"One of the most unusual thing about vampires, " Andrew remembered Prince Devon explaining, "is they do not dream."
They only had nightmares.
Andrew found himself trapped in the past. It was 1955, nearly four decades ago and he was pounding on a large steel door. The buildings of suburbia Toronto loomed around him and the sky was beginning to lighten. He was a young vampire then, barley two years old. Andrew screamed and pounded on the door harder. A speaker above the door crackled and that voice which will haunt him forever filed his ears.
"Now, Andrew. You know it's your punishment time." the speaker crackled.
"No!" Andrew whimpered and pounded on the door with his fists.
"Maybe I shall let you perish this time."
"Let me in!"
The first rays of the sun peaked over the horizon and Andrew felt his skin tingling. He narrowed his eyes and pounded on the door until the skin on his knuckles split, leaving bloody marks on the large steel door. The terror of Rotschreck rose inside of him and Andrew screamed as his flesh began to smoke.
"Who is the master?" the speaker crackled.
"You are!" Andrew wailed as the agony of sunlight tore through his system.
"And what are you?"
"Nothing!"
"Louder."
"Nothing!"
The door slowly swung open and Andrew tumbled in, skin smoking. The door slammed shut behind him and Andrew shook on the cool stone floor. Slow, heavy footsteps broke the darkness. Andrew looked up and saw his sire standing over him. The eyes of his sire burned with anger and a twisted smile pulled at his lips. The snow white hair was cut short to the scalp and Andrew's sire knelt by him. He grabbed Andrew's hair in his hands and jerked the young vampire's head back. Andrew cried in pain and his sire shook him..
"Never forget you are nothing. No one loves you, no one wants you and no one will ever care for you. Without me, you would be nothing!" Andrew's sire hissed.
"Yes!" Andrew cried.
"Yes what?"
"Yes, master!"
Andrew's sire released him and stood. Andrew curled into a ball and shuddered. Something dropped in front of him and Andrew looked. Two freshly killed rats lay in front of him and his sire smiled. Andrew shut his eyes and laughter filled his ears.
"Andrew?" a soft voice called.
Andrew blinked and found himself propped into a sitting position. He was back in the basement of the warehouse and awake. He saw a large shadow looming over him and he scurried back in fear, eyes wide.
"No! You're the master!" Andrew whimpered and pressed his back against the wall of the warehouse.
The shadow moved slowly and a large hand touched his cheek. Andrew relaxed as he recognized Tawni. She looked at him curiously and Andrew regained control of himself.
"What?" Tawni asked.
"Nothing. Just a bad dream." Andrew said softly.
Tawni slipped her arms about Andrew and held him tightly. Andrew's broken body cried in protest, but he returned the hug. The burning in his gut was intense and he felt his fangs length. He was so hungry that his own body was ordering him to feed.
"After I woke this morning, I saw your fedora by the stairs. I found you under the boxes and waited until night fall to help you." Tawni whispered and she felt Andrew tense. "Are you okay?"
"Hhhhhungry." Andrew hissed, his fangs fully extended.
"Then kiss me."
"No. I cccould kill yyyyou."
"Take my blood. You need it."
Tawni gently placed her hand on the back of Andrew's neck and lowered his head to her neck. The scent of her body and the touch of her soft skin against Andrew's lips excited him. Unable to resist no longer, Andrew sunk his fangs into Tawni's neck and began to feed deeply. The giantess shuddered and gripped Andrew tightly. Her blood slid down Andrew's dry throat and filled him with pure pleasure. It felt so good to feed and he drank fast and deep. Caught up in his own pleasure, Andrew gripped Tawni fiercely and she gasped. Her eyes began to droop and Andrew felt her slowly going lip. He tried to stop feeding, but he could not resist the urge. Images of Tawni's drained and lifeless body flashed in his mind and slowly. Control flowed into his hands and Andrew stopped feeding. No, he did not want her to die. Andrew licked the wound shut and held the dozing giantess close to his now warm body, his system coursing with new life.
Andrew let Tawni sleep as he thought about his nightmare. Had it really been four decades since he had suffered under his sire or was it only yesterday? The nightmare was so vivid, Andrew began to doubt himself. What was he doing in Dallas? Why in the name of Caine should he, a simple Ventrue, remove a Gangrel Prince? The questions flew through Andrew's mind and he grew troubled. An hour later, Tawni stirred and looked up at Andrew. He helped her stand and she shook the cobwebs out of her head.
"I feel terrible." Tawni moaned.
"Just thank your creator I didn't kill you." Andrew said.
"You would never do that. I know you too well."
Andrew didn't answer her and he climbed the steps of the warehouse with Tawni close behind. The giantess dropped Andrew's fedora on his head and kissed his cheek. She led Andrew to a large pickup truck and he climbed in the passenger side. Tawni climbed into the driver's side and started the engine.
"Where to?" Tawni asked.
"You are going to get some lodgings. You can't go back to the mansion after last night." Andrew said. "Head for the north side of town. There's a few mortals who own Clan Ventrue a favor and you can stay with them."
"But I got no money or clothes!"
"I got lots of cash to spare and if you want, I can go back for you clothes."
Andrew leaned his head back on the seat as the truck rolled on through the streets. Thee was a long silence and Tawni glanced at Andrew, her eyes soft and happy.
"Andy?" Tawni asked.
"Hmm?" Andrew asked.
"Thanks for coming after me."
"Don't mention it. I was in the neighborhood."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why did you come after me?"
Andrew sighed to himself. Why did he come after her? She wasn't beautiful or sexual, as his usual preference ran. She was just some woman he had ran into one night. How could he answer her question if he didn't really know the answer himself? Or was it that Andrew knew the answer and was afraid to say it.
"I heard you were going to be killed and I didn't want that to happen. I'm... fond of you." Andrew said, hesitantly.
"Fond? Can you feel that?" Tawni asked.
"I can feel anything except sexual pleasure, Tawni. The body is dead, but my emotions are not."
"Can you love?"
"I can perform the act."
"I meant can you feel love for someone."
"Of course."
"Could you love me?"
Tawni watched as Andrew lowered his fedora over his eyes and pulled his jacket closer around him. Obviously, the conversation was over.
"I love you too, Andrew." Tawni said softly.
Andrew shuddered. Damn her. Not again. He swore love would never bring him down in the darkness of depression again. The nightmare loomed fresh in his mind and memories of his past encircled him like bittersweet thorns. Andrew hid his pain and quietly tried to deny the true feelings her had for Tawni as the truck rolled on in silence.
