3
POV Lio
The breakfast at the castle, always bustling with my siblings' chatter, was silent at that moment.
Since one of the guards approached and handed my father an envelope that looked more like a scroll, his expression changed, and we all felt that it was something different.
"Whose is it?" My mother also noticed the silence, the atmosphere that had formed.
"Damn..."
"What happened?" she asked, concerned.
"It's from a vampire who lives in the Southern Carpathians. The same one who visited Jax two years ago."
"My God..." Surprised, Teo set his toast aside. "The one who appeared in daylight and asked for some medicine to prolong their time in the sun?"
"That’s the one."
"Why is he seeking you out now?" I furrowed my brow, truly surprised.
Everyone knew that vampires were isolated; they never came close. And this was the second time in a short period.
It had been quite a buzz when one of them asked for an audience with my uncle and appeared in broad daylight. Until then, everyone thought the sun burned them. Apparently, they had developed some medication that allowed them to stay out in the sun for hours. And they wanted my uncle’s lab to perfect it.
My cousin Zara told me that her father had denied the request. Especially after her mother had a hunch that they were approaching for other reasons. Aunt Selena was a hybrid of witch and wolf, and she never got these things wrong.
It was strange that, after two years, they appeared again, now with that letter.
"We’ll see." Tense, my father opened the envelope.
Salomé, my 19-year-old sister, put aside the book she was studying for a test and adjusted her glasses. The usually noisy twins, Cristal and Safira, had wide eyes. And the youngest, 10-year-old Ares, kept eating, but he was paying attention. Even Nerin, who took care of the house, seemed curious.
My father took the thick paper and read in silence. I exchanged a glance with my mother, who was trying to hide her anxiety. I shifted in my seat, knowing that if it was bad news, I would prepare for a fight. None of those bloodsuckers would mess with my family.
"He asks for three invitations for his children, to the next Alliance Party."
"Just like that?" My mother furrowed her brows, confused.
"They want to investigate us," suggested Salomé.
"For what? To invade?" Safira shifted in her chair, hugging Cristal. "My God, is there going to be a war, like you guys say happened here in the past?"
"Don’t even say that!" The other shook her head, nervous.
Ares got excited, his golden eyes shining.
"I already know how to shoot and fight!"
"If he meant harm, he wouldn’t ask for permission," Nerin analyzed. "Although Selena had a bad feeling about them when this vampire came to her house."
"What are you going to do, Dad?" I barely moved, showing no emotion.
"Give them the invitations."
My mother brushed a strand of hair from her face, uncertain.
"You want to find out what they want. Is that it, Riuk?"
"Whatever attracts him here, he won’t give up. I’d rather know first, on my turf." Determined, he stood up. "I’ll respond to the letter and inform my brothers."
Everyone fell silent, not knowing what to expect. I had a feeling it wasn’t good. Either way, we would be ready.
During the day, while working in my family’s diamond mines, that matter crossed my mind now and then, and I came up with several possibilities to explain the vampires’ approach. The only real explanation was that they had some hidden interest. I highly doubted they had just decided to become our friends.
It was only at the end of the day, after taking a shower, that I spoke to my cousin Zara about it. She came to visit and threw herself on my bed, full of curiosity.
"When my dad told me, I ran to find out the gossip! Is this for real?" Sitting cross-legged, she swayed her foot in a black high-heeled shoe.
Her green eyes were sparkling.
"If you’re talking about the vampires, it’s real."
Wrapped in a towel, I dried my hair with another, sitting beside her. The curiosity was eating me alive too, and I turned to her.
"Anyway, we’re going to meet the undead."
My cousin and friend laughed, excited.
"Remember when we were little and used to imagine what they’d be like?"
"Cold as popsicles," I started.
"Smelling like mothballs."
"And coffin dirt. No shadow, no soul, pale."
"That’s a point to discuss!" She kicked her shoes away and got more comfortable on the bed, crossing her legs under her body. "When that Severus guy went to Vanóia, they said the children waited outside. And that they were strong and tanned."
"I doubt it!" I rubbed the towel through my hair more vigorously. "Everyone says they’re pale, their skin looks like paper!"
"They don’t say that! You’re talking about the movies you’ve seen. If they showed up in the day, maybe they can get some sun and have a healthy tan."
"Healthy?" I laughed. "Their hearts don’t beat! They could’ve fooled everyone, using padding under their clothes and foundation on their faces."
She burst out laughing too.
"We’ll know soon enough! The truth is, they’re mysterious, with lots of legends about them. My mom said they’re not dead and still breathe."
Now, I was confused. "They don’t eat food like we do, just swallow others’ blood. I find it hard to believe they’re any different from what we imagined. But, like you said, in a few days, we’ll know."
"I’m dying to look them in the face!"
"And I’m suspicious. What do these people want? It’s not good. If they come for free, I’ll make all three of them leave!" I tossed the towel on my lap and started combing my hair roughly.
"Hey, you’re going to break your hair like that! Stop being rough!" Zara took the wide-toothed comb from my hand and carefully started detangling it. "Lio, you barely know them and you’re already thinking of a fight! I’ve never seen anyone like you! That’s why the guys are scared of you."
"Good thing! A bunch of weaklings," I grumbled.
"I know why you don’t give a chance to any of them, not even the ones who like you. You’re waiting for your promised one, the vampire."
"Stop it with the nonsense!" She laughed even more, remembering our childhood game, what I once blurted out: that I would marry a vampire if I ever met one. "Last time, you told my dad that, and he thought you were serious!"
"That was ages ago!"
"You’re full of talk about dating, but you’re all over the place and still don’t catch anyone! What’s your excuse, Zara? Waiting for a vampire too, cold as cemetery marble?"
"God forbid! Are you crazy?" She stopped combing my hair for a moment. Then she got closer, whispering, "I wonder if they're cold even down there?"
"I don’t even want to know! In fact, I doubt they have sex. From what I know, they create other vampires by biting innocent people's necks."
We laughed like idiots, the questions popping up, mocking them while our curiosity kept burning.
It was like this every time we talked in those days, making up crazy ideas. Every now and then, one would text the other with questions and inquiries like:
"Are they immortal? Do they poop? Do they fart stinky? Do they pee? Do they orgasm? Is the legend true that they only enter a place if someone invites them? Do they turn invisible, fly, turn into bats? Can they hypnotize? Do they need to sleep? Are they weaker or stronger than us?"
I hoped they were weaker. That way, if they caused any trouble, I’d deal with them easily.
On the day of the Alliance Party, Zara showed up early at my house, all dressed up and in heels. Short skirt, tight blouse, stylish jacket, hair done, perfect makeup. She made a face when she saw me in sneakers, a black long-sleeve shirt, and worn-out jeans.
"I can't believe you're going like that!"
"Like what? It's the outfit I wear."
"But it's a party! And we’ll have special guests!"
"I didn’t invite anyone."
"Lio, at least let me do something with your hair and paint your lips!"
I found it funny because I had never worn makeup in my life. I teased her:
"Come on, you want to impress the little bats?"
"Seriously, you're so lame! What if they’re cats?"
"Bats that are cats?"
Zara gave up. She had known me for too long to know that this was just my way, and I would never change for anyone.
Least of all for the vampires. I just wanted to know what they wanted there and if I would have an enemy to worry about.