The Alexandru Chronicles: The Beginning (9 page)

Chapter Eight

It was the shrilling ring of something—possibly that scream that she couldn't get out of her head – loud and unyielding – that had her coming out of her groggy sleep.

When she finally threw back the covers, and let in the welcoming sunlight, she was relieved and, at the same time, pissed, that whatever was disturbing her, wasn't what she had thought.  Her head hurt, and yet, she couldn't close her eyes and go back to sleep – not with that irritating shrilling.

It took a few minutes for her groggy eyes to eventually adjust to the light streaming in from her broken blinds. Yet, once she did, she again heard the shrilling – this time louder. Without the blankets to muffle the sound, it was now like a sledge hammer to her brain – and her ears.

The one plus side of not having her covers over her head, if there was any, was that now she could hear the shrilling a lot clearer. She now knew that it wasn't from last night's horror fest – it was more a distinctive ring rather than a loud shrilling shriek.

Frowning over at her phone on her nightstand, she groaned and, pulling the covers back over her head, she put her hand out to pick the phone up; once she had..., she hung it up.

She was just dozing back, when the shrilling from the phone started again.

Groaning, she peeked out from the small opening in her covers, and, picking the phone up, again, she irritably inquired, “Who the hell is this?!”

“Don't you dare speak to me like that, you little...”

Dropping the phone back in its cradle, she snuggled back into her blankets – hoping that her irritant would get the hint that she didn't want to be disturbed.

When the phone rang again, though, she knew that her annoying caller wouldn't stop until she answered the phone – this annoyance was like those irritating solicitors, who couldn't take no for an answer.

At one point, when these said solicitors wouldn't stop calling, she had decided to get even by answering the phone and saying either, “County morgue, this is Death speaking.” or, she had said in her best accented voice, “No, I don't know what you're saying. I, too, have problems with the English language. Bye and please don't call me, again.” oddly enough the first one worked better than the second.

Throwing her covers back, she, picking up the phone, angrily said, “What the hell do you want?!”

“
Gen, you talk to me like that again, I'll...”

She hung-up the phone again. This time after she put the phone back in it's cradle, she watched it for it to ring again.

It didn't take long.

When she answered the phone, again, there was, this time, more amusement in her voice than irritation,
“What?”

“
Gen..., you know how I hate when you do that to me.”

“
You know how I hate mornings...Especially if those mornings are my days off.”

“
I'm sorry...”

“
Are you really?” there was a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Her sister sighed. “Gen.., I have to ask you a favor.”

“
No...”

“
I didn't ask it, yet.”

“
Well, whatever it is, my answer is still no.”

“
Gen, we are having dinner over at that new client of mine's house.”

“
No.”

“
I expect you to pick me and Jewel up at seven.”

“
N...O...No.”

“
Okay, I'll see you at seven.”

“
Is there something wrong with your hearing? I said no...”

“
Don't be late, okay.”

“
Who do you think you are, you can't...! Hello...” when Genevieve heard nothing but the typical phone static, she realized that her sister had hung up on her. Looking at the phone, she irritably mumbled to herself,“That dumb bitch hung up on me...Who does she think she is?”

Putting the phone back in it's cradle, she, sighing, got up from the bed. The moment her feet touched the floor and her bare legs and arms felt that cool air from her air conditioning, she was overwhelmed by this groggy dizziness, that she had forgotten as she spoke to her sister on the phone. As she stood there, disgruntledly, looking around her room, clenching her teeth together, she tried to focus on not falling face first on to the floor.

She was too exhausted to be arguing with Amelia this early. Yet, while she was infuriated by the fact that her sister had disturbed her, all she could do was angrily mumble to herself, “She can't make me...I won't do it...I refuse.” when she felt another wave of dizziness, she, groaning, steadied herself by grabbing hold of her dresser. After the dizziness had subsided, she said aloud, “Her dumb ass will just come over here.” raking her fingers through her frizzy hair, she, after turning on her radio, finally decided on a warm shower.

It was the shower's warm spray, that chased away some of her grogginess, which she wasn't entirely sure was a good thing. The fatigue had been somewhat of a shield of helping to keep her from having to think about last night. If her brain was too focused on being tired, she didn't have to think about what had happened.

After combing her thick curly hair out, she sighed; she just couldn't get those monstrous images out of her head—that fog, those shadows, the way those wannabee idiots had looked.

How had those wannabee scumbags, changed from looking like scumbags to being...?

Oh, hell, she didn't know. All she knew was that they had changed from ugly to worse.

It had taken a lot for her to settle down. Keeping every light on in her apartment and the television tuned to a funny channel. She still, though, hadn't been able to sleep.

Eventually, once the sun had come up, she had been able to drift for a few hours. Yet, not long enough to feel rested.

As she brushed her teeth, she suddenly stopped, when she heard the DJ come on her radio and say, “This next song is for Genevieve...” she came into her bedroom, just as the DJ said, “Genevieve, you have a secret admirer, who wants you to know how much he likes you...So, this song is for you.”

Chuckling, she shook her head and, as she again brought her toothbrush back to her mouth, she turned to leave her bedroom.

Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung

It was the beginning of this song, that instantly had her halting in her tracks.

Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung
Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung

As she stood there, paralyzed, with toothpaste coming down from her mouth, she tried to will herself to move either toward that blasted radio or flee her bedroom – possibly her apartment. Yet, she couldn't seem to do either.

Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)

XXX

“Do you have any books that aren't in braille?”

Cirpian, who had gone back to his reading, pointed to a box of books in the far right corner of the library.

Heading over in the direction, that he had indicated to, Brian ruffled through the books. “These are it?”

When he turned to look over at Cirpian..., he was gone – his unread book laid open upon his desk.

It always surprised Brian how agile Cirpian was. Even before he lost his sight, he had been as quick and silent as a cat.

Now, since losing his sight, those abilities had become unnaturally stealthy—not even a vampire could hear him.

Possibly that was why the vampire council had it out for him.

A vampire who had been alive as long as Cirpian, and whose abilities had gotten to being even stronger than the vampire who created him, was not suppose to exist.

He was an abomination of his kind – especially now that he didn't have his sight.

After swiftly scanning the library, Brian turned back to the box of books, and continued looking at the piddly ass selection that Cirpian had.

“
Find what you were looking for?”

Dropping the book he was looking at, he surprisingly turned to look at Cirpian, who was standing practically nose to nose with him; which was a disconcerting feat, since Cirpian was a good two inches taller than him—Brian was six foot, Cirpian was six foot two.

Irritably frowning at him, he, taking a step back, said, “Don't do that.”

“
Don't do what?”

“
That...” noting the thoughtful look on Cirpian's face, he said, “The whole sneaking up on me.”

Stoically shaking his head, Cirpian went back over to his desk and plopped himself down in his chair.

After observing him for a few seconds more, Brian frowningly turned back to the box of books. Once he had sifted through the rest of Cirpian's selection, he went over to the sofa and irritably plopped himself down.

“
You have nothing but crap.”

“
Brian...,” not looking up from his book, Cirpian said, “have you ever thought, that maybe your taste has not developed since the Middle Ages.”

Noting the smirk on Cirpian's face, Brian said, “That's funny...you wouldn't be saying that if you knew that that crap...” he motioned to the box of books, that he had been looking in. “was about the Middle Ages.”

“Well then, it should be right up your alley...Now, shouldn't it?”

Snickering at him, Brian sat there for a few minutes more, before saying, “So, what's shaken tonight?”

“Beg your pardon?”

Sighing, he said, “
What are your plans?”

“
I have guests arriving in fifteen hours.”

“
Guests...” Brian excitedly perked up at the mention of visitors. “Human guests...? Possibly female?”

It was the way Cirpian's grayish blue gaze stared right through him, that had Brian squirming uncomfortably on the sofa.

While he knew that Cirpian couldn't see him, it was eery how his senses were acute enough to know where Brian was.

Eventually pulling his gaze away from Brian, he said, “Yes, Brian, human guests.”

“For...?”

Sighing, Cirpian closed his book, and leaning back in his chair, he said, “For company.”

“Company...that's it?”

“
Yes.”

Scoffing, Brian irritably got up from the couch. “Company...” looking over at Cirpian, he said, “You take all the fun out of being a vampire, you know...Trying to pretend to be human, when you're not.”

Shaking his head, Cirpian stood up from his chair, and, stepping from behind his desk,  he said, “You forget Brian, that before either one of us was a vampire, we were human.”

Brushing past Brian, Cirpian went over to one of the unpacked boxes and after removing some books, he hastily made his way across the enormous library to the numerous shelved book case and started depositing his armful.

How he knew where each book went and in what order, Brian didn't know. Nor did he care to ask. For it was just another mystery, concerning the man in front of him.

It was Brian's confounded sigh, that had Cirpian stoically saying, as he put another book on the bookshelf that he stood in front of, “Brian..., once my company arrives, I would appreciate it, if you were either respectful or...” he looked over at Brian. “made yourself scarce.”

“What happened to common human hospitality?”

“
That is human hospitality...” turning his back to Brian, he said, “I could tell you to get the hell out of my house before my company arrives.” turning, he looked over at Brian. “Would that be more hospitable for you?”

Irritably stuffing his fist in his jean pockets, Brain said, “Who is this company anyway?”

“The woman who sold me this house, a Mrs. Amelia Steleman, and her sisters are showing up for dinner tonight.”

“
Dinner?!”

“
Not that kind of dinner!” catching the vexation in Cirpian's voice, Brian smiled.

“
So, you're having dinner with your real estate agent...Why?”

“
Because...”

“
Because, why?”

“
Because I want to.”

For a few brief minutes, neither man said anything.

It was Brian that finally broke the silence, “Why are you unpacking?” when Cirpian didn't reply, Brian said, “I mean..., you're always on the move.”

Turning to look over at Brian, Cirpian stood there, not looking at anything, but just stoically staring at him. For that brief moment, Brain wished that he could read Cirpian's thoughts. Yet, since the man kept his thoughts under lock and key, there was really no way to.