CHAPTER 6
When I entered the living area everyone was already there. I couldnt look at Roberto and Alex as they stood up. I did look at Janel, who was decked out in her clubbing finery of a bright red halter-top and tight leather black pants while I was dressed to go to the mall.
"Ahhhh there you are babe. I was getting worried about you. I was ready to start storming this museum to find you." Alex said as he bent to kiss my cheek.
I finally dared to look over at Roberto, but he was ignoring me and lavishing all his attention on Janel. Maybe it was all a hallucination I began to hope. Stranger things have happened to people under duress, yeah, thats it, hallucinations. That fit in well with my brain tumor theory.
Antonio walked in to announce dinner was being served in the dining area. We followed him into a room I hadnt noticed before. We walked through an arched doorway and were in a lovely dining room with a table that could seat twelve easily. I declined the wine offered because I wanted to keep a clear head for our discussion.
Dinner was delicious, but I had little appetite as Janel, Roberto, and Alex made small talk about the hotels they owned, the hospital where we worked and of all things, the freaking weather. I sat there wanting to scream with frustration. I needed to know what was going on. Not that it was unusually warm for early May.
"Shall we go into the living area for some cognac? I think Olivia is growing impatient for information." Roberto said.
"Thank God." I muttered as I pushed back from the table. When everyone was seated with the drink of their choice Roberto jumped right in.
"What do you know about evolution?" he asked.
"Ummm. Charles Darwin. Something about apes. I guess I dont know too much." I admitted.
33 "The theory of evolution states that over time, as new species began to evolve, the more dominant species were in greatest control of the Earths population. The more dominant a species, the more likely it would be able to reproduce and continue its climb up the evolutionary ladder. Characteristics from those dominant species would be the ones to carry on to future generations."
"I do recall that now, but I dont understand why youre telling me this. What does this have to do with the explosion at Alexs hotel today?" I said.
Alex came over to sit by me and took hold of my hand. "Just listen to what he has to say babe. It will begin to make sense in a bit."
I wasnt so sure, but I turned to Roberto and said, "Go on please."
"Well, its a lot more involved than that but I will skip the details and get to the interesting parts. As you can imagine, the evolutionary process has created many diverse species, some of which scientists are still discovering today. Not to mention genetics are still at work and there are several species that are on the brink of becoming something totally new. Scientists are right now watching the electric fish for an evolutionary split that will evolve into something brand new. There are species out there none of us know about. We can only imagine the possibilities."
"Okay." I said frustrated. "I understand what youre saying but I still dont know what point youre trying to make."
With no small amount of annoyance, Roberto said, "Alex and I are of a unique species."
Laughing Janel said "I knew it the moment I saw you. Two handsome, hot guys gotta be some new species of super men or something."
Unease settled in the pit of my stomach. I stood, "Look you guys, we appreciate your hospitality and all but I think weve had enough of an adventure, and it would
34 probably be best if we left now."
"You cant leave." Alex stated.
My stomach shot past unease straight to fear. What did we walk into here? I started imagining all kinds of Hannibal Lector things going on and felt a full panic mode coming on.
"Everyone will sit back down. NOW!" Roberto commanded.
Janel looked at me and through an unspoken understanding we both sat back down but I knew she was thinking the same thing that I was. Escape.
Roberto asked, "Do you know anything about bats?"
"Bats? Bloodsucking, rabies carrying rodents?" I asked.
Both Alex and Roberto looked at me like I had rabies. "I can see you will need a bit of an education then." Roberto said.
"Bats have been around for fifty million years. There are bats on every continent except Antarctica. Imagine if you will the path bats may have taken. There are many different species of bats. There are well over a thousand different bat species in the world today. We know for certain with modern technology bats have indeed evolved over time. At one point in history, a bat shared a lot of the same traits as primates. It is not out of this world to realize at one point in time the genetics of bat and man could have intermingled. Perhaps with a scratch or bite from a bat."
I got a really bad feeling.
"What are you trying to saying Roberto? That you and Alex are some sort of genetic mutation of man and bat?"
