Chapter 12
"Dio...you'll never be allowed to see Reina again."
"Lady Reina, are you alright? You are safe and sound. There was a fire and Dio died in it. Sir Jonathan has been in the hospital for some time, but you were found unconscious." One of the employees spoke to Reina in her bedroom. The woman was lying in her bed. It had been a few days since she was knocked out by Dio after he had confessed the truth to her. Reina turns to the elderly man and looks at him. She has a blank expression on her face. Her eyes were dull as she realizes that Dio died a criminal and a monster. Most of all she had sex with him. The woman was unsure if she was possibly pregnant. The thought of Jonathan's and Speedwagon's safety made the woman immediately sit up. Reina looks around to try to see if Jonathan or Speedwagon was in the room. As Reina does not see either man, she gets up and gets out of bed. "I need to see Jojo," Reina spoke.
A knock came to the door and Speedwagon stood in the doorway. He was glad to see the woman awake. It has been a few days since the fire and each day he checked on Jonathan and Reina. Jonathan had a broken arm and Reina was unconscious. The man was concerned for both their safety. "Your parents let me in milady. Is everything okay with you? You still look tired." Speedwagon spoke. Reina saw the arm cast he currently had on. Reina herself places a hand on the back of her head as there was some throbbing pain. She was glad to see that Speedwagon did not die. He may have been injured, but not dead. "I am glad you are alive. I am okay. My body is somewhat sore. How is Jojo doing?" Reina says as she walks over to Speedwagon.
Before she leaves the room, Reina tells the elderly man that she is okay. The elderly man smiles and leaves the room. "A lady tended to his wounds during the period. She is a pretty one. Blue eyes and blond hair." Speedwagon replies as he was considerate of Reina's concern for him. "Ah! That's Erina, I haven't seen her in years!" Reina was surprised. She could never forget her childhood friend. "Let's go somewhere more private." She suggests and the two leave the house to walk into the town. Reina glances at Speedwagon's arm every now and then. In her mind, she was glad that everyone survived, but she had to tell her parents that Dio was dead.
However, in her heart, she sensed that Dio was not completely gone. "We are to meet Jonathan and Baron Zeppeli at the pub. The man would like to speak with you." Speedwagon said. Reina looked at the man for a moment. "Me? Why does he want to speak with me? I've been passed out since the damn fight. Sheesh, my memories were shit." Reina said as she shakes her head. "He thinks that Dio is still alive," Speedwagon added. Saying that made the woman stop walking. A feeling of happiness and dread filled her heart. The nightmare she had been living in for the past seven years was not going to end. The man was going to come after her. He had told her before. The relationship between lovers was strong and dangerous.
"I better not be lied to," Reina said before she started to walk. Speedwagon knew that Reina would not take the news well. As everyone met in the pub, the four people sat at a table. Reina sat across from Jonathan. She was glad to see him alive, but she was wary of this Baron Zeppeli. The Zeppeli man was suspicious to her. She had never encountered him or seen him. Dio never even mentioned this man's name. "The daughter of the Thomason family, Lady Reina. A fine woman you are. I am Baron William Zeppeli. Jonathan has told me about you. I apologize to skip the long introductions, but we must discuss Dio and the stone mask." William explains himself.
Reina crosses her arms and sits back in the chair. "I need to know...You say Dio is alive, but he should have been burned in that fire. Is it the stone mask's doing?" Reina spoke. William places his hand on his chin and nods. "You are a sharp wit. Dio is alive due to the stone mask making him a beast. The stone mask is a curse to whoever gets a hold of it. I have seen the hell that mask stirs. Back to the point, Dio cannot die so easily. Since you are his lover, he intends to kidnap you and kill them." The Zeppeli man spoke the truth.
"I don't think he will kill me. He did not do it then and not now." Reina says assured of herself. "Rei, I do not want you to get further involved even though it's too late. Please go into hiding. I know Erina misses you and she's concerned. We will take care of Dio." Jonathan said. Reina sees the concern on his face. Jonathan was a stronger person now, but Reina could not back down. She needed to see Dio again. This decision would put herself against Jonathan's wishes. "I can't...I refuse to have you protect me any longer. I need to know the truth. Jojo, you and Dio kept my repressed memories in check for seven years and now I promised to watch over you. That promise is to your father." Reina replies.
Jonathan fell silent. He could not convince Reina to not get any more involved. However, he was relieved to know Reina has not changed. Reina was the "Rei" that Jonathan had always known. The woman was her normal self. "You aren't afraid. You have potential." William said as he noticed the simple sparks coming from Reina's finger tips. "You can produce hamon." He added. "What?" Reina did not understand the man. Hamon? That was something new. Without giving consideration, William struck Reina in the stomach. He uses his finger to jab Reina with no hesitation. Reina gasps for air as the impact was painful, but she was knocked out of her chair.
