Bonding

When Breda awoke, he was back in the coffin from the night before last. It was extremely narrow inside and not nearly as comfortable as his roomy sarcophagus back home. There was no velvety lining, no cushions; he laid on bare wood. He wouldn't have been able to move even if his hands and feet hadn't been bound. At least Abronsius had decided to remove his condemned net.

Maybe a tribute to his superb cooperation the night before. Breda was still astonished as he thought back on how much fun the interrogation had been for him. Abronsius may have doubted the truth in his answers, but Breda had answered with all honesty. He had only kept his silence when it had come to the whole topic of destroying vampires. Most of the questions he had expected – they were based on legends and myths that were far spread at least in Transylvania.

One thing Breda would never be able to understand was the misbelief that vampires could change into animals. He could understand humans swearing to have seen vampires fly, becoming invisible, or transporting themselves into another spot. Vampires were superior to humans in many ways, therefore they could jump higher and move much faster. This could indeed look like a charm to some people.

Of course he hadn't told Abronsius all he knew. He had figured out the Professor quickly and knew now how to lure him; how to steer his interest to certain subjects. His un-life could depend on this – the longer he could keep Abronsius entertained; the more questions he still had, the longer he had to somehow escape. This thought brought him back into the present. Where was he?

Breda tried to concentrate on his surroundings. He found the first unfamiliar minds about 30 meters away. Directly around him sat a deep silence, aside from the typical sounds a running train made. He assumed his coffin was in the baggage car of a train to – wherever this train was heading to. But since it was still at full speed, despite the lateness of the hour, it was likely to drive all night. The old man surely was accommodated in a comfortable sleeper wagon.

Breda sighed. This would be another long night, while he could do nothing more than stare at the inside of this coffin lid. And there was nothing to distract him from the rising hunger he felt. He had been lucky that he had had the boy before he got captured. Otherwise it would have been much worse. But the injuries he had suffered – from the attack itself, the uncomfortable transport in the coffin, and, most of all, the silver cuffs – had consumed much of his energy for healing.

Well – he'd just try to sleep away most of the night. At least the train was running smoothly over the tracks, quite different from the coach two nights before. And so he closed his eyes and after some exercise, he fell asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Father?"

The voice ripped him out of his sleep and the wild dreams he had had. What was it again, Herbert? Could he never let him rest? It really didn't happen that often that he would lie down during the night for a bit. But whenever he did, he could be sure that Herbert would wake him sooner or later.

"Father!"

The voice sounded more urging now. Breda gave up to resist awakening. It was no good, after all. He knew Herbert would not cease to jar on his nerves until he would listen. He opened the eyes, a bit annoyed – and stared at the inside of a coffin lid.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Herbert felt his father slipping out of sleep very slowly and decided to call him again, to quicken the process. He could not help smiling when he felt his father's mild annoyance – he was still half asleep; disoriented. But only seconds later Herbert felt his father's confusion and surprise and knew he remembered his situation.

"Herbert?" came his question back and Herbert could tell that his father did not trust himself. Did he really hear his son, or was it just wishful thinking?

Herbert was still smiling. "Yes, Father, it's me. How are you?" he asked and was trying at the same time to find it out by himself, searching around a bit in his father's mind

A wave of relief swapped over via the connection. "I'm fine. How did you find – Herbert, stop!"

Herbert ceased his foray after being chided by his father, but he had learned enough to be a bit more reassured. He knew his father would always tell him he was alright, even when missing an arm. But an aimed look had told him that the Count was really physically well, considering the circumstances.

"Excuse me, but I wanted to know how you really are. Is the Professor near you?"

"No, I'm alone here, probably in a baggage car, bound up and closed into a coffin. Where are you?"

"Alfred and I are also in a baggage car, but apparently at the other end of the train. And we're not closed into our coffins."

"Alfred?"

"The young man you brought me."

Breda pondered – yes, the assistant of the Professor. Now that he thought about it, Abronsius had never mentioned his name before.

"How did you know what train I'd be in? I mean – even I don't know where I'm headed to."

"The train is going to Vienna. Alfred had guessed that his Professor would go there eventually to find a fellow scientist there who is also studying vampires. But he assumed the Professor would get this idea later and that we could catch him when he arrives in Vienna."

"Give this Alfred my gratitude and... Herbert?"

Breda felt Herbert's mind slip away and he felt lonely at once. A bit annoyed at his son's jumpiness, he sent his mind after him at once.

On the other side of the train, Herbert had jumped up and ran to the air slot of their wagon.

Alfred, who had been sitting puzzled beside the seemingly catatonic vampire, took a deep breath, relieved. "What was that?" he asked, while he was watching Herbert as he piled up things on the wagon wall to be able to peer through the slot.

"Father's on the train," Herbert explained shortly and continued piling random items upward. Finally, he could step on it and forced his head out of the slot. Damn it! This train was really long.

Alfred stood up and went to him.

"What do you mean, he is on the train? How do you know?"

