Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 19:48:50 -0500 From: Jason Gordon Subject: Light in the Darkness II 11 Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction which will include t/t and m/m relationships, and probably some sex too. If it is illegal in your area to read this, or if you are not old enough to read this (you know who you are), stop here. Otherwise, please enjoy. Chapter 11 *************************************** I am now posting my stories to my new website, jaygordonstories.com. I'm putting them up there a little in advance so I can make final edits before submitting to Nifty, so if you are interested, you can check it out. Currently, A Light in the Darkness II Chapters 12-16 are available there, (the latest for registered users only, so if you don't register you won't find them!), as well as two stories not available on Nifty, so check it out if you like the story! *************************************** Spencer was laughing at something Dean had said over dinner when he felt his pocket buzz. "I told Marcus we were having a special," he began but fell silent as he pulled out the device and saw the code: XTREME HAZARD SvdM. He let go of Dean's hand and said, "I've got to go RIGHT now. Sorry!" He turned and practically ran out the door. Dean dashed after him but found the stairwell quite empty. "Shit, he's fast," the man said to himself as he closed the door, miffed their night had ended early but glad they'd had their fun before dinner. Spencer was on the phone as he ran into the street looking for a place to perform the spell. "Richard? Did you get the message?" "Yes, I'm in contact with Council agents right now!" the man shouted. "COORDINATES!" Spencer shouted back. When he received the text, he hung up and used the coordinates to open a portal for himself. As luck would have it, he emerged into an alley just across from the compound, and he could see his friends pinned down by gunfire, unable to perform any magick while maintaining the powerful shields required to stop bullets. Under cover of darkness, Percival Spencer, Prince of the Great Sea, raised his hands to the sky and shouted, "By the ancient power of the elemental waters, I call upon the Great Spirit!" Bringing his hands together, a thunderhead began to form above them and a blinding rain began to pour. Spencer emerged from the alley, his hands still raised. He lowered his right hand and flicked it at the man with the shotgun a few feet from his friends and a bolt of lightning from the sky fried the man's brain. Then he spun around and raised that hand at the snipers in the building on his right. Lightning bolts struck the building, collapsing the structure of their window and setting a fire that distracted the one man who survived. Then he turned to the second building and lowered his hands so they were parallel, and his eyes began to glow blue as a lightning ball began to form. He felt Marcus and his shoulder and knew the man was about to touch his shoulder, so he hissed, "DON'T!" When the ball reached critical mass, he whispered, "SEEK!" The men watched as the slow-moving lightning ball rose up the wall of the building and floated gently through the window before a huge explosion rocked the structure. "KICK ASS!" Marcus declared. "It's good to see you bud!" Spencer grabbed the man in a quick hug and said, "Now let's get some payback!" "WHAT WAS THAT?" Marcus asked in awe. "Warm-up!" Spencer winked. Sebastian and James were blasting away at the gate when Spencer walked up between them. "Brute force!" Then with a smile he touched the keypad and a little arc of electricity caused the red light to turn green. "After you?" Sebastian smiled, and said, "Show off!" "Backup is on the way, Consul," Spencer winked again. Then they entered the compound. A few men who had seen what transpired simply dropped their weapons and ran, but deeper inside they began to meet new resistance. But the four of them were simply too powerful, once they weren't under fire from four different directions. When they reached the stronghold, a battalion of battle wizards rushed up behind them. "Guess we're late?" the commander asked breathlessly. Sebastian shrugged at the commander, who'd proven himself able in the war with Sammael. "Let's see who's in this room! Spencer, got any ideas?" "This looks like a standard lock, so it might just be brute force!" the young prince declared. "Or maybe it's time for me to show off," Sebastian winked and put his hand on the big metal door. "You guys might want to back up!" While Spencer was a master of water and air, fire was a favorite of Sebastian, and the same force he put into calling down a column of blazing fire he concentrated into the door in front of him. The polished metal began to glow red, then white. Then it took on a liquid character and began to melt into the hallway. Spencer smiled, shaking his head, and splashed water onto it so they could enter the room. Two men stood cowering across the room. "I don't suppose one of you is Seymour Hoffman?" Sebastian said with a smile. It was creepier because he looked like a mid-teen and had just wiped them out, of course. "Nnnno," the man on the left said. "I'm Hayden Marx. I'm just a bookkeeper!" Sebastian turned to the other man, who fainted when he saw Sebastian's teeth. "I don't suppose that would be him, either. Hoffman would be older," Sebastian thought out loud. "That's Chris Billings. He's the music guy for the homeless ministry," Hayden said shakily. "Some kind of ministry you have going here! Who has shotguns and snipers guarding their building? WWJD?" Sebastian