Chapter 2 – Family – August, 2004

He awoke to a gentle shake. "Good morning," whispered Diana. Nathan smiled before even opening his eyes.

"So much better than an alarm clock." He sat up and let the blanket fall to his waist. Diana did not cover up her now-exposed torso. Nathan glanced at the clock and did a double-take. It was half an hour earlier than the alarm was set. His Diana, his partner for the rest of existence, stared into his eyes like she had something to say. "What is it?"

"I underestimated Yvonne. She barely talks when it's not about you or when you're out of the room, I forget how intelligent she is. And she cares about us, you and me. Did you know that she started calling me Mama?" Nathan ruffled his eyebrows. "Yvonne had a talk with me a few days ago. She said, 'I'm concerned about your happiness.' Tabitha and Lau may be part of our family, but I really feel like Yvonne is our daughter. She thinks I need more in my life than you and the others. Something to do, to make me feel human.

"I know that I'm not, I'm just a vampire. Living with you all this time ... maybe it has to do with your Quickening. Maybe it physically changed me. Whatever it is, the four of us aren't normal vampires.

"I want to know more about the world. I want to learn. I've lived with you for six hundred years, but I have little to show for it. Not even a formal education."

Nathan took her hand. "There's a lot more to life than going to school. If you like, we can convert your old bedroom into a study. Living near a university means we have access to plenty of books and research material."

Diana shook her head. "That's not enough. I've decided to go to night school. Lau and Yvonne are both interested, but you're the one who has to forge the papers. And supply the check."

"I'll teach you how to do that, and set up bank accounts in your name," he declared. "The only reason I didn't do it before is you never expressed interest." Nathan shifted his weight and leaned over her. "I'm proud of you." He gave her a quick kiss, plotting exactly what it was Diana would receive from him.

Xxxxx

When Nathan returned from work, Yvonne was waiting for him. "Can I have my own bank account?" Nathan laughed, but she was serious. "If I'm going to school now, I'm going to need money to buy books."

"I've always paid for you. That won't stop now."

"How much do I ask of you, Papa?" Yvonne pleaded.

Nathan considered her situation. She had just started going to night school, and was looking for the same financial independence most 18-year olds sought when they began college. But Yvonne was not a normal girl. In fact, she was not a girl at all. She had been 26 when she was Turned, nearly 60 years ago. Despite appearing to be a basically good person, she was still a vampire, and that made her unpredictable. Could he trust her? Diana was an exception. He had a hunch that his Quickening changed vampires in his immediate proximity, made them more human. Diana had been around him for ten times as long as Yvonne. One being worthy did not mean the other was.

"I'll think about it," he finally said.

Yvonne treated his noncommittal comment like a victory. She threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek repeatedly. "Thank you, thank you! I promise, I'll be good!"

"Eve!" snapped Tabitha. Nathan had not noticed her walk in. Diana stood beside her. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Yvonne replied. She kicked one of her heels and went upstairs.

"Sempai wants to learn a new style of Kung Fu. He's waiting in the basement." Tabitha sat down on the couch arm. "You're home early. How was work?"

"Not now, Tab." She did not move, so Nathan opened the window shades. Tabitha jumped away from the light that shone through. "I need to think about something." He sat down in an armchair that was soaked in sunlight.

Tabitha pouted. "Not nice, Sensei." She walked away with a put-off swagger.

"What's going on?" Diana asked. She stood just outside the sun's range.

"I know I can trust you. You've had so many chances to kill or take advantage of me. That's not true with the others. Tabitha and Yvonne are a lot more selfish than they let on. They would stake each other if they could get away with it, and you, too. Lau only stays because I teach him martial arts."

"That's not true. You're just worried about losing them. Every father feels the same way when his children talk about leaving the nest."

"Maybe. Diana, do you know what love is?"

She stepped into the lit portion of the room; smoke rose from her skin. Diana pulled Nathan to his feet and led him back into the shadow. "All of us love you. Even Lau."

