| Dark Heart By Mommints and Adriana |
| ~*~ Chapter 9 ~*~ Venice The girls enjoyed a quiet stay at the hotel but left bright and early the next day so they could travel back to Venice and arrive sometime later in the day. Cynthia and Tatianna were in the front of the car, chatting away about some men they had seen in the hotel lobby but Greta was in the back with Adriana and worried about her friend. Adriana looked like she had spent a sleepless night and had the dark circles under her eyes to prove it. If questioned or teased too much, she snapped at them and went back into silence, only talking once in a while in answer to a direct question. She would never admit to anyone that her night had been filled with bad dreams and visions of Luciano reaching for her, his hands covered in blood, his eyes pleading with her not to run away. At times, it almost felt as if he were standing in the room along side her bed, watching her as she slept and reaching out to lightly caress her face. With a sigh, she snuggled back into the leather seat of the Audi and folded her arms over her chest, intent on taking a nap but felt Greta staring at her. “What? Para el motivo del cielo, qué ahora (For heaven's sake, what now), Greta?” She demanded. “Nothing, nothing, I was just concerned for my friend, that’s all.” “There’s nothing to be concerned about, I’m just tired.” Greta reached over and patted Adriana’s knee. “Just making sure, that’s all. Take a nap, ok and we’ll talk later.” “There’s no need to talk, I’m fine.” “Yeah right you are and I’m a millionaire.” Greta softly laughed and wisely, let the subject drop. About halfway through the trip, Cynthia made a wrong turn and they found themselves in a quaint little village, not far from the one they had visited yesterday of San Gimignano but far enough to where they had to stop for directions. As Tatianna and Greta headed off to talk with some of the locals, Adriana and Greta decided to stretch their legs again and walk around a few blocks in the town. As they strolled through the streets and passed by the various cafes and shops, they got the strangest feeling people were watching them and pointing at them. “What on earth is going on here?” Greta wondered. “They act like they’ve never seen two American women before.” “I have no idea.” Adriana muttered, concerned when one particular old gentleman stopped and stared at her in open mouthed shock. “Il dio li salva, dato che è parte posteriore di Julianna dai morti (God save us, for it is Julianna back from the dead!)” He hastily made several signs of the cross over himself for protection and hurried away, casting fearful glances back at the two surprised women. “What was that all about?” Greta asked. “He said something about Julianna.” Adriana confirmed. “Who’s Julianna?” Greta asked but her friend declined to answer. Ignoring that strange reaction as well as countless others, they continued walking down the street until they came across a quaint little church, nestled off to the side in the town square, and there Adriana bumped into the priest that was just leaving. Father Contorno di Maggio reacted quickly and reached out to catch the young woman he had collided with before she could fall, and instead came up short in astonishment as he got a good look at her face. He held onto her arms, his mouth hanging open in shock and he gasped the same name they had been hearing since starting their little stroll not to long ago. “Juliana?!?” He asked, searching her face for details. “Questo non può essere! (This cannot be!)” “Ok that’s it. Do you speak English?” Greta exclaimed. “Lei capisce Inglese?” “Please, let me go.” Adriana begged at the same time. “ Sì, me perdona per favore (Yes, please pardon me), I meant no harm.” “Then you can tell us why everyone around here is looking at my friend like she’s some sort....of ghost or something.” Greta demanded. “Ghost? Ah si, I know why.” Contorno shook his head in amazement. “It’s most uncanny and unusual but please, do not be alarmed.” “Then why do I get scared when you say that?” Adriana asked. “Do you know why are people looking at me and calling me Juliana?” The Father ran a hand through his thinning hair and seemed to be having an inner struggle with himself, as if debating on answering Adriana’s question, then finally he nodded. “Please, come with me and I will answer all of your questions, si?” He asked and turned back to the church doors, gesturing for the girls to go inside. They walked through the cool foyer, and down the long aisle, past all the wooden pews, and passing by twelve large stained glass windows depicting the disciples on each side of the church. “Again, forgive me for I didn’t mean to startle you.” Contorno began. “You see, you do resemble someone that this town used to know, a daughter of two of its citizens.” They passed by the alter and went around the side, through a small arched doorway that led into another hallway, this one decorated with paintings that dated around the 18th century. “The story, as told to me from my predecessors, was that there was the family Salvatori, Rudolfo and Caterina who had a young daughter named Juliana. They were a poor but honest and religious family, being faithful worshipers of this church even before their only child was baptized here. Juliana was the apple of her parents eye, and everyone adored her, for she was smart, beautiful, full of life. She had a desire to know everything the world had to offer, even taking fencing and riding lessons her parents forbade her to take. In the eighteenth year of Juliana’s life, one day on the way to the market, she met a young nobleman from Venice who was here visiting with his parents. They literally bumped into each other in the town square and although it was her fault, Juliana demanded his apology, for you see he had inadvertently gotten mud on her new walking dress.” The three of them turned down another corridor, and the girls were wide-eyed in awe at the paintings and enraptured with the story Contorno was telling. “The young man refused at first, declaring she was at fault and they argued, a heated disagreement because he had never seen anyone like her before and because Juliana