Kiss Of The Butterfly Part 26

'No. I have sufficient.'

Mrs. Lazarevic hung up and stepped from the telephone booth, wiped the sweat from her brow with a handkerchief and went to the counter to pay.

'You will cross the Danube at Ram,' Mrs. Lazarevic told them. 'Go to the landing at midnight two nights from now. A boat will come for you.'

'But why there? Isn't it easier to cross the border somewhere else?' Bear asked.

'Ram has been the main crossing point between Serbia and Romania since time immemorial. The people there are experienced in the river smuggling trade and will turn a blind eye.'

'Okay.'

'There are two ways to get to Ram. You should take the longer road. It is worse, but safer. It goes through Kisiljevo.'

'Kisiljevo?!' Steven exclaimed. 'That's where they had that famous vampire incident in 1725. Is it safe?'

'How do you know?' asked Bear.

'I read about it in my research.'

'More vampires?' blurted Vesna, clutching her throat. 'Please, can't we go another way?'

'For you it will be safe. For those who follow, perhaps less so.'

'What do you mean?' Bear asked.

'The villages around Ram always had problems with vampires...Kukljin, Kisiljevo, Klicevac, Kurjace, Zatonje... Dracula used to visit Ram every year and gaze in sorrow across the Danube at his beloved Wallachia, knowing he could not cross. He always lashed out in frustration at the villagers. But long ago Marko showed them how to defeat him. You'll be safe there.'

'What are you talking about?' Steven asked. 'Are you sending us into something dangerous again?'

'My dear Steven, the path that you and your friend have chosen means that you will be in danger for the rest of your lives,' Mrs. Lazarevic answered soberly. 'But for now, the danger to you comes from man, not the supernatural. The supernatural will help you.'

'What do you mean?' asked Bear.

She ignored him. 'Do you remember the motto of the Order of the Dragon?' she asked.

'O quam misericors est Deus, Justus et Pius,' Steven answered. 'O how merciful is G.o.d, Just and Faithful.'

'If you encounter trouble, simply repeat the motto.'

'But what's this all about? What type of danger are we getting into?' Bear was agitated.

'Just get to the landing at midnight,' she answered calmly. 'Marko will send someone to pick you up.'

'Something doesn't feel right about this,' Steven muttered.

'Tell me about it,' said Bear. 'We're trying to escape from vampires by going to Romania.'

The next morning two military policemen walked into the main post office near the Federal Parliament in downtown Belgrade and asked to use a telephone booth. A crew cut and clean shave had removed Bear's wild mane and bushy beard, making him a new man, while Steven too had received a crew cut, shaved his beard and colored his hair and eyebrows black. The uniforms and distinctive VP Military Police armbands made them feared figures, and people glanced away when they pa.s.sed, especially military-age men. When Bear had asked Mrs. Lazarevic where she had gotten the uniforms, she had only smiled and said 'Petrovaradin is a military town. If you live here long enough you make friends.'

Steven placed the first call to North America. The connection took some time getting through, so he waited while Bear made a local call to Vesna's parents.

After a long while Bear emerged from the booth, sweat dripping down his face. 'Her dad's totally p.i.s.sed off and her mom's losing her mind. They promised not to call the cops 'til we explain what's going on, so we need to visit them. When we get there, let me do the talking.'

Steven nodded.

They took a taxi out to Vesna's place and rang the buzzer. Her father opened it after the second ring and looked at them with surprise. 'Yes,' he smiled stiffly. 'How may I help the Army do its patriotic duty today?' His tone was cynical.

'Mr. Glogovac, it's me, Bear...and Stefan.'

Mr. Glogovac's jaw dropped as he stared in disbelief. 'Teofil...what has happened to you? Nada, it's them,' he called loudly, 'Simic and the American.' He ushered them into the sitting room, where they remained standing.

Mrs. Glogovac entered, furious. 'Where is my Vesna?' she demanded. 'What have you done with her? I told you she shouldn't get involved with a foreigner,' she huffed at her husband. 'I...oh!' She started at their appearance.

Bear interrupted. 'Good day Mrs. Glogovac. Vesna is safe and recovering with a friend in...'

'Recovering?' shouted the mother. 'Recovering from what? I want to see her now! What did you do to her?'

'Where's my daughter?' the father bellowed, standing toe-to-toe with Steven, looking him in the eye.

'Vesna's fine. She's doing well. But she's not well enough to travel. She's safe in Novi Sad and is...' Steven said.

'What happened to her?' thundered the father.

Bear looked at Steven, who nodded. He then looked Mr. Glogovac in the eye and said 'She was attacked by a vampire in the tunnels under Petrovaradin.'

'What?! Do you really expect us to believe some half-a.s.sed story like that? Where the h.e.l.l is she?'

'It's the truth,' Bear said. 'He bit her in the neck and started sucking out her blood.'

The mother whimpered and swooned.

The next two hours consisted of tense explanations and heated exchanges with the parents, during which Vesna's mother fainted twice more, the first time on hearing of Tamara's death, the second on hearing the details of Stojadinovic's. As Bear explained, Steven marveled at his coolness. Finally, after several shots of rakija for the father and some Xanax for the mother, Vesna's parents calmed down and agreed not to call the police.

Still, Mr. Glogovac remained skeptical. 'You can't really expect us to believe this vampire nonsense!'

