Eighteen Summers (13 page)

The villa has a simple Mediterranean appeal. Beautiful pale terracotta tiles lie on the floor and a cool white colour scheme dominates everywhere else. I stop and admire the stunning oil landscapes adorning the walls and I am informed by Savio that they are Messia's work. It is her profession, as his is for wine production.

The villa seems to be built in a U-shape around a central gated courtyard. After finishing our drinks, we are finally shown to our rooms. I am sharing with Nico, of course, and Sofia and Gabriel are sharing another room around the corner to us. I like the 'couples' arrangement. I look around my room as Nico goes to collect our bags. The large bed is covered in a pale peach throw which matches the orange themed sunset landscape on the wall above it. A long low white leather sofa is against the near wall. There are flowers on the modern glass dressing table and an exotic carved wooden mirror hangs above. I am more than pleased with my room. I open the French doors and wander out of my bedroom into the courtyard beyond and sit on the side of the fountain which occupies the centre. The pale blue mosaic tiles create a sapphire glow with the underwater lights. The mass of flowers and plants in the courtyard give it a garden like feel. It is a very pretty place. I am sure I will love staying here for a while.

As I look into the water, the dark shadow of Lord Raffaele suddenly looms in my mind, as it has several times over the past two days. He knows we have all left secretly. I wonder what the hell he is thinking right now.  I try to force it to the back of my mind. Nico is protecting me. He must know what he is doing.

I smile up at Nico as he arrives back to join me sitting on the side of the fountain and running his fingertips through the cool water.

“
It's so lovely here,” I say, watching his face and aching to kiss it. His dark lashed eyes are cast downwards looking into the water. He has such perfect male beauty. He makes me feel light headed when I examine him closely like this.

“
It is. Sadly, my last visit was almost ten years ago.” His warm eyes find mine.

“
Savio and Messia seem very fond of you.”

“
Our friendship goes back a very long way.”

He stands and holds out his hand and I take it.

“Come, let's rest awhile.”

I follow him back inside and lie down on my bed. Nico takes off his shirt and lies down on the sofa stretching out full length on it on his stomach, hugging a brown cushion beneath his head. I look at his broad shoulders and tightly muscled back with an ache deep inside me. I turn away and gaze out of the window with my heart pounding, breathing heavily. I'm dying of desire.

The next day Nico plans to start his research in the afternoon, but in the morning I am taken to the nearby Paolo household to meet Teo and the other family members. Gabriel has already left the villa to walk into the nearby town and has begun his own line of inquiry, seeking out local fonts of knowledge.

I enter the Paolo household with trepidation. I'm not sure I want to have male company after all. But all my concerns evaporate as soon as I lay eyes on Teo. He bounds down the stairs three at a time. He is something else. He has long flowing fair hair, a multitude of tattoos up his arms, and the most modern, appealing look dressed in hip slung jeans and a black Hot Rock t-shirt.

“
Hey, Calista, pleased to meet you. It'll be nice to hang out with someone my own age,” He says. His English is excellent and the Italian accent is strong and so sexy. He gives me a long, close hug and a kiss on each cheek. He smells divine as well.

“
Pleased to meet you too Teo.” I smile widely and flash him a wild yellow streak or two before I can stop myself. There is more than a spark of physical interest between us, that's for sure.

“
Commin' up?” He offers me his hand and after a quick look in Nico's direction I am led off, upstairs to his room.

“
How old were you, when you turned?” I ask.

“
Twenty two. It was twenty years ago, but still feels like yesterday. How has everything been for you so far? I suppose you're still adjusting, being a newbie?”

“
I am really. My whole world changed just over a week ago. Sometimes I still can't believe it”

“
It's like that at the start. Then it all becomes completely normal. I used to say to myself 'I'm a vampire' and laugh like crazy, but now it's just who I am. You don't think about it after a while. You just do stuff. The stuff you did before, y'know.”

“
I guess so.”

We stand in his room continuing our conversation.

“You're a bio, aren't you?”

“
Yeah, My father was Lord Aule Gianni. What about you?”

“
I was turned by Desmona, who you met downstairs. We're Gianni too. Desi's such a blond cutie. I love her madly and passionately. I have a big thing for blondes... ” I smile and blush a little as his obvious blatant interest.

We sit on the bed in his room. I look around. It's a typical messy guy room. Clothes litter the floor. There's an Xbox, a TV and a computer sitting on his desk and a guitar propped in the corner.

