"How are you?" Luke asked into my ear, softly caressing my hair with both his hands.

Then he took mine. My eyes were fixed on the peaceful lake at Central Park. I searched for words to explain my uncontrollable nerves.

"I might take you up on the joint now."

"Hey, you're going to be fine. I bet the world would confide their souls to someone who has found the way to make them infinite. Believe in yourself, you dummy."

I looked up at him.

"I do. I really do. But I don't believe in them. In anyone, but us: the people who already know. I have a feeling, an intuition, that assures me this is not going to be easy. Finding the treatment seemed impossible. But know I understand this is the truly harsh part. The one in which we really are going to have to fight. And I just don't know what our weapons are. We don't have them, Luke."

"This may sound typical and literary, but I definitely know what yours is."

I questioned him with my eyes. He touched my forehead.

"This, Tess. Your brain. Your reliable brain. You're lucky you can count on it. Not many people can. I am sure Kate Rosewood's doesn't respond half as fast as this unbreakable, witty machine." he said, and he caressed my forehead like it was the most precious thing he had ever touched.

Nora had always been right when she said I didn't need anyone to make me high. My brain, my weapon, had always managed to be optimistic enough, or foolish enough, or daring enough, to make me feel powerful and tireless. Daring enough to keep me going on.

However, it had never been able to make me feel as great as Luke's always fascinatingly intimidating emeralds. That feeling was the only one that really matched with the term high. Feeling I could rely on him was far more powerful a weapon than knowing I could rely on my unflagging brain.

The freezing temperature forced us to get up and run back to the hotel to shield ourselves in smart, insecurity-proof clothing. I looked at myself in the mirror, putting a serious, poker face, trying to frighten myself off. But I was too wrinkleless, too angel-faced, to scare anyone. I run the tips of my fingers along my smooth forehead, along my rose-coloured cheeks. My skin would be very similar forever. I would have to learn how to intimidate with my soft, easily impressionable gaze. I could see Luke in the mirror, sitting on the edge of the bed, resting his head on his arms. Seeing him preoccupied forced me to put off a courageous act. We wouldn't achieve what we wanted if we arrived at the restaurant hiding our faces in our coats. We had to keep diffusing fortalice into each other's bodies.

I tied my light hair into what I considered a business-woman ponytail, and turned around to face Luke.

He didn't lift his eyes as I approached him. I sat by him and took his hand.

"We've got the key. Let's just not give it to them until they're completely ours."

He nodded.

"It just came to me this... is real. And you know what I'm doing?"

I shook my head. His eyes didn't reveal whatever it was. They never revealed anything.

"Pray."

I didn't expect that at all. I had supposed he would be planning a flawless strategy to make Kate Rosewood and their team come around to our way of thinking. But when he said it, I realized he had probably chosen the most helpful activity.

We both needed to get off the big weight I had put on our shoulders. We both needed to believe it didn't completely depend on us. I closed my eyes and pleaded for strength and wisdom. I pleaded to be truthful in everything I did.

"I am thinking maybe we weren't right about my discovery being a threat to make people live less intensely."

I opened my eyes and saw Luke's, piercing through me. I continued:

"There are many moments in my life I haven't enjoyed because I was too pressurized by the ephemeral transience of time. There are many times were I haven't lived, because I couldn't live forever."

His gaze darkened, as it did every time I spoke of Nora's death. He was probably thinking that wasn't the best moment for me to sink into those memories. But I had to share those thoughts with him.

"When I visited Nora in the hospital during her last weeks, I was aware I didn't have much time left with her. I tried to ignore my overly sincere intuition, but I knew it. I was too sure. And every time we talked, every time we did something together, I was too busy squeezing all I could out of those limited instants to actually enjoy them. To actually live them. Now I wish I could go back to those days and live them calmly, undisturbed, as they would never end."

"You're right. We normally insist on living each day as if it was the last one, but I don't think that is the wisest way to do it. I would say: "Live everyday". I reckon that's the best mantra. Don't waste it. But don't even waste your time by worrying for not wasting it. Or you won't be getting what you pursue."

"Talking about getting what you pursue... what time is it?"