sneered and the young man couldn't help but snort. "I don't know but I'm just the money guy, and I quit!" "Verify his story and get him to safety," Sebastian said to one of the soldiers. "If he's lying, kill him." The man looked terrified and relieved all at once, which meant he was telling the truth. Sebastian was glad. He walked over to a file cabinet and said, "Bring that one back to the manor," to another agent, indicating the music minister. He started flipping through files when he heard a tick – tick – tick. On the wall behind a file, he saw that a countdown had been initiated. "Grab as many files and computer terminals as you can and GET OUT OF HERE!" he yelled as he started handing stacks of files to men. Then he and James grabbed a desktop computer each and rushed out of the room into a hastily opened portal to their neighborhood, just behind the soldiers, Spencer and Marcus. Just as they were through, tongues of fire flashed through the opening until it closed. "WHAT IS GOING ON?" Spencer asked, before he started laughing and helped James and Sebastian up and out of the street. "I think Seymour Hoffman isn't just a prison chaplain," Sebastian replied with a laugh as he brushed himself off. "Let's get this stuff home and see if we got anything useful." "These guys seem awfully prepared," James worried. "They were ready to defend themselves, and destroy themselves if necessary, to protect their mission." As they walked up the sidewalk to the manor, Sebastian whispered privately to James, "I'm worried too!" Then to Marcus and Spencer, he said, "Looks like you guys are going to have some company in the barracks for the time being!" Seeing Marcus's fierce blush, Sebastian asked, "What?" with a knowing smile. "Chris wants me to share his room with him, and I figure..." James clapped the man on the shoulder and grinned, "You go, boy!" At which Spencer laughed in hearty agreement. "At least I won't be by myself until we get this matter resolved," he said. "We're making room for you in the house," Sebastian declared. "I was thinking we could stick a twin bed in Chris's room and you could all share..." With a wink at Marcus he said, "But then I realized you'd never get any sleep, what with all the butt sex going on... But there is Richard's old apartment off the garage that isn't being used since he moved in with Peter. I'd rather have you inside!" "Thanks," Spencer smiled. "That would be great. Maybe I could bring Dean over sometime soon so he can meet everyone?" Sebastian smiled and said, "I'd like that. Have you called your mother?" Seeing the young man's face, he said, "SPENCER!" "Okay, okay! Will do!" Seeing Sebastian's look, he added, "Tonight!" *** Sebastian was sitting in his office with James sorting through files from the Order compound when his phone rang. "Hello?" "Sebastian, how long have you known about this?" "I told him he should call you as soon as I found out, Dora! It wasn't my place to tell you!" he said with a laugh. "Don't make me come out there are spank you, god-daughter!" he teased. She laughed and reminded him, momentarily, of when she was a little girl. "Is he a good man?" "I'll meet him soon, but Marcus and Chris met him, and had nothing but good things to say. He was very understanding about Spencer's issues..." "What issues?" she asked. "Well, when they first started dating, Spencer had a bit of a flashback to ... you know! He hurt the boy's arm," Sebastian said. "But Spencer explained it all to him and he comforted Spencer admirably." "I suppose I'll be out your way soon, then, to meet this boy!" she said. "Good," he said, and filled her in on this order thing. "Your son really rode in to the rescue tonight!" Dora laughed, unsurprised by the details of that rescue. "Dora," Sebastian said, hesitantly, as he was about to hang up. "He was talking to Sam Roth the other day and ... he's remembered other things as well. I hope you'll come soon, because he needs to talk about it!" "He remembers everything?" she asked softly. "The gist of it. He knows what he did, and what we did... He needs to know there is nothing else being kept from him." She sighed and said, "Thank you, Sebastian. See you soon." Sebastian put the phone down and returned to work, passing some documents into a pile for further analysis. James shot him a look but he shook his head. `Tell you later,' he projected tiredly to James. `You need to feed,' James replied mentally. Sebastian nodded, and they left the men to their work. James and Sebastian left the compound on foot and strolled hand-in-hand down into town and sat on a bench outside a sports bar. They were silent as they held hands, and Sebastian lay his head on James's shoulder. `Everything's going to be alright,' James thought with a smile. Sebastian just squeezed his hand. Their pleasant moment was interrupted by a man's voice. "Aren't you two cute together! How much?" James turned and looked at the man who was perhaps forty, a little portly but well-dressed. His wallet wasn't the only thing bulging. "How much for what?" James asked innocently. "Both of you," the man smiled lasciviously. James's smile was marred by a light sneer, but the man missed it. "$1000," he said, and Sebastian looked surprised. "That's steep, but..." "You get what you pay for," James finished the sentence. The man nodded, and they followed him to the car. They could feel in his desire what he wanted. Tonight he'd just watch, but what he wanted was more terrible. Sebastian looked at James and projected, `This one won't make it...' James shook his head in agreement. The man lived in a nice house