Not for Lisbet, though. As she predicted, the family welcomed the childlike Aeternus with open arms. They didn’t care that she, or Antoinette for that matter, weren’t human anymore—they were family and it was all that mattered.
Sergei took training to a new level with the more talented students, now that he had a couple of real parahumans to help.
After a century locked in a dungeon, Lisbet blossomed in the freedom of the school and everyone instantly fell in love with her.
Antoinette began to realize her prejudices had been hers alone. Her father’s recovery was almost as miraculous as Lisbet’s. His shrunken frame filled out and his laughter resurfaced. He still had quiet moments, and they often talked of Viktor. While he still walked with the aid of a cane and the premature gray in his hair remained, the vitality Antoinette remembered had returned and he now appeared more his real age.
He’d also started to train students with Sergei. The two of them could often be seen with their heads together, coming up with new and wonderful training plans for torturing the students.
Lisbet and Papa also spent a lot of time together. He’d missed out on Antoinette’s childhood and Lisbet had missed out on a father. While he didn’t treat the tiny Aeternus as a child, every now and then it seemed they both liked to pretend. In a way it made Antoinette a little jealous that Lisbet had something that she could never give her father.
“Come on boy, let’s get out of here,” Antoinette said to Cerberus.
Antoinette wandered out of the training room and its cloud of human sweat and leather. Once those scents would’ve comforted her, but now she just found them cloying and overpowering. Pride had stopped her from calling Christian, but not only that. Her new body still baffled her and the beast still stirred, although she was getting better at facing it. She went through periods of grieving for the life she’d had before, and being here didn’t make that any easier. Antoinette swung between hating Christian for what he’d made her and missing him—his touch, his voice, and the way he made her feel.
“Antoinette,” one of the younger students ran up the hall after her. “There’s some guy from the Department here to see you.”
Her heart leapt. Christian…he had finally come for her. It was at that moment she realized she’d been waiting for him. “Where is he?”
“He’s talking to your father over behind the main hall,” the boy said.
She ran a few steps then stopped and paced back and forth. What if he was only here to see how her father was? Or Lisbet?
As she neared the hall she saw her father and Lisbet talking to someone hidden from her by the wall. Her father saw her approaching and smiled before he and Lisbet walked away in the other direction. Her heart picked up pace and she forced her steps to slow. Her head felt giddy, and her heart light. How she’d missed him.
Antoinette turned into the room. “You!”
Her stomach physically clenched with crushing disappointment and her heart almost tore in half. It wasn’t him.
“Good to see you too.” Oberon smiled and folded his large arms across his chest.
“Sorry,” she said. “I was expecting…” her voice trailed off. “Well, what are you doing here?”
“I’ve come to see you, see how you’re coping,” he said.
“I’m fine,” she lied.
He arched an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Yes, why wouldn’t I be? This is where my family is, they need me.” It sounded hollow even to her.
“Actually—I came to offer you a job, but it looks like I’ve wasted my time.” He started for the door.
“What kind of job?” It sounded far too eager.
She caught his knowing grin before he covered it quickly. “I’m putting together a new team.” He looked away. “After what happened with Lucian they want a specialist team to consult on high-profile parahuman crimes. Especially ones where there is suspicion of intergenus terrorism or political destabilization. Lucian’s crimes have people at the top running scared.”
“What section of the Department?” she asked.
“Actually we’ll be autonomous, answering only to a CHaPR Subcommittee. For now we’ll be based in New York, funded by CHaPR and the Academy—and part of the deal is becoming part of the teaching faculty, but that is only part-time. This way we can look for any gifted students to be trained as agents.”
“Why me?” she asked. “I’m sure there’s plenty more qualified than me.”
“Yes, a lot more, but I need someone I can trust. I’ve seen what you can do and what you’re capable of. Besides, now you’re no longer licensed with the Guild, it seems like such a waste of talent not to put it to use.”
