Lethal Beauty

XXXIV - Feral

Velvet night stretched over the vast sky as a van trekked the lone highway in the darkness. The trip could take over twenty-one hours, and it would certainly be easier to ride a train or take one of their private planes, but traveling in a vehicle was something the immortals have always enjoyed.

Abel was sleeping peacefully with his head secured by a neck pillow. Iris made sure that he was comfortable by leaning on the car seat. A blanket was draped over his body and even the air conditioning was set for his well-being. His skin glistened despite the light breeze yet he seemed deep in tranquility as his soft snores filled the silence within the vehicle.

"It's so nice to be a human and sleep like that," Milo couldn't help saying as he watched Abel with envy. Suddenly, he recalled something important. "By the way, aren't Abel having nightmares lately?"

Iris was focused on his driving even if he didn't need to. His eyes could catch even the slightest motion and could practically guess if another incoming vehicle would collide. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, he doesn't seem to be having nightmares now."

Iris noticed this too, but decided not to dwell too much on it. Lexus offered an explanation, "The nightmares started after that incident in the Gracebourne Manor. It proceeded when Abel returned to the academy. Meaning, the house was the trigger but something else served as a bridge."

"What are you babbling about?" Iris frowned. "That a ghost followed Abel back at the university?"

"Maybe," Lexus answered and when Iris smirked, he deviated, "Or maybe something else followed him."

"If not ghost, then what else could follow him?"

"A vampire like us? You seem to have forgotten that we are connected to the undead. Certain vampires, especially the purebloods, can manipulate shadows."

"Or it can also be your hypnosis that put him in that state," Iris argued. "Whatever the fuck you did, open a can of worms that he shouldn't be dealing with right now."

Lexus was apparently annoyed by this and countered. "Perhaps those can of worms lay dormant because it's either he was trying to avoid something in his past or his memories have been erased and altered to protect him."

"From what?"

Abel woke up, slightly disheveled. He caught only the last bit of the argument but couldn't comprehend it. "What are you discussing?"

Iris sighed. "Sorry. Go back to sleep."

Both Lexus and Milo were stunned to hear an apology from the cat. They knew Iris far longer than Abel. Although they weren't friends, Iris' reputation was well-known in their kind, not to mention his family background.

"You're discussing my nightmares," he said and noticed how they all averted their gaze from him. "I'm not mad. I'm not even upset. I just want to know the truth. That's why, I insisted on meeting my grandmother."

"You think she has something to say," Iris remarked.

Abel nodded. "I always question every memory, every impulse since I was young. I always thought her history had a funny way of being written. Like she was living as someone else. They said she used to be a model and everyone in town seems to know her as such when I ask. She knits. She cooks. She likes to sew. I guess, she pretty much did everything a normal grandmother would..."

"But?" Milo could sense the question coming and he urged Abel to continue.

"But...she had strength about her. I knew because...because she once defended me."

Lexus, "Something happened."

"Something did. When I was young, probably around seven or eight, I came with her to a forest. She said we were meeting a friend. I was curious and ran away from her. I remember I wanted to explore...then, a shtriga came and attacked me. I recalled my nonna coming for me, how she fought that monster alone. After that, I couldn't remember anymore. I couldn't even remember if I met her friend. I woke up and I was back in the house. The house I grew up with in Puglia. Everyone just...greeted me. As if nothing happened. As if we weren't strangers at all..."