
“I'm just trying to catch my breath, I wasn't complaining!” she replied.
“No, you weren’t, but… You know, when I like something, and it doesn’t often happens, I want it all the way.”
His words oozed lust and his body, still so close, showed how honest his words were. So, Alice decided to take the bull by the horns.
“I'll grab my bag and we can go.”
Bill smiled widely, displaying a line of white, neat teeth. “I’m staying in a nearby hotel. Go to the exit, if you don't mind, I'll retrieve your purse and my jacket.”
“Hurry up.”
Like a real gentleman, he held her hands, kissed them and walked away. Watching him getting lost in the crowd, Alice remembered she didn’t come alone to the party. As agreed, she got closer to the first one of her friends in view. In that specific case Gina, who was busy listening to the fascinating adventures of an alleged vampire hunter with bare chest and abs so well-built they looked like small bars. She told her about her plan for the night, fearing her friend would wish her good luck. She couldn’t stand that because she didn’t want to leave anything to chance. Instead, Gina was too taken by her new friends to worry about her, so Alice said goodbye and, since she was two steps away from the door, she turned to look for Bill. She saw him arguing fiercely with a fat, bald man. The stranger was all worked up and Bill stood there listening, impassive. Then the man said something else, taking a step back, and Bill’s handsome face became a mask of ferocity. He grabbed the poor bastard by his neck, squeezed, then lifted him off his feet and the man begged, muttering as good as he could. Bill kept him pending a few more seconds, then let him go and cleaned his hand on his pants, as if he had touched garbage. He grudgingly whispered something and the man, rubbing his red neck, bowed his bald head to thank him several times. In the end, he walked toward the dancing crowd with fast strides and disappeared.
Alice looked away. She didn’t like what she had just seen. Not at all. If there was something she hated, it would be that violence, and she clearly saw it in Bill.
She was starting to reconsider her decision, when Bill reached her and, without hesitation, pulled her out of the masked crowd and into the dark night.
2
Dead, but not too much
That prolonged silence was driving her insane.
Sitting by Tom's side in his Mercedes, Alice was having second thoughts and, as much as she tried to deny it, she still had to admit that the sexy plan she pictured had vanished by that moment. It was such a pity!
She stole a glance at him once again, forcing herself not to drool. He was strikingly handsome, in a way that was almost unreal, but he only cared about the road, looking so focused he forgot she was still there, by his side. He had turned on his earpiece to talk to someone, maybe a co-worker, saying words like dead end and resettingnow and she shivered for the coldness he used to pronounce them. His voice sounded so commanding, it was better not to contradict him, and when he realized she could hear him, he started to speak in German. Bewildered by that rudeness and quite close to telling him to fuck off, Alice went back to look at the darkness outside her window. More minutes passed by, then his sudden question made her jump.
“You didn't answer me before. Why were you at that ridiculous party? You and your friends had nothing better to do?”
Again, that annoyed, derisive tone. Since starting a fight with him didn't seem a good idea, because he could abandon her in the middle of nowhere, she just shrugged.
“We wanted to try something different. After all, I don't think it went all that bad, since you and I met, right?”
“Yes, but didn't you have anything else to do?” he insisted. “A romantic date, a movie at the cinema… Why there, why tonight?”
“If you want to know, it was Gina's idea. My friend stopped by my place and basically forced me to go to that stupid party. She even picked out my dress. Fancy that! She didn’t want me to miss out on this amazing experience.”
Alice didn’t mention that Gina had also picked out her underwear: it was an unnecessary detail. Bill mulled over it for a long while. The matter seemed to be rather serious to him.
“Maybe it was simply a matter of destiny,” she sighed.
He swung around furious, as if she had cursed in an unforgivable way but, before she could elaborate on the issue, a black car appeared from a side road and rear-ended their Mercedes. The violent impact would have sent her straight through the windshield, if she hadn’t worn her safety belt, but even this way she clearly felt the whiplash on her neck.
Bill, next to her, reacted promptly and, after a hard braking to avoid a skid, he gave a quick look into the rearview.
Alice figured he was going to turn the engine off to take care of paperwork procedures and felt somehow relieved. At least he would stop bothering her with that mocking tone. Instead, he started the car again so fast the tires screeched, burning rubber on the asphalt. The other car did the same, following them.
Alice was terrified. “What are you doing? Stop right now! They might have gotten hurt too!”
Bill didn’t listen to her, but sped up to put more distance between the cars while moving onto secondary and less travelled roads.
