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As the passage closed behind them, the vampire standing right in front of them took a step closer. Taking them both in with a quick glance he turned to Avatar. “So, the lost childe returns, Avatar of Avalon.” Smiling at the vampire Avatar let go of Thiery’s hand for a second to give the vampire a hug. “That I have Mahari, that I have” he said as he let go of the vampire, taking Thiery’s hand in his again.

Looking around Thiery noticed that all the vampires in the hallway were currently staring at them. Taking a step closer to Avatar he leaned in so he could whisper in his ear.

“Where are we?” he asked. “And who are all these vampires?”

Avatar turned to look at him and smiled, giving him a quick kiss before he answered. “These are the vampires we were looking for” he said, before he turned to Mahari again. “Mahari, I really need to speak to Alaric. Can you tell me where to find him?”

Looking at Thiery again Mahari answered. “He is not here. Only the ten of us are. The rest are out looking for those who didn’t come through the tunnels. Alaric and Aiden went with them. They’re at a place called Dark Dawn, north of the city.” At Avatar’s empty expression he added, “Aiden is the new head of the Arden Line. Gautier was found dead a few years back, and those of the Arden line wanted Aiden as the new Head of the Line.”

Avatar nodded, and though a few questions were left unanswered, like how Gautier died, he didn’t press the matter. He would ask Alaric about that later. Turning to Thiery he said “we need to get moving again. There are still a few hours left of the night. More than enough time to find this place Mahari talked about, the Dark Dawn.”

Thiery nodded. The stares from the other vampires had started to make him feel uncomfortable, and as Avatar suggested they leave he almost started to drag the older vampire away before he knew which way they were going.

Clearly aware of Thiery’s discomfort, Avatar quickly said farewell to Mahari and started to lead Thiery through the hallway, over to the door at the right end. He had only been in this place once before, when he and Alaric had found it years and years ago. What the mansion, the tunnels and this place used to be he didn’t know. Nor did it matter. It had been empty then, and had stayed like that for years, until it was now again habited, by vampires. They would stay until a new sanctuary were found, and they could move once more.

Opening the door he lead Thiery through it and out into the night.

*****

It took them close to three hours to find the vampire club called Dark Dawn. As they searched for it, Thiery noticed that the humans there were a lot like those back where he had met Avatar. He saw the Believers, and the True Believers, and those who did not believe at all. They were all here, and not much different from those he had seen before he met Avatar.

As they finally approached the right club, he could feel other vampires in the area. They had passed a few on the way, but Avatar had not stopped, had not made any sign he even knew they were there. He knew he had to get Thiery to the Heads of the Lines as soon as possible, before too many vampires saw them together.

As they stepped through the door to the club Thiery stopped. A strange feeling had washed over him as he stepped into the huge room. It was not another vampire he felt, but something else. Turning to look at Avatar he noticed that the other vampire was watching him closely. “Go” was all he said, and Thiery smiled and gave the older vampire a quick kiss before he walked off to try and find out what was causing the feeling.

As Thiery walked off Avatar turned to look over to the far corner of the room. He knew Alaric was there, and started to walk in the direction. Halfway there he stopped, and a few seconds later Alaric showed up in front of him with a smile on his face. Avatar smiled back, and followed as Alaric lead him over to a more quiet part of the room. It was not until they were there that either one of them spoke.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you Avatar. Are you all right?” Avatar nodded, and looked out over the room towards where he felt Thiery was before he answered. “Yes I am fine. The question is, how are you? When I returned home I found a dead vampire staked to the door, and Hunters outside it.” His right hand absently touched where the stake had gone through him, and he knew that there was a whole in his coat from it.

“I am fine” Alaric assured him. “We lost three that night, and thirty-nine more are missing. This is why we’re checking every vampire club in the city right now. We need to find them, and quickly. The Hunters will find the passage, if they haven’t already, and eventually they will find the right way through the maze of tunnels. And when they do, we need to be as far away from there as possible. I have sent out Searchers, who will eventually find a new Sanctuary for us. And while they search for that, we will search for those of us who are still lost.”

Avatar smiled as he saw Thiery for a second, before he disappeared in the crowd. Then he turned to Alaric again. “Let us hope a new place is found soon, and that those who are missing will be found.” He paused, not quite sure how he was going tell Alaric about Thiery. The other vampire knew him well though, and before Avatar could think of a way to phrase it Alaric spoke up. “So Avatar, tell me. What is it that brings you home? You never were one to stay home, or let people know how you were.”

Relieved that Alaric had brought it up, Avatar took a deep breath and prepared himself to tell the other vampire the entire story. How he had found Thiery at the Red House that night, and everything that had happened after that. He would tell Alaric everything, and when he was done he would listed to what Alaric had to say about it all.

*****

Thiery followed the strange sensation though the room, passing a group of True Believers on the way who were quite upset that he walked right through their little group without showing some sign of respect.

It was at the other side of the room he found the source of the sensation. A girl, sitting by the bar, drinking water it seemed. By the clothes she was neither a Believer or a True Believer, which was good.

He didn’t step up to her, didn’t let her know he was there. The feeling didn’t change, didn’t get stronger or weaker. It felt the same, but even though he had found the source of it, he did not know what it meant. He knew she was not a vampire, but that was also all he knew.

He only stood there looking at her, waiting for something to happen. What it was he was waiting for he didn’t know. But he knew that he would know when it happened.