MISUNDERSTANDINGS

Pius IX. pushed back the thick down comforter and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Barefoot and without his slippers, he tiptoed to the window and drew aside the heavy curtains. Once again, sleep eluded him. He couldn't count the nights he had spent awake. But instead of feeling tired and drained, the Pope felt stronger than ever, and that worried him. Could this be normal? He was an old man! Perhaps this was the special grace of God, who still had something in store for him as His representative on Earth, something that would require all of Pius's earthly strength?

The moon emerged from behind the clouds, causing the red gemstones around his neck to sparkle. Pius IX. ran his fingertips over the perfectly cut stones, once again feeling nausea rising within him. With a hurried motion, he removed the chain from around his neck and let it fall onto the small table beneath the window. He ran his hand over the skin of his neck and chest. It felt as if he had relieved himself of an unbearable burden.

The Pope looked out into the night garden. He thought about the king and his plans to give Rome an entirely new face, modern like the times. Pius was not against modernity or progress. Hadn't he demanded that Rome be connected to the railway network and needed a train station? Pius IX. even owned his own train with carriages painted white and gold! And hadn't he himself gone to inaugurate the new steel bridge over the Tiber, to chat with the British Minister of Industry about new techniques? But what the king was planning was blasphemy! A sin against old Rome! Not only did he want to ruthlessly cut through the old quarters with his new, wide streets, like a storm through houses and ruins, he also planned to build a monument in his own honor that would surpass all imagination.

The Pope had nothing against a monument and a little self-glorification, but this monument in honor of Vittorio Emanuele was to rise up in front of the Capitoline Hill. Just as the old center of Rome would disappear from view, it was to be erased from the memory of the Romans, to worship only the new king and his power! Despite his anger, the Pope felt fatigue creeping over him. Pius IX. yawned and returned to bed. Hardly had he reclined into his pillows when he fell asleep and didn't stir until his chamberlain pushed back the curtains in the morning, flooding the Holy Father's chamber with sunlight.

"Did you sleep well?" he inquired politely.

"Yes, splendidly," the Pope replied. "And I had a beautiful dream. Of an excavation and great discoveries!"

"How wonderful," said the chamberlain, handing him his morning robe.

"Yes, it was beautiful," murmured Pius. Perhaps he should speak with de Rossi again? What harm could it do to do a little digging? Shouldn't old Rome at least resurface in another place in broad daylight! The Cardinal's arguments seemed absurd to him today in the bright sunlight. Dark forces of evil? That could only be a remnant of medieval superstition!

For three nights, the presence of the Druidess in the Domus Aurea caused excitement. Not only were the young vampires unusually restless and aggressive on these nights, but the older Nosferas also seemed jittery and uncontrollable. No wonder! Luciano couldn't recall there ever being a human guest in the Domus Aurea before. However, the friends barely caught a glimpse of the old Druidess from Ireland, although they lingered as close to the room where Ivy and Seymour had withdrawn as possible.

Incomprehensible murmuring and the scent of herbs wafted from the chamber into the hallway. Alisa would have liked to know what was happening inside, but neither the Druidess nor Ivy provided any information about it. However, Ivy no longer seemed as distressed, and her demeanor soon became as cheerful as usual.

"We did it!" she said, beaming. "She did it!"

"Your Druids really know how to handle animals and heal them," said Luciano.

"Animals and other magical beings," murmured Alisa, casting a glance at Ivy, but she didn't respond.

Not only Conte Claudio was relieved when the Druidess bid farewell on the fourth evening to return to Ireland. Finally, Ivy returned to class. Signora Valeria had just begun a new Italian lesson when the door opened again, and Seymour bounded into the classroom, panting. Behind him, Ivy entered and closed the door. "Forgive me, Professoressa, I had another meeting with Conte Claudio."

Signora Valeria acknowledged this with a nod. "Take your seat so we can continue."

It was fortunate that they didn't have the first hour with the torturers today, thought Alisa, beaming at her friend, who warmly smiled back and sat down next to Franz Leopold.

