(A/N: I apologize in advance. You'll see why.)

Into the Dawn - Chapter Six

The incessant ringing of his cellphone was what woke him the following morning.

Miles groaned and shifted a little, momentarily surprised to feel something solid beside him on the bed. He blinked his eyes open, and the first thing he saw was Phoenix, lying on his back with his arms up behind his head, staring blankly at the ceiling. He was clothed while Miles was not, and with a small smile, the prosecutor recalled falling asleep using his chest as a pillow the previous night. The sight of him like that was... in a way unnerving, but it was also a wonderful feeling to wake up beside him, not alone and wanting.

"Mind answering that or turning it off?"

Miles gasped when Phoenix suddenly spoke, having expected him to be out cold - he looked dead, after all. "I'm sorry..." he muttered, quickly moving off the bed and searching for his phone; it had apparently been knocked off the nightstand at some point. He found it lying just under the bed and snatched it, taking it across the room as he answered it without even checking the caller ID. "H-hello? This is-"

"There you are, Mr. Edgeworth! You usually answer faster than that!"

Ah, of course... "Good morning, Ms. Fey... I... apologize for the delay." He turned around as he pulled on his bathrobe, meeting Phoenix's stare and feeling his heart sink. He supposed he couldn't expect Phoenix to be able to rest and tune everything out while he was making so much noise, and his attention would surely be held by this conversation, of which he was sure the vampire could clearly hear the other end. "I'm afraid I still have no news to offer you."

"Yeah, I kinda' figured," came Maya's response, sounding a little down-trodden. "Actually, I... uh... wanted to talk to you about something... It's... it's not really something I wanna' think about, but... well... It might help us... um... rule out some possibilities."

Miles drew in his lower lip, not liking the sound of this one bit. "...Very well. Could you elaborate?"

There was a pause from the other line, and Maya sounded even more hesitant as she began to speak. "Uh... Well... I would rather... um... talk to you about it in person, if that's okay. I'm, uh... actually at Nick's office right now, and... I was wondering if... if maybe you could meet me here?"

Miles flinched, and he saw Phoenix raise himself up on an elbow, looking surprised and concerned. "O-oh... Ms. Fey, I'm terribly sorry, but... I am out of town for the weekend. On business. I'm afraid I can't meet you in person right now." A feeling of dread was beginning to nest in his stomach. She was probably about to tell him she'd just wait until he got back, and then she would have that glowing stone thing and be able to see that he was lying and then-

"Oh... Okay, then. Well, I guess I could tell you my idea over the phone, but I... sorta' don't want to try it while I'm by myself." The young woman's voice was starting to tremble, and Miles' imagination was running wild with possibilities of what crazy idea she had gotten into her head.

"...All right. What exactly did you have in mind?"

"I... I-I..." She hesitated again, and he could hear her swallowing down her emotions. "I-I want to try... channeling Nick..."

A ringing silence filled Miles' ears, and all the while, he was staring into slightly glassy blue eyes across the room. To think that Maya would suggest such a thing, that she would come to even consider the possibility that Phoenix had died, was unbelievable to him. The girl just... didn't seem the type to let her hopes sink so low.

Then again... she was growing up, was she not? That incident at the temple and what had resulted from it had surely taken a toll on her innocence, and now with Phoenix's long-term disappearance, he supposed he couldn't blame her for losing faith.

"Mr. Edgeworth? A-are you there? Say something."

Her voice drew him sharply back to attention and got him grasping for something to say. "I... see," was all that came out at first, and he frantically searched for more. "Ms. Fey, are you... certain such a thing would really give us any information? I'm afraid I have not been entirely convinced that-"

"Look, I know you don't really believe in my powers just because of what happened when you were a kid, but they're real and my mother wasn't a fraud!" Miles brought his hand to his heart, wincing yet again. He'd just been trying to find something to say, to sound normal and like he hadn't changed so much over the past six months. After all, the discovery of vampires had led him to the understanding that jsut because something hadn't been discovered or explained thus far, didn't mean it couldn't exist. He still believed there had to be a scientific explanation for all of it, but science just... hadn't gotten that far yet. Still, if he were to sudden believe in ghosts and spirit mediums, wouldn't she get suspicious and wonder what had brought on the change?

Well, maybe not. Maybe she'd just be less angry with him now.

"I... I apologize. I didn't mean to..."

"Sorry! It's just... I know what I'm talking about, Mr. Edgeworth, and I wish you'd give me a little credit. This is the one thing I can do to help, and so I... I want to try it. It might not tell us much, or it might... tell us everything..." The dread was apparent in her tone at the last few words, and Miles could somewhat understand why. "If... if Nick is alive, the channeling just won't work. We won't know where he is or what's happened to him, but we'll know he's not dead! But... if... if he is... Um... Well, if it does work, then... then we'll... know what happened..."

