Blood Martinis: The Gypsy Vampire's Curse

Ch. 4 ... Tainted Trickeries

The next morning, Brianna was feeling back to her usual self. Whatever it was had clearly worn off. During breakfast, she felt that Bennet was being a little bit distant and hoped it wasn't because of the night before. Not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable, she kept her distance trying only to coax him back with kind words and interactions. Kilian seemed to take this as an opportunity to give her chores, asking her to do everything that came to mind.

"Brianna, will you set the table?" he said.

"It's already set," she said. He obviously hadn't looked.

"Then will you figure out where the maid is, there's laundry in the rooms that needs doing," he said. You'd think he was the one with the busy day ahead.

The festival was tonight. All the village folk would be there to celebrate their upcoming wedding and, in turn, they would show them the night of their lives. Kate's father had been called in to arrange for circus acts to be there and Bennet's father had made a special call and request to the Macnas Parade to send some of their pieces. An old Merlin-looking cloaked man with a lantern, an owl backlit by a crescent moon, long-stemmed mushrooms in a patch with faeries dancing underneath, and a black raven were among the giant Macnas Parade floats currently pulling up in the circular drive at the front of the estate. Kate's father and the circus acts had yet to arrive.

"Brianna, there are table covers in the cellar. Go and get them," Kilian said.

"The decorator is bringing new ones," she said.

She couldn't help but thinking about the maze and how protective Kilian was of it the day before, while she ran around the estate preparing for the party. Every time she tried to turn her head in its direction, the old feeling of fear cropped up and she'd subconsciously move on to something else. This was assisted by Kilian's constant directions.

"You need to call the caterer now, make sure he's coming at 2pm," he said.

"I'm sure he will, it's his job," she replied.

"The decorator is out of balloons, you should run to the shop," he said.

For some reason he wanted her busy. Frustrated and annoyed, after several hours of running menial tasks on top of her own duties, or constantly explaining why they don't need to be done, she snapped at him. "I know how to plan a party, Kilian, will you ever bugger off?"

The Macnas floats were lined up next to the maze, despite protests from the performance company, as they were going to be marched out in a circular formation around the festival's guests that evening. Brianna noticed how everyone in the company attempted to keep their distance from the maze, and how it matched her natural inclination. Maybe it is haunted? She couldn't stop thinking about it. Standing at the entrance of the maze, she forced herself to enter. The feeling began to overwhelm her instantly. It was as if fog had risen from the ground, night had fallen, and spirits were gathering around pushing her to turn and leave. She pushed on. One, two, three turns. She could bare no more. It felt like spiders biting her thighs, crawling up her back, nesting in hair and falling off her shoulders down her blouse. Turning on her heels, she ran like her life depended on it.

Kate and Dylan pulled through the tall wrought iron gates of the estate, trailed by the caterer, just before 2pm. Dylan said the festivities were meant to start in an hour. Brianna and Bennet came out of the house to greet them in matching outfits at the top of the steps. Brianna was wearing a gorgeous merlot and raven-blue corseted tartan gown which hung to the floor and left her shoulders bare. The skirt was pulled up and pinned at the top of one leg to show the white tulle underneath. A diamond and emerald necklace snaked around her neck like a choker and twisted down to her cleavage with two emerald pendants. Bennet had on a clever looking tartan tuxedo jacket, black tie and trousers, and white dress shirt and pocket square. He was dashing, and Kate couldn't help but think about how handsome he used to dress for her.

The butler took their bags, and showed Kate and Dylan to their rooms upstairs, so they could quickly change for the party. Kate felt suddenly insecure about the thigh-high indigo and midnight-black flapper dress and headband, with long silken gloves she had chosen. Despite her lack of plump cleavage, it somehow made her feel bare and underdressed. Dylan stepped out to join her at the top of the landing, dressed in an indigo tuxedo with black collar and notched lapel. Underneath he wore a matching waist coat, white button-down, and clearly a six pack of solid abs, giving a stunning shape to his outfit. She was taken aback, blushed and looked down to cover her smirk. He took her and led her down the stairs.

Brianna, pacing around the kitchen yelling orders at the caterer, spotted Kate and shouted over that her father had just arrived and was out at the back of the house.

"I can help here in the kitchen if that's alright," she responded.

"I think we're good here, but there are some bottles of Dom Perignon to bring up from the cellar if you're up for it?" Brianna asked.

"Yes, of course," Kate said. "Where is that?"

"The door just behind you. Could you bring them out to the tables in the garden? Every table needs one," she said. Kate followed her orders.

Bennet grabbed Dylan and they went outside to setup the concert equipment. The boys used to play together – Dylan on the guitar, Bennet on the bass, and Kilian on the drums – and it felt like old times.

"One two, one two," Dylan spoke into the mic as one of the sound guys adjusted nobs on the mixer. "Will we knock out a tune, Bennet?"

"Ah, go on…" Bennet replied, and to the annoyance of the sound guy his brother started strumming the guitar in an old familiar rhythmical beat.

