Abel looked around, his surroundings were similar to the barren wasteland that was Mars, but instead of the rust colored ground it was a blue grey rock and sand. Sharp spikes of rock left the horizon jagged and torn from the turquoise and purple sky.

To his left was a humanoid shaped person, pointed ears, large dark almond shaped eyes, a flat face with small holes for breathing and a mouth that showed the bump of fangs under the lips. Her hair was braided back and covered in a cloth of golden threads. Her skin a soft red brown color with a mottling of lighter spots, reminding Abel of a fawn he had seen once. She stood just below eye level with him.

"Seiji, come with me, before Ichirou finds us." She urged, taking his long boned hand in hers. Abel noticed now that his body was similar to hers, that this must be a memory of 02. The colour of his skin, the dusky blue grey of his transformation.

"Of course, Elskede!" Abel's voice was harsh and gravely.

They quickly ran across the plain, ducking behind the boulders that littered the otherwise barren land. Objects slammed into the ground around them, large sprays of dirt that exploded from the impact. Looking around he could see there were others running along the edges, avoiding the falling chaos. They were under fire, civil war had broken out.

"Here, quickly now!" She pulled him down into a hole behind a large boulder, bracing slightly as the ground tumbled again with a nearby collision. Dust clouded his eyes and filled his nose as she pulled him down.

Coughing he slowly could see they were in a cave that went underground a fair way, phosphorus plants lit the walls in a purplish glow.

Elskede looked back at home before running further into the cave, her expression expectant. Soon the ground stopped shaking with constant pounding.

"I think we are safe now, he can't sense us this far underground." She sat down, her breathing slightly labored from the run.

"For the time being. If we are to do this, we can't wait long." He sat down beside her, feeling nervous and anxious.

"Yes, of course Seiji… Just give me a moment please. It's not every day I agree to bond." Her fangs showed as she smiled teasingly.

"It's a first for me as well, but we must do this… to keep you safe."

She got up on her knees and straddled him, pressing herself against him, slowly grinding along his hips as she kissed along his ear and jaw.

"I know… let's hope I survive the exchange."

Abel could feel himself along with 02 become aroused, a need to take the female, to claim her became overwhelming.

Fangs elongated, punishing in their quick arrival, his tongue sliding along the sharp points giving slight cuts as it moved. He leaned forward and tasted the skin below her ear, the long graceful neck bared before him submissively. The blood on his tongue colouring the soft tan of her skin. He shook with need, holding himself until she was ready.

"Now Seiji! Make us one!" She pushed herself down on his hips, driving him up into her as he bit down on her throat.

Blood filled his mouth, as she strained against him, short hard gyrations that plunged him into sexual ecstasy. He sucked hard and strong on her, gulping the thick fluid till he felt her body flutter in pleasure. Pulling away he licked the wound and then leaned his head to the side, offering his neck to her.

"Elskede!"

She quickly bit into his neck, taking in his unnatural blood into her body. The sharp prick of her teeth jolted him, causing him to roar as he came inside her. She drank deeply, he could feel his heart beating in his temples as she drained him. Finally a wave of dizziness signaled she had taken enough. He tapped her back, pulling his neck from her teeth.

"Enough… it is done… now, now we wait."

Consciousness brought Abel to feeling Astha's warm, firm body, her hips pressed against his, her back to his chest. His hard cock was nestled along the slick folds of her body, throbbing against her hot center. He must have been thrusting against her given how wet the head was. He had an odd flavour on his tongue, and his jaw was sore. Opening his eyes he looked down at her, blood had smeared on her skin beside a small series of punctures, matching his bite...

"Oh god! Astha!" Abel pushed himself away from her forcibly, scrambling until he fell off the bed in a tangle of sheets, pushing himself to the wall. "I'm-im so- Sorry! I-I was dr-dreaming and then woke up to this!" He stumbled over his words in his panic, guilt and shame washing over him in waves.

Astha turned at his startled gasp, her drowsy half sleep hard to shake off as she felt his rising panic.

