22. Memories

It was 9 o´ clock as I entered my room and fellon my bed. The working in the garden was harder than I thought. But I couldn´t sleep though. The whole time I had to think about Vladislaus.

And I regretted it that I left him. At that moment I felt miserable because I thought it was a sin. And now I felt miserable because I let him go. Probably he thought that I hated him and never wanted to see him again. But I wanted his company so badly. I lay there on the bed and looked at the small window. I thought about escape but that was impossible.

Only the thought that I was caught in a convent made me sick. Suddenly I heard someone knocking on my door.

"Titiana, are you asleep?", asked Elena´s voice. Quitly I moved towards the door, turned the knob and pushed it open.

There stood Elena in her nightgown and a candle in her hand. She walked into my room and sat down on my bed. I closed the door silently and sat down beside her.

"You can´t sleep, too, can you?", she asked. I nodded: "I miss him so much." - "Do you want to talk about him or does this make it worse?" - "It can´t get worse. I´m going to see him nevermore. Why not talk about him?"

Elena found a comfortable position on the bed and said: "I´m listening. You can tell me."

"As I saw him the first time I thought that it was impossible to come together. I was a poor woman, actually a poor girl. Of course I was 21 at this time but I felt too young for being a woman. My life was simple. And he... he looked so handsome. He was rich and an elegant gentleman. These thoughts came in my mind as I saw him. But I hated him. I hated him more than anyone could imagine. But as I met him again after a long time he was so kind. We saved each other´s lives. Then I was with child and lost my Róse soon after her birth. And then I believed in church, the bible and god...", I began to cry, "...and... lost him forever."

Elena embraced me, rocking me back and forth. "You love him", she said. "No", I protested. My body was shaking already. Her words made it even worse.

"But you wouldn´t miss him that much if you felt nothing for him."

"I did not say that I don´t feel for him. I said that I don´t love him." And my words made no sense. I didn´t know love. I couldn´t know how it felt.

"The only thing I can tell you is: If I was you I would tell him my feelings until it is too late." But the worst thing was that I could not tell him. Death had told me that he shall tell me his love first. But Vladislaus said that he has no heart. Maybe it was true and he was never able to feel something for me.

Finally I stopped crying. If Vladialaus was waiting for me at the market he would not want me to cry for him.

"It´s time for our midnight´s prayer", said Elena. "I can´t come with you", I said.

"Why not?" - "Because there´s something you can do for me. I want to see him again. Tonight. Now."

"Oh, no! Forget it! It´s too dangerous to go outside alone and..." - "That´s why you come with me." - "No!" - "Please, do it for me! I can´t stand one more night without him!"

Elena looked into my eyes and searched for any doubt in my words. She couldn´t find it. "Ok, but only for one hour." I wrapped my arms around her: "Thank you! You are the best friend ever imaginable!"

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So we left the convent during the midnight´s prayer and went to the marketplace. A few steps away from it I made her stop. "You must promise something", I said.

"What?" - "Promise that you don´t scream, nor run away, nor get angry, nor kill me and the most important thing that you don´t hurt him." - "Why should I do these things?" - "We will see. Do you promise?" She waited a few seconds but finally nodded.

We went on. After the next corner I could see him. I ran forward and right into his arms.

"I thought that I would never see you again! You don´t know how much I missed you!", I cried happily. We couldn´t let go of each other´s arms.

"Titiana, is it true that you are in the convent now?" - "Yes, and I will go back. But it doesn´t matter now. Just hold me."

He kissed me passionately. And through thousand kisses he asked: "Who is the girl behind us?" We stopped kissing and I turned around. Elena stood there. Silent and shocked. She looked at me and at Vladislaus.

Slowly she took a few steps toward us. "Kill me! I promised not to run!" I let go of him and walked up to her. "We won´t kill you", I said.

Elena´s face became an expression full of hate: "Why not! You are The Couple of Murderers and you´ve already killed my sister, why not me?" I looked back at Vladislaus.

He came to us and said: "I can´t apologize for who and what I am but we won´t kill you if you don´t tell anyone else about us." She shook her head: "And if I scream for help now? What are you going to do then?"

Vladislaus was about to lose his temper. "Titiana, I trusted you! Why didn´t you tell me that you belong to him? But now I can understand you better! I thought you were an innocent girl without such sins like killing people! Good, that I know now that you are nothing but a whore with her bastard and a liking for murdering!", Elena nearly yelled.

Now he pulled her towards him and said: "Say what you want about me but don´t call her whore, did you understand me!" Elena took a look of disgust at me: "Slut!"

He sank his growing teeth into her neck. "No! Vladislaus, stop it!", I tried to pull him away but I wasn´t strong enough. "Vladislaus, let her go! Please, do it for me!"

He threw her into my arms. I could feel her heartbeat. "Why did you do that?", I asked him. Vladislaus did not answer.

Suddenly I heared footsteps coming closer and closer. "Go now! I will make it alright!", I said. He only stared at me. "They aren´t allowed to find you! Please go!" Finally he disappeared and Van Helsing came around the corner. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in the convent!"

"I was but... I couldn´t stand it without getting blood", I lied, "So I brought her here and ..."

"You will come with me! We bring her back in the convent where they can take care of her. And you... you will be near god one more time!"

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! You guys are awesome, thank you! But now I must breathe... this was the longest chapter ever! Now review and the next chappie will be up soon! -Angel-