Shit! Right; powerful emotions cause shifting. I have no idea where the hell I am, or where Edward is. And I almost kissed him! I pace furiously up and down the dark deserted street trying to reclaim my emotions. The signage around me is in a language I don't recognise and the buildings look ancient, colourful and mildly gothic. 'Breathe Bella,' I chant to myself. 'Relax.' Eventually my pacing slows to a gentle walk and I begin exploring the cobblestone streets around me, thinking about how I'm going to get home.
Yesterday I managed to shift twice but I knew where I was and where I was going and I had my emotions behind it. I stop, closing my eyes and picture dads place with every detail I can force into my mind. Nothing. I try again and again and although I feel my body wavering, when I open my eyes I'm still here in this dark street. Edward knew I was looking for him before so maybe he will be able to find me again now. I try to picture him in all his exquisite beauty and focus my thoughts, pushing my body to his unknown location. The wavering feels stronger this time but still I am alone in the dark. I sit on the stoop of a nearby shop and wait for him to find me. I think about Nessie and dad and hope that they are ok and not worrying about me. I'm not even sure what time it is at home, or here for that matter.
The buildings around me are packed close together and three to four stories high. Their colours unexpectedly break through the darkness with splashes of bright yellow, orange and even green mixed in with the deep red and near black of others. The iron work and stone dragons on some of the buildings look medieval. It is not easy to distinguish between businesses and homes. Although there are modern cars parked on the street and occasionally driving down the road, the feeling of this place is one of immense age. The roads around me rise and fall in gentle flows and steep drops and change from wide tree lined main roads to dark sheltered creepy laneways. I can just make out the dark outline of mountains surrounding the town, speckled with lights coming from the inset houses. The greenery which surrounds and invades this unusual place should give it a feeling of warmth and life, but there is a sense of unease in the air tonight that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
People pass by periodically but none of them notice me here in the shadows. I have no idea how long I sit waiting in the cold; it feels like an eternity. A woman emerges from the shadows across the street and walks slowly towards me. I think she is looking at me but I can't be sure.
"Do you need some help?" she asks in an accent I don't recognise.
"I think I'm lost," I answer truthfully. As she moves past a nearby building the lights shining through the window light her face. She is beautiful in every meaning of the word. Long wavy violent red locks fall down her back and frame her perfect ivory completion. Her lips are full, red, almost pouting and her glorious high cheek bones are accentuated by the pink hue of her cheeks. I am reminded of old Hollywood stars with their wavy hair and slightly unfocused beauty. Her face appears to be kind and gentle but there is something dark in her almond shaped eyes. If I was on a movie set I would expect her to be dressed in frills and silk, instead she wears a long skirt and a low lying top fitted so tight I am amazed she can breathe. Her breasts flow over slightly but it only emphasises her slim hourglass figure. A long deep green cape flows behind her as she walks.
"I am Victoria," her voice purrs. "Why don't you come with me and we will see if we can make you found." I am not sure if I trust Victoria but what choice do I have and I feel drawn to her. I rise slowly off the stoop and walk across the street to meet her.
"That wasn't so hard," she comments with an angelic smile. Victoria leads me through the cobble stone streets humming a quiet tune to herself.
"What is your name?" she enquires after a few moments.
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Bella." My Australian accent sounds so harsh next to her alluring voice.
"Bella, how sweet. My bright shining Bella," she murmurs. I don't like the way she says 'my', I feel as though I am some kind of possession to her.
"Where are we going?" I ask, searching for answers again.
"I live just a little way up here with my family," she says pointing into the dark distance.
"Where are we?" I wonder aloud.
"This is Sighisoara."
"Sighisoara," I mutter to myself. "Why does that sound strangely familiar?"
Victoria giggles darkly, "Maybe you are a fan of the horror stories?"
"In my teenage year's maybe," I answer. Wasn't everyone?
She is still smiling at me as she explains, "My town is of international legend. Dracula's father used to live here, or so they say."
"Really?" I breathe in awe.
"Yes, yes. Dracula's castle is just a few towns away over there," she says, pointing out over the mountains. I follow her finger but the night is too dark for me to make out much more than fifty meters down the road. I wonder if that is the reason I ended up here? When Edward was talking he compared himself to a vampire. I must have had vampires on my mind when I shifted; aside from other things of course. And what better vampire is there than Count Dracula himself? That means I'm in Romania! For someone who never travels, I'm sure getting around today.
I begin to study the town around me a little more closely now. There is a certain vampire-ish quality to most things. Or maybe vampires have a Sighisoara quality about them, whichever came first. Somehow the town seems bright and friendly but at the same time there is a hidden warning. There are too many dark nooks hiding around the brightly coloured buildings. The colours of the buildings screams vampire as well with their pale white and deep red. The dragons in the doorways seem to be threatening, not protective and the way the trees loom over the walkways makes me feel like they are slowly closing in on me. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end again.
As Victoria leads me through the town the streets begin turning into smaller laneways. Deeper drains are built into the middle of the cobblestone roads and the buildings grow taller, shadowing the entire street. We walk through a low narrow tunnel over the road and I can feel her eyes on me. Although I don't know how she can see anything in the darkness I sense that she is staring at me, searching my soul. I take a sharp breath as the realisation hits: It feels like Edward. Could Victoria be one of us? Could she be a guide too? I'm not sure how to ask her these questions without sounding like a lunatic. As we exit the tunnel I turn and smile at her, it reminds me that my cheek is still a bit tender.
"Here we are," she purrs before I have a chance to say anything. She gestures with her arm like a hostess in a game show and for the second time today I have to retrieve my jaw from the floor.
