Karolina Dalca, Dark Eyes Read online

“Auntie Miruna’s house.”

  “Where is it?”

  “Constanta, on the Black Sea,” Roman said.

  I gave Andre the address. “Ro, when you took down all those vampires, how did their magic not hurt you?”

  “Dark magic doesn’t work on werewolves.”

  “Really?” I asked.

  “Yeah. Only earth magic can work on werewolves, since we’re of the earth,” he said and looked out at the clay colored hills as they rolled by. They were part of a sprawling burnt orange ocean, but still a reminder of the pine mounds back home.

  “Don’t forget about light magic, Poochie,” Andre said.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Told you, princess, I’m not all bad. I’ve sparked the Light and Dark Charm.”

  “Trying to say you can take me?” Roman asked Andre.

  “So,” I said, “the Earth Charm and Light Charm are the only elements which can affect you? Why would the magic of your own people be your weakness?”

  “It prevents corruption,” Roman said. “Those in the pack born without the wolf gene keep us in check. Since I was born a wolf, I can’t use magic the same way you do, Karo.”

  “Huh.” It made sense. If Roman had the Charm like I did, I would have felt it a long time ago. His power lay in his strength. Strength even Andre, a full vampire, couldn’t overpower. But Andre had the Light Charm.

  I analyzed the details of the attack. The magical assaults were all shades of black, but Andre’s magic had been dark purple. I hadn’t thought of the detail until now. Andre had completed a selfless act so pure; he’d sparked the Light Charm. I couldn’t imagine him capable of it. Everything he’d done so far had been for personal gain, including saving my life.

  “Well,” I said. “I’m going to get some sleep while I have the chance.”

  Roman’s hand slid up and down my arm. “Get some rest.”

  More waves of sensation traveled through the air from Andre. I couldn’t tell if it burned or if it was just so cold it burned. I ignored the feelings and closed my eyes. I rested in the warmth of Roman’s body. “Ro,” I said.

  “Yeah?”

  “What happened with the police in Canada? Is there a warrant for my arrest?” I asked.

  “You’re wanted now, Karo. They’ll arrest you if you go back.”

  ****

  The car jostled me awake. The landscape flashed before me. High cliffs emerged from coral-colored sand, speckled with rocks and weeds. The mounds of earth gave way to patches of arid greenery at the base. A white bird flew parallel to the hills, its chalk feathers reflecting the warm hues of the rock. We were closer to the coast.

  I tilted my head back and let the sun warm my face. Through my eye lashes I caught another reflection in the car’s side mirror. I locked eyes with Andre. He had watched me within the angle of the mirror. I averted my gaze and straightened in my seat. Roman stretched his arms above his head as I adjusted.

  “How long was I out for?” I asked.

  “Whole ride,” Roman said.

  “We’ll be arriving at Constanta, in fifteen,” Andre said.

  We turned off the long desert highway. Wind rattled the trees, the moist coast air painting the surrounding land in evergreens and palms. The Dacia cruised into downtown Constanta, engine warm and purring after the highway drive. The sun shone against the church domes and steeples. Aqua blue water sparkled in the sun behind the city skyline. Concrete buildings alternated between historical manors, like they’d been dropped from the sky on the old city. Like the fairy-tale which once was, would slowly be stomped out.

  “The old stuff is gorgeous,” Roman whispered.

  “I know,” I said.

  Andre turned the car down the sharp corners of the street. We passed the city center and headed closer to the edge of the harbor. We rolled up to a white and red stone manor. It had large white columns which extended skyward three stories. Atop the columns sat gray stone lions. They didn’t look real, but rather felt so real I waited for them to stir. It was the famous Lion House, an old masonic temple.

  “Great Auntie Miruna lives here?” I asked.

  “No,” Andre said, “The Lion House was for the men. She’s across the street.”

  I looked to the left and saw a white stone mansion with opera style balconies at every window. The railings were carved stone, making every deep bay window look like an ornate cloud. The manor was four stories high, giving the top floor a view of the ocean over the Lion House.

