Ghian didn’t flinch at the touch of Lorcan’s talons, appearing singularly unimpressed. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to make a choice. You can’t play both sides of the fence forever.”
Layla sighed in exasperation. “Pull your pants back up, gentlemen. We have bigger problems.” She faced Lorcan. “We have the technology. I assume you want a piece of it?”
Lorcan reverted back to human form and nodded. “We do. What do you want for it?”
“We’ll give it to you in exchange for the identity of the sleeper agent that sent the holoprojector,” answered Layla.
“What?” said Ghian, outraged. “You can’t just—”
Layla put her hand on his arm and forged a shallow psychic link. “The former Herald was able to bypass the defenses on the Nexus protected archives, which is impossible with the near-AI constructs that she should have access to. That means either she has access to an AI of her own or there’s another AI insurgency underway. We have to know which, and this agent is the only witness.”
Ghian scowled. “You really think this is necessary? Who knows what they’ll do with it.”
“They’ll find out eventually, once we involve the humans. Nothing stays secret forever.”
She took her hand away from Ghian’s arm and faced Lorcan again. “Do we have an agreement?”
“We don’t know who the agent is,” said Lorcan. “His identity wasn’t recorded.”
“But we do have his location,” said William.
“Where?” asked Ghian.
“Sanctuary.”
CHAPTER 26
September 2142; Armistice Security European Headquarters, Sanctuary, French Alps; The next morning
“Ridiculous,” said Nick with disdain.
“That’s what they told us,” said Ghian. They were seated in the chairs next to the desk in the Garrison Commander’s office. Ghian had appropriated the room for this meeting, and turned off the security monitors.
“Then they’re lying,” said Nick. “Sanctuary is secure.”
“Come on, Nick,” said Ghian. “The city is probably riddled with Court agents, just hoping for a free ticket into the Armistice Zone.”
“And our communications grid is restricted to AI-assisted use for precisely that reason, to prevent anyone but Armistice citizens from accessing it!”
“The Archangel suspects that the former Herald might have had access to AI technology.”
Nick just stared at him for a few seconds. “That would be…very bad.”
“An understatement if I ever heard one,” said Ghian. “You see why this has to be handled quietly?”
Nick sighed. “Yes, of course.”
“Right, now we don’t want any official notice of your investigation, so Armistice Security is going to stay out of it other than offering logistical support to your activities. The Speaker for the Word will be your private liaison with the Archangel.”
Nick smothered his reflexive protest. That’s personal, and this is duty. “You want Rory on a security investigation?”
Ghian scowled at him. “Her choice, not mine. I think you both have ties to the Court that are too strong for you to be in on this, but Layla trusts you.” He stood from his chair and walked to the door. “In any case, I suggest you contact Speaker Sean and tell him the good news that you’re going to let him back into the city.” Then he unlocked the door and left without looking back.
CHAPTER 27
September 2142; Jumpvessel Singularity, Hephaestus Station, lunar orbit
Antonio wandered the halls of the starship, occasionally returning the greetings of the engineering staff running the refit of critical systems. It was mostly dealing with the minor wear and tear of almost a decade in continuous operation, so the maintenance work was proceeding well. The engine upgrades had already been completed, and the life support and biodiversity sections were next, followed by the structural integrity survey. They could be ready for the return flight as early as January. But will I be going? The question haunted him. Does the void still call to me, knowing that I have a real place here? He didn’t know the answer.
He wound up his tour on the bridge, sitting at his workstation in the center chair. He stared at the view of Earth on the viewscreen. Where is home, anyway?
“Deep thoughts?”
Antonio swiveled his head to look at Raf, standing at the access hatch. “Hey. What are you doing here?”
Raf dropped into the chair at the operations station. “The Guildmaster said you were making an inspection of the vessel, so I thought I would visit and see how you were doing.” He looked appreciatively at the gleaming metal of the bridge stations. “Very impressive ship, Tony.”
Antonio grinned, his earlier melancholy forgotten. “She’s my best girl. Would you like a tour?”
“Sure.”
Antonio walked him around the ship, pointing out the landmarks. Rafael proved to be completely knowledgeable about the ship specifications, and could appreciate the modifications they had made in-flight due to necessity and unforeseen circumstances. Finally, Antonio brought them back to his quarters.
Rafael gave the room a cursory glance, fairly bare since most of Antonio’s possessions had gone dirtside with him. Then he looked closer at the framed pictures on the wall of the main cabin, and studied the images. “Tony, you know I don’t judge you, but I’m seeing a certain theme here.” He pointed to the pictures one by one. “Graduation from the Academy. The day you made Captain. Pictures from Chiron. Why don’t you have anything of your family?”
Antonio swallowed. “These are for the crew.” He led Rafael back to his bedroom. “These are for me.”
Rafael stepped into the center of the room and turned in place, staring at the holograms that were embedded in the walls, spreading edge to edge across the entire visible surface. There were hundreds of them, all showing pictures of Antonio at various ages next to Layla, Nick, Rory, and Lorcan. Quite a number also showed pictures of Rafael and Jeremy.