And what if he's somewhere in between...?

Miles let out a slow sigh, having to turn his back to Phoenix; he couldn't look at the other man while having this conversation. It was far too strange. "I... I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this, Ms. Fey. Could you... perhaps give me some time to consider it?"

"...Okay... Just... promise me you'll actually seriously think about it?" Her voice was pleading, and the guilt overwhelmed him. He couldn't deny her this one chance to *help*, but making such a promise would be another blatant lie. Perhaps he should just tell her they could go through with it. Surely, it would just fail and all would be as it was now.

...But what if something went terribly wrong...?

"I..." He swallowed, trying to make his voice sound a little less choked. "You have my word. I will consider this option seriously."

"Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth!" She sounded relieved and hopeful, making him feel worse. "It's really all I know to do at this point, and if it tells us ANYTHING at all, it'll be worth it!"

"I... agree." Boy, was he glad they were speaking over the phone and not face-to-face. Anyone could have picked up on how anxious he was. "Be safe in the meantime, Ms. Fey. You know what the city is like."

"I'll be fine! Have fun on your business thingy, and I'll see you when you get back! Bye!"

"Goodbye..." Miles drew the phone away from his ear, noting that she had hung up and simply dropping the device on the counter. He released another frustrated sigh and squeezed his temples between thumb and forefinger.

"How often does she call?"

Miles turned around to see that Phoenix was still awake and watching him. He could see a bit of blood starting to form in the undead man's pores, an unpleasant sight. "She... has been in contact with me a few times a month since your disappearance. Despite my assurance that I would contact her should I learn anything, she... continues to call."

Phoenix dropped onto his back once more, looking troubled. "...Poor Maya... I wish I could just tell her... I hate that she had to worry like that, and... I hate that you have to keep lying to her."

Miles slowly came back to the bed and crawled in beside his lover, lying down on his side. "Perhaps, when all this is done, you will be able to. In the meantime, I... am not sure how to proceed with this... plan of hers."

"I say just do it," Phoenix muttered, sounding quite tired. "I mean, I guess I'm sort of dead, but I'm still me. I'm not just a drifting spirit, or whatever happens when people really die. The channeling will fail and she can keep hoping."

Miles watched him for a time, then nodded in resignation. "Yes, you are probably right..."

A tiny smirk appeared on Phoenix's lips. "No, I am Wright. Probability isn't involved."

Miles huffed an exasperated sigh and lightly punched the other man's shoulder. "Oh, shut up and go back to sleep. You've got blood all over your face."

Phoenix's only response was a light chuckle, and then he stilled. His eyes turned forward again to fix on a point directly above him, and that was the end of their conversation. Miles waited a few seconds, then rose to go get a tissue, lightly dabbing at the blood to clean him off; he didn't really want to look at that ghastly sight all day.

Miles spent most of that day lying in bed next to Phoenix, for there wasn't much else he could be doing. He'd brought a case file and a book with him, but he could only keep himself occupied with those for so long. The rest of the time was spent watching television, though he had it muted out of courtesy for his lover. Twice, a knock at the door announced a food cart, and while he was hesitant to open that door while Phoenix was resting, he told himself that all the other vampires would be resting as well, and the person pushing the cart would most certainly be human. Besides, he needed to eat.

As it grew late, he decided it was probably time to start getting ready. He gathered the necessary hygiene products and entered the bathroom to shave and shower. Then, it was time to don the outfit he'd been given to wear for that night's event, and as he pulled on each piece, he kept thinking about how much of a field day the media would have if anyone saw him dressed like this and recognized him.

He had just finished applying the appropriate makeup when he heard Phoenix's voice again.

"God damn, you look sexy!"

Miles let the eyeliner pencil drop to the counter and turned around to glare slightly at the man now sitting on the edge of the bed, looking much more alert than he had that morning. Blue eyes raked over him, and he could see the hunger in them.

Miles was standing there in way too much leather for his taste: a sleeveless top with straps and belts down the front, tight pants with the same accessories, tall boots with a thick, half-inch heel, a choker ringed in metal spikes, and armbands from wrist to elbow with the same adornment. The look was complete with black eyeliner, black lipstick, and a white powder that made his face look a bit paler than it was. "Is the makeup really necessary?" he asked, trying for at least one compromise.

Phoenix stood up, smirking at him as he came forward. "It goes with the look. Besides, you're worried about being recognized, aren't you? The makeup will make that harder to do."

