Kevin went first, and then Henry, followed by Vicki and Coreen in rapid succession. Arthur Ramsey held open the door of the small wood-siding building, indicating with a wave that they should follow him through.

"What the hell, are we meeting her in a fucking potting shed?" Vicki whispered to Coreen.

"Vicki, if her hearing is as good as Henry's you do realize that she can probably hear you," Coreen whispered back.

"Yeah, yeah," Vicki mumbled but her attention was already focused on Henry. In front of her eyes, his carriage and gait had altered. Gone was the usual smooth, studied nonchalance, he looked every inch the stiff-legged, dangerous predator that he was. She reached out to him and laid a hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension of his muscles beneath the cool skin.

He did not turn as they entered the dimly lit space, but whispered only, "Remember your oath."

Fuck! Vicki thought.

A shadowed figure moved from behind the table that was at one end of the room and Henry stiffened and then became absolutely still.

Kevin spoke from off to one side. "As you have stipulated Adrienna, this is Henry Fitzroy, Resident of Vancouver."

Whatever Vicki had been expecting when Adrienna Morris stepped into view and settled into focus, it wasn't the short, rather stout, grey haired matron of perhaps sixty that she saw. Adrienna could be my fucking mother, Vicki thought. She heard Coreen's gasp of surprise from behind her.

Henry was struggling; the vampire that he saw before him was more powerful than he had imagined. Her scent called out to him to challenge or to submit. He saw her for who she was, a powerful and ancient being, who caused the very air around her to thrum with the resonances of the lives that she had lived and of the lives that she had taken. The vampire in Henry heard the siren call of an elder and he stumbled forward a pace, before the Prince regained a shred of control and composure.

The humans watched what appeared to be an aging woman in a sweatshirt and gardening smock, with a large smudge of dirt across her forehead, remove her gardening gloves and motion Henry forward.

He took a single step, no more, halting himself by force of will alone. Vicki could see the rigid set of his back.

Adrienna, on the other hand, smiled disarmingly. "You needn't be so tense, youngling. I mean no harm to you and yours."

Henry's hands clenched and unclenched and Vicki could see by the tic in his jaw that he was engaged in some internal battle.

"Henry Fitzroy, the Bastard Prince, is it not so?" Adrienna asked. She had not moved, but stood wiping her palms against the apron and then used the back of her hand to push back the flyaway ends of her hair from her forehead. This maneuver did nothing to alter the smudge that ran to her hairline.

"Madam," Henry managed, his head inclining the slightest amount. "You wished to meet with me. Was there something…"

"Oh yes, Your Grace, there is something."

The change in the atmosphere of the room was intense, every human in the group felt it. Coreen's arms came up to wrap around herself.

When Adrienna spoke next, to Henry's ears her voice took on the tone of compulsion. He felt her power, her voice became all and there was no choice but to obey. The vampire raged and howled silently inside, but as with all his kind, he had to answer the call of the ancient blood.

"Come here, Henry," she said simply, and he went. He felt himself cross the intervening space between them; he drew close.

Vicki made to follow but Kevin grasped her arm. She turned to him with a hiss but he only shook his head and said, "Remember your promise, Chosen."

Vicki watched closely. She could see the fine tremors that ran through Henry's body.

Adrienna leaned forward and raised a hand to run a fingertip along Henry's jaw softly; it was almost a caress.

"Tsk…I only wish to talk, Your Grace, with one of my own kind. Can you not indulge an old woman in her fancies?"

Henry realized that his fangs had fallen, and try as he might, he could not seem to retract them. Eventually, with his hands balled at his sides, he growled out, "I can…try, Madam."

Adrienna smiled sadly, "It is such a struggle is it not? I remember it well, the desire to rend and tear that proximity brings." She shook her head. "I can ease this for you for a time, you know, if you will let me?"

Henry drew in a deep breath; he knew what she offered and what she asked. His control was in tatters.

"You could just compel me," he admitted frankly. "You have more than enough power to…"

"I know that, Your Grace, and yet I think that you can hold your own," she replied, stepping closer still.

The vampires were face to face now, the straight and taller, beautiful young Lord and the shorter, aging matron, old enough to be his grandmother.

Henry bowed his head in submission and Vicki stifled a cry as she watched him angle it over, chin down to his chest, exposing the strong column of his throat to the other vampire.

With a gasp, Coreen grabbed Vicki's arm as Kevin bodily wrestled her back.

"Vicki, Vicki stop! Please!" Coreen begged. "You promised not to interfere. We both did; we have to trust him."

