At Any Time Love Is Possible

Years passed. Meanwhile Terranus had learned nearly all of Caedh's knowledge and improved his blood powers. One of these blood gifts, also called disciplines, was the ability to change the own human shape. Caedh named it 'Protean'. Normally it took a long time to learn it, but Caedh was surprised that Terranus worked hard on himself learning it quickly. Terranus also learned the ability to calm humans, the 'Song Of Serenity.' Besides that, Terranus accepted now, what he was and also his need for blood. But still he felt guiltiness whenever he bit humans or even animals to feed from them. Sometimes this made Terranus suffering, thinking he was just a terrible and harmful monster. Then Caedh cheered him up and proved, that he was not.

And now - it was the summer of the year 52 B.C. - Terranus left Caedh. He really liked Caedh and his company over the last half century and Caedh became more than his sire, more than his friend. But Terranus wanted to make his own way now. Caedh asked him to stay, but he understood Terranus' decision to go on alone from now on. He just hoped, that Terranus would find a place, where he could stay. He looked after him a while as Terranus left Lutetia travelling back to Roma. And he knew, that he would never forget him. Terranus knew, that he could ever return to Caedh, if he would have a problem. But now he thought, that it was time to return to Roma. He wanted to see his hometown after that long time.

After three weeks travelling Terranus arrived at the town Mediolanum (today Milano). He stopped travelling there to rest some days from his journey. It was early this evening and some people were still on the streets. They went home or went to one of the taverns to relax after the day work.

"I should feed a bit after the long journey," Terranus thought feeling a light thirst. He could stand it, but he wanted to satisfy it, before his urge became greater and he could not control his beast anymore. He did not want to hurt a human, but for his need he had to bite them. Again he felt the guiltiness which overcame him every time he thought about what he had to do even though he only took a small amount of blood to leave the humans alive. But it was better, that he did it than his unleashed beast, which would probably kill a human for blood.

Terranus got off his horse which was with him since the journey from Roma to Lutetia. It was still alive because Terranus took a bit of his blood into its fodder frequently. So he shared his immortal existence with it. Normally an animal sensed the presence of vampires and avoided them. But Terranus could speak with animals, another ability he learned from Caedh, and convinced his horse to stay with him. And after the years they became good friends. Terranus looked into its eyes.

"Thank you for carrying me. I leave you alone for some days. Wait for me outside the town and rest there. I will call you before continuing travel." Terranus stroke its fur. Then the horse whinnied understanding and left the town. It preferred to rest outside human settlements, where it could run freely. Terranus respected that.

"Just be careful," Terranus thought. Then he walked through the streets to take care about himself. He hoped that he would find a human who was alone on the way. He had luck

After a while he saw a young beautiful woman going along the street. Suddenly Terranus got a ticklish feeling looking at her, but he could not say, why. It was something on her, but nothing concrete, nothing definite. Wondering a bit Terranus went towards her direction. She stopped, as he stood in front of her.

"Good evening," Terranus said friendly. "I hope you can help me." He got the impression that the woman was a kind of shy, because she stattered as she said:

"Wha...what do...do you want from me?" She had a soft voice which underlined her timid character.

"I travelled a long distance today and I want to rest at an inn. I never visited Mediolanum before. So do you know one nearby?"

"Oh, eh...yes, a moment, please. Let me think." She closed her eyes to remember where an inn was. Terranus looked around quickly. Nobody was seen so he wanted to use his chance to bite her. Usually he did not bite a human without calming, but the woman closed her eyes. So Terranus could not use his calming ability that easy. He decided to bite her without it. He bent down. But before he sank his already bared fangs into her neck, Terranus had a sudden feeling of familiarity for the woman. He interrupted and drew away hiding his fangs again.

'What is that? What is wrong with me?' he thought. It puzzled him, because he did not know, why he had this feeling for her. It just came out of nowhere.

"Are...are you okay?" the woman asked Terranus. She recognized his very confused look.