Miles sighed, turning back to stare at himself in the mirror. "I look like I am attending a Halloween party or a performance by... what's that group called again...? Charles Manson?"

Phoenix snorted. "I think it's Marilyn Manson - not quite the same as the serial killer. Anyway, that's the look we're going for. Trust me, you won't stand out." As he spoke, Phoenix was busy going through the small bag he'd brought, bringing out his own outfit. He always wore black now, but these garments appeared to be a bit... 'chainy-er'... "But hey, just trust me, you look damn fine."

Miles frowned, the compliment doing little to sooth his mood. "So, is this how you would prefer I dress?" he asked with a sneer.

"Oh, don't be like that!" Phoenix stopped what he was doing and came to him, wrapping his arms around the prosecutor's waist and pulling him into a tight embrace from behind; Miles could feel that he was a bit aroused. "I like your fancy clothes and refined look just fine. I've been attracted to you all this time, haven't I? It's just... seeing you like this... it's kind of exciting, because it's like you're really letting loose and actually showing yourself off."

"It isn't by choice..." Miles grumbled, staring down at himself - What is the point of all these straps!? Still, he had to admit... now that he was closer to Phoenix and trusted him, provoking this type of reaction from him at first glance was a bit satisfying. Maybe if he could just get passed how unrefined and strange he looked, this wouldn't be so bad for a one-time thing...

Phoenix pressed a kiss between the collar and the shoulder of his leather top. "Well, it's just for when you're at things like this, which might only be tonight. After that, I won't dress you ever again."

"Good..."

With a combination sigh and laugh, Phoenix released him and went to change. He wore a black, tight-fitting t-shirt, while his pants - covered in belts, straps, and chains - fit somewhat loosely. He was also wearing boots and a pair of fingerless gloves decorated with what looked like metal fangs.

When he was finished dressing, Miles looked him over. "I feel as though yours is less absurd," he observed, aware the words had come out as a jealous pout.

Phoenix snorted with laughter. "Miles, I'm a walking corpse with fangs. The clothing is just a formality at this point." He looked over at the clock on the nightstand, and then back to Miles. "Okay, we should get going, if you're ready. We stand around here much longer, I might end up ripping that stuff off you before it's served its purpose."

"I wouldn't complain..." Miles checked his reflection once more, sighed, and then went to join his lover at the door.

They were among the first to arrive in the ballroom, which looked more appropriately decorated than it had the previous night. Drapes of black and red covered the long tables, each sporting a large candelabra and torches in sconces. Paintings and tapestries covered the walls, all looking dark but - admittedly - classy. At the front of the room was a raised platform, upon which stood a table curved into a semicircle, opening to the rest of the room. He assumed that was where the important attendants would be sitting: the Council, most likely.

Phoenix chose a place near the dais and pulled out a chair for Miles, who gave him a strange look and then sat down. Immediately, Miles turned to watch other people walking in, noting that Phoenix had been correct: he most certain would not stand out. In fact, there were costumes much more elaborate than his. He even saw people he'd noticed the night before who had apparently dyed their hair and complete changed its style. It seemed some of them were pleased to have an excuse to dress like this.

"See, what'd I tell you?" Phoenix remarked, lightly squeezing his thigh beneath the tablecloth. "You fit right in."

Soon enough, people started coming in and heading up to the front table, and Miles narrowed his eyes when he saw their clothing. They were still dressed in mostly black and other dark colors, but their attire looked classy and stylish as well. It was formal, most sporting lace instead of leather. Miles turned to glare at Phoenix, opening his mouth to ask the question his lover quickly anticipated, resulting in him being cut off.

"They're the leaders, the Council," Phoenix explained, giving a wave of his hand to ward off Miles' indignation. "If you dressed like that, they'd think you were trying to make a statement, as would everyone else here. Seriously, I didn't think you'd be this upset about it."

Miles grimaced, then sighed, shaking his head. "I... I apologize. I suppose there are much worse things that could have been expected of me." He was in a room full of vampires, after all. Dressing him in tight leather was probably the least of the cruelties they could dream up. He felt Phoenix's hand go instead to his back, rubbing it a bit.

"It's just for a few hours. This'll be over before you know it, and then we can go home and you can cuddle with your doily."

"Cravat."

"Whatever."

"You're an idiot."

"I know." Phoenix leaned over, placing a quick kiss on his cheek, undoubtedly tasting some of the powder; it didn't seem to bother him.

The hall steadily filled with people and grew louder with the buzz of conversation. It didn't take long before they were joined by others at their table, and Miles was relieved when it was a human woman who sat beside him. Her outfit left much less to the imagination than his; there were even men showing significantly more skin than he was. The more people he saw, the better he felt about the outfit Phoenix had given him, though he still envied the Council members.

