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Chapter 30

The following morning was different to Garrick somehow. For him, the weather was perfect and he had awakened rested. His companions were behaving oddly, however.

Sean prepared breakfast and said very little to the bookkeeper, during the process. When Mark woke up he was very quiet too. Garrick chose to mind his own business as to why they were ignoring each other. It was most obviously intentional.

After a few minutes of being irritated by sounds of utensils and dishes, Garrick tried casual conversation. The attempts were futile so he raised a question that was bothering him, "Where is Darek this morning?"

"The reason he was gone yesterday, come to find out, was that he was job hunting, and found one. He came back late last night and left early this morning. He shouldn't be back until this evening," was Sean's explanation.

Mark pushed his plate away from the table. He said nothing as he walked away.

"Where are you going?" asked Garrick.

"To take a shower," he replied.

He wished that the heavy burdens weighing on his mind could be rinsed from his life as easily as the soap running off his chest had been. He felt as though everything he had trusted to be stable in his life was falling to pieces.

It was bad enough that he thought his soul was drowning, but the drain of the shower was clogged too. The water was collecting in the tub and was rising. He plunged his hand into the used soapy water to search for the cause. His first two fingers entered the drain and discovered the object at fault. Groping to get at it, he pinned part of it against the smooth slippery interior. It was a chain. He ran it up the side until it was clear of the small opening.

At first he fumbled in his attempts to pick up the small chain from the smooth porcelain surface. Then he succeeded and wrenched it from beneath the water.

In front of him, held high, dripping at the end of a gold chain, was Darek's ring. And, if Mark remembered clearly, the key to a fortune.

A few moments later, the sounds of the draining water, into the depths of pipes, spoke to an empty bathroom.

- 1 -

Over and over again Darek's ferocious wings ripped the thick, heavy, black veil of the night that covered the land. He wanted to hurry and feed so that he could return to Sean as soon as possible. While Darek was getting ready to leave, he seemed very closed and seemingly distant.

Darek wasn't in the mood to solve the dilemma at the time. He only had the gnawing urge to feed. The odd difference this evening was that he felt it imperative that he go to Lancer again.

To him, the blood that he had received from Saul was sweeter than any other mortal he'd ever tasted. He was curious if it was the whole town. Tonight he'd find out.

Upon entering the community he remained on the same side as before. He neared the spot he had first seen Saul. A soft yellow light attempted to filter through ragged, brown curtains that concealed the living quarters above the tiny shop.

Did he have any brothers? was Darek's first questioning thought.

He casually walked up to the shop and leapt gracefully to the topmost ledge. He landed in a crouch next to the window. He peered through a tear in the barrier, to see Saul climbing into his small wooden bed.

At first he couldn't believe his eyes. It wasn't that he had assumed him dead, maybe sick and weak, but it appeared as though he was in perfect condition. It was stunning.

He leaned over the lamp sitting atop the rickety end table and blew the small flame out. The vampire's eyes focused instantly.

The obvious strength of the mortals system frustrated him. It had defied the consequences of Darek's inhuman thirst. This realization was the cause of his intense curiosity.