On this night, the lesson didn't even last until midnight because an extraordinary celebration was taking place in Rome. Prince Camillo Borghese invited guests to dance and refreshments at the family's pleasure palace with its lush gardens, which Cardinal Scipione Caffarelli-Borghese had commissioned in the seventeenth century. In addition to culinary delights, guests would be treated to another pleasure: The Prince intended to present a selection of artworks from his exquisite collection. An event that most family members and servants did not want to miss. The professors were no exception, and even many of the elder Nosferas allowed themselves to be carried through the city to the little palace in the vast parkland. Despite the cool season, the numerous pavilions and reconstructed temple ruins would be adorned and illuminated, enticing many a heated dancer to a refreshing stroll. Away from the bustle of a ballroom or theater foyer, one could indulge in one's own preferences throughout the park in such nights. None of the Nosferas wanted to miss this! So, the Conte canceled the rest of the students' lessons and prepared himself and his entourage for a festive night.

"And what are we doing to celebrate the night?" Luciano asked as they strolled through the corridors with Seymour.

"Celebrate? What is there to celebrate?" Ivy asked.

"Well, what do you think? Your return and Seymour's recovery! And I would love to celebrate this event under a cool starry sky!" 

Alisa nodded. "Oh yes, that would be wonderful. I feel like I'm suffocating if I'm kept in these corridors any longer."

Ivy looked incredulously from one to the other. "Are you serious? Were the hours of hunger and loneliness not drastic enough?"

Alisa and Luciano both pounced on her simultaneously, bitterly complaining about these unjust words.

Ivy laughed and raised her hands defensively. "Yes, I get it. Stop, you two."

"Do you not also long for the night outside? For the fresh dew under the starry sky?" Alisa asked.

Ivy sighed heavily. "Yes! More than you can imagine."

"So, let's go out," Luciano grinned. "It doesn't have to be a walk to the Castel Sant'Angelo. What's the harm in staying in the ruins?"

Ivy hesitated and glanced down at Seymour, who had laid back his ears. "Well, all right, I suppose nothing can happen to us there."

In the courtyard, they encountered the venerable Giuseppe and the librarian Leandro. The young vampires greeted them respectfully. The old man smiled at each of them in turn and patted Alisa's cheek. "Bring me my cane," he instructed Leandro.

"You're going out?" asked Alisa. "Everyone is talking today only about the wonderful festival happening at Villa Borghese, and the night is wonderfully clear!" She tilted her head back and looked at the starry sky. "Should we get you a sedan chair?"

"No, not necessary, my child. Leandro will lend me his strong arm - and I have my own!" The venerable Giuseppe accepted the silver cane with the carved ivory knob and hobbled toward the main gate on the arm of the librarian.

Alisa shook her head. "I thought I heard that the villa is at the other end of the city, on a hill to the north."

"It is," confirmed Luciano.

"It's quite a long way for the venerable one, don't you think?" Alisa remarked.

Luciano just shrugged. "Perhaps all the sedan chairs are already on their way? Then Conte Claudio will have quite a bit to answer for from his grandfather tonight! Forgetting the former clan leader here is not very considerate!"

They strolled through the corridors, approaching the hidden gate discreetly.

"Did you ask the Conte how his hunt is going?" Alisa inquired. After all, Luciano had boldly declared he wouldn't let the matter rest.

"I asked, but didn't get a proper answer. The Conte used big words, but the truth is, he still hasn't caught the vampire hunters," Luciano replied.

"Perhaps because he doesn't want to catch them?" a voice behind them chimed in. The three turned to Franz Leopold, who emerged from a side passage.

"What are you doing here?" Luciano asked. Franz Leopold ignored him.

"Why wouldn't he want to catch them?" Ivy asked. "It can't be in Conte Claudio's interest to have two vampire hunters wreaking havoc here in Rome."

"One would think so," Franz Leopold agreed. "But perhaps he's just too stupid and lazy to tackle the matter properly."

He looked past Luciano's angry growl. "And since the Conte is shirking his duties, we'll have to take matters into our own hands!" His dark eyes sparkled with a sense of adventure.

Ivy laughed. Alisa said disdainfully, "You're crazy!"

Uninvited, Franz Leopold followed the three through the gate into the cool night. "Oh yeah? Crazy? Why? We know the place. We know where they hang out and wait for their victims, and we can set a trap for them!"

"Into which they would blindly walk, of course, because they're stupid and simple-minded," Alisa added sarcastically.

"They're humans!" Franz Leopold retorted, as if that settled everything.

