1

Abby stretched, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. The cold musty air raked her lungs with the sleepy intake of breath, and the hard lumpy mattress beneath her felt familiar in an abstract way. Yet these things no longer gave her any discomfort.

No longer gave her discomfort? What a strange thought. Her sleep leaden mind teased her sense of reality, such that for a brief moment she was unsure where, or even who she was. She almost believed she was sleeping in one of the abandoned tunnels beneath the streets of Oxford as she often had, when she lived as one of the homeless. Although, there she had never felt this deep anxiety, a gnawing feeling which stayed with her no matter how deeply she slept. It was a feeling of desperation to find something. No, not something,…someone.

Alex.

The cobwebs in her mind cleared in an instant and she was up on her feet and heading for the door in the next.

She had wasted too much time already and she still had another night of travel ahead of her before she reached the compound where Alex was being held. What she was going to do once she got there, she still had no idea. No doubt she'll work it out as she goes. If living on the streets had taught her anything, it was to be resilient, think fast and never assume anything. Survival often depended on it.

Abby's stomach twisted in on itself with the anxiety that had driven her for the past two days.

For the first time in two months, since she became a vampire, she felt as though her new 'condition' was a hindrance, slowing her down, since she was limited to travelling by night.

Unlike older vampires, she was constrained by her inability to remain awake during the day. What she wouldn't give right now to be a day walker like her vampire sibling, Saladin, an eight hundred year old, arrogant nightclub owner. He might be an arsehole but fortunately for her, he employed an intelligence expert with connections here in the Ukraine.

Abby made a mental note to thank him properly for his help when she got back home. If she lived that long of course. Where she was headed there was no guarantee of a return ticket.

Truthfully though, she might be able to tolerate the sunlight as well as Saladin, she hadn't been able to stay awake long enough during the daytime to find out. It was so damn frustrating.

Abby ran her fingers roughly through the short length of her brunette hair, fluffing out the flat, bed bedraggled appearance. Unwilling to be caught off guard she had slept fully clothed, right down to her boots.

It wasn't the fact that she was a single, white female travelling alone in a strange country that made her uneasy. Not at all. She was more than capable of taking care of herself. Used to being a recluse and finding herself holed up in a WWII underground bunker, filled with strangers who called themselves her allies, was what made her a little on edge.

However, the bunker itself was a pleasant surprise. It had recently been converted into a restaurant, complete with WWII memorabilia, making it popular with tourists. Not much about the place had changed since it was first built early last century. The domed stone ceiling and walls had certainly retained their original, rustic condition. The only thing drastically altered was the uneven blue stone floor, replaced by flat, grey slate tiles to meet public liability requirements. While the premises' primary use was as the Alliance's Baltic and Northern European Headquarters, it was also a legitimate business and had to conform to strict regulations.

The irony of the bunker wasn't lost on her. The Guild of Ascension was, until two days ago, controlled by Ahriman, an evil fallen angel whose recent incarnation had been that of an English homicide detective, hell bent on making himself the world's most powerfully evil immortal. Fortunately, he failed miserably. However, previous to that, he had incarnated as a man infamously remembered for his war crimes, Adolf Hitler. This bunker, which had once housed the Nazi resistance, was now home to the current fighters against the legacy of his evil regime.

Abby checked over her cache of weapons hidden beneath her jacket. With everything that had happened recently, she wasn't prepared to take any chances. Trust had to be earned. Experience had proven, even those who you thought were your allies could in fact be your enemy.

Abby's unique ability to read people's thoughts gave her an edge, which she intended to take full advantage of, but she would be a fool to put her trust solely in her gift. It wasn't infallible.

Regardless, she had no one to rely on but herself. That is the way it had always been and that is the way it would stay.

Until she got Alex back, nothing else mattered. And, there was nothing she wouldn't do to get him back.

He was her Mate.

To complicate the situation, their bond was incomplete and she feared that if his genetics were the same as his sister, Cassie, he was likely to become weaker each day Abby was separated from him.

Would he die if she couldn't get to him? She had to assume, yes.

That wasn't an option.

