Jason exited the hospital hurriedly, and the sudden assault of sunlight on his eyes was so extraordinarily painful that he immediately closed them, covering them with his hands to protect them from further pain or injury. Unable to see for the moment, Jason stumbled over an uneven spot on the sidewalk and fell to the pavement. He quickly reached into his pocket, retrieved his sunglasses, and slipped them on. The pain began to gradually subside, and Jason cautiously opened his eyes. The world around him came into sharp focus, much to his relief.

Legend has it that Vampyres can't go out into the sun or they will burst into a ball of flames, but that was nothing more than an old wives' tale. However, like most myths, this one did have a basis in fact. Even though Vampyres preferred the night, they were able to walk about during the day, but only if they shielded their eyes, which were extremely sensitive to bright light.

In fact, they were so sensitive that if a Vampyr failed to shield his or her eyes, the same ultraviolet rays that human beings generally tolerated without difficulty could burn out a Vampyr's retinas. Of course, because of their supernatural restorative abilities this condition wasn't permanent, but it usually took at least a week to heal.

As he rose to his feet, Jason mentally berated himself. If he'd failed to get his shades on when he did, he could have faced a week of blindness, and then he wouldn't have been able to avenge Kassie's death. Damn! How could he have been so fucking stupid? He'd been in such a rush to get away from Andrew that he'd forgotten the need to protect his eyes before leaving the hospital. Why did this human affect him the way that he did?

He'd dreaded coming to the hospital because he'd been afraid that he would see Andrew, and his fears had been realized. The moment they'd seen each other they'd been at each other's throats. Andrew had been his same confrontational and impudent self. How dare that human assume that he'd come here to see him? Who in Hell did he think he was?

Jason had been so disgusted with Andrew's behavior that he was convinced his obsession with the human was finally and completely over. However, Murphy's Law stating that 'anything that can go wrong will go wrong' raised it's head. In a matter of mere seconds his conviction that he could purge the human from his thoughts had been shattered.

When he'd mentioned Kassie's murder, Andrew suddenly became a totally different person. His belligerent personality melted away leaving a warm, compassionate, and tender individual in its place. This was an Andrew whom he had never seen before, and one that bewildered him. The human had unexpectedly become someone he could like and respect.

This new Andrew scared him senseless. Literally, it seemed, as he'd just almost blinded himself. When the human had taken Jason's hand into his in an unanticipated act of kindness and compassion, the Vampyr felt a wave of awareness pass through him like none he'd ever experienced before. It wasn't just a sexual awareness, though that was definitely part of it, but was also one of intimacy, and that was what frightened him the most. He'd become so overcome by this fear that he felt as if he were suffocating, and sensed panic building within himself. All he knew was that he had to get out of there and away from Andrew as quickly as possible.

This would not do! There was no way in Hell that he was going to live in fear of a human, but he had no idea how to erase Andrew from his mind. Well, he didn't have the time to focus on that right now. He needed to find Heinrich and exact revenge. Looking around to make sure no one was looking, he took to the air.

"Would you like a drink, Heinrich?" Neil asked the Vampyr assassin, his voice exuding pompous civility.

"Yes, thank you, Neil, that would be nice."

"What would you like? A French, Spanish, or Australian vintage?" Neil questioned with a smile.

"I think Australian would be nice. They make divine dessert wines, and I'm in the mood for something sweet," Heinrich answered.

"Nice choice, I think I'll have that as well," Neil responded as he motioned to his servants.

One of the servants retrieved a large decanter from a cabinet, and then walked over to a wall where three humans were shackled. Another servant picked up the straight razor from the table, walked over to the wall, grabbed one of the fettered humans by the hair, and yanked his head back to expose his neck.

The human pleaded for his life, but his entreaties went unheard by anyone who would care. The servant placed the decanter at the struggling human's neck while the other brought the straight razor to the man's throat and efficiently cut his right carotid artery. The human's blood spurted into the decanter. Neil's servant was so adept at this task that not a single drop of blood was spilled. When it was filled, the servant brought the decanter over to the table where Neil and Heinrich were sitting, and filled their glasses.

