Chapter 1
Harper slowly wondered back towards the starport, musing silently to himself as he traversed the silent street. He was slightly wary of the lengthening shadows, but he knew that the crew of the Eureka Maru was not due to leave for several days yet, and he decided to enjoy the dual sunset as best he could. Finding a spot that overlooked the descending suns, he relaxed quietly against a tree reminiscent of a Terran oak, the only noticeable difference being the blue leaves. This was a ritual of his, spending an hour or two completely alone whenever he got the chance. Not having to maintain a façade, a mask behind which to hide several of the less pleasant aspects of his past. Rommie, Beka and Dylan should be bunking down for the night in one of Praxis' hotels. When Harper had left he had promised to return before nightfall, but he had could contact them any time, and it was so rare for him to have some time to contemplate
It was a quiet night, with almost no wind to speak of, enjoyable but certainly not comfortable for long periods, this planet was several degrees colder than Harper would have liked and he hugged his multi-colored shirt to himself. Focusing on the dying of the light as the final sun past beyond the horizon and disappeared beneath the cliffs, for some reason, Harper felt as if this sunset was special, important for some inexplicable reason. He shrugged the feeling off easily, ever since he was a child he had watched many sunsets alone and planned to enjoy many more. Finally, after several minutes had passed, he decided it was time to return to the hotel, he had work to do tomorrow.
With a pair of full moons out tonight, he had not trouble seeing as he turned to leave, he found himself slightly puzzled over the complete lack of people in the street. It was true that the Human population of Praxis had certain odd habits, but as far as he knew, fear of the night was not one of them. Shrugging lightly, he walked quietly back to his friends, his head hunched and his tread silent.
Ecaterina watched the mortal with delicious anticipation as the fall of his boots echoed through the night and his heartbeat pounded in her ears. Safely concealed in the shadows she prepared herself for the night ahead, embracing him this night was her planned course of action, but something about him unsettled her slightly. Ever since she had witnessed him walking home with his, decidedly odd, companions she had immediately marked him. Wilhem's points were both well-made and perfectly valid, but something about this Human positively screamed to be given the gift of Cain. She licked her teeth behind her shroud and felt them extended. The moment was almost upon them.
Harper stopped dead in his tracks, every hair on the back of his neck was attempting to migrate to the top of his head, he looked about wildly, seeking out the source of his disconcertion. Seeing nothing but shadow, he rationally concluded that nothing was there. Growing up on Earth, Seamus had always had a kind of sixth sense about situations like these, though nothing as intense as this, he had long ago learned to trust his senses implicitly and broke into a sprint as he attempted to distance himself from the source of his unease.
Ecaterina was shocked beyond measure as her prey fled as fast as his legs would carry him, wasting no time she followed, shoved him into the alley and with, a telepathic push, forced him to stop.
Harper felt as though he had been hit by a two-by-four. One second he was running, the next he was completely still, fifteen metres from where he started, and worse still, he could not move a muscle. A dark form stood before him, a strangely dressed woman who radiated power and lethality, he struggled to move, finding only there simplest of motions possible. Trying to speak, he almost failed, but gathering all his willpower he forced his mouth to obey him.
"Let me go!" He practically growled at his captor.
"Most impressive, a lesser man would not even be able to speak in my grasp."
"Now!" He forced as much rage into that single syllable as possible, finding the dullness of his limbs being beaten back by the anger. The female (who most certainly not a Human) in front of him look momentarily shocked by his outburst. She chuckled, the sounded carrying unnaturally in the night. Before circling him, leaving his extremely limited field of view, he felt a cold hand trail across his chest as she spoke.
"Such passion, it is intoxicating." Ecaterina completed her circuit of Harper, before standing back a pace.
"What are you?" Harper ground out, his control over his body becoming greater as he concentrated.
"I am your savior. I am here to free you of your mortal shackles. Now enough talk Seamus Zelanzny Harper, your deliverance is at hand." Ecaterina removed her shroud and revealed the lower half of her face, blackened, desiccated and crowned with two perfectly formed fangs.
