Hello, lovely people!

We're about to find out what Beth and Demetri have been up to, and just before Christmas, too!

Enjoy!

LookAliveSunshine03

WARNING: Some strong language.

Chapter 3:

Glamour and code

The crowds were thinning with the late hour. Outside of the safety of her glamour, Beth squinted at the sign for St. Vladislav Church. The closer she got, the more she thought Iona had overdone the hotel's disguise.

Surely someone would notice the shattered windows or the collapsed roof. Wouldn't they be motivated to do something about it? What, then? Beth envisioned it like when a friend's father tried to remove a wasps' nest from their garden with a cricket bat and bucket.

Laura. Her name was Laura. A heart-shaped face appeared, unwelcome, in Beth's mind. With mousy hair straightened into submission, Laura always complained her lips were too thin. Of course, they weren't, but did she ever listen?

Oh, but after one too many shots, Laura had stumbled around like a newborn deer on her long skinny legs that night. Beth had had to practically drag her out of the party for some fresh air to sober her up –

"Where are you going, Beth?" Demetri asked wearily.

Beth stopped, appalled. Where, indeed? "Oh, um, er, towards the church. Obviously." She fought to suppress a small shudder. "Sorry, Demetri."

Since leaving Volterra, they had been experimenting with her glamour, but Beth still couldn't shake the nauseating surprise at finding Demetri invisible without her.

"Keep close to me, please," she said softly.

"Of course, Beth." Demetri's answer was hard to gauge. Was he annoyed at her, or was it his awkward attempt at reassurance? Again, Beth squashed the feeling that this was a terrible idea. Though she was comforted by the light pressure of Demetri's hand on her shoulder, it would only get her so far.

The hotel's resident homeless man slouched against the wall. He wasn't alone, however. A lanky man with messy blue hair talked to him. Beth blinked and almost cried out with joy to discover he wasn't under a glamour.

Then she heard Demetri sigh behind her. "Sean."

"Oh, you know everyone," Beth muttered, though not without a small smile. Compared to pretty names like Christabel and Dana, Sean sounded ordinary.

"I don't know everyone," Demetri protested quietly. "I know Hazel, and Sean is one of her more problematic personas."

"Oo-kay – dare I ask why?"

Demetri sighed. "You're about to find out. And remember –"

"I know, I know. I'll be calm," Beth grumbled. As she approached, the homeless man – Radko – looked her over curiously.

"Hello, lady." His voice was low and playful, but his smile looked like it hadn't seen a toothbrush in centuries. Beth ran a tongue over her own clean teeth, hoping it was part of the glamour.

"Um, hello," she said in Czech.

Sean's booming voice made her jump. "Top o' the morning, Beth!"

It was the beginning of the night, and Sean's pungent cologne burned her nose. Oh, Jesus Christ, Beth grimaced.

Radko heaved a sigh. "We do not understand what you are saying, Hazel. Enough pretending."

Beneath waggling eyebrows and facial hair, Beth saw Hazel's dangerous smile. "Enough pretending, oh yes. That's rich, Radko. You're scaring my little friend here."

Beth immediately bristled. "Little?"

Squeezing her shoulder hard, Demetri hastily tapped out a redundant message. C-A-L-M D-O-W-N.

It had the necessary effect, though for a different reason. As Beth's temper fizzled out, she fought to keep her face blank. Demetri was using what she had suggested!

Fortunately, Hazel and Radko were too busy to notice anything strange about her. Unfortunately, they were arguing. "Hazel, is this the young woman you have spoken about?"

Beth stiffened. This was not part of the plan.

"Tell Radko your name, then, swee'eart." Hazel's – or Sean's, or whoever they were – eyes gleamed like it was all a joke.

A black tide crashed over Beth, filling her with a desire to knock the smile off Hazel's face.

Raising herself up to her full height, Beth plastered on a feral smile. "I'm looking for a room."

Hazel (or Sean) chuckled. "There you go, Radko. So, does she fit the bill?"

Beth jutted her chin under Radko's appraisal. Of course, the man was taller than her, but she had to wonder: what did he look like under that irritating glamour?

"Yes," Radko said at length. He sneered at Hazel. "She will, as you say, fit the bill. Come, miss," he said to Beth. "Let's find you the room you need. We have many to choose from."

"Awesome. Thank you!" By following him, Beth relished what power she had over Hazel by ignoring her. It was likely Hazel couldn't care less, but it made Beth feel better.

Walking into the hotel was like stumbling backstage in a theatre. Beth found her vision was clear, watching all manner of beautiful people scurry back and forth. Some were dressed in their finery or in casual travelling clothes. Many lounged in the lobby or chatted to each other from across the high bannisters.

"After you book in, you may drink your fill at the bar," Radko gestured as a dark-skinned woman pushed past to take advantage of what was on offer. The smell of fresh blood was strongest there, and Beth recoiled, almost bumping into Radko.

"Oh, are you alright, miss?"

Beth nodded, trying to smile. "Yes. Sorry. The last time I saw so many vampires like this, I wore a ball gown."