"What's wrong Abel?" Her voice was thick and heavy.

"Your neck."

She blinked before reaching up to touch her neck where she did feel a bit tender. Granted she was tender in many places after their night of intimacy. Feeling the sticky wetness on her hand her eyes flickered up to his.

"I never felt it? When?"

"I don't know, I had a dream, it was something 02 showed me… he was sharing his blood with another to keep them safe."

"Safe from what?"

"Ichirou."

Astha sat up on the bed, her brow furrowed as she thought about the word. Abel looked over her glorious body, no other signs of his bite marred her beauty. He couldn't feel 02 or Lilith, the oddity striking him as he ran his tongue along his teeth to make sure they were human again.

"First born. Or as we call him 01." Abel answered after a while, his eyes unable to stop looking at the blood smear on her neck.

She looked at him curiously.

"What would sharing the nanomachines accomplish?"

He shrugged, unsure himself. He walked back to the bed, sitting up along the headboard, hugging his knees to his chest.

"It didn't hurt Abel, I don't think you took much." She moved up beside him, brushing her hands along his arms and shoulders soothingly before resting her head on the slope of his shoulder blade.

"Your culture has a major thing about drinking from another, for good reason I might add... it's fairly taboo from what I read."

"I think I'm old enough to break a few rules, since I am already giving you blood, this isn't the worst thing that could happen."

He turned his head to look at her, his silver hair sliding across his back, to drape over his arms. She could see the guilt in his gaze, the sadness about the eyes. "No, not the worst I could do but it's crossing a line that is dangerous."

"I trust you, leave the rest up to me to worry about."

"My strong, brave Astha… I don't deserve you."

She hummed and kissed him softly. "Perhaps not, but I'm yours."

He opened up his position and pulled her onto his lap.

"We likely won't have another day like this… as much as I don't want it to end, we must leave in an hour." He whispered against her ivory locks.

"What would happen if I took your blood?"

"I-I don't know, she had taken it and the memory ended with them waiting to see if she survived."

"Hmm." She idly ran her hands along his body, watching the sinewy muscle shiver underneath pale sensitive skin. He had been a considerate lover, keeping her in an euphoric state as they had made love for hours. She could almost hear his moans and gasps as she explored his body, finding the most sensitive places to give him the most pleasure. Interestingly where his wings would sprout the skin would get quite warm when she touched it, and Abel would gasp at the intensity of her light caresses. Just thinking about it, heat was pooling low in her belly, her breasts tingling with heightened senses to her arousal.

"An hour till we have to leave?" Her voice was soft, she tilted her head back to look at him before leaning up to take his bottom lip between her teeth, carefully giving it a teasinglay slow suck.

The gloom that had shuddered his face lifted, desire colouring his eyes once more, his hands came up to tangle in her hair as he pressed his mouth to hers, demanding the deep kisses he so craved. Against her hip she could feel his cock press and twitch in sudden hardness, eager to delve within her once more.

He pulled away, looking into her golden eyes.

"Minx, I can't seem to help myself when it comes to you," he whispered before turning her towards him, letting her straddle him. He shuffled them further down the bed for more room, while she accommodated him, rubbing herself against him distractingly.

Soon they were lost in each other's embrace, moans spilling from their lips as they raced towards their shared rapture. Astha scraped her nails across the middle of his back when suddenly a searing heat burned her hands as he roared in their release, black feathers filling the room around them. The massive wings blocking out everything around them. A zap of static electricity hit her body as he transformed, pale skin replaced with dusky blue, her body stretching around him as he increased in size. Red eyes blinked at her with recognition for a brief moment before narrowing with intent. A hand pressed her face against his neck, his thumb moving over to open her mouth, getting her fangs to pierce the skin.

"Drink, Elskede!" The voice was 02. His body continued to buck under her, startling her over sensitive nerves to clench in a strong orgasm and her instinctive reaction to bite down, filling her mouth with blood.

