Fated Destiny Ch. 01

"No," replied Sergi, with a smile. "My degrees are in related fields of history and religion, but I'm sure that the detectives think of me as a medical doctor. Can you tell me exactly what you saw?"

Tom went over the entire story. For some reason, he trusted Dr. Maleski. Sergi stopped Tom several times and went back over a couple of points several times. Tom had to describe the box, the length of time he stood in the doorway and Desiree's reaction to the mirror more than once. Tom even told Dr. Maleski about his dream. He ended his tale at the point where the detectives were knocking on his door.

Sergi sat still with his fingers steepled in front of him as Tom fell silent. They sat silently, one reliving...the other contemplating the events of the previous night. Sergi finally sighed and stood up.

"No, sit down," he ordered Tom, when Tom tried to stand. "You are exhausted and have seen something you should not have. I think you should stay vith me for the next couple of days."

"Was it...was it real?" asked Tom.

Sergi's face saddened.

"I believe so, but ve vill discuss this later after you have had sufficient rest. Now, let me go out and convince the police that you are not responsible."

Sergi stepped out of the conference room. Hart and Smith had returned. Sergi bent down and whispered something into Anya's ear. She nodded and walked into the conference room.

As she entered, Tom got his first real look at Anya. She was as impeccably dressed as her grandfather. Her gray dress enhanced her figure, indicating a firm, tight body underneath. Anya's long black hair was braided behind her and hung down past her waist. Her hazel eyes were almond-shaped and she had full rich lips. In one word, she was gorgeous.

"My grandfather has asked me to sit with you," she said in a sultry voice and a small smile. "I understand you will be staying with us for a little while. How are you feeling?"

"I'm, uh, fine," stammered Tom. "I'm just tired and confused."

"As you should be if Mr. Hart is correct about the hours you have been working," stated Anya, sitting down and crossing her legs. "Can you tell me what you told my grandfather?" She reached over to touch his arm lightly. "Please? It is important."

Tom's face flushed hotly as he felt something like an electric charge pass from her fingertips to his arm. Not painful, but he knew it was partially from his shyness and from her beautiful eyes staring at him earnestly. He was actually thrilled by her touch. Tom turned away and, by not looking at her, stammered through a condensed version of what he had told Sergi. Anya looked at Tom with concern and was just about to say something when the conference room door opened.

"Mr. Parta, Dr. Maleski has told us what you thought you saw," said Smith as everyone came into the room. "I've also taken a look at your time card. It looks like you've only been getting two to four hours of sleep each night this week. Is that correct?"

"Yes, I guess so," stated Tom.

"Is it possible you fell asleep and dreamed this vision?" asked Smith. "I'm not trying to offend you or trick you. I'm just trying to get at the truth."

Tom looked at Sergi, who nodded.

"I really don't know," said Tom, with a shake of his head. "When I ran out of here, I can't remember several hours. It seemed real."

Smith sighed loudly. "The mirror in Silverman's office is gone and the clock is broken. I'm going to have the Crime Lab process the office on the chance that some part of Mr. Parta's story is based on reality. Mr. Hart, we will need to fingerprint your employees. I will also need Ms. Covington's address and phone number."

Clearly, Hat did not like the request for a client's information, but he left to go get it. Smith turned back to face Tom.

"I understand you will be staying with Dr. Maleski," he said. "Go get some sleep. We would like to see you on Monday to get a written statement when you have a clearer mind."

"Uh...sure," said Tom, shaking his head to keep from nodding off.

"Come, my young friend," said Sergi. "You need sleep more than anything else. Detective, do you vish for Mr. Parta to come to your station or vould you rather meet him at my house?"

"At Headquarters," said Smith.

"Your house," said O'Malley, at the same time.

Smith looked at O'Malley quizzically in response to her statement. Sergi glanced back and forth inquiringly between the two detectives.

"Your house at nine, if you don't mind," said O'Malley to Sergi. She turned to Smith. "We should get written statements from both Dr. and Ms. Maleski. Since they have been in the office, we will need their fingerprints. We can get them all at one time."

"Of course," stated Smith, noncommittally.

"Ve vill be avaiting your arrival on Monday," said Sergi. "Villiam, I vill deliver Mr. Parta back to you on Tuesday."

