A trickle of blood ran down Elia's finger as soon as she touched the needle.
- I'm sorry! - said the seamstress, a white-haired lady with skilled hands - I was careless!
- It's okay, I moved too much - Elia replied, taking the handkerchief that was offered to her and applying pressure to her finger. She wouldn't dare complain now after asking for emergency adjustments to her dress.
- I think you've lost weight - the old lady's name was Alessandra, and from what she told Elia she always lived in Volterra - but I managed to tighten the dress, you can wear it without worrying.
The girl thanked her enthusiastically, feeling relieved. She had been so focused on Alec, Demetri and anything paranormal that it was a shock to try on the dress she would wear to the wedding in Siena again and discover that it was too loose, but she knew it was her own fault for running around the city and neglecting her health. Her foot hadn't completely healed yet, so she also had to change her shoes.
Alessandra helped her down from the step, but the girl preferred to sit until she brought her clothes back. Perhaps if she walked less now she could move around more easily during the wedding, as the location looked nice when she searched online. Her purse was hanging near the mirror, so Elia took out the silver camera her father had sent her from Rome. She positioned it in front of the mirror and took a picture of herself.
"Now I can take pictures of Alec," she thought, as her attempts with her cell phone were not good.
Elia was still checking to see if the photo had turned out well when she heard another woman voice entering the store, and then looked at the woman in the mirror. Gianna went pale as she looked at Elia, who waved at her as if meeting an old friend.
- I didn't know you knew each other - Alessandra said, handing the clothes back to Elia, her back was a little hunched - Gianna is like me, she has always lived in the city, but she doesn't have many friends.
- I can imagine why - Elia replied.
The woman adjusted the brown glasses that hung down her nose, the color matching her dress that covered her neck and arms. Just like the day he saw her at the café, leaving Demetri's letter, Elia found her beautiful.
- This one came from Rome - the lady spoke to Gianna comfortably, and soon took the bag she was holding from her hands. She must have been going to that place for a long time.
Elia closed the fitting room as the lady began to analyze the clothes Gianna had brought, she could barely hear the other woman speak, and when she did, she stuttered. Elia carefully took off her dress and put on her jeans and a soccer team shirt she had borrowed from Andrea.
She walked slowly until she was next to Gianna, who looked at her foot at the same time. The seamstress helped her fold the dress and told her she could wait for her brother to come get her.
- Okay, but I'll pay first, don't tell my brother - Elia took some bills out of her pocket and handed them to Alessandra, who smiled back.
She then stood for a while listening to Gianna talk about her clothes, they all seemed to be expensive and delicate, but Alessandra was skilled and seemed to be able to handle everything. After she finished talking, Gianna got tired of ignoring the elephant in the room and went to sit next to Elia on an old wooden chair near the window. Elia wanted to ask her a lot of questions, but she knew the woman wouldn't answer. What happened at the café was a stroke of luck, and Gianna only did what she asked for fear that she would go around town talking about a "cult that lived in the city's tunnels." Elia smiled as she remembered, cults were more believable than vampires, surely someone would check.
- Did he fight with you? - Elia finally asked. She doubted it when she first saw her, but Gianna was indeed human.
- Who are you talking about? - Gianna replied, her hair was well combed, and she smelled of a flowery perfume.
- Demetri, of course - Elia replied, noticing how the woman flinched when she heard the name - what did he do?
Silence, the woman just looked uncomfortable. Elia decided to change the approach.
- Or was it Alec?
Elia could see the look of pure horror form on the woman's face when she heard Alec's name. It was as if she had heard the words of a demon itself.
- So there is a hierarchy - Elia nodded, finally understanding. She picked up her camera and took a photo of the ceiling of Alessandra's studio, which had a medieval-style painting of the sun.
- I didn't know he was involved too - Gianna pressed her hands against the chair, then cleared her throat - we shouldn't talk about them outside.
- Wherever they live, I've never been there, so I only talk to them outside, I don't know any other way.
Gianna took a deep breath. Elia knew she was stressing her out.
- I'm sorry about the letter - the girl said - I should have thought better, but I don't think I'll ever see Demetri again.
Elia pressed the blue dress in her hands. She preferred to think about how she still needed to iron it to wear at the wedding rather than acknowledge the strange feeling that formed in her chest as she said those words. She would never see Demetri again, why did that sound strange?
- You're so naive - Gianna said. Elia guessed she must be the same age as Andrea - he's a tracker, did you know that?
- What does it mean? I know they can hear me even from very far away, but...
- It means he can find you anywhere in the world… - Gianna grumbled something after saying those words - And he's not even the worst, young master Alec...