“Are you insane? They're gonna call the police! Stop!”
The hint of desperation in her voice seemed to strike and distract him from the crazy race he had started. He gave her a softer glance, talking as if she was a child.
“Don't worry, honey. Nobody got seriously injured, not even you, since I don't smell blood. Unfortunately, I know who hit us, they're not people you can have a civil conversation with. And trust me, calling the police is the last thing on their mind.”
“What? You know them? Are they your rivals or something? Are they with the Mob?”
She knew she was exaggerating but, even if she herself was a terrible driver, she still wanted traffic laws to be respected. Once the matter was clarified, she would have more than happily returned to the safety of her little apartment, leaving that whole crazy episode in the past.
“Trust me, we'll be at my hotel soon and it’ll be like nothing ever happened.”
“Yeah, sure!” she grumbled, rubbing her neck.
Maybe in an attempt to reassure her, Bill touched her right in that spot. Feeling his strong, warm hand over her body calmed her down more than she wanted to admit. His thumb moved over her collarbone, drawing such a relaxing movement that it almost made her sleepy.
“Don't be tense, we’ve already lost them, see? The worst is over. Does your beautiful neck feel better now?”
The pain was indeed gone and she only let out an incoherent murmur of pleasure, basking in the awareness of that first, precious compliment. Maybe he was right, the worst was over. She didn’t know those people, but he did and that could be a simple skirmish between business rivals. The night could still be saved and have in store for them the romantic turn she needed.
She lied down on the seat-back, trying to relax, and soon after they reached the entrance of the hotel. Instead of parking in front of it, Bill drove all the way to the underground parking entrance. He waited for the automatic barrier to lift, then faced many curves, down until floor sub three. He helped her to get out of the car, but kept looking around cautiously, until they reached the elevator. It was obvious he was nervous more than before and annoyingly absent. So much for the romantic night!
She cleared her throat. “Bill, I don't think it's a good idea to... hmm... go all the way. You know, my chest is hurting and I...”
“What do you mean? Let me see.”
He stretched his arm to touch her breastbone but right then, coming out of nowhere, two big black SUVs arrived, screeching their tires on the ground, and braked a few feet away from them. All the doors opened almost in sync with the elevator.
Astounded and, if possible, paler, Tom hastily pushed her inside the elevator and had just the time to shout: “Stay down!”, before countless bullets fell on them, on him, in particular, as if were raining.
Nailed to the wall by terror, she saw him sacrificing himself on the threshold to protect her, his arms open wide, while countless shots riddled his body. Some bullets managed to pass through the protection he was offering to her and smashed the big mirror inside the elevator, so Alice wrapped her arms around her chest and started shivering, crying and praying at the same time.
Those criminals out there were shooting with no mercy and, if Bill wasn’t already dead, he would have been soon. What would have happened to her then? Feeling close to fainting, she forced herself to react: she stretched her arm toward the highest number on the push-button panel and pushed it several times. The doors closed, making the last bullets bounce back on the outside.
Bill fell on his knees, in a large puddle of blood, his clothes so riddled they were just dangling shreds, and with a terrifying, deadly hole in the middle of his forehead.
Alice collapsed by his side and held his blood-soaked body, by now clearly lifeless.
“Bill! Bill, please, no!” she desperately cried, while his motionless arms fell heavy on the ground. “Bill, please, don't let go, don't give up! I... I'll call the ambulance! I'll do it, I swear! Just don’t give up!”
Holding his lifeless face against her chest, she tried to grab the mobile phone from her pocket. Her glasses were wet because of tears and, with an impatient movement, she took them off, throwing them on the floor. Yet, she couldn’t unlock the smartphone, because her hand was slippery. “Damn it! Not now!”
She cleaned it on her coat and tried again with no better luck. There was no signal anyway. Panicked, she looked at the bright buttons on the panel: as soon as she reached the roof, the phone would’ve worked and they would’ve been safe.
Shivering and weeping, she hugged Bill. She didn’t want to believe how cold he was. She didn’t want to see all his open wounds, these huge holes, all that pale flesh tore apart. The stinging, metallic whiff of blood turned her stomach, but the salty taste of her own tears kept her from throwing up. The elevator's doors opened and Alice was thankful for the crispy night air, which wiped out the already persistent smell of death.
She dragged Bill's body out and, when his feet were still inside, it occurred to her that it would have been better to block the elevator, not to let it go back down, so that, if the killers had still been in the parking lot, they would have had to climb fifteen floors using the stairs to reach them.
