When we stepped off the plane in was late afternoon. Isaac told me we'd had to stop and refuel, which had taken longer than expected, but it didn't matter, now we had the a few hours to relax before getting to the task of retrieving Josep. Sanura remained in the plane as we entered the limo Colette had waiting for us, and I noticed that she'd remained at the back of the plane as Isaac opened the door. I watched the plane disappear into the distance as we drove away then turned to Isaac with a frown.
"Why doesn't she come with us?" I asked as he pulled a bottle of Jack Daniels from the armrest and poured himself a glass. I refused the glass he offered me and crossed my arms.
"Sanura is afraid she'll get a tan." he replied, shrugging, "She'll meet us at the hotel once the sun has set."
This made me scowl. "But you haven't started burning and I've seen you in direct sunlight. How could you be immune to it if she isn't?"
To this he gave only the slightest smile and drank down my glass of whiskey, then turned to watch our progress through the tinted window. I waited for a reply, knowing that had meant there wasn't one, and wanted to hit him for it. Did this mean Sanura was weak? Or Isaac was special? I didn't like the sound of the latter.
The Hotel was huge, something the rich bunked at during their year-long vacations. It was crawling with maids and bellhops. When we entered, almost immediately, we were rushed by a small group of staff. All seemed to know Isaac and seemed extremely pleased that he was here, which I assumed meant that he was a generous tipper or a regular guest.
They paid attention to me only because I was with him. One man hurried over, taking my bags from me before I could speak and dashed off to the elevator. More hurried out to the limo to retrieve the rest of our things, though we hadn't brought much, and it was mostly Sanura's. Once we'd made it to the elevator and out of the clamoring crowd, Isaac wrapped his arm around my shoulders and grinned.
For some reason, I was fascinated by his reflection in the steel around us. I'd known he had one, but sometimes the stereotypes were hard to forget. The vampire leaned back against the rail and began to hum. When the doors opened, I slid from his grasp and walked on ahead. They'd said our room number enough downstairs that I could find my own way. He however had the key, and took his time pulling it from his jacket pocket and swiping it through the panel box above the door handle. As we entered the room, my jaw dropped.
"This isn't a hotel room." I murmured, pausing in a living room area, "this is an apartment."
Isaac laughed and slipped out of his jacket, laying it across the back of a darkly upholstered armchair. "Yes, Colette has done her best to distract me from our real purpose here. Perhaps she truly believes finery will make me forgive her."
I turned to him then, frowning and wringging my fingers. "Will it really be that dangerous?"
He must have heard the fear in my voice because his eyes snapped over to me before he crossed the room in a moment and took my hand. "You're afraid?" he asked, and for once there was no humor or amusement in his tone.
I shrugged, pulling away from him. "I wouldn't mind knowing what was going to happen out there tonight, but I guess that's impossible."
He smiled then, and something flashed in his patchwork eyes. I scowled at him in confusion.
"That's not necessarily true." was all he told me before going to the phone on our polished wooden coffee table. He watched me as I moved to the couch, his wicked little half smile never faltering.
"Brandon?" he greeted the person on the line amiably, "It's been a while...yeah I know, I'm sure she'll pop up eventually." he laughed at whatever the man's reply was, then looked back at me. "Listen, I'm gunna need a ride...No, no. I can find that on my own. I meant a car, you wanker." again he laughed and I rolled my eyes.
Gee, I wonder what they were talking about. Men were pigs.
"Yeah, something fast and..." he grinned with a sound a pleasure, "You know me so well. I'll be down to pick it up in a bit. Let Sanura know that I've gone to talk to the little bit." when he hung up I was still frowning.
"Who's the Little Bit?" I asked.
The vampire snatched up his jacket and flung it on, looking uncharacteristically excited."She's just what you wanted." he replied hauling me back toward the door.
"Well that's great but we just got here! Can't we, I don't know, chill or something for a bit?"
"Chill?" he repeated teasingly. I cut him a look as we moved back to the elevator. Why had we even gone inside? Isaac whistled as we rode back down to the ground floor and were met by a black-suited man with a set of car keys jingling from his forefinger.
"Don't ride her too hard, she's new." This must be Brandon, I thought. Not much to look at and bad teeth. Which struck me as a bit humorous because of the British stereotype. He'd been talking about the steel-grey, phallic sports car waiting for us just outside the glass doors. Isaac laughed and waved to his friend, then hit a button on the key chain, making the doors swing up instead of out, like wings. I slid into the passenger seat, enjoying the spiteful looks from other hotel guests and those walking by. Some envied the car, others (i.e. the group of princesses currently huddled around their rich Daddy awaiting service) saw that I was travailing with Isaac, and didn't hide their glares.
"So, where are we going?" I asked once the doors lowered back down and the car purred to life.
"To see the girl with all the answers." he replied simply and we tore out of the hotel parking lot.
