There was no moon on the night of July 12, 1999.?

Dannika woke at least 45 minutes before her normal waking time.? The sun was just slipping beyond the horizon when she opened her eyes in the dim light of the rented cottage in the Kentish countryside. Her dreams had been disturbing, as well - full of violence and bloodshed and terror. She was hit with an overwhelming hunger, a thirst for blood so strong that she nearly cried out with sheer desire.? She turned onto her side, peering across her pillow at the sleeping face of her childe...and all she could think was how he was nothing more than a bag of blood, ripe for the slaying.

"Jesus Christ," she said and skittered backwards off the bed, crab-crawling until her back was firmly pressed against the doors to their bedroom.? "What the hell is happening?"? Her voice rang hollow in the silence of the room and she had to force her eyes closed and exert her will to keep from staring at Luc hungrily.

Luc's eyes shot open and he sat up abruptly.? "Mon dieu," he said, falling back on his native French, as he still did in times of surprise.? He had been dreaming of blood and war, and voices crying out.? And he was hungry, hungrier than he'd been in a long time.? Danni wasn't next to him.? He looked around and saw her by the doors, eyes closed and concentrating.? "Danni?"

She raised a single hand and held it out, her palm facing him.? "Shhh, Luc.? It's...the Beast.? I'm so hungry."? A panicked note entered her voice and she opened her eyes to look at him.? "I dreamt...such horrible things," she whispered.? "Do you feel it, too?"

He nodded.? "Blood, and death...and Hunger.? It's strong.? What's going on?"? Though he had been seeking knowledge for more than two hundred years now, there were still many things that he knew nothing about, and this seemed to be one of them.

"An Old One is awake, Luc.? One of the ancient Ravnos."? She slowly, shakily stood, reaching out a hand to steady herself against the wall, while the other hand scrubbed down her face.? "Maybe more than one," she said softly.

"A Methuselah," he said softly.? "Records say that they can no longer survive on the blood of mortals.? That they have to have the vitae of other Kindred to fuel their ancient bodies."? He thought about it for a moment, putting pieces together rapidly.? "So an Ancient, or more than one, has risen, and is killing the childer.? We're feeling their Hunger, and the deaths of their victims."

She cocked her head to the side, startled out of the hunger she felt by this beautiful and clever fount of wisdom that had sprung up in her childe's place.? "Well, I see that you no longer have need of me," she said teasingly...and then was speared by another stab of hunger so sharp that it brought her to her knees with a savage moan.

He was struck by the same blow, though perhaps less strongly than her, for his blood was not so close to the Ancient's.? He clenched his teeth and gritted out.? "We must feed before we lose control and attack each other."

She nodded and climbed shakily to her feet once more.? "Dress quickly."? Then she turned, grabbed last night's clothes and fled the room.

He gathered up his clothes and quickly threw them on, then went to the door, gathering his will and forcing the intrusive hunger further from the surface.? "Danni?" he called out, before opening the door.

"Yeah," she called back as she slipped into her jeans and sweatshirt.? "It's okay, Luc.? But...I don't know how long I can control it."

He opened the door and looked at her with concern.? It seemed to be affecting her much more strongly than him.? "Fight it, love.? You're stronger than the Hunger."? He went to the front door and opened it, glancing quickly around to make sure there was no one nearby.

"Into the village or take our chances with walkers?" she asked once they'd stepped outside.? The moonless night was clear, the English skies above a sheet of black velvet with a spill of diamonds across it.? In any other circumstances, she would have been perfectly happy to stand and stare up at the beauty...but not tonight.

"The village," he said immediately.? "We can't afford the chance of coming up empty."? They had been here in Kent long enough to know the village and surrounding areas well, and had not had any trouble finding kine to feed on.

She nodded and took off at a sprint, her pace bringing her quickly to the village's outer houses.? She picked a home she'd scouted before - one with a large family living in it.? Using a tiny bit of her vitae, she faded slowly from view and slipped inside the house.? Moving quietly, unseen by anyone living inside, she picked them off one by one, draining them by half and sating the hunger of the Methuselahs before she slipped back outside and sprinted to the meeting place she and Luc had arranged months ago after they first arrived in Kent.