"If she fucking hurts him, I swear Coreen, I swear I'll…"

Henry felt the breath of the ancient one on his skin; she leaned against him and then sank her fangs into his flesh. Closing his eyes, he submitted in the way of his kind. He felt her draw his blood into her; he felt her draw him in. Her hands closed on his biceps, though he was scarcely aware. She came flowing across the blood that linked them. She brought him calm, long and careful thought and consideration. She brought him pain and a deep abiding joy. She brought him both cruelty and mercy. And she took; she took in return, his anger, his hurt and his guilt. She took from him the instinct that prodded him to kill her, dulling it, appeasing it. Then she withdrew, leaving him empty and bereft. He gazed into her black eyes that were the mirror of his own. He could feel the wet red trickle against his collarbone, and the breath he drew in brought him the scent of his own blood.

Adrienna ran her hands up and down his arms, as the Prince sagged against her.

"Your turn youngling," she said, and pushing up the sleeve of her sweatshirt to her elbow, she offered Henry her wrist.

"Drink, that we might for a while escape our instincts, and have the companionship of another."

Henry sank to his knees in front of her and lifted the inside of her wrist to his lips. She was cloaked in the shimmering, vibrating film of her power. He brought his lips to her flesh and glancing up, met the steady gaze of eyes as black and as inhuman as his own.

"Drink," she urged and as he felt the first power-laced drops of her blood flow across his tongue, he felt the residual turmoil of his instincts calm. It was as though, his body recognized her and he was released from the pressure of his territorial drive. He drew her into him, convulsively swallowing what she provided.

Enough Henry, he heard her voice in his mind. It is enough for this night.

He withdrew his fangs and gently laved the four tiny punctures that healed even as his tongue passed over them.

Henry remained on his knees looking up at the other vampire and Adrienna dropped him a small curtsey.

A frown crossed his brow.

"It feels strange, does it not?" she asked, "To be free, however briefly, of the drive that governs our existence?" She smiled as he nodded. "Rise then, Your Grace, and let us walk and talk while we may."

She turned away and as Henry made to follow her, Vicki tore away from Kevin's restraining hand. She bolted across the few feet between them and reached a hand out to Henry's shoulder. At her touch he turned, his eyes black and bottomless.

"You can't just go with her Henry, I don't know what she did but you can't just…"

Henry swept Vicki into his arms, crushing his lips against hers. His hands ran up and down her back then up again to tangle in her hair. He lifted her face to his, stretching out her throat. "Vicki," was all he said, the love and lust in his voice made all other words unnecessary.

Adrienna had turned back to him now. She said softly, "Ahhh, I take it this is your Chosen?"

Vicki's arms tightened around Henry protectively. He kissed along her jaw line and then tenderly kissed her lips once again. She could feel his joy played out in the attitude of his body. He breathed deeply of her scent, and still holding her gaze, said, "This is Victoria, my Chosen."

Vicki looked into Adrienna's face, the shining black eyes and the double fangs incongruous in the visage of a grandmother. Then she looked back at Henry; the vampire was in full view.

Vicki extended her hand, "Vicki Nelson," she said.

Henry shifted suddenly, his growl loud in the air, and Arthur Ramsey and Kevin started forward.

Adrienna smiled, "Calm yourself Henry. I won't…trespass."

To Vicki she said, "I'm sorry my dear, but it would be better for us all, if I don't attempt to touch you."

Vicki dropped her hand, "Sorry," she mumbled, "I guess I, I mean I didn't know."

Adrienna turned to Henry, "In the time that I have been here, she indicated her territory with a sweep of her arm, "I have taken two Chosen. I don't think that I can bear to do so again. The loss is too…great."

"Vicki is the only Chosen I have taken," Henry said. "She is..."

"All? Yes I know." Adrienna said. "Will you walk with me Prince?"

Henry set Vicki reluctantly aside; he squeezed her hand gently. "Wait for me my love, please. Not since I was made, have I been able to speak to another such as myself, unfettered. Will you allow me this?"

Vicki nodded slowly, the frown never leaving her face. "And you're sure Henry?" At his nod she continued "I'll just wait with Coreen then, shall I?" She didn't want to leave him but she could understand his excitement. He wanted to do this and that was all the reason that she needed.

Halfway back to the group of humans, she stopped, and turning back to Adrienna said, "But no more biting or blood drinking…right?"

The reverberating power in Adrienna's chuckle stopped her breath.

"No, not tonight, dear, not tonight."

Adrienna held out her hand to Henry and in a blur of motion, the vampires were gone.

"So now I guess we just…" Vicki began.

"Wait," Kevin finished, nodding.

Arthur spoke up; "There are some refreshments and more comfortable seating in the lounge up in the Teahouse, if you'll follow me."

As they started out of the building Coreen came up alongside Kevin.

"So about this Community…" she began.