Nathan shook his head. "They feel obligated to me. What about you?"

"It's more than respect and obligation. We stay because you make us happy." She took both of his hands. "Why do I stay? The way you brighten whenever you see me, for one. I'm in love with you, Nathaniel ben Yitzhak."

Nathan grinned. "I wish we could have had a wedding." He kissed her.

"Is that why you came home early? You were lonely?"

He liked the way his heart raced when she looked at him like she was. "No, I came to warn you. Someone called me at work. An old friend. He's coming to Buffalo."

Diana walked out of the room, suddenly disgusted. There was only one person it could be.

"I know you don't like him," Nathan said from the doorway. "He's my friend, and he wants to help with something. That's all I know."

"Cyrus kills vampires for fun! He'll do the same to me."

"You're not a typical vampire."

Diana crossed her arms and faced him. "He's dangerous. I don't want him in this house." They faced each other off for a full minute. "I know it's not my decision."

"Be nice. His flight lands at four." He stared at her for a few more seconds. "I'm going to the airport."

Xxxxx

The bottom floor of Buffalo International Airport was filled with arriving passengers. Some families were there to meet fathers finally home after business trips. Cyrus Tegyr blended in with the businessmen. He had dark hair, touched with silver at the temples, and wore a long, lambskin coat.

"Nathaniel!"

Nathan shook his hand. "Welcome to Buffalo, Cy. How was the flight?"

"Not bad. I hate the new security." He hefted his suitcase and the attached poster roll. "I'm always afraid they're going to lose my luggage."

"I'm on the bottom floor of the parking garage." He led Cyrus to his WRX. Cyrus loaded his suitcase into the trunk, and the younger Immortal opened up the poster roll. He removed a sword and sheathed it in his coat. "You still use the Roman spatha?" They entered the car.

"It's well made."

Nathan looked at his former Student sidelong; the elder Immortal had forged the spatha before the fall of the Roman Empire. He started up the car and drove back to his suburban home. "Are you going to tell me why you're here?"

"I'd rather say it once." Cyrus grinned when he saw Nathan's Espirit in the garage. "You couldn't resist a fancy car." Cyrus collected his suitcase and followed Nathan into the house. He paused when he saw the vampires. "Care to introduce us?"

"Cyrus, this is Lau, Tabitha, and Yvonne. You've met Diana. We should go to the living room." The six of them sat down on the couch and armchairs. "What have you been up to, these last few centuries?"

"It's been a while since we met in person, hasn't it?" the younger Immortal asked rhetorically. He stared off into space. "I've learned things I didn't know were possible." Cyrus focused on Diana. "I was wrong about you. Vampires can reform." He looked around the room. "I'm reserving judgment on the others."

"That's the most I can ask for. Have you done anything besides work for the past three hundred years?" For Cyrus, work was hunting demons and vampires. It was a job he took whole-heartedly.

"Not much," Nathan's friend admitted. "A lot has happened, most of it within the last ten years. One of the most deadly vampires in history was 'cursed' with a soul. His grand-childe also won his soul after a series of trials. Both of them are now recognized Champions." The vampires in the room looked confused. "Champions are warriors who fight against Evil. Most don't set out to become Champions; it's a calling."

"Like the Hunger," Lau tried.

"Close enough. I decided that if two vampires can save the world, then maybe others can live normal lives. I'd like to stay for awhile and see what your family is like."

"There aren't any pending apocalypses or Hellmouths in Buffalo, Cyrus," Diana warned. "Are you sure you can stand living here?"

"Time will tell. Do you have any other vampire friends I should know about?" Diana said they didn't. "Good. I'm going on patrol; any vampire I see is dust."

Nathan watched the door after Cyrus left with a touch of empathy. Eight hundred years ago, Nathan had felt equally uncomfortable amongst a family host. His friend needed a place to belong, and fighting demons wasn't enough.