Heinrich raised his glass to his nose and sniffed. "Ah, what a wonderful bouquet," he said, then took a sip. "Yes, quite an excellent choice if I do say so myself. It is sweet, but not excessively so, and has a splendid, full body to it. Thank you, Neil, you always provide the most delicious beverages," he said with a smile. "Well, my friend, how is your new plan shaping up? Do you have everything arranged?" Heinrich asked, getting down to business.

Neil's return smile was malignant. "Almost, but not quite. I still have one thing left to do, and I intend to take care of that immediately. Are you prepared for your part?"

"Of course," Heinrich replied with a smirk. "When the time comes, I will not let you down. You won't regret making me your Chief Assassin. That, my friend, is a promise," he said raising his glass in a toast.

"Excellent," Neil said as he clinked his glass with Heinrich's. After taking a drink, he put down his glass, and then rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Now, I have a phone call to make," he said, gesturing for one of his servants to bring him the phone.

Jason landed softly, entered Alliance headquarters, and headed rapidly towards Lea's office to report. He was angry and frustrated. He'd spent all morning searching for Heinrich, and finally located him. That should've made him happy, but as usual there was a problem. Heinrich was sheltered safely inside the headquarters of the Synod, which was the only place in the world where he was practically untouchable. The only way to get to him would be to launch an all-out offensive, but the Alliance's Governing Council would never authorize such an attack because the loss of life on both sides would be too severe.

Damn! How was he supposed to avenge Kassie's death if that cowardly son of a bitch hid behind the skirts of the Synod? He abruptly stopped in the middle of the hallway and hit the wall with his fist. If Heinrich knew that a death hunt had been called on him, he would never emerge. There had to be some way of drawing him out into the open, but how? Maybe Lea would have an idea.

He continued the rest of the way to her office. "Hey, Darius," he said to the Mage who was sitting at the assistant's desk. "How are things?"

Lea's new assistant beamed at him, and replied in an almost breathless tone, "Hi, Jason. I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm doing as well as can be expected, considering I've lost a close friend," Jason responded sullenly.

Darius rose to his feet and moved around the desk, standing directly in front of Jason. He reached out and grabbed Jason's hands between his. "Oh, you poor baby. I heard about Kassie, and I'm so sorry," he said sympathetically. "Is there anything I can do for you, any thing at all?" he asked with just a hint of seduction in his voice.

Jason was shocked. Lea's new assistant was coming on to him! Since beginning his new position almost two weeks ago, Darius had been extremely nice to him, but he'd never once suspected that the Mage was attracted to him. He pulled his hand from Darius'. "I'm fine, Darius, really I am. Thanks for the offer, but right now I have to concentrate on how I'm going to capture Heinrich," he said, neatly sidestepping Darius' obvious offer.

"I understand, Jason, but if you ever do need anything the offer remains open," Darius said with an enticing smile.

"Uh...thank you," Jason responded with a slight stammer. "Is Lea in? I need to speak with her."

"Yes, she is. She's on a conference call with the Alliance's Governing Council, but she said that when you arrived you should go right in."

"Thanks," Jason responded, and then walked over to Lea's office, opened the door, and stepped inside.

Lea was still talking on the phone when he entered, and she did not look happy. When she saw him, she raised her hand and gestured for him to take a seat. "...but...but...but...," she stuttered. "Yes, I understand. I'll make the arrangements right away," she said dejectedly, and then hung up the phone. Her face was mask of consternation. She sighed loudly, and then stated, "Jason, we work for a bunch of gullible idiots."

Damn! He just knew that Lea was about to tell him something he wasn't going to like very much. "Lea, what's wrong?" he asked anxiously.

"I just received some orders from the Governing Council that could possibly destroy the Alliance," she responded grimly.

"Dammit, Lea, I'm a Vampyr, not a telepath! Would you just tell me what's going on?" he asked impatiently. Regret immediately coursed through him. "Lea, I'm sorry. I had no right to speak to you the way I did. Please forgive me. I was already frustrated because I found out this morning that Heinrich has taken sanctuary in Synod headquarters, and if I can't come up with a way to lure him out we'll never be able to get to him," he explained apologetically.

