Bella Vita (53 page)

“
Um, being royal doesn't come with a
stupid handbook.” I huffed.

“
True. Someone should've told you. Oh,
well. What can I do for you?” I heard her shift the
phone.

“
I need to talk with you about my
vision of Issy and her beau.” My nerves shot back up.

“
Why don't you just share the images
with me?” She asked as if it was the most logical thing in the
world.

“
I hadn't realized I could share things
like that with someone I'm not linked to.” My voice was
uncertain.

“
Of course. Just focus on sending the
thoughts to me- like sending an e-mail, that's what it's called
right?” Betty asked.

“
Yep, an e-mail. Okay, you can get them
at a distance like this?” I was amazed.

“
Of course. Now show me what you're so
worried about.” Her voice was demanding- I heard her maid gasp as
Betty used that tone with the Queen of the Vampires.

I closed my eyes and pictured Betty, as I was
thinking of her I thought of sending the dream to her. I was
concentrating as hard as I could.

“
Interesting.” She said as the images
reached her.

A tear rolled down my cheek, big and fat, as
the images ended.

“
Well, I can tell you one thing for
certain. That happens here.” My mouth dropped open.

“
How do you know?” I whispered into the
phone.

“
Because they were headed to the mixed
club for wolves and vamps in old London. The doorway is hidden and
it's down in the tunnels.” It sounded like a place Betty didn't
think fondly of.

“
Can you tell me anything else?” I
hoped something else might stand out to her.

“
Well, Jack is in a famous werewolf
band, if he is attacked by a vampire, it wouldn't matter that you
and Dom recognized them- they would want retribution. Period. But
he wasn't struck down by Isabella. There is a flash before you
manage to get there- whatever that is, it's what kills him. I have
a feeling, dear child, that you won't be able to stop Jack's death-
but you might be able to save Isabella.” She gave me a moment to
understand what she was saying.

“
Do... do you think that the people who
have been trying to cause the vamps and wolves to turn against each
other are the same people who attack Jack?” I wasn't even sure if
that made sense when it finally came out.

“
Yes.” I took a deep breath
in.

“
Then this really is war.” My voice
held all the determination I felt about trying to save Jack and
Issy and stop these stupid people.

“
Child, be careful. What you're up
against is clouded in such darkness that even I can't see what's
going to happen. The more the people you care about get involved-
the more their futures disappear from my visions. I don't know what
this means, but I worry.” Betty's voice was filled with worry and
fraught.

“
We'll do our best to stay safe. But I
can't stand by and let those I love die for something that wasn't
their concern in the first place.” My voice was set.

“
I understand. You make a good Queen,
Emma. Be well. I'll be visiting soon.” Betty laughed in the phone
as she hung up.

I shook my head.
Some things will never change- regardless of me being the
Queen.
I laughed.

I turned and was startled by Dom sitting in
one of the chairs.

Hmm.

“
So how long have you been
there?” I had my hands on my hips.

“
Well, I was tucked into
the little alcove, when you didn't see me I moved over here- then
you got on the phone and the room seemed to be forgotten.” He
smiled at me.

“
Harmph.” My lips pursed at
him.

“
So,
mia bella
, what did you learn from
our favorite mystic?” His lips pulled into his cocky
smile.

“
Noneya.” I replied
straight-faced.

“
Noneya?” Confusion passed
over his face.

“
None ya business.” I
purred.

“
Ha ha, very funny.” He
pouted.

“
Okay, fine, big baby...
I'll tell you, but only if you scoot over.” I waved my hands at him
to inch.

I watched as he moved and then plopped
myself down and threw my legs over his.

“
So here's the scoop. It'll
happen in England. Jack is some famous werewolf. His death wouldn't
be something that would go over well with them. Betty believes he's
killed by one of the freaks we're dealing with now... but Issy will
be blamed and they'll call for her blood. She also warns us all
that our futures get lost when get involved with these dark witches
or whatever they are.” I was staring out the window as I said
this.

“
Did she have a time
frame?” His brow was pulled together in the middle.

“
She didn't say, I didn't
ask.” I realized I probably should've asked.

“
Where in England?” He
looked away thinking.

“
She said it was at some
co-op vamp/wolf place that happens down in tunnels?” I wasn't sure
of the place.

“
I know of it. We'll go to
England soon, I think. I need to see to some of the BN stuff
happening on site. We could call it a small holiday.” His mind was
strategizing.

“
Yes, I suppose we could
call it a 'holiday'.” I made air-quotes.

“
Do you have any idea how
much more time we have?” He turned to stare at me.

“
It'll happen within the
next month. We need to track down your sister or Jack... If we
can't do that then we need to scope out this place every night.
I'll try and get a fix on time besides night, next time I dream.” I
nodded my head as I said this.

“
Then I'll make plans to
have our schedules cleared for two weeks, in two weeks. Is that
okay?” He shifted my legs off him as he rose.

“
That should be fine.
Dom...” I reached out for him, “we'll do something for your sister.
I promise.”

“
I know,
mia bella
. I know. But
there are some things we can't fix for her, and I'm afraid what
this kind of death would do to her.” He shook his head as if to
clear out the bad thoughts.

“
Don't worry. Your sister
is stronger than you give her credit for. But we'll do our best to
prevent her from losing him.” I said to him right before he left
the room.

“
I know...” His words
trailed off as his thoughts seemed to pull him further away from
me.

