"Good evening, Sands." The voice was soft, lilting, and kissed with a
Bristol accent. Abberline stood there quietly. He had apparently been
waiting for Sands. He wore a loose-fitting white silk shirt and black
trousers. There was nothing remarkable about him except for his sheer
presence.
"Sir," Sands inclined his head. He had nothing but respect for this vampire, to whom he had pledged his allegiance years ago after Lilith joined forces with him. Abberline had been turned by the oldest vampire on Earth. Though he'd been a vampire for only a hundred years, he had the blood of a five-thousand year old vampire, that of his sire, running through is veins, and along with it, a great power.
Abberline's sire had not just turned him, but had kept close by him for over a decade reinforcing him with the ancient blood. Pao Ling had chosen Abberline as his heir, not so much of material wealth, though he had given a fortune to him, but to his powers.
Moving quietly with his eyes on Sands, Abberline moved closer to the younger vampire. "You know I have premonitions. Visions."
Sands nodded. Lilith had told him.
"I've had one concerning you." Abberline looked away. "You will be used as a pawn."
That irked. Sands' own eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"I don't know yet. But I know there will be danger. Pain. I also know." His dark gaze locked with Sands', "that we will work together in this. In order for you to survive, you need to be stronger. Quickly."
Sands wet his lips. What Abberline was suggesting could only mean one thing, and as far as he knew, Lilith was the only one Abberline had shared blood with.
"What will I gain?" he asked Abberline, cutting to the chase.
"Strength of will. The ability to withstand injuries that would kill a younger vampire, among other things." Abberline's head tilted to the side as he studied Sands' face. "We don't inherit everything from one another. You know that. But it will link us directly. It may save both our lives."
"What is coming?" Sands asked.
"I have told you all I have seen."
"Does Lilith."
"No," Abberline cut him off. You must not tell her. She must not even be able to read it in your mind. I can take care of that."
Sands' mouth fell open. "You can even do that?"
"I can create walls in my mind, divisions, cutting off certain areas so that no one but I knows what's there. Lilith, as you know, can read almost anyone's mind. She can read what I allow her to read of mine, but not what I hide from her."
"I hope I inherit that from you," Sands told him honestly, edging closer, eager to take what Abberline was offering.
A small smile crept across Abberline's somber face, sending a spark flaming into his eyes, adding warmth and humor where there had been only business and gravity. "I hope so too." He looked almost shyly at Sands. "You have had more experience than I in this than I."
Now Sands' gaze was drawn toward the other vampire's neck, the angle of his jaw, the barely perceptible flowing of blood beneath the surface of pale white skin. He gently grasped the other vampire's shoulders. Abberline returned the gesture, holding onto Sands. He threw his head back as Sands' mouth touched his neck. Abberline's mouth opened in a wordless cry as Sands' teeth broke the flawless skin, sinking in, and his lips closed over the surface. Sands drank deeply of the dark red of Abberline's blood. The ecstasy was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before, a deep steady pulsing that drew him in deeper and deeper. His thoughts were sucked into a whirling vortex of almost unbearable pleasure. The thrill rippled through him, and he could feel an answering shudder in Abberline.
"Enough. Enough." Strong hands pushed Sands away and he stood, mouth open, pupils dilated, still caught up in the heady elation.
Blinking, Sands' gaze began to focus once again. He saw that Abberline looked flushed, the wounds in his neck already healing.
"Now," Abberline spoke more softly than before, "you will keep this hidden in your mind. No one shall know. When you need the strength to hide your thoughts, you shall have it. When you need the strength to keep alive, you shall have it."
"I hope so," Sands nodded. He tried to feel if he felt any different, but the excitement of the encounter overrode any other sensations he might have.
"Go back to your friends," Abberline said. "I will speak with Quinn."
Nodding silently, Sands turned and went up the stairs. He felt elated, almost as if he'd somehow accomplished some great feat. With every step he locked the memory away deeper within his mind. By the time he stepped out into the first floor hallway, his memory was secure.
* *
"Sir," Sands inclined his head. He had nothing but respect for this vampire, to whom he had pledged his allegiance years ago after Lilith joined forces with him. Abberline had been turned by the oldest vampire on Earth. Though he'd been a vampire for only a hundred years, he had the blood of a five-thousand year old vampire, that of his sire, running through is veins, and along with it, a great power.
Abberline's sire had not just turned him, but had kept close by him for over a decade reinforcing him with the ancient blood. Pao Ling had chosen Abberline as his heir, not so much of material wealth, though he had given a fortune to him, but to his powers.
Moving quietly with his eyes on Sands, Abberline moved closer to the younger vampire. "You know I have premonitions. Visions."
Sands nodded. Lilith had told him.
"I've had one concerning you." Abberline looked away. "You will be used as a pawn."
That irked. Sands' own eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"I don't know yet. But I know there will be danger. Pain. I also know." His dark gaze locked with Sands', "that we will work together in this. In order for you to survive, you need to be stronger. Quickly."
Sands wet his lips. What Abberline was suggesting could only mean one thing, and as far as he knew, Lilith was the only one Abberline had shared blood with.
"What will I gain?" he asked Abberline, cutting to the chase.
"Strength of will. The ability to withstand injuries that would kill a younger vampire, among other things." Abberline's head tilted to the side as he studied Sands' face. "We don't inherit everything from one another. You know that. But it will link us directly. It may save both our lives."
"What is coming?" Sands asked.
"I have told you all I have seen."
"Does Lilith."
"No," Abberline cut him off. You must not tell her. She must not even be able to read it in your mind. I can take care of that."
Sands' mouth fell open. "You can even do that?"
"I can create walls in my mind, divisions, cutting off certain areas so that no one but I knows what's there. Lilith, as you know, can read almost anyone's mind. She can read what I allow her to read of mine, but not what I hide from her."
"I hope I inherit that from you," Sands told him honestly, edging closer, eager to take what Abberline was offering.
A small smile crept across Abberline's somber face, sending a spark flaming into his eyes, adding warmth and humor where there had been only business and gravity. "I hope so too." He looked almost shyly at Sands. "You have had more experience than I in this than I."
Now Sands' gaze was drawn toward the other vampire's neck, the angle of his jaw, the barely perceptible flowing of blood beneath the surface of pale white skin. He gently grasped the other vampire's shoulders. Abberline returned the gesture, holding onto Sands. He threw his head back as Sands' mouth touched his neck. Abberline's mouth opened in a wordless cry as Sands' teeth broke the flawless skin, sinking in, and his lips closed over the surface. Sands drank deeply of the dark red of Abberline's blood. The ecstasy was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before, a deep steady pulsing that drew him in deeper and deeper. His thoughts were sucked into a whirling vortex of almost unbearable pleasure. The thrill rippled through him, and he could feel an answering shudder in Abberline.
"Enough. Enough." Strong hands pushed Sands away and he stood, mouth open, pupils dilated, still caught up in the heady elation.
Blinking, Sands' gaze began to focus once again. He saw that Abberline looked flushed, the wounds in his neck already healing.
"Now," Abberline spoke more softly than before, "you will keep this hidden in your mind. No one shall know. When you need the strength to hide your thoughts, you shall have it. When you need the strength to keep alive, you shall have it."
"I hope so," Sands nodded. He tried to feel if he felt any different, but the excitement of the encounter overrode any other sensations he might have.
"Go back to your friends," Abberline said. "I will speak with Quinn."
Nodding silently, Sands turned and went up the stairs. He felt elated, almost as if he'd somehow accomplished some great feat. With every step he locked the memory away deeper within his mind. By the time he stepped out into the first floor hallway, his memory was secure.
* *