Dark Tarot (Dark Carpathians)

Sandu, can you send them back to the catacombs? They need to find peace again.

Sandu did as she asked, and she watched as the skulls and bones once more returned to the wall and settled back into their original places. He closed the earth, and they continued on their flight to the Daratrazanoff estate.

Gabriel and Francesca were already waiting for their return by the time Sandu reached the safety of their home with Adalasia.

“I am sorry. We nearly brought the enemy to your home.”

“We sent the children away when you told us there was every possibility,” Gabriel answered. “Come inside. Your brethren seem to have everything under control.”

“They will patrol outside your home while we talk,” Sandu said.

Gabriel and Francesca’s house was old, a mansion surrounded by a high wrought iron fence and a terraced garden with explosions of color from various bushes and flower gardens winding up to the main house. The mansion rose up like a vision from the past, complete with alcoves and gables, balconies and even a few gargoyles hanging from the eaves. The estate seemed out of place even though it was situated close to an old cemetery and on the very outskirts of Paris.

Inside the house was modern and airy, all Francesca and her soothing ways. The interior felt comfortable and restful, from the colors to the furniture. Each room flowed, one into the other, and the ceilings were high, giving one the feeling of having space. Heavy drapes hung at the banks of windows, which was necessary to block out the sun in case they couldn’t escape to the chambers hidden below the basement.

The house looked lived in, everything from the children’s rooms to the master bedroom. The family had perfected the art of blending in with the humans around them. Even in the kitchen, there was fresh food in the refrigerator and more stocked in the pantry.

Gabriel and Francesca were known for the many charities they funded. They were very active in their community, particularly in the local hospital, homeless shelters and women’s shelters. Unlike most Carpathians, they lived out in the open as if they were human. They would appear to age and then die. Eventually, they would come back as another couple, younger and starting over. The house would be left to one of them, as would the estate. It was easy for Carpathians to amass fortunes over the years. Their children would also do the same thing if they stayed close.

Sandu found it very interesting that Gabriel could live in a city and enjoy it, which he clearly did. Gabriel led them into a room that gave off a soothing warmth after the chase of the demons.

He took a seat on one of the very comfortable-looking sofas that would bring Adalasia close to him. When he drew her down with him, she gave him a smile that he knew was supposed to reassure him. All that did was make him want to carry her off somewhere he could be alone with her, where he knew she would be safe. Where would that be? They had started on this path. They had to stay on it and see it through to the end.

“I have few memories of my past, of my childhood or family,” Sandu said. “I believe I erased them deliberately or they were erased for a purpose. Andre told me he believed my family was one that guarded a region other than the one close to those living in the Carpathian Mountains. He indicated Vlad asked a few hunters to carry messages to those families hunting the undead in those far-off regions occasionally. I hope that you might have run across me or members of my family in those early days and might give me some news of them since you and Lucian traveled extensively.”

“It is true we did travel far, although we were not used to taking messages. We were hunters. We did come across these families occasionally, but only because we were severely wounded and apart from one another. That would happen if we had to separate to chase after two different master vampires.”

Gabriel was silent for some time. “It was a long time ago. There was a family I stumbled across in my travels that guarded what would now be somewhere close to the Russian border. They gave me blood, but in those days, Sandu, there were no surnames. The forest was heavy, especially in that area. I have no idea what became of the family.”

“We think Sandu is from an area in Italy,” Adalasia said.

“The De La Cruz brothers were in that region before they crossed over to South America,” Gabriel said. “Danutdaxton also lives in South America. He is very old. It is possible he would have information for you. I’m sorry I cannot be of more help.”