Strange metallic flavours coated her tongue, the blood feeling too hot to swallow yet down it went, burning like whiskey. She tried to pull away only to be held down.

"More, you need to take more to let us take hold. He fears too much for you to deny this. Before he takes back control, hurry!"

Unsure if she could really fight against 02 held as she was, she drank more, the burn becoming less.

"Yes, thats it Elskede, only a few more gulps." 02's voice was oddly encouraging in her ear as he whispered, his face pressed along the back of her head. The wings flexed and circled around, cocooning them within the inky darkness. Finally his hand lifted from her and she pushed away from his neck.

"Abel!"

"He's here," a long taloned finger tapped at his temple. "this… this is how we make you ours.. this will keep you alive if he gets to you."

"What's going to happen to me?" Astha looked into the fierce face of 02, dusky skin and fanged maw. The red eyes lacked the intense predatory glare, the balefulness replaced with a cool acceptance.

"I tried to show him, but he woke too soon. You carry some of me, and if 01 tries to harm you he will be stopped by what you carry in your veins… while still viable for my needs."

Arms gripped her as 02 leaned in, his long tongue licking along her neck quickly, numbing it before piercing the skin. Astha thrashed initially causing more pain as he gripped her to stillness. She could hear the faint sucking sound, her heart beat rocketing as he fed.

His body jerked and he pulled his head back suddenly, lips colored with blood curved into a smile around the vicious fangs. His tongue flicked out to lick off of his face.

"It worked. The link is made, I knew you were a good match." 02 said quietly, a flex of his wings causing a shudder that shook both of them. Astha watched as Abel took back his consciousness, the entire cast of his face, familiar once again, if still in transformation.

Startlement, shock and horror flashed over his features as the skin went back to its pale color, eyes flickering back to blue and wings folding back to their place within.

"Astha!" Abel whispered her name in anguished horror. "What have I done?"

Golden eyes blinked slowly as she searched his glacier blue, "He… he said it will keep 01 fr-from harming me.. that it worked, that we are linked." She stammered, the adrenaline drop making her more aware of what just occurred.

She moved to pull away, feeling now the wetness pooling between their bodies, spent juices cooling.

"I… I need a shower, you do as well before we leave. Just, just give me a few minutes, Abel."

He nodded numbly, unable to hold her gaze as he helped her off the bed. "Of course."

He watched her gather her bag and disappear into the shower. Other than the blood on her neck and a few handprint bruises she seemed unharmed… tears burned his eyes as shame pelted him, that he let his desires get the better of them both.

In all the years he had harboured 02 within, never had he experienced that dream or known anything about this Elskede. It was from sometime before the entity had lost himself to rage… perhaps even the reason? How he wished he could talk to Lilith, to see if she could shed some light. But she seemed to have lost the ability to communicate with him, all he could get was her cooling trickle within his veins. Something had happened after the church in Krakow, 02 was stronger and more cognizant now.. Abel wasn't entirely sure how he felt about this change. It was no wonder Cain was lost to 01 if this was part of full fusion.

He picked up their belongings from around the room, making the bed and noticing the few droplets of blood that marred the linens. He would leave a few extra dollars for the damages…

Astha quickly washed off, the bite stinging slightly as the spray of water pounded her tender skin.

Did she feel different? Nanomachines that only the crusnik could handle were now in her body…

No… she didn't feel anything more than the sore muscles from before, her thighs and crotch being especially unused to the activities. Bruises were slowly fading on her skin, those mostly gained from struggling against 02.

Turning the water off and towelling dry, she looked into the vanity mirror, fogged up from the moisture.

The image of cool acceptance in those red eyes coming up as she carefully dried the newly healed skin of her bite. Remembering the taste of his blood, the burning sensation fresh in her mind. In her long life she had never taken blood, only the capsules… her hand shook a little as she wiped at the mirror.

A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Astha… I have the rest of your bags here, if you want to get dressed in there. We only have another 10 minutes till check out."

She looked at her reflection for a moment more. This wasn't Abel's choice… and it's done now. All we can do is go forward, and hope it does as 02 says.