Xxxxx

The next morning, someone knocked on his bedroom door after Nathan had left for work. Diana sighed and quickly dressed. When she answered the door, her breath would have caught if she were still alive. "Cyrus?"

The older man forced a smile. "I wanted to talk to you alone. Can we sit down?" She led him to Nathan's study. "This will do." Diana sat at the desk, and Cyrus took the chair by the computer workstation. "When I met you in the 18th Century, you were the first vampire I had even heard of who didn't use humans as food. I started researching 'domestication' because I was convinced you'd turn on him. I came across something that will interest you: the origins of Immortals."

Diana started and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. The movement unbalanced her, and she fell from the desk to the floor. She pulled over another chair and sat down, this time well into the seat. Diana assured Cyrus that she was fine.

Cyrus continued. "It's just a legend, but experience makes me believe that the legend is true.

"There's a natural balance to the universe. We know it as the yin-yang. When a vampire is Turned, the host's soul is supplanted by the demon equivalent. That's what gives you your strength, speed, and whatever else you can do. After every tenth or hundredth Turning, a foundling baby appears on someone's doorstep. It's cosmic backlash. If the baby grows up and dies a violent death, he becomes Immortal. Immortals are ordinary people with something extra – the Quickening. It sustains us throughout time, but it's also an abundance of spiritual energy."

Diana crossed her arms. "That's a ..." Cyrus nodded for her to continue. "Never mind." She smiled sheepishly and uncrossed her arms. "Go on."

"Immortals instinctively keep their power inside their bodies, but some of it always leaks out. That's why Immortals can sense each other. Now, vampires are half-human, but they don't have souls. The human half craves to have their souls back, and that makes it easier for the demon half to take over and feed – only, when a vampire feeds from a human, she doesn't absorb the soul.

"My theory is that when a vampire is near an Immortal, she absorbs some of his excess Quickening. That's why vampires are instinctively afraid of Immortals, because the demon half feels threatened. The amount of Quickening a vampire absorbs is normally negligible, and it wears off once the Immortal is out of range. If a vampire tries to feed on an Immortal, there's an overflow of energy that is almost guaranteed to daze the vampire. We've both seen this happen over the centuries."

Cyrus got up from his chair and turned away. He carefully guarded his emotions, especially the pain that built up over twelve centuries of life. While he might let Nathan see, Diana was mostly a stranger to him. It felt too awkward to reveal too much about himself to her. When his feelings were under control, he turned back and leaned against the back of the workstation chair.

"You've been around an Immortal longer than any vampire in history. I think your body absorbed enough of his Quickening over the years that it's become permanent. You have enough of it to be the equivalent of a soul, maybe a little bit more. Not enough to sense you as Immortal, but I can tell that you're not an ordinary vampire by sensing your life force. The change was gradual, so I doubt Nathan has noticed.

"Besides the Quickening, one other thing changed you. I only know this because of the other vampire Champions. Love has a magical quality to it – it lets you control your instincts when another vampire would fall back to being a demon. That makes you even more special."

Cyrus pushed the chair underneath the desk. "The rest of what I have to say is a little more strange. I said before that the Quickening is more than just spiritual energy. Not only has the Quickening restored your soul, but I think the humanity in you has become dominant. Dominant enough to overcome your vampire weaknesses. I learned how to use my Quickening as a natural defibrillator. I'd like to try and restart your heart."

Diana kept herself under control through skepticism. She was undead, not alive. Was it possible to really come back? It was impossible to hold hope back from her voice. "It's worth a try. What do you want me to do?"

"Just lie down." Diana slipped off the chair and set herself down. It was much more graceful than her last sudden excursion to the floor. "I'm going to place my hands on your chest. No matter what happens, this is going to hurt." Diana nodded for him to go ahead.

Cyrus knelt on the ground beside her and placed his palms against her blouse. "One. Two. Three." Diana convulsed as she was struck with a controlled current. When her body responded a second later, he fell onto his arse in surprise.