Glancing at Janel to see what she was thinking, I saw her face had become a blank mask. Uh oh. I knew that look. It was the look she got when she couldnt deal with
35 something.
"No, not a mutation. This is not a comic book. This is real life and in real life there is such a thing as natural selection."
"I know what that is. Charles Darwin. Thats where traits that are needed for survival are inherited to keep a species alive." I felt really proud of myself for knowing something.
"You are correct Olivia. At some point man and bat became intertwined to keep man alive in some hostile environment. The end result being a new species that at this very moment is being represented by Alexander and myself."
I felt like I was trapped in a really bad horror movie. These guys couldnt be for real. Regardless of my skepticism I couldnt help but feel something big was about to happen. And I saw first hand the bionic jumping these two guys did tonight. I was curious enough to want answers.
"Okay, say Im willing to believe you are some different species and Im not saying I am, so what makes you different than the average male specimen?"
Finally Janel came back to herself. "Well Olivia, cmon, look at these guys. They are not your average hotties..."
"Oh yeah, were much better than your average hottie." Alex said with a wink.
I may not have known these two men long, but anyone could see Alex was more easygoing than Roberto. He was quick to smile. He kept things light. Roberto, now he was one serious dude. Maybe thats why I had reacted the way I did. Alex represented fun and games. Roberto was more like me. Serious by nature, a bit conservative, yeah thats it; I was taken in by both of them because they both offered something I needed. It always makes me feel better to analyze and put things in order.
36 Alex said to Roberto, "May I?"
"Sure, dont scare them though," he warned Alex.
Alex walked over to a side table made of marble. With no effort at all he picked it up and began to pump iron with it.
I gasped when Janel walked over to the table and placed both hands on the table and pushed. Nothing. It didnt budge.
"Okaaayyy. Now that was a bit freaky." I said.
Alex moved so fast I didnt even see him until he was cradling me in his arms.
"What the hell? Put me down."
Alex gave me a crooked grin and set me on my feet.
"Well, I will admit, that is not normal."
The next thing I knew, Roberto moved close to Janel, and Alex leaned into me so close I was sure he was going to kiss me. I found myself wanting him to. Instead of a kiss, I got the shock of a lifetime when two sharp incisors slid down from the top of his mouth. Janel and I screamed in sync so it sounded like stereo. The screams would have been comical in any other situation. But this was anything but comical.
"VAMPIRES!!! God damn bloodsucking vampires." Janel screamed.
I grabbed Janel by the arm and backed up in the direction I thought the door was. I didnt want to turn my back on the vampires.
"Please calm down babe. If we wanted to hurt you we could have done it at anytime. We could have waited until you were asleep."
"Alexander, you are not helping the situation." Roberto sighed.
"Ladies, please sit down. Alexander is correct, even if he is a bit tactless. We have no desire to hurt you."
"Why would we believe you? We dont know you, we dont know what you are and were getting the hell out
37 of here."
His next words stopped me in my tracks.
"Dont you want to learn about your gift? The sweet scent you sometimes encounter."
Dread filled me as I looked at Roberto. Alex was looking at me with what appeared to be compassion. This couldnt be happening. I felt a crushing panic bubble up within me. No one could possibly know about my strange ability.
"How do you know about that?"
"I know you smelled a musky scent when you come into contact with Alexander and me. I also know you probably have encountered it before, by the look on your face. If Im guessing correctly it most likely has been not in the best of circumstances. Am I correct in this assumption?"
"Yes." I whispered as I thought of Mae and the others.
Janel said, "If you know what this is then you have to tell her. You have no idea what a burden its been to her."
"Janel, please." I said giving her a pleading look. "Look, you got my attention, and well sit back down and listen to your wild stories, but I dont trust you and when youre finished, Janel and I are going to pack our bags and leave this place. We dont want to be involved in any of this crazy stuff."
"Fair enough, but I should warn you that you are already involved in this crazy stuff. You see Ms. Sherman you too, are of a different species. Alexander and I knew the moment we encountered your scent."