Rise of the Nephilim (5 page)

Jude calmed his nerves and did his best to mask his overpowering attraction to Emily. “What brings you to Rome, Miss Cooper? Surely, it’s not to stumble into a random bar to meet me, although I must admit that meeting an admirer outside of a convention is pretty exciting.”

“You can just call me Emily. I’m actually on holiday at the moment. It’s been ages since I took a trip around the Continent, and I’ve so desperately missed the Italian countryside.”

“I understand,” Jude said. “This is my first time here, and it’s been an absolutely amazing experience. What do you normally do when you aren’t sight-seeing or sitting in wine bars with strangers?”

“Well, if you must know, I teach secondary school in Chelsea. The work can be mundane at times, but it does pay the bills. I watched you speak two years ago on the black dog legends of the moors and possible explanations. I find it intriguing that you still find possibility in the existence of such creatures in some way or another. I do adore a bit of fantasy every now and then.”

Jude nodded, “Sometimes the truth is even stranger than fiction, though. Half the fun of chasing legends is discovering their origin. Speaking of legends, Antonio is an exorcist for the Church. He’s the reason I’m here.”

Amusement sprang into her eyes.

“Not just a priest, but an exorcist? That must be an interesting job. Don’t tell me you’re out to debunk this poor man’s work, Mister Sullivan?” Emily teased.

“You can call me Jude,” he said confidently. “After some of the things I’ve seen, I can tell you that I am a firm advocate of the work he does. Plus, we’re old friends.”

“Really? How did you two meet?” she asked.

“We were roommates in seminary together,” Jude recounted. “I ended up dropping out a couple of years in, though.”

“How come?” Emily questioned.

“Well, I was always more enamored with the mystery of the faith rather than the practice of it. I eventually lost interest and left to pursue general studies in mythology and religion.”

Gallo chimed in, “It was a scandal at the school. I can’t imagine what the old headmaster thought when you signed on for your own television show.”

Jude laughed,” I can’t imagine what he would think now of me consulting for the Vatican.”

Emily chuckled and tilted her head.

“Oh really? Now I’m intrigued. Do tell!”

Jude looked at Gallo questioningly.

Gallo contemplated for a few seconds before he nodded his consent.

“Okay, but I shall have to conceal the names and locations of those involved.”

Emily clapped her hands together in excitement before she settled her head in her hands with rapt attention, as Jude and Gallo recounted the ordeal in Georgia.

“…there was nothing we could do for him,” Jude finished.

“That’s one of the saddest things I’ve ever heard. That poor little boy,” Emily slurred mournfully, as she held onto Jude’s arm.

The little group had kept drinking through the tale, and everyone was now sporting a good buzz.

“I know. It’s kept me up at night thinking there is something I could have done to help, but I really don’t think there was,” Jude replied.

Father Gallo’s face showed that this particular ghost was coming back to haunt him again with an intensity even alcohol had ceased to dull. “With that story told, I think I will retire for the night. It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Cooper,” he said as he held out his hand. “Jude, I shall see you tomorrow but maybe not so early as usual, yes?”

“Good night, Father,” the two said simultaneously behind him, as he shuffled wearily out of the bar.

Jude sighed, “He still hasn’t gotten over it. I think losing that boy has really shaken his confidence.”

“He seems to have a strong will,” Emily assured him. “I think he’ll be alright. I believe he had the right idea about turning in for night, though. Care to escort a girl back to her room? I’m staying at the Adriatic.”

“Of course, dear lady!” he said gallantly and offered his arm.

They walked out into the cool night air and strolled down the cobblestone street toward the hotel. The streets were mostly deserted, except for the few denizens of the city like themselves, trying to find refuge after a night of debauchery. A lone dog growled and barked at them from an alleyway. Emily clung to him visibly startled by the creature.

“Get out of here!” Jude yelled at it and tossed a loose piece of cobblestone its way to drive it off.

“So, what do you teach at your school, Emily?” Jude prompted, trying to soothe her.

