Time: After "The Dark Half", Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 30.
[This is so cool,] Blair Sandburg thought to himself, leaving the library at the U of C with his prize in hand. He'd discovered, in a dusty remote stack, a treatise on extrasensory perception that he'd been keeping an eye out for over two years. Outside he arrowed over to a nice grassy place under a tree where he could camp out and take a look at the book.
Across the lawn of the open quadrangle, about two hundred feet away, a tall man in a long black tunic and pants leaned against a tree, his eyes closed. He fingered his long, dark blond hair away from his face and focused his concentration on his quarry. He'd watched, with his Inner Sight, as the young professor settled cross-legged down to read, refreshingly bohemian in jeans torn at the knees, long-sleeved chocolate brown knit sweater, and Reeboks.
[More delicious than I'd imagined,] the observer thought, savoring the young man's bronzed masculine beauty. [As sensuous as a Toreador, but touched with gifts of the spirit. He works magic *without* Ritual.] Taking a deep breath, he stepped out from behind the tree, folding his arms, and leaning his shoulder against it. Now he used Kindred sight to observe his object of interest.
Blair tucked a stray strand of his long, chestnut hair behind his ear, already absorbed in reading. After about five minutes, something began to tickle at his awareness. It felt... similar to the tug of the spirit world like before one of his and Jim's visions, like a weight upon his sinuses and a slight buzzing in his ears. Blair shook his head, trying to ward it off, and finally closed his book, straightening.
[Use your innate psychic ear,] the observer coached as if whispering to the anthropologist. [Find me...] He smiled to himself, enjoying the mortal's stretching of his powers.
At first Blair looked around his environs, wondering if anyone was watching, but did not see anyone very close by. Something over by a tree... no, it was gone now. [Is this the start of another vision?] "Man," he muttered to himself under his breath, "This is getting too weird for words..."
Then a voice spoke to him. "The spirit world mirrors the real world, you know. Symbols there have some meaning over here." The voice was like fluid music. Though there were campus sounds about, all utterly normal, this voice seemed other-worldly, almost alien.
Surprised, Blair realized the voice was coming from someone on the other side of the tree behind him. "How do we interpret the symbols?" he asked suddenly, playing along.
"Sometimes we can't, Shaman," returned the beautiful voice. "Sometimes we must flow in and out of the spirit land only hoping to be stretched, to find that which already lays inside, the yearnings of our hearts."
Blair closed his eyes, thinking rapidly. Only a very few people knew of the visions in the spirit world. Knew to speak to him as Shaman, a journeyman in the spirit realm. Besides Jim, those few were all Kindred. And of those, only two might speak to him about it. He took a guess, but he felt the truth of his guess even as he made it. "Severan," he breathed. "Golden Wolf."
"Shaman," the voice greeted him in return. "For what do you yearn, young Shaman?"
The anthropologist uncurled and stood up, then moved around the tree to face his companion. He looked up - the man was at least Jim's height - and looked into violet eyes and a handsome smiling face framed by long, straight dark blond hair. He was utterly gorgeous. Blair swallowed, a little intimidated to be at last in the presence of the Tremere primogen, the Kindred who guided himself and Jim in the Spirit Land. He could already sense the man's power, but it did not frighten him, only fill him with awe. "For what do I yearn?" he managed to ask finally. "What if I think I have already found what I have yearned for?" [Jim,] he thought happily. [And being his Guide.]
Thorne Severan regarded Blair with amusement and growing affection. "No one can ever reach that... but tell me, what have you found, Blair?"
Blair regarded him with a bit of consternation. [Riddles, he likes riddles and to turn one's question back to you... but God, he looks so amazing, so...] He had no word for it. [Wow.] "Love," he answered simply. "And purpose."
"Even love can deepen, stretch," Thorne replied. [Then he and Ellison *are* lovers?] "Purposes can broaden. One should never close themselves to a deeper fulfillment."
"You're Tremere... your clan."
Thorne nodded, still smiling faintly. "One day we may talk about that. The Prince has asked me to continue to guide you in the Spirit Land. If you like..."
"Oh, hey, we need all the help we can get," Blair murmured, beginning to recover his composure. "In fact, I thought I felt another one coming on, but I guess it was you? I don't understand that, man... you're not *causing* this vision stuff to happen, are you?"
"No. You only felt the subtle connective threads to the Spirit Land which we both share. One Shaman recognizing another. You are psychic enough for that, I imagine."
Blair couldn't help gaping at him. "You're a Shaman?"
Thorne grinned. "Oh, after a manner of speaking... I am more than that... and less..."