  Andre turned off the car and popped the trunk.

  I sat humbled for a moment. Then clicked off the seat belt. Powdery white stairs led to a double door entrance. Each step I ascended presented another question. Would she know me? Would she turn me away? On the top step the doorbell seemed daunting, but I rang it anyway.

  Roman and Andre’s footsteps followed me up the stairs.

  I stood up straight and hit the button again. My heartrate spiked at the sound of movement inside.

  Chapter Ten

  Aunt Miruna Albesuc

  One of the large doors swung open. A white-haired woman with olive skin stood tall in the threshold of her home. She gazed at the three of us, then focused on me. Her face lit with a warm smile that I never expected to see again. It was the smile that I so often saw on my mother. My eyes brimmed with tears as Great Auntie Miruna threw her arms around me.

  When she backed off, she straightened me out in front of her. “You have the taint of death around you, child. Quick, come in.”

  She ushered us through the door, and I almost lost my footing when I passed through a humming wall of power at the threshold. Once inside her foyer, I looked up above the doorframe. It was the most ornate magical carving I ever saw. The plaque was wood with swirling lines of gold laid into it. Whoever had made the protection ward spent weeks on its creation. I never felt a threshold so guarded before.

  Miruna took my hand. She wore her hair secured back in an orderly fashion, and her clothes were modest and functional. The same principal was applied to her home. It was tidy and well kept, but the antique furniture wasn’t gaudy or overindulgent. I wondered how a woman of her age managed to keep up with all the housework.

  “I’m so happy to see you,” I said.

  She squeezed my hand. “I always saw you in my dreams.” Her expression turned troubled. “You have a darkness around you, my child. What battle did you enter which forced you to take lives?”

  I froze. “Vampires attacked us, ones that are working for someone who wants me dead. Probably the same person who sent Shadow Forged to our house in Canada.” I braced myself. “Mama’s dead.”

  She nodded and closed her eyes. Then spoke in Romanian and crossed herself.

  “Did you know?” I asked her.

  “Your mother visited me in a dream,” she said. “She asked me to look out for you. Around her head was a crown of light. I hoped it wasn’t the case, but it seems her spirit came to say goodbye.”

  Her words plucked a cord of envy. Mama always said Miruna was the most powerful white witch she’d known; it could be why she’d been contacted by Mama’s spirit and I hadn’t. Miruna always seemed like a folk tale to me, a heroine I heard about but never met. Now, she stood in front of me.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t call to tell you sooner.”

  “No, I’m sorry, child. If anyone tries to take your life, you fight, Karolina. You are a Dalca! You fight till your dying breath.” She slammed her fist on the front hall table, making Andre and Roman jump.

  “I promise.”

  It felt good to have another person in my corner—even if it was a ninety-plus woman who couldn’t fight anymore. I just hoped we had gotten lost quickly enough from Bucharest, so no vampires could have trailed us here.

  “Come to the kitchen. Let me fix the three of you some lunch and tea.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Albesuc,” Roman said.

  Andre dropped our bags by the front hall table. Miruna squinted at his chest as she walke
d by. Her scowl faded by the time we got to the kitchen. She filled a copper kettle and placed it on the stove. I took some heavy cooking platters out of the fridge and put them into the oven to help her, but she smacked my hands away. We sat down. The room flooded with a meaty spice aroma which made my mouth water.

  “Now.” She took the squealing kettle off the stove. “You must be Roman.”

  “Yes Ma’am,” he said.

  “You have your father’s eyes,” she said. “And you?” she asked Andre. “Who is this stranger accompanying my niece?”

  “Andre, Mrs. Albesuc.”

  “Andre who? It’s Miss, I never married.”

  “Andre Zima, Ms. Albesuc.”

  Miruna placed a hand on her heart and sucked in a breath. She patted him on the shoulder. He took the teacup from her outstretched hand, and she turned his chin to her face. “Bless you, child. May you come back to us one day.”

  Andre swallowed his tea, along with any facial expression which could reveal what Miruna spoke about.

