Here is story number two after Black Union. The title was Soul Longings, but I have been tossing around different titles for it.

Anyway, it has been about a month since BU and the trust is still building.


Chapter One - My heart's desire

Henry Fitzroy's apartment

It was another typical evening in Toronto, Canada. People moved to head home from their employers or headed out to explore the nightlife of the city.

Henry Fitzroy, bastard son of Henry VIII and Duke of Richmond and Somerset was enthralled in the passion with a woman in his bed. He pressed his body weight down upon her, holding her hands in his against the pillow. He did not want his partner to leave him.

He had been waiting for this moment his entire life.

His hand released one of the hands and stroked up across the wrist.

Tattooed on the wrist was a Celtic Shield of Protection.

Her skin was soft and perspired to the touch, making it easy for him to slide up her arm and touch the rest of Victoria Nelson's body.

She groaned before releasing his name from her lips, a temporary gap from where their mouths had yet to part, but in order to allow her to breathe, they parted.

Once it was over, Henry hovered over; staring down with lust upon his partner.

"How'd I do?" he asked her.

Vicki reached up for his choker and pulled him down onto her. "You put Mike Celluci to shame," she said, her warm breath on his face.

Henry forced his hands between the bed and her body to hold her against him. "Well, I aim to please," he told her before coming to rest on his front side. "Care to go another round?"

"Let me rest for a minute," she told him. "Have you fed yet?"

"Who needs to feed when I…" his words trailed off as he stared at her neck. He could not resist the pull of her scent, the blood that flowed under her skin.

His feral lust grasped hold of him and would not release him…until he satisfied his primitive needs.

With powerful force, he thrusted his fangs into Vicki's neck and began to feast on her blood. He tried pulling away, but the blood was sweet and intoxicating. He wanted more and more.

"Henry," Vicki cried out his name in agony. "Henry stop," she begged.

But he could not. He wanted more…more, more, more.

Vicki's nails clawed onto his back as she tried to cause him pain to where he would be forced to release her, but he did not.

"Henry," she cried out his name loudly, but he pressed his hand onto her face to silence her.


Henry shot up from the dream that he was having when the sun released him and he reached out, hoping to find that Vicki was beside him and nothing had happened to her.

No one was with him. He was alone.

What a dream, he thought. No, it was a nightmare.

Why would he dream of hurting Vicki? He loved her more than his own immortal life. Ever since moving back to Toronto and nearly losing her to the demon Asteroth, his whole world came into focus again. He wanted Vicki, but not to harm her anyway.

She had been through enough since he left the first time and he would not dare harm her again.

But that still didn't give him a reason to why he was dreaming again? The last time he dreampt was when Patchakamek had wanted to steal his immortal life-force. He saw his own death.

So why now would he be dreaming of hurting Vicki while they made love?

He knew that he needed to get out and find Vicki and make sure that she was OK.


Nelson Investigations

Victoria Nelson walked up the steps to her office and walked inside, while checking the mail at the same time. "Bill, bill, bill, sweepstakes," she read as she flipped through the mail. "If only you weren't a scam, I could use the money. Coreen," she called out.

Coreen did not answer, but she was talking to someone in her office.

"Coreen," she bellowed and finally Coreen and Henry's ward Tony appeared from her office. "Why didn't you get the mail this morning?"

"I was busy," her assistant said to her. "Tony and I met up at the coffee shop today and he alerted me to something that only happens once every five-hundred years."

Vicki headed into her office and saw the telescope positioned to look out her window. "Star gazing?" she said, not impressed.

"It is a rare planetary alignment of the planets will occur," Tony said. "Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be in alignment for three days during the Northern Lights."

"If I want to star-gaze, I would expect that they would be saying that Henry and I were…" she was saying as her phone was ringing. "Speaking of shooting stars. Hey," she answered the phone.

"Vicki, are you alright?" Henry asked. He sounded somewhat upset.

"I'm fine," she replied. "Watching your ward and my assistant bring more junk into my already junk-filled office to do some stargazing instead of working. What's up?"

"Nothing," he replied. "Just had a bad feeling. Wanted to make sure that you were OK."

"Fit as a fiddle. Hey maybe this Celtic Shield of protection thing is doing its job," she said as she stared at it.

"Let's hope so. Were we still on for dinner this evening?" he asked.

"Was that tonight?"

"We've only been planning it for two weeks Vicki," Henry replied. "You, me, a quiet restaurant with no one around. No demons, no dark priests…"

"Just you and me?"

"Just you and me. Are you coming or not?"