F-O-C-U-S, Demetri tapped on her shoulder urgently.

Radko sounded surprised. "A ball gown, you say?"

"Yeah." Oh. Beth realised, too late, this was the first time she'd looked at Radko's true face.

He was a vision in a tight monochrome shirt. His broad shoulders appeared drowned in spilt ink with brown hair flowing down his back and around his face, which was as sharp as a half-moon. As their eyes met, Beth couldn't help but gasp.

Radko's gaze was as golden as her own. He asked again, "Are you sure you're alright, miss?"

Beth had no idea. She had so many questions. Suddenly, Beth desperately wanted to call Alice and finally go on that shopping spree her friend had been threatening her with; she was hardly dressed to impress today.

"Next, please!" A high, loud voice spoke up over the crowds. It came from a tiny woman behind the reception desk, flicking pigtails off her shoulders. Her red eyes blazed with concentration as she booked in six customers at once before straightening her crisp white shirt.

C-H-R-I-S-T-A-B-E-L, Demetri signed helpfully.

"Excuse me." Hazel jostled Beth (and an invisible Demetri). They watched her make a determined beeline for the desk beside Christabel towards another receptionist.

The golden woman folded her arms as she worked, shaking her head at Hazel's approach.

I-O-N-A, Demetri said, as Hazel sighed and slunk away upstairs.

Is someone in the doghouse? Beth wondered.

"Now, Beth," Radko said. "Do you have any more luggage that needs moving?"

"No." Beth heaved her rucksack further up her back, wincing as she hit Demetri's hand. "But thank you, Radko."

"It's not a problem." The man's smile included one perfect dimple in his right cheek. "This way, please."

Wending their way through the small crowd, Radko brought Beth to the next available receptionist. "Dana, my sweet," he said, leaning comfortably on the desk edge. "Could you book lovely Beth a room?"

Lovely, Beth thought, bewildered. He called me lovely.

"Of course, Radko." Dana carefully removed Radko's arm from her workspace and smiled at Beth. "We are expecting some special guests next month, so I regret to say the first and second floor is fully booked. However, we do have four rooms available on the third floor– oh, I beg your pardon, three rooms are available."

B-O-O-K-I-T, Demetri instructed, like it hadn't occurred to Beth at all. She chose the room for one person and paid with a card the Volturi had assigned to her.

Beth instinctively held her breath, expecting it not to go through. She had some of her own money, but it was too late now.

Then Dana smiled, reaching back for a room key with a pink ribbon. "There you go."

Amazed, Beth beamed. "Thank you. Er, sorry, but I'm new to the city. I can't help but notice there's a lot of vampires here." Beth relaxed her face to show she wasn't interrogating anyone as Dana and Radko exchanged a look. "Is that…normal?"

"What is normal?" Radko said sagely, and Dana sighed. "Our special guests are exceptional. Your eyes are strange. They'll want to meet you."

Beth didn't like the sound of that. "Why is that?"

Dana coughed. "Your room key, miss." She gave Radko a pointed look. "Let's not overwhelm our guests, hm? Show the young woman to her room, please."

Radko, it transpired, liked to talk. "So, you are from England?"

"Yes. I'm actually –"

"Ah, have you been to London?"

"Erm…yeah, a few times actually," Beth said. "The last time I went there, we saw Mamma Mia! Everyone got up and danced." Beth almost smiled before she remembered she was talking to a complete stranger. "I mean…"

"Who is "'we'?" Radko asked curiously.

"Um, my – my family." Beth hoped he didn't want to know more; otherwise, she might never stop talking. Then, swallowing the lump in her throat, she peered at Radko through her jagged fringe.

Wow. He looked off into some far distance, thoughtful and quiet for the time being. The buttery light pooled above the swoop of his jawline, angling towards the hollow of his throat.

Beth licked her bottom lip.

"I want to visit London one day," Radko said softly. "I would meet the queen, visit the museums, and…live."

Beth sighed. "I know the feeling."

"You do?" Their golden eyes met, and there it was: a spark, followed by a tell-tale fluttering in Beth's stomach, both surprising and terrifying.

T-A-K-E-C-A-R-E, Demetri warned, nearly making her jump.

The corridors were as lively as Prague's streets. There was a sense of joy, of something exciting to come; no human would have been able to keep up with any of it.

None of it explained why people stared at Beth. Strangers whispered in their various languages. Being around the Volturi and Cullens had dulled Beth's feeling of oddness, but it hurt now, as keen as crystal.

A shaggy-haired man passed by, wearing a Nirvana t-shirt. Catching Beth's eye, he did a double-take, and she lifted her chin, smiling.

M-I-C-H-A-E-L, Demetri tapped out in a hurry. Y-O-U-M-U-S-T-T-A-L-K-W-I-T-H-H-I-M.

Beth nodded. At the back of her mind, she wondered what Michael's favourite song was. Would Anna be proud of her for getting this far?