'When Vesna arrives tomorrow,' Bear a.s.sured them, 'she'll tell you everything.'

The father grumbled, shaking his head.

'We think they only know who Steven is. If that's the case, then we need to remain anonymous,' said Bear. 'But the police are in league with them, so whatever we do, we can't let them know.'

'Can we talk to her?' pleaded the mother. 'I need to hear her voice.'

'Yes,' said Bear. 'But you must call from a post office in case your line is being tapped.'

'When?'

'Now,' said Bear. 'I'll come with you.'

Steven waited with Vesna's father while Bear left with the mother. He sat across from Mr. Glogovac, shifting nervously during the awkward silence. Finally, Mr. Glogovac spoke. 'You know my daughter likes you, don't you?'

Steven looked him right in the eyes. 'She's a dear friend. I'll do everything to protect her from evil. Everything.'

The father looked at him skeptically.

'Mrs. Lazarevic says that Vesna will be okay,' Steven offered. 'We just need to get her away from here so the vampires don't find her again.'

'You don't really expect me to believe this vampire story, do you? What really happened?'

Steven stood up, opened his backpack, pulled out the stake, its tip still fresh with Stojadinovic's blood and handed it to Mr. Glogovac. 'This is what I used.'

Mr. Glogovac took it, hefted it, and examined it closely. He looked at Steven, then at the stake. 'We have stories in our family of an ancestor who had one of these. Will you take her to America?' Mr. Glogovac asked. 'That's a long way away, you know. We won't be able to visit very often, especially with the war.'

'I think we're going to Budapest at first,' Steven responded. 'After that, I don't know.'

'You realize you are taking my daughter from me.'

'I didn't want this to happen to her or Tamara or us. But there's nothing I can do now.'

'This is all so ironic,' the father muttered.

'How do you mean?'

'In olden times the groom would steal the bride and then send his best man to treat with the family and barter for the bride's price. He would offer sugar, oranges, socks, towels, coffee, gold...this is all somehow strangely reminiscent of that.'

'But we haven't stolen Vesna...I mean...' he blushed furiously.

'You haven't even offered to pay me for Vesna. She is worth much more than a kilo of oranges or some new socks or a kilo of coffee. How much will you give us for her?'

Steven tensed, alarmed at the sudden turn the conversation had taken.

'Relax, I'm joking,' the father smiled grimly and slapped Steven on the shoulder. 'Vesna is my only daughter. Take care of her. What is important is that she's happy and safe. If something should happen to her I'll hold you responsible and will not rest until I've found you, do you understand? If any harm comes to her, you will suffer. Now promise me you will take care of her.'

Firmly, Steven said: 'I promise.'

'I will hold you to that promise. Now, did you know that our family name, Glogovac, means Hawthorne, like your famous writer. Legend has it that the family name comes from an ancestor who was a famous vampire hunter. He killed them with a Hawthorne stake...like this one.'

The door burst open as Mrs. Glogovac and Bear returned. 'How is she?' asked Mr. Glogovac as his wife ran up and hugged him.

'She's eating and sitting up and Mrs. Lazarevic oh, she's such a nice woman that Mrs. Lazarevic she said that Vesna will be able to travel tomorrow and will come by train...'

As Mrs. Glogovac related her telephone call with Vesna, Bear grinned at Steven and gave him a thumbs-up.

Steven nodded back. To his horror, Bear mouthed the word "Debauchery Club."

Interlude XI: Belgrade: 18 May 1992 The proud paddle-wheeler sat moored at the confluence of the Danube and Sava Rivers, across from the Kalemegdan fortress. Once it had seen better days as a luxury river cruise boat, but its engines had long since been removed and a slapped-on coat of white paint covered its rust.

The eleven gathered on the deserted mahogany dance floor around a large table as waiters brought out bottles of champagne and elegant wines. Lazar, Stanko and Lynx lit large cigars. When the waiters had been dismissed, Lazar called the meeting to order.

Stanko said: 'My men have been active. We brought in Professor Ljubovic and his wife and are holding them for questioning. We also brought in the Popovic family, except for their son, who has disappeared. He's a draft-dodger, you know.'

The others nodded their approval.

'Ljubovic claims to know nothing, but he'll respond when we question his wife. The Popovics are fools...the grandparents feel it is their patriotic duty to a.s.sist the state in all matters...they're good communists. We need more citizens like them.'

'Our informants at the University have inquired about the American's friends, but so far it seems he lived a hermit's life. We can't even find out who the dead girl is...he's done a good job concealing everything. We have ascertained that the American's professor is a Marko Slatina from the University of California...'

'The Venetian!' gasped Igor, looking at Natalija.

'Yes, the Venetian,' Stanko replied. 'And it seems he trained this student to come and hunt us down and kill us.'

'So that means the Order is still flourishing,' said Branko.

'Nonsense,' blurted Natalija. 'If it were flourishing he wouldn't be hiding half-way around the world in California.'

'Perhaps he's trying to get away from you,' said Rastko.

'Shut up,' growled Natalija.

'We're examining all telephone calls with California,' Stanko continued.

'Do you have any more information about his a.s.sociates?' asked Lynx.

'Nothing yet,' answered Stanko.

'Anything yet on the Vlach?' Lazar asked Lynx.

'Srebrenica,' Lynx responded.

The others stared at him.

'He's in Srebrenica.'

CHAPTER TWELVE.