not far from theirs, and they followed him inside. They were all alone. "So," James asked, "what do you want?" "You fuck the little one, and make it rough!" the man said. "What about you?" James asked with a smile. "I'll watch," the man grinned. James stood over him, eyes piercing the man's mind, in a moment. "There is no way you're filthy eyes will get to look at my man!" he growled, ripping in to the man's throat, even as he felt Sebastian tear into his arm. They drained the man dry, without mercy. Then James went to his closet and ripped out the secret panel, where a box of videos were stashed. He took the one that had recorded the man's death out of the machine and left the rest scattered on the bed. He knew what they showed. The police would find his earlier videos showed him being really rough with very young street hustlers. The last few would show him strangling boys while he fucked them. He did them again after they were dead, before he dumped them in the river. Maybe they'd find some of the bodies one day, James thought as he left the front door open and pushed the alarm button. "We've got to eat," James thought out loud. Sebastian smirked and said, "And some people deserve to get eaten." "Maybe next year we should go to the Tea Party conventions? Cull the herd?" James asked with a wink and hugged Sebastian across the shoulder as he began to laugh. "Too much cholesterol," Sebastian replied, a glint in his eyes. As they entered their home, they could just hear the sirens in the distance. Someone was about to break a big case and close some missing persons. *** "Let's get going boys!" Xavier called as he knocked on their door. "I need you guys to help out today with some last minute stuff! Sarah'll watch Alex!" William groaned with a smile and squeezed Chase tight, their naked bodies contrasting delightfully as William's long, lightly hairy legs tickled Chase's. Chase felt William's hardness plumping against his ass as he giggled. "We've got to go. Plus, Alex is..." "STILL ASLEEP!" William grinned as he humped up against Chase. "NOW," Xavier knocked again, harder, and Alex started to whine. "Glad I didn't get started. Sorry Capt. Blueballs," Chase said with a wink as he pulled on his shorts and grabbed the baby. He hurried downstairs and fed Alex, before handing him off to grandma so he could run and get ready. They'd all come home later and shower and dress, so William and Chase just pulled on some old jeans and t-shirts and met their uncle at the front door. But before they could escape, the phone rang. Xavier let it go to message, but then his and William's cell phones both started to ring. Xavier shrugged and reached for his phone, so William followed suit. "Hello?" both of them asked at the same time. James answered William, while Sebastian answered Xavier. Laughing, Xavier put the phone on speaker and said, "You're on with all of us now." "I went to an Order front last night by accident," Sebastian said. "I was tracking down that chaplain. It was a shit storm, guns everywhere! Spencer set an apartment building across the street on fire trying to quell the snipers and blew up the top floor of another for the same reason. We barely made it out before the place blew up. We must have triggered their last defenses. We got out with a lot of intel and a `music minister' and an accountant, but neither of them has been much help. I'm beginning to think this Seymour Hoffman is the man to find... But I wanted to warn you all to be on your highest alert, and to let you know I've alerted security, so if they're a little more assertive, please follow instructions?" "Yes, mother!" Xavier sighed, and they all laughed. But Chase said, more solemnly, "WE PROMISE!" "Thank YOU, Chase," Sebastian said with a smile before hanging up. From behind them a very stern Sarah said, "You gentlemen had better take care! I'm going to need your help with my babies, much less with yours!" At that, they all got serious and nodded. They drove down to the gallery, noticing the big SUV in their rearview mirror, their security detail. Or so they thought, until the vehicle increased speed and rear-ended them. Chase turned around in his seat and saw two of the men leaning out their windows with weapons. "Guns!" he yelled and Xavier cut right and hit the brakes. The SUV sped past before braking and reversing, but by the time they got back, Chase was scrambling from the right side, furthest from them, while Xavier and William were taking cover behind a dumpster. Six men poured from the big black car with big guns, some of them assault rifles. Chase peered around the back of Xavier's car to see William and Xavier taking fire. As he was watching, his vision went red with fiery anger as William reached for his arm and his hand came back bloody. Chase stood up and put his hand out in front of him, walking around the car and not even trying to hide. The men turned on him to fire, but as their eyes met his, their guns clattered to the ground even as the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. They no longer were able to think clearly, or even take aim. One man ran for the SUV, but Chase pointed at it and closed his fist, and the SUV's front end suddenly looked like it had been in an accident. When Chase blinked, a wave of electricity spread out before him, stunning all five of the men he could see. "Holy God," Xavier whispered, looking at William. "I'd forgotten..." "It's easy to do," William replied as his uncle saw to his arm. "Barely a flesh wound," Xavier said, pulling out his phone. Minutes later, Council operatives flooded the streets, taking