Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Bellcolor
T his must be one of the few times I’m grateful for my father’s wealth. I sit on the private plane’s leather seat and thank God, or Satan, there are no other passengers besides us.
I look like I’m being haunted. I peek at my father and he seems no less haunted. This Council business must be pretty serious if my father, a tycoon running such an important corporation in the world, is tense. No reason to fear the Council my ass.
“I don’t read thoughts like you, Dad, so you’d better start spilling some details about this Council so I can be prepared for it.”
My father groans and turns his gaze to me. “They’re the oldest demons on earth. They’ve walked the lands of Adam for a very long time, since before recorded history. And due to my advanced age, I’m a candidate to soon inherit a seat on the Council.”
I gasp. I’d never thought to ask my father how old he was. Truth be told, he’d never told me his age, and he didn’t like celebrating birthdays either. I’d imagined he was the same age as all the other fathers in my school, in his late forties. But he was actually an immortal demon. God, maybe I really did deserve this punishment. I was a shitty daughter.
“I’m almost eight hundred years old,” my father revealed what I’d been wondering.
“ Say what now ?!”
“Seven hundred and eighty-three, to be precise.”
“So how do you look… like that?” I indicate his strong and too-young body.
“Elder demons are entitled to great power, and the demons of the Council are especially powerful. Alfredo has the ability to change shape. His powers are quite useful in disguising our true age. I wear this form in my current life, and he ensures that I age from time to time so as not to raise suspicion.”
“Dad, you’re a killer stud for someone in their late forties, Alfredo needs to do a better job hiding your real age.”
He laughs in response. “Would you be more pleased if your father were balding with a pot belly?”
I think about it for a moment and contort my face. “No, but Alfredo could’ve adapted you better to my childlike body. I look like I’m twelve when I’m actually eighteen.”
“Your body will gradually assume your true form, so don’t worry.”
“Is that why my body’s developing so slowly?”
“It works differently for each of the Marked, but the fact that you aren’t done developing indicates that the Devil is planning a long life for you in the human world. That’s why the Council is so anxious about this situation you’ve dropped in their laps.”
“If you’d bothered to let me in on who we are, it might not have happened.” I stick my tongue out at him and he runs a hand through his mane of hair. He hadn’t bothered slicking it with gel this morning, and I wonder if he’d skipped it just so he could pull this move.
“It’s too great a risk. To place such a life-changing secret in the hands of teenagers? We tend not to repeat the mistakes of the past.”
“Just who would I have told? I have no friends, remember? I’m a fucking social outcast!” I wave my hands in the air to increase the dramatics.
“Keep your language clean, Bellcolor,” he reprimands me. “Under no circumstances are you to speak to the Council that way and embarrass me. Your training is my entry exam into the Council.”
“Then you’re screwed, Dad, you can kiss that job goodbye right now. I’m a walking disaster!”
“No, you’re not, Bellcolor. You can play three instruments, you speak seven languages, you’re at the top of your class, you’re wealthy. That’s all the Council cares about. But for the love of all that’s unholy, remember your manners.”
“If we’re invited for dinner, I promise to use all the table manners I’ve learned ad nauseam . But the one thing I have no clue about are social norms. I don’t have ‘street smarts’, Dad, because you deprived me of a social life.”
“I didn’t want you hanging around with those idiot Americans. Besides, I’ve told you already, it’s a risk we couldn’t afford to take.”
He forgets that I’m part of that same ‘idiot American’ people.
“Well, then you’ll have to acknowledge your mistake at some point. Because I was born and raised in all that. It’s who I am.” I defiantly cross my arms over my chest and frown.
“I’m sorry, Bellcolor, I didn’t mean to imply that you’re part of that rabble.”
“But I am!”
“You’re not, you’re part of the elite of the demonic realm, and you’ll have to act accordingly. Promise me – clean language and perfect manners.”
“Fine, I promise.” Good luck to both of us with that. “What else do I need I know?”
“The Council consists of five members. Each possesses extraordinary powers. As I’ve already mentioned, Alfredo can change shape, his own and that of other people. Beatrice and her twin sister Greta can control the elements: fire, ice, water, wind and all that they contain. Simon has motion-based abilities that include teleportation, flight and replication. And Libretto, he’s the head of the Council and the most powerful of them all, we don’t know what he can do. He reserves his right to privacy. But the imaginations of demon-kind are beyond limitations. That’s why you must be doubly cautious around him. I have no way of knowing what he’s capable of.”
I force myself to gulp, already terrified of this Libretto. “And what are your abilities? If they want you, that must mean you’ve got something they want.”
“You’re a clever girl, Bellcolor. The Devil has granted me mental abilities. That’s why I can read your thoughts. I absorb and process information very quickly, so the medical field was perfect for me. I can also control the minds of humans, erasing and planting memories as I see fit.”
“Wow!” I exclaim. That’s really a spectacular power. But how, of all the demons in the world, did I get a father who could read minds? That means no secrets, ever. When I think of my past and everything that went through my mind when I was around my father, my face falls.
Shit. That’s bad. Very bad.