With growing grief and anxiety, she recovered the cellphone: still no signal. How the hell could that be? They were on top of a hotel, not in the middle of a desert!
She ran behind the elevator's turret, but it was walled-in. She ran more ahead, toward a construction, but it turned out it was an abandoned pigeon house. Alice kept on exploring the roof, even though she was blind as a bat: with no glasses on, her myopia was a remarkable handicap, however she had no time to waste.
After a few frenzied minutes, she had to give up: if there were stairs, she couldn’t see them and, if there weren’t, that meant that Bill didn’t stand a chance and was really gone.
A single, intense shiver shook her from head to toe and bile filled her mouth, while another heinous thought started to take shape. If Bill were dead, now it would be her time, as the only witness of the attack.
A weak idea snatched her out of complete paralysis. Frantic, she ran toward him and fell down by his side, painfully bruising her knees against the concrete. Her phone was an old model, but if Bill had a better, more powerful one, then she would still have hope of surviving that tragedy. She started going through his jacket, the exquisite tailor-made suit now only a soaked tatter, with its empty pockets.
Her heart was racing so much in her chest that she felt like she was going to collapse, but she didn’t give up: she had to fight, for herself and for him. Following an uncontrollable instinct, she gently touched his hair, moving it away from his dirty and sticky forehead. She looked into his glassy eyes, already lifeless, and apologized for what she was about to do. Then she took a deep breath and turned him on his side, to reach better one of his pants' pocket. Empty. She turned it inside out, hoping against the odds she could find a microscopic phone hidden in a corner, but no such luck. Her last chance was the other pocket. She pulled Bill to herself again and dug her hand in his pants. She touched something metallic and hope rekindled, but realized those were the car keys.
“No, no, no!” she yelled, throwing away the keys while sweeping her hands all over his arms, chest, legs and calves. There had to be a phone, there just had to be one!
It was all in vain. Devastated, she fell back onto him powerless, snuggling up as if he could still comfort her.
“Forgive me Bill. I hoped to save you but I didn't make it... I wasn't able to do it!” She buried her head in his neck and sank into despair.
“Well, what a shame... I liked your hands all over me, especially on my thighs.”
Still crying her heart out, Alice sat and looked around perplexed, not realizing who was speaking. Then she watched Bill stretching his arms over his head as if he had just woken up from a nap. She stood there, in silent awe, while the big hole in his forehead closed right before her eyes. Then, overwhelmed with emotions, she screamed frightfully and fainted by his side with the grace of a sack of potatoes.
She was cold. A stinging cold caused by the merciless wind that was hitting her skin, as if it was made of a hundred tiny, painful needles. She couldn’t sense the ground beneath her bare feet, but shivered for the freezing air on her face, her legs, everywhere. With great difficulty, her eyes opened a tiny slit, but the strong wind forced her to give up: she only had a glimpse of some lights far away and below her.
Was she dead? Was her soul flying toward the sky, reaching for heaven? She tried to move her head, to break through the push of wind and look around, but felt a tight grip at her waist.
“Don't move, you don't want to risk to splatter yourself on the ground.”
Abruptly, Alice turned her head up to the voice, but a sharp pain reverberated through her spine, leaving her breathless. Then she remembered what she had seen and understood. With that realization, nausea got the better of her and she threw up for long, agonizing minutes, while she was still suspended on the emptiness. The heaves stopped when, exhausted, she passed out for the second time.
She woke up again slowly, having troubles shaking the numbness off her tired and frozen limbs. Plus, she could perceive viscous, hot drops falling down her mouth through her teeth, on her tongue: a sweet taste, that reminded her of cherry brandy, the only liquor she ever liked. She savored them on her palate and tried to swallow, but a stab of pain in her neck paralyzed her, making her choke. She coughed several times, bringing a hand to her chest.
That horror-filled night was not over yet and her fear rushed back, overcoming the last of tiredness she felt. Eyes wide and horrified, she instinctively pulled back as good as she could. She was lying down on the ground while Bill was standing on his feet above her. Clearly alive and without a single scratch.
“Don't worry, I don't bite. Not now and surely not you,” he said with a harsh and rough tone, as if she were some dirty hooker. “Stand up, we don't have time to waste. The sun is rising.”
“Why? What happens at sunrise? You'll burst into flames?” she answered with a vehemence she immediately regretted. Damn her smart mouth.