The sounds of bones cracking and yet reconstructing came from her body. "What the hell Baron!" Speedwagon almost shouts in anger and he hurries to help Reina. "Striking a lady is not appropriate Baron," Jonathan said and went to help his friend. The woman was coughing for air. "Her pipe should be fine. It isn't going to kill her." William said as Speedwagon sat Reina up. The woman was able to breathe normally. Her body was not stiff anymore. People in the pub stared at them wondering what was going on. Reina pats her chest with her hand. "I have no problem fighting a Baron," Reina says as Jonathan helps her stand. William looks at the menu.
Reina takes a seat in the chair. She fixes her composure and stretches her arms. The new feeling of fluid motion was something different. "If Dio has the power to bring any monsters then you need to be prepared." William casually speaks. "That man will stop at nothing to get what he wants. I need to have you both trained using your hamon." William continues. Reina was still confused at what the Zeppeli man was talking about. "Explain what hamon is," Reina said.
"Hamon is known as ripple and sendou. It is an energy powered by the Sun. Yet it can be maintained through the human body by breathing." William explains as he continues to look at the menu. "It is a way to beat Dio." He finishes. Jonathan turns his attention to Reina once more. Speedwagon was nervous with Reina not enjoying this altercation. "I am not getting my family involved," Reina said in seriousness. William picked up his glass of wine and took a sip, "You will be fine. You stay with us then he will come to us." The idea of being used as bait made the situation more complicated for Reina. Either way, Dio was now the enemy.
Later that night, Reina had checked into a hotel. Rumors around town focused on a serial killer on the loose. Reina was in a room by herself. She had laid on the bed. She wore nothing but a sleeping robe. The woman had gotten out of the shower not too long ago. Speedwagon had called the woman to check up on her a few hours. The night was quiet and the town was full of fog.
A knock came to Reina's door and she ties her robe shut in a tight fashion before she peeks through the peephole. A man cloaked in black stood in front of her door. "Who are you?" Reina asks. This man was unfamiliar to her. "Who else, Rei?" The man responds. The voice made Reina's eyes widen and she immediately unlocks the door to see Dio. He was scarred but his body was still in tact. "May I come in?" He asks. Reina looks across the hallway then looks back at him and nods.
Dio being out here would cause trouble. The vampire steps inside the room. Reina closes the door and locks it. She turns around to face the man she still loved. Dio stood tall. His eyes stared at hers. Reina was a human while he was now a vampire. The man had committed crimes and he was known as dead to most. "You...why the hell are you here? You've done enough shit." Reina said not choosing to hold back her anger. She wanted to pummel the man. She lost an important man and her lover was no longer a human being.
Reina grits her teeth in frustration and punches the Dio in the chest. The man felt pain and could not strike her. This feeling coming to Reina was unfamiliar. Dio did not expect her to be capable of harming him. The woman was an actual threat. "Shit." Reina was capable of hurting the man she loved. The fresh wound was open. "You are not weak, but you can actually harm me." Dio places his hand on the open hole of his cloak. The hole in Dio's chest was visible. "I am not going to collapse again. Tell me what the hell you are doing here." Reina said in a stern tone of voice. She did not intend to fight Dio.
Reina walks over to the window to close the curtains. She makes sure that no one could see her room from the outside. Specifically Dio. "Sit down so I can patch you up." Reina orders and Dio uncloaks himself before he sits down on the bed. His body had multiple scars all over. Reina heads to the bathroom and grabs a towel, a wash cloth, and bandages. She turns the sink faucet on and places the wash cloth under the water. Once the cloth was wet enough she turns the faucet to stop the water and walks back into the room. Reina places everything on the night stand. "I left you alone. You are furious and I understand." Dio said as Reina presses the wash cloth against his chest.
Reina did not say anything and Dio continues to speak. "I want to be rich and have power. I don't want to end up like that bastard man of a father. Falling in love with you was unexpected. I do not regret loving you though." Dio explains himself. Reina was able to stop the bleeding and clean it up. She wipes the blood off using a towel then wraps the bandages around him to cover the wound. Reina looks at Dio and she could see the cynical man that he is, but he treated her with a kindness that was rarely shown.
"You and Jojo protected me for so long but you causing so much trouble anyway since you were adopted pisses me off. You killed Danny. You kissed Erina and you killed Mr. Joestar. Jojo and I suffered so much." Reina said. She wanted to yell. She wanted Mr. Joestar alive, but nothing would happen. Dio places his hands on Reina's cheeks. He watches Reina cry. Her tears fell onto his chest. Dio pulls Reina in for a kiss and places his lips against hers. The kiss was gentle but deep.
Reina was conflicted by Dio's actions. With hesitation, Reina pulls away. She stares at Dio and frowns. "Do not hide anything from me," Reina spoke as she did not change the subject.