Abby prayed that Lilith, the traitorous bitch who betrayed them and kidnapped Alex, would be at the compound when she arrived. There would be nothing she would love more than to peel the flesh from her bones, one paper thin strip at a time.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she re-adjusted her weapons. Her mind drifted back to the night before his kidnapping when they were ambushed by Ahriman's minions. Alex had been severely injured, he had almost bled to death in her arms from a severed femoral artery.

The healing hormone in her saliva had repaired the artery and sealed his wound but he had lost a great deal of blood in the process. Those precious minutes it had taken to staunch the bleeding had changed them both, bonded them.

Although Abby didn't have much experience feeding from humans, she knew it was a pleasurable experience for both the vampire and their donor under normal circumstances. With the strong attraction she and Alex had felt towards one another before and the intensity of the situation with his injury, their blood bond had connected them more intimately, creating something…deeper. It bound them on a soul level. They became a part of one another.

But their bond wasn't complete, and it would remain that way until Alex tasted her blood. Until then the physical separation from her would drain him of energy, slowly weaken him a little more everyday, like a battery without a power supply to recharge it.

A couple of bags of blood replaced some of what he had lost through his leg wound, but it wasn't enough. He was still weak from his blood loss. Combined with his separation from her…

A surge of fear pulsed through her veins, perfusing every cell in her body with a violent shudder, as she relived the memory of that night.

She nearly lost him then. She wouldn't let it happen again.

What was happening to him now? She could only guess. One thing she knew for sure, the Guild didn't plan on hurting him, at least not right away. They went to a lot of trouble to get him. They needed him for something.

Abby stepped through the doorway into the supply room at the rear of the restaurant, the hidden panel sliding seamlessly back into place. It was still early and the building was almost deserted. The Chef ignored her as he searched the shelves for ingredients, giving her no more than a passing glance as he muttered to himself.

Gustav's deep baritone voice carried to her sensitive ears, even though she could tell he was doing his best to speak quietly. The heated tones of the conversation had Abby instantly on guard. Her fingers nervously stroked the handle of the blade hidden beneath her jacket.

"Abby. Hello, I'm Nadia. I've been dying to meet you." The young woman bounded over to her holding out a pen and notepad for Abby to take, her thick Ukranian accent contrasted with her perfect use of English.

Abby took a step away in surprise, taken aback by the young woman's enthusiasm. Her hand latched onto the dagger reflexively, itching to unsheathe it.

Gruff protests in Ukranian and severe glares threatening reprisal were fired at Nadia, who stubbornly ignored the three men completely, pushing her notepad and pen at Abby a second time. Bouncing on her toes with excitement, Nadia seemed oblivious to the danger of her internal organs becoming external accessories.

"Sorry," Gustav offered apologetically. "We tried to talk her out of it."

"Could I have your autograph, please?" Nadia begged.

Her autograph? Why would she want her autograph?

Had she stepped off the plane into an alternate universe where telepathic vampires had somehow become the equivalent to movie stars? Not that this girl would know she was telepathic.

Abby stared dumbly at Nadia who once again pushed the notepad and pen toward her.

Abby opened her mind to the girl's thoughts and inwardly groaned.

As it turned out, she had become a celebrity of sorts, by proxy at least. Video footage of her with the legendary, first vampire Sammael, or Alaric as he preferred to be known now, at Saladin's night club on the night of his so-called 'resurrection' back into the world, had apparently been forwarded around the globe to practically every supernatural on the planet.

Abby had spent the best part of her life shunning contact with people. All people. She had gone out of her way to avoid them, to the extent that she had deliberately taken up residence on the streets. She felt suffocated by people's attention, their thoughts bombarded her mind with torturous monotony. It was quiet on the streets. Nobody came near you if you looked like a dirty vagrant. You simply slipped into obscurity. It wasn't always an easy life, but it was peaceful, just how she preferred it.

To find out that she had inadvertently become famous was enough to make her hyperventilate.

Alaric had also been a recluse until his 'coming-out'. He hated his new Hollywood status among the supernaturals, all the whispers and open ogling he now endured. Abby had chided him for his snarky remarks and eye rolling groans whenever he went into public.