“Don’t worry, Bellcolor. I don’t hold your thoughts against you. I love you despite all the sour thoughts you’ve had about me over the years.”
“I’m sorry…” It’s a sincere apology on my part. Considering the circumstances, you can’t say he didn’t take care of me properly.
“Thank you,” he smiles at me, and I rise from my seat and hug him tightly. It’s my way of thanking him for what he gave me all my life. God knows what family I would’ve been born into if I hadn’t been Marked. I might’ve been a crack baby or worse: I could’ve been Kelly or one of her stupid friends.
I straighten up and return to my seat before the moment we shared becomes embarrassing, pushing away the thought of how cold to the touch his body was.
“So will I be getting cool powers too?” I ask him.
“Maybe, it’s possible. Not all demons receive powers, it depends on the demon that incarnates into their body. But the Council members are extremely powerful, and they have full control of the world of demon-kind. You must never underestimate them. Do you understand?” I nod. “They belong to the Old World, and they’re very strict. You must take everything said during this meeting very seriously. It’s not a game, Bellcolor. They have zero tolerance for rebels. You must carry out every command they give you with absolute precision and meet their high standards.” My stomach turns and I hold my breath. They’ll be in for one hell of a disappointment when I appear before them.
“You’ll be alright, Bellcolor. Just don’t forget that you’re my ward, and everything you do or say will have implications for me as well.”
“No pressure then,” I say, and my father gives me a steely glance.
My father wasn’t kidding when he said the Council members were Old World. The car that picked us up from the airport stopped in front of a castle. Yes, that’s right, a freaking castle , with spires and servants and everything. I stare open-mouthed at the building as it’s revealed to me, and my father bumps his shoulder into me as a hint to close my mouth immediately. I quickly obey and stick to him as we make our way inside, accompanied by a woman in a pantsuit who looks extremely tense. She fires off updates regarding the schedule for the meeting and the rest of the day, where we’ll be staying during our visit, and… I tune her out, and my eyes almost pop out of their sockets as I survey the interior of the castle.
Works of art hang from the walls, and I think they belong in museums rather than a castle of demons, even if they’re stinking rich. Furniture with what seems to be real gold woven into it, suits of armor all along the corridor, the whole place screams Money! and a lot of it.
For a moment I feel like I’ve gone back in time to when all this splendor would make sense. In the 21 st century it seems nauseatingly artificial.
The tense lady leads us to a set of double doors, pauses and takes a deep breath.
“Mr. Fermi, are you ready?” she asks, and my father gives her a sharp nod.
She opens the heavy doors, and we walk in, leaving her behind. She immediately shuts the doors with a squeak that freezes my blood. Suddenly I feel claustrophobic, even though we’ve entered an enormous hall. The walls are so tall that when I look up, I get dizzy. The ceiling is decorated with paintings depicting anxiety-inducing scenes: hellfire, demons and monsters, the polar opposite of the roof of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, which represents divinity. In fact, the more I scrutinize the nightmarish scenes, the more they seem to be the Devil’s reply to Michelangelo’s marvels.
I swallow heavily and stare straight ahead to the five Council members sitting… on thrones? Oh God, are they the royalty of the demon world? Am I supposed to bow to them?
My father answers by placing his hand on his heart, lowering his body respectfully and saying: “Esteemed Council members, it is an honor to be in your presence. I’d like to introduce to you my daughter, Bellcolor Umbra Fermi.” He gestures to me with a hand, and I hurry to curtsy politely. Am I doing it right? I’ve never had to bow to anyone. How humiliating.
The Council members stare at me, scanning me from head to toe. They don’t say a word, and my eyes jump from them to my father and back.
I stiffen all my muscles, the tension threatening to drive me out of my mind. Why aren’t they saying anything?
My father reaches behind my back and caresses me with foreign affection, hinting at me to calm down, and I’m finally able to get some air in my lungs and breathe right.
Thanks , I say in my mind, and he smiles.
That’s the first time this whole mind-reading thing has come in handy, and in my favor for once.
The man sitting on the middle throne – I assume it’s Libretto, head of the Council – rises up and walks towards me.
I hold my head high, faking courage and praying that if I’m convincing enough, I’ll actually feel it. My father softly caresses my back the whole time, and I cling to his grip like a lifesaver.
“Bellcolor,” Libretto says my name with a thick Italian accent and in a low baritone.
“Sir,” I curtsy again, feeling the need to do so.
“The human demon,” his voice is full of disdain as he scans me with his eyes. My body turns to stone. Am I supposed to curtsy again? I decide not to move because I don’t like the tone of his voice.
“We don’t know that yet,” my father interjects.
“My eyes don’t lie, Othello, the proof’s right here before me,” he reprimands him, sounding furious. Oh god, I’m about to get it, and big-time.
He circles me, apparently sizing up the magnitude of the disaster, the idiotic mistake I made.
“Has she fed yet?” he asks my father, who shakes his head in the negative.
“Tell me, child, does blood make you uncomfortable?” Libretto addresses me.
“I-I don’t know, sir,” I answer honestly. I’ve never been sensitive to blood, though the thought of drinking human blood definitely makes me queasy.