Gianna held back, covering her mouth almost automatically. Elia was leaning toward her, ready to hear more.
"Young master," she thought, "Gianna called Alec young master."
- Even so, I envy you - the woman smiled, she looked prettier when she smiled - it would be much easier for me if one of them was interested in me.
Elia backed up. She didn't know what that meant, she just remembered Demetri's warnings not to accept any proposal from Alec.
*****
It was a perfect day for a wedding, sunny, not too hot. The sky was blue and the few clouds that came appeared only to offer a pleasant shade over the Tuscan landscapes. Elia put her hand out the car window to feel the sun, then she took the camera from her purse and took a picture of the green hills, then of her brother driving. She and her family were staying in a cozy inn, but the wedding was going to be held twenty minutes away from the city. Her brother had rented a car, so they wouldn't have any problems getting there. They were even a little early, but Elia didn't argue with her brother, because Andrea seemed overly happy. She felt a little bad about not knowing exactly who his friends were and the life he had built in Volterra, so she wanted to try a little harder now that she was determined to leave.
Luigi was sitting in the backseat, dressed in formal clothes that Elia thought looked better and cuter on children. He had eaten cake for breakfast, hidden from his father of course, so he was full of sugar and Elia hoped he would stay awake during the wedding. The wind started to mess up her hair, so Elia closed the window. She reached her left hand out to the back of the vehicle and Luigi took it. Elia smiled, she would miss him too.
The family could see the countryside villa they were heading towards in the distance, and Elia was impressed as they passed through the ancient iron gate that was guarded by two stone statues and the team responsible for the organization helped them get to the parking lot.
Elia's foot was almost healed now, but she still had to give up the shoes she was going to wear on that occasion, exchanging them for medium-heeled shoes because she refused to wear flats, even so she would have to walk slowly. Luigi ran towards the other children as soon as he got out of the car and Elia tried to hold him back without success, she ended up having to lean against the wall of the house. The bricks reminded her of Volterra, but they weren't as reddish.
- I think this place was built in 1254 - Andrea said, running to Elia's side and making her lean on his arm - maybe a little earlier. Dante mentions those columns in the Divine Comedy.
- I found it impressive - Elia took a deep breath, admiring the place - I didn't know you had rich friends.
There were a lot of people, as expected for a garden wedding, with suits and flowery dresses and Elia felt a little better for having chosen a suitable dress, light and with a white leaf print on the blue fabric. She didn't want her brother to be tied to her, so she let go of his arm.
- You can go ahead, so you won't lose Luigi. I'll catch up with you.
- Are you sure? - Andrea asked. Elia reached over to adjust the bow tie around his neck.
- Of course - she pushed him forward - I'm fine.
Her brother smiled, but not at Elia, he seemed to have seen someone he knew.
- I think you have a point - he said while pressing her shoulders and turning her - your escort just arrived.
Andrea stepped aside, making room for a young man who was running towards them, stopping right in front of Elia.
- Sorry, I'm late! I was supposed to meet you at city!
Elia recognized the voice and the face, but her mind couldn't come to a logical conclusion for what her eyes were seeing. That young man was Claudio, her Claudio, but he shouldn't be here. At least that's what Elia's mind kept saying until the young man stood next to her, offering his arm for support. Elia didn't take it, she looked at her brother for help because it could only be his doing, but she couldn't say anything, she was too perplexed.
She didn't even notice when Luigi came back, holding some kind of candy that she didn't recognize at first.
- Don't you want a family photo? - Claudio asked.
Andrea took the camera from Elia's hands and handed it to him, then straightened Luigi's clothes, whose hair was still in place thanks to the hair cream Elia had bought earlier.
- Smile - her brother said - father will love this.
Elia smiled, and hoped the photo had turned out well, she wasn't able to care too much about that.
- Now you two - Andrea said, he put Luigi on his back and picked up the camera.
- But... - Elia mumbled.
Once again no one heard her and Claudio stood next to her, putting his arm around her waist.
- You two look great, smile.
Elia felt her face hurt, but after hearing the noise of the camera she took it from her brother's hands before Andrea had other idea, then helped him put Luigi on the ground.
- We'll go first - Andrea said, holding his son's hand - I need to greet some people.
He said a few words to Claudio before leaving them alone, but Elia couldn't hear. She hadn't taken anything, nor was she dreaming. This was really real.
Elia had ignored every call, text and letter Claudio had sent and now there he was! Shame and anxiety mixed inside her and it wasn't pleasant, she really wanted to find a place to hide.