Diana felt like she was choking. Air came into her lungs with a rush, filling them for the first time since 1398 CE. At first she breathed too quickly. "Relax," Cyrus said from beside her. "You'll hyperventilate." Minutes passed before she got her breathing under control. It was too strange an experience after too long. "How do you feel?"

She reached up to her carotid artery and checked for a pulse. Blood flowed beneath her finger. A grin broke out on her face. "Alive." Diana sat up, a hand over her chest so she could feel it expand and contract with each breath. "Am I human again?"

"Not exactly." Cyrus focused on her with the sense he used to detect Immortals and vampires. "I don't know how to describe what you are. You feel like a pre-immortal, but you have some of the darkness of a vampire. I suppose you're a little bit of each. There's a legend that Hollywood made popular recently: dhampir, an offspring of a human and a vampire. If you need a name for what you are, then that's the closest term that fits."

Diana smiled at Cyrus. "If this is why you came to Buffalo, I'm grateful. Thank you Cyrus. I don't know how to repay you."

"There's no need. Nathaniel could have done the same if I told him how. I just didn't want to get his hopes up, in case it didn't work." Diana was not sure how to take his dismissal of her gratitude. She decided that Cyrus wanted to be a friend to his old Teacher and left it at that. "If you betray him – or me – I can still take your head," Cyrus warned. "I think you really love him."

Diana nodded. "More than anything."

"Keep the details a secret from the others; I don't trust them."

Diana was incredibly grateful for the information, and could not wait to test her newfound abilities. Her feelings did not prevent her from noticing how much Cyrus meant that last statement. "You did this so I can help protect him from them, didn't you? Why do you trust me, Cyrus Tegyr?"

"A vampire doesn't necessarily know how to do the right thing without being told. No matter how hard she tries, she's still a demon." He leaned forward. "Love has magical properties. Combined with Nathaniel's Quickening, it was more than enough to curb your vampire tendencies. This way I know your soul is secure, and you're making the right decisions on your own. If the other vampires in your home realize it's just the Quickening of an ancient Immortal that stays their own blood lust, something very bad will happen."

Diana nodded. "How old is ancient? I know he's more than 800, but ... how old is Nathaniel? How old are you, for that matter?"

"Older than you are." That much she already knew. "I've met Immortals with hypnotic abilities, just like a vampire's. Age grants us both special gifts that we try to hide. Nathaniel is old and young enough that he doesn't know what powers he has."

"Can't you teach him?"

Cyrus hesitated. "No. But there's one who might be able to. My Teacher never mentioned it, but there is a legend that floats around the Immortal community. Methos."

Diana shivered. "The one who helped force demons from Earth, five thousand years ago?"

"That's a new twist," Cyrus admitted. "Methos is supposedly the oldest living Immortal. No one knows how old. No one knows if he really exists. Your legend is evidence he once did, but that isn't proof he still does. In the nineties, there was a rumor that Methos was on the West Coast; it's why I moved there. He turned out to be an imposter. The real Methos might still be out there."

"Thank you, Cyrus. For the gift of life, and for telling me what's been bothering you. You'll always be family."

Cyrus smiled weakly and left the study.

Diana wondered how she was going to test how alive she was. She decided to start by opening the window. To her everlasting pleasure, the sunlight did not burn her. It was a warmth she had missed for six centuries. Diana closed her eyes and focused on her senses, enjoying the feeling. She felt her cheeks flush; she had forgotten they could. As blood worked its way to other parts of her body, Diana decided that she had to see Nathan.

Diana ran down to the garage and climbed into the WRX; Nathan would forgive her borrowing the car.

Xxxxx

Nathan waved goodbye to his last patient of the morning. Another cavity filled, pain another mortal would no longer feel. He was again grateful that his Quickening granted immunity from tooth infections. Nathan threw out his gloves and hung up his coat before heading into the break room. He tried to remember what lunch was today, but the brown paper bag's contents skirted his consciousness.

