Hidden Paths: Vampire Revenge

Chapter Nine

"Isabella, can I talk to you?" Ray asked, stepping out onto the patio.

She sat in one of the white lounge chairs next to the pool and was staring out into the dark night.

"Yes, of course, Ray," she said smiling as he closed the door behind him.

Everyone else had gone to bed. And he had seen Tony leave the house. He had waited until they had done so to approach her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him, her smile turning to a frown as she studied his face.

"That's what I wanted to ask you," he said, sitting down next to her.

"I am fine, thank you."

"What's going on with you? You can trust me."

"I do not know what you say."

Ray sighed. "I know you're not who you say you are," Ray said to her seriously.

Isabella looked at him puzzled.

"Katarina never had a son named Antonio," Ray told her frankly.

"How do you know that?" she asked straightening.

"The power of the internet."

Isabella looked away.

"So who the hell are you?"

"I mean no harm," Isabella told him, looking him in the eye.

"I know that," he said with a nod, "I can tell nice people. And of course, Emily can and she would have spoken up by now if you weren't."

"She hasn't read my mind," Isabella said firmly.

"No. But she gets feelings about people. Like she did with those guys at the club."

"What guys?"

Ray laughed. "I seem to have a special gift, Isabella. It seems that I go unnoticed a lot. So you may not have noticed me around you when you were talking with the two Italian guys. I don't speak Italian, but it didn't sound like friendly conversations to me."

"They are visiting from Italy. We know each other. They come to say hello to be polite. But we don't get along."

"Would you mind telling me what's going on? You can trust me," Ray said, trying to be nice about it but he was getting agitated.

"No," Isabella said. "I don't know," Isabella muttered, her guard weakening at the sincere concern in his eyes.

"For starters, I want to know, who the hell you think you are pretending to be Tony's great granddaughter when you're not?! And why Katarina would cover your story?!" Ray snapped at her, finally losing it.

"Katarina believed it would be best that he believe so. At least at first," Isabella answered, sticking her chin up in defense of the woman.

"Why?"

"So he won't get hurt," Isabella answered softly.

"Who would hurt him? Those guys?" he demanded. Isabella nodded after a moment. "Why do they want to hurt him?"

"I cannot say."

"Isabella, please. Let me help. Let us help," Ray said, gesturing to the house.

"I cannot. It is best you all do not know. Let me handle it. I promise to you I will do everything so no one is hurt."

"How can I trust you Isabella if you don't trust me? Tony's a good friend. I'm not going to see him get hurt. Let me help you."

A tear slid down her cheek. "I know not what to do, Ray," she said, wiping the tear away.