the five men into custody. "There were six," Chase said to Sebastian. "There were six." "One got away?" Sebastian asked. "Seems that way," Chase replied, unhappily. "I guess they'll have figured out what they need to know now... Maybe that'll ease any danger to our friends." "But it'll concentrate it on you," Sebastian said, concerned. "Xavier, we can't take the chance," he began, but Chase shook his head. "I'm going to the opening tonight! I'm not going to hid every time some big badass decides to prove himself by coming after me!" "Alright, but stay home until tonight?' Sebastian asked. "And William, you go home and rest too! Xavier can find other manual labor!" "Alright," Xavier nodded. Chase and William passed through a portal to their room and rested for a while before letting Sarah know they were home and why. When they did explain, she asked, "I don't suppose I can convince you to stay in tonight?" Chase shook his head and she nodded. "Alright. I have to let you make these decisions, but I don't like it." "I'm growing up, mom!" Chase smiled cheekily. "I don't have to like that either! Go ahead and shower at lease, so there's enough hot water for the rest of us this evening!" She heard them giggling as they ran upstairs and tried to convince herself it wasn't because of what she knew to be the case – they'd be "conserving water," as Steve called it. She loved it that they had each other, but tried to keep those kinds of images to a minimum. Upstairs, in the bathroom, Chase examined William's wound one more time, washing it carefully as they showered. Then he re-bandaged it after they were dry. "Let's take a nap," he suggested. "It'll be a long night!" "Yeah, you'll need your energy to fend off Dorian," William teased. After he closed the door, Chase gave William a magickal push onto the bed and said, "I'll show you FEND OFF!" "And then we'll have a nap?" William grinned as the boy crawled between his legs. *** Sebastian stood in front of the mirror adjusting his bow-tie as James shaved. "I can't believe they attacked them in public like that!" "I suppose my little foray last night forced their hand. They have the intelligence they need now. They'll focus all their energy on Chase..." "That seems like a really fantastically bad idea, but I don't suppose they can be convinced of that," James thought out loud. "Well, best we can tell, this `order' has next to no magickal ability. And unfortunately it only takes one well, or poorly, aimed bullet to change everything for our friends," Sebastian murmured. "If they surprise him and knock him out, they could take him..." "But how can they hope to control him? Even if he was who they want him to be, how would they control him?" James asked. "If he was who they think he is, he could be convinced of their mission," Sebastian said. "Now ... get your pants on!" "I think that's the first time you've ever said THAT," James teased. Sebastian smiled and shook his head. "And don't expect to hear those words again anytime soon! But we don't want to be late. I want to get there before Chase and William!" "There's plenty of security," James assured as he buttoned his pants. "I wouldn't be happy if all the consuls were there," Sebastian huffed. "Now let's get going!" James hurriedly buttoned his shirt and said, "Alright, help me with my tie and let's rustle up Josh and Billy! *** Xavier had come and gone, dragging Aiden with him. Sarah and Steve, however, took their time getting ready, so William and Chase were left to play with Alex and wait for them. As Sarah and Steve emerged from their room, Chase's mother was saying, "I look fat in this dress!" "You're pregnant dear! With triplets! You don't look fat, just pregnant!" "THANKS, Steve! That's what I wanted to hear!" "What was he supposed to say, mom? You look like you swallowed a little globe!" Chase added with a grin. "Young man, you are not too old for a spanking!" she responded, and seeing the mischievous look on his face added, "DON'T say it, young man!" "That's what HE said," Chase let slip anyway, making William blush. "Thanks for that," Steve smirked. "Let's go!" They made their way out to the car and found a couple of escort vehicles, this time manned by familiar council agents, waiting, and drove to the gallery without incident. When they arrived, they found Xavier directing his temporary serving staff on how to serve the hors d'ouvres and champagne. "Thank goodness the eye candy is here," he said as Chase and William entered in their tuxes. A few of the young men and all of the young women laughed at the blushing boys, and Xavier turned to hug them both. Then he introduced them to a few of his old friends from D.C. "So you are the boys that stole Xavier away from the District," an elegant woman with a younger man on her shoulder said with a smile. "I think Aiden was ready to get away," William answered with a smile, unsure of the woman's intent. "And my parents' murder was hard on us all." "Of course," the woman said, and seeing someone across the room made her escape. "What a bitch," Chase whispered when she was gone. "Right you are," Xavier said, clapping the boys on the shoulders and appearing out of nowhere. "But she spends a lot of money on art!" James and Sebastian entered just then, behind Josh and Billy. "See, everyone is fine without you for a few minutes," James teased Sebastian, who gave William and Chase a big hug. "I'm so glad you guys are alright. This afternoon was too close for call," Sebastian said. "Chase was the scariest thing on the loose this afternoon," Xavier assured, giving the foursome his rendition of