"Considering all that has happened and the rest he needs, I would say to bring him back on Wednesday, but I know you are leaving Monday night," stated Hart, who was returning with Covington's address.

"I think I vill postpone my trip," said Sergi. "I vill call your secretary on Monday to arrange another meeting."

"That will be fine," stated Hart. "Tom, we will see you back on Wednesday morning. Get some rest and don't worry about your time. I'll mark you working on Monday and Tuesday."

Tom hardly registered Hart's words as the last of his strength left him. He remembered being helped to his feet by Sergi and Anya and taken to the elevator. He also remembered the odd look that O'Malley gave him as Anya draped his arm over her shoulder just before the elevator door closed. The black limousine with the driver in front of the building shocked him a little more awake, but the soft leather seats sent him right out.

"Vhat do you think?" Sergi asked his granddaughter, nodding at the sleeping man.

"Do I think he ran into one of...them? Yes, I do," replied Anya. "I think he confused her biting Silverman in the femoral artery for oral sex, though."

"I am not so sure," said Sergi. "As soon as ve have him settled in one of the guest rooms, ve need to some research."

"I guessed as much," said Anya. "It has you worried enough to cancel the trip you have been planning on for the last year. I hope the detectives bought your story about sleep deprivation."

"What the hell was that about?" asked Rich Smith as he and Colleen were waiting for the Crime Lab personnel to show up.

"Excuse me? What the hell was what about?" asked Colleen.

"Oh, we'll meet at your house," mimicked Rich. "We can get written statements and fingerprints. It'll be just so dandy. It would have been simpler at Headquarters, but now we have to drag the gear to their house. Why?"

"Just a feeling," stated Colleen. "Those two are more than what meets the eye. Why take a stranger into their house? It may have been just coincidence that they were here the day after Silverman disappeared, but I don't think so. If Parta did see Silverman having an affair with Covington, it's gonna be messy. We're going to have to look at Mrs. Silverman along with Parta, Covington, and the Maleski's."

Rich sighed, "Let's not forget Hart."

"Hart!" exclaimed Colleen. "What for?"

"Improprieties with the clients is a good way to get the feds on your neck, especially when you're dealing in securities and bonds. Silverman's disappearance may have been a way to avoid all types of complications. Of course, Hart may have had a thing going with Covington also...maybe Parta, too. It all goes to motive."

Colleen guffawed. "Parta has trouble relating to women that way. All I had to do was to look him dead in the eye and he got all tongue-tied."

"He is a bit shy around your kind," laughed Rich, but then he stopped and became serious. "Obsession?"

"I'd say no, but I can't rule it out," admitted Colleen.

"Well, I guess since we have Hart here, we might as well interview him," said Rich as he got up and headed towards the conference room door.

Tom was awoken by someone gently shaking his arm. He heard birds chirping and could sense the sun shining. He opened his eyes to stare up at a pixie-like face surrounded by short honey-brown hair. A pair of brown eyes stared back into his. Tom shifted his gaze downward and found himself staring down an impressive cleavage since the girl had bent over at the waist to shake his arm.

Tom's first thought was to ask himself why a girl in a maid's outfit was in his room. He then realized that this was not his apartment. With a yell, he threw off the sheets and bounded out of the bed on the opposite side.

"Mein Gott!" exclaimed the girl breathlessly as she stared at Tom.

Tom suddenly realized that he was naked and had a hard-on as the girl continued to stare at his cock. Another reason for Tom's shyness was due to his penis. Being thick and eleven inches long when hard had earned him a lot of ribbing and jokes his entire life, which had embarrassed him to no end. One high school girl had heard the rumors and went out with him to find out the truth. When she finally saw it, she screamed in fright and ran off. Her accounts grew into great exaggerations. Tom yanked the sheet off the bed and managed to get it wrapped around him just as Sergi and Anya rushed in. Sergi was holding his walking stick as if it was a weapon and Anya was cradling a crossbow in her arms. They both visibly relaxed when they saw Tom and the maid.

"I am sorry, Thomas," apologized Sergi. "Today is Sunday and I forgot to tell Gretta not to vake you up. That vill be all, Gretta."

"Jawol, Herr Doctor," said Gretta with a curtsey. She then gave Tom a sly wink and wide smile before flouncing out of the room.

Grandfather, I thought you were going to talk to Gretta about that French maid's outfit she wears!" accused Anya. "She's not even French. She's German."