I spent the next two weeks in a furry of
luncheons, meetings, appointments, parties, dinners, and very
little time talking to Dom or Mike. I got to see my grandfather
once, but he was still tired out and I couldn't heal it away. It
was good to see him awake and functioning. We didn't have the talk
about how he was saved, yet. But we would once I knew he would be
fine. My grandmother came in for a visit before he had to rest
more. I left them alone together.

Before I knew it, it was time to fly to
England. I still had no clues about the club and we hadn't found
Issy or Jack. I even had Mike looking for him.

“
I really and truly don't
understand how you can't be found by royalty?” The words escaped
out of my mouth as Dom and I landed in England.

“
Well, maybe famous people
are able to pull just as many strings. It's odd that we can't find
Issy though.” His face was scrunched up.

“
Hey don't make that face-
it's gonna stick.” I laughed as he stuck his tongue out.

“
Come on, the car is
waiting.” He took my bag and walked me over to the limo waiting for
us.

“
Dude, a limo? Aren't the
streets just as narrow here as they're in Italy?” I rolled my eyes
at the car.

“
Unfortunately, this was
the only one that was really up for the job of protection.” He
didn't expand on his statement.

“
Right.” It came out as a
snort.

We drove in silence. Once we hit the posh
hotel, I internally groaned.

“
I have a hotel in Ireland
we coulda stayed at.” I pouted at the richness.

“
I know but we need to be
here. We might end up trying to get out of here fast with Issy.”
His eyes clouded darkly.

“
Fine.” I crossed my arms
and tried to keep the pout off my face.

“
So I figure we'll monitor
the other club at nights.” His voice was all business.

“
Yep. And deal with the
Bella Notte stuff during the day?” I was trying to change my
attitude.

“
There's very little that
actually needs to be done with the England Bella. I figured that
this way people would believe we were here for business reasons...
not something like this.” He was lost in thought.

“
No matter what, we'll save
her in time.” I sent a silent prayer out into the
universe.

“
I know, Em.
Mia bella
, we will.” He
took my hand and led me into the hotel.

When the sun set, the city was rich with
excitement. I could see why Dom wanted a Bella Notte here. England
was entirely different from my last trip when I went to see Betty.
This was the city, the beautiful grunge that the United States
punkers so wanted but could never truly get to. The city tasted of
grit from days of yore.

We went out to what had once been the center
of London. The City of London area was amazing in the forgotten and
reclaimed sorta way. Dom took us to the Walbrook Wharf. From there
we took several confusing twists and turns deeper into the long
forgotten areas of the City. When we stopped in front of an old
sewer, I began to worry that I wasn't fully ready for the world I
was about to enter.

“
No worries,
mia bella
. You'll be
fine.” His fingers gently caressed the back on my hand.

He held his glowing tattoo to the stone next
to the opening. I followed suite. The ground gave a gentle rumble
and then opened the tunnel for us.

My mouth dropped open.

“
Dude! A tunnel just popped
open out of nowhere!” I squeaked.

“
Surely that isn't that
surprising, Emma.” Dom chuckled at me.

He walked forward, toting me behind him.

The walls were black, the world around us
swallowed us in its pitch black belly. I was tempted to reach out
to see if the walls were coated in slime.

Was this really a
sewer?
I tried to keep the disgust out of
my thoughts.

Yes. But it was never
connected to the system. It was forgotten and then taken over by
our kind. It's no longer written in the city's blueprints.
It never stops to shock me just how deep our
influence ran.

After we had walked for about ten minutes in
the maddening darkness, I began to feel it deep in my bones- the
beat. The music called to a primal level of myself. I had to fight
to stop the urge to start dancing in the tunnel.

It's spelled.
Dom cautioned me.

It's done well. It's so
hard to resist.
My body screamed to
move.

It's to stop the newcomers
in the tunnel for inspection. Anyone coming down here that's been
here before would know to guard themselves from it. It keeps the
club safe. It lessens once you get inside- but not much. People
tend to allow the spell to take them once they're inside.
I could feel his memories pulse through our
link.

The blackness began to slide away with a
mixture of colors. I felt like I was walking into a rainbow. Once
we finally stepped into the club my mind went blank and all I
wanted to do was enjoy the pleasures that this place had to offer.
The music coursed through my veins, my vision was heightened into
Technicolor, and the air smelled as though it had been custom made
just for me.

Yum.
I closed my eyes and threw every protection I could up to
block out what was trying to distract me from my mission of saving
Issy.

More spells. Each person is
assaulted with their own piece of heaven. The blocks you threw up
won't keep it out for long. People don't come here to not enjoy
themselves, it forces you to. They'll dull the effects for some
time but that's all. Let's see if we can find her, then if we don't
dance and enjoy the patrons will suspect something.
Dom's words were like dangling a carrot in front
of a very wanting horse.

We walked several circuits around the club
searching for her signature- anything that would direct me to her.
I couldn't find her and I didn't know Jack, so I couldn't pick up
on him. We sat at a table and drinks manifested in front of us.

My eyes bugged out of my head.

“Drink. We'll watch as best
we can as we enjoy.” His smile was like radiating sunshine, I
wanted to drink him in.

I took a testing sip from the glass and it
was like a combination of werewolf blood and my favorite soda. I
looked at Dom.

“It's custom to you. No one
else will taste the same thing. If you sipped from my glass it
would just be another drink of your fancy.” He shrugged as if to
say don't question the magic, just enjoy it.