For all her anxiety, Beth couldn't fail to notice the effect Radko had on people. Most grinned at him like he was one of the lads, but other men scowled, too. One went so far as to tug his simpering partner away as if she would elope with Radko then and there. It was almost hilarious, and Radko appeared to take it with good grace, but Beth recognised the rigid stance of the embarrassed.

She wanted to say something, but nothing seemed appropriate.

On the stairs to the third floor, they met a silver-haired woman coming the other way. Dressed in a long purple gown, she moved with slow, feline grace. Beth watched with some alarm as the woman touched Radko's chest and purred something to him in Czech. No doubt, she meant to sound flirtatious, but the woman's eyes were bright and hungry.

Beth felt her muscles instinctively tense, ready for anything. But, instead, Radko addressed the woman with a formal title. While Beth couldn't quite understand what was said, clearly, it was something the woman hadn't expected. She repeated it slowly and somewhat incredulously.

Then her gaze slid down to Beth, who was used to disdain and knew exactly what to do with it.

"Good morning," she said in Czech, recycling her most mocking smile. "Isn't the hotel lovely?"

The woman's expression froze in place, becoming a predatory grimace. "Excuse me." She stormed downstairs in a cacophony of sequins, tinkling like broken glass. Demetri carefully caught Beth's arm as they jumped out of the woman's way.

"Nice lady," Beth's curiosity was piqued, nonetheless.

"I must apologise." Radko was making a show of adjusting his cufflinks and clearing his throat. "Come, your room awaits. This way, please."

"Hey, a friend of mine studied hotel management at college. How the customer "is always right," and all that." Behind her smile, Beth bit the inside of her cheek. It was her pathetic way of comforting him.

She had told a stranger about Laura.

The worst of the racket below was smothered by the thick pink carpet of the third floor. A hint of rosewater suggested the corridors' wallpaper was scented, and Beth braced herself opening her door.

She gasped. The room was comfortably lit, encasing the pleasant smell of cherry blossom. Beth would later find the tree painted on the walls was roughly textured, along with the waxy feel of its pale blooms. Except for a tiny ensuite, the furniture was minimal.

"It's beautiful," Beth answered Radko's expectant smile. She stepped inside, still reassured by Demetri's hand on her shoulder. "Thank you."

"Good." Radko and his tight silk shirt stood almost as high as the doorframe. He clasped his hands behind his back, gold eyes crinkling. "Before I leave you, we offer new guests a special treatment."

"Special treatment?" Beth grinned. "Ooh, I'm sure I will. Thanks."

"Should you wish to sample it, call us on this." Radko motioned to the elegantly old-fashioned phone on the bedside table. Then, as he backed out of the room, he said, "And please, enjoy your stay."

He gave Beth the slightest wink before closing the door behind him.

"Wow." Struggling to hide her flustered smile, Beth dropped her glamour and texted Anna.

We are in the hotel. I will let you know of any more developments. B x

Clenching her jaw, Beth removed the kiss. It was too soon for that. The complicated stuff was only just beginning, and she could feel Demetri watching her.

A bolt of fear struck her. Hazel had said the Volturi were a sensitive subject...what if another guest heard Demetri speak?

What if they recognised the voice of the Volturi tracker?

Beth couldn't deny the loss of his contact made her feel somewhat disorientated, yet he appeared perfectly calm.

Demetri opened his mouth, but Beth shook her head. She found her notebook and one of her pens in her rucksack.

Don't talk, Beth wrote. They might hear you.

When she was sure Demetri had read the message, they stared each other down for what felt like the longest time, desperate topaz eyes to his surprised ruby.

I want to keep you safe, Beth mouthed, which was the right thing to say.

Demetri nodded, mouthing, "thank you," before impatiently gesturing for the notebook. You have done well, Beth. While it's not ideal, it is a good idea to stay quiet.

Astonished, Beth couldn't help but grin, utterly unaware that it was the same vindicated look Demetri had pictured on the roof.

She had also noticed he was left-handed. What do we do now?

We have been travelling for days, Demetri wrote. So you'll need a shower if you want to look presentable.

At any other time, Beth would have been offended. She huffed, gently taking the pen from Demetri. Thanks? There's enough paper. Give me what background info you have on the hotel staff when I get back.

When Beth returned, towelling her wet hair, Demetri's face said it all. You cannot go out dressed like that.

Beth rolled her eyes, straightening her plaid shirt. Demetri tossed her notebook, which she quickly caught by dropping the towel. She hissed in annoyance.

I admit I know very little about this coven, Demetri had written. We could ask Hazel, but she is distracted by Iona.

"So, can we trust her or not?" Beth whispered.

Demetri prompted her, Keep reading.

We need to find Michael in the lobby bar, he continued. In the corridor, the man you smiled at, wearing this: Demetri had drawn a logo at the bottom of the page, one Beth immediately recognised.

Michael visits the bar regularly, Demetri explained. I have messaged him to expect us.

How do you know he'll be in the bar, though?

In response, Demetri tapped his nose and temple. Beth scoffed softly, annoyed at her own stupidity.

To be continued...