"I KNEW it!" Blair couldn't help laughing. "You do like riddles! Oh, that is SO messing with my head, man... let me guess, I have to figure this whole thing out on my own, right?" He rolled his eyes, but his laughter was from a nervous frustration.
The magus looked at him closely. "It is your vision, Blair. I happened to get drawn into it because of my own... sensitivity. And there may be... other reasons. I'm sorry if this isn't enough of a help to you." Thorne was reading far more than Blair's words, studying his physical responses much as Jim would a suspect he was interviewing.
[Something is wrong... I sense a growing dread in him...] Thorne narrowed his eyes a bit. "Jim is working late this afternoon?" he asked nonchalantly.
The mortal's heart rate shot up, the Tremere noted immediately. There were other subtle signs. This was about Jim, then. "Well, no," Blair was answering, his glance sliding off the other's. "He's moved to 2nd shift so he'll be working evenings now." Jim had just laid that bombshell on Blair the previous morning. The move was made because of Frank's sudden two-week leave of absence.
"Why so late?" Thorne asked casually. He remembered that Blair had been disappointed that Jim had missed sharing the vision of Frank Kouhanek's Embrace with him.
Blair shrugged. "It's the shift he's been assigned to, I guess," he murmured. He thought briefly about telling Thorne about Jim's headaches, but remembered Jim's surety that the visions were causing them. [Can't tell Severan yet,] he thought. "Back in Cascade, we worked together. The department had me on as an unpaid consultant, but I functioned as Jim's partner in the field." He hesitated. [I can't tell him about Jim's senses, not yet...] "But here, there's no place for me in the department."
The magus sifted through the mortal's words, wondering at what the young man wasn't saying. "That's a difficult adjustment for you to make... I understand you are an anthropologist."
"Julian told you, I suppose." Blair sighed. "That's all right, I trust him. Yeah, I just got my doctorate. Since I'm not allowed to ride with Jim everyday, I've accepted a position as adjunct professor here at Berkeley."
Thorne smiled, wanting to reach out and touch the young professor's hair, but restraining himself. "Academia has its rewards, too. I myself have taught at Oxford most recently. Something about opening up young minds to the mysteries of life..." The smile deepened mischievously. [I'll let him divert me for now,] he mused, [but there is clearly more to talk about regarding Jim. Later...]
Blair wondered about his expression, but pressed on, intrigued. "An Oxford don, wow... what's your field, if I might ask?"
"Oh, let me see, the latest one was immunology in the Medical College. A side branch of our research group here works with fevers that afflict the nervous system." Thorne crossed his arms over his chest, his Tremere signet ring catching the sunlight in a sudden flash.
The mortal gaped at the tall Kindred, awed. "Latest one? Research group? I don't understand... you're a... a..." He caught himself before he said "vampire".
Chuckling, Thorne reached out anyway to finger the long wavy hair of the mortal. "I have been many things, at many times, in many subject areas, Dr. Sandburg. And I am Kindred of the Clan Tremere, first and foremost. Which means my group here in San Francisco must present some face to the mortal world. In this case it's the Kynd Research Group. It's a medical research organization that enjoys substantial government funding for our hematological research. And yes, we do employ many mortal scientists who know nothing of the core group's... nature."
Unconsciously Blair edged closer. He either didn't mind the fingering of his hair or he wasn't aware of it. "Hematology. Um, that would make sense, studying blood..."
Thorne laughed, releasing the man's hair but letting his fingertips graze against his cheek. Blair found the touch - inadvertent or otherwise - warm and natural. In fact, everything about being near this Kindred felt natural. "Blair, that has a lot to do with our organization's hopes to discover cures to certain diseases of the blood, but also with our study of the science of blood and its powers. We Tremere employ blood in our Rituals..."
"Rituals?" Blair asked, startled. "That sounds like voo-doo or magic or something. What, are the Tremere magicians or something?"
"Yes," Thorne replied simply.
That blew Blair's mind. "Whoa, wait a minute here," he exclaimed, gesturing nervously. "You're MAGICIANS?"
The Kindred smiled broadly, still completely relaxed. "Some would call us that, yes. Or 'wizards'. The other clans call us that, largely in derision. We call ourselves 'magus', which is both singular and plural. The clan originated in the orders of mages in the Middle Ages."
"And just what do you use these 'Rituals' for, if I may ask?" Blair was still freaked out, envisioning black magic and witches.
"Protection, largely," Thorne replied. "They allow us to watch our enemies, protect and defend against them. There are many uses for our powers. Most Tremere, you see, Blair, were psychically sensitive already as mortals in some fashion."