“Would you like some music on or shall we just get down to it?” He asks me with a beautiful grin. I'm shocked by his fast and direct approach and can't stop the nervous laugh that escapes my open mouth.

“
That's so funny.” I make a joke of it.

He pulls me back on the bed and leans over me.

“I guarantee you won't be laughing for long,” He chuckles at me wickedly, his eyes yellow and bright.

Holy Mother... he's such a hot and sexy vampire.

His lips brush mine. I wind my arms around his neck and try to relax. His tongue pushes its way inside my mouth. This is the first proper kiss I've ever had with a man and it is more than arousing. I moan with growing excitement and a wave of desire begins to rush around me. His hands wind in my hair and around the back of my head and my scalp prickles pleasantly with sensation.

“
Mmmm, you are so beautiful. And your taste is just perfect...  Let me see the rest of you now.”

His hands start pulling at my clothes, unzipping my jeans. But I'm suddenly shy and awkward. Not the sex mad vampire I thought I was at all. I really don't think I can do this so fast. I am saved by a knock at his door.

“Yeah? Come in,” Teo calls out kissing my ear and neck.

Nico enters the room. He takes in the heated bed situation in a moment. I see a flash of anger in his eyes but he hides it quickly.

“Come Mistress. We will return another time. You can continue your new friendship with Teo later.” He offers me his hand and pulls me up, extracting me from Teo's very ardent grasp.

“
Shame... I was just getting to know you. Are you sure you must go so soon?” Teo complains sulkily. I leave with a small rueful smile over my shoulder at him, as Nico drags me out of the room in a hurry.

“
'Bye Teo,” I call out from the landing.

“
'Bye Calista, miss you already...” He calls back.

“
Nico....! So much for letting me indulge my basic needs...!” I exclaim with annoyance as we make our way down the stairs in a rush.

“
My mistress is far too pure for such a sordid episode.”

“
Yeah, and likely to remain like that forever at this rate. Anyway, it was your idea.”

“
Perhaps it was not such a good one. I am not infallible. I have never been a guardian of a young mistress before, so it is likely I'll make a few mistakes.”

“
So, what's next? This virgin vampire princess has to wait for a real prince, does she? Or someone else her guardian actually approves of?”

“
I don't know yet!” Nico almost shouts at me.

“
Okay! Don't get all moody with me.” I raise my voice in reply.

“
I am not moody, just finding this difficult to deal with.”

“
Why?”

“
Cali... Just be quiet.... Please...” He holds his head in his hands for a moment.

I look at him and I already know why. He wants me for himself. I've known it from the start and he's just proven it to himself. But I'm still not sure how this is going to go.

We say goodbye to Desmona and her family and leave the Paolo household and drive back to the villa in a strained silence. I try to make idle conversation but he is obviously not in the mood so I gaze at the beautiful vineyards and village scenery out of the side window instead.

I sit alongside Sofia and laze by the small pool while Nico watches over us. It is not that warm, being early November, but the weak sun has just enough heat to sit in comfortably. I smile to myself at the concept of a vampire sunbathing, because that is what I am doing. But unlike the stories I have read and movies I have seen, it is not at all painful and I am not about to burst into flames on exposure to ultraviolet light.

What a ridiculous notion that is!

However, I have noticed that my eyes ache far more than they used to in sunlight. I need to get some sunglasses.

We are waiting for Gabriel to return and then we can visit the town for a late feed. It is a few hours until he finally shows, but he is smiling and has obviously discovered something of interest relating to our search. Although I am most intrigued to discover what that is, something else has sprung to my mind. I have just thought of a way to force Nico to admit to his feelings for me. I remember when Gabriel was flirting with me in Paris. Nico didn't like it at all. He became very possessive after the Louvre. That's the only route left open to me. I need to be careful though. I can't risk hurting Sofia's feelings. I don't know that she will be upset, but I need to do this subtly.

Gabriel takes a seat opposite us and starts to explain his findings. There are older descendants of the Caprice family living in the town of Castellana. He has made contact with one family through the local church and one very old woman did in fact remember an old story of a Raffaele. But he would not be our Lord. He was born to a wealthy couple of vineyard owners and died a real and terribly tragic death at the age of fifteen. And it was only 140 years ago, far too recent. Gabriel had been unsuccessful using Nico's notes from Lord Raffaele's room, but he had discovered one useful piece of information from the local family. There is another larger family of Caprice living in another village a few miles further away. They have a wider and older lineage and he will be seeing them as soon as he can arrange it.