"Which means?" I pushed, but he ignored me after that to enjoy his new car.
xXx
"This girl," I said leaning against my window to look at where we'd arrived, "The one with answers..Does she work here?"
He chuckled as we passed the sign that read Holloway Sanatorium, shaking his head. "Nope."
I swallowed as the car made its slow path down the paved road and onto the huge property. The place looked more like the remains of an ancient castle than any sort of mental heath-care hospital. Was he messing with me? Why would anyone locked inside a place like this have answers to anything? Were crazy people even allowed to watch the news?
"Seriously though," I turned back to him as we pulled into a tall iron gate and were greeted by a few men in security uniforms, "why are we here?"
The vampire tsked as he slowed to a stop, reaching across the seat to squeeze my hand, "Calm down, Mira."
Oh...gee, that helped.
Isaac got out of the car then and approached the guards, which I now noticed were armed. After a short conversation the biggest one nodded and he turned back to me, motioning that I join them. I did so hesitantly, taking Isaac's hand as we approached the huge stone building. It had taken us little under an hour to drive here from Berkshire and the sun had begun to make its slow path down into the horizon. It cast an ominous light on the sanatorium, gleaming off the stones as if the whole place was on fire. I moved closer to Isaac, much to his amusement, and tried not to look too nervous.
"This isn't the 1800's, Mira." he murmured to me as we entered the huge entrance hall and approached the front desk. "These places are completely safe and they haven't actively tortured their patients in a while." then he grinned, "Not when anyone can see them."
I tried to ignore him, focusing instead on the modern waiting room and brightly smiling woman at the front desk. It all looked rather out of place within the stone walls, but in a strange way, it was comforting, so I didn't mind.
"And what can I do for you, today?" she asked, her overly-darkened eyes locked on Isaac and she smiled just a bit brighter. I glanced between them, watching as the vampire leaned against the counter and released my hand.
"I'm here to visit my sister." he replied with a flirtatious smile of his own. The woman leaned forward in her chair, arms folded on the desk. It was obvious she was showing off her cleavage, and Isaac glanced down, which made her bat her lashes, though her expression turned overly contrite.
"I'm sorry, sir, but visiting hours are strictly from Noon to 5. Most of our patients are settling down for sleep about now."
At 6? I thought doubtfully, but didn't speak. Isaac sighed and glanced down at her name tag, pausing a bit too long before looking back at her eyes, though she didn't seem to care.
"I've got to see her." he said, "I've just gotten back to England, you see. It's been so long since I last visited and we've driven all the way from Berkshire."
She pursed her lips, glancing around, then rolled her chair to her computer. "What is the name of your sister?"
"Lidia Marie Baudilare." he replied with a smile.
Almost immediately, she paled and pulled her fingers back from the keys. "Oh. Oh, no, sir, I can't let you visit her."
He pouted and I could tell she wanted to say yes, but glanced away instead as if to strengthen her resolve.
"Can't you make just one exception? 20 minutes at the least." His fingers brushed over hers on the desk, but the receptionist pulled back.
"Sir, you don't understand. I can't let you see Lidia period. She's been put into isolation. I'm sorry to tell you this but-"
Very suddenly, Isaac grabbed her wrist and jerked her toward him. I gasped, looking around for anyone that might see us. What about cameras? Was he stupid, or just that impatient?
"Tell me her room number and give me the card-key." his voice was soft, but incredibly cold, and I couldn't help but back away from him. For a long moment, she only stared at him, her jaw hanging just slightly, then she shook her head.
"Wow," she smiled, "I'm sorry, I must have zoned out a moment, it's been a long day."
"I'll bet." Isaac smiled back, his grip on her wrist now was flirtatious, his thumb working back and forth across her wrist. She smiled up at him from beneath her lashes before gently extracting her hand and typing in something into the computer. After a moment, she pulled from a drawer two sticky name tags with the word Visitor on it and handed them over.
"Now, Lidia's not feeling her best today, I'm afraid, but maybe a visit from her brother can cheer her up."
"I sure hope so." Isaac smiled, back to Mr. Charming. The receptionist glanced back at him again and grinned.
"She's on the bottom floor, that's level 1 in the elevator, room 1607." She let her hand fall over Isaac's, gazing into his eyes, "It's a restricted section, so don't stay too long. I'd hate to have to send security after you."
"Best watch myself then." he lifted her hand and kissed the back of it, pulling away with a small white card. I rolled my eyes when she sighed, then thankfully we were heading for the elevator and he lost that Mr. Sexy-pants smile. It was weirding me out.
"Lidia, huh?" I asked "She's a patient. And apparently she's in isolation for something bad."
"Yes," he didn't look at me. "I'll have to scold her for that."
I'd planned on putting this whole section in here, but then I realized it was already 2000 words, and the comp screen is all swirly, so I'll just post the next bit tomorrow and get to forest bits early. Hoozah.