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； you must lead us forward。 Lead us with your thirst and lead us with your wonder； for surely in this state you do see things as never before and you are filled with that wonder。〃
She nodded her head。 Her eyes grew colder and more beautifully calm。
〃Don't you see？〃 I asked。 〃If you can only e with me through these few nights； you do indeed have immortality？〃
She closed her eyes and moaned。 〃Oh； I love the very sound of your voice；〃 she said； 〃but I am afraid。 In the coffin in the dark when I awoke； it all seemed a poisoned dream； and I fear what they may do to us if they discover what we are； if we fall into their hands； and if。。。 if。。。〃
''Yes； if？〃
〃If you cannot protect me。〃
〃Ah； yes； if I cannot protect you。〃
I fell into a silence； sitting there。
Again； it did not seem possible that this had happened to me。 My soul was burnt。 My spirit was burnt。 My will was scarred and my happiness ruined。
I remembered the very first ball； the ball which Bianca had given at our house； and I remembered the dancing and the tables with their golden platters of fruit and spiced meats； the smell of the wine； and the sound of the music； and the many rooms so filled with contented souls； and the paintings looming over all； and it did not seem possible that anyone could bring me down from that when I was so firmly placed in the realm of unsuspecting mortals。
Oh； Santino； I thought； how I do hate you。 How I do despise you。
I pictured him again as he had e to me in Rome。 I pictured him in his black robes smelling of the earth； his black hair rather vainly clean and long； and his face so very expressive with its large dark eyes； and I hated him。
Would I ever； I thought； have the chance to destroy him？ Oh； surely there would e a time when he was not surrounded by so many numbers； when I might have him firmly in my hands and with the Fire Gift make him pay for what he'd done to me。
And Amadeo； where was my Amadeo； and where were my boys who had been so brutally yet carefully taken？ I saw again my poor Vincenzo murdered on the floor。
〃Marius； my Marius；〃 Bianca said suddenly。 〃Please； don't sit in such quiet with me。〃 She reached out； her hand pale and fluttering； not daring to touch me。 〃I am sorry for being so weak。 Believe me； I am。 What is it that makes you so silent？〃
〃Nothing； my darling； only the thoughts of my enemy； the one who brought those brandishing the fire； those who destroyed me。〃
〃But you're not destroyed；〃 she said； 〃and I will somehow get the strength。〃
〃No； stay here for now；〃 I said。 〃You have done enough。 And your poor gondolier； he gave his life for me last night。 You stay here now until I return。〃
She shuddered and reached out as if to take hold of me。
I forced her to remain at a distance。
〃You cannot embrace what I am just yet。 But I will go out and I will hunt until I am strong enough to take you from this place and to one that is safe and one where I will be healed pletely。〃
I closed my eyes； though of course she could not see it on account of the mask； and I thought of Those Who Must Be Kept。
My Queen； I pray to you； and I am ing and when I do you will give me the Blood； I thought； but could you not have given me one small vision of warning？
Oh； I had not even thought of this before and now it exploded in my mind。 Yes； from her distant throne she could have done it； she could have warned me； could she not？
But how could I ask such a thing from one who for a thousand years had not moved or spoken？ Would I never learn？
But what of Bianca who was trembling and begging me to pay attention to her now？ I waked from my sleep。
〃No； we'll do it as you wanted； I'll go with you；〃 she said piteously。 〃I'm sorry I was weak。 I promised you I would be as strong as Amadeo。 I want to be。 I'm ready now to go with you。〃
〃No； you aren't；〃 I responded。 〃You're only more afraid of being left here alone than you are of going。 You're afraid that if you stay behind I'll never e back to you。〃
She nodded her head as if I had forced her to admit it when I had not。
〃I'm thirsting；〃 she said softly。 She said it with an elegance。 And then in wonder。 〃I'm thirsting for blood。 I must go with you。〃
〃Very well then；〃 I answered。 〃My lovely sweet panion。 Strength will e to you。 Strength will take up its abode in your heart。 Don't fear。 I have so much to teach； and as these nights pass； when you and I are forted； I'll tell you of the others I've known； of their strength and of their beauty。〃
She nodded again； her eyes widening。
〃Do you love me the most；〃 she asked； 〃that is all I want to know for now and you may lie to me。〃 She smiled； even as the tears stained her cheeks。
〃Of course I do；'' I said。 〃I love you more than anyone。 You're here； are you not？ And finding me crushed； you gave your strength to save me。〃
It was a cold answer； lacking in flattery or kindness； yet it seemed quite enough for her； and it struck me how very different she was from those I had loved before； from Pandora in her wisdom； or Amadeo in his cunning。 She seemed endowed with sweetness and intellect in equal measure。
I brought her up the steps with me。 We left the small candle behind as if it would be a beacon for our return。
Before I opened the door I listened carefully for the sound of any of Santino's brood。 I heard nothing。
We made our way silently through the narrowest canals of the most dangerous portions of the city。 And there we found our victims again；
Struggling little； drinking much。 Into the dirty water we released them afterwards。
Long after she was fragrant and warm from her many kills； a sharp observer of the dark and shining walls； I was still parched and burning。 Oh； how dreadful was the pain。 How soothing the blood as it flooded my arms and legs。
Near dawn we returned。 We had encountered no danger。 I was much healed but my limbs were still like sticks； and when I reached beneath my mask； I felt a face which seemed irreparably scarred。
How long would this take？ I could not tell Bianca。 I could not tell myself。
I knew that in Venice we could not reckon upon too many such nights。 We would bee known。 Thieves and killers would begin to watch for us…the white…faced beauty； the man with the black leather mask…
I had to test the Cloud Gift。 Could I carry Bianca with me towards the shrine？ Could I make the full journey in one night or would I blunder and leave us scrambling desperately before dawn for some hiding place？
She went to her sleep quietly； with no fear of the coffin。 It seemed she would show me her strength to fort me； and though she could not kiss my face； she put a kiss on her slender fingers and gave it to me with her breath。
I had an hour then until the sunrise； and slipping out of the golden room； I went up and out over the rooftop and lifted my arms。 Within moments I was high above the city； moving effortlessly； as though the Cloud Gift had never been harmed in me； and then I was beyond Venice； far beyond it； looking back at it with its many golden lights； and at the satin glimmer of the sea。
My return was swift and accurate；