Luc chose a slightly different tactic.? He drew upon his blood to confuse the mortal's senses into believing he was just another villager.? Then he made his way to the local pub and took a seat in a shadowed corner.? He chose his first target, and, with his hand hidden under the table, made a mystic pass.? Through the power of Thaumaturgy, his victim's blood was instantaneously transported into Luc's body as though he'd just drunk of the man.? Luc repeated the transfer several more times with other pub-goers, careful not to take too much from any one.? His victims were always men and women who were already drunk, and would attribute any dizziness or weakness to being deep in their cups.? When the foreign hunger that burned inside him was driven off, he slipped out of the pub and went quickly to meet Danni at their chosen spot.

Dannika was sitting on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the village's central square when Luc arrived.? The incredible thirst she'd felt upon waking had at last been sated and now, she was taking a moment to think things through.? A Ravnos Methuselah, a Kindred that was of the same generation as her but easily five or even six times older, had awoken from its millennium-long torpor...and was f*cking hungry.? That explained her own hunger, and Luc's, too.? It also explained the horrible dreams - Methuselahs could no longer find satisfaction in the blood of mortals; they had to consume other Kindred. A frown pulled the corners of her mouth down as she wracked her memories.? Were there any reports of Methuselahs anywhere in the UK?? She didn't think so; she and Luc should be safe...at least for the time being.? Maybe a phone call to Beatrice in Montreal was in order.

Luc found Danni sitting at the fountain and walked over to sit beside her.? She looked much more relaxed now than when they'd woken, but the frown on her face suggested she was thinking something worrisome.? He was pretty sure he knew what, too.? "You're worried about the ancients rising," he said softly.? "They would love to get their hands on our blood."?

She nodded.? "Yeah.? I was trying to remember if I'd ever heard stories about one being here, in England, or somewhere near.? I don't think there is, but I can't be sure."? She reached for his hand, needing the contact of his skin against hers.? "What about you?? Are you okay?"

He took her hand and squeezed it gratefully, needing the contact just as much she did.? It had been almost two and a quarter centuries since they'd met and she'd Embraced him, yet his love for her was still a fierce and passionate thing.? Some Kindred bemoaned the loss of their chance for human love, but Dannika and Luc had shown each other that Cainite love was not only just as strong, but far more enduring.? Three human lifetimes they'd been together already, with no loss of the fiery passion and deep respect they felt for each other.? He leaned in and kissed her lips gently, then nodded.? "Yes, I'm fine now."? He chuckled, "There are several drunks in the pub who're finding the drink hit them much harder tonight, though."

She eagerly returned his kiss and grinned at his technique for feeding.? "I just bullied my way into a house and supped from a rather large Irish family."? She took a deep breath and shifted a bit on the edge of the fountain, turning to face him.? "Should we call Bea?? Should we continue the hunt for the Grondr?"

"I don't know.? If the Ancients are awakening, something bad is going on.? It takes an awful lot to stir then from their slumber.? Do you think there's much chance they'll come this way?"

She shrugged a little and shook her head.? "I honestly don't know.? I suppose it depends on where they are when they awake.? If it's on the continent, in Eastern Europe or even India, there are lots and lots of Ravnos between them and us.? They may eventually come this way, but it'll take a while."

He nodded, thinking.? "Do you think you'll feel if they're coming closer?"

"Oh, yes.? I'll know."

"Then I think we should continue our search," he said, "but maybe we should call Bea anyway, and see if she's heard anything about what's going on."

"Good idea."? She stood and turned to face the direction in which their cottage lay. The walk back was quiet, peaceful...if one could ignore the occasional flash of irrational rage and stabbing pain as more and more of their Clan lost their lives to feed the hunger of creatures so ancient they had long since ceased sharing any sort of commonality with the humans they resembled.

