Page 29 of The Vanishing
Nino rouses underneath Haruka’s palm, opening his eyes with heavy lids. He looks exhausted—still too pale. He stretches his body and flinches from the pain. Giovanni steps closer, frowning. “Why does his mouth look full like that? Because his tongue is gone?”
“No,” Haruka says. He slides his hand down Nino’s face, then presses his thumb against his soft lips. Nino opens, letting him slip it inside to drag his top lip up. Sharp white teeth gleam, protruding from his mate’s gums. “His incisors won’t retract because he was close to being starved and needed to feed. The doctor said his body should adjust to the IV drip of my blood within twenty-four hours. They will return to normal soon.”
Stepping forward, Giovanni places a large hand atop Nino’s head. “You can’t walk around with your fangs hanging out, kiddo. It’s uncivilized. What will the neighbors think?”
Nino snorts in a faint sound, but then it escalates into violent coughing and choking. Haruka lifts, anxious as he places both of his hands against Nino’s cheeks. “Breathe, my love. Open your mouth.”
Obedient, Nino opens his fanged mouth and draws in a deep breath, his chest heaving up and down. He repeats this action until his body relaxes and he regains control. Haruka frowns, snapping his head toward Giovanni. “Don’t make him laugh!”
Giovanni shrugs, grinning. “It’s better to keep our spirits up.”
While still holding his face with one palm, Haruka leans down and caresses his nose against Nino’s fuzzy cheek. “Welcome home.”
Nino’s voice is groggy in his mind, soft.Thanks… I missed you. It was painful.
“I missedyou. You’re safe now.”
I know.
“I will never let this happen again. Where did he take you?”
I… don’t know. Somewhere with desert mountains… and an old house. Ladislao was there.
“Almeida? From Rio de Janeiro?”
Nino smirks, lazy.Tesoro, what other Ladislao is there?
“Of course.” Haruka leans in once more, kissing the tip of his nose. “Who did this to you?”
His mate gasps in a deep yawn, his lids growing heavier and his eyes like narrow slits.Lajos… just before he brought me back…Nino’s eyes are shut, his breathing shallow. Haruka caresses his thumb against the bristly hair of his cheek, lulling him to sleep.
“What did he say?” Giovanni asks.
“That he was in an old house somewhere surrounded by desert and mountains. Ladislao was there.”
“Almeida? From Brazil?”
Haruka glares. “Did you not just hear me say that?”
“I couldn’t hear his responses!”
“So including Nino,” Cellina says thoughtfully, “that’s twovampires we know for sure Lajos is responsible for vanishing.”
“Are you telling me that a singular vampire is responsible for the Vanishing?” Giovanni asks. “That this one crazy-ass old man pulled off the greatest upset of our culture’s history?”
The silence in the room is stiff as they look at each other. Haruka glances down, taking Nino’s limp hand into his own and entwining their fingers. Despite being asleep, Nino grips his palm.
Cellina stands from the table and stretches her arms over her head. The moment she moves, Giovanni’s gaze follows her like a hawk eyeing its prey. She rolls her shoulders underneath her hooded sweatshirt. “I need coffee if we’re going to unpack the aristocracy’s greatest mysteries. How many am I bringing back?”
“I would like a cup,” Haruka says. “Thank you, Cellina.”
“Me too… please,” Giovanni admits.
Asao stands from the table as well. “I’ll go with you. I need to move around.” Giovanni’s head turns, scanning her as she saunters toward the door. Cellina is a beautiful female with smooth, cinnamon-brown skin and thick, curly hair. Even dressed in casual clothes and with her curls stacked and messy atop her head, an undeniable allure and confidence radiates from her.
When she’s gone, Giovanni relaxes his shoulders as if he’d been waiting for something—a fight? When it doesn’t come, he exhales and moves to take the place she’d occupied at the table. He looks down at the playing cards there and pokes them with his fingers.
“Did you think she would refuse to get you coffee?” Haruka asks. Nino’s eyes are closed. He’s sleeping again.