“We’ll see soon enough,” he says with a frown. “Bring in the human!” he calls, and the double doors immediately open as a man in his thirties enters the hall. His body is upright, and he seems surprised at the presence of the Council members. He holds an empty wine glass in his hand.
Libretto motions for him to approach, and the latter hurriedly obeys and stands before him. The human hands him the wine glass, and Libretto brings it to the man’s neck. Suddenly Libretto’s fingernail elongates in a crazy way. I gasp as I realize what’s about to happen before my eyes. Is the human hypnotized, or is he aware of what’s happening and willingly giving away his blood? Does he know who we are and yet is here anyway, completely unafraid?
My father tightens his grip on my back, motioning for me to relax, but it’s useless. I’m losing my mind!
Libretto slices the human’s neck and a spurt of blood leaves the jugular, filling the wine glass in his hand. When the glass is full to Libretto’s satisfaction, he gestures to the human, who grips his neck and flees from the hall. As the doors slam behind him, Libretto turns to me and hands me the wine glass.
The sharp scent of the blood hits my nose and I sway in response, fighting the dizziness that’s momentarily taken hold of me. The scent is so familiar, and I’m immediately thrown back to the game room in Trent’s house. Was that blood I’d smelled?
Suddenly the thought of drinking human blood not only makes me nauseous but causes my whole body to signal that it’s forbidden. I think I’m going to lose it completely if he doesn’t get that glass away from me. I reach out for the glass to push it away and notice that my fingernails have grown long and sharp. I panic and start whipping my hand back and forth hysterically, as if the delusion will disappear if I jostle it hard enough.
Libretto draws the glass back and examines me closely. “Interesting…” He places his hand on his chin and scrutinizes my reaction. “The demon within her awakens in the presence of human blood. I wonder…” He goes silent, pondering something. I don’t know what he’s thinking, and to be honest, I don’t care either, because my eyes are fixed on only one thing – the glass in his hand, and how to get it away from me as soon as possible.
“You want the blood, girl?” he asks in a teasing voice, and I hurry to shake my head.
“Libretto—” my father interjects, but Libretto raises a hand and silences him.
“Drink!” he commands, holding the glass out to me.
I take it from him so as not to offend him, but my hand trembles and firmly refuses to obey my command to bring the glass to my mouth. My hand is so tense that the glass shatters in an instant, and the blood stains me, dripping onto their expensive marble floor.
I raise the hand that shattered the wine glass with barely any strength at all and open it to examine it more closely. I’m not even scratched. My father and Libretto do the same, studying my hand. Libretto grabs my palm before I can protest and jams his talons into it. I scream in pain and fall to my knees.
“Libretto, what are you doing?” my father raises his voice, but Libretto waves him away.
I look into Libretto’s eyes. They gleam white, and he bares his teeth at me. His long fangs are powerfully fixed to his lower lip, and blood is pooling around them. Libretto’s blood doesn’t smell like human blood, and an intolerable itch spreads across my upper gums. He pulls me to him, and I squirm savagely to avoid his fearsome grip. I ignore the sharp pain in my palm, my eyes fixed only on the drops of blood welling up between his lips.
A mighty stench emanates from him, hitting me like a kick to my guts and boiling the blood in my veins. I know with all my being that if I don’t get away from him, I’ll go insane.
My reaction seems to incite Libretto’s fury. He tightens his grip on me and then hurls me to the other side of the hall. My back hits the double doors hard, and I let out a choked cry of pain. I want to weep at how bad it hurts, but the stupid tears won’t come.
What’s happening?! I scream in my mind, and my father hurries over to help me up.
I let him help me and find that I’m limping as my father leads me back to that monster Libretto.
“Tell me what she’s thinking!” Libretto shouts at my father, and he grows still where he stands.
“She’s afraid,” he answers, like a trained circus monkey.
“And she should be!” He shoots me a dark glance and my entire body trembles uncontrollably. “What else?”
“She thinks you’re a monster,” he answers, and I hold my breath. Fuck, my dad’s sold me out and I’m going to die. Shit, I can’t die, which means I might spend eternity in agony!
“You won’t…” my father whispers to me.
“What? Tell me at once!” Libretto commands him again.
“She’s afraid that since she can’t die, you’ll sentence her to eternal torment,” my father replies, and Libretto bursts into laughter. The other Council members join him, and now they’re all having a good laugh at my expense.
“What’s so funny, if you don’t mind my asking?” I dare to ask, manners be damned. This psycho just attacked me. That’s fucking unacceptable to me. My father takes a deep breath. It looks like he’s fighting not to explode himself.
“We got everything we needed; you’re dismissed. The human demon can begin her studies.” Libretto waves a hand as if to sweep us out of his sight, turning his back to us and returning to his throne.
I want to run to him and punch his lights out, but my father pulls me out of the hall. Before the doors close, I peek behind me and see Libretto smiling at me, licking up what’s left of the blood on his lips.
I only now realize that Libretto bled in front of me, and I, the human demon, didn’t shed a drop. Maybe that was what stirred his anger?