Their phone call to Beatrice didn't answer many of their questions.? She knew that something was happening in India - Bangladesh, to be precise - but she had no clearer details.? Bea promised to keep in contact with them if she discovered anything more worthwhile and they made the same promise to her.

He moved up close to her, smiling, and rested his hands on her shoulders.? "I wish I'd seen it.? I didn't even think of it, that the sun hadn't set yet.? Too much going on."

She turned her head a bit, rubbing her cheek along his hand.? "Tomorrow...maybe," she said with a lightning-fast flash of a sad smile.? "What did Madame L'Angou have to say for herself?"? She kissed his knuckle and went to sit on the edge of their bed once more, continuing their packing as they talked.

"The news scared her, I could hear it in her voice.? You know the Sabbat have always been working to stop the Antediluvians from rising.? To hear that one is awake already...it shook her.? She warned us to be very careful."

Danni nodded, a fond smile at Bea's warning.? "You promised her we would be?? Did you tell her of our plans?"

He nodded.? "I did promise.? I told her we were going to head to the States.? She asked us to come see her if we could."

"We should.? It has been..."? She trailed off and stiffened as another, louder summons rang through her mind.? "Oh, sh*t," she cursed softly, though vehemently, and closed her eyes, trying to fight off the voice's call.

This time, Luc felt it too.? A seductive call, drawing him to come and join with the Founder.? He took an involuntary step towards the door before his will reasserted itself and returned control of his body to him.? "Mon dieu.? I felt it, too, that time."

Taking a deep breath she no longer needed, she squared her shoulders and finished packing their things.? "Where shall we go?? Denver?? Calgary?? We should book our flight as soon as possible."

"Oh...Calgary, then."? He smiled.? "I would not be adverse to seeing Bea again."

She gave him a raised-brow sort of look and a slightly wry smile.? "Why am I not surprised to hear this?? Make the arrangements then, with a stop-over in Montreal."

"Oh hush," he said, sticking his tongue out playfully at her.? "You know you'll enjoy it, too."

"You have found me out.? It's true.? I do miss her."

"As do I."? He picked up the phone again and called Stansted airport, since it was much close than going all the way to Heathrow in London.? He spoke to an agent for a few moments, then covered the phone and looked at Danni, frowning.? "There are no open flights out of Stansted until tomorrow.? Do we wait, or head to Heathrow?"

"Tomorrow is fine.? London..." she shivered and trailed off.? He knew her feelings about the city; even after her escape, some 300 years earlier, she hadn't stepped foot in the city again, not wanting to dredge up the horrible, lingering memories of both her life and the first 80 years of her undeath.

He nodded in understanding, and turned back to the phone, confirming a booking for the next evening.? He put the phone away and walked over to her, hugging her again.? "Sorry for bringing up bad memories, love."

She kissed him softly.? "Not your fault.? This whole night...hell, the past two weeks have been awful.? The future is uncertain, too."? She hugged him suddenly, fiercely holding him tight.? She was afraid for possibly the first time since her Embrace; afraid for herself, but more than that, afraid for Luc.

He reached up to stroke her long ink-black hair.? "Don't be scared.? You and I together, we can handle anything.? We'll find a way to get past this, too."

She looked up at him, stormy-gray eyes swimming in bloody tears.? "Luc...? If the stories are true, this is the End of Days.? Dracian will kill us all."

He shook his head resolutely.? "I don't care what the stories say.? We'll figure out a way."? He fell silent for a moment, as though unwilling to say the next words.? Finally, he spoke them.? "If the stories are true, then we'll die together.? I'll face death with a smile if you're by my side."

The tears spilled over and rolled down her cheeks.? She shook her head, denying his words.? "No, Luc.? You will not die the Final Death.? You.? Will.? Not." She would sacrifice anything to keep him safe.

He leaned down, kissing her tears away softly.? "My love, if you meet the Final Death, I will follow.? I couldn't go on without you."? He smiled, then, trying to make a joke of it.? "So you'd better stay alive."