events. Josh looked at the small boy and shook his head, "I just can't believe it!" "You will if you ever have the misfortune of seeing it," Xavier assured him. Chase and William stood clumped talking to Josh and Billy, James and Sebastian, while the room slowly filled. "Ladies and gentlemen," Xavier's voice filled the room. "Welcome to the grand opening of this new incarnation of the Montrose Gallery! I hope you all enjoy yourselves, and if there is something that catches your eye, you know what to do!" A general laughter filled the room. "A little later, I'll introduce our featured young artist, who seems to be running a little late this evening. Artists!" he said with a big shrug. Though his demeanor was joking, those who knew him well could tell he was miffed. Xavier put away the microphone and worked his crowd. Dorian's paintings were a big hit, but Xavier knew he'd get better prices if the clients could meet him. Chase was laughing and talking to an older couple he'd just met when he saw the smirk on William's face as he caught sight of the young painter outside. "It seems Mr. Brandt is here," Chase said to the couple, and pointed out the window. "My he's a handsome young man," the woman said, earning a bemused look from her husband. "Between you and me," William said, leaning in conspiratorially, "he has a thing for Chase!" "William! I assure you, he doesn't," Chase said to the chuckling man. "Just watch," William assured them as he led Chase over to Steve and Sarah. "Guys, Chase's new boyfriend is here! Keep an eye on him for me!" Chase blushed twelve shades of purple. Sarah and Steve got their first glimpse of the young man as he opened the door. An extremely handsome middle aged gentleman, clearly his father, followed a few steps behind. Dorian stepped through the door, his dimples showing as he looked around, but his father didn't follow. "What's wrong, dad?" he asked. His father looked flustered but shook his head. "Nothing." The man started forward but again didn't follow his son through the door. The strange scene had now drawn Sebastian's interest and he whispered into his watch, and suddenly two big men appeared at Mr. Brandt's elbows. "Pardon me, sir, but I'll have to ask you to come with us," the older of the two said softly. "What's going on here?" Dorian asked, raising his voice and drawing Xavier's attention. William subtly stepped between Chase and Dorian, keeping the boy from moving closer to the unfolding scene. "Xavier, what are these men doing?" Xavier smiled. "Mr. Brandt, please do come in!" When the man couldn't enter, he nodded at the Sebastian and the elder vampires said, "Let's talk about this outside?" Dorian stepped to his father's side, as Xavier, Sebastian and Aiden followed. "I'm sorry but we have extraordinary security in effect tonight," Sebastian said. "A number of our guests have been targeted by a criminal organization. Mr. Brandt, why exactly is it that you COULD NOT enter the gallery?" The man glowered and said, "You warded the building!" "Only against hostile forces," Sebastian said. "You'll notice our friends had no difficulty!" Pausing briefly, and still smiling, he asked, "WHAT ARE YOU, Mr. Brandt, and who exactly do you have a problem with?" Brandt's eyes narrowed and he looked at his son, who merely looked at his feet. "Silas Brandt, of Abernathy, Brandt, Schiff, and Upton. I'm a lawyer and..." Suddenly, Steve stepped out onto the street and said, "Silas Brandt, as I live and breathe..." "Steven," the man said with barely masked contempt. "Silas, cut the crap! Do you know who this is?" Steve asked, pointing at Sebastian. "Some wanna be vampire," Brandt said. "Who hires vampires for security?" he asked, looking at Xavier with a sneer. Sebastian laughed softly and said, "Stop your posturing, sorcerer!" The man glared at him and he continued, "My name is Sebastian van der Meer, and I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but I'd be a damned liar if I did." Silas looked at him with an appraising eye. "YOU ... are Consul van der Meer? I thought you'd be more impressive!" With a deadly look in his eye, Sebastian smiled and said, "Do you WANT to be impressed, or would you like to explain your hostility and come in to your son's show?" The man actually considered his offer, surprising Sebastian, and said, "Two things explain my negative feelings about this evenings ... festivities," the man snarled. "First, is that man's presence," he said, pointing to Steve. "Second, is that HIS son seems to have caught my son's eye..." "DAD!" Dorian shouted. "Steven Abernathy, you are a disgrace, turning your back on such a great man as your father, leaving his legacy behind! So stubborn!" Steve controlled himself as he turned red with rage. "Now, if you'd come back to your family, our sons would make quite a match," he said with a calculating smile as he looked over Steve's shoulder at the little blonde who had, over William's objection, emerged to join his father. "Chase, go back inside, please," Sebastian said, turning his back on Silas. Actually, so did Xavier and Aiden, so none of them saw Silas raise the silver head of his cane and point it at Sebastian's back. Before they realized what was happening, Chase raised his finger to point at Silas and snapped his fingers. A loud crack split the air between them and Silas flew back about ten feet and landed on his back. "You'd dare raise your hand to a consul?" Chase asked, flabbergasted. "Who do you think you are?" The man laughed, loud and sinister, and said, "We are above all that, Chase, aren't we? My, my, what a little firebrand