In front of us is a huge square white house, three stories high with pale green tinting around the windows and door. The house sits on a small hill which is framed by a neat high concrete fence with one wrought iron gate in the middle. Light shines softly through the curtains from the huge windows on every floor. It reminds me of the glorious mansions of Jane Austin novels. Can places like this really exist? Victoria opens the gate and holds it open for me, signalling for me to enter.
She takes my hand as she passes and leads the way up the long row of steps to the front door. The moon shines on the lawn around the house, perfect in every detail although there no plants to speak of. Why would you need any with such a picture perfect house to look at? She reaches out and opens one of the magnificent double doors at the entrance and leads me through into the entrance hall. There is a huge wooden polished staircase in front of us leading to the top stories and large oak doors to the left and right of us.
"I'm home," Victoria calls in her musical tone.
"Hello darling," another beautifully accented voice answers from my left. I look around to see a tall handsome man coming out of the doorway to greet us. His clothing is similar to Victorias, dated but extremely elegant with fitted slacks and a light cream shirt. His hair is pale, long and tied in a neat ponytail. He has the same ivory complexion and rosy pink cheeks as Victoria.
"James!" she exclaims. "You're up sweetheart. I've brought a little surprise home." She gestures towards me with her free hand. His eyes pass over me appraisingly.
"Oh darling," he says coming to her side, "The things you find in the night."
I feel uncomfortable when they kiss with a passionate embrace as she is still holding my hand. I study my feet and note the lovely texture of the rug which runs from the front door up the stairs. I try to discretely prise my hand free but her grasp is strong. With a long deep sigh they separate.
"Shall we?" James asks pointing towards the door he has just come through.
"Let's," Victoria responds enthusiastically, pulling me along begin her.
She leads me into an immense long sitting room of various shades of cream. There is a fire burning low under a marble mantle at the far end of the room which is encircled by pale chairs that don't quite match, yet blend in together beautifully. In front of us is a magnificently crafted ancient mahogany desk with a tall green leather chair perched beneath it. Three crystal chandeliers hang from the high ceiling lighting the room with a soft pearl glow. Under the middle chandelier in the centre of the room sits another mahogany piece, a bar of sorts almost overflowing with carafes filled with different coloured liquids.
"Shall we have a night cap?" Victoria suggests. James goes to the bar and pulls the stop from a carafe containing an amber fluid.
"No," says Victoria sweetly. "Let's have some red tonight."
James gives her an enquiring look before replacing the stop and pulling another bottle from underneath the bar. He lays out three glasses and proceeds to fill each. Victoria releases my hand after guiding me to one of the chairs surrounding the fireplace. I seat myself into the leather and continue looking around the room. In moment she returns and places a crystal goblet into my hands.
"Drink," she insists, toasting her glass to me.
I cautiously take a sip feeling the warmth of the burgundy liquid slide down my throat. I have always preferred red wine to white but this is nothing I have ever tasted before. It's not sweet or wooden or tart. I can't really taste anything but I feel the warmth of it spread throughout my body as I take another larger gulp. James and Victoria exchange an appreciative glance before drinking from their own glasses.
"Now Bella," Victoria says after a few moments, "why don't you stay here tonight and we will see if we can set things right in the morning?" I know I should be more concerned about getting home but I feel so warm and comfortable right now. Even though I'm sure it's only early afternoon I have to stifle a yawn escaping my lips.
"That's what I thought," she says to me with a gentle smile. "Finish your drink and I will go and get a bed ready for you."
She glides out of the room with such grace I am almost hypnotised by her movements. It's not until James moves into my line of sight that I remember I am not alone in this magical setting. He seats himself on the chair opposite me and raises his glass towards me. I do the same before taking the final sip. I feel my eyelids begin to flutter and my grasp on the glass loosens. Before I realise, James has his arms beneath me and is carrying me up the stairs. I look around me seeing everything in such detail. I feel as though I can taste the air around me, the almost dusty smell coming off his clothing and I can sense the texture in the painted walls and ancient carpet. I look into his eyes one last time before I can hold of sleep any longer.
"Sunshine?" I can hear mums soft voice echoing around the room. "You must wake up my darling." I don't want to dream tonight. My body and mind fight to keep me asleep.
"Sunshine! Bella! Listen to me now!" she yells at me.
"Go away" I murmur. I just want to be left alone. I want to sleep. I need sleep.
"It's not safe. You have to leave."
"Leave me alone," I grumble. This dream mother will not listen to me. I feel her warm touch on my shoulders shaking me, but I still refuse to open my eyes, even if I had the strength to do so.
"You're not real. Leave me in peace, please. Just go back to where you came from." I can hear her sharp intake of breath as I roll over on the bed. How can my words hurt a dream?
"Please," she begs in a quiet whisper. "Don't make the same mistake I did. Go home to your daughter, to Charlie, to Edward. Go home Bella. Please."
"You are not real. You are not my mother. Leave me alone." I say burying my face into the pillow and letting sleep overcome me again.
"Please…" I hear the distant echo as the room falls silent again.
A/N
Look up Sighisoara 1997 on You Tube and you will get the full impact of this wonderful town. I know I have kind of shoved a lot at you all over the past week, but it may be a little longer for the next chapter as it is still in the making. Please keep the reviews, alerts and advice coming. It keeps me going and I love logging on and seeing everyone reading. Hawkings, I love your stories they give me some much. To all the others who have added me as a fave; THANK YOU SO MUCH! If you like it, pass the word! If you don't, tell me and it can only get better. Thankyou everyone and I will update as soon as I can.
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