When she woke, she was in her bed again. Her face was swollen, and she couldn't open her right eye. Her tongue touched her lips and she winced in pain. Her lip was busted, and her head was in bandages. She must have damaged her ribs when she slammed into the coffin because her sides were covered in ice and wrappings. It looked and felt as if she had either broken or bruised some of them.
Her gaze moved to the side as it caught movement and connected with those of the man from the coffin.
"What is your name, human?" The way he had said human left gooseflesh rising over her skin. His accent sounded Russian yet not, at the same time. It was very different than any other she had ever heard. Like he was born in Russia and raised in Italy. It had a 'Dracula' sound to it, which brought her attention to the fear that was growing in her belly.
He stilled a moment, then rolled his eyes. "Mine, before you ask, is Gairett. How did you come upon my tomb and why did you bring our resting places back here?"
Without thinking he moved away some of the hair that was covering part of her face. Her heart rate quickened, and her gut was hit hard with anxiety. Here she was, covered in bandages caused by a strange man and another one was sitting on her bed. She might be attracted to him, but terror still slithered through her veins at his presence.
He smiled faintly, then. His smile only grew larger when he saw that she had no intention of answering him. "I am not going to hurt you. Please, believe me. I wish, only to protect you for the moment. Now, what is your name, and please, tell me . . . why did you bring us here and how did you find us?"
She hated being afraid. She had taught herself that if she was still alive then she had nothing to fear. This life was one life, and it was hers, and she would take it by the horns. This situation was nothing different and neither was he. Trying to melt away her emotions and buy some time, she took a deep breath and blew it out. The pain in her side was enough to remind her to take it easy. Then a thought came to her mind; what if what was happening right now, wasn't real? Like before, could this be fake? She couldn't help but question it again, could she really be going crazy? Her eyes left him and glanced around the room.
"Yes, this is happening." He said gently, bringing her drifting gaze back to his. Taking in another sigh, he continued, "I am here and so are you. I am as genuine as you are. Well, as authentic as anything else that you can feel or touch." He smiled again.
She took in another breath, "If you can read my thoughts, sir, then why are you asking me so many questions?" The pain was certainly palpable enough.
He laughed, showing an alluring smile. Admitting once again that he was beautiful, she felt an unexplainable urge to touch him. Reaching out she played with the ends of his long hair. She twirled it around her fingers in such a way, that it made her feel like she had done it before and often, in the past. Her small twirling movements brought back his smile.
"I cannot read your thoughts, per se. I can get glimpses of things that go on in your head. I get images only. You had pictures of the man from last night and confusion. It is similar to a mother with child and the expressions they give when they know they have done something wrong. It only takes that small thing to tell the mother what they are thinking, and how to react. Only, I also get..."
"So, I'm a small child now?" She felt pride swell in herself as she interrupted him. Pulling her hand back, she looked away from him to the wall. The thought of their first meeting came to her mind. Had he saved her? "So then… I wasn't hallucinating? You came from the sarcophagus, didn't you?"
"Yes." The word hung in the air.
"Why were you in there?" Velori went silent and her thoughts turned inward. Bowing her head she whispered, "Why did you say you're protecting me?"
So many possibilities came to mind: another thief, another raider? Though she couldn't place her finger on which, she went with the one that fit the best but made the most nonsense. She didn't know why, but it seemed to match the look of the man at her side.
Smiling up at him she said, "Is it a spell? Since I took your resting place, you have to look after me?" She laughed shyly and looked away again. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear his answer and now that she'd said it out loud, she felt stupid and childish.
His laughter came again, and he stood up and started to walk the room. "Do you read a lot of fairy tales, since this was the first thing you think of?" Still smiling he looked back at her, and his smile slowly faded. "No, I was sleeping in there, by my own volition. And before you ask, no, I am not dead. And no, it is not a spell. I choose, to protect you because you remind me of the girl, in whose coffin I was sleeping. Please, before you ask any more questions, I have answered yours. Please, answer mine."
She sat up as straight as she could, so she could get a better look at him. She had to clench a little because the pain that shot through her body felt like it was splitting her insides apart. Swallowing hard and through clenched teeth, she said, "My name is Velori. This is my home. I found your tomb because I felt a need to go to that spot." She sighed again. Feeling all the wearier. "There had been an earthquake, which opened a certain area. It was an area that not many people had been to, if any. I knew about the earthquake, and I felt that there may have been things uncovered but..." She paused, not sure she wanted to continue but couldn't stop herself. "... that's not what made me go."
