CHAPTER EIGHT

Caitlin stood there, stunned. She could not believe that it was really Polly. She looked exactly the same as she had, with her distinctive translucent white skin, her light brown hair, and her blue eyes, large and shining. She also looked the same age, somewhere around 18. Rationally, Caitlin knew that she should have expected this; but seeing it face to face threw her completely off guard.

Polly broke into a wide smile, grinning from ear to ear, displaying her beautiful, white teeth—the exact smile that Caitlin remembered. It was uncanny. And it felt so good to recognize someone. For the first time, Caitlin didn’t feel so alone.

“Well, you sure know how to fight, don’t you?” Polly asked. It was the same accent, the same voice, the same mannerisms. Polly examined Caitlin for a moment, and something like recognition seemed to cross her face, and then quickly went away.

“I’m Polly,” she said, extending her hand. “And to whom do I owe the pleasure?”

Caitlin didn’t know what to say. She was really shocked. If there was anything more uncanny than seeing Polly again, it was having Polly not recognize her, as if she were a complete stranger, as if they had never met, never shared any of their experiences on Pollepel.

Of course, Caitlin knew there was no reason why Polly would remember her; after all, Caitlin had come back in time, not forwards. Still, Caitlin had known her so well, so vividly. It was completely eerie. She almost wondered if Polly were kidding, just testing her?

Caitlin reached out and shook her hand.

“Polly,” she said, “it’s me. Caitlin.”

Polly stared back, and her face wrinkled in confusion. Finally, Caitlin realized that it was true: Polly really had no idea who she was.

“I’m sorry,” Polly answered, “have we met? I’m afraid I don’t recall. Forgive me if we have. I am terrible with names and faces. Caitlin is your name? That’s a pretty one. Anyway, now that we’ve officially met, I’m sure glad to meet you. You really saved me,” Polly said, surveying the three unconscious brutes, still lying in the alley. “They were a rotten sort.”

Rose came running over to Polly, whining and wagging her tail hysterically.

Polly’s eyes opened wide in delight, as she bent over and petted her. “And what have we here?” she asked.

“Her name is Rose,” Caitlin said. It was clear Rose remembered Polly, and it was equally clear that Polly didn’t remember her.

Still, Polly showed Rose as much affection as she once had.

“Rose,” Polly said, hugging her as Rose licked her cheek. “What a darling name.” Polly laughed. “Now now, Rose!” Polly said. “My God, she’s so excited! You’d think that she knew me!”

Caitlin smiled. “Yes, you would think,” she said.

One of the unconscious men groaned, and Polly suddenly surveyed the alleyway. “Let’s get out of here,” she said, and took Caitlin’s arm in hers, and guided her out the alleyway, Rose by their side.

They walked, arm in arm, like new best friends, down the side streets of Venice, Polly leading the way. Polly was so happy, she was practically skipping, and Caitlin was thrilled to see how happy Rose was. Even though Polly didn’t remember, it still felt like they knew each other forever. Just like the first time they’d met in Pollepel.

“I don’t know how to repay you,” Polly said. “Those men didn’t mean me the best, to put it lightly. It’s my own fault, really. Aiden warned us to never venture out alone. Safety in numbers, that’s what he says. I’m strong—don’t think I’m not—but today I’m not at my full strength, and they caught me off guard. I’m much stronger at night. It would’ve ended badly, I’m sure of it. At the very least, it would have put me out of commission for tonight, and that simply wouldn’t do.”

Caitlin tried to keep up. Just as she remembered, Polly talked so fast, she could barely get a word in. It warmed her heart to be back with her, to be back by her best friend’s side, even if Polly couldn’t remember. She hoped that maybe, over time, Polly would remember. If not, she’d be more than happy to begin their friendship all over again.

More importantly, Caitlin was struck by her reference. Had she said Aiden? Could it be?

“Did you say Aiden?” Caitlin asked.

“Why yes,” Polly said. “Do you know him? Of course, there’s no way you could. You haven’t been to our island, have you? No, no, of course not. I would have known, of course. But you’ll see it now. I have to introduce you to everyone. Humans are not allowed, of course. Just our kind,” Polly said, looking over at Caitlin. “Of course, I can sense you’re one of us. I knew the second I saw you.”

Caitlin tried to speak, but Polly cut her off.

“You don’t have a coven here, do you? Of course you don’t. I know every vampire in town.” She grabbed her arm, pleading, “You have to join ours. You have to! I’ll talk to Aiden. I’m sure he’ll let you in, especially after he hears how you saved me. Oh, I can’t thank you enough! Talk about timing. It’s like it was destined.”