"NO!" Harper screamed as her deadly canines pierced his carotid artery and he felt his life ebbing away.
Ecaterina reveled in the potency of his blood, as always the indescribable pleasure of the mortal vitae making it slightly harder to concentrate. Ecaterina felt him slip past the point of no return, she had taken too much blood for him to live, there was no turning back now. She kept drinking until his heartbeat slowed, and then finally stopped. Supporting his weakened body as he fell to the ground. Drawing a talon across her wrist, Ecaterina gently tilted Harper's head back and watched as a single scarlet droplet fell from her wound onto his tongue.
Harper's watched with glassy eyes as the vampire (for she could be nothing else) withdrew from him, so this was it, his life was to end here. Surprising himself, his final thoughts were of Trance, and how he would never get to tell her how much she meant to him. He was cold, and the night was getting darker, it was over. He vaguely noticed her cut herself, and felt an odd wetness in his mouth.
His senses exploded. The taste was incandescent, a blindingly powerful high settled over him; growing up on Earth, Harper was no stranger to drugs, though he had never used Flash, there were several cocktails that he had sampled, but nothing could compare to this. He felt as if he was on fire, an exquisite agony burning through his veins. But it was only a drop, not enough,. The experience awoke something within him, a hunger the likes of which Harper had never imagined.
Ecaterina watched impassively as her newest childe awoke into the darkness, bending to lift him, she was shocked when he surged up into her, clamping his Human teeth into the side of her neck. Blunt canines tore at her flesh, crudely but effectively opening up her blood to this newborn. He began to drink greedily, gulping down her vitae as fast as he could. She grabbed him and tried to extricate herself from his grasp, she couldn't move his arms. A moment of panic washed over her, his strength was almost demonic! Harper continued to drink. Ecaterina felt faint, the beast rose up inside her, it was too much, she momentarily lost control and sank her fangs into his wrist, desperately trying to replace her waning life. The two were lost in the dual-rapture of both feeding and being fed upon.
Harper felt the bite only slightly, too carried away by the experience of drinking blood for the first time. They fell to the ground, Harper lying underneath Ecaterina, the impact did not even register on either of them.
Minutes later, Wilhem came upon them, he had been hunting Harper's first meal, he would be ravenous when he awoke. He was very surprised to find both his sire and his newest brother-to-be lying on the ground, it took him a moment to realize what was happening, lacking any obvious alternative, Wilhem grabbed Harper by the hair and his sire by the neck and tried to pull them apart.
Harper felt a hand in his hair, a strong grip pulling him away from the blood, directly in front of his face, an arm was wrapped around the vampire's neck. She growled, as lost in the blood as her newest childe, Ecaterina released Harper's wrist and slashed sluggishly at Wilhem's arm, she had not won the race with Harper, he had nearly drained her completely and it was all she could do to quell the beast. Wilhem cursed as Ecaterina's claws bit into his arms, Harper's tunneled vision saw only one thing, blood.
Harper grabbed at Wilhem's arm, bringing it violently to his mouth and drinking again, the taste was different, thinner but no less pleasurable. Wilhem yelped loudly as he felt the bite, bring his free arm down hard across Harper's back, he was disappointed when the engineer didn't even flinch but kept drawing the vitae away. Wilhem was simultaneously amazed and petrified by the sheer speed at which he felt his strength bleeding away, he panicked, ripping his arm away and diving backwards away from this creature. Before slipping into Torpor next to his stirring sire.
Harper almost screamed as the second source was removed, everything was so completely dark now, he could not see a thing anymore, now that he wasn't drinking anymore he lost all strength. Collapsing face down on the hard ground, he felt his life slip away into oblivion.
Seamus Zelazny Harper died.
Trance shot bolt upright in her bed, her blade almost materializing in her hand as she screamed.