“Oh!” She glanced over her shoulder—her father and Lisbet peered from inside the doorway to the kitchens, but when they saw her looking, they quickly ducked out of sight. “You heard about that did you?”
“You mean the fact that you jumped up in the middle of a Guild hearing and accused the High-Chancellor of covering up Lucian’s activities? Or the fact that you had your license revoked for punching out his bodyguards when you refused to leave.”
“I still can’t believe those bastards got away with it.” She looked up at him. “Has there been any sign of Dante?”
“No—if Lucian didn’t kill him then we’re pretty sure he died in the fire. Neither Christian nor I found him in any of the cells we cleared out. In all the confusion we may have missed some.”
Antoinette wasn’t so sure. She shivered, remembering the face by the ambulance.
“The Guild may think it’s gotten away with it, but why do you think I’m here? The Department can’t openly come out and accuse them, neither can CHaPR, but this way we can watch them by stealth. So what do you say? You interested or not?”
New York—and Christian. She glanced toward her father and Lisbet, who were spying again.
She shrugged. “Let me think it over and I’ll call you in a few days.”
“Don’t think too long—we have our first case and need you in New York before the week is out. I’ll explain more when you get there.” He pulled some papers from inside his jacket. “They’ve already approved your appointment, but you’ll need to fill in this paperwork.” Then he reached into his pocket. “And here’s your ID.”
“How do you know I’ll take the job?” she asked.
He looked at her for a long time before speaking. “You need the hunt—it’s who you are.”
“Because I’m Aeternus now?”
“No, you were a hunter long before that.”
After he’d gone Papa approached her. “So…what did he want?”
“He offered me a job,” she said.
“Are you going to take it?” Lisbet asked, her face lighting up.
“Why?” Antoinette said, a little hurt “Do you want to get rid of me?”
Lisbet’s face fell. “No, that’s not what I meant.”
Grigore put a comforting hand on Lisbet’s shoulder. “You know that’s not it. You’re not happy here. We’ve both seen you pace the room during the day and the far-off look you get in your eye. You need to hunt, it’s who you are.”
“Funny—Oberon just said that very thing just a moment ago,” Antoinette said. “Have you two been talking?”
He smiled and reached out to cup her chin. “He rang and asked if I thought you’d be interested in a job. I told him he’d have to come here in person and ask you himself.”
She dropped her face to look at her feet. “I wanted to take care of you.”
“I don’t need taking care of.” His mouth thinned and brows creased. “Besides, Katerina and Lisbet already fuss like a pair of old mother hens as it is and I’m getting stronger every day. I’m teaching with Sergei and I thought I would take a trip to visit with your brother and his wife in London—maybe for the birth of my first grandchild.”
Then the weight lifted. She hadn’t realized she’d been carrying the burden until he took it away. They were right—she needed to
hunt.
Antoinette hugged him close. “Thanks, Papa.”
Antoinette stood in front of Christian’s house, her stomach churned and her hands shook as she clutched Cerberus’s lead. She lifted her fist to the door and dropped it again.
Will he see me or will he send me away?
She raised her hand again, but before her knuckles made contact with the solid oak the door opened.
“Hello, miss,” Kavindish said in his usual stiff manner.
“Hi.” Antoinette peered over his shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of Christian, her breath gone.
Then he appeared behind the butler, his expression unreadable.
She breathed again. He’s home. “Do you think he’ll let me stay?” she asked Kavindish, but not taking her eyes off him.
Christian closed his eyes and turned away. Her heart fell.
“How is your family?” he asked after what seemed like an eternity.
“Healthy and happy,” she said. “With or without me.”
“And have you found out who you are yet?” She’d forgotten the effect his voice had on her.
“Not yet, I was hoping you could help me with that.”
Christian lifted his eyes to hers—speaking a thousand words with that one look. Then he stepped forward and gathered her in his arms, his lips meeting hers half a breath later.
