Dark Rapture (63 page)

“So you are happy with the way things went tonight?”

“
Sì
, Rico. This night has been a dream. I can never thank you enough.” Sebastian watched as Rico played softly with Catrina’s hair. “Both of you. You’ve done so much for me. I’ve made many wonderful friends tonight.”

Rico pushed back the hair from his sister’s neck and kissed the vein, causing the roots of Sebastian’s teeth to tingle with hunger. He swallowed, reminding himself he should be going soon.

“You are like a brother to us, Bastian.” Rico’s hand glided over Catrina’s exposed décolletage and pushed softly through Sebastian’s hair, savoring, and pulling it spread across the yellow flowers on her bodice, a black veil of satin. “My heart is happy when you are happy.”

“So is mine.” Catrina twined her fingers through Rico’s and rested their hands over Sebastian’s hair.

At this moment, everything felt right. He held his palm open to receive Rico’s hand. “I love you both, truly. But you must know I am envious.”

“Of what?”

“The two of you. The love you share, the way you love one another. You are so close. I only wish I had been half as close to my brothers.”

“Well then.” Catrina bent to kiss Sebastian. “We shall be your, mm…
foster
brother and sister.”

“Yes, how perfect. I want you to have this, my brother.” Rico twisted a thick silver ring from his finger and laid it on Sebastian’s palm. “It was a gift from Cat.”

The silver circle had been divided into four strands and interwoven into a laced design. It was lovely, and certainly quite expensive. “If you gave this to Rico, Catrina, I could not—”

“No, no, I think it is a very good choice. It is from both of us. Your brother and sister. Let me put it on.”

She slipped it on his finger and followed it with a kiss to his lips. After the glorious night he had already had this was truly the topping. Sebastian buried his face in Catrina’s breasts and spread his arms to encompass Rico, holding tight to the new family he had found.

“You have enriched our lives beyond measure, Sebastian.
Grazie
.” He kissed Sebastian’s forehead and the threesome nuzzled and talked for another hour before Sebastian finally left.

***

Pulling his wool collar up around his face so only his eyes peeked out, Sebastian braved the shrill wind and tromped around the side of the Bellange palazzo. He had decided to take the Grand Canal home tonight, thinking perhaps the Canal de Cannaregio, where the ale shops stayed open into the wee hours of the morning, might produce a warm-blooded donor to quench his thirst. And he knew the Palazzo Gilianni, where his mother stayed, was down the same way.

Moonlight shone across the slushy puddles of melting snow, making them to sparkle like diamonds scattered across black velvet. It was a fairy tale sight, quickly dashed as Sebastian nudged through the iron gate that opened to the docks.

A gondola docked behind the Palazzo Bellange, a wide boat covered with a long black
felze
, the one Sebastian knew belonged to the Venetian mortician.

Slipping close to the wall of the palazzo, Sebastian peeked around the corner and watched as two lackeys dressed in dull brown stood waiting by the servant’s entrance.

Suddenly they jumped into motion as the end of a long wooden box appeared from inside, and they helped to guide it into the gondola. It was a coffin!

“
Mon dieu,
but who?” Sebastian felt his heart squeeze as he realized the girl with the missing leg must have died.

Expired
, he heard Rico’s strangely casual voice announce.

With a slap of the oar across the chilled water the death dirge began its silent journey down the Grand Canal.

Sebastian’s breath formed in thick clouds before him as he watched it slink quietly away. “She had been so afraid…” He couldn’t shake the teeth-gritting sound of the young girl’s screams as he and Rico had walked down the hallway leaving Catrina to care for her. Her screams had ended so abruptly.

***

The crisp blue paper of Rico’s stationary crinkled in Sebastian’s hand. A messenger from the Bellange estate had just delivered it.
Come immediately
, it read,
we have exciting news.
Sebastian flipped the paper to the harpsichord, and retrieved his coat from the brass coat rack by the door. He had no idea what the news could be but it did not matter as long as it was good.

The music room flickered madly with dozens of candles set all about as if a shrine to Diana, the Italian goddess of light. While he waited Rico and Cat, Sebastian went around blowing some flames out until he felt comfort with the amount of light glowing across his un-fed face.

He stared into a flame, sensing the heat burning in his own heart. Could he keep the charade up forever? How would they react if they found out? They considered him family, a brother. He twisted the thick silver ring around his finger. But would a blood drinking brother send them, and all their goodness, running in fear? Yes, it most certainly would.

As it would his mother. He’d received news from a spy this afternoon, Angelique and her son were still in Venice. When would they leave? The spy had seen Angelique’s servant packing things in her room, but he’d also heard Jacques was due to meet with the Council tomorrow morn.

If only they would leave before Catrina had a chance to make good on her invitation.

“Bastian!”

Catrina floated down the marble stairs, her diamond necklace catching the candleglow in flashes of blinding light. On her arm was Rico, dressed in matching blue velvet, a perfect complement to their eye color. They were too lovely not to touch. Sebastian crossed the room and hugged each of them, taking in Catrina’s delightful vanilla flavor and Rico’s brisk strength.

“And what is your exciting news?” he gushed. “Not another performance?”

“Far greater than that,” Rico said. “Let’s have a toast.”

“Oh, I should think so,” Catrina pealed delightfully.

“Catrina.” Rico handed her over to Sebastian and strode to the bar. “I think we should open the
special
cask for our dear friend this evening, don’t you?”

“Yes, please, dear brother. It is time. Sit, Bastian.”

Sebastian found it hard to sit still with his energy at such a high level, but he tried to relax.