The Nightwalker let his gaze return to rest on Antonio’s face. “Love what you’ve done with the place.”
Antonio said nothing, merely walked to the bed and hit a button on the nightstand. The entire four walls of images suddenly changed, revealing a completely different set of pictures. He laughed at Rafael’s expression of surprise. “Hey, nine years is a long time. I’d get bored of just one layout. I do a random sample from my archive every year on my birthday.” He looked around the room sadly. “Then I’d get drunk looking at them, and try to remember the good days.” He sighed. “So much wasted time.”
Rafael sat on the bed and looked up at Antonio. “Are you going to stop running?”
Antonio dropped into the desk chair and looked out the window at the stars. “Who says I’m running from anything?”
“Because it’s what you do.”
Antonio frowned. “If someone else had said that, he might be nursing a black eye right now.”
Rafael grinned. “Thanks, I feel special.” He sobered. “Seriously, Tony. You never stick around to solve your personal problems, just avoid them. Look at your job. You’re better at taking care of other people than of yourself.”
“Well, don’t sugarcoat it, Raf. Tell me how you really feel.”
Rafael said nothing, waiting with a pointed stare.
“I don’t know, okay? Singularity won’t be ready to travel until next year, so I have some time to think.”
Rafael nodded. “All right.” He leaned forward intently. “Have you spoken to Revenant yet?”
Antonio shivered. “No.”
“Why not?”
“I saw no need. He’s not my dad.”
“He’s a part of what your father was, and you have an opportunity there to learn more about him.”
Antonio growled low, his eyes shading to red-violet. “Drop it, Rafael.”
Rafael snorted. “And you think you haven’t stopped running?”
“Go to Hell.”
“Honestly, Tony
, if I were in your shoes, I’d jump at the chance to get to know someone I lost.”
“I didn’t lose anyone,” answered Antonio, his face flushed. He reached up and pulled the gold cross at his throat into view above his collar. “I never even knew him! All I have of my dad is this necklace and the memories the rest of you take for granted.” He stood and started to pace in the confined space to work out his agitation. “He had everything! Friends, love, support. No one ever made me feel safe, or welcome. Everyone wanted something from me, just because of who my parents were, and the fact that the White Wind decided to create me.”
“I never wanted anything from you,” Rafael said softly.
Antonio froze, and stared at him. “No, you didn’t. You’ve always been there for me. But not even you did it out of kindness. You needed sanctuary, and Mother gave it to you.”
“That’s true, but it’s only part of the story. You’re my friend, Tony. One of the best I ever had, next to your father. There’s no reason for you to be jealous of…” He trailed off, staring at Antonio.
Antonio swallowed, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. “What?”
“Your shields slipped while I was speaking, and I could see your emotions,” said Rafael, his words slow and deliberate. “You’re terrified. What’s wrong?”
Antonio turned away to face the window, trying to get his emotions under control. “Nothing. You read me wrong.” Great. That was convincing.
Rafael apparently didn’t buy it either. He got to his feet and stood behind Antonio. “Your heart is running like a racehorse, and your scent stinks of fear. What did I say?”
Antonio was grateful that the window was treated to eliminate reflections, because he certainly couldn’t face his friend right now. “It doesn’t matter.”
Rafael put his hands on Antonio’s shoulders, obviously intending it to be comforting, but Antonio’s tension skyrocketed at the light touch. “Tell me what’s in your head. I won’t judge, you know that.”
You will. You’ll hate me. Antonio hadn’t realized he’d said it out loud until Rafael squeezed painfully hard on his shoulder.
“Hate you? That’s crazy. For what? All I said was that your dad was my friend, and you didn’t have to be jealous—”
Antonio flinched, and Rafael let go of his arm. And just like that he realized it was over, that he’d given himself away. Rafael took a couple of steps backward as Antonio turned around.
The Nightwalker was staring at him in bewilderment. “You’re jealous? Of Toby? Why? He’s been dead for a century. What did he have that you want?”
“He had you,” said Antonio, almost inaudibly.
“You have me, Tony. I’ve always been there for you.”
Antonio forced himself to speak. “But you loved him.”
Rafael’s expression showed his confusion. “I love you, too.”
“But not the way you loved him.”
Rafael frowned. “I wanted him for my mate. Of course I don’t…”
Antonio looked over his mentor’s mental shields and watched the knowledge explode like a supernova.
Understanding bloomed in Rafael’s eyes, as he took another step backward. “No. No, that’s impossible.”
Antonio shook his head slightly, not breaking eye contact, his mouth dry and tasting of ashes. “It’s always been you, Rafael. No matter who came into my life, you were always first in my heart.”
Rafael sputtered. “You—you can’t be in love with me, Antonio. I’ve known you practically since you were born. Hell, I changed your diapers!”
Antonio took a step forward to touch the Nightwalker’s face, and his heart sank when Rafael shuffled backward out of reach. Antonio let his hand drop. “You were always there, always guarding my back, holding me up when the others just beat me down with their expectations. And the one time I truly needed your help to get away, you came through and forced Mother and Uncle Nicholas to back down. The others are family. I have to love them, but not you. You’ve always been different: my friend, my equal. You’ve met my stride since I could walk. How could I not love you?”