After a moment Christian broke off and smiled. Antoinette laughed through her tears and glanced at Kavindish. For the first time since she’d known him his stoic expression split into a huge grin.
“I don’t think he’ll let you leave,” the butler said as he picked up her bags. “Welcome home, mistress. We’ve missed you.”
Glossary of Terms
Abomination: A child who is born to a woman embraced late in her pregnancy. Unlike a child born to Aeternus parents, who will awaken after twenty-five years, an abomination will awaken after its first year, appearing to age only one year for every fifteen that pass. Most do not reach the age of one.
Aeternus: A race of vampiric people who must ingest human blood to live, although not the living dead of legend. They have created a symbiotic existence with the humans that feed them. Aeternus are either born of Aeternus parents or created when a human is embraced (see embrace below). Those born to Aeternus parents live as humans until their twenty-fifth year, when they may or may not awaken to become an Aeternus. Those who do not awaken are known as Latents.
Animalians: Animalians are intrinsically part man and part animal, differing from Shape-shifters. There are three main genera in the family Animalians: The ursians—man-bears; the felian—man-cats; and the canians—man-canines. Each genus is made up of several subgenera; i.e., the felians include tiger, panther, lion, cougar, etc. There is much infighting between the genera. Humans cannot be turned into an Animalian—they must be born. But it is possible for a human to mate with an Animalian whereby the child has a fifty-fifty chance of awakening to their Animalian heritage. It is the same between the genera—the child of two different genera will not know its genus until it awakens.
Awaken: A parahuman coming of age resulting in the activation of parahuman abilities. This occurs at different ages depending on the race.
Blood-sucker: Term usually used for a dreniac, but can be used as an insult to an Aeternus.
Blood-thrall: An extreme state of sexual arousal. In humans it’s brought on by a small amount of Aeternus blood entering the bloodstream either by direct entry through a vein or cut, or a few drops into an eye. Latents are more susceptible to its influence. If a human is in the throes of Blood-thrall the Aeternus responsible may also succumb to the effects. Once a certain point in the Aeternus’s arousal is reached, they must see it through to the conclusion.
Dark Sleep: A long dreamless state that can last up to one hundred years. An Aeternus can slip into a dark sleep if feeding and resting cease for a period of more than a week. Only time and copious amounts of blood can wake the Dark Sleeper.
Death-high: The state of intoxication a Necrodreniac enters when they have drained a human to the last drop.
Donor: A human who voluntarily donates blood through a Donor Agency to feed the Aeternus. A blood donation can be collected and bottled, or a live donation can be given with the Aeternus feeding directly from a donor vein. Donors are regarded highly, unlike fang-whores who are indiscriminate and little more than prostitutes.
Dreniac: See Necrodrenia.
Elder: The oldest and wisest of the parahumans. The Aeternus Council of Elders makes decisions regarding the Aeternus within the edicts of CHaPR. Positions are honorary, as the council’s authority was superseded with the formation of the CHaPR. The majority of the Council of Elders now serve CHaPR.
Embrace: To change a human into an Aeternus or Necrodreniac through the eternal-kiss. A dangerous process often resulting in the death of the recipient human, with only one in ten embraced humans achieving successful transition. A human embraced by a Necrodreniac will become a Necrodreniac, complete with an addiction to death-highs. It is rare for a Necrodreniacs to exert the self-control necessary to embrace humans. Humans who’ve survived the eternal-kiss are known as the embraced.
Eternal-kiss: A mix of Aeternus or Necrodreniac blood and saliva transferred from the mouth of the embracer to the mouth of the embraced. For an Aeternus to administer the eternal-kiss, permission must be given by the recipient, unless it is a life and death situation. Necrodreniac’s usually don’t ask—they just take.
Fang-mistress: A human kept in luxury by an Aeternus in return for exclusive feeding and often a sexual relationship.
Fang-virgin: A human who has never allowed an Aeternus to feed from his or her vein.