"He's there, at the other end," Herbert said with a bit of desperation in his voice.

"All right, listen – I don't know what's happening right now, but you cannot possibly be planning to get from here to the other end of the train," Alfred said after daring a peek outside and slowly guessing Herbert's intentions.

"No, it is possible," Herbert disagreed, even if doubt was in his voice.

"Herbert, that's suicidal. Look at the distance from one wagon to the other. And we'd have to go through at least twelve wagons full of humans – if you didn't plan on crawling over the roofs, that is. How do you plan to help your father if the risk of failure is that high?"

Herbert didn't want to be reasoned with and shook off the hand that was lying on his shoulder. He'd find a way.

"Herbert."

Herbert sighed when this voice reached him. He knew that sound. Gently understanding and at the same time relentlessly commanding.

"Stay where you are. It's pointless to try it. I don't want something happening to you. You'll have enough time to find me in Vienna. Abronsius doesn't seem to want to destroy me right after arrival. Listen to this boy – he seems to be more reasonable than you."

Herbert decided to ignore this last jab and answered, "We'll arrive in Vienna midmorning and we'll not wake up until evening. Who knows where you'll be by then." Herbert tried to change his father's mind half-heartedly. He knew the count had already decided and his decision was law to him.

"You'll know where I'll be in Vienna – your mind will find me. Do you have accommodations in Vienna?"

"Robert has given me an address I can turn to. Someone who owes him a favor. He also paid for the passage to Vienna – I haven't much money with me; our departure was very sudden."

Breda was silent for a moment and Herbert received a whole gust of emotions. Apparently, his father was quite moved by Robert's generosity. Finally he said: "Well, if necessary, find a vampire named Tadeusz – everyone knows him, you'll find him easily. He'll help you as soon as you tell him your name."

"All right, I'll keep that in mind. But it won't be necessary, as we'll have freed you by tomorrow night."

Herbert felt a smile on his father's face when he sent his last message: "I don't doubt that." Then he felt his father's mind slip away.

Herbert knew better than to follow him again. It was unwritten law that the talk was finished when his father drew back. He always had to have the final say.

Herbert descended from his small pile and went to sit back on his coffin. Alfred sat down opposite and looked at him curiously. When Herbert didn't seem to want to explain, he asked:

"Was this... I mean... Did you talk to each other, you and your father? Professor Abronsius had mentioned a couple of times that this could be possible, talking to each other via thoughts. Telepathy, he called it." When the blank look had come back into Herbert's eyes and he had seemed distant, this idea had occurred to him. How else would Herbert know about his father being on the train?

Herbert pondered for a moment. "Yes, it is telepathy – we talk in thought, you could say. But it's not only speech, there is more to it. You always get the full package – you can also feel what the other one is feeling. Lying is almost impossible."

Alfred snapped on attention at once. "How does it work? Can you teach me?"

Herbert shook his head. "No, not now, not within the next few weeks. It's something – really personal, to let someone into your head. It's only my father I allow in, just as I am the only person my father grants access to his. He trusts me and knows that I won't abuse it."

Alfred pondered this and finally nodded. He understood it to be something very intimate and mutual. The idea of being able to read into Herbert's thoughts and emotions was quite appealing. But the thought that Herbert could, in this case, read his mind as well filled him with unease. He liked to keep his emotions and thoughts private – especially now that he had to organize them anew.

"So, your father is here on the train. That means the Professor's too. Obviously he came sooner to the conclusion that he needs to see Alibori than I thought." Alfred paid tribute to his old mentor. He wouldn't have given him credit for seeing his way so clearly.

"Apparently, yes. But that's good – so we can find and free father tomorrow."

"So you gave up on trying tonight?"

"Father prohibited it. Too risky. He was all on your side. Oh, he also said I should give you his gratitude, since Vienna was your idea."

An honest smile showed on Alfred's face. His lord has praised him. He closed his eyes happily and just enjoyed this feeling of elation, sweeping away indifference and hunger. At least for a moment.

Herbert couldn't believe how much beauty that smile added to Alfred's face. Impulsively, he took Alfred's hands in his. The young vampire opened his eyes again and the intense green almost blinded him.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are when you're smiling?" Herbert's voice was just a whisper.

This compliment warmed his heart too, but not as much as the praise of Herbert's father, as he had to acknowledge. He shook his head. "I never gave a thought to it, to tell the truth. Not even when I was still alive."

Herbert got the hint. "You mean, when you still cared? When it would have made you happy, or sad?"

Alfred looked at Herbert curiously. Could he read his thoughts after all, or why would he refer to his emotions? Herbert's next sentence seemed to ease his fears, though it said:

"Don't worry, I can't read your mind. But I have been a newly risen vampire myself once. It's hard, in the beginning, not to lose yourself."

"But it gets better?" Alfred couldn't prevent himself from hoping. He didn't want to talk with Herbert about this, for fear of being laughed at. But now the noble had broached the topic himself – and didn't seem to be too amused about it.