He shrugged. “I meant that for you. It's already daytime, you must be tired after all that dancing... I can still hold up a little longer.”
With a rough yank, he lifted and carried her towards a gray metal door several feet ahead. Alice then realized they were on another rooftop and soon recognized the city landscape stretching before her eyes: they were in New York. They flew all the way there. She and... that thing.
Since she was a smart person, she had already done her math, reaching the most obvious result, but she wasn't willing to acknowledge it, because it would have meant finding herself in graver danger. She didn’t trust Bill anymore, but had to play by his rules. That didn’t mean she hadn’t a multitude of questions right on the tip of her tongue, even if she was still trying to digest the vastness and intensity of that bewildering discovery. Sure, she wasn’t going to ask anything to the man who dragged her in that hell of a situation, and now was acting as if what had happened was all her fault.
As they reached the door, Bill looked toward a video camera hidden in a corner and waited. She took advantage of that to recover her breath, straightening her back and putting some distance between them. She also tried to set herself free of the strong grip of his hand, but it was useless, and it only gained her a hostile look loaded with unexpressed threatens. They walked through the door while Alice was fighting like a fury to make him loosen his hold.
“Let me go! Do you think I'm so stupid that I'll jump off the cornice to escape?”
“I don't know that yet, but it's obvious you still have a lot to learn about life. Now you'll do it, willing or not,” he said, pushing her in front of him as if she weighed nothing: another sign that earlier he was holding back on his super power.
She was wondering if he had some of them, or the things she read and heard about... those like him, were all lies, maybe well-orchestrated by his... species. The most unlikely questions were crowding her mind, but she was too exhausted to start arguing with Mister Popsicle over there, while trudging and limping along a narrow, dark hallway. She tried to lean on the wall and more than once he stumbled on her, almost like on purpose. When she nearly fell on her knees, he passed her by, leaving her behind. Alice had to run after him blindly, ending up crushing against him: it was like hitting a reinforced concrete wall.
“Ouch! Would you mind helping me? I don't know if you’ve realized it but I'm not a... one like you. I don't have any super vision!”
“Me neither,” Bill answered, stopping in front of what turned out to be an elevator. The white neon light blinded her, but she was not fast enough to cover her eyes, because he pulled her inside and pressed a button to go down.
“No? So, you can't you see that...”
“That you have a black, strapless, lace bra? No, I can't. But,” he added snickering, before the shutters opened again, “I definitely know it's broken.”
And then he went out, walking fast, too fast for a human, and stopped when he reached a well-lit room. Immediately other figures surrounded him, charging him with questions.
Alice was too furious to stop and think: she followed him at breakneck speed and threw herself on him. Bill didn’t move a single step.
“You ugly, perv bastard! Who do you think you are? If I weren't a lady, I'd tell you to get that huge stick you got up your ass and use it to knock yourself off, then we'll see if you still want to x-ray my private parts!”
She had yelled and expected a violent reaction. This way, at least, she would blow some steam off. But nothing happened, other than Bill stared at her like she was an annoying bug, then ignored her to resume his conversation, turning his back to her.
Red faced and breathless, Alice realized she held the spotlight, so she stood still and took a better gaze at the newcomers, reciprocating their surprised stares.
They were four magnificent male specimens, all dominant, as Gina would have said, and so enormous they looked... Well, they were indeed not human, but her short-sighted eyes had never observed such well distributed abundance of darting muscles, six-packs, and shoulders worthy of colossus. And she only looked from the waist up!
She had just focused her attention on below their belts when Bill, that annoying hypocrite, fake coughed and threw her in the middle of the group, avoiding every other physical contact. Six pairs of magnificent, shimmering eyes were staring right at her. Only one pair kept alternately looking at Bill like he was insane, and at her, like he had never seen a female in all his entire life.
She wanted to talk Bill’s ears off with insults, but the impression of being trapped was stronger and he placed one of his giant hands over her mouth, shutting her up.
“The lady here was with me during the ambush. Her name is Alice Cooper.”
“Like the rock-star?” asked one of the men, giving her an open and friendly smile. “Cool!”
Tom frowned, as if he was digging through his memory. “I don't even know who that is, let's try not to socialize, if you don't mind. Doc, clean her up, get a sample of her blood and analyze it. Gus, recover the surveillance footage from the hotel, try to find out what she has seen: scan her memories one by one, every detail might be important. I suggest you to start from the rear-end collision. Then reset her. Lupus, Corvus, the situation has gotten worse: it was humans who ambushed us. Mercenaries. I want you to find out who hired them. Let's update in two hours.”
