The Song Remains
By
Frost Star
Plot partly based on a dream
Feedback: Oh, yes please
E-mail: I do not own any characters from Blade, but Grace, Esthar, Chloe and Rae are mine.
Distributation: Ask me please.
Status: In progress
Notes: This story takes place sometime during the time line of the movie
Chapter One
Night fell on New York once more, bringing with it a deadly secret. The sun had just set, bringing Grace out of her most recent hide out where she had slept during the day. The sixteen year old had been wandering around the city for almost two months now, with no permanent home. She could still hear the haunting melody in her mind, a tune that no one else could hear, as she walked down the dark streets.
The song of the whales was always with her, always. They kept her company when she was alone. For two months now, since her turning. Sometimes she thought the whales could sense her emotions, just as she could theirs. She heard the deep, resonating 'voice' of a humpback whale and suddenly, she was no longer standing in the darkened streets of New York, but in the ocean.
A vision. Deep in the ocean, and it was dark there too. A huge, black shape was moving slowly toward her.
"Young one," the whale said. It didn't really speak, it was more like thoughts.
Grace stood in awe, waiting patiently for the whale to continue.
"Tonight, you will meet him. See death."
"What? Who? What about death?"
But the vision was fading, and she soon found herself standing in the darkened city once more. She felt a wave of dizziness, as after every vision, and leaned on a lamp post for support. People would think she was crazy if they ever knew she had visions of talking whales. But what did her vision mean? Who was 'him'? 'See death'….what did that mean? Could the whale have meant, 'saw death'?
Grace had seen death, that was for sure. But maybe who ever the whale was talking about was-…Wait, what was that? She thought she'd heard something. Or maybe sensed something was the more appropriate term. She looked around her, but saw nothing. Even with her enhanced hearing, everything was silent. Something about that silence sent a chill up her spine and she shivered despite the denim jacket she wore.
Grace pushed her golden blond hair out of her face and continued down the side walk, the heels of her boots clicking against the pavement. As her hazel eyes scanned the road once more, she suddenly realized that she was alone. Why was this street deserted? This was New York; a deserted street was very rare. She didn't know why, but it bothered her. Was it an omen, the street being deserted?
"Stop dwelling on it," Grace scolded herself.
She looked down at the ground as she walked, suddenly self conscious even though there was no one around. The light from the street lamps glinted off the red and gold Chinese dragons embroidered on the cuffs of her black Low-Rise, flare jeans. She had the strange feeling that she was being watched, followed even. But what could stalk a vampire without being seen of heard? Another vampire, or-
"Grace?" said a voice behind her.
The blond jumped and turned. "Esther?" Grace said in surprised as the older girl walked up to her. "What are you doing here?" stupid thing to say, didn't matter why she was here.
"It's a long story," Esther said, flipping her black hair over her shoulder, "But it's great to see you again, how are you?" She smiled, a warm friendly glow in her blue eyes.
"Yeah, ditto," Grace said, her voice sweet and shy, "I'm fine, been doing a lot of traveling all over the city though. And yet I haven't found a place to stay," she said.
"After tonight, that may change," Esther said, a gleam in her eye.
"What do you mean?" Grace asked, puzzled.
"Never mind," Esther said.
For a moment, Grace stared at her friend with a curious expression on her face.
"So, you going to the Sanctuary tonight?" Esther asked, beginning to walk down the side walk.
"The Sanctuary?" Grace wondered, walking beside Esther.
"Sanctuary's the nickname of a popular nightclub, for our kind," Esther explained.
"Oh," Grace said, nodding; a nightclub for vampires.
For a moment, the two walked in silence, neither of them noticed the dark shape in the shadows.
Grace took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Something wrong?" Esther asked, glancing sideways at Grace.
"Just what you already know," Grace said, slightly happier that Esther was concerned; it was nice to know that some one cared. "It's hard traveling all over, no where to stay. And it gets lonely too."
Esther nodded in understanding.
A moment of silence passed.
"So, we headed anywhere in particular?" Grace asked, noting that there was a building up ahead, and a band of trees opposite, part of a park maybe.
"You'll see," Esther said secretively.
"Sanctuary?" Grace guessed.
"You're just too smart," Esther said with a laugh.
Grace smiled.
"So, you ever met Frost?" Esther asked.
"Who?"
"You never heard of Deacon Frost?" Esther said with mock surprise.
Grace frowned, thinking. Deacon Frost. Why was that name familiar to her? A fuzzy memory, like a radio on too low. "No, why; a friend of yours?" the blond said.
"Kind of," Esther said with a quiet laugh.
Grace smiled, and looked up at the stars for a moment.
"You'll have to meet him sometime," Esther said, "Maybe tonight," she smiled slyly, casting a sideways glance over at Grace.
"What? Tonight?" Grace said nervously, "I'm not so s-sure."
"Why girl," Esther said, "Is something wrong?" she asked, repeating her earlier question.
"No, it's just…" Grace hesitated, "Look around-don't be obvious. You see anyone?"
Esther casually looked around, then back at Grace, "No, why?"
"I feel like…some one's watching us, followin' us," Grace said in a hushed tone.
"Grace, the street is practically deserted, there's no one around," Esther said.
"I know," Grace said, nodding, "But still…"
"Stop worrying," Esther said, putting an arm around Grace's shoulders, "Everything's fine."
"I hope you're right," Grace muttered under her breath.
Esther, of course, heard her, and glanced curiously at Grace, but didn't say anything.
The two walked along in silence for a moment. The light from the street lamps reflected off of the gold eagle embroidered on the back of Grace's jacket, making her a beacon in the night. A minute later, they reached the building, which, as Grace found out, was the Sanctuary.
"Does it have a proper name?" Grace asked as she followed Esther up the stone steps.
Esther tilted her head to the side as she thought. "You know," she said laughing, "I don't think it does."
Grace just smiled, a little confused. She could hear throbbing music coming from inside.
Esther paused just outside the door and glanced back at Grace, a smile on her face.
"Why are you so happy?" Grace asked, amused despite herself.
Esther just laughed and pulled the door open.
Grace blinked as the lights and music washed over her. The blond yelped in surprise as Esther pushed her inside. She turned to her friend, intending to appear angry, but when she saw Esther's laughing expression, she couldn't help but laugh too.
"You're too tense, you need to have some fun, loosen up," Esther said, knowing that Grace would have no trouble hearing her, even with the loud music.
Grace, still laughing; only nodded in agreement.
She stepped farther into the main room of the nightclub, blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted to the lights. Esther took Grace by the arm and led her deep into the dancing crowd. The older vampire looked around the crowd for a moment, and then waved at some one. She turned back to Grace, releasing her.
"I'll be right back," Esther said, and a moment later, she disappeared into the crowd.
"Sure," Grace said under her breath, but in a joking tone, "Just leave me here all by my lonesome."
She just stood there a moment more. But soon she felt herself begin to sway with the music. Grace felt her shyness slowly vanish as her body began to move with the beat. She danced gracefully, smoothly and everything seemed to move in slow motion. She closed her eyes for a moment, when she opened them, she noticed some one watching her, and her heart skipped a beat.
Their gazes met and for an eternity, at least, that was what it seemed like to Grace, it was probably only five seconds, she gazed into his icy blue eyes. Then everything returned to normal seed, and he, who ever he was, was lost in the crowd. Grace blinked. He was so…familiar. Almost like she'd…seen him before. Maybe she had, was it really that important? She shook her head, yet something told her it was.