Surprisingly, the break room was empty. He had the farthest to walk, and so was usually last inside. Yet no one was there. He looked around the room curiously. No, the room was not empty. Nathan's mouth dropped open.

Diana walked purposefully across the room and placed her arms around Nathan's neck. "I bribed your staff with free lunches." She kissed Nathan, and soon laughed at his surprise.

"You don't feel like a vampire anymore." He combed her hair with his fingers. "You're warm." Nathan kissed her cheek. "How?" he asked, suddenly breathless.

"Your Quickening and some of Cyrus' magic. I'm like you, without the Game."

"The word 'miracle' comes to mind."

Diana grinned, and gave Nathan a kiss that he whole-heartedly returned. "Why don't you buy me lunch? I haven't eaten anything in six hundred years, and I'm pretty hungry."

"How can I refuse?" Nathan hugged her tightly. "How do hot wings sound?"

"Modern," she answered honestly. The last time she had eaten anything solid, Buffalo had not existed, much less Buffalo wings. "It'll do." They left the office arm-in-arm for their first real date in the six centuries they had known each other.

Xxxxx

7 June, 1400 CE

Nathan awoke in bed with something pressed against him. It was not an object or pet, he quickly realized. He reached under his bed and pulled out the hidden sword. Diana's face transformed to its true, demonic visage when the blade was pressed against her neck. "I think you misunderstood our relationship, vampire. Sneak into my room again, and your invitation will be revoked."

Diana's vampire form reverted, and a frown covered her face. "Last night, you said..."

"That was before I knew what you were. I'll be your friend, so long as you don't drink human blood. If you do, your life is forfeit. Don't expect anything else from me."

Xxxxx

Diana giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"I was thinking it's about time. The night we met, you surprised me with the promise of something so much better than anything I had imagined. You drew me in right from the beginning. It's a shame it took so long for us to go on a date."

Nathan raised his beer. "May the next six centuries be only the beginning." They clicked their glasses together and downed the drinks. "You should dip the wing in bleu cheese if you think it might be too hot."

Diana wrinkled her nose at Nathan and bravely devoured the meat off of the first wing she picked out of the bowl. "Spicy," she allowed, "but you should try skunk's blood." They continued to eat in silence. Food was a marvel to Diana. Hot wings had a flavor that she never knew existed, skunk's blood notwithstanding. Beer was a familiar taste, but real food was something else entirely. She wondered if other things would feel more real now that she was alive. "I'm not going to die ever again. Just for meals like this, it's worth living."

The living vampire leaned back in her chair and considered the man who was now her legal husband. "We've spent six hundred nine years together, and you never spoke about the past. Only about today or the future. Why am I the only woman you've been with since the Dark Ages? What happened to you?"

Nathan set his food aside. "Before my First Death, I was a merchant. I didn't have enough money for a wife, and other things were more important. Like war." He shivered. "You'll never understand how much I hate Europe. I came back every few centuries to see how it had changed. Some of the people impressed me, but the majority never did." He scowled at his memories. It had started with the Zealot Rebellion and the rise of Christianity. The harm caused to his homeland by Rome and the Church was too much to ignore. "When I was kicked out of China in 753, I gave up on having a home." Though that incident was unrelated to religion, it still stung deep.

Diana shifted. She knew Nathan was older than her, but the date placed him at more than double her age. "That's why you left Laurette's village, isn't it? You didn't think it was possible to settle down."

"That's part of it. The rest is in the details. I've been with you longer than I've ever been in one place. You're all I want."

She realized he was not prepared to discuss it more. They could talk about Nathan's life for the next six centuries and not cover everything. "Are there any enemies I should know about?"