“Who are the Caprices?” I ask. No one has actually explained that to me.

“
They are a family of Ristorian and Gianni intermarriage. They adopted the ways of the Gianni's. In general, that is. Of course there were a few who couldn't control their wild bloodlust,” Nico explains.

“
So Lord Raffaele would have been the child of an early Caprice human relationship?”

“
If what he says is true.”

“
Will your notes really help Nico?”

“
I think the monastery will be the best place for our research. We shall start tomorrow,” He replies curtly. I'm getting rather tired of his standoffishness. My flirting is starting right now.

“
Gabriel, come and sit here and I shall tell you all about my day.” I pat the empty chair next to me and he obliges by moving to sit there.

“
So, what did you get up to? I am most interested to learn of your visit to the Paolos.” We begin our quiet conversation, heads together. I am quite sure Nico can hear every word, with his excellent vampire hearing. In fact that is the whole point of this flirtatious chat.

“
I was introduced to some of the household, then I met Teo, he is young and so very gorgeous. I was most interested in him. Maybe too interested. We were on his bed in five minutes and Nico had to drag me away.”

“
How unkind of him to interrupt you that way. You should have sent Nico off somewhere and had your fun. Still, it is a good thing he takes protecting you so seriously. But I know of your position Calista. I understand.”

“
How much do you understand, Gabriel?”

“
You are innocent. But you do not wish to be.”

“
Want to help me with that?” I ask in a seductive tone.

“
Now I would love such an opportunity, what are you offering me?” I give him a wink, “Ah, I see... Of course. Come along Calista, let us avail ourselves of some of Savio's lovely red wine. We can discuss this some more.” He rises and offers me his hand. I am led off to the kitchen. I notice Nico's head is angled down. I can always tell when he is emotional or annoyed. He looks at the floor so I can't see his eyes. We go into the kitchen and sit at the breakfast table. A kitchen is a rather pointless room in a house of vampires, a refrigerator alone would suffice, but for appearances sake it is necessary I suppose. In the event a human visits, it serves a purpose.

Gabriel pours us both a glass of wine and then he gets straight to the point.

“So babe, how d'you wanna play this game?” His big smile lights up his eyes with a flash of gold.

“
I want Nico. I'm sure he wants me too. But he's stuck on being my guardian. I suppose he feels he should act kinda parental towards me. Today, at the Paolo's, he was really jealous of Teo. I could see it. He didn't know how to deal with it. Or how to deal with me and my needs, and to be honest I am finding things really difficult.”

“
I can imagine you are. The sexual needs of a vampire are much stronger than that of a human. So, you need me to be much friendlier towards you, to force Nico out of hiding, yes?”

“
That's about it. But I don't want to offend Sofia.”

“
No, no, no, she will not be concerned about anything we may do together. She will be happy for you, I assure you.”

“
Come, let's take our bottle of wine outside and offer the others a glass. Then I will suggest taking you into my room and we will see how things go. My price for this sexual subterfuge, is a kiss fair Lady. Payment in advance.” He laughs at my pretend shocked look. “You really will have to do better than that with your play acting, honey.”

I lean into him, holding him around the waist and offer my face up to him. His lips touch mine and he kisses me thoroughly, for some time. I am suddenly very into it. In fact I don't want to stop. It seems I like Gabriel much more than I thought I did. He pushes me away respectfully and I pull him back for some more.

“Well, well Calista, it seems there is a very strong attraction between us.”

“
It'll make it much more realistic if there's some heat... Anyway, I don't care. Whatever happens, happens. Let's carry on with our plan.” I don't intend to have sex with Gabriel, I think that would really drive a wedge between Nico and I, but I have to admit to myself, I do like him that way. Far more than I like Teo. I smile to myself as I realise I have kissed two men in one day. It's a shame neither of them are the one I really want. My experience is certainly growing in leaps and bounds anyhow.

We walk hand in hand outside to the pool area where Sofia and Nico are still sitting where we left them. They were talking quietly but stop when we come out. Obviously they were discussing something to do with me.

“Fancy a glass of red?” I ask holding up the bottle.

“
I do,” Sofia replies quickly.

“
I'll join you too,” Nico adds. Gabriel pours them a drink.