It wasn't so amusing when the shoe was on her foot.

Humour her and she'll go away, Abby thought to herself optimistically.

With a shaky hand Abby discretely released her grip on the dagger and swapped it for the pen, scribbling a short message on the pad and signed, Abigail Dresdan.

"Thank you," Nadia squealed as she raced back to the table to show the three men who continued their disapproving glares at her.

"Abby. I want you to meet Klaus and Sebastian," Gustav said, ignoring Nadia's squeals of delight. Gesturing first to a heavily built man, Klaus, his beard almost as grizzly as the nasty scar that stretched the length of his face from the edge of one eye, reaching down to just below his jaw line. Klaus flashed a pair of golden eyes to appraise her of his lycan geniality, in case she didn't already know.

Next to him sat a fresh faced blonde man with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, Sebastian. His lithe frame and nimble movements gave him away as a vampire, even before he flashed his pearly white fangs when he smiled.

"They'll be travelling with you to the Guild's compound. Klaus was raised in that region and can guide you through a few short cuts." Klaus gave her a lopsided mock grin, deliberately scrunching up his face around the tethered scar, giving him an evil 'Chainsaw Massacre' look about him.

"Sebastian has a few tricks he can use that might come in handy to get into the compound." The blonde vampire dipped his head and winked, his opalescent eyes sparkled darkly with playful devilment.

Great. A road trip with two of Snow White's dwarves, Grumpy and Happy, if dwarves were around six foot tall, that is. Ha, there was an oxymoron, giant dwarves.

"Abby, is it true that Sammael is your sire?" Nadia interrupted, scooting across the bench seat and motioning for Abby to sit next to her, clearly unwilling to let any of them have a serious discussion until she had her fill of 'groupie session time'.

"Yes. That's true," Abby answered simply.

"That's so cool."

"Nadia," Gustav growled. "Enough. We have more important things to discuss. Go and make yourself useful in the kitchen." His deep gruff voice took on an edge of warning. Nadia frowned and pouted but was gone a moment later, muttering to herself as she stomped away.

"Sorry about Nadia," he explained, a little exasperated by his daughter. "She is a good girl, but a little ah, ah…" his forehead furrowed in heavy corrugation, pulling his thick eyebrows together until they almost touched. His finger tapped the table in an automated fashion as he searched for the right word in English. "Excitable."

"I don't mind," Abby lied, doing her best to keep the smile on her face.

Gustav shifted in his seat, pulling a map from a bag beside him and laying it on the table.

"Here," he pointed to a densely forested area, "Is where the Guild is holding your friend. There is an old fortress, converted into an Army outpost during the war. We believe the Guild now use it as their headquarters," he explained in disjointed English.

"They have been shipping in supplies along this river." Gustav's finger snaked along the length of the tributary that ended a mile or so from the compound. "Unfortunately, we only have satellite photos of the shipments, but we have reports that they have been accruing radioactive isotopes and large amounts of scientific equipment."

She had already heard this much from Dray before she had left England.

"Why haven't you had confirmation of this?" Abby asked. She wasn't an intelligence expert, she hadn't even played any of those ridiculous, time wasting computer war craft games, but even she knew the saying "Know thy enemy like thyself" was the first rule in battle.

Gustav balled his hands in front of him, his eyes darkening with frustration. Klaus growled, a fierce guttural noise that would freeze an angry bull in its tracks in fear.

"No one we've sent in there to investigate has ever returned," he answered grimly. Their loss weighed heavily on his shoulders. Even though the men he had sent had volunteered, he still felt responsible for them.

Abby knew this trip was dangerous and she was prepared for any eventuality, but she didn't want to be liable for the lives of anyone else. It was her duty to free Alex, no one else's. The last thing she needed was to be held accountable for the loss of more of Gustav's men if things went pear shaped. She was already burdened with enough guilt to sink a battle ship.

"No disrespect to any of you, but if this is likely to be a suicide mission, I'm going alone," she stated, eyeballing each man with determined resignation.

"No," Klaus growled. "You find your friend. I find my brother," rolling his r's with a thick accent. He leaned across the table menacingly, daring her to deny him his right to go.