"That's all right, Jason, I understand completely. Although, luring Heinrich out is no longer a concern, since he'll be out in the open in a few days. Only, we still won't be able to do anything to him."

"And why the Hell not?" Jason asked angrily.

"It seems that the Chief Controller of the Synod is up to his usual tricks," Lea replied disgustedly. "He contacted the Governing Council this morning and extended an invitation for a détente. He informed the Council that after the Nosferatu fiasco he was tired of the conflict between our two groups, and wanted peace. He proposed a Peace Cruise where a concord could be worked out," she told him with a shiver of distaste.

"A Peace Cruise?" Jason asked in astonishment.

"Yes. Neil has suggested that the leaders of the Alliance and the Synod take a ten-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera, and they accepted his offer," Lea responded.

"You can't be serious?"

"Oh, but I am," she stated with a frown.

"But, Lea, you have to know that this is just another of Neil's tricks. By gathering all the leaders of the Alliance in one place he will be in a position to take them all out at once," Jason said, agitated.

"I'm fully aware of that possibility. I tried to get that point across to the Council, but it was like talking to a fucking wall! They really believe Neil is sincere. They kept going on and on about how this was a perfect opportunity to bring about the union of all Immortals, and no matter how much I tried to be the voice of reason they refused to listen," Lea said with obvious frustration.

"So, how does this affect the death hunt on Heinrich?" Jason asked.

"All members of the Synod delegation to the Peace Cruise have been granted provisional amnesty pending the outcome of the détente," Lea responded unhappily.

Jason was stunned. "I still don't understand. What does that have to do with Heinrich? He's just a foot soldier. He's not a member of the leadership of the Synod."

"He is now. Neil promoted him to the position of Chief Assassin, and is taking him along on the Peace Cruise to act as one of the Co-coordinators of Security for the détente," Lea informed him.

"You've got to be kidding!" Jason spit out angrily. He rose to his feet and began pacing back and forth. "We've got to convince the Council not to go through with this."

"I've already tried, but they are quite adamant. The Alliance is participating in the Peace Cruise, and there is nothing we can do to stop it. Our only recourse is to do what we can to provide damage control. I won't be able to do much--because of the office I hold I am to be involved in the negotiations, but I was ordered to appoint a Guardian Enforcer to work as the other Co-coordinator of Security. I am going to appoint you," Lea stated with a smirk.

Jason was excited. His dream of revenge was still within his grasp. He smiled and said, "Good, I accept. I'll be able to help the Alliance and take care of Heinrich at the same time."

"No." Lea's voice was firm and full of authority. "Your main responsibilities will be the protection of the Alliance's leadership and thwarting Neil's plan, whatever it may be. You will leave Heinrich alone. The Council has granted him temporary amnesty and you must honor it. Is that clear?"

"But...," he began to say, but Lea cut him off.

"No buts. There is much more at stake here than avenging Kassie's death. Besides, if you allow revenge to cloud your mind and prevent you from protecting the Alliance by safeguarding its leaders, then you will be doing a great disservice to Kassie. The Alliance was so important to her that she gave her life in service to it. By doing your job you will honor Kassie more than if you neglect it in order to kill Heinrich. I know how much you want him brought to justice for what he did, but that will have to wait," she said with compassion.

"Okay, I understand. I don't like it, but I understand. Working side-by-side with that bastard will not be easy, but I can do it. Kassie used to say that one 'could stand on their head and pack sand in their ass if they had to', and since this is something I have to do, I'll get through it somehow," Jason said with resignation.

"You know that you will have to meet with him to work out the details before the cruise, don't you?" Lea questioned cautiously.

"Yeah, I realize that. Don't worry, I can handle it," he replied grimly.

"Good. Now that we have that settled, we need to work out how we're going to find out exactly what Neil is up to, and how we're going to put a stop to it. With you working so closely with Heinrich it will be difficult for you to nose around without attracting attention. The only logical solution would be for you to have a partner," Lea stated, and then chewed on her bottom lip.

"Well, that's okay. Since Connor is on his honeymoon, I'll just take one of the other Guardian Enforcers with me," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"No, you can't do that. The agreement between Neil and the Council states that only one Guardian Enforcer will be allowed aboard," Lea chimed in.