Rico crossed the room carrying three wine goblets. The wine’s color was so deep it appeared almost black as Catrina took one goblet from her brother and kissed his lips delicately. Rico held the other out for Sebastian.

“We are forever indebted to you, Sebastian de la Court, for the riches you have brought to our lives. May you reap the rewards you justly deserve, and to us…” he glanced to Catrina, “…all good things. To good friends, and life eternal.
Salute
!” He raised his glass to drink.

Catrina brought her glass from her lips, leaving behind a thick droplet of glistening red which Rico quickly kissed away.

Sebastian was about to drink when the scent of the wine jarred him. He sniffed, then joggled the liquid around trying to make out its color, but was unable to see inside the dark colored glass. It smelled
so
familiar.

“What is this?”

Rico draped an arm over his sister’s shoulder. For the first time his smile seemed wickedly mocking as he examined Sebastian’s shaking hand. “Why surely
you
know, Signore.”

Catrina tilted her glass back, finishing its contents in a hearty swallow.

Appalled, Sebastian stood and pushed the goblet from her hand, sending it flying across the room and crashing in a thick red stain of across the tiles.

“This is blood!” He held his own glass up in example before thrusting it to the tiles too. “Are you mad?”

“I’ve never known you to have such a temper, Sebastian.” Rico wiped the smear of blood from Catrina’s cheek and handed her his goblet. “Why do you act as though we commit a great crime? It is a crime you commit nightly.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “We know this.”

“You…know.” Sebastian’s words barely whispered out. He stepped back and nearly fell onto the couch but maintained his stance as he looked Rico up and down. He was amazed when Catrina boldly put Rico’s goblet to her lips and drank again as if he had never had an outburst. “Why? How…” He choked. “How long? I don’t understand…” His knees wobbled and he fell onto the couch.

“We’ve known all along.” Rico bent before him and laid a hand on his knee. “And now it has come time for us to ask for our repayment.”

“Who told you this?” Sebastian burst out, unable to think straight or to focus clearly. They had known all along? But how? Why had they waited so long to reveal their knowledge? What did they want?

“Francesco Volierre.” Catrina stepped forward and casually tossed the goblet behind her to land in a sparkling crash near the other pieces.

“Francesco?” Rational thought ceased. Sebastian’s mind spun as dizzily as the snowflakes that melted in the Venetian lagoon.

“An acquaintance merely,” Rico began. “As I’ve already explained, we spent a few days with him this summer at one of my Paris apartments.”

“But…” Sebastian could not tear his eyes from the blood splattered across the floor, littered with shards of glittering glass. “How did you know—”

“Ah, well,” Rico began. “Let us simply say that while we were there, Francesco…took advantage of my sister’s charms.”

“He bit me,” Catrina added in a passionate breath.

“Yes, and we started thinking after that,” Rico continued. “We approached Francesco with our intentions, but he was firmly against granting my sister’s wish. Of course, he freely mentioned you…”

“Well it is no wonder.” Sebastian clenched his fingers to his palm so his nails pierced his flesh.

So this was Francesco’s revenge? Telling the world he was a vampire!

“It was a pity he did not feel comfortable with the proposed task.” Catrina sat next to Sebastian, casually stretching her arms across the back of the divan. “He was an exquisite lover.”

Sebastian pushed away from her and slid down the couch. “I can’t believe what I am hearing. What is it you want from me? Why have you given me these things and taken me in when you have known what I am?”

It hit him like an avalanche as Rico’s smile pushed into his cheeks.

“After our little stay with Francesco, Cat and I came to realize what it was in life we wanted. You know. I have already told you what it is we truly desire, Sebastian.”

“Everlasting youth,” Catrina chimed in. “To never fear aging.”

Pressing his forehead into his palms, Sebastian hung his head, but Catrina’s mention of everlasting youth, caused him to glance up the marble stairway. Things were starting to make sense now. Morbidly clear sense.

His eyes fell over the blood washed across the tiles. “The girl’s…” he whispered.

“And so…” Rico paced before the distraught vampire. “In return for our generosity we ask for the one gift that only you can give to us. Eternal life.”

That was what he thought.

Sebastian flew from the couch, pushing away from Rico’s reach. He paced toward the broken glass, the smell of warm blood enticing him closer, but then stopped when he realized the attention he was receiving. Yes, that is what they had wanted tonight. They wished to see the monster feast on blood!

“That is what we request,” Rico reiterated.

“Do you know what you ask?” Sebastian lunged forward, meeting Rico’s mismatched gaze with his own. “I live the life of the damned! I feed on the blood of innocence to prolong my own miserable existence. Is this what you want? To take life from others?” He faltered, knowing now, that was something they already did.

“We want to live forever,” Catrina said casually, as if she was merely requesting a refill of tea or another cake.

“Ahh!” Sebastian threw up his hands. “The seduction of life everlasting. So you may never have to worry about growing old and decrepit like your poor
madre
, is that it? Do you think I
asked
for this? I would never! And I shall not grant this demented wish to either of you.” He started for the door but then rushed back.

“Why this way? Why did you take me in and string me along when you could have done out with your horrendous request that first evening?”

Rico shrugged and glared mischievously through strands of mahogany hair that had fallen over the side of his face. “I do so love the game.”

Sebastian starred at the wicked duo. He did not know what to say, or how to take this startling revelation. He turned and stomped toward the foyer.

“You will be back,” Rico called.

“Never!”

As he stepped outside, Sebastian heard Rico’s last words.

“You will reconsider, Sebastian LeReaux!”

Rico’s words stopped him dead in his tracks. They knew.