"I'll be right out so you can wash up. Sorry I took so long." She stepped out into the room, her towel loosely wrapped around her.

He eyed her worriedly holding her bags in his hands.

"Hop in, I'll be ok." She gave him a slight smile, reaching out to take her stuff.

He nodded and quickly got himself into the shower.

Astha dressed carefully, her UV suit underneath the more sensible clothes she packed. Sturdy dark grey linen pants and a well fitted long sleeve shirt of a softer grey hid most of the suit, a silk scarf of royal blue covered her neck. As she repacked the nuns habit into her bag she stopped for a moment, her heart churning with emotions for Abel. The heady essence of love tangled in with anxiety, and admittedly fear for what was to come. Shaking her head she sat on the bed to put on her tall boots, waiting for something to feel different, wondering what being linked meant.

Abel quickly showered and dressed in a charcoal grey set of pants and long sleeve shirt edged with black. He hastily pulled his hair back into the ponytail tying it with a black ribbon. Looking into the mirror, red flickered in his blue irises.

"What did you do to her?"

What you wouldn't do, if we are taking him down we had to do this. If we fail she will still carry us.

"Not if you kill her first."

She is strong, a worthy mate, I have no want to kill her.

"What will happen if he gets a hold of her?"

If he tries to drink from her he will be electrocuted. Our nanomachines are still transmitting to me. We will always know where she is.

"Why hasn't it killed her yet?"

She is compatible, something in her genetics makes it work and we can bind to her without killing the virus needed for our fuel. She makes for a better host than you do.

"She never asked for this."

It's done, end of that argument. Your sense of morals have no use here.

"How are you able to talk to me now? Its always been just incoherent rage, hardly words."

Lilith opened the pathways in your mind, and it activated the rest of my sentience. I am now the dominant system, and We want 01 dead, his is unstable.

Abel grunted, straightening his shirt and let out an angry breath.

"It's My body dammit, not yours so stop taking it without the commands, it's worked one way for a long time and I need to have full control."

Then stop hesitating and use what we Are. You are a powerful weapon finally fully assembled. The wars were training… we can do so much more now that we are whole.

"We'll see."

He walked out into the room, stopping to kneel in front of Astha.

"How do you feel?" He asked softly, blue eyes gazing at her full of worry. She smiled slightly and raised a gloved hand to his face.

"So far I am fine."

He leaned into her hand for a moment, pressing a kiss to the middle of her palm.

"He says the nanomachines work as a locator for me to you. And if you are hurt it will send out an electric shock."

"Hmm well that isn't all that bad then, right?"

"N-no so far it's not that bad."

"Then let's be on our way… no use dwelling on it Abel."

He nodded and stood up, offering her his arm.

She quirked an eyebrow.

"We walked in here as members of the clergy… what are we walking out as?"

"Umm… very close companions?"

She smirked and took his arm.

"Perhaps a bit more than companions, given how much I like you with your clothes off."

He quickly looked at her, a blush on his cheeks.

"Ahem.. right… we need to stay clothed for at least a while yet."

She chuckled as they walked up to the checkout and finished their business at the desk.

After a few wrong turns they found themselves standing in front of an open barn door. Astha was still adamant that horses would get them to their destination better than on foot. A young man walked up to them from along the stalls. His clothing was sensible and well worn.

"Can I help you folks?"

"We were told your stable rents horses for people to use for backcountry trips? Are you still doing this?" Astha asked.

"Yes ma'am, though it's getting cold enough most people only do day trips. Where are you looking to go?"

Astha reaches into a large pocket on Abel's coat to pull out the map.

"We are researching some old ruins and this area here," she pointed at where they had marked Mittelwerk with an x.

"There are quite a few abandoned buildings all through that area, and some railroads from before Armageddon. I've ridden in that area and didn't find anything interesting… but it's been a bunch of years too. Either of you know how to ride?" He looked over them, assessing their appearance.