"Enemies?" Blair's head was starting to swim with all these new concepts. But the more he learned about the Kindred, the more he wanted to know.
Thorne looked long at the young mortal, so eager for knowledge. "I can see many long discussions before us, Dr. Sandburg." His gaze held the affection for Blair he already felt. "But I must first ask you a question."
"Okay..."
The Tremere edged closer to the mortal, looking down at him. "What are you going to do with all this knowledge, Blair Sandburg? You must know it's dangerous to know too much about us..."
Blair swallowed hard, looking up at the mysterious and alluring Thorne Severan. "I'm not studying Kindred, if that's what you think. I know better. I'm not recording or taking notes on any of this. Why would the knowledge be dangerous to me?"
The violet gaze hardened minutely, the smile gone. "There are those who would subvert you to learn our secrets, even mortals on the edge of suspicion. There are clans and other persons who would love to find someone close to me or to the Prince to use for their own purposes. However, we are not without resources to protect you or your friend Jim. The prince's protection is no little thing. Still, there is a danger."
"Oh, man," Blair breathed, paling. "I had no idea... well, I should have suspected it. Tell me Jim and I shouldn't just get out of town now!"
"I'm afraid that would do you no good," Thorne replied slowly. "Kindred are everywhere. Although the Prince of Seattle is of my clan, I cannot guarantee that he would promise to protect you in Cascade."
Blair ran a hand through his hair, his mind spinning. Were he and Jim trapped in the Kindred world for good now? [Are we going to have to decide after all - die or be Embraced?] "Thorne, this is just too scary, man... please tell me there's a way out of this nightmare..."
But the Tremere magus was not going to respond to the mortal's fear. "Why is it a nightmare? As a consultant to the police department, have you not seen horrors already? Those are by and large MORTALS causing those, Blair. Kindred do not draw attention to themselves, do not harm mortals who may discover us. Some Kindred do become criminals, just like mortals, however. Kindred justice is swift and complete, far more than human justice. We uphold the Masquerade or we perish. I have enemies, yes, but they fear my powers."
"But I have no powers," Blair retorted, getting into the magus's face. "And I'm willing to bet any Kindred is far more dangerous than any human. Am I right?"
Thorne smiled and replied, "You are right, but you are wrong about not having any powers. How have you survived until now? Don't tell me you haven't had anything happen to you already that threatened your life more than now..."
"Oh, man," Blair moaned, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, shit, yes! I've been nearly killed several times and I nearly drowned - no, I HAD died that time, but came back." He felt the surge of emotion pulse within him, all the bad stuff coming back - Kincaid, Lash, Alex Barnes... "Look, can we go somewhere to talk? You might think I'm better off not knowing but I disagree. Knowledge is safety, the way I see it."
[So much life, so vibrant,] Thorne thought as he nodded. [Amazing that he has no idea of the power he wields...] Then he stiffened minutely, his senses picking up something. Scent - Ventrue. Immediately he relaxed. [That I can deal with.] Direction... he scanned with his senses, picking up the approaching Kindred. He was just coming across the quadrangle, maybe a hundred yards away. "Blair, I'm afraid I cannot stay at this time. I'll call you and we can arrange a time to meet more privately?"
Relieved, Blair sighed. "Thanks, man. Sorry to be asking so many questions!" He laughed nervously and punched the tall magus on the arm lightly. "Afraid I've only got about a zillion more. I look forward to talking to you again."
"As do I, Blair. Take care..." He touched the man's cheek gently, smiling warmly at him.
Blair flushed but grinned back, then retrieved his backpack. When he straightened, he was going to add something... but he was alone. "Huh..." He'd completely forgotten about Jim's headaches.
On the other side of the quadrangle, Thorne intercepted the Ventrue heading for Dr. Blair Sandburg. "Another Kindred in academia," he greeted the tall, lanky man with patches on the elbows of his tweed coat. "Dr. Thorne Severan," he introduced himself, holding out his hand.
The Ventrue stiffened, sizing up the other. He glanced across the broad lawn where he'd spied Dr. Sandburg, but the anthropologist was moving away in the opposite direction already. Nonplussed, he looked back at the other Kindred finally. He shook his hand gingerly. "Dr. Anthony Carr... are you a professor here, Dr. Severan? Or do Tremere actually bother with classrooms and books?" He was curious as hell as why a wizard would be talking to Blair Sandburg, and uncomfortable to be around a wizard in the best of situations. [Does Julian know about him?]
Thorne chuckled, releasing his hand. "Tremere learn wherever we can. I am not a professor at this university, no, but at Oxford not too long ago."
The mention of that august institution caused the other to widen his eyes in wonder. "I stand corrected then, Dr. Severan. You're visiting from England, then?" [And how soon can you go back there??]