“I’m teach A-level classes for Upper Sixth students,” she admitted.

“Beautiful and smart!” Jude exclaimed.

Emily blushed and tightened her grip on his arm, “It’s just literature. It’s not like I’m teaching physics or anything.”

Jude smiled,” It still takes a prodigious mind to delve through the annals of human imagination. Some of the old poets are beyond me. So, how does a bookworm like you get into a show like mine?”

“Mysteries exist everywhere, Jude. Like Carl Sagan said… if something has not yet been proven true, that does not mean that it is necessarily false. Likewise, we can’t rule out the existence of the fantastical based on lack of evidence or our own limited understanding of how the universe works. The human imagination is amazing at filling in the gaps. The Norse myths are my favorite. Only people who lived in such harsh conditions could come up with such a fatalistic view of the world.”

“A good choice,” mused Jude. “I’ve always been partial to the ancient Indo-Chinese myth of the cosmic turtle that carried the Earth on its back.  It’s fascinating to imagine truly believing that a fantastically large amphibian could be the foundation of the world.”

“Indeed, it is,” she agreed. They stepped the hotel lobby and headed for the elevator.

The elevator pinged, and they entered the hallway toward Emily’s room. Jude decided to take a chance. He had enjoyed his time with her, especially since his busy schedule had not afforded him the opportunity to meet many women lately.

“Listen, Emily,” he said hesitantly, as she opened the door to her room. “Would you like to get together tomorrow to do some sight-seeing? I’ll talk to Antonio in the morning and let him know I’m not coming in, if you do. I mean, I don’t know how long you plan on staying in Rome, but…”

Her sudden kiss interrupted his potential rambling monologue. The action was so unexpected that it took a few seconds for his brain to process what was happening. He soon surrendered to it and wrapped his arms around her.

“Don’t be in such a rush to leave, Mister Sullivan,” she said alluringly, as she stepped back into the shelter of the room. She flung her hair into her face, so that he could only see her softly biting her lower lip. She shifted her shoulders in just the right way that her dress fell straight to the floor. “It’s still early, and I would love for you to tell me more about your travels. I’m sure you have so much to teach me.”

“Much more,” he heard himself agree, as she pulled him inside. He was sure Gallo would understand if he was ate to work tomorrow.

The burble of running water woke him up and melted away a faint haze of disorientation. The events of the previous night began trickling back to him, and he let out a smile. He quickly scanned the empty room and realized Emily was already in the shower.

He slowly sat up and steadied himself, as a small wave of nausea poured over him. He didn’t drink like that often, but the evening had turned out much better than he had planned. He stood up to tap the flickering lamp bulb beside him. Even good hotels could never be perfect. The water stopped, and Emily walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel.

“My God, you must be an angel” he said in renewed awe of her beauty.

“Good morning to you too,” she responded sultrily with a wink. “I hope you slept well. I have quite a few things planned for today, since you promised to be my escort.”

“Actually, I slept better than I have in a while,” he informed her, pleased that there was no morning-after awkwardness. “I really need to contact Gallo first and check in with him, before we go anywhere, though.”

“I’m sure he can spare you for today,” she pleaded in a disappointed voice. “You yourself told me how hard you’ve been working, and everyone deserves a day off! You did promise after all.”

She placed her hands on his right knee, pursed her lips in a faux pout, and leaned over and stared into his eyes. He pitied himself, because he recognized the tactics of her body language, just like he knew he wouldn’t be able to resist it.

“I…I suppose he can just call me if he needs anything. It’s not like we’ll be too far away.”

“Sensational! I’m going to get dressed, while you go take a shower, you dirty boy. We can stop by your hotel for a fresh change of clothes on our way to the Coliseum.”

Within an hour and a half, they were on their way for a whirlwind tour of the city. Emily convinced Jude to turn his phone off, so she could have his full attention during their visit to the crumbling oval of the Coliseum and the stately ruins of the Forum, the ancient marketplace of Rome. They decided to conclude their tour of the area by strolling down the manicured lawns of the opulent late-Renaissance era palace, the Villa Borghese.

