The Unforgiven

Note:  Text enclosed in <   > represents thoughts or feelings. 

Tuesday, May 7, 2019  8:00PM 
A Masked Ball

 Guillaume stood upon the balcony of the chateau and expanded his senses as he sucked in a deep breath of salty air.  Below him the Boston Bay rolled like a dark blanket; behind him the masked ball filled the night air with the joyful sounds of music and laughter.  The waning moon hung overhead like a silver sliver.  It was nearly gone.  In two nights there would be a new moon, and in two weeks, a full one.

 The Boston Season had just entered its pinnacle with the arrival of May and would only last until late August.  Guillaume knew that his European tradition of balls and coming out parties was hopelessly archaic in modern America, but he didn't really care.  The parties helped alleviate some of his boredom; the social games and festivities kept him occupied.  Most of his long life had been tranquil, even boring.  He indulged in all manner of diversions, from the mundane to the exotic.

 Without exception, every mortal present was a member of the Family and under his protection. 
Even though this was the height of the Season, it was one of the smallest balls that Guillaume had attended in the last century.  Between the presence of a new Slayer in town, and the conflict to come, most of the Clan did not have time for the usual festivities.

 Most of the Kindred elders had already fled town because of the Slayer's presence.  Guillaume was one of three elder vampires bold enough to remain.  He refused to be driven from his home, even by a Vampire Slayer.  A handful of Kindred fledglings had also been left behind, but they had not been given a choice in the matter.  Most Kindred simply didn't trust the Watchers, or the Slayer, despite their alliance.  The alliance was only a decade old, and most long-lived vampires were secretive, elusive, and paranoid.  Better safe than sorry.

 The ancient vampire gradually lowered his mental shields, allowing his mind to tap into the mood of the city.  Awareness began with the revelers behind him and swelled until he felt the city's pulse throbbing through his mind.  Tonight Boston was calm on the surface, but a heavy air of expectation hung over the city.  Morbid anticipation blanketed Boston like a dark cloud, reflecting his own sense of foreboding.  He'd long ago noticed that the city seemed to mirror his moods, and he its. 

 The impressions came to him in fleeting fragments, like a running stream of human consciousness.  He could feel the sleeping minds of a million mortals, an ill child dying of leukemia in a hospital ward, her weeping mother, a taxi running a red light, a couple making love, a man being shot.  If he concentrated he could focus his attention upon a specific person or incident. 

 His mind touched lightly on Boston's small population of vampires known to the Kindred as 'the Others'.  Guillaume permitted the small colony to exist, because they were his primary source of prey.  With great age, mortal blood had grown too thin to satisfy his hunger.  He hunted his prey among the Others, killing and draining fledgling vampires for food.  Such had been his way for over three hundred years, and was one of the only things he shared in common with Angelus.  His scan revealed that their numbers had swelled to twenty, far too many.  It was time to cull the herd; time to go hunting.

 A familiar and powerful presence tugged at the periphery of his awareness, drawing his attention towards the airport.  He followed the thread and swiftly located its source: Willow.  Excellent.  He nodded his approval.  She'd been gone for over a week, leaving her virtually untrained Slayer alone and undirected but for the supervision of the well meaning, but ineffectual, Watcher Council.  Not that this Council wasn't a vast improvement over those of centuries past, but good decisions were never made in committee.  It was good to have her back.

 Another, more subtle presence edged by his awareness like a sneaky shadow in a pool of blackness.  He might have missed it if not for Willow's brightness.  Who.?

 Recognition caused him surprise.   Ah, Angelus.  Guillaume instantly frowned at the realization.  Marvelous, Angelus was always such a displeasure.  What on earth was he doing here?  This was the first time that the Watcher-Vampire had dared set foot in the city.  Boston was Guillaume's territory, and he knew that the younger vampire disliked him intensely.

 Still, his consternation was short lived.  Sooner or later, Guillaume supposed that Angelus' coming here had been inevitable.  Not only was he married to the Immortal Watcher, who based her headquarters in Boston, but also his presence made perfect sense given the coming conflict.  Angelus always managed to find his way to the heart of discord.  It was his talent.

 Guillaume sensed strife and bloodshed crouching upon his doorstep like a lurking killer.  He'd known that this time was coming for well over a hundred years, and he'd been preparing.  He might even be ready.  In just over two weeks, when the moon turned full, that conflict would come to a head in a wave of violent bloodshed that would claim countless lives.  This battle would be the first of many and when it was over every single Hellmouth would be closed forever, or the world would perish.

 Soft footsteps pulled him from his reverie.  Without turning, Guillaume opened his mouth and sucked in a deep breath, scenting the air like a great cat.  His fangs protruded slightly as a familiar feminine musk mixed with perspiration and alcohol filled his nostrils.  Ah, his lover.

 "Jenna."  Guillaume held out a beckoning hand.  She came to his side, obeying the summons.  Tenderly, he tucked his lover into the crook of his arm and pressed a light kiss to her lips.  She settled trustingly into his embrace.  Her wine colored hair fell over her pale shoulders.  In the silver moonlight it was the exact same color as blood in darkness and a perfect match to her dress.

 "Come," Guillaume murmured into her ear.  "Dance with me." 

 She smiled up at him with shining amethyst eyes and cocked her head.  "As you will, milord."