"Yes,...I'm fine," he replied bewildered. "What is your name? I do not know why, but you are so familiar to me."

"A...A...Adina," she answered blushing a bit. Terranus looked at her and did not know what to say.

"The...the next inn is in the last house down the street. You can't miss it. Well,…I...I will leave you now. Good...good evening."

"Yes, yes…," Terranus said deep in his thoughts. Adina left him alone. He stood there for a while thinking about her and this familiarity. He had never met Adina before even though it seemed that he knew her for a long time.

"How can it be? I have seen her the first time. Nevertheless I have a feeling that we were together all the time." Terranus went to the inn being not able to forget her.

Later on he left the inn again. Because of thinking about Adina Terranus had almost forgotten why he stopped in Mediolanum. Normally he would feed from humans, but it was too late now to find one still awake. So he decided for another way. Terranus went to the place where his horse had left him. He started concentrating then calling his horse. If someone noticed his voice he or she would only hear a whinny. But Terranus ruled the tongue of the animals and he knew how to lure them.

After waiting a while he saw his horse coming to his direction. It greeted him by nudging its nose against his chest. Terranus did not give it a name. He thought that he did not have the right to do so.

"My loyal old friend." Terranus said looking into the horse's eyes.

"I hope you find a safety place to rest." The horse nodded, a gesture which it learned from Terranus after being together so long. Terranus smiled understanding nodding slightly too. Then he got a serious expression again.

"Sorry to bother you after saying I would stay here for some days, but something happened..." Animals have a well marked instinct for their surroundings which is important for their survival. Indeed their instinct can also sense someone's mood and intention. So the horse knew what Terranus wanted from it before he could mention it in a way. It did not fear Terranus' bite. He did this sometimes before during the journey when they travelled across low settled regions. And if it could help Terranus the horse did it. Nodding again the horse gave its agreement before Terranus could ask.

"I thank you my friend. I hope I can repay you for helping me sometime." Slowly Terranus embraced its throat carefully stroking the fur. And then he...

Next evening Terranus waked up short after sunset. There was still twilight outside, but Terranus left the inn although he feared the light that was burning on his skin a bit. He tried to find Adina again. Since the last night he thought about her even in sleep during the daylight. Now he wished to be with her being not sure why. He only knew, that he wanted to hear her voice again for some reason.

Terranus went through the streets of Mediolanum looking out for Adina. But the town was big, so he had not any success. He went to a hidden place between the houses. Being sure that nobody could see him Terranus began concentrating, using his discipline 'Protean'. At first only his body shrank properly. But then he lost all his human appearance. Black feathers were growing covering his whole body, a black beak developed from his mouth, his arms changed into wings and his feet became claws.

After completing his transformation into a raven Terranus flew over the town to have a better view. At last he found Adina. She was sitting in the beautiful garden of a large house watching the dance of the dragonflies near a pond. Terranus landed behind her. Adina did not notice him so he walked to her giving a soft sigh. She was frightened a bit hearing this sudden noise, but she turned around and looked to the raven. Then she smiled softly. Terranus was stunned by her smile and stopped. It said more than words could ever express.

"If I only could be with her...," he thought. Adina stood up and went to the raven carefully. She bent down and reached her hand to it slowly.

"Come. Climb on my hand," she said friendly demonstrating a well-developed animal empathy. Terranus jumped onto her hand and she lifted him up. She stroke him gently as she walked back to the pond.

"Who is he?" she said suddenly getting a thoughtful look. "I don't know why, but I like him somehow. He seems to be friendly. Nothing like other people I know. But who...?" She looked to the raven.

"You cannot tell me who he is, can you?"

Terranus had not expected this. Adina was thinking about him like he about her.

"Perhaps we should talk," he thought. But then Terranus got doubts as he thought about himself.

"May I tell her the truth...? No! I do not want to scare her. But this familiarity to her...why? Shall I really talk to her?" Terranus did not know if that was the right way, but he decided to do so.