Abby didn't finch a muscle, but held his glare for a moment longer before giving him a slight nod.

"And what's your excuse for going," she asked Sebastian whose eyes glittered with roguish glee. "I'm bored," he grinned, steepling his hands in front of him. "And, Gustav tells me I annoy the customers," he said with a dark chuckle of proud satisfaction. "So, I think it's time I have a change of scenery," he added, casually thrumming his fingers together with carefree disregard.

"You realise this could turn out to be a suicide mission, don't you?"

"Ah, yes. I am well aware of that. But that is what makes it so much fun."

Abby gave Gustav a questioning look. "I don't need any foolhardy thrill seekers on this trip," her eyes shifting to Sebastian with a disapproving glare.

"Don't worry about Sebastian. He likes to joke around some, but I am sure he will do nothing to compromise your mission, will you Seb?"

"Of course not." His shocked look of indignation and disappointment that anyone should doubt his dedication and conviction was almost believable. Almost. Except that Abby could read his mind.

Was he willing to put any of them at risk? No. Was he willing to toe the line and behave? Again, no.

The most interesting thing she had discovered ploughing through his mind, was that Dray had specifically requested he go with her. If Dray trusted him, then maybe, just maybe she could too. Heavy emphasis on the maybe.

After a four-hour drive, Abby was dropped off in the middle of no-man's land with her two new travel buddies, very aptly nicknamed Grumpy and Happy.

"Smell that glorious fresh air," Sebastian stretched his arms out wide, expanding his chest to take in a deep breath. "So much better than your god awful doggy stench. What do you call that cologne, month old road-kill?" He taunted Klaus.

"You want to die blondie?" Klaus growled, taking a swing at Sebastian.

"Already did that. What else do you have in mind, but nothing kinky," he jibed, taking a leap aside to avoid the baseball mitt sized fist heading in his direction. "I'm not into any man on man shit. So, I suggest you put your paws away before you give the lady the idea that you're after a bit of slap and tickle."

Klaus' eyes glowed gold with murderous rage, he peeled his top lip back to reveal a vicious set of carnivore hardware and his fingers stretched into lethal claws. "I'm going to kill you, little cockroach," he snarled, adding a string of foul curses in his native tongue. His ebony brows slammed down over eyes that darkened with dangerous intent.

Pivoting, he swung at Sebastian once again. Sebastian blocked the punch, then caught him with a kick that knocked Klaus backwards, but only for a moment. Despite his size he moved with the grace of the wolf inside him, smooth and fluid, dancing lightly on his feet. Every powerful blow controlled with devastating accuracy. But it made no difference.

"You won't be so smug when I separate your head from your body," he said in a painfully calm voice, as though performing a decapitation was a routine job.

"Good Lord. If you two don't tone down the testosterone, I'll kill you both myself," Abby yelled, the storm brewing in her eyes gathering strength.

The two men stopped and grinned at each other, clasping forearms in mutual appreciation.

"Don't mind us," Sebastian said. "We're just limbering up. We need to be ready for whatever nasty surprises the Guild might have waiting for us."

A sparring session? Abby threw up her hands in frustration. "We don't have time for this. Let's get moving," her voice cracked like a bull-whip. She didn't intentionally mean to sound so harsh, but she was unaccustomed to men behaving like Neanderthals and her nerves weren't exactly at their best right now.

"Sorry," Klaus apologised sheepishly. "The liddle lady is right. Get moving," he said to Sebastian, slapping him hard enough on the back to send him stumbling a few steps. Getting the last blow in on their friendly scrap.

Six freaking hours of trekking with this pair? Good god, give me strength, she inwardly thought in frustration.

Maybe she could ditch them.

Wishful thinking.

At least she knew they could fight. It would be better if they focussed on the enemy though, not each other.

Snow flurries fluttered around her face, getting into her eyes and tickling her nose as they started their long hike.

For the next few hours they moved in silence, scaling steep craggy mountain sides and walking along obscure muddy trails barely fit for mountain goats. The only sound came from skeletal trees rustling in the breeze, muted marginally by the mountain of snow that coated the ground.

Nearly there, Abby told herself over and over with each step.