Fang-whore: A derogatory term for those who sell themselves indiscriminately to any Aeternus for blood, and usually sex, in exchange for money and/or blood for Spiking.
Glarachni: An ancient race made up of several clans that crash landed on earth thousands of years earlier. They adapted to their new surrounds by transmuting their DNA and mingling it with elements from their new planet. Each clan transformed into a different parahuman race according to the areas they chose to live in. Aeternus’s closest ancient forbear.
Latent: One born to parahuman parents who does not awaken in the designated year for their genus, instead continuing to live as a human. Latent blood can be passed through generations.
Mer-people: A little-known race of parahumans who live beneath the sea. They have been known to mate with humans, however this is rare and the hybrid offspring seldom survive.
Necrodrenia: A disease that develops when an Aeternus completely drains a human while feeding, resulting in a death-high. Addiction is certain and immediate. Death is the only cure. When an Aeternus is in the grip of Necrodrenia they are known as a Necrodreniac or dreniac.
Orb or Orbing: A crystal orb used by a witch to capture images from a subject as they tell a story. Commonly used to reenact crime scenes, but because of the subjectivity of the witness or suspect, the evidence is not admissible in court. However, it can supply valuable insight into the crime which may give investigators leads to pursue.
Parahumans: Alternate humans including the Aeternus, Animalians, Shape-shifters, magic-wielders and Mer-people. All begin life as human and change to parahuman in different ways depending on their genus and race.
Shape-shifter or Shifter: Shape-shifters, or shifters as they are often referred to, have the ability to bend their form to mimic other shapes through the use of magic. Once changed they retain their own consciousness; however, they can take on some of the characteristics of their changed form, such as flight when shifting into the form of a bird. Shifters do not become the animal they mimic unlike Animalians who are part human and part animal.
Spiking: A human practice of mixing a couple of drops of Aeternus blood with a diluted Amphetamine mix then injected intravenously. This increases the effect of the narcotic and spikes an extreme sexual high. Highly addictive and illegal, users eventually destroy
their body’s ability to produce white blood cells, resulting in death. A human that spikes is known as a spiker.
Thaumaturgist (magic-wielders): Races that practice thaumaturgy to bend and use life and death energy, e.g., witches, druids, shamans, etc. Each race uses magic in a unique manner and for their own aims; for example, light witches who use life energy for the benefit of the others, and dark witches who use death energy for self-gain and chaos.
Thaumaturgy: The art of invoking supernatural powers, i.e., magic, which is the created from life or death energy.
Troubles, The: Europe in the early nineties saw unrest among the Aeternus community, which almost caused a split in CHaPR. Assassinations were rife and Necrodrenia was on the rise through deliberate infection, causing major friction with humans. These events seemed to cease after the death of Dante Rubins—who was much later named as the supposed instigator although there was never any proof. The reasons behind The Troubles were never identified and seemed to die with Dante.
Venator: A type of bounty hunter who collects bounties for the capture or destruction of parahuman outlaws. Traditionally human, but in recent years, parahumans have joined the ranks. Each Venator must be trained, licensed and registered with the Guild before they are permitted to hunt. A Venator gains a license by attending The Guild Academy in their final year of training and passing a set of rigorous exams. Venators may specialize in various fields including Necrodreniac destruction, hunting of dark magic-wielders, or tracking down rogue Animalians.
Government and Organizations
Academy of Parahuman Studies: A tertiary institution of parahuman studies for both humans and parahumans alike. All potential Venators must spend three years at the Academy learning their craft and preparing for the final exams—a set of grueling mental and physical tests to determine a candidate’s suitability to becoming a licensed Venator and what specialization they will undertake: Necrodreniacs, Rogue Animalians, or Dark Thaumaturgists. Other courses are offered such as parahuman law, corporate thaumaturgy, parahuman forensics to name a few.
Night's Cold Kiss Page 32