Polly led them down an alleyway, into another small square, then down another side street, and underneath a small, stone arch. Caitlin found herself crossing over a foot bridge, over a narrow canal, and then back down the other side. Polly seemed to really know the back streets.

Caitlin thought. It was always hard to gather her thoughts around Polly.

“Polly,” she said, trying to catch her breath, “you said you know every vampire in town?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say every, but most of them, for sure. Venice is bigger than you think. Has loads and loads of islands, and some, I hear, hide out on small islands I’ve never heard of.”

Caitlin’s heart pounded with excitement. “Have you heard of Caleb?” she asked.

Polly furrowed her brow.

“Caleb…I’m sorry, that’s not ringing a bell…No, can’t say that I know him.”

Caitlin’s heart fell. Maybe he really hadn’t survived the trip. Maybe her sensing friends in Venice only had to do with Polly. Maybe Caleb really was gone.

“So, will you?” Polly asked

Caitlin looked at her, puzzled. “Will I what?”

“Come with me? To our island? It would be so fun. Please. I can use the companionship. It gets so boring there. And I can hardly let you just go, especially after all that. Come on, you don’t have any other place to go, do you? Please, make a girl happy.”

Caitlin thought. She didn’t see why not. After all, she had nowhere else to go. And she really wanted to spend more time with Polly, too—and meet Aiden again.

Caitlin smiled. “Sure. I’d love to.”

Polly squealed in delight. “Perfect! We have an extra room, just for you. Great views of the water. Right next to mine. And Rose,” Polly added, bending over and petting her, “of course, there’s a room for you, too.”

Rose wagged her tail, and then started whining hysterically.

“Oh, poor dear,” Polly said, “she’s ravished, isn’t she? And you look ravished, too.”

Polly yanked her down a side alleyway, and Caitlin was disoriented, barely able to keep up with all the twists and turns. She wondered how she would’ve found her in way Venice without her.

Polly stopped before a villager roasting a pig, slicing off pieces and selling it to customers.

Rose smacked her lips at the sight.

“Two, please,” Polly said, reaching into her pocket and handing the woman a coin. “And one jug of your special,” she winked.

The woman nodded back knowingly. She sliced two huge hunks of meat, and handed them to Caitlin. She then handed Caitlin a small, ceramic jug.

Caitlin reached down and fed the strips to Rose.

Rose, famished, could hardly wait. She leapt up and ate them in the air, and devoured them, smacking her lips. She immediately whined for more, staring hopefully at Caitlin.

Polly laughed. “OK, Rose, I get it,” she said, and handed the woman another coin. An even larger slice of meat came off the pig, and Polly gave it to Rose with a laugh.

Caitlin examined the jug. It was filled with a dark, thick liquid.

“Drink it,” Polly said. “You’ll be happy you did. It’s just for our kind.”

“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.”

Isle of the Dead, Caitlin thought. It was interesting to see that Polly’s coven still lived on an island, even these hundreds of years back. She wondered if it was anything like Pollepel. If it was, she’d be thrilled to be there.

“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 had to get the right dress. I have absolutely nothing to wear. I mean, I do, but nothing spectacular enough, at least not for tonight. I mean this ball only comes around once a year.”

“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 façade 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 rose up.

They boated right through, and onto the other side.

Caitlin looked around in amazement. This place was beautiful. In the fields, she could see dozens of vampires training in mock combat.

“Why this island?” Caitlin asked.

Polly looked at her.

“I mean, it seems like Venice has dozens of islands to choose from.”

“This is a very special place,” Polly said. “We have buried our dead here for thousands of years. It is the Isle of the Dead for more reasons than one.”

Polly gave one last hard row, and their gondola pulled up right to the church door, its long wooden bow hitting the stone with a bang that shook the entire boat.

Rose ran down the length of it, and leapt onto the dock. Polly threw a rope onto a beam, pulled them in tight, and tied them up. Caitlin steadied herself, slowly standing in the vessel, which rocked as she did, and climbed onto shore.

Rose ran to the nearest bush and relieved herself, while Polly nimbly climbed out of the boat and finished tying the boat. She then opened wide the large church doors and stepped aside for them to enter.

Caitlin stepped inside, and was overwhelmed. Like the church in Assisi, this one had high, soaring ceilings, elaborately decorated with frescoes, and the open room was enormous. Light streamed in through the stained-glass windows, and as they walked down the marble aisle, their footsteps echoed all around them.

“The church of San Michele,” Polly said, as they walked. “Its namesake, of course, is Saint Michael, the holder of the scales on Judgment Day. Legend has it that Saint Michael is the guardian of sleep for the faithful dead. One could hardly find a more appropriate place for us.”

