BEN SPOTTED THE VAMPIRE ENTERING Piazza del Gesù Nuovo a few minutes before ten. She was tall, especially for an immortal. With notable exceptions like his uncle, humans turned before the last century tended to be shorter than average. Tenzin was a perfect example. She was tiny, though she protested that she’d been quite tall for her time.
This vampire was wearing high-heeled boots and leggings with a long, sleeveless tunic that showed off lightly muscled arms. Caramel-brown hair flowed down her back, and her skin was pale with a slight pink flush that told Ben she’d fed earlier in the evening. No one turned to look at her as she crossed the square, even though she was wearing sunglasses at night, which made Ben think she was a familiar sight in the neighborhood. Though she looked young, he knew she wasn’t.
She was also drop-dead gorgeous.
Ben knew the vampire had spotted Tenzin, who was perched on the graffiti-covered base of the monument in the center of the piazza, but Ben hung back, wanting to observe Alfonso’s lieutenant for a few more moments before he drew her attention.
She was confident. He couldn’t see any weapons on her, but she approached Tenzin with what could almost be called a swagger.
It was unusual in the immortal world. Though humans rarely noticed Tenzin—which she loved—something about her made most immortals pause. Beatrice had told him once that Tenzin’s amnis “smelled ancient,” whatever that meant. If he’d been able to detect it like vampires did, he might have been intimidated.
But he was human, so she was just Tenzin.
“You are Tenzin,” the vampire said when she reached the center of the square.
“Yes.”
Tenzin didn’t rise to her feet. Just looked up at the other vampire, squinting a little, her chin resting in her palm.
The street boys who’d been hanging around sank back into the crowds on the edge of the square, leaving the vampires alone, save for Ben, whom Filomena finally noticed. She looked him up and down with an appraising eye.
“I am Filomena. Who is the human?”
“This is Ben, my yoga instructor.” Tenzin didn’t bat an eye, so Ben didn’t either. He just started plotting how on earth he was going to pay her back for that one. Was yoga instructor better or worse than life coach?
To Filomena’s credit, she didn’t blink. “Will he be accompanying you?”
“Yes.”
“Fine.” Filomena jerked her head. “Come. Alfonso is waiting.”
Tenzin rose and followed Filomena, who led them toward the odd stone building that dominated the square. Covered in pyramid-faced stones, the church of Gesù Nuovo was deserted, visiting hours long past. No matter. Filomena knocked at the wooden door and stood back until it swung open. She passed something to the priest at the door and ducked inside.
Tenzin and Ben followed her, neither meeting the eyes of the human in black robes who closed the door behind them. The heavy thunk echoed in the empty church. It was dark, except for a few candles lit in each chapel.
Baroque art assaulted Ben’s eyes. Paintings, statues, and intricate altar pieces. “More” seemed to be the overriding design scheme. Filomena led them down a hallway covered with brass plaques and medals shaped like various body parts. Hearts and lungs. Legs, heads, and hands. The disembodied parts plastered the walls of the narrow hallway, lending a surprisingly morbid air to the holy place.
“For healing,” Filomena said when she caught him looking. “Pilgrims come and pray here. They hang medals to ask for healing.”
Ben smiled, delighted in the excess. “Does it work?”
Filomena blinked. “Of course not. It’s superstition. Humans are very gullible.”
He saw the edge of Tenzin’s smile when he passed her.
The hallway led to a back room with a hidden door behind a tapestry. Then another hallway and another door. Ben could feel the cool damp growing the farther they traveled. At his side, he felt Tenzin’s tension increase.
“Where are you leading us?” she asked.
“Alfonso keeps court under the city,” Filomena explained. “He prefers the seclusion.”
Only Ben caught the minute falter in Tenzin’s step.
“That’s unusual, isn’t it?” Ben asked, stepping quickly into her silence. “I was told Alfonso was a water vampire.”
“He is.”
No other explanation came, nor did he expect one. Filomena pressed on, turning corner after corner until Ben was completely baffled. It was a maze, designed to confuse those not familiar with it. Plaster hallways gradually gave way to stone passages. Then Filomena stopped at a wooden door and pulled out an old iron key.
She said nothing as she unlocked the door and swung it open, the damp musk of earth blasting them as an even darker passageway gaped below. Filomena didn’t wait for them to enter. She handed Ben a flashlight from a shelf set into the wall and continued down the wooden stairs leading below the surface.
Ben watched Tenzin. Her tension had been steadily growing the farther they traveled. Now her face was a complete mask. Dead eyes. Face devoid of expression. He’d never seen her look less human.
“Tiny?” he murmured.
“Go. I don’t need the light.”
Something was very wrong.
“Do you want me to—”
“Walk, Benjamin.”
She shoved him toward the stairs and followed him, but Ben grabbed hold of one of her cold hands and held it, disturbed beyond reason by the look in her eyes. He walked down the damp, earthen passage leading under the streets of Naples.