"With a bit of training. Love, hate, fear, lust, happiness, sadness, rage – you have to learn it all anew. Remember how you felt as a human and forget it the same moment. For you aren't a human anymore. But you don't have to be an emotionless shadow either. I'll help you, if you want me to."

Alfred nodded. That sounded like a long way to go, but he was determined to walk it. "Thank you," he said and pressed Herbert's hand softly.

The count's son smiled. "I can see already that you have much more emotion, even now, than most new vampires do. You seem to have a strong personality. I'm sure you'll learn fast, considering."

Alfred smiled back. Again, Herbert's privates responded to this smile. Was their last – and only – kiss really only two nights ago? Well, now that he had offered Alfred his aid, and since sexual feelings also belonged to the wide range of his emotions, he decided to start lessons right now – selfless as he was.

And so he got up and sat down promptly on Alfred's lap, who looked at him, confused. Herbert didn't give the younger vampire any time to ponder as he caught those gorgeous lips in a kiss.

After Alfred got over his confusion, he responded to Herbert's kiss. Cautious, a bit insecure, but quite sensually. It didn't take long for their tongues to find each other and ask for a dance. But just before they got really drawn into it, Herbert withdrew. Feeling triumph, he heard the soft growling from Alfred's gorge, which was a plain evidence of discontent. These animal sounds of vampires were intuitive in ninety percent of all cases and always with newborn vampires.

But even though he knew the answer already, he asked Alfred: "What did you feel right now? Draw a comparison – how would you have felt as a human and how do you feel now? Be honest with yourself."

Alfred pondered. It had been like their first kiss back in Herbert's sarcophagus on their first evening. He felt curious and it wasn't unpleasant for him. Was that an emotion? Slowly he tried to follow Herbert's instructions.

"As a human, I should have felt nauseated right now, for I have learned it that way. But – I can't say that I would have really felt nauseated – but I know I would have felt bad if I hadn't. Now it's not nasty and I don't feel bad about it."

"Do you care?"

Alfred sighed. "No – yes. I mean – I think I do care. It's – pleasant. It's interesting. But... I just can't tell if I like it, you know?" He looked helplessly at Herbert.

"That is yet to come. It's a good start," Herbert said and smiled. "What do you want to do now?"

Alfred didn't need to think about this long. Instead of an answer, he followed an impulse and closed the distance of his and Herbert's lips. He wanted to keep on kissing; he was certain about that. These were some of the only moments he felt real emotion. When Herbert responded at once, Alfred had to smile. He just found the answer to his question earlier – yes, he liked it. Herbert seemed to be a good teacher.

Herbert decided that it was the end of "lessons" for the day and attended to Alfred's lips and tongue completely. His arms were slung around Alfred's neck, while the younger vampire stroked his back a little awkwardly.

The longer the kiss lasted, the braver Alfred became. Herbert felt Alfred's fangs stretching – an infallible sign for arousal. Since Herbert wasn't prey, and Alfred shouldn't be angry at him, either, only sexual arousal was left – Herbert was happy. To say in the least.

Only to hiss a moment later, when Alfred's fang cut his lip open. Automatically he felt the wound with his fingers and looked at the blood interestedly.

Alfred yanked his head back in an upset and stammered: "Ex... excuse me. I didn't... want... I guess I have no feeling for my new teeth yet."

"Suck it," Herbert ordered, instead of chiding him.

"W...What?"

"Go on, before it closes."

Alfred hesitated for another moment before closing his mouth around Herbert's bottom lip and sucking softly at the wound. He could only suck out a few drops of blood from the small rupture, but they were as promising as anything he knew that far. Compared to this, the farmer's blood was tasteless. Alfred closed his eyes, enjoying every moment, and tried to memorize this taste. Something like a moon-lit lighting in the midst of deepest winter built before his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, Herbert looked back at him, knowingly.

"It tastes good, doesn't it? Vampire blood – better even than human blood. But very hard to get."

Alfred nodded. His instincts had already told him not to ask for more – that had been his first impulse. Herbert could have punished him for his mishap, instead he had allowed him to have what he assumed not many had gotten yet. He felt like he only could compensate with a similar offer.

"Do you want... I mean..." Alfred pointed at his own lips. Herbert seemed to have been waiting for this offer. He approached at once and bit his lip softly. It didn't really hurt. Cautiously, Herbert licked the blood drops away, while Alfred could feel the small wound closing already.

"Thank you," Herbert whispered into his ear, after he had abandoned his lips.

Alfred somehow knew that they had just made a pact that went much deeper than their bargain from the first night. Had it been expediency by Herbert to let him suck his blood? He felt much more linked to the Count's son as he could have ever imagined. But even if this was some kind of magic Alfred didn't know or even understand – he wasn't angry about it. For the first time since awaking as a vampire, he didn't feel lost anymore. Now he knew that he belonged to someone.

He belonged to Herbert.

TBC