“What is it?” Caitlin asked, unsure.
“Blood,” Polly answered. “Not of humans, don’t worry. Of deer. The woman keeps a stock just for us.”
Caitlin didn’t like the smell, but she was overwhelmed with hunger pangs, and she finally leaned back and drank.
As the blood coursed through her system, she felt renewed. She realized how ravished she’d been. She leaned back and chugged it, drinking and drinking, unable to stop herself. It dripped down her chin, as she downed the entire jug.
Polly laughed.
Caitlin wiped her mouth, self-conscious.
“Sorry,” Caitlin said. “I guess I was hungry.”
Caitlin felt her full strength returning, surging through every pore of her body. She felt reborn.
“It’s the least I can do,” Polly said. “After all, you saved a girl’s life.”
Polly led Caitlin through street after street in Venice, and finally, before them was open sky.
Caitlin was in awe as she found herself at the waterfront, looking out at the Grand Canal of Venice, bustling with boat traffic in every direction. The salt breezes swept her face and hair, and it felt refreshing.
Polly didn’t waste any time. She hurried to the waterside, and began untying a rope holding in place a long, black, gondola.
“Jump in!” Polly said.
Caitlin hesitated, unsure. It was such a long and narrow boat, so low to the water, and it rocked wildly in the rough waters, which were filled with enormous ships moving quickly in every direction.
She could easily envision one of them running over a gondola.
“Oh it’s fine,” Polly said, reading her mind, “I’m in it all the time. Best mode of transportation, you know.”
Polly held out a hand, and Caitlin took it as she balanced, stepping tentatively into the boat; it rocked wildly as she did.
Caitlin slid up, sitting hesitantly on the wooden plank, a bit wet from all the water spray.
Polly laughed. “You can tackle an alleyway full of men, but you’re scared of a little boat?” Then she added, “Come on Rose! Your turn!”
Rose, still unsure, stood on the edge of the dock, staring at Caitlin for reassurance.
Caitlin nodded, and Rose ran and jumped into the boat, rocking it again.
She got her coat wet, and she shook it wildly, spraying both Caitlin and Polly.
They both laughed.
Polly finished untying the boat, got in herself, and stood in the back of it. She grabbed the long, wooden oar, and pushed off.
They were soon gliding through the water, and Caitlin was surprised at the boat’s seaworthiness.
They were so low in the water, it seemed as if the ocean might come in at any moment, and yet the boat must have been designed well, because they cut through it with a lot of speed, as Polly rowed.
Caitlin settled in, and even with the rough waters rocking them, tried to relax.
A huge ship sailed past them, just a few feet away, and left a big wake. The gondola rocked even more wildly, and Caitlin sat up again.
Polly laughed. “You get used to it,” she said.
Caitlin started to wonder exactly how far they were going.
“Where are we going, exactly?” Caitlin asked
“I live on Isola di San Michele,” Polly said, “also known as Isle of the Dead. It’s one of the outer islands of Venice, in the lagoon. Not too far. No one bothers us there, and we don’t bother anyone.
Plus, we have loads of livestock to feed on.”
“So why were you in Venice today?” Caitlin asked.
Polly sighed. “My fault. I should have brought backup. Aiden warned us not to travel alone. But I had to get something for tonight’s party and no one was around. I just
“Ball?” Caitlin asked.
“How can you not know!?” Polly asked, flabbergasted. “It’s only the Grand Ball. I’ve been looking forward to it all year. I just wanted to sneak into town to see if I could find something better. I’m weaker in the day. I’m still training. If those guys got me at night, they would have paid.
But like I said, they caught me off guard. Anyway, where did you learn to fight like that?”
“Oh,” Caitlin said, smiling, “I learned a trick or two on an island once.”
She was hoping that somehow Polly would catch the reference, would remember. But she didn’t.
“An island? Do I know it? Near Venice?
Caitlin smiled.
“Not exactly,” she said.
They rode the rest of the way in silence, Rose resting her head in Caitlin’s lap.
Caitlin tried to collect her swirling thoughts as she anxiously looked out at the horizon, waiting for the first sign of land. She was excited to see where Polly lived, excited to see if there was anyone else there that she remembered. She hoped, prayed, that one of them had heard something, anything, about Caleb.
It was afternoon by the time they reached the small island, and it was lit up in a soft, orange glow. Caitlin could already tell it was beautiful. It was hardly bigger than Pollepel, stretching only a half a mile in each direction, but, unlike Pollepel, it was flat as a pancake. The trees here were different, too, with the tall, narrow Italian Cypress trees dotting the island, spread out everywhere amidst the lush, verdant grass. There was no grand castle, either, but instead, there was a huge, Renaissance church, it’s glowing white facade built right up against the water, facing the canal. It appeared to be hundreds of years old. Its entrance was flush against the water, and one could boat right up to the front doors, and step right in. She had seen this with other buildings in Venice, but it still amazed her, the idea that she could open a door and step right into the water.
Attached to the church was a huge cloister, stretching as far back as Caitlin could see, with a sloping, red- tiled roof, and dozens of arched walls and columns. Caitlin could already feel that Polly’s coven lived here.
It was still hard for Caitlin to reconcile, the idea of vampires living inside a church, or cloister.
She wondered why they had chosen this place, this island in the middle of nowhere. She assumed they could have chosen any place in Venice to live.
“Because it keeps us anonymous,” Polly said, reading her mind. Caitlin reddened, always forgetting how adept vampires were at reading minds.
“Being here keeps us off the beaten path,” Polly continued. “Venetians rarely trek out here, and when we visit them, we keep a low profile. It suits us both perfectly. We stay out of each other’s hair.”
They approached a low, gated entrance, on top of which stood several vampire guards, standing watch. Polly looked up and waved, but they stared down, straight-faced. Caitlin looked closely, but didn’t recognize any of them.
“Open the gate,” Polly said, annoyed.
“Who’s she?” one of them asked, nodding at Caitlin.
“She’s one of ours,” Polly said.
“I don’t recognize her,” said the other.
“Just open the gate,” Polly snapped. “I’m telling you it’s fine. If you have a problem with it, take it up with Aiden.”
They both paused, looking at each other, unsure. Finally, one of them pulled a lever, and the iron gate slowly