But the Tremere was in no mood to exchange pleasantries. "Carr, I know that Blair Sandburg is under the prince's protection. I am under his instructions to assist our young anthropologist friend in a few matters. And your *primogen* should have told you that the Tremere have settled in the area and have the permission of the prince and the Conclave to do so."
The history professor blanched. "I... ah... yes, I had heard." [Nice of Sonny to tell us - NOT,] he thought to himself, irritated. "And I'm sure the mortal will fare well under your... protection." He couldn't keep the hint of contempt from his voice at the last.
"I have no quarrel with the Ventrue, in fact I consider us allies," Thorne snapped back. [Here we go again, the old ingrained distrust...] "Is this a problem?"
Then he saw it - the flash of fear in this man's eyes. Thorne had seen it in Cash's eyes, a hint of it in Morgaine's, and again in Cameron's. [Damn, and Sonny Toussaint, for that matter, hasn't exactly been wild to have us around... I must talk with Sonny soon...]
"No, no problem," Carr said quickly. Then distrust overrode fear and he added harshly, "You may consider us allies, but we do not necessarily consider you ours."
"I see," Thorne whispered sadly. [Has he had any contact with the Ventrue in England, I wonder?] "I hope you will soon have opportunity to believe otherwise," he added.
"You can hope all you like... excuse me, Tremere," Carr retorted and moved off, returning back to the direction he'd come.
Thorne looked after him, instantly suspicious. The quadrangle was not busy, but students did walk through on their way to the library or classes. Facing an opponent in broad daylight was not wise for any Kindred, and much less in even a semi-public place. Was Carr an opponent? [I so wanted to make a clean break with England,] Thorne thought worriedly. [And the last thing I wanted to do was create problems within Julian's own clan because of our mere presence. If Carr or any other Ventrue here should be in contact with the British Ventrue, there could be... complications. Fuck.]
Blair had retreated to the steps of the anthropology building, still intending to examine the treatise more closely. Truth be known, however, he was unwilling to go home to an empty apartment. Jim had already left for his shift. Sighing, Blair settled down on the steps to read. But it was difficult. He'd met "Golden Wolf" at last! And the Kindred shaman was... was... well, he looked mysterious, handsome, dark, sexy all rolled into one. [I must find out more about the Tremere,] he wondered.
An hour later, the light was really suffering. Blair sighed a very different sigh, pleased with what he'd found in the manuscript. Closing his eyes for a moment, he allowed himself to picture the Tremere primogen again. [What if Jim and I were to be Embraced?] he wondered, idly fantasizing. [Julian told Jim that we could still be together even if we were with different clans. Something about Thorne draws me... to the Tremere? I know Jim already feels something of a bond with the Ventrue...]
He frowned a little, remembering Jim's reaction to receiving the Kindred "Kiss" from Julian Luna. Blair longed for the same experience. [With Thorne?] He grinned, thinking of the tall, beautiful, and sensuous Tremere.
"There you are!" a voice broke suddenly and unwelcome into his reverie. "Dr. Sandburg, we meet again..."
Blair looked up to see the tall form of Dr. Anthony Carr, professor of history. "Ah, Dr. Carr, er, how are you?" [Besides undead, of course...]
Carr sat down on the steps a few feet away. "I'm fine, but I'm concerned about you..." He looked around, checking for lurking Tremere. "Blair, I saw who you were talking to earlier. You have no idea how dangerous he is!"
"Dangerous?" Blair narrowed his eyes at the man, wary. "I know him better than I know you, man. Dr. Severan has actually been very kind to me. What's your story?"
The Ventrue glanced around furtively, scanning. "Look, Blair, I know you and your detective friend are under the Prince's protection. But the Prince may be a little blind himself when it comes to the Tremere, Dr. Severan's clan."
"I know what clan he is," Blair retorted. He bristled at the man's words about his own Prince.
"You do?" Carr's eyes widened. "Did he tell you about their unspeakable dark arts, Dr. Sandburg, their blood rituals?"
Blair did not flinch as the Kindred probably expected. "He did not use those terms, Carr, but I do know they practice some sort of magic." Suddenly he was wary of telling this Ventrue about the spirit world visions that Thorne was helping them with. He had the distinct feeling that Ventrue didn't exactly walk in the spirit lands... [Is Julian going to be all right with Jim's mystical side?] he had the sudden thought.
"Do you now," Carr said, frowning. "Sandburg, his kind are universally distrusted and for good reason. They have powers beyond ours! Severan could manipulate your thoughts and you'd never know it!"