"I have extensive experience, and my partner is a quick learner." Astha pressed a handful of cash into the man's hand. "Good horses, something sensible and can move."

"Oh, uh… yes I have just the pair. Follow me."

Astha glanced back at Abel, who had an amused glint to his eyes.

"How can anyone say no to you?"

"My charm is being direct."

"That, that it is."

They shared a quick smile before catching up to the man.

Astha was given a tall bay mare, Trinity who was built strong and athletic. She was clearly bred for fast travel in the bush. Abel took a black gelding with a faded star on his forehead named Rutger. This horse wouldn't leave him alone as soon as they walked by his stall, he constantly nudged and bumped Abel with his head. The owner had said it was unusual for the horse and figured it must be a sign for a good match.

It didn't take long for them to head north west, following a trailhead the stable owner had suggested.

"Abel?" Astha asked after a while.

"Hmm?"

"Should you try to contact Caterina before we go further? What are we to do with the professor after we rescue him?"

"I can try before we are too far from town, might be enough signal. But you're right, a predetermined meeting place would be good."

He fumbled through the pockets of his coat until he found the communicator. Rutgar tossed his head and sidestepped as he felt his riders' attention drift, causing Abel to slide in the saddle.

"Hey! Not nice!"

Astha smirked to herself, watching him right himself again.

"They are not machines."

"Obviously." He adjusted his glasses and pulled the horse to a stop. "Hmm… there's some signal here, might as well try it."

"Iron Maiden, come in."

….

"Iron Maiden?"

Crackling and static echoed on the speaker.

"Sister Kate?"

"Ab… problems… line is…. breached… not safe." Click. The connection severed.

Abel looked at Astha, concern stark across his face.

"We need to get William, something has happened with AX."

Astha nodded, gathering her reins. "Your crash course on riding starts now."

"Wait! Hold your horses," he smirked at the irony. "Ahem… we need to know more about where we are going, all I see are trees and a neglected trail." He got out the map again, typed on his communicator a few times before tucking the map back in his pockets. His horse shuffled around but seemed content to let him work.

Astha raised an eyebrow. "The communicator has a locator program?"

"Uh, yes… I only remembered it now." He shrugged sheepishly and handed the device to Astha. "I still need both hands to stay on this beast, so you lead the way."

Astha flashed a feral grin, "keep up then." Whirling Trinity around and kicking her onto a fast pace down the trail.

Trees, large and ancient sped past them, the horses sure footedly carrying them over and around deadfall in the faint moonlight. It had been several hours since they left town. Abel barely had to guide Rutgar as he followed Trinity through the darkening woods. Occasionally a glow would luminate when Astha would check their location but otherwise no communication was done.

Abel had gotten used to the movements of the horse, finding the balance to move with instead of against. Rutgar responded with a smoother canter and trot depending on the terrain.

The world around them was silent except for the thuds of their horse's hooves and their laboured breathing.

Astha slowed to a walk as they entered a clearing that reflected a small stream in the moonlight.

"The horses need a rest, a few more hours and we should be right on top of the base, and speed won't help us there." Astha explained as she dismounted.

"A rest wouldn't hurt us either.. we need to eat." He groaned as he swung out of the saddle and stood on the ground.

She looked up at him, her golden eyes catching in the light.

"Do.. Do you need to feed again? Tomorrow we might find him, you need to be as ready as possible."

"No. I… took enough earlier." he looked away, uncomfortably fumbling with his reins. "I don't know what to do with his equipment."

"That's ok, I know how to settle the horses, how about you whip up something edible out of the packs from Seth." She reached over and gently lifted the reins out of his hand. When he glanced up, she smiled shyly. "I do feel a bit off balance too after what 02 did, but I don't hold you accountable for it. It wasn't your fault and you have never hid the dangers I was in."

A soft sigh escaped him and he tentatively lifted a hand to her face.