"HARPER!"
Harper slowly wondered back towards the starport, musing silently to himself as he traversed the silent street. He was slightly wary of the lengthening shadows, but he knew that the crew of the Eureka Maru was not due to leave for several days yet, and he decided to enjoy the dual sunset as best he could. Finding a spot that overlooked the descending suns, he relaxed quietly against a tree reminiscent of a Terran oak, the only noticeable difference being the blue leaves. This was a ritual of his, spending an hour or two completely alone whenever he got the chance. Not having to maintain a façade, a mask behind which to hide several of the less pleasant aspects of his past. Rommie, Beka and Dylan should be bunking down for the night in one of Praxis' hotels. When Harper had left he had promised to return before nightfall, but he had could contact them any time, and it was so rare for him to have some time to contemplate
It was a quiet night, with almost no wind to speak of, enjoyable but certainly not comfortable for long periods, this planet was several degrees colder than Harper would have liked and he hugged his multi-colored shirt to himself. Focusing on the dying of the light as the final sun past beyond the horizon and disappeared beneath the cliffs, for some reason, Harper felt as if this sunset was special, important for some inexplicable reason. He shrugged the feeling off easily, ever since he was a child he had watched many sunsets alone and planned to enjoy many more. Finally, after several minutes had passed, he decided it was time to return to the hotel, he had work to do tomorrow.
With a pair of full moons out tonight, he had not trouble seeing as he turned to leave, he found himself slightly puzzled over the complete lack of people in the street. It was true that the Human population of Praxis had certain odd habits, but as far as he knew, fear of the night was not one of them. Shrugging lightly, he walked quietly back to his friends, his head hunched and his tread silent.
Ecaterina watched the mortal with delicious anticipation as the fall of his boots echoed through the night and his heartbeat pounded in her ears. Safely concealed in the shadows she prepared herself for the night ahead, embracing him this night was her planned course of action, but something about him unsettled her slightly. Ever since she had witnessed him walking home with his, decidedly odd, companions she had immediately marked him. Wilhem's points were both well-made and perfectly valid, but something about this Human positively screamed to be given the gift of Cain. She licked her teeth behind her shroud and felt them extended. The moment was almost upon them.
Harper stopped dead in his tracks, every hair on the back of his neck was attempting to migrate to the top of his head, he looked about wildly, seeking out the source of his disconcertion. Seeing nothing but shadow, he rationally concluded that nothing was there. Growing up on Earth, Seamus had always had a kind of sixth sense about situations like these, though nothing as intense as this, he had long ago learned to trust his senses implicitly and broke into a sprint as he attempted to distance himself from the source of his unease.
Ecaterina was shocked beyond measure as her prey fled as fast as his legs would carry him, wasting no time she followed, shoved him into the alley and with, a telepathic push, forced him to stop.
Harper felt as though he had been hit by a two-by-four. One second he was running, the next he was completely still, fifteen metres from where he started, and worse still, he could not move a muscle. A dark form stood before him, a strangely dressed woman who radiated power and lethality, he struggled to move, finding only there simplest of motions possible. Trying to speak, he almost failed, but gathering all his willpower he forced his mouth to obey him.
"Let me go!" He practically growled at his captor.
"Most impressive, a lesser man would not even be able to speak in my grasp."
"Now!" He forced as much rage into that single syllable as possible, finding the dullness of his limbs being beaten back by the anger. The female (who most certainly not a Human) in front of him look momentarily shocked by his outburst. She chuckled, the sounded carrying unnaturally in the night. Before circling him, leaving his extremely limited field of view, he felt a cold hand trail across his chest as she spoke.
"Such passion, it is intoxicating." Ecaterina completed her circuit of Harper, before standing back a pace.
"What are you?" Harper ground out, his control over his body becoming greater as he concentrated.
"I am your savior. I am here to free you of your mortal shackles. Now enough talk Seamus Zelanzny Harper, your deliverance is at hand." Ecaterina removed her shroud and revealed the lower half of her face, blackened, desiccated and crowned with two perfectly formed fangs.
