Nikola and Cleo, "Well, it's not as cool as being a vampire, but..."
“Well, it’s not as cool as being a vampire, but...” Nikola grins as he straightens up, away from the computer screen, and shoots an admiring glance inside the medical room. “It’s intriguing, I’ll give her that.”
“Do you think it’s vampire technology?” Helen asks.
“If it is, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. But to really be sure, I’d have to take a look myself, maybe see if it responds to me...”
“No. Withdrawing the Scarab from her would kill her.”
“Oh, well. I’m sure Johnny can find a new girlfriend.”
Helen doesn’t bother responding, merely fixes him with an even, disproving look until his smile dies down and he looks back at the computer.
“Do you want to know where I found it?” Cleo’s voice rings out of the speaker, light and playful as always. If Nikola is surprised by the fact that she could hear them, he doesn’t show it.
“In Egypt, if we’re going by where John found you.” He says. She giggles softly and looks out the window at them.
“Yes.” She says. “In one of the old tombs I found. I found it nestled in the ribcage of a human skeleton, who was laying next to a vampire skeleton.”
“Just when I thought this story couldn’t get any more fascinating.”
“Mhm. I’ve always assumed they were lovers, and that the vampire made the heart so she could keep her husband with her for as long as possible.” A dreamy note enters Cleo’s voice, but Nikola scoffs.
“Clearly you don’t have a clue what vampire human relations were like back in the old days.”
“You might be surprised.”
“I doubt it.” Nikola mutters. Then, louder, “Vampires thought they were the superior race. None of them were mingling with humans, let alone insuring that they’d live forever just because they were in love.”
“Oh, my mistake.” Cleo says, in the same, cheerful voice. “I thought that’s how you felt about Helen.”
“That’s different.”
“Because you’re not a real vampire?”
“All right, that’s quite enough, Cleo.” Helen says, before Nikola can reply. It doesn’t stop him from scowling darkly at Cleo, and Helen knows the only reason he keeps his silence is because of his feelings for her.
It’s not that far out of the realm of possibility that he’s not the first vampire to feel that way.
But that’s not what makes Helen uneasily turn off the intercom. It’s the glint in Cleo’s eyes, the silent smugness that makes Helen worry that Cleo knows far, far more about vampires then she lets on.