?I will try.? She kissed him passionately, cupping her hands on his cheeks, holding his beautiful face close against hers.? Her fingers slid backwards into that glorious mane of his and down the back of his neck.? The sudden need to feel him...and taste him rose up inside.? She made a hungry noise and her fangs descended, pricking his bottom lip and drawing his thick, salty essence to the surface of his skin, where she could feed greedily from him.? She sucked great mouthfuls down, swallowing his blood, glutting herself on it.

The look she gave him was dubious at best, and downright disbelieving at worst.? She didn't say anything, though, instead she unfolded her legs and climbed to her feet.? "You should feed...we should stay sated.? Perhaps I'll check the...um...AOL thing while you're gone?"

He nodded.? "Yes, we should definitely try to avoid any hunger of own."? He grinned at the thought of her fumbling over a computer.? Some things were hard to get accustomed to for older vampires.?

She frowned at that grin, knowing exactly what he was thinking.? "Don't laugh at me," she said defensively and went to the small table where Luc's precious - and expensive - laptop computer was connected to the cottage's phone line.

He tried vainly not to laugh at her defensive reaction, and quickly retreated out of the door before she threw something at him.? On the way down to the village, he felt the siren call of the Founder again, urging him to come, join, and be invincible.? It took an effort of will to push the call away, even knowing that it was a lie, that to come meant death.

Dannika, too, felt Dracian's call, but found it easier to push away and ignore now that she had something else to focus on.? She signed into AOL, said her customary "Thanks," to the recorded "Welcome, you've got mail!" that played, and began to navigate her way through the labyrinthine information highway, as Luc insisted it was called.? "More like the bloody circus in Piccadilly," she muttered.? Her first stop was Schrecknet, the bulletin board system created and maintained by the Nosferatu.? There were rumblings and whispers, each post carefully coded to shield against mortals stumbling across things they had no business knowing.

Tonight, Luc didn't even have to go as far as the village to find sustenance.? Halfway there, he heard the sound of two people crashing through undergrowth.? He turned onto an intercept course, and quickly found a pair of campers walking around a tent.? He smiled, drawing on his blood to pull the shadows around him, making it all too easy for mortal eyes to slide right over him.? He crept up to the pair and rendered one insensible with a whispered command 'Sleep', reinforced by his powerful will.?

The other turned, seeing his companion slump to the ground, but didn't have time to move or speak before Luc slipped up behind him and sank fangs into his neck.? The mortal's eyes glazed over and he stood motionlessly while Luc drank.? When he was done, Luc lowered the unconscious man to the ground, checking his pulse quickly to make sure it was stable, then turned to the other, a woman.? She didn't stir when his fangs slid into her throat.? A few minutes later, he carried both campers into their tent and zipped the flap closed.? He even added fuel to their fire, to keep the animals away while they recovered.? Then he headed back to Dannika.

When he came into cottage, she was still laboring over the computer, muttering blackly at it in Romanian, cursing it and all of its progeny to a life-time of turmoil and fruitless hard work. "Having troubles, dear?" he asked, trying very hard not to laugh again.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously at him and she stood abruptly.? "It hates me, Luc.? It doesn't behave at all for me."? She pointed to the screen, where a little picture of an hourglass turned over and over, ceaselessly.? "It's been doing that for the past five minutes.? Make it show me the BBC's news."

He walked over to the computer and closed out the program, restarting it for her.? "You have to be patient, love.? Don't hit keys over and over or it will freeze up like this."

She shook her head.? "It hates me, Luc.? I'm telling you this."? She sat down across from him and told him what she'd found on the Nosferatu's BBS.? "They're saying the dreams are affecting humans with the Sight, too."

"I guess that's not very surprising.? I can't even imagine how powerful the Founder's mind must be."

"What does the mortals' news systems say?? Anything?"

"Not much, yet.? There are a few reports of riots in mental hospitals, that's all."

"It will get worse," she said softly.?