He was able to discover much more about her as they traveled. She was born and raised in London, where her father ran a bookstore. She grew up there lost in books, encouraged to crave and seek out knowledge. Her parents managed to save and borrow enough to send her to Oxford, where she studied literature and education. After University, she found work at one of the premiere private schools in the United Kingdom.

Jude shared with her his childhood in rural Georgia and the trips around the world his parents took him on, when they vacationed from their medical practices. He spoke of his hunts with his friends to local graveyards and abandoned houses in search of supernatural thrills. These trips and the various books on local superstitions he collected from the locations they visited had fueled his studies in mythology and the occult. He began his career writing books about true ghost stories and recording himself investigating haunted houses. He found his big break, so to speak, after he was approached by a local cable access channel to film a documentary on America’s legendary creatures like Sasquatch and the Jersey Devil. The documentary was a moderate success, but he had since leveraged that into his own series that once again allowed him to travel the world. This type of work was how he had maintained his living for the past six years.

“I was beginning to plan an investigation into the jungles of Malaysia to try to uncover the secrets of the vampiric Pontianak before Antonio called me to the Vatican. Considering what I’ve seen, I’m glad I accepted his offer. I never suspected we’d get the results we did. It makes me regret signing that non-disclosure agreement. You never heard us talk about any of that last night, by the way,” he said as he grabbed her hand, “you’re just so easy to talk to.”

“You’re so sweet,” she crooned, as she leaned over for a kiss. “Maybe we should stop for lunch.”

“Sure,” agreed Jude. He motioned a little way down the street. “I see a café down there. Let’s drop in and see what they have.”

They settled down at a table and ordered drinks. Emily excused herself and disappeared into the back towards the ladies’ room. Jude decided he should check his phone while he had a chance, so he pulled it out of his pocket and booted it up. To his surprise, he saw a few missed calls from Gallo plus a voicemail. He keyed up the software and held the phone to his ear.

“Jude, I know you probably went home with that
Bella Donna
, Miss Cooper, from last night and want to spend some time with her. I just received another assignment right here in the city, though, so I need you to call me as soon as you get this. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.”

Jude ended the voicemail and dialed Gallo. It rang twice before the exorcist picked up.

“Jude, thank goodness you called back! We have a man to attend to right here in Rome! The doctors have no explanation for his condition, so we’ve been asked to assist. Meet me at the corner of
Via Sirte
and
Via Adigrat
. Where are you now?”

“I’m near the Villa Borghese,” replied Jude.

“Good,” Gallo cut in hastily. “I should see you in thirty minutes, then.”

The priest abruptly hung up the phone, leaving Jude slightly flabbergasted but with a sense of urgency. He was in the process of telling their waiter they had some pressing business to attend to when Emily walked back to the table.

“What’s the matter, Jude?” She asked.

“Gallo just called, and there is a case not too far from here. He said it’s urgent, so I need to leave as soon as possible. I’m so sorry to do this to you. I know I promised to spend the entire day with you.”

Emily’s face fell for a second but quickly transformed into a sly smile. “You don’t have to leave me, you know. I could come with you.”

“I don’t know how Antonio will react to that,” protested Jude. “Plus, I’d rather you stay out of harm’s way. You can go back to the hotel, and I’ll meet you there when we’re done.”

Emily assumed a semi-pleading, semi-stubborn stance. “I’ve never had the opportunity to experience the things you have, Jude. I promise I’ll sit in the corner and be quiet. If you make me go back to the hotel, I can’t guarantee I’ll be there when you return. “

The threat of losing his new-found paramour so soon made his decision simpler. “Okay. You can accompany me to meet with Gallo, and we can try to convince him to allow you to observe. The decision is ultimately up to him, though, agreed?”

Emily nodded emphatically.

Jude grabbed her hand and led her toward the main thoroughfare as he continued, “Great! He sounded pretty wound up on the phone, so let’s get there as quickly as we can. Taxi!”