A loud clinking sound drew everyone's attention to the head table, where a tawny-skinned vampire woman stood, tapping a knife against a wine glass. She was in the center place at the table, with an equal number of people on either side of her, bringing Miles to the conclusion that she was the one in charge. The din died down and soon the room was mostly quiet, save for rustling and creaking chairs.

"Welcome and thank you all for coming," the woman began, her powerful voice ringing out over the entire hall, clear and concise even with the hint of what Miles guessed was an Eastern European accent. "I know it was a bit of a road trip for many of you, but the journey will be well worth the trouble, let me assure you." She looked around, and then set down the knife she'd been holding. "For the benefit of our human guests, I am Chief Councilor Anaija, highest authority here in the Western United States and leader of this region's Humanists. We welcome you just as warmly, and know that you are something special, taking this step to lead your species into a new age of understanding and cooperation. We all must strive for this, and tonight, we will all learn how it will be possible and how we might rid ourselves of those who would have us be enemies for eternity!"

A round of polite applause circulated, and Miles joined in for the sake of not drawing attention to himself. When the clapping subsided, Councilwoman Anaija continued.

"While tonight is about the future of both of our species, we also wish for all to enjoy themselves, to socialize and form new friendships to strengthen the bonds between us all. We will have food and drinks for our human guests, as well as music. Now, I must make a request of my kind here tonight: do not feed out in the open. We may soon be exposed to the world, integrated into society, and thus we must begin practicing behaviors that will be socially acceptable. We are all accustomed to indulging freely amongst our own, but we may no longer be solely amongst our own in a very short period of time. If that is the case, most humans are not going to take kindly to our habits."

A murmur went through the gathered crowd, the irritation and indignation clear even if Miles couldn't pick out the words; Phoenix wasn't saying anything, just watching the woman speaking.

"Now, hold on." She raised a hand to quiet everyone. "I would not ask you to abstain if there was not another way. We plan to reveal ourselves soon, do we not? Therefore, we need a way to assure the human masses that they are not in danger. Councilor Mason will explain further."

Anaija sat down, and to her right, the man that had paid Miles and Phoenix a visit a week prior stood. In his hand, he was holding a glass bottle that resembled those that normally contained juice or cream soda. The substance inside was the color of fresh blood.

"A team of researchers and scientists in Germany has been working on this for many years," Mason announced, holding the bottle up higher for all to see. "Within the last few months, they have finally perfected it. This, ladies and gentleman, is synthetic human blood."

Another murmur went around the room, louder and expressing confusion, intrigue, and disbelief.

"This formula is the key that will open the door to the rest of the world for our kind. If served at a temperature of ninety-eight point six degrees, it has the taste and consistency of human blood, while providing the nutrients we need to keep ourselves healthy and satisfied. This substance is in the process of being mass-produced and shipped all over the world, and with this readily available for purchase, humans need no longer fear becoming victim to a hungry vampire."

The excited muttering got a little louder, and Mason had to raise his voice to be heard. "This will be served here tonight so that all of you can see for yourselves!" As he spoke, several people came out carrying trays of bottles, placing one in front of each attending vampire. Many popped theirs open and poured some into the wine glass at their place, while other looked ready to simply drink straight from the bottle: Phoenix was one of the latter.

"To a brighter tomorrow!" Chief Councilor Anaija called out, holding up her own filled wine glass in a toast. The sound of clinking glasses scattered throughout the room, and Miles watched as Phoenix leaned over to share a toast with the nearest vampire, a heavily bearded man who had looked to have been turned in his mid-forties. Everyone at the head table was seated now, and conversation had resumed. Several more people appeared in the hall, carrying various trays of food and drink to pass around to each of the tables.

Miles watched with morbid curiosity as Phoenix brought the bottle of blood-red liquid to his lips to drink. After he did so, he sat there for a moment, looking thoughtful. He then turned to look at Miles. "Tastes like shit," he pronounced with a wry grin before tipping the bottle up for another drink.

Miles cocked his head. "Really? I thought it was supposed to taste like human blood."

Phoenix set his bottle down. "Yeah, in the way tofu bacon tastes like real bacon." Miles wasn't experienced with that particular analogy, but he got the point.

"So... do you intend to keep drinking it?" Miles looked around briefly, noting that others seemed to still be drinking the substance, though no one looked particularly pleased.