He nodded solemnly.? "Much." The rest of the night passed without any major event.? Now and then they felt the siren call of the Founder, but the intervals between the calls were increasing.? Either it was busy with something else...or many Ravnos had already responded.? When the morning drew near, they thought it best to sleep apart, just in case they woke up with the Founder's hunger again.? Luc decided the best idea would be for him to go outside and sleep in the earth, one of the abilities he had developed long ago - one that Dannika did not share.? Thus he would be safe if she woke up in a frenzy.

It was strange to not share a bed with Luc, the first time since his Embrace that they'd been apart during the day.? She tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable without his strong arms around her, without his broad chest to press her face into.? Eventually, though, the sun rose and she succumbed to sleep, only to be plagued by more violent, bloody dreams.

He had never spent the entire night in the earth before, only short stretches of an hour or two. It was strangely comforting, but at the same time, he missed the touch of Danni's cool skin against his own. The earth held him, but it was a stranger's hands, not those of his constant companion for over two centuries. He hung, awake, in the cocoon of earth until the sun rose, and then slept. He dreamed of the ten-headed creature again.

Watching him walk away was like having a knife shoved into her chest and twisted from side to side.? She wanted to follow him, run to him, wrap herself around him...drag him to the floor and drain his blood, consume him fully, kill him finally.? She made a helpless little sound and clenched her eyes and fists tightly, pushing away the rage that suddenly sprang to life inside her.

Her little noise sparked the rage in him, and he turned, opening his mouth to say something hateful and cutting.? Before he could speak, though, an incredible explosion of rage and searing, burning pain blasted through his body.? It felt like his body was suddenly submerged in lava.? He howled loudly enough to crack the windows in the cottage, and leapt for her, driven beyond control by the detonation in his mind.? Inch-long claws sprouted from his fingertips, and he drove them at her chest.

Simultaneously, Luc's bellow of anger and the most intense rage and pain she had ever felt hit her.? And then her beloved childe was flying towards her, murder in his eyes and sudden dragon's claws on his fingers.? He raked them across her chest, but didn't score her flesh.? "Luc, no!? Stop!" she cried out, scuttling backward, trying to roll his mind under hers, force him into submission with the single word.

He heard her dimly, and his attack faltered for a moment, but the rage and pain in him was too great to be denied, and he lashed out again, swinging lethal claws at her stomach.

His claws sunk into her stomach, tearing her shirt and ripping her flesh open.? The sudden, white-hot pain in her gut panicked her.? Not wanting to hurt him, she fell onto her back with the force of his attack, closed her eyes and wished for a safe place.? Her blood flared to life inside her, a powerful surge of the vitae-created illusions she excelled in. A snippet of the conversation they'd had with Beatrice's Changeling contact drifted through her mind - "different world" - and suddenly, above her and behind Luc's shoulder, a jagged-edged hole tore open in the air.? Through it she could make out a star-lit night sky, two moons and buildings that reminded her of 17th-century London.

The sight of her on her back, bleeding, drove the Beast within to feed, to drain her potent blood.? He lunged forwards onto her, trying to sink his teeth into the wound.

Pushing past the pain and the rage and Dracian's fear, all which threatened to overwhelm her depleted Will, she curled her legs up and met Luc's rush with her feet.? Shoving with all her might, she sent Luc stumbling backwards through the rift in the air, through the gaping hole in reality and into a safe haven.

At the last instant, he swiped out one hand, claws sinking into her ankle, and dragged her along with him as he fell through the portal in space and time.? He landed heavily on his back, Dannika across his legs as the hole closed above them.? Like a switch being thrown, the Founder's pain and rage that was roaring through him vanished without a trace.? Sanity returned, and he stared uncomprehendingly up at the pair of moons in the sky.?

She lay across his body limply, the pain of her dual wounds a sharp throb that drowned out everything else.? She was dimly aware of a strong scent of garlic and cheese and wine, and the cool, firm surface of cobblestones beneath her cheek.