The mortal considered the words. [Oh, yeah?] "I'll remember that," he muttered. [I can't tell you this, Ventrue, but Thorne Severan may be the only one I *can* trust fully with our visions...]
"You're a fool to go near him, not run in the opposite direction when you see him," Carr added, wondering at the mortal's defensiveness.
Blair sighed. [Time to move on.] He stood, shouldering his backpack. "Look, Carr, not that it's any of your business, but I'll have you know that Severan was asked to talk to me by the prince. He didn't seek me out. So... leave it, huh? See you around the campus." He pushed off the steps, heading home.
Anthony Carr looked after the mortal, frowning. [And how did Prince Julian come to trust the Tremere so easily? Might need to check on that one...]
Back in the apartment, Blair sagged onto the sofa, his mind whirling. After three straight nights of visions, there had been nothing last night, only Jim's headaches. But Jim was fine when he'd gotten up around noon, more than fine, in fact. He was so chipper and upbeat that Blair was starting to wonder if he'd imagined the hint of darkness he thought he'd sensed in Jim earlier in the morning when Jim had come home from work with a raging headache. [Do I call Julian?] Blair wondered. {Do I call Thorne? How mad will Jim be if I do?]
The phone rang and Blair pounced on it. "Hello?"
"I'm sorry our visit got interrupted," Thorne Severan's smooth, cultured voice replied in the receiver. "I had to intercept... someone."
"Dr. Carr," Blair sighed. "Yeah, I ran across him later. He's actually the first Kindred Jim and I met. He doesn't think much of you." As soon as the words left his lips, Blair knew he'd made a mistake. [Oh, shit, now he's going to want to know how we knew he was Kindred!] "Look, the Masquerade was not deliberately broken, Severan. Ah... it's a long story."
"I see," Thorne replied quietly. [One you will tell me in detail someday, I hope,] he thought. "I was, ah, wondering how you two came to know of us. I know about your first vision, but not how it led you to learn of the Kindred."
"Er..." [Shit, what DO I tell him?]
But the Tremere was already continuing. "I do not need to know, Blair, it's all right. It seems that you and Jim Ellison hold secrets that perhaps only the prince knows, and I respect that."
Blair let out the breath he'd been unconsciously holding. "Oh, good, thanks," he murmured, relaxing.
"Many clans distrust the Tremere, Blair," the magus was going on, still in a quiet voice. "Carr probably gave you good reason to distrust us. Unfortunately there are those in my Clan who also give good reason. Some of our poor reputation is earned. But not by me, nor my associates here."
[I knew he could explain,] Blair thought, relaxing even more. He thought fondly of the kindly, soothing presence of Golden Wolf in the spirit visions. [I want to believe he is different from the Tremere who are as Carr says they are. Everything in me tells me how good Thorne is, how he can be trusted.]
"Blair," Thorne continued, "I know you don't know me well on a personal level yet... and I do not wish to pry or influence you into giving up your secrets. I only hope that we can reach a point someday where you can feel comfortable sharing with me more deeply."
"Thorne," Blair replied, closing his eyes. The threads between them already sang with rightness, goodness, Shaman to Shaman. "We will. I know it will come. What's meant to be, will be."
The open honest and conviction in the voice of the young mortal sang in the magus's ears like music. [Healer,] Thorne thought not for the first time. [He heals spirits. He will cherish my own vision of Kindred who actively revere life, who seek Light in our own kind, that vision I feel deep within our Prince as well...] "Yes," he whispered in reply, awed. "It will be." Then he shook himself, returning to practicalities. "Blair, let me give you my pager number. Please do not hesitate to call me when you have need to talk or for any reason."
Blair ran and fetched writing materials, then wrote down the number when Thorne gave it, committing it to memory at the same time, though he left this particular sticky on the refrigerator as well. "Thanks, Thorne," he said finally. "I would like to learn more sometime about your clan, too."
[Kindred spirit already,] Thorne thought, grinning. "Yes, soon. Ah, not over the phone, however. We will meet again soon, I think."
"Great," Blair replied with enthusiasm.
"Good day, Blair," Thorne murmured, thoughtful. Blair Sandburg and Jim Ellison were under Julian's protection, not his, though he certainly wanted to protect them as best he could. Yet he feared drawing them into the Kindred world deeper than they already were. But maybe it was too late for that. Anthony Carr, a Ventrue, had already tried to subvert Blair against the Tremere for whatever reason.
"Yeah, goodbye, Dr. Severan," Blair replied, then hung up the phone.
In his office in the Richmond Tremere chantry, Thorne Severan leaned back in his chair, thinking... and imagining...
The End