"Duncan MacLeod. He has the best chance of winning the Game." Nathan snorted a laugh. "We got into a fight over religion. If he ever takes my head, I hope that's not the reason." Her face showed that she was not prepared to lose Nathan for anything. The fight in her eyes was something he had to confront immediately. "Remember, Diana: you can't kill my enemies for me." He suddenly changed the topic when her expression did not change. "After five centuries, do all vampires lose the ability to change their faces back and forth?" Diana's face was forever locked in its human visage, though she had a vampire's fangs.

"I don't know. Most only last a few decades." She finally relaxed, a solution in mind. "I know as much about my vampire powers as you do your Quickening. We both need to find Teachers."

Nathan sighed. "You're probably right. My Teacher could probably help. It's been a long time since I spoke to him, though, and I don't know how to get in touch."

"Teacher?" He had never mentioned a Teacher. It made sense that someone had taught him the basics of Immortality. After all, he had Cyrus. "Is he still alive?"

"I heard a rumor that he was on the West Coast." The rumor was dated, but it was still the best information Nathan had about his former Teacher. A shy sort, the Old Man always made it a point to stay hidden.

"There was a Methos imposter on the West Coast," Diana muttered absentmindedly. Nathan did not react. "Learning can only improve your chances of survival. Survival comes before all but three sins, remember?"

It was almost odd that she had learned the lessons of his religion so well, unless one considered how long ago it was they first met. It was certainly odd that he had forgotten. "You're right." Years of practice did not a master make. He needed to constantly progress his combat skills, and recent mastery of krav maga was not enough. One lucky swing of the sword was all it took to end even a life as old as Nathan's. "I can't take the children where I need to go. What will happen if we leave them here?"

Cyrus' warning echoed with Nathan's words. Diana shivered despite herself. She cared for them, but the others were not truly capable of love. They worshipped Nathan and Diana in the same way minions worshipped their vampire Master. It was as much grudging respect as anything else, especially with Lau and Yvonne. They acted in a way that improved their chances of survival, not how they felt. Diana started in her seat at the realization and how her perspective had changed with her beating heart; the living were supposed to be less cynical than the dead. "I don't trust them alone for that long." The waitress dropped off their check and asked them about another course. When she was dismissed, Diana continued her line of thought. "I'm afraid to stay alone with children. Without you to guide them ... I don't know what will happen."

Nathan found her misgivings difficult to accept. She had not been so different from the others, but his relationship with her was a special circumstance. While he was not obligated to help the undead, he felt paternally towards Lau, Tabitha, and Yvonne. They were the closest he would ever have to real children. "Tabitha is more moral than most humans. They'll be fine with her as a guide, and with Lau to protect them." She did not look convinced, so he addressed the only item he could come up with. "Heather already assured us the Slayers were going to avoid Buffalo."

Diana did her best to appear convinced, even if he had incorrectly guessed the source of her discomfort. Cyrus had been right to warn her. Her husband wanted desperately to believe the best in their vampire charges, despite his occasional misgivings. They would both be safer with two sets of eyes on watch. "Her word will have to do."

As expected, Nathan was set at ease. "Then it's decided." Diana's college career was slated to begin in four months' time. That gave them plenty of time to seek out his former Teacher. All that remained was to break the news to their children.

Xxxxx

Diana headed home with Nathan at the end of the work day. It was better if their children did not know Diana could walk in sunlight. She had some difficulty convincing her husband to keep it secret, but he finally agreed when she mentioned presumed jealousy.

The WRX and Espirit pulled up the driveway under the cover of night. Nathan stiffened as he stepped out of his car, a telltale sign of Cyrus' presence. He removed the favored cavalry saber from his coat, even though he already knew who was inside. "Is something wrong?" Nathan opened the door and entered the den. Cyrus was there with spatha in hand.

"Welcome home."

"Thanks." They put their weapons away, aware that neither had meant offense. Those who were not careful lived shorter lives.

"This is why I don't usually stick around," Cyrus admitted. The buzz was enough to set any Immortal on edge. Feeling it every day would shorten their life spans, if stress affected their long term health.

