Blood-Born

Chapter II - Part 4

Voices greeted her as she discovered Valeria had also returned and met their visitor in the yard.

"Tessa, Mokhito has been gracious enough to deliver what we've asked for from our various collections and offered to pick up the others that have travelled with us for return and safe keeping."

This woman was altogether different from their previous couriers.

Taller than the others with dark hair that fell as a tangled curtain nearly to her waist; features of undeniable artistic beauty more Persian or Arabic than European held dark eyes that studied her with unflinching directness.

It was subtle yet ominous, but it was there from the moment that they met – waves of dark premonition that seemed to echo from this woman.

Not unlike vulnerable prey suddenly having discovered a dangerous predator that had appeared in their path far too close for comfort or escape.

When Tessa held out her hand she forced herself to remain calm while the woman reached to her waist and pulled out a hidden strap from beneath her leather belt and handed it to her without a word.

Along the strap were several off-white coins etched with symbols that would make little sense to anyone other than those who knew how to use them.

Ghobasella Stones...

While Valeria conducted a tour, Tessa made her way from room to room, gently having pricked her thumb to press it against each stone where they would either hang or otherwise be positioned as a floor piece.

The stones themselves were a unique way to transport valuable artwork, using magic to render them elsewhere while the stones were transported.

Blood shared by herself or Valeria were the only keys that could bring the contents of each stone back unless the witch who created them chose to do so herself.

Or in this case Matriarch Vernaroo – Chief Curator for none other than the Vatican Royal Court of Rome.

Vernaroo and Valeria had worked together in an effort to help protect the secrets that the church had found absolutely necessary to remain safely hidden far and away from those who might otherwise have sought or attempted to locate them for reasons that were not agreed to by the elders of a church that even the sitting Pope in Rome dared not question if he wished to survive his reign for very long.

A dhampyre much like herself the only mystery that remained regarding Vernaroo the witch was who among the court was master to their keeper of secrets and why.

With each painting properly hung and their collection of chosen statuary placed in each room, Tessa used the extra stones which remained to prepare what little artwork that had travelled with them and would need storage to make room for the new pieces invariable created to replace them during their stay.

She was somewhat surprised to have found their visitor alone in the morning room where she stood before her latest work.

Without looking up, Mokhito reached out with a narrow hand to receive the strap that was secured while she continued to study the painting.

"I've seen several of your self-portraits in Paris and Rome." She offered in a surprisingly soft voice with a smooth yet clipped accent as she turned and backed away to face her.

Tessa forced herself not to react.

"I do not recall having done any self-portraits, are you sure that they were mine?"

"They were part of several Babassano collections; an old woman in various scenes that I assumed was what you may have thought that you would have looked like if you hadn't become as you are today; given that you were an orphan, of course."