Part 26 (2/2)

”Do you think I should look?” I said

”It's not for me to say Look and you will see; for my eyes have that power Do you wish to see?” he asked

”Yes,” I said

I felt s vanished entirely All co over countryside It was dark out Fires peppered the countryside I realized they were house lights They were beco fewer and fewer Re Not in the direction of ht, ill-lit, shrouded by the dark aether itself; the countryside around it barren, craggy, with scattered houses here and there I could hear the rush of so or other, what must've been the sea, but it was too far away to tell

Everything was shrouded in the fog of Asher's ood Maybe you are like an aerial Intercepting traffic”

I thought about that; but it didn't make much sense

”Never mind that now,” he said ”We are almost Yes; in there are two vampires One of them, I think, is your Lennoxlove”

”Why are we so far away fro at the barren countryside

”Probably,” said Asher, ”because of the screa” He shushedmuch as Asher and I were, wherever we had left our bodies, back at the Gathering I recognized one of theh he was in deep meditation But his body

Lennox's body was e, his eyes especially, the skull so sunken, in soh he hadn't eaten in weeks Fed, I needed to remind myself With any supernatural, their particular rhythms overwhelmed me

I was on Werewolf Standard Time, when I needed to be on Lennoxwatch

”Oh, Lennox,” I said, co to him ”I'm so sorry,” I said, but he couldn't hear ood I think ill get our opportunity sooner rather than later,” said Asher

”What d'you?”

But before I could inquire further, Lennox's eyelids opened, and a couple of things happened simultaneously

Lennox said, ”Halsey?” And Asher and I ju into an April sky Lennox's lavender eyes widened, and somehow both Asher and I had landed, snize

Cobblestones instead of asphalt

Huge white-washed buildings

Clapboard houses

Real gas lamps

I followed Lennox as he walked down a narrow moonlit street in clothes I had never seen him wear before, with Asher at my side ”Where are we?” I asked

”Unless I am much mistaken, we are in one of Lennox's ed and smiled

”You mean, you can just jump into people's memories and relive them whenever you feel like?”

”Shh,” he said to me ”This is important to Lennox Pay attention, now Let us see e can see I have heard that is the purpose of the Agonies They are a sieve, Halsey Rooke pulled by two stallions, came to a standstill soar the scene unfold Suddenly a horrible screay, which looked like it was about to turn over, it was rocking so fiercely A wo on her hands and knees The driver of the carriage si her Lennox leapt forwards Out stepped an older gentleman who bent and was about to deliver a backhand strike to her face, when Lennox made his presence known

”What do you want?” said the older arh they had been pulled from a trash heap, took on a different aspect He siive to the lady, he looked royal She crawled up his leg, which he held out jauntily His open shi+rt clashed daringly with his well-chiseled profile, I saw s

”Drive on, Rochester I know a lost cause when I see one,” said the older man

He left the woman to Lennox's ministrations At once Lennox helped her to her feet

”My hero,” she said She may have been drunk Her makeup was smeared She was in a frock of some sort It looked turn-of-the-century But what century? Just how old was Lennox, anyway?

Less than a century, I told myself Everyone said so

So this -or-other I didn't recognize the place Asher helpedin the distance was the Eiffel Tower, so we must've been in Paris The home, I realized suddenly, of the vampires If I were to believe their conceit that they were the only ones

Perhaps they made that true by enforcement I had seen Lennox kill two va here, anyway?”

”You're drunk,” said Lennox

”And you're handsoood time, or you just like to wander the streets like I do? Only tiht”

”Can I drop you soive led She didn't look like she would object

”I had soonna cost you,” said the prostitute

”I can pay,” said Lennox

”Just as long as you ain't one 'a theain ”Come with ”

She took Lennox's hand, who did not ? No, I don't wantDon't”

He was rising up with her

The scene changed