Diana was the voice of reason. "It takes time to get used to new company, especially after a few hundred years. I hope you'll stay in Buffalo for a while." Nathan cocked his head at that, and she further surprised him by giving Cyrus a hug. "I can't thank you enough for what you've done for us."

"Don't mention it." The Immortal was even more rigid than usual at the physical contact. Nathan wondered if the reason was her vampiric or feminine nature.

"Thanks to you, Diana and I have a chance at a real honeymoon." The sentence had begun as an excuse, but by the time he finished Nathan wore a grin. It was almost too good to be true. "Would you be willing to keep an eye on the children when we go?"

Cyrus' expression showed how much he appreciated the request. "I won't stay in your house without you in it." He looked into his Teacher's eyes and saw how much it meant. "I can rent a place nearby and look in once in a while. If anything happens, I promise to call. When do you plan on leaving?"

Nathan scratched the stubble on his chin. He had patients to take care of. Running off without notice was too irresponsible. He tried to think of the shortest notice he could afford, but Diana beat him to it.

"Sunday. We're going to come back just after New Year's, so I can start going to university in the winter."

"A daylight tour of North American," Nathan put in. "We'll be taking the Lotus on a very long road trip." The limited trunk space and poor gas mileage would infringe on the trip, but he liked the car too much to pass up the chance. Diana smiled at the glint in his eye, knowing that it was for the car.

Cyrus crossed his arms. Four months was a long time to sit out of the Apocalypse Game, as Nathan had once called it. On the other hand, there were other Champions in the world. Cyrus was also Immortal, which left plenty of time to get back into the Apocalypse Game. Four months was nothing after twelve hundred years. "I couldn't think of a better wedding present than to baby sit. I promise to watch them."

Diana grinned at Cyrus. Recent events made the future look like an incredibly bright place.

Xxxxx

The taxi slowed to a stop in front of a small apartment building. "This is it. Sixteen hundred Millersport Highway." Stas opened the car door, suddenly uncertain about his new home. Was he making a mistake? He paid the driver and stepped onto the sidewalk. A cold breeze bit into the exposed skin of his face, but he was familiar with the cold. The weather of his homeland had been much more deadly.

Stas picked up his suitcase and moved towards Building 4. Like a motel, all the rooms opened directly to the outside. He felt the buzz as he neared the building. His hand went immediately to the shashka in his coat, eyes scanning the area with practiced calm.

The door to apartment 4-B opened and Stas dropped the suitcase. When the Immortal stepped through the doorway, he felt the tension immediately drain away. It was a brunette with curly hair and green eyes.

When he spoke, he let his natural Russian accent accompany his words. "My name is Stas Gould. I am your new neighbor."

The woman kept her hand inside her coat, even as Stas let go of his weapon and retrieved the suitcase. "Are you going to challenge me?"

Stas shook his head. "I have never killed a woman, and I never will." Shock crossed her face. "I mean no offense. Where I come from, all life is valued. Especially the lives of non-combatants." His proclamation was a lie; in his homeland, women and children were slaughtered more viciously than enemy soldiers. That cruelty had birthed Stas's morality.

"I think something was lost in translation," she decided. "You meant to say that you don't intend to fight me, right? Welcome to Buffalo, Stas. I'm Laurette. If you knock on my door later, I'll show you around the city."

"Thank you. I look forward to it."

"See you later." Laurette went back into her apartment and closed the door.

Stas stared at the door. How could she be so trusting? Immortals were dangerous, especially strangers. Apparently there were more types than Stas had encountered in his two centuries. It was more than a relief, with Flynn somewhere in the city. He let out a long breath and walked up to his apartment, 4-C.

The place was fully furnished, as the realtor had promised. The décor was not as Stas would have chosen, but he was not picky enough to redo the entire apartment. All that mattered was he a place to stay while he hunted his Teacher.

20