Polly led them to the back of the church, through a rear door, and it opened up onto a large, medieval courtyard. Columns stretched in every direction. It was solemn, and very peaceful, except for the two vampires sparring in the center, fighting with wooden swords, the click-clack of their swords echoing off the walls.

Caitlin stared at them, and couldn’t believe it: Tyler and Taylor. The twins. They looked exactly as they had on Pollepel, identical brother and sister, startlingly attractive, they still looked to be maybe 16.

“Those two,” Polly said. “They’re always sparring. Peas in a pod.”

The twins, sensing someone’s presence, stopped and walked towards them, breathless. They looked at Polly in confusion, clearly wondering who their new guest was.

“I know, it’s not often that we get visitors,” Polly said, “but this one is special. Caitlin is her name. Please make her feel welcome. She saved me from some miscreants in Venice. We owe her one. Well, I owe her one, anyway.”

“Have you cleared it with Aiden?” Tyler asked.

Polly paused, and Caitlin’s stomach tightened. She hoped that she wasn’t intruding.

“Not yet,” Polly said. “He’s off somewhere. But I’m sure he’ll be agreeable. How could he not? She’s darling. We could use someone like her. Not to mention, the room next to mine is empty.”

“I’m Taylor,” she said, reaching out her hand with a warm, friendly smile.

Caitlin was tempted to say, I know.

Instead, she merely reached out and took her hand.

Taylor’s hand, cold and firm, felt very real, and helped bring her back to reality.

“A pleasure to meet you,” Caitlin said.

“And what have we here?” Taylor asked, as she reached down and petted a willing Rose. “My, she’s adorable.”

“I’m Tyler,” he said, elbowing his way in, and grinning down at Caitlin. As she shook his hand, she could feel his attraction to her, and she remembered the first time they’d met, in Pollepel. Some things never changed.

Tyler suddenly screamed and jumped.

Taylor stood behind him, grinning, having just whacked him hard with her wooden sword in the back of the leg. “Stop idling around,” she said. “We have a dance to get ready for.”

Tyler jumped back into the fight, swinging wildly at her, she parrying blow for blow.

Polly continued down the corridor, and Caitlin followed.

“This is where we live and train,” Polly said. “We’ve been here for hundreds of years. I can’t envision us ever leaving this place, unless there were a really good reason.”

Caitlin thought of the future, and for a moment, debated telling Polly that she would, indeed, one day leave this place. But she realized that if she did, Polly would think she was totally crazy. Besides, why disappoint her?

Still, it was weird, knowing what Polly’s future would be, when Polly herself didn’t even know. It made Caitlin realize that we all feel so certain things will never change, but eventually, all of our plans never quite end up exactly how we thought.

“It’s usually packed in here,” Polly said, as they continued down a corridor. “But not today. Most of us are sleeping. Getting ready for the big night.”

Caitlin looked over the place, and thought of the twins, and wondered about the other coven members. Was there anyone else she’d know? Her heart beat faster, as she suddenly remembered: Blake. She was almost afraid to ask.

“Among your coven members, is there somebody here named Blake?”

“No Blake here,” Polly said. “Why?”

Caitlin breathed a sigh of relief. She was on edge enough as it was just looking for Caleb. Having Blake there now, too, would just be too much.

“No reason,” she said, then quickly changed the subject. “So what is this Ball, exactly?”

Polly looked at her, eyes wide in excitement. “It’s only the biggest night of the year. I’ve been waiting for ages. Everyone, and I mean everyone, will be there. Not just humans, but every vampire, too. Everyone has a date. Everyone looks stunning,” she said, getting more excited as she went.

Caitlin thought. Everyone. She wondered if that meant Caleb.

“So, are there…vampires from all the covens?” Caitlin asked.

“Everyone who’s anyone in the vampire world,” Polly said. “Not just the surrounding covens—they come from all over Europe. It’s the very best of high society. Not only that, it’s also a masquerade. You would not believe it—there are the most elaborate costumes. You can’t get in without a mask. And it goes on for hours. No one knows who’s who. It’s always someone different than you think.”

“Are there parties here all the time?” Caitlin asked. “This whole city seems like it’s drunk.”

“You’ve really never been here, have you?” Polly shook her head in disbelief. “It’s Carnival season. It’s days and days of games, parties, drinking, gambling….That’s why it’s such a madhouse here. I mean, it’s always a madhouse in Venice, but now, especially. Everyone’s out in force. The finest costumes from all of Europe, all in one place. It’s like a huge party, and it never ends. You came at the perfect time! And very convenient for vampires, I might add: with everyone in costumes, no one thinks twice about whether someone is human.”

Polly opened an arched, oak door, and entered a small room, leaving the door open. Caitlin followed tentatively, with Rose.