And after that rapid sequence of orders, he finally let her go, walking away with quick steps toward a side corridor that led to another elevator.
So, that's how things were? No “it was nice, let's keep in contact”? No apologies or thanks for taking his fake death to heart? And who the hell allowed him to analyze her like a lab rat?
A terrifying suspicion crept into her conscience. She looked at that guy who made the funny comment on her name, the only one wearing a flashy colorful Hawaiian shirt, a six and a half feet tall monolith Bill had called Gus.
“What does it mean that you have to reset me?”
He gave her a sympathetic smile. “I know you're really scared, but you shouldn't be. I need to talk to you, and when we're done, I'll delete all those unsettling memories. That's what reset means. You won't remember anything of tonight, for your own sake.”
Alice was stunned. They were going to erase all the horror she experienced and she couldn’t hope for anything better, but what would have happened to all the passionate memories of Bill she had? Sure, he revealed himself to be a despicable traitor, but it was still her head they were talking about! Shouldn’t it be up to her to decide what to do?
A hand delicately landed on her naked shoulder. “Trust us, honey, and be sure that if I could, I would reset myself too!”
She raised her head to look at who was talking, she wouldn’t know if it was Lupus or Corvus. Nevertheless, judging from the sad face the gentle giant was sporting, she knew he was telling the truth. She nodded, more because of her weariness than because she feared to fight and stared down at her own dirty, bare feet. She didn’t trust her own voice and, even if she was starting to feel better, she would rather gather all leftover energies and stay focused. She only allowed herself a moment to say goodbye to Bill, who was standing near the elevator's doors, busy discussing with the perplexed guy who was wearing dark green doctor's scrubs. She hoped he would turn, go back to her and, maybe, apologized.
Romantic up until the end, right Alice? She thought with a hint of bitterness.
Obviously, he didn’t turn, dismissed his friend and walked into the elevator but, just before the doors closed, he stuck his head out to say in a clear loud voice filled with revulsion: “By the way, stay away from her: she's still a virgin,” and vanished.
Lupus, or Corvus, whatever, pulled his hand back. Everyone fell silent and took one step away, as she was affected by Bubonic Plague.
She had never felt that embarrassed and humiliated in her whole life! The adrenaline rushing through her body had a last peak.
“You son of a bitch!” she yelled. “It's not enough that I almost died because of you tonight, is it? Don’t you care about me at all? Well, listen, I know you can hear me, you bastard: I might be human, but I'm not going to allow any man to treat me this way. Not even if he's a damn fucking vampire!”
With clamped fists and so much rage that she wanted to kick someone, Alice walked straight to the elevator, but the doctor blocked her.
“Easy, girl,” he told her, obstructing her path. “Tom didn't mean to offend you; he was rather protecting us. Sure, I can't excuse him for his rudeness, but if you let me explain...”
“Explain? Explain what? Why did he use me like a towel, to clean his own blood off?”
She opened her arms to display her body in all its glory: she was soaking wet, bathed in so much blood it was dripping from her clothes on the immaculate, elegant ceramic flooring.
Then she blanched realizing with horror how far Bill had lied to her. Her arms tiredly fell down her hips.
“Wait... Who the hell is Tom?”
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, which only managed to make her feel even more stupid, she let that guy, Doc, convince her to follow him in one of the rooms nearby. Unlike the two vampires with animal names, who left snickering to do what they had been instructed to, Gus refused to leave her side.
“We barely have female visitors here in our headquarter, you know. And by barely...” at this point, he lowered his voice to give a dramatic tone to his speech, “... I mean never in the last two centuries! In other words, ever since this building was built!”
Alice was so shocked she spewed the thermometer Doc had put in her mouth right in his face.
Clearly pleased, Gus started gloating. “Well, yeah. We're super, mega, hyper, goddamn careful about who we bring to our headquarter. We call it the Camp. By the way, how come you don't have terror in your eyes and you’re not screaming your lungs out? Do you need me to show you my fangs?”
Yeah, why? It was not that she wasn’t afraid, quite the contrary, but even after all that had happened to her, curiosity was still stronger than fear. She held the blanket Doc had gently put on her shoulders and found herself contemplating whether to tell him the truth or not. She chose honesty because she had nothing to lose.
