The Raven (The Florentine 1)

Suddenly the car came to a stop.

“We’re here.”

Raven opened her eyes and saw they were in an alley. She didn’t recognize the buildings on either side.

Marco opened her door and helped her out, reaching inside to pick up her cane.

“Thank you.” She took it from him and walked around the back of the car to where William was waiting.

“That will be all, Marco. I’ll ring you when it’s time to return.”

Marco nodded and returned to the driver’s seat.

William stood in front of a rusty metal door. He pressed a stone in the wall to its left and a security panel emerged. He entered a long series of numbers and Raven heard a loud click.

William opened the door, allowing her to step inside.

“What’s this?” she asked, her eyes peering into the dark space.

“This is Teatro.”

Chapter Forty-six

“It doesn’t look like a theater.” Raven strained to make out the features of the room.

Behind her, William switched on the lights.

The lights were dim, but they illuminated a long bar that ran along one side, what looked like a stage that stood in front of a dance floor, and a series of couches and tables and chairs on the other two walls.

“It looks like a club.” Raven gave William a curious look.

“It is.”

“Where is everyone?”

“It’s closed this evening for a private engagement.”

He gestured to one of the velvet couches and Raven sat down.

William went to the corner, where the dj booth was located. Soon music filled the room.

Raven recognized it as Madeleine Peyroux.

“I thought you didn’t listen to modern music,” she called.

“I’ve been persuaded to expand my universe.” He smiled as he approached her. “Can I offer you a drink?”

Raven looked toward the bar. “Do you have human drinks here?”

“This is a club for vampyres and humans.”

Raven found herself disquieted by the revelation.

“I’d like red wine, please.”

William bowed and withdrew to the bar.

Raven took the opportunity to examine the large space more closely. There were flat-screen televisions on the wall, all of which were switched off. There were a few doors that led from the central room to places unknown.

It was, perhaps, a club like any other dance club. Except it catered to vampyres.

William approached with a bottle of wine and two glasses balanced on a tray. He poured a glass for her and one for himself.

“Going human tonight?” she asked as he handed her a glass.

“I enjoy red wine.”

He settled next to her on the sofa and clinked their glasses together.

Raven tasted the wine. It was excellent.

“Do you spend a lot of time here?”

“Never.” William sipped his wine pointedly.

“Why not?”

“Decadence bores me.”

“Why? What happens here?”

William swirled the contents of his glass, his face studiously blank.

“Nothing of importance.”

Raven’s eyebrows knitted together. “It’s a simple question; not a state secret.”

His eyes flickered to hers.

“Secrecy is the currency that keeps me alive.”

“Aren’t you tired of keeping secrets?”

He placed his glass on the table in front of them, but didn’t respond.

“I was under the impression that your secrecy would relax once we went to bed.” Her green eyes held a warning.

William tried to hide his surprise at her rising anger but was unsuccessful.

“I’m not used to confiding in someone. I will concede that you should have answers to some of your questions, within reason.” He relaxed in his seat, lifting his arm to rest across the back of the sofa. “I enjoy your company, Raven. I hope you enjoy mine.”

“I do.” She focused on her wineglass. “Very much.”

“There are other human beings who enjoy the company of vampyres. They come here to offer themselves.”

“In what way?”

“All ways.”

She lifted her head. “And the vampyres?”

“They come here to feed, to have sex, to see and be seen.”

Raven peered around the room.

“Do vampyres bring their pets here?”

“Sometimes. This is a place where one might find a pet, or borrow someone else’s.”

A sick feeling twisted in Raven’s stomach and she, too, put her glass down.

“Cassita.” He lifted her hand and pressed the back of it to his lips. “Look around you. Who’s here?”

“Just us.”

“Precisely. I wouldn’t bring you here under normal circumstances.”

“Why?”

“I think if you reflect for a moment, you’ll discern the answer. Would you care to dance?” He gestured at the dance floor.

She lifted her cane so he could see it. “I can’t.”

“Are you in pain?” He leaned closer.

“No.”

“Then you can dance.”

She withdrew her hand.

“I’m unsteady.”

“I’ll hold you up.”

“I can’t really move that well.”

“We’ll stand in one spot.”

She scowled. “You’re one bossy vampyre, did you know that?”

He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Yes.”

Without ceremony, he lifted her into his arms as if she were as light as a feather and carried her to the center of the dance floor.

When she was on two feet, he pulled her into his arms.

The music continued; soft music that was conducive to slow movements. William held her close and they began to sway.

“I didn’t know vampyres danced.” She couldn’t keep the amusement out of her voice.

“I wanted an excuse to touch you.”

“You don’t need an excuse.”

“Don’t I?” He pulled back to search her eyes.

She shook her head.

He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek.

“If you’re uncomfortable, I can give you vampyre blood to help your leg.”

Raven resisted the urge to pull away from him and instead focused her attention on the top button of his shirt, which was undone.

“I’m sorry it bothers you.” Her tone hardened.

“Not in the slightest.” He stopped. “I’m worried about you.”

She shrugged. “The wine helps.”

“As long as you’re comfortable.”

They resumed dancing, gently moving in concert to the music.

“You dance well,” he observed.

“Not really.” Raven blushed. “I took dance lessons when I was a little girl. Ballet.”

“I detect it in your movements sometimes. Very elegant.”

She stifled a laugh. No one had ever called her elegant since her accident. She regarded him skeptically. “Don’t you want to fix me?”

William appeared puzzled.

“Why should I want to fix you? You aren’t broken.”

His answer pierced her.

Her eyes bore into his, searching for any sign of duplicity or mirth.

“Part of me wants to take the blood so I can run with you. I have a vision of the two of us, flying across the rooftops.”

“Perhaps it isn’t a vision. It could be a memory of the first time I brought you to the villa.” He smiled. “When you decide you want to run, I have an entire cellar of excellent vintages at your disposal.”

“I don’t think so.”

“I can run fast enough for both of us.” He pressed his lips to her hair.

She toyed with one of the buttons on his shirt, staring at it as if it were the soul of fascination.

“Part of me feels like I would be bet

raying other disabled persons if I took the blood. That I’d be saying I’m not good enough. That my disability separates me from you.”

William regarded her gravely—the set of her chin, her downcast eyes, the tension in her body.

He was quiet for a moment, struggling to find words that wouldn’t add to her pain.

“I don’t understand such things and I won’t pretend to understand them. All I can say is that I think no one—human or otherwise—is perfect. If perfection is the standard for normalcy, we all fail.”

“I like that.” She lifted her chin. “I’ve always thought that human beings are all disabled in some way. It’s just that my disability can be seen. It never occurred to me to think of other beings as disabled, too.”

“One might think that vampyrism is a disability. It’s certainly a curse.”