"Truly I can't fathom why you're so stubbornly dedicated… why me? I ask myself this often… but I am beyond grateful you keep choosing me at every opportunity, not many have done that. Thank you" He leaned forward and kissed her softly, reverently. Rutgar bobbed his nose in the air, rattling the reins in Astha's hand and interrupting their shared moment. It earned him an irritated glare from both the gold and blue eyes.

"Best we rest and eat now anyway." She smirked and lead the horse away after Abel retrieved the bag with the food and cooking supplies.

Meanwhile

William had had about enough of being a prisoner, but as of yet hadn't worked out an escape yet.

Cain still delivered his food and water regularly, bringing his endless chatter about Mars and how he remembered Abel when they were in training. The memories as he shared were fragmented, stopping almost mid sentence as he lost the remaining thought. When Cain was retelling a memory, William could easily see a young man who had been trained from birth to be a commander, fair but direct, easy to like and follow. His descriptions of Abel showed the bone deep anger Abel had of their creation and purpose.

When the Crusnik side of the man showed up, he was without empathy, cruel and self absorbed. The comments of various atrocities committed by either himself or the Orden were spoken with as much feeling as reading a menu. At these times William relied on his stanch Albion upbringing to remain unaffected and cooly polite until Cain would leave.

One conversation they shared shook William to the core, his understanding of Abel and his reasoning placed under a new light.

"Why do you lead the Orden?"

"They are just a pack of vicious dogs in need of a leader scarier than them. I must fit the bill, right? Haha!"

"But what is your goal? Surely you are trying to do more than anarchy."

"Burn the world, take it down in flames and rebuild it anew, obviously… have you not been paying attention to our talks, William?" Cain shook his head, before continuing. "Abel told me once when he was in lock up for attacking a guard, back when we were still teens that his greatest wish was to have them all burn. And I, being the stronger twin, I want to give him exactly what he asked for." Cain paused for a moment, "Really he shouldn't have been so mad at me last time… if I didn't know him so well, I would be awfully offended. But Abel always struck out first when surprised…Don't you hate it when people don't appreciate all the work you do to make them happy?"

"I am not sure what I do quite aligns with the enormity of your ah… task here."

"Of course not, you are sadly human and well... not getting any younger I'm afraid. I have eternity to fix the world to his liking."

"So… this is all for Abel?"

"Well of course professor! I am meant to have him with me, no one could decimate whole battalions like Abel. He was glorious in battle. If only you could have seen him! His huge black wings blocking the sun, his scythe reaping death as it should… it was like a symphony in motion.. But then She was corrupting him against me… Abel is my lieutenant! My twin. He gave me this very big goal and he needs to be with me to finish it. I killed Lilith when she tried to take him from me, using the church… your church in fact to try to convince him that humanity was worthy of us."

"So… then why did you shoot him in that lab?"

"He was just so angry! He was supposed to get up after a while… how was I to know he starved his Crusink to the point he wouldn't mend. And don't get me started on sweet Esther, I was a bit put off by her whole shot gun attack."

"Given your outlook, I can imagine your shock." William replied dryly.

Cain's face brightened, "but now with you here, he will come and then I'll make him stay. He will be with me one way or another and boy, then we will make the world burn."

"Why… why do you think he wants it to burn now?"

"Because it's Abel, he never wanted to be a part of this place, we are not human so that means no humans can be here and well we need the vampires for food so it works out."

"He can't change his mind? It has been 900 years according to you."

"Abel doesn't learn, you can't change the core of an apple."

"What about the crusnik?"

"He agrees with me. He wants 02 with us as well."

"Interesting."

"No, not really. Just simple really. Now I have to go, its back in the tub for me. Ta!" He quickly turned and left the cell.

William reflected on the revelations as he had not much else to do. It explained the poorly covered excuses whenever Abel got really melancholy, the drowning guilt and sadness that wafted from him whenever he let his guard down just a hair.

Did Abel know how twisted Cain was? That the motive behind it all was something Abel had said a long time ago? The split personality seemed to be on one side the remains of the man and the other was the crusnik's detached demeanour.

It had only been a week and a bit since his capture… it would be at least another before anyone would find him.