"You should go now," Adina said to the raven after a while finishing thinking. She lifted her hand up and Terranus started to fly away. But he watched her till she went into the house. Then he landed near Adina's house. Terranus retransformed himself and walked back to her home. As he stood in front of the door he hesitated.

"Should I really do this?" he thought again, but he could not ignore his feelings for Adina who seemed to have similar ones. He pulled himself up and knocked at the door. At first nobody reacted on his sign, but finally Terranus recognized Adina's low voice.

"Who...who are you?" she asked. "What d...do you want?"

"I want to talk with you." Terranus answered softly.

"Y...you...!?" she replied surprised. The door opened slowly.

"Can...can I come in?" Terranus asked seeing her face now. She blushed a bit as she saw him.

"S...sure..." Terranus went inside, but Adina stayed at the open entrance bowing her head. She did not know what to do in such situations. Just as Terranus. He looked at her thinking about what he should do. Then he went back and closed the door. Adina was still standing motionless as he faced her. Terranus reached his hand slowly to her shoulder. Adina flinched a bit, but she looked up into his eyes. He smiled at her gently.

"I'm sorry to bother you at night, but..." Terranus could not find the correct words. But his behaviour said what he wanted to express. He put his hand onto Adina's cheek, and she understood. She blushed again, but she felt attract to him losing a bit of her timidness. She grasped Terranus' wrist carefully closing her eyes. Finally she embraced him laying her head onto his chest. Terranus himself grasped her shoulders gently. He looked at her feeling her warm skin. A long time he had thought that this was impossible, but he noticed now why he wanted to stay with Adina. Caedh had told him about the rare event that was called love, but Terranus did not expected that he could feel this warmth and affection. Even not if he would had been human. He almost forgot what he was letting down his guard for just a moment. But his bestial instincts used their chance as they sensed the sweet scent of Adina's blood. They overwhelmed him unprepared. Terranus tightened his grip being not able to stop it. His awful beast wanted only one thing. He reached his head down to Adina's neck baring his fangs.

"No, not her..." Terranus thought despairing. He brought in all his inner strength. Suddenly his beast was silent.

"Wha…what is happening?" he asked himself without understanding what was going on. Terranus knew, that it was almost impossible to control the beast, when it was unleashed. Caedh had told him about that. But actually he did it.

"You...you can, if..." Adina whispered, but she did not realize Terranus' real intension. So Terranus did what she actually meant. He kissed her neck gently being on guard this time. Then he drew away making her watching him.

"Adina, I do not want to harm you, but I…" Terranus could not manage to tell her the truth. Adina smiled at him like before.

"No. You…did well." Adina turned her head away blushing. "Before I haven't felt so securely like this. I've seen you only two times, but I know somehow you would never harm me intended."

"Adina…" Terranus looked at her. She turned back to him looking into his eyes. She recognized that she was right. But she also sensed that he was worrying about something. Adina tried to hide her fright, but Terranus felt her discomfort.

"I'm sorry. I did not want to offend you, but I tried to…to…" He bowed his head. Guiltiness spread in his mind causing self-reproaches about his behaviour.

"There…there is nothing to feel ashamed of." Adina reached her hand to Terranus' cheek slowly.

"You haven't done anything wrong. Please, don't worry anymore." Terranus looked at her watching her

smile. He was cheered up by these ordinary words of Adina. And now he understood, what happened just a minute ago. His unleashed beast was calmed by himself. The reason for that was Adina herself, his beloved one. She gave him the strength to do it. And she could comfort him on account of the same reason. There was no need for worrying. His beast would never harm Adina. So he decided not to be gloomy furthermore.

"Adina,…you are right." He stroke her hand. Then she drew her hand off his cheek embracing him.

"I see. But…there is…one thing…I want to know. What's our name?" Terranus smiled at her wondering a bit that he had forgotten to tell her his name.

"Terranus," he said. Then they went to the atrium together.