A Hidden Fire

When they entered the bedroom, the doctor had an IV set up and, within an hour, Isadora’s coloring had improved.  A half an hour later, her eyes fluttered open and she looked around in confusion.

“What am I…where am I?”

Beatrice rushed to her side.  “You’re going to be fine, Grandma.  They just—I mean, you had an accident.  But we’re at Gio’s house, and Caspar’s here, and there’s a doctor…”

Isadora’s eyes searched the room, finally settling on Giovanni.  She nodded, closed her eyes, and sighed.

“This has something to do with Stephen, doesn’t it?”

Beatrice had never been more furious in her life.

“I cannot believe you didn’t tell me!”

“He told me not to.”

“You didn’t think I had a right to know?  Do you have any idea how messed up I was after all that shit he did to my brain?”

She paced the room, tugging at her hair as Isadora tried to calm her down.

“I didn’t know about all that.  Stephen told me he had tried to talk to you, and you couldn’t handle it.  He said you wouldn’t remember.  He told me not to tell you when you were older because we wouldn’t see him again.”

“But the depression—”

“Your grandfather and I never made the connection, Beatrice.  Why would we?  I was the only one who knew what was going on with your father, and you didn’t tell me any of this about seeing him, or the dreams.  You confided in your grandfather.  This is the first I’ve heard of you having any memories of him after his change.  I thought I was the only one who knew.”

“Grandpa said it would just upset you if I told you I’d seen him.”

Isadora snorted and looked around the empty room.  “You damn De Novos—so arrogant!  You, your father, your grandfather…you all thought I was so fragile.  Your father’s the only one who figured it out, and he’s dead.”

“But he’s not dead!”

“Yes, Beatrice, he is.  He told me we would never see him again.  He told me,” her voice cracked, “he told me it was too dangerous.  That he had to run away.”  Isadora shook her head.  “I was so furious.  I told him we could handle it as a family, but he just ran.  He was determined to disappear.”

She wiped angry tears from her eyes, and Beatrice stopped pacing and went to sit in a chair by the small fireplace.

“How did you not realize that Gio was a vampire when you met him?”

Her grandmother frowned.  “He’s much better at it than your father was.  Other than the pale skin, Giovanni looks just like a normal human.  You have no idea, B.  Your father…”  She paused and shook her head.  “He was barely recognizable, even to me.  He was gaunt and pale.  His skin was cold to the touch.  He looked nothing like a normal human.  It’s no wonder you found his appearance so frightening as a child.”

Beatrice came to sit next to her grandmother.  “How are you feeling now?  Are you still feeling dizzy?”

Isadora smiled.  “Fine.  I’m going to be fine.  I feel very lucky.  When those men came to the door, I thought I was going to die.  I saw their fangs and knew it had something to do with Stephen.  What’s going on?”

“The vampire that turned Dad, Lorenzo…”  She paused, not wanting to tell her that Lorenzo was Giovanni’s son.  “He’s after Gio, too.  He’s after—”

“He’s after you, isn’t he?  Your father said he was looking for him ten years ago.  If this Lorenzo still hasn’t found Stephen, he’ll want you.  I’m only surprised he hasn’t come after you before.  If he knows your father at all, he knows the man would do anything for you.  That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”

She nodded slowly, reminded again not to underestimate her delicate looking abuela.

“Well, what are we going to do about it?  Can we run?  Would it even make a difference?  How about killing him?  How hard would that be?”

“You De Novo women,” Giovanni muttered as he entered the room with Caspar.  “Terribly vicious, aren’t you?  Never underestimate the fury of an angry mother, Caspar.  They’re the most vicious creatures in the world.”

Caspar went to take Isadora’s hand.  “How are you feeling, darling?  You had me terribly frightened.”

“I’ll be fine.  I am fine.  I’m mostly concerned about Beatrice.”

“We’ll stay here for a few days to make sure you’re recovered, then I’m taking you out of the city,” he said.

“But B—”

“I’ll be taking care of Beatrice,” Giovanni said from the corner of the room.

Isadora’s angry green eyes flared.  “I’m supposed to trust you with my granddaughter, Giovanni Vecchio?  How do I know you can keep her safe?”

“You don’t, but I’m the best option you have.”

“Isadora,” Caspar murmured, “Giovanni is a good man.”

“If it was your child, would you trust him?”

“My father did.”

Isadora frowned and looked from Caspar to Giovanni, then finally at Beatrice.