you have here, Steven! Your father will be pleased to hear this!" the man said, clapping his hands together laughing some more. Then he rose to his feet, dusted himself off, still laughing and walked toward the gallery door. Opening it, he turned to the rest of them and said, "Shall we?" Shaking his head, he was still chuckling to himself as he stepped inside. The men on the street, Dorian included, just stood dumb-struck. In Dorian's case, it was at Chase's power in comparison to his father's. The rest were confused and worried about why the man's hostility had completely disappeared. Xavier took Dorian by the elbow and led him back inside to introduce him to the crowd, while Chase for motioned Aiden and Sebastian to leave him with Steve. "WHAT was that about, dad?" "Silas is your grandfather's partner. I told you your grandfather used to work with people in the world that William comes from? That's true and it isn't. People like Silas are into magick, but they aren't like William, or his family, or Sebastian. They're dark, dangerous people. My dad works for those who operation outside the council, who consider themselves above the laws of men and magick. Silas is one of those men..." "Why was he so happy?" Chase asked. "I've kept your gift from your grandfather, even more carefully that I've kept YOU from your grandfather. Now that he knows, he's going to try to get you over to his side. It's what he does. You'd help him gain even more power, which is all he really cares about. No matter what you see or hear, Chase, my father is a VERY dangerous man, a BAD man!" Chase nodded and took his father's hand. "I can handle myself, dad!" "I know, son. But he's tricky. Just watch yourself..." When Chase and his father entered, William was at his side in a moment. "What was that all about?" Chase dragged him to Xavier's office and filled him in. "I didn't even realize your grandfather was still alive," William said. "For all intents and purposes," Chase replied, "he may as well not be! I haven't seen him in years, and I can't recall him every coming to our house!" "What happened between him and your dad?" "I don't know, really," Chase said. "All I know is dad turned his back on the family business and grandfather turned his back on dad..." "There's more to it than that," William mused. "Probably," Chase nodded. "Well, one more thing to watch out for. Just another day in the life," William shrugged with a grin. As they emerged and began to mingle, they got separated. After a bit, Chase stood looking at a painting and found himself alone. "I'm sorry about before," Dorian said softly, handing him a glass. "It isn't alcohol, just sprite!" "Thanks," Chase said sheepishly. "So your father... Hmmm..." "And your father," Dorian replied, arching his eye with amusement. "Yes, well, your father has anger issues," Chase shook his head. "Not to mention he has trouble keeping secrets." Seeing Dorian's questioning glance he said, "I seem to have caught his son's eye..." "You hadn't noticed?" Dorian asked, raising his eyebrows. "I'd tried not to," Chase said. "You hadn't noticed I'm spoken for? I have a baby for God's sake!" "I'd noticed," Dorian lowered his voice and stepped closer. "But you guys are so young, I thought if I hung out a bit things might change..." "Things aren't going to change, Dorian," Chase said. "If you knew even part of what William and I have been through together, you'd understand... But given your family, I couldn't explain, even if I wanted to." Dorian nodded and looked deep into his glass. "Well, you can't blame a fellow," he said with a winning smile. With a whisper, he added, "You intrigue me," before turning to walk away. "That isn't over," Sebastian said. "Why is it that men are always appearing out of nowhere at my elbow to talk to me?" Chase asked with a smile as he took the vampire's arm. "Because we cannot bear the thought that you'd see us coming and avoid the meeting," Sebastian replied with a grin. "My friend, you are cursed with both otherworldly power, as well as otherworldly beauty. Get used to it!" Chase chatted with Sebastian a bit about his grandfather, before asking, "Could you ... I hate to ask, but could you look into his business? I'd like to know a bit about what he's into. My dad, he won't talk about it..." "Chase, I'm not sure. You should talk to your father about it again," Sebastian replied hesitantly. "PLEASE!" Chase asked. "I need to know!" Sebastian nodded, and then they both smiled as James and William found them alone. "Have a nice talk with Dory?" James teased, while William raised his eyebrows expectantly. "I set him straight," Chase said. Then he caught sight of the young man across the room, glancing his way, though his hand was sneaking across the shoulder of a handsome young man. "Highly unlikely, that," James said, to general snickering. Meanwhile, Silas cornered Steve and said, "Your Chase is quite a powerful wizard. What's his rank?" "I don't know," Steve lied obviously. "I'm surprised your people don't know already." "Well, we had no reason to monitor him. We do now," Silas said, sipping champagne. "What of his boyfriend?" "Colonel," Xavier said as he approached. "My nephew is a colonel." "Not bad for a boy his age," the man nodded. "Well, his father was already a brigadier general when he was killed," Xavier responded. "It's good Chase will have your nephew to protect him as he comes into his powers then," Silas said, and caught the twitch in Xavier's face, lawyer that he was. "OH HO! My, my!" Silas exclaimed. "Chase outranks him! Brilliant! And to think I thought this evening would