Tuesday ended in a whirlwind. Dante finished his lecture series and handed it over to the resident Associate Professor, Thomas, and their shared overworked teaching assistant Justina. To celebrate his time teaching on Thomas’s behalf, he invited Thomas and Justina out for an evening meal.
“We should do this again next semester,” Thomas said, as they walked to Balkon Bar and Restaurant. It was a comfortable place and the food was good. “I enjoyed listening to your lecture on the influence Byzantium has left on the architecture found in our religious houses, all the way up to now.”
“I’m more excited about the trip to Aretias Island. I can’t believe you found a fortress there,” Justina said. “How come we’ve never had an opportunity to explore it?”
“It’s in a conservancy,” Dante said. “I was as surprised as you are when I arrived looking for researchers to help me with soil. I can’t explain it. Anyway, the trip is not confirmed yet. I’ll meet the management guys tomorrow. I’ll call you with information if they give me their consent.”
“I hope they agree,” Justina said, smiling wide.
Thomas chuckled and shook his head. “You just want a break from reading exam papers from my students.”
“You caught me,” Justina said, as they entered the building that housed Balkon.
Upstairs, Dante led the way to the balcony terrace and found a table near the balcony. The sunset was almost gone. He wished they had made it earlier to catch the show. He invited Thomas and Justina to take a seat at the table large enough to seat four.
“Our Ryuzo house…” the words drifted to him and he stopped in the act of pulling out his chair. He turned his gaze in search of the owner of that voice.
Ryuzo. The memory of amber eyes filled him and all he could remember was the clear sadness in amber eyes.
“What will you have, Dante?” Justina asked, her voice pulling him back to their table. “Should we order drinks first?”
“Sure,” Dante said, distracted. He pulled out his chair and turned once more to see if he could spot who had mentioned Ryuzo. The balcony terrace had quite a number of tables. Each of them with a set of patrons. Each one deep in conversation with their companion, Dante frowned and glanced to the door they had used to enter the balcony terrace.
Dante froze when he saw the lithe man dressed in a black leather jacket. His red-brown hair was rich in the fading sunlight. His profile was handsome as he looked at the sunset. Dante wished he would turn…and then he did, once, looking straight at Dante. His heartbeat skipped.
The light seemed to highlight in perfect form, amber eyes similar to those of a fox filled with mischief. Just like he remembered in his dream.
Ryuzo’s eyes, looking at him in broad daylight, how impossible.
“Dante?” Thomas said his name, dragging him back from his wild imagination.
Dante glanced back to the exit one more time, and frowned when he saw the doorway empty.
He was gone.
Dante wondered if he might have hallucinated his existence.
*~*~*~*
The Arturo Vineyard was beautiful. Tani stood in the middle of the old olive grove staring at the tops of the mature trees. They were old and full of memories. It was mid-morning. Tom and Hera were focused on following a track of corrupted soil in the olive grove. Dante’s mother was in the vineyard house, preparing a meal for Tom and Hera to thank them for their work. The vineyard manager was inspecting the grape vines. Something he was apparently doing every day now.
Tani sighed, marveling over the beautiful olive grove. He loved old places like these most. The aged grove made him feel at home, like meeting old friends who had seen the past years the same as him. Closing his eyes, he listened to the leaves dance in the wind. Then he felt more than heard Tom walking up to him.
“Do you want to sink your fingers into the soil, Babu?” Tom asked, coming to stand next to him on his right.”
Hera’s pace was more leisurely. She stopped on his left, her bangle jingling. Today she wore jeans and a flowery blouse. Her black braids were in a tight ponytail on top of her head. Her feet in work boots, ready to walk the land.
“What are the olive trees telling you, Babu?” Hera asked.
“They’re old,” Tani said, flashing a small grin when she scoffed. “What? We are kindred spirits.”
“I think you’re avoiding bending over with us,” Hera teased, moving to the closest olive tree to check the soil. “Something strange is happening in this grove. The soil is losing its nutrients. If this continues, your old trees will rot to death.”
“Hm,” Tani said, pulling his hands out of his black trouser pockets. He scowled at the tan bandage on his right palm. The wound was not healing despite Hera’s best efforts.
Damn Dante and his new petty nature. Ignoring the pain, he removed the bandage and folded it, scowling at the red scar on his palm. He adjusted his white t-shirt and crouched on the ground. Tom stayed beside him.
“Let me know when you see Dante’s mother or the vineyard manager,” Tani said.
“I will,” Tom promised.
Tani pressed his palms to the ground, his fingers changing, black nails growing longer, digging into the ground, turning the dirt. He sunk his fingers deep until his hands were wrist-deep. He closed his eyes then and let his senses search for what was wrong in the ground.
*~*~*~*
Dante arrived home on the island in high spirit. He couldn’t wait to hear Tom’s verdict on their soil. It would be great to solve the mystery of corrupt soil in the vineyard. Then after, he would get the chance to convince Tom to let him bring fifteen eager students on a tour of his fortress.
Smiling at the thought, Dante drove the vineyard jeep to the olive grove. He was dismounting when he felt the powerful presence following him around. Leaving the jeep door open, he ran into the olive grove determined to catch it this time.
*~*~*~*
Tani was focused in his search, allowing his power to seep into the soil, seeking…then a familiar hot heat came racing at his back. He had one second to pull his hands out of the ground and push Tom out of harm’s way before a thick column of heat surrounded him, burning so hot, he could not hold back the guttural scream of pain that left his lips. The burn in his right palm seemed to awaken with a vengeance
Tani fell to his knees as raw pain sunk deep into his bones.
He looked up when the bloodborne warlock responsible for his pain arrived at the clearing. His amber eyes long stripped of their resemblance to a human; Tani looked at Dante and shook his head, great disappointment filling his heart.
His beloved was the only one in his life capable of bringing him pain.
Oh, what fine pain his beloved dealt, he could only cry tears of blood to get through it.
*~*~*~*~*
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