This was clearly Polly’s bedroom. The simple stone room had a large window in it, looking out at the trees, and Polly had a big, comfortable straw bed, covered in a pink linen and in what looked like straw teddy bears. Polly blushed at the site, and quickly shoved them under her pillow.

There were clothes strewn all over the floor, and all over her wooden dresser. Polly quickly tried to tidy the place.

“Sorry,” she said, “my room is such a mess. I wasn’t expecting any guests. Aiden would kill me if he saw it like this. But what does he expect? Tonight’s the big dance. And I still have absolutely no idea what I’m wearing,” she said, as she hurried through the room, trying to make sense of the chaos.

Caitlin saw several elaborate dresses along the wall, and several intricate masks. She was amazed by their craftsmanship. They looked like works of art. Some had long, curved noses, while others were small, no more than just an eye mask. There were gold masks and silver masks, some simple, and others elaborately adorned. Some were sinister, some jovial; some had feathers, others were plain. It was quite a collection.

Caitlin, fascinated, made her way over to the wall, and reached up and touched one.

“Go ahead, try it on,” Polly said. “It’s fun. You can be anyone you want. And you can switch every night. That’s what Venice is about.”

Caitlin gingerly removed a mask. It was the most unusual of them all. It was ornate, with a Persian or Indian influence, and its colors were copper, gold, and a burnt orange. A pattern of flowers was carved over the forehead and down between the eyes, giving it a regal quality.

Caitlin reached up and gently put it on her face. She walked over to the mirror, and then remembered. No reflection.

“I know, it sucks, doesn’t it?” Polly asked. “I can never tell what I look like. It’s so frustrating. I don’t know why I even keep a mirror. I guess I’m hoping one day it will work. In the meantime, you just have to learn to go by what other people say.”

Caitlin couldn’t see what she looked like, but she felt different just wearing it. She felt like she’d stepped into someone else’s shoes, like she had a license to be anyone. It felt liberating.

“It suits you well,” Polly said. “You can wear it tonight.”

A pang of fear raced through Caitlin.

“Tonight?” she asked, her voice nearly cracking.

“You’re coming, aren’t you?” Polly said, then grabbed her wrist. “Oh, you have to come. You just have to. How could you possibly miss it? Please. I could use the backup. Everyone else here is so boring, or they have dates. I’d love to have you with me. The best boys, the very best boys will be there, and it helps to have support. It will be so fun. Please, please,” Polly said, grabbing her arm.

Caitlin thought. The last thing on her mind right now was going to a dance, or looking for boys. All that mattered to her was Caleb, and she simply could not allow herself to rest, or enjoy herself, until she found him.

She slowly removed the mask and handed it to Polly.

“I’m sorry, Polly,” she said. “I don’t want to disappoint you. But I can’t go. I really need to focus on finding someone.”

“That guy you asked about? Caleb?” Polly asked. “Well, if so, then you need to go. I’m sure he’ll be there. If he’s one of us, that’s where he’ll be. You have to go. For your own sake.”

Caitlin thought about it, and as she did, she realized it made sense. If Polly was right, if this ball was really such a big affair, maybe he would be there. Besides, she had no other leads, no other ideas for where to search for him. Perhaps she should go.

But another worry struck her: she had nothing to wear. She was never good at going to dances; she always got so nervous leading up to them. And this sounded like the biggest, most formal dance yet. Plus, she wasn’t even a good dancer in the 21st century—how could she possibly dance well in the 18th? She would just look clumsy, conspicuous, stupid.

“Don’t worry, the dances are easy,” Polly said, annoyingly reading Caitlin’s mind again. “I’ll teach you, I promise. Just grab the wrist of the person next to you, and they lead you along. Everyone’s so drunk anyway, I promise no one will notice.”

“Drunk?” Caitlin asked. “Do they let girls our age drink? Isn’t there, like, an age limit?”

For a brief moment, Caitlin worried about getting in, about having I.D.

Polly laughed aloud. “Are you kidding? This is Venice. No one cares. Toddlers can drink if they want to.”

“But I’ve nothing to wear,” Caitlin protested.

Polly’s eyes lit up. “Oh, but you do,” she said. “Have you not seen this room? I have enough gowns here to last me for fifteen balls. And we look to be the same size. Please, try one on. Let’s have fun! It’s almost the 19th century, after all! When else will we get a chance to live like this!?”

Caitlin thought. She certainly had a point. If not now, when? And she’d always wanted to try on one of those elaborate gowns.

Not to mention, if Caleb was there, what better way to meet him again than in a beautiful, elaborate gown?

The more Caitlin thought about it, the more she liked the idea.

Maybe going to the ball would be just the thing she needed.