  She sat down and the small chat began. I dipped a cookie in my tea. A hunk landed on my shirt and I flicked back my hair to wipe myself clean. I felt the weight of Miruna’s gaze on my neck. A tiny smile formed on her lips.

  “Pardon me, Ms. Albesuc, for speaking about business so soon,” Andre said, “but we’re under pursuit. I have been charged with the task of taking Karolina to her uncle in Kislovodsk. We require the late Ms. Dalca’s birth-certificate to prove Karolina’s identity.”

  Kislovodsk was the same city on the address from my box. If it wasn’t the address Mama had intended me receive sanctuary at, it was close.

  “What makes you think I have it?” Miruna asked.

  “Again, please excuse my direct demeanor. We know Ms. Dalca fled Romania unexpectedly from this location, shortly after Karolina was born.”

  The bastard. He knew it was here all along.

  “I do not tell lies,” she said. “So, I will tell you. But I will also state my opinion on the matter. Karolina, I do have your mother’s birth certificate, but I do not think you should go. In Russia there are things your mother made an oath to protect you from. You yourself said there have already been attempts on your life.” She paused. “But if you, Karolina Dalca, want to discover your birthright, then I will not stop you.”

  “What do you mean, discover my birthright?”

  “It is not for me to tell, child. Your father’s family is yours to discover. But they are not my family. And you have been forewarned.”

  Seeing my aunt had warmed my heart more than I imagined, but deep inside of me was a void. A void which yearned to know where the other half of me was derived from. I wondered what features I had from my father’s side. If they saw me, would they know me like she had? There was also the issue of my Fire Charm. I needed to learn more control. I couldn’t continue to live my life afraid of my own powers.

  “I’m sorry, Auntie. I have to go.”

  She took a deep breath and nodded. “Then the three of you will rest here before you set out in the morning. This is still our family home, Karolina, and you are expected to come here any time you please.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Now let me see your legs. They’re still injured.” She held out her hands expectantly.

  “How can you tell?”

  “From the flow of your aura. All living things have energy, a life force, and of course a soul.” She gestured to her stomach, her head, and her heart.

  “Body, mind, and soul,” Andre said.

  “When you become a skilled practitioner of light magic, child, you will start to see the essence of life, and when you’re ready, the soul.” She rolled up her sleeves. “Now, let me see those legs.”

  I laid my legs across her lap.

  She rubbed her hands together like she tried to warm them and then hovered them above me. She didn’t meditate or take a moment to call her magic forth; it just came. The second she put her hands over my legs, her palms glowed with white light. It didn’t tingle like dark magic, or Andre’s mix of light and dark. It just felt warm, like the sun’s rays on my skin.

  She took her hands away and the aching pain I had tried to ignore drifted away.

  “That’s amazing!” I lifted my legs back and inspected them.

  “Your turn.” She faced Andre.

  “Oh.” He held up his hands and shook his head. “My hand is completely healed. No need.”

  “That’s not where you are injured, and if you are traveling with Karolina, you need to be well.”

  Roman laughed as Andre recoiled from her approaching hands.

  Andre searched for a way around her. “I feel fine, Ma’am, I swear.” He almost made it out of his seat, but she was a spry old thing—and managed to block his path. She planted her hands on his chest, and the breath left his lungs. His eyes grew wide as her hands lit up with light again. He leaned back, breathing rapid and hitched. Avoiding my eyes, he stared at the ceiling. She backed away and he leaned forward against the table.

  “There. That wasn’t so bad,” she said.

  “Yeah,” Andre said. “Thanks.” He looked as pale as Miruna’s china.

  I looked at Roman; he made no attempts to hide his amusement. “You just wait until it’s your turn,” I said.

  “I’m a wolf, Karo,” he said. “I heal myself.”

  Miruna put a steaming plate of stew and dumplings on the table. The afternoon was full of laughter and stories of our family history. I learned Albesuc was Romanian for ‘White.’ My grandmother’s family were known throughout Romanian history for their abilities in light magic. Miruna’s manor had always been our family home. Before my grandparents and my mother fled to Canada, they lived here. In fact, this house was how my grandparents had met. Grandpa Dalca used to come and go from the Lion House across the street. Grandma Dalca used to watch him every time from her balcony, until one day he had finally gathered enough courage to knock on her door. They’d been together ever since.

