Silver Tears (Prologue)

He looked up from the dim corner of the room and looked directly at the man that had just entered. His emotionless eyes were searching, almost starving for salvation. Or was it starving to watch salvation be brutally sucked away? The young man felt the cold in the air even as he stepped slowly closer. He froze.

"So you've been waiting for me Alexander? Is that your true name?" the young man inquired even though he was nearly positive that Alexander would be relatively unresponsive. He examined the man in the corner silently. 'This one likes to go by the old way' he thought. Alexander had dark, shoulder length hair and cold, green eyes.

"Yes, that was my given name, Mason. Yours is so modern... if you're so young why is it me you seek? I could destroy you with a casual nod of my head. Without a single thought, cause you all the pain in the world." Mason froze. He was being extremely serious. This is when he knew that this was indeed the man that he was seeking. "Is it that I have the power that you wish to have? The immortality, the glory that you believe I have?"

'He can read minds…' thought Mason. He stood completely still, his blond hair blowing over his face. "So what if I do desire these talents… these… gifts? Would you grant me my desire?" His brilliant blue eyes wandered the room in anticipation.

"It's a curse that you shouldn't desire, young one." Alexander stood up majestically, showing the full length of his black trench coat, and glided over to Mason was standing. Alarmed, Mason backed up a few paces.

"A curse? Living eternally sounds like a dream"

Alexander sadly shook his head in dismay. "You wouldn't know, you're too young, too innocent" he sighed deeply. "You've been seeking the wrong immortal within your quest for immortality. I destroy nearly everything I touch." Alexander looked away. "Even the things… people… that I have affections for are tainted by the same malice that rules over me."

"Then why are you still living? Couldn't you have ended it? Like you did with… her…?"

Alexander flinched. This was something very few people knew about. "Don't say anything about something that you have no idea what it's about. I loved Monique more than you could ever wish to know or imagine." A silent, pained tear trickled down his face. 'And I still do...' he thought.

Mason raised his eyebrows at Alexander's show of emotion as well as his willingness to admit partially to what had happened. He strutted over to where Alexander was standing and looked at him accusingly. "Are you going to feed my desire? I will help you… and learn from you. I'll be your apprentice."

Alexander gazed at him, pain seeping from his eyes. "Is that the life that you wish to have?" The lone bulb flickered in the lamp by his tattered bed. "You wish to live forever, cursed and tormented by your own thoughts and needs? To be sickened by your own morbid hunger?"

"I simply wish to lead a different life then I have made myself thus far."

"Then you should choose a different way of living!" he yelled. Mason jumped back and drew his pistol in a single, swift motion, alarmed at Alexander's apparent anger at the topic of his 'life' and immortality being shared by someone of lesser status, according to him. 'He just wants the telepathy and every other power he has to himself' thought Mason.

"Power hungry fool." Alexander's features softened once more and thought 'That's the kind of thinking that destroyed my Monique and I.' He sighed. This youth was just as rebellious and lusting for power as he was when he was that age.

"I may be, but you just want the power to yourself."

"I'll help you. I'll guide you with my power, so you don't turn out how I did. However, you have circumstances to follow. Alexander sighed, already regretting his decision.

"You won't regret this."

'Too late for that now,' he thought. "I doubt that, but at least we can now bear this burden together. We will start the initiation process at sundown."