"Anya, I have talked to her until I am blue in the face," stated Sergi in a weary voice. "It is your fault, you know. You started her reading those Victorian mysteries, which started her thinking of herself as a parlor maid."

"Excuse me," interrupted Tom, still standing with the sheet around him. "I would like to get dressed here."

"We're not stopping you," said Anya.

"Anya!" admonished Sergi. "I am twice sorry, Thomas. Please get dressed and ve vill meet you downstairs for breakfast."

With that, Sergi shooed his granddaughter out of the room. Tom took a second to look around after they had left. He had been sleeping in a king-size four poster bed. The furniture in the room was all cherry finished and beautifully carved. Tom's clothes lay on top of the trunk at the foot of the bed. They had been cleaned and pressed. He quickly got dressed and was spreading the sheet back on the bed when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," said Tom.

The door opened to admit a raven-haired Hispanic girl and a tall man. The girl stopped and arched an eyebrow at Tom, who was holding onto the sheet.

"And what are you doing?" she asked with a Spanish accent.

"I,uh...making the bed," replied Tom, lamely.

"And why would you be doing my job?" she asked sarcastically.

"Easy, Maria. He's new here," said the man.

Maria turned to face the man and drew herself up, even though the top of her head did not reach the top of his shoulders. The man took a step back and held up his hands as Maria wagged a finger at him and began cussing him out in Spanish.

"It won't do you any good," he told her. "You know I can't understand a word you say."

"Si, but you get the meaning," said Maria. "Now, take him downstairs like you're supposed to. I've got work to do."

Maria then forced both men out the door before going over to make the bed. Tom looked at the man questioningly and the man just shrugged his shoulders before turning around. Tom made to follow him.

"Howdy, I'm James," said the man as he led the way top the staircase. "We met yesterday when I was driving the doc around, but I don't think you'd remember. You was out like a light."

"How did I get...uh...undressed?"

"Well, I could say that Gretta or Maria stripped you down, but it actually was the doc and myself. Once you hit the sack, you was gone. Been asleep until now," said James with a laugh.

Tom suddenly realized that they were walking down a large hallway. Paintings hung from the walls and statues appeared every now and then in the alcoves. He looked out of a window they were walking by and saw and elaborate garden outside with woods just beyond.

"Where are we?" asked Tom.

At the doc's house out the Greenspring Valley way," replied James as they went down a large circular staircase. "It's just a small place we like to call home. You'll get used to our odd behavior in time."

"Like Miss Maleski coming into my bedroom with a crossbow?" joked Tom.

All humor vanished from James' face as he turned to look at Tom.

"Some behavior is not all that odd, but that would be better coming from the doc," he said. James turned and opened the door they were standing next to. "Here we are."

The dining room table could have easily seated twenty people. There were three place settings at the far end of the table with Sergi and Anya sitting in two of the seats. Sergi stood up as Tom and James came forward.

"Ah, good...Here you are," said Sergi to Tom. "Thank you, James. If you vould tell Hannah that ve are all here now."

"Of course, Doctor Maleski," said James. "Is there anything else you need before I take off with the rest of the staff?"

"No, go on vith your plans," said Sergi. "Ve can make do just like alvays."

James chuckled and went out through another door. It was just a few seconds later before he came back following behind another woman. This woman was in her late thirties with thick frizzy dark brown hair, which had been pulled back behind her neck. Her left cheek was marred by four long parallel scars that went from her left ear to her chin. The apron she was wearing, along with the flour on it, immediately identified her as a cook. She took platters off the tray James was carrying and set them on the table.

"Will that be all, Doctor Maleski? Miss Anya? Sir?" she asked.

Tom shook his head no as Sergi said," Thank you, Hannah. Ve vill be fine. You had better hurry or you vill be late for church. Ve vill see you all later this evening."

"Leave the dishes by the sink," said Hannah over her shoulder as she headed towards the door. "I'll clean them when I get home."

"Ah, blueberry pancakes, fresh fruit, bacon and croissants," stated Sergi as he uncovered each platter. "Vhat vould you like to start vith, Thomas? You must be famished after your long rest."

"After Miss Maleski," said Tom, even though his stomach growled loudly as the delicious aroma hit his nose.

"Thank you," replied Anya with a smile. "Please, call me Anya."

"Uh...er...of course," stammered Tom.