"NO!" Harper screamed as her deadly canines pierced his carotid artery and he felt his life ebbing away.
Ecaterina reveled in the potency of his blood, as always the indescribable pleasure of the mortal vitae making it slightly harder to concentrate. Ecaterina felt him slip past the point of no return, she had taken too much blood for him to live, there was no turning back now. She kept drinking until his heartbeat slowed, and then finally stopped. Supporting his weakened body as he fell to the ground. Drawing a talon across her wrist, Ecaterina gently tilted Harper's head back and watched as a single scarlet droplet fell from her wound onto his tongue.
Harper's watched with glassy eyes as the vampire (for she could be nothing else) withdrew from him, so this was it, his life was to end here. Surprising himself, his final thoughts were of Trance, and how he would never get to tell her how much she meant to him. He was cold, and the night was getting darker, it was over. He vaguely noticed her cut herself, and felt an odd wetness in his mouth.
His senses exploded. The taste was incandescent, a blindingly powerful high settled over him; growing up on Earth, Harper was no stranger to drugs, though he had never used Flash, there were several cocktails that he had sampled, but nothing could compare to this. He felt as if he was on fire, an exquisite agony burning through his veins. But it was only a drop, not enough,. The experience awoke something within him, a hunger the likes of which Harper had never imagined.
Ecaterina watched impassively as her newest childe awoke into the darkness, bending to lift him, she was shocked when he surged up into her, clamping his Human teeth into the side of her neck. Blunt canines tore at her flesh, crudely but effectively opening up her blood to this newborn. He began to drink greedily, gulping down her vitae as fast as he could. She grabbed him and tried to extricate herself from his grasp, she couldn't move his arms. A moment of panic washed over her, his strength was almost demonic! Harper continued to drink. Ecaterina felt faint, the beast rose up inside her, it was too much, she momentarily lost control and sank her fangs into his wrist, desperately trying to replace her waning life. The two were lost in the dual-rapture of both feeding and being fed upon.
Harper felt the bite only slightly, too carried away by the experience of drinking blood for the first time. They fell to the ground, Harper lying underneath Ecaterina, the impact did not even register on either of them.
Minutes later, Wilhem came upon them, he had been hunting Harper's first meal, he would be ravenous when he awoke. He was very surprised to find both his sire and his newest brother-to-be lying on the ground, it took him a moment to realize what was happening, lacking any obvious alternative, Wilhem grabbed Harper by the hair and his sire by the neck and tried to pull them apart.
Harper felt a hand in his hair, a strong grip pulling him away from the blood, directly in front of his face, an arm was wrapped around the vampire's neck. She growled, as lost in the blood as her newest childe, Ecaterina released Harper's wrist and slashed sluggishly at Wilhem's arm, she had not won the race with Harper, he had nearly drained her completely and it was all she could do to quell the beast. Wilhem cursed as Ecaterina's claws bit into his arms, Harper's tunneled vision saw only one thing, blood.
Harper grabbed at Wilhem's arm, bringing it violently to his mouth and drinking again, the taste was different, thinner but no less pleasurable. Wilhem yelped loudly as he felt the bite, bring his free arm down hard across Harper's back, he was disappointed when the engineer didn't even flinch but kept drawing the vitae away. Wilhem was simultaneously amazed and petrified by the sheer speed at which he felt his strength bleeding away, he panicked, ripping his arm away and diving backwards away from this creature. Before slipping into Torpor next to his stirring sire.
Harper almost screamed as the second source was removed, everything was so completely dark now, he could not see a thing anymore, now that he wasn't drinking anymore he lost all strength. Collapsing face down on the hard ground, he felt his life slip away into oblivion.
Seamus Zelazny Harper died.
Trance shot bolt upright in her bed, her blade almost materializing in her hand as she screamed.
"HARPER!"