Thanks rexbrookdale for helping with editing this story!
To all my readers ... I'm greatly sorry for the long wait.
Chapter 2
As the girls approached the men, they were able to see what they were doing: Demetri had pinned a man to the ground ... and they heard sucking noises, while António held another man against the wall. Blood covered the man's face.
Zemora stood frozen, in fear.
She stared, unable to blink, unbelieving. The men continued their attack on the unmoving men, unaware of the women's presence only a few feet away. She turned to Analisa, and then received another shock at Analisa's appearing unsurprised, as though she had witnessed Demetri's and António's actions of this sort, before.
Unable to keep quiet, and needing to find answers, Zamora finally spoke, "What the fuck ... have you done?"
The men looked up at her words, startled to find the two so near; Analisa jumped. Seeing Zemora's expression, the men backed away from the two now-dead bodies.
Zemora began shaking...Upon reacting to her outburst, the two had looked up at her, still in 'predator' mode. Evil predators! The words screamed in Zamora's head at the sight of their expressions; and she suddenly passed out.
She awoke, with her head lying in Analisa's lap.
"What is going on?" she asked in a whisper, blinking frantically at her memories as they flooded back.
The three stared at her with concerned expressions, but said nothing.
"Someone ... better explain to me ... what I saw," she said, louder.
"'Mora, we'll explain, but not here." They would tell her everything when they got back to the hotel. They helped her to her feet, and started walking out of the alley. She turned around to see where the bodies were, but they weren't there anymore.
They quickly got into António's car and drove off.
*******
Upon arriving at the hotel, António parked in the nearby garage after letting his passengers disembark at the curb. They hurried up to their rooms.
Once inside, Zemora raced to the other side, not wanting to be anywhere near them. Her basic survival instinct still held sway over her; she wanted space, in case she had to make a quick escape.
"We're not going to hurt you, Zemora." Demetri was the first to speak. "You don't have to be scared."
Zamora dismissed the concern she heard in his voice.
"Oh yeah ... is that what you told those two helpless men back there? Before you killed them?" she shouted.
"Zemora, calm down and stop screaming. You don't understand, but we'll explain it to you," he now spoke in a commanding tone.
"We didn't kill those men because we wanted to, we killed them because they came to kill us," he said in a serious tone.
"Why were you sucking their necks?"
"We couldn't stab or shoot them. We had to do it that way; that's the only way we could kill them," António tried to explain. "You see, those two guys were vampires."
"Vamp ... vampires?" she stuttered out, horrified. She had read about vampires, and believed that they existed, but she never seen anything like what she had witnessed earlier.
"You must keep an open mind, Zemora. Just because you've never seen these things, doesn't mean it's not happening around you." António, speaking with a voice laced with calm, moved slowly to sit down on a chair.
"How the fuck did you know that is what I was thinking?"
"Well. We can read minds." He finally said.
Zamora stared at him. The three waited as she searched for words.
Finally, she spoke, addressing António. "So what the fuck are you guys?"
"We come from a rare breed of vampires. We're known as Avacons.
We're immortal ... with superior powers and abilities." Demetri then took up the explanation for António. "We are well-known to the Vampire world; never having been defeated by any other. At times, we run into other Vampires who dislike us, and want to kill us. Those are the ones who want to take over and become the most powerful ones."
Analisa beckoned to Zamora to come sit down.
"So." Zamora slowly stepped to the edge of the bed and sat down. "How long have you known about this, Analisa?" she sternly asked.
"After about a month of Demetri and me dating," said Analisa. "I didn't tell you because I didn't know how you would react. So, I kept it a secret, and decided I would tell you when I thought the timing was right."
"When was that going to take place? It's been five years, hasn't it? And now, this is how I find out?"
Zemora had thought of Analisa as her sister. They had told each other everything, no matter how ugly or hurtful. She struggled with her thoughts.
"I'm so upset, Analisa." She looked at her. "But ... but I forgive you. I might have done the same thing if I were in your shoes."
This was a revelation. The two men and Analisa eyed Zemora, unsure that they could trust her seemingly sudden change of heart.
Zemora stood up. She felt calmer now; but needed time to think, and to take in everything she learned. "I need some air. I'm leaving," she announced. She closed the door quietly behind her as she departed, leaving them alone. She took the elevator to the lobby, and walked outside into the warm night air. What she hated most, she mused, was that she now would have the monstrous vision of Demetri and António and the two men in the alley, forever in her mind.
*********
Analisa and Demetri returned to their suite. António had declined their invitation to join them, urged by a desire to check on Zemora. The three paused outside the door to Zemora's room, bid each other goodnight, and parted ways.
António took the stairs down to the lobby, and walked outside.
There, he found Zemora, sitting alone by the fountain with her head down. She looked like she had been crying. Slowly, he walked up to her, purposely making a bit of noise as he approached so as not to frighten her.
She lifted her head, and stared with hollow eyes.
He felt great regret for the way she was feeling. He should have taken more precautions against her witnessing their actions in the alley.
"I'm ... I'm sorry Zemora. If I could have done things differently, I would have," he said, gently. He wiped the tears from her cheek.
"Well guess what? It's too late. I will have that vision in my mind forever," she snapped back, and then sniffled.
"No you won't. I'm able to erase it from your memory."
"You can do that?"
"Yes ... I can do that. It's one of my abilities as a vampire," he said, half-smiling.
"Well, can you please do that for me?"
"Yes. I will do that for you now." He turned her to face him, and with both hands on her shoulders, he gazed deeply into her eyes. Her shoulders sagged as, like a lovely flower without water, she suddenly wilted; vulnerable in her spellbound state.
Working quickly, he erased all traces of what he and Demetri had done. He also persuaded her mind to accept what she had learned about Demetri and him, and wove in thoughts of being unfrightened, should she see such things take place again.
Slowly he released her mind, observing her closely as she came out of the spell.
She blinked rapidly, and stared at him blankly. It was like nothing even happened.
"I'm hungry," she said, casually.
António smiled at her, and then chuckled.
"Well, let's go get you something to eat."