"You know I honestly thought that was next week and I made an appointment to meet a client outside the Garrison Construction Company this evening," she said. "Can we make a rain-check for…"

'You are canceling on me again are you?" Henry said. "Well you know me all too well. I'll keep waiting for that perfect time for you and I to…"

"Vicki you have to see this," Coreen screeched from her office.

"Coreen," she shouted. "Sorry about that," she spoke into the phone. "How about tomorrow?"

"You mean it this time?" he asked her.


Fitzroy's apartment

"Yes. I'll take care of business and then I will come to you. Dinner and a movie, promise," her sweet voice told him.

"I believe you," Henry replied as he was checking his calendar. "Oh, I have an appointment at the Opera House tomorrow as he was reading. "Should only take me about an hour and I'll be back here. How about 10 for a late, late supper?"

"It's a date," she told him. "See you tomorrow night."

"Good luck on your case this evening," he told her.

"Oh yeah. Fun-ness coming my way on a money laundering case. I'm going to have to get a shot of caffeine to prevent the boredom."

"Want some company?" he asked.

"I told Paulo I would meet him alone because he is skittish about being busted as the informant," Vicki replied.

"Oh come on Vicki you have to see Mercury and Venus burning as one," he heard Tony shout from the office.

"When they get done stargazing, will you make sure that Tony doesn't spend the night on your couch again?" Henry asked. "He has chores that he needs to get done here and sleeping over at your office is preventing him from doing so."

"I'll tell him. So, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, till tomorrow," he replied.

"Bye," she said.

"Bye," he waited, just hearing her breathe and waited for the call to disconnect before he closed his phone.

Henry reached for his long jacket to put on. He needed to go feed before he headed over to the Metropolitan Opera. It was a part of his sacred duty.

Tonight was the beginning of the Vampires Sacrificial Holiday. It was a sacred holiday to all the undead where all vampires feasted this night and go on sabbatical for the rest of the weekend. Tomorrow on the first night, they would make restitution to the area where they often fed on.

Since Henry often found the Opera district the most appealing to feast on, he would submit a check for one-hundred thousand dollars to go to the Youth Development Program and to provide maintenance for the building. It was the least he could do for all that they had offered him.

He knew that this was a sacred holiday and he planned on observing it…even if his fellow cohorts would not. Those that were true to who they had become would follow the traditions.

Henry drove his car to the opera district and parked in a parking place.

He nearly forgot the check in the car and had to reach in and grab it, but suddenly he dropped his keys into a puddle.

"Bloody Hell," he grumbled and grabbed the keys.

As his hand rose from the water, he couldn't help but notice that his hand was lightly shaking.

This was a sensation that he was not used to and wondered why he was shaking. He was alright as far as blood. He had fed on his way and would be good for the weekend.

The shaking stopped and he proceeded into the Opera House.


Toronto Opera House (Manager's office)

"Well, Mr. Fitzroy," the Opera Manager said to him as he observed the check that he had given them. "This is indeed a generous gift."

"It is the least I can do for the place that entertains and fills my soul with joy," Henry replied to the comments. "I only hope that you will be able to keep the doors open and allow the Youth Development program running."

"This will help them to go to a Summer Camp next year to prepare for their next major performance."

"Oh really. What opera will they be performing?" he wanted to know.

"They are dead set on Romeo and Juliet because they are young kids performing, but we are looking at Tosca if we can convince them to want to do it."

Henry noticed his hand was twitching yet again and he concealed it between his leg and the side of the chair. "Well, either play; I would be honored to see it next season."

"And an honored guest you will be Mr. Fitzroy," the manager Reginald said as they came to meet beside the desk. They shook hands. "Oh, your hands are quite warm," he said. "I guess that heater is acting up yet again."

He thought his hands would be cold, but for some reason he was feeling warmer.

"I must be going monsignor," he said. "I look forward to your next performance."

"We are finishing up with Faust," the manager told him. "Then we will be working on our traditional Phantom of the Opera for the Winter Season."

Henry nodded and proceeded out of the Opera House. He wanted to get to his car and get home.

But his body was changing. The temperature within rose as though he were on fire during the dawn.

The night sky and the colorful lights of the Aurora Borealis were shining over him. The night was cool, not warm.

The organs in his body shifted and moved violently.

He got to his car and tried to grasp onto the hood, but fell down and hit the puddle. His sight was blurring on him, the sense of smell and taste were fading, and he was very warm for some reason.

With his eyes so foggy, he barely could see the tall, hunkering African American that was glaring down at him as this parasite tore him apart from the inside.

"Henry," the man's deep voice said to him.

"Augustus?" Henry said his friend's name. "What…"

"Don't worry about it until dawn," the voice said to him as he lifted him up from under his arms. "I will explain it once I get you home."