be a waste!" "I'm sorry you felt that way, father," Dorian said, having approached them from behind. The young man at his elbow grabbed his arm, and Dorian walked out with him. As Dorian hopped into his car and drove off with his admirer, Steve looked at Silas with pity and contempt. "You didn't even try to go after him!" "He'll fuck the groupie and realize I pay the rent, provide the car, pay for his hobby!" the man said off-handedly. "Look around you man! This isn't a hobbyist's work! Your son is on his way to becoming a master!" Steve said, pressing his fingertip into the man's chest. "Don't touch me," the man hissed at Steve, lifting that cane again. But before he could even formulate the thought, Silas felt his chest constrict as a low sweet voice said, "Let's take this outside, shall we?" "Chase," Steve warned but the boy shook his head as he led the older man outside and security swarmed the plaza. Sebastian touched the windows of the gallery as he stepped outside to obscure the view. Outside, Chase's magickal hold on the man became horribly constricting. "How did you manage to control him inside the shop?" Sebastian whispered. "The wards were..." Chase smirked at him a little and shrugged, cutting him off. Suddenly, Avery burst through a portal with his men. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" he demanded. "The fucking alarms are going off all over the Council Subnet! You'd think an army of wizards just blew the place up!" Sam approached with his group from the south but froze in recognition. "That was just me, Avery," Chase said. "Sorry!" "What happened?" Avery asked. "This man raised his can at my father," Chase barked, pointing at Silas. "I take it there's more to this than meets the eye, then?" Avery smirked. "Silas Brandt," the man introduced himself. "Avery Salazar..." "Have we met?" Avery asked. "No, but your reputation precedes you. My father was a friend of one of your students, a real admirer of his really," Silas grinned, which was not a positive trait in his case. "Really, I mightn't have ever been born if it weren't for you," he added, his smile widening. Avery took two steps forward and said, "Don't you say it!" "Oh, touchy lot, you all. But then, you've always had a soft spot for Sebastian, I understand, and Balthazar did do a number on him!" Avery sent a fireball crashing into the man just a few feet in front of him. The real surprise was when Silas didn't move. He just smiled and said, "Not very convincing, marshal!" "What ARE you?" Avery asked, angrily. "Just an officer of the court, spreading righteousness through the land, looking out for the weak," the man said. Then he laughed, "Just kidding! I'm a lawyer! Why don't you ask him about the rest?" he suggested, smirking at Sam. "RABBI! Nothing to add about the old days? Well, what your friend isn't saying is I'm also Black Thorn..." As he said the last, dozens of wands came up to the ready. "Put those down," the man said, and they all felt a downward pressure on their wands. Only Sebastian and Avery did not comply, though Sam did completely of his own volition. "You sniveling weaklings with your Councils and Consuls, and Queens and Conclaves! You'll always be weaker than us because you aren't willing to do what's necessary to gain power!" Silas began his villain's spiel. But then he heard the soft high laughter. "You guys are all the same, aren't you? With your `I've got the power' trips and your stupid drivel about `real' power! What would you know about real power?" Silas's smile turned to a sneer. "Boy, you may have mistaken my delight at discovering your secret for tolerance for your eccentricities..." "I wouldn't talk to him like that if I were you," William said. "What are you going to do about it?" Silas asked, his smile returning. "I'm not going to stop him from doing what he's about to do," William said levelly. "Only those two can even raise their wands against me!" Silas laughed with contempt. "What can he hope to do?" "Well," Chase said, "you may have noticed... I don't need a wand." He raised his hand and blue light poured forth in a beam, warm and strong. Just in time, Silas raised his cane and opened a shield, but blue plasma ran down it. "Not possible," the man called from behind his shield, which began to waver. "Tell me about power, now, Silas," Chase yelled and redoubled the energy he put into his beam. Silas collapsed and held on by a thread. Chase called back his power and the man lay panting on the ground. He started to get up, but Chase said, "Stay down!" When the man kept struggling, Chase waved at him dismissively, causing him to collapse back onto the ground. "You'd have found out anyway, soon enough... Your power and mine are not evenly matched, Silas. So DON'T FUCK WITH the people I love! You might want to tell your Black Thorn buddies THAT, too!" "Language, dear!" William said, laughing, as he took the boy's arm, turning their back on the cowed man. "Don't get too comfortable, boys," Silas called. "We've waited a long time for you!" Sebastian's eyes raised in surprise, but before he could react the man was gone. Avery looked over and said, "You don't thing Black Thorn is the Order, do you?" "No, it can't be, unless the Black Thorn has an ancient order of monks dedicated to thwarting its goals!" Sebastian responded "That's unlikely," Avery nodded. "So now we've got two plots to worry about..." "The order first. Black Thorn we know how to deal with," Sebastian said darkly, earning a knowing nod from Avery, a man who, in many ways, was the founding father of the Society of the Black Thorn, since so many of