CHASE

Chapter 38

     Eva walked down the hall in reflection. She had no idea if she would see João. Those who passed by just waved at her. At least they didn't bother her. As she continued back and forth an unnatural sensation uneasy her. Then she heard her name in a hushed tone. Three consecutive times.

     "EVA! EVA! EVA!"

     What does he want now? She mused and went downstairs without hurry.

     "Finally, you've come!"

     "What's it? What's serious?"  She ironized.  "I don't see fire."  She looked both ways.

     Orsmund growled. His eyes were close to turning red. Yet Eva had seen a spark of his fangs.

     "You did! Didn't you?"

     He confronted her after taking a deep breath.

     "What?"  She crossed her arms.

     "Don't play dumb! His scent is still on you! I told you not to!"

     He seethed with rage.

     "How funny. You have no authority over me! Nobody! And for you to be clear I will practice it again!"

     The vampire stirred, frantically. The chains vibrated as they moved about to trigger the self-destruct click. Eva took a step forward.

     "What are you doing? Are you silly?"

     "I'm trying to stop you! I forbid you to get involved with him! I'll do my best to strengthen the call!"

     "What call?"  She leaned in.

     "Yes, I tried to call you so you wouldn't be with him!"

     "And that was when, exactly?"  She frowned.

     "Not far from twilight. I wanted to see you before the start of the day."

     "I can't believe it..."  She clenched her fists.  "So that was the origin of that anomalous daze. Well, it seemed to me an irregular reaction. As if they sucked the vitalism out of me. How were you able? Your intention is to commit a conflict between us?"

     "No! I did it for your own good!"

     "For sure!"  She snorted sarcastically.  "I'll not hold grudges if I confirm that what you told me is true! And for that, I'll have to go ahead with my plan! No! I don't want to hear your opinion! I will do it anyway. Only this time I'll know it's you if I suddenly feel down. And that won't stop me! Please accept my message as a warning!"  She left without giving him a chance to prolong the conversation.

     Orsmund remained in his fixed pose, fulminating from within. Eva, furious with irritation, walked the previous path deprived of concentration. When she found herself, it was too late to turn away. She bumped into João.

     "Why were you down there? I don't want you to go down there, please!"

     "What?"  Eva's anger rose again after the brief disorientation effect.

     "Come with me!"  He took her hand.  "Quickly!"

     "What does all this precipitation mean?"  She asked towards João's room.

     "I volunteered to come get some materials we need."  He closed the door.  "And to be with you! Is there any harm in that?"

     "Only if we are caught red-handed!"

     To silence her, João clamped her lips with his own mouth. He proved to be affectionate as he held her on his lap to the bed and at the same time anxious. Eva expected a more compulsive and irrational action from him than what he offered her. It was not a copulation that exceeded the limits of vulgarity. As strange as it seemed to Eva, João disguised the consequences of a grueling and overloaded day with fatigue. Though the desire was more powerful. Intertwined, they took the time to relax a little.

     "Am I boring you?"  João whispered in response to Eva's yawn.

     "It isn't you!"  She rolled her eyes.  "This is fleeting. Don't worry!"  She stretched.  "I know you need to go, and time is running out."  She propped herself up on one elbow.  "Then explain to me why you don't want me down there. I thought it was safe..."

     "And it is!"  He exclaimed.  "I just don't want you to feel disturbed beyond what you've already been through."

     "I don't understand where you mean!"  She insisted.

     "I'll be honest with you! Just don't comment with anyone!"  He leaned back.

     "I thought you were all a team. After all, you only know how to keep secrets from each other!"  She chided.

     "Do you know anyone else who keeps secrets?"  He interrogated.  "It doesn't matter... We all have our mysteries... How shall I say... The vampire we've had for the longest time has become a troublemaker."

     "Vampires are troublemakers. I don't see anything new in that. That's what I learned! And this one is chained!"

     "Oh yeah. Of course! However, what was seen was... exaggerated."

     "Go, don't spare me! As you can see, not a hint of fear has haunted me! Don't approach me like a hothouse flower, please!"  She wrinkled her nose.

      "All right!"  Laughed.  "I just think you're too young for this. Oh sorry!"  He corrected himself as he watched her expression.  "Well, before going abroad, we went underground. That's when we heard a strange noise from his cage. We made sure security was active. And it was confirmed that everything was in order. Then we witness the changes in his body. He was turning into a monster. A real vampire! We believe he was preparing to commit suicide. But he didn't get to do it. He avoided it in time. Perhaps and, we know that he lived centuries, with age he is going mad. Let's be honest. Who will want to live eternity? I would end up going crazy myself. Always adapting to new eras and epochs. Changes..."

     "And this is classified as a dangerous secret?"

     "Obviously not. They will eventually spread the word so that we are on alert."

     "Then tell me what bothers you!"

     "A crazy vampire, doesn't bother you?"  He was startled.

     "I'm not in the least tormented. Don't be so apprehensive. Proceed with what you said. Trust me!"  Eva leaned closer to him, rubbing against him.

     "During the confusion... they were all in an uproar throughout the intervention. And I don't know how..."  He looked at the ceiling.  "I looked him straight in those red eyes. I don't know why I did it. I have no way to explain. And for my sentence I'm fully aware that I have been in a trance. How much time? I don't know."  He sighed.  "It will happen again..."

     "Happen what?"

     "Another verdict. From this occurrence it will be me that they will repute. I'm not the first... there was another similar case with the same vampire. They killed him for confiding in that leech. He found a way to elude one of our people into extracting secret data."

     "Take it easy! It may have just been an illusion. If he compelled, you how would you remember?"

     "He might want me to remember!"  Exasperated.  "There's nothing to do... I'll take precautions and try to escape when I need to go there! So be careful when you go there! I don't want you to become another victim!"

     "I'll be careful! Stay calm."

     "I better not be late!"  He got up to put on his clothes.  "I'll get what they asked of me. Stay tuned, we may see each other again the next night."  He yawned.

     "Now I'm the one bothering you."

     "None of that! I haven't had the opportunity to sleep yet, and these missions are quite demanding. So, I can't promise you that tomorrow will be as energetic. I will need your love because I may be shaken."  He joked. Before leaving he approached and held her face with both hands, seriously.  "I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm falling in love with you!"