Cursed To Be With You

Chapter 16 (Part 3 ~ ONC #10)

"It is possible. In the report that I was given, it said that the gate was a large stone formation in a circular pattern, ground level. How long has that been there?"

"Thousands of years. There are many thoughts on what it was used for. A lot of people think that it's aliens that have done things like this place and the pyramids like they think that their ancestors didn't have a brain in their heads and couldn't figure out how to move a heavy stone. Did you want to go there?"

He nodded so, I grabbed the computer and searched the opening hours.

"Last admittance is three pm, and they close at five. Give an hour for stragglers and the staff to leave, and I'd say we'd be right on track for an early evening stroll. The only problem is the guards. This place is a world heritage listed site; there is no way they would let anyone just stroll in to walk around in the middle of the night."

"Well, then we will have to be careful."

"You're not going to damage the place, are you?"

"I have no idea. Remember that I was in a thick stone box when I came through so I could not see anything."

"You drew a picture going over water."

"It sounded and felt like water, but I don't know. There is a chance that it could be going through the gate and it sounds the same."

Hearing a ding from the utility room, I wandered in with the wash basket. As I was unloading the hot clothes, I happened to look out the window. The view of the neighbour's unit almost made me drop the basket.

"That was not what I wanted." I groaned.

Ingrid, the horrible woman, must have reported him to the police and now the place was lit up while they searched it. I wished that there was time to make her pay, but I suspect that it would not be long before she returned.

Dumping the basket onto the dining table, I began folding the clothes. Everything that was needed for our trip and for Constantino to sleep in was set aside; the rest was put into my carry-on. I'd already packed for a trip that would be one way. Walking away from this place wouldn't be easy, but I doubted there was much movement with it.

Maybe we could come back for short amounts of time.

"What's the point?" I muttered. "Can't speak the language anymore; no one will understand a word I say."

Returning the basket to the utility room, I listlessly wandered through the apartment. It was time for sleep; I needed to have a shower to wash away the night and then fall into bed. I needed to forget that tonight had been so negative and yet so good. A man took my life, and another gave me a new one. I was attacked, and I was saved.

The events of tonight put me in an odd mood. Memories of the attacker dragging down my pants will haunt me for longer than I wanted. The scratch marks on my thighs will disappear, and the bruising on my face and neck will fade. I hated the one on my face because it made me stand out. People would look at me and then at Constantino and assume the worst. They were wrong, and to make it worse, I didn't have the skills to hide the bruise.

Dumping my bed clothes on the vanity, I looked up at the mirror and squeaked in shock. The bruise that had swelled to look like a purple egg on my face was now just a mottled yellow that was flat. Pulling my shirt open, I looked at where the bruising was and saw nothing but pale skin. Sure, there was a lot of dried blood and dirt but no marks, no shape of a meaty hand that had strangled the life from me. I was me again.

"Everything okay?"

I turned to the doorway and smiled eagerly, gesturing to the lack of marks on my neck.

"The bruising is gone. Well, almost gone. How come?"

"You're changing to a vampire; it's correcting the issues and taking away the things that are different from our bodies. The process will take a little while longer. Until then it would be wise to stay here."

"How long?"

"Hopefully by the night after next but it is dependent on a lot of things. Adequate rest, a good feed tomorrow night and you should be good to travel the night after. I wouldn't go to the world as a human."

"Is it dangerous?"

"That would depend on whom you come across and what it's like there now."

Okay, so we wait until I was a full vampire rather than whatever I was right now. Two nights, I could handle that so long as Ingrid, and her cronies stayed out of my unit, and the government kept their distance. It was a lot to ask for, and I hoped that the universe would grant me the demands that I was making.