Vampire - Deep Midnight Part 24

"Then somewhere along the line, you'll have to give me a reason to do so."

They'd reached the hotel. Jordan went through the revolving door. As she asked for her key, Jared was close behind her. "We'll have to meet in the lobby in about thirty minutes.

This thing at Tiff's is going to be a pain."

She turned and looked at him. "Jared, you don't have to go. I do. She's become a friend."

"Oh, good."

"Hey, she's been your client, throwing lots of money your way."

"She's still not the best social companion."

"She's blunt and honest and I like her. But I won't be angry if you don't go."

"Oh, no. Cindy and I will go." He glanced over his shoulder where Cindy and Ragnor were talking. She thought that his jaw clenched, and she realized that Jared wasn't as concerned for her as he was hostile to Ragnor.

"Okay, the lobby in thirty minutes."

She took her costume from Ragnor, politely thanked him for carrying it, and hurried up the stairs. Apparently, Cindy, who did like Ragnor, was making sure that he also knew they were to meet in the lobby in thirty minutes.

Jordan barely had time to jump in and out of the shower and dress. But the fantasy costume was easy, and it came with a bejewelled tiara-like headpiece and mask. She ran a brush through her hair before donning it, touched her cheeks with glitter makeup, and was ready. She started for the door, then hesitated.

The maid had put her reading copy of the detective's vampire book on the desk, next to her laptop. She walked over to it and flipped to the copyright page. The book was being published by something called DeMac Publis.h.i.+ng, New Orleans. There was an E-mail address for inquiries. Dropping her little jeweled purse, she pulled out her chair and typed out a quick E-mail to the author, introducing herself briefly and telling him she'd greatly appreciate a chance to talk to him, or chat over the Internet.

Satisfied, she sent the E-mail, then jumped up to meet the others in the lobby.

Ragnor was in a typical black cape and top hat; he was appearing in Edwardian fas.h.i.+on this evening. Cindy was gorgeous in an elaborate Elizabethan costume and Jared was once again in dottore adornment.

"I'm pretty sure I know the way," Jordan told the others. "But maybe I should get the directions again-"

"I know where her palazzo is," Ragnor said.

"Then you should lead the way," Cindy said and yawned. "My lord! All these parties! I'm sleeping half the day away, and I'm still exhausted."

It was good that despite being tired, Cindy seemed to be cheerful. Jared seemed tense; he kept his mask on as they walked. Ragnor was quiet, yet watchful, Jordan thought, and unerringly polite and courteous to Cindy.

They continued to talk, discussing the Bridge of Sighs and the prisoners who knew they were doomed once they crossed it, and famous residents of the prisons, such as Casanova.

Jordan kept on ahead, suddenly anxious to reach Tiff's. But when they arrived, and she tried the big bra.s.s knocker, no one answered.

Jared pounded on the door as well. They all stood awkwardly in the street.

"Well, great, she's invited us all over, and she isn't here. Are you sure this is the right time and the right night?" Jared said to Jordan.

"Before Anna Maria's party," Ragnor said. "That could be no other time or night."

Jared pounded again. They waited.

"Well this is ridiculous!" Jared said.

"I'm worried about her," Jordan said.

"Worried about her!" Jared exclaimed. "She made us walk through half of Venice, and now she isn't here!"

"But don't you see, that's the point! She really wanted us over," Jordan argued. She pounded the door again, then stood back in the calle, looking upward. "Tiff!"

"Jordan, if she can't hear those bra.s.s knockers pounding, she can't hear you calling,"

Jared said. He glanced at his watch. "We'll give her five minutes."

They remained awkwardly at the entry to the palazzo.

"I think we should call the police," Jordan said.

"The police!" Jared scoffed. "Because she forgot she invited us to a c.o.c.ktail party?"

"She didn't forget; I know it," Jordan argued.

"Try the door," Cindy said.

Jared did so. "Locked. Bolted tight."

"I just know that she wouldn't have forgotten," Jordan said.

"But you said that you hadn't heard from her today," Cindy reminded her.

"And I arranged for a lot of the tickets for Anna Maria's party," Jared said. "I can't show up too late. If she hasn't even let us in yet.. ."

"Look," Ragnor said, "why don't you three go on ahead to Anna Maria's? I'll wait around here for a while and see if she does show up." "I think I should stay, too," Jordan said.

Now, even Ragnor seemed impatient with her. "Go on, Jordan. I'll give Tiff a few minutes, then I'll be right behind you."

Jordan shrugged. Well, if Tiff did return in the next few minutes, she'd be elated to find Ragnor waiting there for her-alone.

She should happily walk off.

But something didn't feel right.

"I'll be here," Ragnor said firmly.