Slowly, the weight of her body across his legs, and the smell of her blood penetrated the fog that still clouded his brain.? He sat up, eyes widening at the sight of the jagged wound torn across her stomach.? "My god, Danni," he gasped out, reaching out towards her, only to notice the bloodstained claws that still adorned his fingertips.? He banished them with a small effort of will, then froze as he realized that it was he himself who'd hurt her.? "Oh, no.? Danni, I didn't mean it.? I'm sorry."? He leaned over, trying to see if she was conscious.

She groaned softly and turned her head to look at him.? Her cheeks were blood-stained, tears having left tracks down her face.? She tried to give him a soft, forgiving smile, but the pain in her stomach was too much.? "Shelter," she said through clenched teeth.

"Right, of course," he said, reaching down to carefully gather her up in his arms.? He stood, looking around.? They were in front of what looked--and smelled--like an Italian restaurant.? That wouldn't do, too many people.? He looked left and right, spotting a small structure that looked like a closed-down shop, and ran for it, shouldering the door open roughly, and kicking it closed behind them with a bang.? The main room was empty except for a few broken shelves and some discarded papers, but there was another door at the far end.? This one, he opened more carefully, revealing what looked like a small office.? A gunmetal-gray desk sat in the center of the little room, bolted to the floor.? He set her gently down on the desk and turned to lock the door behind them.

She struggled to sit up a little, looking down at her stomach.? She hissed in pain and dabbed gingerly at it.? "Did me a good one, didn't you?" she said and looked up at Luc.? "Are you okay?"

"I couldn't stop myself," he said, bloody tears filling his eyes.? "I was on fire, burning with hatred and pain.? I'm so sorry."? He took her hand in his, stroking the back of it gently.? "I'm fine," he said belatedly.? "Not even hurt."

She gripped his hand with all the strength she could muster.? "It wasn't your fault, love.? Are you listening?? It was not your fault."

He felt a great weight lift off of him at her words.? "No, it wasn't me.? I would never hurt you.? I love you."

"I know.? And I love you."? She looked around.? "Do you know where we are?"

"No...I don't know at all.? There...there are two moons in the sky.? What happened?"

"Two moons?"? She frowned and thought this one over.? She shrugged a little at his question and said in a thoughtful voice, "I panicked.? I thought about that conversation we had with Rake, the different worlds.? A hole tore open in the air behind you and I shoved you through it."

"A hole in the air?" he echoed.? "What do you mean?"

"It was like...a window.? I could see the sky here, two moons, the unfamiliar constellations...the buildings straight out of Shakespeare's London...my London."? She shook her head.? "I...? I tore a hole through our Earth into this place."? Her voice was full of awe.

He put two and two together, realizing what had happened.? "It was the Founder's power, wasn't it?? You said before that what you did to me accidentally was something you'd only heard of the strongest Ravnos doing before.? And then this.? There are whispers that the Founder could make reality itself instead of illusion.? I think you shared his power for a moment."

"Well, whatever it was...? It was lucky for us."? She struggled to sit up more and turned so that her legs hung over the edge of the desk.? She looked down at her stomach again and then back up around the room.? "Can we stay here for a few days, do you think?? I need time to rest and heal these."

He leapt forward to help her sit up.? "Careful, don't tear it worse.? Yeah, I think so.? Judging from the dust, no one's been here for months, or even years.? I doubt anyone will notice if we're cautious."

She nodded and gripped his arm.? "Help me over there," she nodded to a sway-backed couch against the far wall of the room.? "Then will you go out and see what you can find about this place?"

He nodded, and helped her over to the dusty, battered couch.? "Sure you want to touch this thing?" he asked, giving her a little smile.

She prodded it with a toe.? It was soft and didn't smell too badly.? "It's softer than that sodding desk over there."? She sat gingerly and groaned at the movement.? Then, with his help, she laid back on it, stretching her legs out and folding her arms over her chest.? "Not bad.? No springs in my back as I suspected there would be."

"Well, good.? Now you just relax, and I'll go see if I can figure out where the hell we are."

"Luc..."

"Yes?"

"Je t'adore, mon coeur."

He smiled, leaning down to kiss her carefully.? "And I love you, chere."? He touched her cheek gently, then turned and went out, closing the door behind him.