- I won't leave even if you close your eyes - Claudio said, with his lively and gentle voice. Elia had almost forgotten how he sounded.
She realized that she had actually closed her eyes in a childish attempt to escape her problems, so she finally looked at the young man beside her. Claudio didn't usually wear formal clothes, but he seemed to have made an effort for today's event because it was the reunion he had in mind. His sand-colored suit had a classic cut and even had a waistcoat, the color made his brown hair, usually shorter but now falling just below his cheeks in waves, stand out, just like his blue eyes.
- My brother helped me choose the suit - he said while smiling, Elia knew it wasn't forced, as Claudio liked to smile - the shoes are my father's, he never wears formal clothes anyway, but he has a pair of loafers just in case...
Elia was sure he kept talking because of her silence. She tried to remember the last time she had spoken to Claudio, but all that came to mind was a blur of tears.
- What happened? - Claudio asked, leaning towards her worriedly - Did I say something wrong?
- No, of course not… - Elia hurried to answer, soon understanding that he reacted that way because she smiled back - I just missed you.
The girl hugged him before she lost her courage or said something stupid. She wanted to bury her face in his chest, but it would end up staining her clothes. So she settled for listening to his racing heart, smiling as she felt the woody aroma of his cologne.
Claudio was warm and cozy, just like that pleasant day and Elia was sure he would eventually give up on her one day.
She didn't want to cry, so she held it in a little, and when a tear tried to escape, Claudio lightly touched her cheek. They could have stayed there for hours if they hadn't had to attend the ceremony.
- So, Andrea brought you here? - Elia broke the silence when they reached the carefully tended garden. Claudio seemed overly concerned with her walking, looking at every step she took and forming a barrier against other people.
There were white chairs carefully lined up in the distance, the decoration was made with large flower arrangements and lamps that would probably be lit during the late afternoon.
- He said it would be a good opportunity to see you. Every other time I asked him he was against it because I was being too hasty, but...
- What do you mean other times? I didn't know you two talked so much...
- And how else would I hear from you? - Claudio helped Elia over a step that appeared in the grass - Your father didn't know much so I had to contact someone who was closer.
Shame rose again within Elia, who almost decided to pull away, but Claudio held her close to him.
- And how is your family? And your brother? The last time I saw him he was still working at the bar.
- He's still there - Claudio smiled - it's only been a few months, Elia, not a lifetime, and we still have a long life ahead of us, or do you think I'm going to let you run away again?
Andrea watched them from afar, so the girl looked down, and at that moment Claudio let her stop.
- What happened? - he asked - Did I say something wrong?
- It's just that... - Elia put her right hand to her temple, she felt the world spin too fast - You tried so hard to talk to me, but I avoided you, and I ran away, and I don't know if I can give you what you want now...
Elia sighed. Claudio waited for her.
- For now I just want to go home and try to live again, simple stuff first.
- And since when has seeing me become complicated? - Claudio held Elia's chin, making her look at him again. Every time he did this, Elia would smile along with him - Let's do whatever you want, I still help my father at the restaurant so I was thinking about renting a place and...
- I said simple stuff! - Elia punched his chest playfully.
- I'm just saying that... - Claudio laughed at his own words - That we can find a way.
The girl agreed. If she compared the color of the sky with Claudio's eyes, there was no difference.
- You were always the optimist - she shook her head in disapproval - and you're probably missing class for coming here.
- The college won't kick me out for a few days off, and I drove all the way here so I can take you back to your inn later or you can stay with me.
Claudio kissed Elia's hands, looking at her with hopeful eyes, making her smile again.
- Okay - she said. He always got what he wanted.
- Wait, that was too low, I didn't hear.
- I said I'll go with you! - the girl blushed because some guests passed too close to them at that moment - What the hell...
Claudio had already taken another surprise out of his pocket before she could say no. A silver ring with a perfectly round and smooth pearl in the middle.
- That ring looks much better on your finger than in a box - Claudio said.
Elia tried to hold back the emotional tears that formed in her eyes, she was sure she had seen that ring before, in a small shop in the center of Rome before everything went bad. Claudio leaned in to kiss Elia's lips, making her dizzy in a way she knew well, caressing her face with his prominent nose.
- Let's sit down - Elia said. After regaining her senses, she forced herself to look away otherwise she would remain hypnotized for longer. - Andrea is calling us.
The couple soon joined the family and Elia felt happy for the first time that year, holding Claudio's hand and her nephew's at the same time, as if she were supported by them. She tried to shake off all the strangeness she felt about being happy again, and rested her head on Claudio's shoulder. Everything was fine.