“Well, as it seems, my survival instinct sucks. Joking aside, the last few hours have been really awful, but you said you would reset my memory, so I'll try to be optimistic and, as long as I can, I'll take advantage of it. I want to know more about all of you.”
Doc looked at her, concerned. “It's not safe to ask too many questions. We're not savages, but the less you know, the better it is for you.”
“Oh no, I didn't mean about yours, how to call it? Military or hierarchical organization? I only meant to ask what it's like to be one of you... A vampire.”
She gulped for the strangeness of what she had said and begged him with her gaze. No man could resist her sweet doe eyes. Gus sat by her side on the stretcher of that very equipped infirmary and started looking at the doctor with the same puppy eyes, wisely adding the touch of class with the pouty lip.
Doc shook his head, laughing. Alice noticed he was a really good looking man, with those noble features and thin, firm lips that, when opened in a lovely smile, showed two nice dimples on his cheeks. His eyes were the lightest, clearest blue she had ever seen. He passed a hand through his thick brown hair, bringing back a stray lock.
“Alright, but promise me that afterwards you'll let me examine you properly. I know you don't have any open wounds but...”
“You know?” she interrupted him, already full of questions. “You have super sense of smell, right?”
He nodded and Gus pretended to sniff around like a truffle dog.
“What other power do you possess?” she asked, excited. “I mean, you have something else, right? Bill... Tom can fly, so I guess you can do that as well.”
She had never been engrossed in the literary world of vampires. However, having two in front of her, in the flesh, it seemed an absurd waste not to grab the chance. If Gina were in her shoes, she would react the same way. Maybe she would just have lowered her neckline.
Doc wrapped the tourniquet around her arm and went looking for a small syringe, to take a sample of her blood. She didn’t overlook the fact that he used a double layer of latex protective gloves.
“We don't call them powers, but Gifts,” he explained, tapping at her vein with his finger. “Excluding Tom, who's kind of exception, all of us have more developed senses, but these are characteristics we were born with. Like speed or strength.”
To give her a more effective explanation, Gus started moving rapidly around the room, stopping at first behind her back, then behind Doc and near the door. “We're like The Flash, only more real. And with more muscles, of course.”
“I can see that. Wow! I'm so jealous right now! But what does it mean you were born? With a real birth? What about the bites, the painful transformation, the Master who grants you eternal life?”
Doc plugged the small hole in her forearm with some cotton soaked in alcohol. “That's all nonsense, created by human fantasy. Humans can be accidentally transformed, but those are rare cases. We are extremely careful about who we allow into our ranks. Not to mention that we're quite jealous of our own blood and, when we decide to give it, there's always a specific reason. Transformation, when official, happens following strict rules, decided long ago by those who govern us. And it's all done in full safety, with doctors, nurses and a lot of drugs, both human and vampiric. We come into the world with birth like humans. We're not mythological creatures, but beings in flesh and blood, even though our heart doesn't beat. We were created a millennium ago, together with humans, angels, demons, werewolves...”
Alice brought her hand to her mouth, astonished by the revelation.
“I see you paled, better not to add anything more. Sometimes I tend to blabber like a doctor,” he ended ironically.
Still, she couldn’t stop asking, her thirst for knowledge was not even close to being satisfied and, despite the initial upset, she was fascinated. So, she convinced them to go on, explaining that, being born in the classic way from two vampire parents, they could inherit the special Gift from one of them or, at most, from some relative.
“For example,” Gus explained, “I can control machinery. Like this.”
He theatrically snapped his fingers and all the electronic devices in the room turned on: the computer, the ultrasound, the emergency lights, the defibrillator and even the coffee machine. Then he said: “Hocus-pocus” and everything stopped working.
“Awesome! So, your father or your mother have this special skill?”
“Not exactly. My parents have been dead for the longest time and Gifts have the ability to evolve, so to speak.”
“To help us adapt to the new levels of civilization,” Doc added. “The more the species evolve, the more Gifts change.”
Gus kept on at full throttle. “My father had a passion for mechanics and spent hours inventing, designing and operating objects that would have made Leonardo da Vinci jealous. But technology evolved and today, in the twenty-first century, I can control machines from up to two hundred yards away and I could ask the computer in my workstation to recover the footage the boss asked from here, if I wanted to.”
Alice looked at him, suspicious “So, why don't you?”
“Because I’ve already done it, while you were yelling at him. Who do you think you're talking to, honey?”
Hearing that nickname again paused her enthusiasm.