wasn’t exactly the most gentlest of creatures. When he made a nasty comment on the style of her dress, she did what came naturally. And punched him in the mouth. They say he went down fast and laid there for a few moments, to surprised to react. But when he did, he jumped up to his feet and soundly kissed Juliana, declaring she was the only person he knew that could do something like that and get away with it. The story goes on to say they had a firey, whirl wind courtship and after one year, he asked for her hand in marriage. They had a simple, yet beautiful wedding right here in the church and after their honeymoon in Florence, he took his bride home to live in his estate in Venice.” Contorno stopped in front of a small, oval shaped door and took out a jumble of keys, muttering to himself as he finally found the right one and unlocked it. He gestured again when he saw the girls were uncertain as to whether to follow him or not because the hallway was now darker and gloomier, a few scones on the walls lite and giving off meager light. “This way, please?” He waved them over. “This hallway is for the older patrons of the church, so we could make room for the newer ones to go out front. I believe it should be over here.” “So what happened to Juliana, did she live happily ever after with her nobleman?” Adriana asked. “I wish there was another way to say this but no. Sadly, two years after they were married, Juliana was mysteriously killed one night in her home by an intruder. She and her husband had just returned from an evening out when they were attacked and murdered. Rumors circulated that somehow, he had survived the attack and to this day, lives as a blood drinker, the undead, a vampire. But I don’t believe that nonsense. I believe he waits for his beloved Juliana to return to him so his soul can rest in peace. Ah, here’s the picture.” And they finally stopped in front of the Salvatori family painting. “It was very sad after her death. Her grieving parents soon died themselves, some say of broken hearts over the tragic loss.” “Engendre en el cielo, me ayuda (Father in heaven, help me.)” Whispered Adriana and held onto a stunned Greta for dear life. Staring down at them, across the valleys of time, was a different Adriana staring back at them. She was dressed in a simple but beautiful auburn colored gown, her long hair swept up in a crown on her head, its red curls dangling down and gently touching her shoulders. She was seated and smiling, one hand resting on over the loving hand of her mother placed on her shoulder, her father beaming with pride in having two beautiful women in his life. “Now you can see why my people are a bit effected by the sight of you, no?” Contorno asked. He never got an answer because suddenly, Adriana pitched forward, her world spinning around like crazy and she fainted before anyone could react. They carried her to the Father’s office and laid her on the leather couch, where Greta tried rousing her friend and Contorno ran off to fetch some water and smelling salts. He came back a moment later, chastising himself for causing Adriana to faint. “I am so sorry, Sono cosí dolente but it was what you wanted to know, si?” He asked and gently patted Adriana’s hand. “Yeah but I never would have expected all that.” Greta exclaimed and grabbed the smelling salts, breaking over the little packet and waving it under Adriana’s nose. “But there’s one thing you never mentioned and I‘m curious. What was the name of Julianna’s husband?” Contorno hesitated, seeing Adriana come out of her faint and not sure for some reason if he should say. “Please?” Adriana whispered. “I have to know.” “Luciano Peverite.” Contorno sighed. ~*~ The girls made it back to where Tatianna and Cynthia were waiting, and argued almost the whole way, especially over the discovery of Adriana’s twin. Greta was all for telling her friends everything but a teary-eyed and pleading Adriana made her swear not too. “Please, let me handle this, ok?” She had asked. “You heard the man, he said Luciano. Your Luciano!” Greta stated. “I didn’t want to believe Tatianna’s ramblings about him being a vampire but now, you can’t deny it. There’s proof, a priest even said it, for God’s sake.” Adriana stopped walking and grabbed Greta’s hands. “Please, I ask you as your best friend. Let me handle this, ok? I want to confront him tonight, for I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other.” “Uh hello, are you in there? You really want to see this guy even after what you’ve learned today about him?” “Yes.” “Are you nuts?” Greta asked. “No, I’m in love.” Adriana answered sadly. Speechless for a moment, Greta stopped and simply stared at her friend. “Oh no, wait a minute. You think you can save this guy, right? That you can somehow turn him back into being a mortal, am I right?” Adriana’s silence was the answer. “Ok, you have to listen to me on this one, please. This isn’t “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and you’re sure as hell not Buffy. This isn’t like television where you can kick some other vampire’s ass to save him, this is real life and Luciano is a.....a killer!” “I know what I have to do, Greta. And I know I was meant to save him, don’t ask me how I know but I do. Please help me on this? Don’t say anything to Tatianna just yet and let me talk to him tonight. I swear I’ll be careful and I swear on my mother’s heart, nothing will happen.” Greta shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. She shook her head again and looked at Adriana, seeing the determination on her face. “I must be insane to agree to this.” She finally said. “Gracias mi estimado amigo (Thank you, my dear friend.)” “Don’t go thanking me yet. You and I are going to have to figure out where you’re going to meet him and I want to be there, just hiding in the back in case something happens, ok?” Adriana nodded her agreement. Now on the ride back to Venice, she wasn’t so sure about her plan of seeing Luciano tonight but she felt an odd sensation that time was running out. And she needed to save him from something far more sinister than being a vampire. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Dark Heart - Chapter 10 |