"Jaysus, that's out of key," he said and stopped.

Kilian looked up at them and smirked. Then instructed one of the decorator's employees to wash down the giant chess set, while he returned to the house to grab pieces to put out for croquet. He followed Kate down into the cellar.

"Jesus," Kate gasped. Not having heard footsteps coming down the stairs, she was surprised to see Kilian blocking the path out.

"Long time," he said, with a devilish look in his eyes.

"Yeah, I won't be here long," she said.

He moved in toward her, took the crate she was holding and set it back on the pile. "No need for a girl like you to be doing man's work," he said. She took a step back, and found herself pressed against cold brick. He took another step closer, and blocked her exist by putting his hand on the wall.

"What are you doing, Kilian?" She could feel the heat pouring between them, and it was starting to make her shake. Back in university, she had avoided being alone with him. He had never done anything particular, but the way he picked on her sometimes and glared when no one was looking made her uneasy. It's the same way he was looking at her right now- as if she were meat and he was about to tear her apart.

It all happened so fast. He put his free hand against her neck, pressed his body against hers, and covered her lips with his own. She couldn't scream, but she tried. His hand on the wall moved down her frozen body. It cupped her breast and caressed her stomach on its way down. He moved his lips to her neck and exhaled hot humid air that felt like it set her neck on fire, as she finally was able to yell out. She tried to push him away, but he was so strong. “Let me go,” she begged. Then out of nowhere, Dylan appeared. He seemed to understand too well what was going on, and he pulled Kilian off her throwing him against the crates. They almost toppled over. She wanted his comfort, but he didn't even look at her.

"She's not yours, Kilian," he growled.

He truly growled. She felt like she couldn't trust her ears. Then Kilian's eyes grew fierce and electric. It was as if they were emanating a blue flame. Kilian roared back and squared up his shoulders as he stood. She was scared something even worse was going to happen, but then Kilian backed down. She must have been seeing things, because his eyes were normal again now. "If she's spoken for…" he replied and, keeping an eye on Dylan, slowly moved past him to stand in front of her again. She figured he must be about to apologise, but she was wrong. Looking deep into her eyes, his looked hypnotic. "Forget what happened here," he said.

Shocked and in disbelief, she walked past him and up the stairs. Forget what happened here? What kind of thing is that to say? She thought. As she walked out the cellar door, she ran smack into Brianna.

"Oh hey, you! Let's walk," Brianna said to Kate, seemingly unaware of what transpired down in the cellar. "We need to talk." Brianna had a few things on her mind, mainly the maze and the voices coming from it yesterday, but she wanted to clear the air first.

"About what?" Kate asked.

Brianna led her out the door and into the garden where tables with white cloth coverings and red-satin-bow backed chairs were carefully positioned, set with glasses and dinnerware, and topped with centrepieces of roses set into extravagant wrought iron stems, leaves and thorns. Kate's father had come through with the circus acts, who were already performing as people piled in and found their seats. Clown costumed men on stilts, firebreathers with flaming sticks, and rolling men in glowing steal rings were on display. There were even women in purple leotard dresses covered in curving lines of rhinestones, hanging from poles and dancing acrobatically. It truly was a festival of intoxicating merriment.

"I wanted to apologise to you," Brianna said as they took a seat at a table to the side of the stage. A Dublin band called Overhead, The Albatross had been booked for the night, and were killing it with their post-rock instrumental tunes. "I did do what you thought I did in university, and for the reasons you said. I know it wasn't fair, and the way Bennet handled things… I'm so sorry. But I need you to know that, although I regret how it happened, it needed to. I miss you so much, but Bennet and I are meant to be together. I want you to be a part of our lives again."

Kate didn't know what to say. She was silent for a while, and then the words escaped her, "I miss you too." Brianna smiled and put an arm around her. The two sat listening to the band for what seemed like an hour.

"Oh, I have an adventure for us," Brianna finally said.

"What kind of adventure?" Kate asked, as Brianna pulled her out of her chair and they walked to the maze.

"You'll see," Brianna said.

"You're acting… weird," Kate said.

"Do you feel anything… strange?" Brianna asked, as the two girls stepped into the maze.

"Not really, why?" Kate asked.

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" Shocked, Brianna ignored her own feelings of revulsion and pushed the two girls further into the maze. "Okay, then I need you to not let me stop."

"Stop what?" Kate asked.

"Moving into the maze. I'll tell you which ways we need to turn, but you need to not let me turn back. No matter what. Can you do that for me?" Brianna asked.

"I suppose," Kate said, looking at her quizzically. "Are there people on the other side?"

"You hear the voices too?" she asked, and Kate nodded.

Brianna's face looked petrified, but her mind was racing miles. If only she could reach the door again, to figure out what this place was trying to hide. It was as if the ground itself was haunted, filled with the nightmares of war. Kate held a hand around Brianna's back and another on her arm. She pushed her forward, as alarm bells clanged inside Brianna's chest. Until finally, they were at the red door.

"Now open it."