"Besides, I've heard the cistern has been destroyed," Alisa added.

"They did manage to injure Seymour with their sword," Ivy recalled as they strolled down toward the Colosseum.

"He's just a wolf," Franz Leopold said disparagingly. Seymour whimpered and snapped at his hand, causing him to step aside and bump into Ivy. "Forgive me!" He held her arms until she regained her balance.

"You can let go now," Luciano snapped, his expression dark.

Alisa intervened to end the argument. "It smells strange here again, have you noticed?" 

Ivy nodded. "There were humans nearby during the day. They walked over the hill and around the Colosseum. There were several men."

Luciano waved it off. "Perhaps a few travelers curious about Rome's ancient ruins. That happens from time to time. There's no cause for concern. They always disappear by evening."

"And what about the workers who were digging around the Colosseum some time ago?" Alisa asked. "They were also up here on the hill surrounding the Domus Aurea."

"Yes, they were probably archaeologists. But like all the others before them, they gave up after a few days and left with their bags packed. I suspect Conte's servants were not entirely innocent in that matter. And so they leave us in peace again for many years. I'm not too worried about it."

"Maybe we should, though. Or has that cart over there been here for a while?" They approached a cart loaded with wooden planks, shovels, and picks.

"Maybe those weren't just curious walkers today," Ivy speculated, as Alisa suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Shh! Someone's coming. Quick, get down!" Alisa darted behind the cart. The others followed suit, ducking between the wagon and a few chunks of masonry.

"It's Leandro!" she whispered as she recognized the bulky figure of the librarian. "He's heading back to the Domus Aurea."

"But where's the venerable one?" Ivy asked. "I can't see him anywhere."

"He certainly hasn't made it to the Villa Borghese in this short time!" Luciano remarked.

They remained in their hiding spot until the librarian was out of sight, then resumed their path toward the Palatine Hill. Seymour grew increasingly restless, pacing ahead and then falling back, stopping and whimpering softly.

"He doesn't like us moving away from the Domus Aurea," Alisa guessed, stroking his fur.

Ivy shook her head. "No, that's not it. He smells something. Don't you all perceive it?" The four stopped and sniffed the air.

"I think the venerable Giuseppe walked along here," Luciano said.

"And a young woman," Ivy added.

"The one who's been hanging around here far too often!" Franz Leopold interjected.

Alisa knelt down and ran her hand over the ground. "You're right. It's the nun. And now she has the venerable Giuseppe in her clutches. Remember how we saw her with the other old man and felt sorry for her?"

"I didn't feel sorry for her," Luciano muttered. Alisa shot him a stern look.

Ivy nodded. "And then he disappeared forever!"

"Then she's working with the two vampire hunters!" Franz Leopold surmised. "Yes, that could fit. She's the bait leading them into their trap." The four exchanged wide-eyed glances.

"Why would Leandro leave him behind? Surely the Conte ordered that no one should be alone!" Luciano shook his head incredulously. "How can he act so irresponsibly?"

"Perhaps it was intentional?" Franz Leopold suggested, looking around.

"We need to do something," Alisa exclaimed. "We can't allow the venerable Giuseppe to be led unsuspectingly to his destruction!"

A dispute broke out over whether to follow the venerable one or return to the Domus Aurea and raise the alarm. Before the argument was settled, a small figure suddenly rushed toward them. He slid on the rubble, collided hard with Alisa, and then plopped ungracefully into the weeds.

"I knew it! You're sneaking off without me again, aren't you!" 

"Tammo!" Alisa exclaimed irritably. "What are you doing here? Go away! We don't have time to play nanny for you. Go back!"

Tammo picked himself up, crossing his arms indignantly. "That would suit you, wouldn't it! If you don't take me with you this time, I'll tell the guards at the gate. " Joanne appeared behind him and stood by his side.

"What a wonderful idea!" Alisa exclaimed.

"What? Are you kidding me?" 

"No! I'm serious! Run back to the gate as fast as you can and tell the guards. They need to bring back the Conte and send everyone still in the Domus Aurea. You have to convince them that it's a matter of life or destruction. The venerable Giuseppe is in great danger!"

"Then why don't you run back yourselves if it's so important?" Tammo scrutinized his sister suspiciously, then glanced over at the others.