  The light in the kitchen window glowed orange. Sunlight slowly slipped away along the horizon as Roman washed the dishes. He always had to be first, and tonight he beat me to dish duty as his victory.

  Andre picked over his food. At first, I worried whatever Miruna had done to Andre made him sick, but after an hour he started to steady. Looking less pale, he sat rigid in his chair, tapping his fingers against the wood as he watched the sky darken. Any suggestions of him eating more was a moot point. He needed blood to satiate his hunger. The rich flavor of caramel slid into my mind. A warm rush flared up from my stomach.

  Andre’s gaze flicked up to mine.

  “Well the sun’s down,” Roman said. “You should get some rest for tomorrow.” He found the dishcloth and started to dry the dishes.

  “I’m a vampire, not a two-year-old,” I said.

  Miruna gestured to the hallway door. “Yes, but you’re also half gypsy, and we have much to talk about. Let me show you to your room, and I’ll get your mother’s birth certificate.”

  “Sounds great,” I said.

  Miruna paused. “Oh Roman, you’ll be in the bedroom at the foot of the stairs.” Then she turned to Andre. “You’ll be at the farthest end of the hall.”

  “Don’t worry, Ms. Albesuc,” Andre said, “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

  She took my hand and led me into the hallway. I picked up my pack on the way to the stairs. The dark hardwood creaked under our steps. We climbed the staircase. Pictures of all the Albesucs before us loomed down at me as my hand glided along the polished banister.

  The room she assigned me faced the inner city. The lights of the concrete buildings now burned like lanterns in the night. The room was full of wooden trunks and bookcases. A canopy bed sat against the wall. The covers and draping were all white lace, which reminded me of a young girl’s bedroom.

  “It was your mother’s room,” Miruna said.

  I ran my fingers over the bed covers. “It’s beautiful. Exactly what I would have
pictured.”

  She walked to the wooden trunk at the foot of the bed. She opened it, exposing large carvings on its lid. I searched my pack, brought out the wooden box, and examined it.

  “The markings are the same.”

  “Yes, your grandmother and I had the same teacher,” she said.

  “Your mother?”

  She nodded. “The way each family learns and practices their Charm is different.” Her hand traced the carvings on the trunk lid. “You will be able to tell when it’s our family’s light or earth magic from the similarity in the markings.” She rummaged through the trunk and found a book. “It’s handed down to the next generation.” She snapped the trunk lid shut and held it up. “When they’re ready.”

  The book was covered in the same markings as the trunk and box, with a leather string wound around it.

  “Seems to be a theme here,” I said.

  “It’s protected. Only our family can remove the string.”

  Before my escapade, I would have laughed. But after the pain Andre’s book had inflicted on me, I knew anything was possible. “What will it do to them?”

  “A person may try to remove the string which binds it.” She grinned. “But they will change their mind before they touch it.”

  “I see.” It was much nicer than the spell on my emergency box. “What is the book about?”

  “It’s a book of the Light Charm, Karolina. A family heirloom. I have no use for it anymore, and it seems you could do with a little more strength for your journey.” She handed it to me.

  “But I don’t have the Light Charm.”

  “Yes, you do,” she said. “You started to develop it at birth. You were always such a loving, passionate little girl. All you must do is invoke it. Your mother’s birth certificate is inside.” She left the room and closed the door behind her.

  Damn. Mama was bad for talking in gypsy riddles. She must have learned it from Miruna. I sat down on the trunk and unwound the security string. I flipped open the front cover. A drawing of an intricate sun was on the first page. Underneath it was a saying in Romanian beautifully handwritten, O stea poate deveni un soare sub presiunea întunericului.

  I would have known it spelled backward. My mother always said the phrase to me as a child. It was her catch phrase when she wanted me to have the courage to follow my own heart.