She was thinking back on her emotions. When she came home to Colorado and had that dream, she felt an endless desire to go to the mountainous region. "I felt as if, I had been there already and had to go back. There were also other personal reasons that I don't care to share with you. I only knew that I couldn't do anything else until I went. Why I brought the caskets back with me. . ." She shrugged a little. "They're fascinating. It was another feeling. The same sentiment that made me want to have them placed in my rooms." She paused for a breath and tried to shove thoughts of the cave from her dreams out. "Now! Who are you? Where were you hiding when the thief came in? On that note, what did you do with the thief? Who is the girl that looks like me? And if you were in the coffin, how did you stay in it without dying and why did you come out? Does this mean the other visions were real?"
"Oh my, just full of questions are you not? But all the same, thank you for answering me." He bowed his head slightly, in an old courtly way. "I went back into the casket before Anne came in with her weapon and got back out, right before the intruder made his way to your room. What I did with him is something you have no need of knowing. He was assaulting you and I have disposed of him. The girl…" He paused and looked away briefly before looking back, "The girl, was my sister, in a way. She died many, many years ago. I went to sleep in the coffin because I could not bear her death. I woke up because you were singing her favorite song." He gave a small breathy laugh. "I thought I was dreaming until I smelled your blood and saw that you were, indeed, not her."
She stared at him for a moment, unsure that she heard him right. "You... My. . . blood…? What does that even mean? What are you?"
"You should sleep; you are injured and bruised internally. I need to check on some things anyway. I will go tell Anne that you need attention." He turned and walked out of the room.
"WAIT... answer my questions!" She started to remove the covers. "Wait for a damn min-… when will . . ." She laid her head back on the pillow and fought to keep her eyes open. "When will I see you ag-. . . again." She went back to sleep as if she was put that way.
Anne would later tell her that she came in to check on her and that the doctor came by. The only thing she remembered was his smell, that of honey and flint. And his voice, 'I am as genuine as you are.'
~~~
"Miss Velori! You slept for a whole day!" This was after spending the night in the hospital with the nurses worrying over her. These were the first words out of Anne's mouth when Velori opened her eyes and saw her placing a small bed table on her lap.
The smell of hickory sausage and pancakes floated into the air. Her eyes fell to the plate and caught onto the peppered bacon on the side. To the side was a small jar of buttered syrup and a nice tall glass of orange juice. Breakfast of champions. Velori thought as she looked up at Anne with a smile.
"Anne, it smells delicious." When Velori's stomach announced its appraisal and anticipation of a full belly, she said, "You wouldn't believe how hungry I am." She sat up as gently as possible, not wanting to disturb any ribs or make one of her many bruises announce that it was still around. But the smell of the sausage was too much, and she wound up hissing in pain anyway.
"Ah but Miss Velori I would. I stayed here by your side the entire time." All of a sudden Anne had one of the most mischievous grins Velori had ever seen. "Listening to you talk in your sleep. Tell me, is Gairett that handsome fella who let me know you needed help?"
Velori sucked up the bite of sausage she had just placed in her mouth. She got a new lesson in how her breathing tube was not made for food. Coughing, she grabbed the orange juice and gulped down as much as she could. "Uh . . . Uhm. Well . . ."
Anne fell into a series of giggles and tsk-tsk-tsks.
Velori grabbed the syrup and lathered everything down in a nice thick layer, while she attempted to hide her embarrassment. Velori cleared her throat again and quickly changed the subject, "Did you happen to see anyone else? I mean, other than…" Smiling she gave a side glance up at Anne. "Gairett?"
"No one, other than the house staff, why do you ask?"
After finishing a huge bite of pancake and sausage, she said, "No one? Did you see no other man? No one that might look suspicious in any kind of way?"
The smile faded from Anne's face. "No Miss Velori. Should I call security or have the premises searched?"
"No, but have the staff make sure nothing comes up missing and to keep their eyes open." Next, she attacked the bacon, smothering it in more syrup.
After a few minutes, Velori was almost done with her food. Anne said, "Miss, you were talking in an accent. In your sleep, I mean. And sometimes you said things that didn't sound like English at all, but more like, well, I don't know. But definitely not English."
"I was prolly just mumblin Anne." This was said through the mouthful of the last of the food on her plate. "You know I do that, even while I'm awake. I wouldn't think too much of it."
Smiling she finished off her breakfast and gulped down the last of the orange juice.
"Thank you, Anne, tell the cook it was delicious."
"Alright, Miss." Anne said distractedly as she picked up the bed table and walked out of the room.
Velori couldn't help but contemplate Anne's words. I wasn't dreaming, was I? A small thrill slid up her spine.