"Because we need to follow those two before the trail goes cold," Franz Leopold replied impatiently. "Now, make yourselves scarce!"

"You have no right to tell me what to do!" the smaller vampire retorted to the Dracas. Franz Leopold raised his hand to slap Tammo, but Alisa was quicker and jumped between them.

"You have no right to strike my brother." Tammo grinned, but not for long, as Alisa delivered a hard slap behind his ear. And it was a solid one! "That's my privilege," she added, glaring at him. "This is no game. But if you're just a spoiled brat who's too small to understand when something important is at stake, then we'll manage without you. Go play with your rag doll!"

"I never played with rag dolls," Tammo exclaimed indignantly. "And I'm not a brat!"

Ivy placed her hand on his shoulder. "We know, and that's why you two are going to hurry to the Domus Aurea and bring yourselves to the highest-ranking family member there. Tell them that in the meantime, we're following the trail to find out where these vampire hunters are taking their victims now that the cistern shaft has been destroyed."

Ivy's cool voice and serious words ignited a spark in Tammo's eyes. "You can count on us. We'll send help as fast as we can. Come on, Joanne, we need to hurry!" The two rushed off.

"And we should hurry too," said Franz Leopold, picking up the trail again. Seymour helped him, and so they had no trouble tracking down the old vampire and his human companion. Soon, they saw the two figures illuminated by faint starlight ahead. They followed them at a distance large enough that the venerable one couldn't detect them.

"I must admire how quickly you got Tammo to obey you," Alisa whispered to Ivy. "That composure of yours that never falters. He always gets on my nerves!"

Ivy smiled. "It's normal with younger siblings. If he were my brother, you would have handled it, because I probably would have seen red and mussed up his hair!"

"You say that as if you know exactly how it is. You didn't happen to leave a younger brother behind in Ireland, did you?"

"No!" Ivy replied, almost a bit defensively.

"No, of course not. Dame Elina told us that Tammo is the youngest of all six clans."

The two fell silent and refocused their attention on the figures ahead. They had chosen the path below the Palatine and were disappearing momentarily under the remains of the aqueduct arches. The four young vampires followed suit. To their right, the ruins of the baths loomed.

"I wonder what their destination is," Luciano pondered. "I have no idea."

"If you don't know, how are we supposed to know?" Franz Leopold said without his usual arrogance, which Luciano detested.

"They're following the Circus Maximus track," he noted as the two ahead of them turned right into the long, grassy oval. "There's nothing here! Simply nothing that would be suitable for a trap like the cistern."

"But for an open fight without witnesses!" Franz Leopold pointed out. "The vampire hunter has a silver sword. What would stop him from confronting the venerable one here in the Circus? At this hour of the night, he wouldn't have to fear any witnesses."

"Why would he do that?" Alisa asked.

"The thrill of the hunt!" Franz Leopold said. "The exhilarating tremble as you wait for your prey, weapon in hand. Then the moment of standing in its way, raising the blade, and challenging the victim to the final, deadly battle. Just the hunter and his quarry, with the death struggle granting untold strength. But in the hunter's veins, too, pulses new energy, making him feel like an eternity in every moment. All senses are sharpened. The fight begins. With a feeling of ecstasy, he thrusts the sword into the heart that has been lifeless for so long. With one final brutal blow, severing the head from the shoulders, he ends the unholy existence of the vampire." Franz Leopold fell silent. Alisa and Luciano stared at him incredulously.

"You have a strange imagination," Alisa choked out, giving him a suspicious glance.

However, Ivy nodded solemnly. "Yes, that could be the reason. We need to proceed very cautiously. The human woman also carried a weapon made of silver, which spells doom for us and other undead beings."

They followed the two along the ancient Roman racetrack. The four were forced to increase their distance and seek cover at the foot of the Palatine Hill among the ruins, as the open plain offered them no protection. The woman surely wouldn't have spotted them in the dim night, but they didn't want the venerable one to inadvertently reveal their presence to the hunters lurking somewhere in hiding, should he notice them. Finally, the nun and her victim reached the end of the track and began to ascend the slope. Above them loomed the bell tower of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.

"We were mistaken. Fortunately," Ivy said, breathing a sigh of relief. "We were always so far away that we couldn't have prevented the worst."