Phoenix nodded. "Yep. It's the way of tomorrow, remember?" That wry grin was still present, but when Miles gave him another quizzical look, he sighed. "Hey, if drinking this stuff in public is what it's going to take to get us out of hiding, I'll drink it. As long as I get to come home to you, I'll be just fine." He now wore an adoring smile, which brought a light blush to Miles' cheeks and made him turn his face away. This only made Phoenix chuckle at how bashful his human lover still was.

Farther down the table, one of the servers was pouring tea from a steaming kettle into a mug set before one of the other guests. Phoenix noticed and leaned over to signal her. "Hey, got another tea-drinker down here," he said, pointing to Miles. She nodded and came around to do the same for him. Miles felt a bit relieved, as he'd thought he would have been forced to drink wine. Perhaps it would have helped him relax a little, but he really did not wish to let his guard down here. Besides, the last time he'd drank, it had apparently made him irresistible, a quality he did not wish to possess in a room full of vampires drinking unsatisfactory blood substitute.

Food was soon brought around, though it was mostly what one would call 'refreshments,' not adequate for an actual meal. Miles accepted some cut vegetables, but nothing else, and sat munching while scanning the room. He soon became aware of the music that had begun to play, and nearby, he noticed a display screen on the wall that apparently displayed the information about the song currently playing.

"Title: "Deadlight"
Artist: Draconian
Album: A Rose for the Apocalypse (2011)"

Well, at least the record title has real words in it... What he was hearing was the sound of an electric guitar that sounded... dead, accompanied by vocals that sounded as though they could only come from the throat of some kind of angry demon. Then, this was joined by a rather pleasant female voice and haunting melody. The contrast created a discord within his brain and he had to stop listening to it, turning instead to watch Phoenix nurse his drink. "Is that getting any better?" he asked, unable to stop himself from smirking a little.

"Nope," Phoenix replied after another drink. "It's also losing heat, so that's awesome." The former attorney looked over at him. "How's your tea?"

"Passable," Miles replied, plucking up a baby carrot to nibble on.

Just then, a young serving girl approached them, giving a slight curtsy to Phoenix. "Master Wright, the Council wishes to speak with you," she said in a prim English accent. Apparently, Phoenix found this form of address just as strange as Miles did, for he hesitated before answering her.

"Uh... All right. Should I bring Miles?"

"No, sir," the girl answered. "They did not mention your companion. Only you."

Phoenix gave this some thought, then nodded and waved the girl away. He turned to Miles, who was giving him a worried look. "This probably won't take long. A few people have gone up there already and it's only taken a few minutes. Just sit tight and I'll be right back."

Miles was dubious, but reluctantly agreed with a nod, watching as Phoenix stood and left the table. Miles brought his mug to his lips, sipping lightly as he kept his gaze fixed on his lover, not wanting to lose sight of him. He felt more tense and anxious with every step Phoenix put between them, and with his free hand, he was gripping the edge of the table hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"You okay?" The scantly clad woman beside him was looking at him with mild concern. The seat beside her had become vacant as well, but she didn't seem bothered by it.

Miles looked over at her, forcing his face into the stoic mask he usually wore in public. "I am quite all right, but I appreciate your concern, miss."

She giggled at him. "Ooh, a fancy British gentleman, huh? Don't you guys usually say 'm'lady' instead?"

Over the years, Miles had grown used to people mocking his polite, formal manner of speaking, so he merely quirked a silver eyebrow at her and looked away to focus on Phoenix once more.

A few minutes later, Phoenix turned around to come back to the table, the chains on his pants jingling with each step he took. He slid back into his chair and immediately leaned over to kiss Miles full on the lips. "See. No big deal."

Miles let out a slow breath, trying to stop his racing heart. "Easy for you to say... What did they want?"

"Councilor Mason just wanted to introduce me to everyone, since I'm supposed to be one of the new spokesmen." Phoenix picked up his bottle and brought it to his lips as he continued. "They just asked me a few questions. Nothing ma-"

"Wait!" Miles nearly jumped out of his seat to grab the bottle in time, placing his fingers over the opening to prevent it from touching Phoenix's lips.

The former attorney paused, then turned to stare at him. "Uh... Something wrong?"

"Look at it." Miles took the bottle away and held it up so the light from the nearby torch glinted off the substance inside. "It doesn't look right..."

Phoenix continued to stare at him as if he was crazy for a few seconds, then that expression began to melt away into thoughtful concentration as he looked at the bottle. "Actually, yeah... You're right. Something's... off about it."

The two examined the bottle for a few seconds, and it soon came to Miles. "There are... flecks of something in it, something that is catching the light. It's... sparkling... Was it doing that before?"

Phoenix frowned. "Er... No, I don't think so. It just looked like regular blood."

From somewhere in the back of the room, a woman shrieked in abject horror.