Rafael fell into the desk chair and laid his head in his hands. “This can’t be happening.”
Antonio sat down on the bed across from him. “I didn’t mean for you to find out this way. I planned out the perfect way to tell you a thousand times, but it never seemed right.”
Rafael sat up and let his hands fall into his lap. He faced Antonio with a resigned expression. “All this time, you’ve been trying to get me to fall out of love with Toby so I could fall in love with you.”
Antonio sighed. “That was the plan.” He smiled sadly. “Stupid, huh?”
Rafael shook his head. “Not stupid. Just unrealistic.” He reached out and took Antonio’s hands in his. “Antonio, what you’re describing is a crush. You’re not a teenager. You should know that real love can’t be orchestrated. It has to grow, and be nurtured by both sides until it bears fruit, or it isn’t really love at all.”
“I suppose,” said Antonio, his vision blurring. “Do you really think I’m that shallow?”
Rafael let go of his hands and wiped away Antonio’s tears with a gentle sweep of his thumb. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I love you.”
Rafael froze, and then pulled his hands back from Antonio’s face. “No, you don’t, Tony. Not the way you mean.”
“How do you know?” Antonio took a deep breath. “Maybe you’d believe me if you let me show you how I feel.”
Rafael raised an eyebrow. “You’re not asking me to sleep with you, I hope? Because that’s not going to happen.”
Antonio gave him a weak grin. “I’m not that easy, Raf. You have to at least buy me flowers first.” His gaze sharpened. “You could join me in a double bridge.”
Rafael blinked, then sat back in his chair. “Are you serious?”
Antonio watched him expectantly.
“Damn, you are. A double bridge isn’t something to enter into lightly. That level of truth can cement a relationship or tear it apart. Are you willing to take that risk?”
“What do I have to lose?” Antonio laughed harshly. “We aren’t ever going to be the same after this, anyway. Might as well go for the gold.”
Rafael was silent, considering it. Finally, he nodded. “All right, if it will put this to rest.” He frowned. “Have you even fed from the vein before?”
Antonio rolled his eyes. “I’m not a complete naïf. I’ve fed from others in Chiron colony and in flight between systems. I know how.”
“I’m not doubting you. But Layla was pretty clear with her instructions when you were growing up. You were going to be a new beginning for our people, so she didn’t want you to learn the old ways.”
“I had to grow up sometime.”
Rafael nodded. “Yes, you did.” He undid his top button and exposed his throat. “You can go first, just in case.”
“Show a little trust, why don’t you?” Antonio leaned forward, baring his fangs, and bit down into the flesh of the Nightwalker’s neck. Then he began to feed.
The bridge opened between them, and Antonio saw the memories that Rafael shared with him, spanning their entire friendship. In return, he offered his memories of the same events, along with the wonders he had seen in his travels.
Then he felt a surprisingly sharp pain in his own neck as Rafael began to feed. The blood magic doubled and redoubled, binding them together, mind and spirit. For a single timeless instant, they knew everything about each other, encompassing each of the nuances of love and trust they had shared in their lives.
And then it all went terribly wrong.
CHAPTER 28
September 2142; Sanctuary, French Alps
Nick was patiently working his way through the latest immigration reports when a soft knock at the door of his office interrupted his thoughts. “Enter.”
Rory opened the door and entered the office. Nick stared at him, then shut down his workstation.
“Let
’s get one thing straight. I don’t want you here,” said Nick sternly.
“And I don’t want you here either, Nicky,” said Rory, unperturbed. He dropped into one of the chairs next to the desk. “You should have stayed, so we could talk about our problems like adults and come to a resolution.”
Nick rolled his eyes. “You know I hate it when you call me ‘Nicky’.”
“You like it when you’re being punished.”
Nick sat in the chair opposite to Rory. “You’re not actually going to taunt me with our sex life, are you? I’m not ashamed of anything I’ve done with either of you.” He smirked. “Or both at once.”
Rory snorted. “Touché.”
Nick’s mood grew more somber. “I’m sorry. I should never have run out like that without an explanation.”
“I think it was pretty clear that you were angry.”
“But not at you.”
Rory studied his face for a few moments. “Are you going to explain that?”
Nick sighed. “Luscian is part of me, Rory. His knowledge, his strength, yes, but also his rage and hatred. Sometimes, I think I can almost hear his voice, the way he laughed as he bled me. You and Ruarc, you keep me grounded.”
Rory watched him appraisingly. “You have command hallucinations?”
Nick shook his head. “No, I’m always in control, and Jeremy assured me that there was no organic damage to my mind. The problem is more spiritual.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “The Crown of Souls was his for millennia. A mystical prison for the souls of his enemies. But it picked up traces from him, too. His voice haunts me, keeping his hooks in my subconscious. If I’m weak, then he might tempt me into doing something we would all regret.”
Rory nodded, apparently considering how this knowledge fitted in with his experience. “Who else knows?”
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