We flew downstairs, took a taxi at the hotel entrance and wished it would fly to Tribeca. It was a district just across the island.

We were already late for our appointment. We held hands and I dreamed about doing it right there in the backseat, as they did in glamorous films from the sixties. I looked over at Luke and he saw the fire in my eyes. He moved his hand to my thigh and caressed it. He looked stunning in his white shirt and red tie. He moved his head down to stare at my semitransparent tights and moved his hand upwards. He then lifted his gaze, without moving his head, and I almost levitated when he looked directly into my eyes from beneath his intense lashes. My heart skipped a beat.

I looked away, completely aware of how those eyes would kill me. I lowered my window and put my head out into the polluted air of Manhattan. At night, New York was much more similar to the way I had imagined it. The mediocrity of the buildings dressed up under the inappreciable moonlight. Neon lights wouldn't look as good at any other place. Golden illumination crowned the Empire State as the king of Manhattan.

"Everything must look Lilliputian from the top." I said.

"Insignificant." Luke agreed. "How about we go to the top if everything turns out right?"

"Okay. But preferably not with them. Unless we want to try free falling tonight."

He laughed and took my hand again. We arrived at Locanda Verde and rushed inside. I looked around for Kate Rosewood. We left our coats at the entrance, and ran to the table we had booked. I felt naked in my red cocktail dress. The table was empty.

"Oh... I had assumed they would be here by now." I said.

"These people are supposedly always late." Luke said. Then, he added: "As far as I've seen in films. I think we should take a seat."

"Yeah, and order some expensive wine."

"Yes, and some antipasti. Steak Tartara Piemontese appeals to me. How about you, Tess?"

I put the menu down and questioned him with my eyes.

"How can you be hungry? And why are you so relaxed?"

"I am not. I was just hoping Italian starters would numb my senses. You know, ristoretto, vita, credo, amico." he said, in an Italian accent. "It sounds relaxing."

I laughed.

"Okay. I'll have a Chocolate Torta then."

"That's dessert, Tess."

"Who cares? It's chocolate. I want chocolate. Mi piacce il chocolato. Impressed?"

"Mi piacce voi. Impressed?"

Hearing say he wanted me in Italian made my blood boil. He smiled playfully and I almost forgot that we were waiting for the judges of fate. I looked at the rustically elegant clock on the wall.

"Luke! It's eight! Is this still normal in the films you've seen?"

He sighed and checked his phone.

"Hey! I've got a text message."

"Must be them!" I exclaimed.

He quickly opened it and then his eyes turned paler.

"It's Professor Abbey asking us to join him for dinner."

"Oh, crap. What are we going to say to him?"

"Mm... How about some story about you hooking up with a handsome American boy and me crying my soul out all night?"

"And why not the other way around?"

"Because I would never ever hook up with an American girl having this irresistible British girl by my side."

"Yeah, sure." I giggled.

But I was sure he was sure. I looked at his phone and asked:

"And nothing from Kate and her crew?"

"Nothing. Maybe they misunderstood me. Maybe they thought I said eight instead of seven."

"They let you choose the time?" I asked, surprised. I hadn't pictured Kate as a conformist woman.

"No, of course not. I meant them. Maybe they said seven instead of eight. I mean eight instead of seven. Whatever. What do you think about having antipasti... and dessert? And wine, of course. They'll probably show up while we do that."

"I like the idea. We'll be full of energy to fight by the time they appear."

"Let's just not take up most of the energy from the wine... or we'll never rip their heads off."

I laughed and looked around. I didn't really mind if they showed up or not anymore. My mind flashed back to our conversation at the hotel room. We weren't in a hurry anymore. I was tired of living life as a checklist. I wanted to soak in it. And soaking my insides in Italian wine with Luke was the best way I could think of.

"If they don't show up tonight, I'll get on the stage tomorrow, and I'll say: Hey, pals, who wants to become a vampire?" I said after a few cups.

"Everyone will want to, if that means they'll get the chance to be bitten by you." he said sensually, putting his arm around my waist.

I flushed. I slowly lifted my chin up to ease him the access to my neck. The restaurant was turning blurry.

"Let's pour you some more blood, you provocative vamp." he said, and my cup was full again.

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