Sergi declined the pancakes when Tom offered them, taking only a small bowl of fruit, one croissant, and a cup of coffee. Tom reined in his urge to wolf down his food. They ate in silence until Tom's plate was clean.

"Please, my friend, help yourself," said Sergi and waited until Tom had taken a second helping. "Now that the edge is off your appetite, ve vould like to talk to you. I hope you vill be patient with us, even though some of our questions may seem far-fetched."

"Ask away," said Tom. "After your hospitality and generosity, I am in your debt."

"Do you believe in God?" asked Anya, sipping at her coffee.

Tom looked over at her, startled by the question. Her beautiful hazel eyes were staring at him intently over the rim of her cup. Tom blushed and realized that this was not a trivial question she was asking.

"Yes," he said. "Yes, I do."

"And the devil?" she asked with a smile.

"If you are asking me if there is a central evil character to which all of man's wickedness can be laid the blame to, no. I believe that each person is responsible for his or her actions."

"An individualist, I see," stated Sergi with a little delight in his voice. "Ve vill have to debate cause and reaction another time. However, do not confuse wickedness with evil. There is a difference. Do you believe that vhat you saw in David Silverman's office was real?"

"At the time, I thought so," said Tom, shaking his head slightly. "Now, I am not so sure."

"Are you unsure of all of it or just some part of it?" asked Sergi.

"I'm sure I saw that woman, Covington, in the office with Mr. Silverman," said Tom. "I'm just...just not ready to accept that his body disintegrated into a box."

"Close your eyes," said Anya and she waited until Tom had done so. "Think back to that night. Just let it play through your mind. Don't worry about it being true or not. When you have the sequence firmly in your mind, open your eyes."

Tom licked his dry lips as he relived the event in his mind. He flushed hotly as his body reacted to both the eroticism and the horror as the scene unfolded again. Tom could hear the wet slurping sound as Desiree sucked on Silverman's cock. Hew saw her throat contract again and again as she swallowed down the milky white cum spurting into her mouth. Tom's skin got goose pimples as he remembered the cold wind when Desiree opened the box. Tom opened his eyes and shoved away the memory of Silverman being to disintegrate.

"It's all real, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yes," replied Sergi. "Just as you and ve believe in God, an omnipresent entity vho created the universe, ve also must accept the presence of other supernatural beings. Some are benign. Some are evil. Vhat you met vas a vampire."

"A vampire!" shouted Tom, as he jumped up quickly and toppled over his chair behind him.

"Easy," soothed Anya softly, reaching out a hand towards him in sympathy. "Please, sit down."

"Vampires are just myth and fiction," argued Tom as he righted his chair and sat back down. "Besides, they're supposed to drink blood, not...uh...you know."

Sergi smiled and asked, "Do you know vhat the seven deadly sins are?"

"Uh...greed, lust, anger, pride...envy..." and Tom's voice trailed off as he tried to remember the others.

"Sloth and gluttony," said Sergi, filling in for the final two. "You know something supernatural occurred in Silverman's office. The vampires you are familiar with are a type called Dracul...the arch-typical vampire. The Draculs deal in anger...anger against God...and pride...pride of their heritage. The vampire you met is a rare type. It deals in anger and lust. It took us all day yesterday and most of the night to find references to it. A Roman historian in 18 B.C. named Huronius detailed the capture of a young voman vho had killed five men by performing a single act of fellatio and siphoning their essence from their bodies. She possessed great strength and a couple of soldiers were killed in her capture. She survived vounds that vould have killed another person. Since her capture was at night, the soldiers staked her to a crucifix while the magistrate was sent for. Huronius vrote down the voman's viperous statements of how all men were doomed and how she and her kind would rule the vorld."

"From his vritings, it appeared that the magistrate could not be hurried. As dawn approached, the voman changed her hateful vords to ones of pleading and begging. The guards vould not release her because of vhat had happened to their companions. As the sun rose, its light fell on the voman. Huronius vrote that she screamed in terrible agony as she burst into flames. Sufficient to say, the young voman was consumed by the purifying rays of the sun."

The three of them were silent for a while after Sergi had finished talking. Tom finally gave voice to a nagging doubt in his mind.

"But she couldn't be the same one I saw, could she?" he asked.

"No," replied Anya. "The young woman was destroyed and her soul released."