"All right," Jordan said at last.

She turned and started away with Jared and Cindy. Looking back, she saw that he did remain, a tall, caped figure, arms crossed over his chest, as if standing sentinel.

"Jordan, come on," Jared said.

She stumbled; he caught her arm. They headed through narrow streets to catch a vaporetto to Anna Maria's ball.

Ragnor watched them go.

He waited until he was certain they had rounded the corner. Then he tested the lock again. The doors were firmly bolted. He looked around the square.

Darkness, shadows. No amblers pa.s.sing through.

Then he entered the palazzo.

The foyer was empty. There was no sign of a struggle. Marble floors gleamed. "Tiff!"

he said, calling the woman's name.

He walked up the stairs, to the balcony, through the rooms. He came to the master suite. Nothing appeared to be amiss. The great bed was neatly made in its silken splendor.

He turned and started to leave, but then, the faintest hint of an odor teased his senses.

Blood.

He came to the bed, stared at the silk.

There, the tiniest drop.

Perhaps Nari hadn't meant to, but she had left her calling card.

"Marisa, come on!"

Marisa Kosolovich turned her head to see that her friends, Josef, Ari and Lizabet, were waiting for her.

She tossed back the rich wealth of her auburn hair, impatiently. They'd been standing at the bar at the trattoria, and while her friends had spent some of their precious money on their own espressos, she had managed to get hers bought for her by the tall Italian man in the handsome suit. He wasn't young, but he wasn't old, somewhere between thirty and forty. He was very appealing, a businessman with bright hazel eyes and a quick smile.

She'd chatted about her arrival with her friends-making it sound as if they had come by plane and were young people seeing the world, rather than a group from a war-torn nation on a bus that was now parked near the train station. They were nearly broke, sleeping on the bus that had brought them here. They were willing to come with no accommodations and food from home, just so that they might see the sights and sounds of Venice at Carnevale.

She sighed. The others seemed fine with their situation. She was not. She'd actually planned on finding some Americans-they usually had the most money to spend and were easily influenced by any foreign accent. She liked Americans, and she really wanted to get to America. When the soldiers had come to her village to dole out food, they had all been taken with her. She'd developed the plan then to marry and get away, but the troops hadn't stayed long enough for her to get to know any of the men. They had told her, though, that she was beautiful. They had said it with their eyes as well as their words.

And more than anything, she wanted to get away.

Carnevale was always full of foreigners-lots of them American. She had been certain that in the two nights the bus stayed in Venice she could find the right person.

She had chosen the trattoria for their splurge, and there hadn't been a single American in it. But the Italian had been cute and kind, buying her an espresso and offering her something to eat. She'd accepted the espres...o...b..t demurred on the food, though G.o.d knew why, she was hungry enough. She didn't want to look hungry, that must be it. And she didn't want to look like a woman who would balloon into someone as round as a tomato in a few years.

Lizabet was at the door, looking stern. Ari just looked impatient. Josef was concerned.

They weren't together as couples, just friends. They came from the same village. Or what was left of it.

She lifted a finger, ready to swing back into conversation with the tall Italian businessman. But, to her disappointment, he had turned to his friends. Some sporting event had come on the television over the bar, and his back was actually to her.

"Marisa! The music starts in the square any minute! "Josef announced. Tall, skinny and awkward, Josef had gone the last few years without enough to eat.

She left the bar and came to the door. "Marisa, you mustn't just attach yourself to people like that. They will get the wrong idea."

Ari and Lizabet were already walking ahead. "And what would the wrong idea be, Josef?" she asked.

"That you are easy, that we are easy-that we are left with no pride, no sense of self- worth."

"That would be a wrong idea?" she queried.

"Our home has been through a great deal. We should have a stronger character," he admonished.

"Our home is a h.e.l.lhole, and soldiers will come again and again. Bombs will fall."

Josef shook his head. "No, there is peace now. And we will rebuild."

"You will rebuild. I'm not going home."

Josef looked at her with surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I'm staying in Venice."

"You cannot stay in Venice. You don't have papers. You don't speak Italian!"

"I'll learn."

"And what will you do?"

"Get by." "How?"

"I'll make friends."

"You'll be a prost.i.tute."

"I'll make friends," she hissed to him. "Look, Josef, you tell me all the time that I am beautiful. I will manage on that."

"To me you are beautiful. There are scores of beautiful young women. To me, you are special. To others .. ."

"To others-what?"

"You are ... too loose."

"I'll be what I need to be!" she said angrily. "I am attractive only to you, eh?"

She walked on ahead, angrily. She pa.s.sed Lizabet and Ari. "Hey!" Ari called, "now you're in such a hurry?"