"Then let's make sure we get closer to them again," urged Alisa, quickening her pace. Suddenly, the outlines of the two figures disappeared into the passage of a dilapidated row of houses. Alisa wanted to run towards the open gate, but Seymour emitted a warning sound and grabbed her sleeve with his teeth, almost tearing it apart. "Slowly!" Ivy cautioned. "We need to stay in cover."

The young vampires crept closer cautiously until they could see the two again. The nun and the venerable one crouched behind a crumbling wall, evidently observing a closed door partially concealed by a column in the courtyard. Nothing stirred, but the vampires could feel the tension of the woman.

Tammo and Joanne ran as fast as they could back to the Colosseum towards the Domus Aurea. They didn't bother running to the side door but headed straight for the main gate, which wasn't apparent to a casual passerby. Tammo reached the entrance first and pounded his fist against the portal.

"Open up! Open up right away!"

The door didn't swing back immediately, although the guards - if they were at their posts - must have noticed them, of course. Joanne pointed to a narrow gap opening to their right, revealing a reddish eye.

"Let us in! We have an important message for Conte Claudio!"

The door was opened ajar, but before Tammo could catch his breath and begin his carefully prepared speech, the two young vampires were seized and dragged into the hall. The gates slammed shut again.

"Hey! Let me go!" Tammo howled and struggled helplessly in the air. The towering servient held him by his jacket like a young rabbit by the scruff of its neck. "This isn't funny!"

"No, it certainly isn't!" the impure one said in a threatening tone, shaking Tammo. "What are you doing out there? Didn't the Conte express himself clearly enough? But no, for you Vamalia and Pyras, it seems that doesn't apply. You don't care that your behavior puts us and the Domus Aurea in danger!"

Once again, he shook the boy like a wet rat, causing his teeth to clatter together and rendering him unable to speak coherently. Joanne managed to bite her captor's hand. With a cry, he let her go, causing her to crash onto the stone floor. Unperturbed, she picked herself up.

"Let go of Tammo," she demanded, baring her teeth. "We have something important to report!"

"And what might that be?" the guard asked, without complying with her demand.

"Yes, I'd like to know that too," another voice chimed in. The librarian emerged from the shadows and joined the two guards.

"Let the boy down," the guard obeyed. "So speak! What could be so important that justifies you children wandering around outside at night and causing such a commotion?"

"Someone is in great danger, and we're supposed to tell Conte Claudio or the most important family member present tonight," Joanne replied.

"Aha, and who gave you this task?" Leandro looked sharply at the two.

"Ivy and Alisa. They're staying with Luciano and Franz Leopold to make sure nothing happens to the venerable one."

The librarian's eyes widened. "That sounds like quite a wild story, and I'm eager to hear it. I'll take care of these two. You don't need to worry about the incident anymore. No need to mention it to the Conte or any other clan member later."

The two guards visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Who knew how the Conte would react? Whether he would even blame them for the children escaping again?

Leandro grabbed the two by the upper arms and pulled them along behind him. His grip was like an iron vice, from which there was no escape.

"Tell me! Everything that comes to mind!"

Tammo didn't know where the librarian was taking them, but he launched into his report. Although his account was a bit all over the place and peppered with complaints about his mean sister and the even more unbearable Franz Leopold, and indeed about the older students who denied them any fun or adventure, Leandro got all the information he needed. When Tammo finished, Leandro pushed open the door to the library and shoved the two inside.

What were they doing here? Tammo was about to inquire when Leandro answered the question. He opened a massive sarcophagus standing against the wall and dragged them over to the stone colossus.

"You've told me everything I need to know. Thank you!" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Leave the rest to me. I know what I have to do. And the first thing is to keep you from further adventures that could cost you your lives. Take it easy. It's only for your own protection."

And with these words, he threw them into the sarcophagus, pressed them down with his huge hands, and then closed the lid. The bang reverberated in their ears and echoed off the walls. Then it was silent.

The two captives rearranged their limbs as best they could within the confines of the sarcophagus, then huddled closely together in the darkness.

"I don't think he was the right recipient for this message," Joanne said eventually.

"I wouldn't have thought of that," Tammo said sarcastically. "And what do we do now?"

He felt Joanne shrug helplessly beside him.