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"We'll answer that question as well as why you are here later," Augustus replied.

Henry felt himself crash against the backseat of his car and the Watcher started his car.

He felt like he was dying, but why.

"Vicki," he called out his love's name, hoping that she would feel his pain and come running to his side.


Old Town warehouse

Victoria Nelson arrived in the cab and asked for the driver to wait for her there. She was only going to be a few minutes. She walked around the corner of the building and waited where she had ordered that Paulo was supposed to meet her.

She hated these late nights of having to meet clients, but when you discover that your company maybe laundering money, Vicki knew that coming to her office would be dangerous.

That's why they agreed near the docks would be the best place to meet.

She would rather be out to dinner with Henry than out here in the middle of nowhere meeting a client. Ever since the whole dark wedding and nearly losing Henry all over again, she wanted to spend every moment with him that she could.

They were trying to make it work out. They had planned on dinner twice already and the first time it was him cancelling and the second time it was her. With her crazy work schedule and his unable to do things during the day, it was a wonder when they would be able to have that moment alone they'd wanted to have for so long.

Who knows what would happen when they finally did get that moment?

Her thoughts were broken when someone called her name in a cowardly voice.

"Mr. Fontana?" she said his name.

"That's me," her client replied. "Thank you for meeting me."

"Yeah, well it's not like I had plans tonight anyway," she answered sarcastically. "I understand you have something for me."

"I don't have it with me today," Paulo said. "I can get it for you tomorrow. I tried to burn a CD disc for you, but I was caught before I could finish it. I'll have it tomorrow because the boss is out of the city."


Someone was watching the two talking from afar. They had binoculars locked on them as they were talking.

"You know that I was kidding about the sarcasm," the woman whom they were watching said. "I did have plans and canceled them. Now I have plans for tomorrow and you are telling me that I have to bail on them for tomorrow. I tell you, the guy I'm trying to have dinner with, he bites."

"I'm sorry Ms. Nelson," the man said. "I promise to have the information tomorrow."


Paulo reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Here is the down payment that I owe you for your services plus extra for putting up with my incompetence," he said to her. "Please accept it."

"Oh I will," Vicki replied.

Paulo started walking away and she returned to the street where she would get in her cab and maybe salvage this night somehow.

Perhaps she would head over to Henry's and see if he wanted to just watch a movie or something. Anything, just to be near him.


The person that was listening in walked closer toward the female. She was the one that his god was calling for him to take.

"Take her," the voice echoed in his head.

"Yes Master," the person replied and quietly gave chase.

The person in the long black duster followed, but not so close as to give her any idea that she was being followed.

What their master wanted was what he received?


Vicki was walking toward the main road, but suddenly her wrist started to itch. It was a burning itch, but a cool twinge that grabbed her attention.

"Ow," she said aloud and yanked the buttons to expose her wrist.

It was the Celtic Shield of Protection that was giving her the feelings.

Or was it a warning of some kind.

She looked around her surroundings and slowly reached into her jacket pocket for her asp while she was still walking.

It only another ten yards and she would be where her cab was waiting.


The person drew closer to his target and she would be in his possession; pleasing his master greatly.


Suddenly, Vicki turned around, snapped the asp out of her pocket in extension, and turned to the person that was following her.

The person in the black trenchcoat reached out for her for her crossbody bag, but she was not prepared for when he touched her, a bright blue bubble wrapped around her and she was protected from all harm.

The attacker was actually knocked to the ground away from her.

"OK, not something I did," Vicki said in astonishment.

Her attacker tried to tackle her, but he came and the same reaction; only he was repelled in the opposite direction to her left side. He wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

The dark figure was staring at her as she was the one that they really wanted.

"You think that third time is going to be the charm over a stupid purse?" she asked him.

The person fled in the opposite direction from where they had come from and she was finally able to finish the route back to the cab.

Vicki climbed into the back seat and sat town. "Can you take me back home?" she told the cabbie.

"Yes ma'am," the Jamaican born cab driver replied. "Did you meet with whomever you were supposed to meet with?"

"Yeah," she replied, "and then some." She looked down to her wrist with the shield on it, touching the cool frost that had developed on the icon.

She reached into her other pocket and pulled out her cell-phone. She needed to talk to someone who may know something about what had just occurred.

She speed-dialed Henry.

"The wireless customer you are trying to reach is currently out of range of service," the automated message said to her.

Vicki was shocked at the response on the phone.

Henry out of range…on the night that they were supposed to go out? Where did he go?


Who could be after Vicki now? What is wrong with Henry? Review and find out