his students populated its number. "Chase, William, get your parents and get back to the house immediately. I'll stay with you until your uncles return. It is no longer prudent for you to remain here," he said in a way that brooked no objections. *** Abraxos read the report from the surviving member of his assault team with pleasure. After so long they knew who they wanted, who they'd waited for for so long. Chase Abernathy was the one. His phone rang and he looked at the readout with distaste. He hated dealing with the abominations directly, but these things had been very useful to him, alerting him to the rise of Chase's power in Richmond, though they'd not known who bore it. "What?" he answered impatiently. "I have the information you've been waiting for," the man growled in response. "The one you want is..." "Chase Abernathy," Abraxos said with a smile. "You see, we can manage on our own," he added. "How?" the man asked. "We sent a team to hit them this afternoon, and Chase devastated them," Abraxos answered. "A crude but effective test, Felix. We figured it was one of the two of them, but weren't sure until now. If we'd killed them, we'd have moved on to the others..." "You won't be able to overpower him, Abraxos," the man said. "Silas tells me the boy has unprecedented power and control for his age." "Then we'll hit him with a sedative," Abraxos said. "And when he wakes up, he'll kill you all!" Felix replied. "REALLY? That's your plan?" "I think you're trying to stop us now that things have changed," Abraxos laughed. "Nothing has changed, moron! You think I wouldn't want to see my grandson in that position!" He laughed as Abraxos seethed at the insult and the logic. "So you have a better plan?" Abraxos asked sharply. "I most certainly do, young man. I most certainly do. He is, after all, the son of my son; they share the same weakness..." And Abraxos listened, hating to admit that the man's plan was better. *** Sebastian sat across from Chase and William, Chase holding and feeding Alex. James was draped casually across his lap in a funny reversal of what would be the normal expectation. Avery was pacing back and forth in front of the window. "The Society of the Black Thorn is a group of dark magickians, the darkest sorcerers alive. They were the one group of wizards who refused to join, not because they wanted to stay out of politics like the Strega, but because they were opposed to our goals. They didn't want to hide our world but to use our power to dominate the human world. Other creatures had that goal, but among human practitioners, the Black Thorn members were alone," Sebastian said. "The quickly formed a confederation, the society, seeking strength in numbers as we repressed them, little by little." "Why haven't they died out, over the years, given the Council's power," William asked. "Ah, the dream," Sebastian said with a smile. "In every group there will always be those who desire absolute power. IF we don't identify them in time, they could end up in the Black Thorn. The Council's War corresponding to WWII, our fight with Balthazar Schilling and his little cadre, and the opposition to the growing power of the queen subsequently, have continued to swell their numbers." "As has my foolishness," Avery brooded. When no one said anything, or denied it, he continued, "Like Schilling," and they could all hear he had difficulty speaking the name, "in so many of them I saw the unfettered potential and convinced myself I could help them control the darkness, which after all dwells in us all. Even you, Chase," he added with a weak smile before staring out into the dark. "Often, I was able to meet that goal, but it only takes the occasional Balthazar to compound trouble." "How many of them are there?" Chase asked. "Thousands?" Sebastian wondered aloud. "They don't play well with one another so they don't congregate often. One of our advantages..." Avery brooded while the boys talked with Sebastian, until William got up to go to the bathroom, giving Avery a subtle motion reflected in the window. The man followed shortly and met him in the hall with a questioning look. "What are we going to do?" William asked. "We'll fight," Avery said. "We don't know why they want him! What if they get him? What could they want with him?" "CALM DOWN!" Avery whispered. "Sufficient to the day are the evils thereof! Don't pile on evils that haven't befallen us yet! You just show him all the love and confidence you have, and if the day comes, then we'll take care of it!" "You loved him, didn't you?" Avery smiled so sadly. "I've lived a long time. Longer than a mortal should perhaps, and I've loved a lot. But next to my beloved, yes I loved him best. If he hadn't turned on us, perhaps there would have been only him." "Why didn't you follow him?" William asked, the question honest, implying he WOULD follow Chase. "Sebastian," Avery whispered. "If he'd betrayed anybody else, I might have been led astray. But you love a friend for a few hundred years, and you know a few things. Like that someone who loves you would never ask you to hurt your true friends..." When they were all together again, Chase looked at Sebastian and asked, "What about Sam?" "What about him?" Sebastian answered. "What is his connection to Silas?" "We're ... looking in to that," Sebastian said, surprising Xavier and Avery. "What do you mean, looking into it?" Avery asked. "You can't honestly be doubting Sam ROTH?" "No," Sebastian declared. "Of course not. But it has to be asked and answered." For a long time they sat around silent, none daring to think what it might all bring.