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of eternity,” Lyndon commented, and I found something reassuring in that. The man had endured that long in this place without being eaten or worse.
    Gustavo appeared to be in his late fifties with almost fully gray hair, olive-skinned, and with wrinkles. Yeah, wrinkles—that’s something you didn’t see much in this place.
    “Where’s he from?” I asked.
    “Argentina,” Lyndon said aloofly. She had an oval face, and dark hair that fell nicely to her shoulders. She seemed composed and distant. Blake also had a bit of composed demeanor, but with his height it seemed aristocratic. Plus I’d seen him trying to smile. With her that was not the case.
    She yawned.
    “You tired?” Julia asked me.
    “A little.”
    “Let’s go then. Tomorrow’s the first day of your fairytale,” she told me, winking. I thought of fanged fairies fluttering around in wait of my death wish.
    “I thought I was already done with the first day.” I waved goodbye to the others and followed her. She was really stunning in that red dress, and I wondered for whom it was meant.
    “What do you think of them?”
    “They accepted me enough, I think.”
    “That’s for sure. I mean, I understand Blake’s obsession to find the pattern in the talent, as they call it. We’re all different. We hang with each other and with the others.”
    “You mean vampires?” She didn’t seem to mind that I appeared taken aback.
    “Of course. You’ll get used to it.”
    We took the stairs to a lower level. Underground.
    “Are we sleeping in coffins?”
    “That wouldn’t be so odd, would it?” She laughed.
    I didn’t answer.
    “There’s a network of underground tunnels connecting the buildings. It’s a faster and warmer way around.”
    Right, I forgot about the freezing weather outside.
    “This time last year it was snowing,” Julia added.
    “I’ve never felt this temperature in October, let alone seen snow.”
    “Before coming here, Gustavo had never even seen the snow!”
    “I can relate to that.”
    “Only Max has no problem with the cold, but he comes from the Alps. And as for the rest of us . . . we’re managing,” she smiled.
    “Too much new info.”
    “Don’t worry, you’ll sleep like a baby. Something in this air knocks you out in no time.”
    “I hope there’s nothing in the air for real.”
    Julia laughed again. If nothing, I was glad I amused her. We entered a modern building that was light with modern furniture. None of the Dungeons and Dragons feel of the last building.
    “This is our dormitory. It’s the smallest building and there are lots of rooms, if you wanna get your own. Lyndon was staying with me at first, and after a couple of months, she opted for her own place. Along with us, there are servants and three guards here.”
    Guards, as in vampires, I thought.
    “Room service is available day and night. You’ve already have met Lena. A strange, tough girl.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Her family lived on the Scandinavian Peninsula and Vocati massacred them. The worst part is that she was there, poor creature. She saw everything.”
    “How’d she end up here?”
    “Warriors were tailing those Vocati for some time and they got into a fight. After the vamps successfully fought them off, they took Lena under their wing, not knowing what to do with her. She was only six, so they thought they’d let her stay with them and decide her future when she got older.”
    “It’s not like it’s a hard choice. This is the only life she knows, and it sounds like she probably has some horrible memories,” I added.
    I felt a certain sympathy for Lena; so serious and professional. There are terrible war stories, but for me this one beat them all.
    “When did you come here?” I asked.
    “Four years ago. Gustavo, Tibor and Max were already here. Then Blake and Lyndon came. And now we got you.”
    We stopped in front of a door I hadn’t yet seen.
    “I’ve already seen these signs…”
    “They’re runes. This one is