"Okay, no problem. I'll take a Guardian."

"No, you're only allowed to bring six Guardians with you to act as your staff. Heinrich will similarly be allowed six assassins for his staff."

"Now, there's a problem. If we can't bring another Guardian Enforcer, and the six Guardians with me would have the same difficulty I would snooping around, then who am I supposed to have as a partner?" Jason questioned, clearly irritated.

"Well, the agreement does stipulate that each Vampyr member of the delegation is allowed to bring one human thrall with them for feeding purposes," Lea proffered casually.

"What? Treating humans as sources of food goes against everything the Alliance stands for! How can the Council agree to this?" Jason ranted.

"Relax, Jason," Lea urged. "Even though the Council isn't showing good sense by accepting Neil's offer, they would never agree to something that violated the basic tenets of the Alliance. As a Vampyr loyal to the Alliance, you know that you're allowed to feed from a willing human exclusively. The Council agreed to allow thralls only if the thralls brought by Synod Vampyres would swear to the fact that they were there willingly, and if the Synod Vampyres agreed that none of the thralls were to be injured or killed," Lea explained in a placating tone of voice.

"So what does the allowing of thralls have to do with finding me a partner?"

"Well, a human thrall would be almost invisible to other Immortals, especially those from the Synod. They might say things in front of a thrall that they wouldn't say in front of you. This human would be in a position to snoop to their heart's content," Lea responded.

"Great idea, but where are we going to find a human who would be willing to go undercover as my thrall and risk his or her life spying on the Synod?" he asked.

Lea smiled slowly, and then said, "I have someone in mind. This human knows exactly how evil the Synod is, and I'm sure he would be willing to help."

"Yeah. Who is it?" he questioned. Before Lea had a chance to answer, understanding began to dawn on Jason. "Oh, no! You have got to be kidding."

Lea didn't answer, though her smile grew and she had a gleam in her eye.

"Don't even go there, Lea. I refuse to work with him," Jason said adamantly.

"Why not, Jason? Andrew is perfect for the job. He knows all about us, and accepts us totally. He knows how malicious the Synod is because he's experienced it firsthand. I think he's an excellent choice. Besides, it's not like we have that many options since we generally prefer to keep humans unaware of our existence. I don't understand what your problem with him is," Lea stated.

"I just don't like him. He's an arrogant, impudent jerk," Jason said with emotion.

Lea grinned, and then replied, "Jason, have you ever heard the saying that 'the qualities we don't like in others are the ones we don't like in ourselves'?"

"I'm nothing like him, and I resent your implication," he said coolly.

Lea's grin grew wider, and she said, "If you say so, Jason." A serious look came over her face. "Jason, I'm sorry you don't like Andrew, but I think he's our best bet for finding out what Neil is up to. You need to swallow your pride, and ask him to help us."

"Is that an order?" he asked in an almost belligerent tone.

"Do I need to make it one?" Lea asked firmly.

Jason sighed resignedly. "No, that won't be necessary. I'll do it. I don't like it, but logically it has merit."

"Great. You need to talk to him soon because the ship sails in two days. You'll need some time to prepare Andrew for his role as a thrall," she said.

"Two days? How was Neil able to book a cruise that quickly?" Jason questioned, disbelief and suspicion coloring his voice.

"That wasn't a problem. One of the cruise lines is owned by an Immortal, and he has agreed to host the détente."

"So, we'll be aboard a ship owned by a member of the Synod? Can it be any more clear that we're walking into a trap?" Jason asked sarcastically.

"While I agree that this a trap, the owner of the cruise line is not a party to it. He is a citizen of the Alliance, and a well-known proponent of peaceful unification of the Alliance and the Synod. He is an old friend of mine, and I know that his only motive is in the interest of peace. That is why he was willing to cancel one of his planned cruises in order to accommodate the détente," Lea answered in a matter of fact tone.

"Okay, but two days is not much time to get ready."

"Then you better get on it."

"Okay, I'll go to his apartment tonight at midnight."

"Why wait until then?" Lea asked.

"He's working a double shift and will be at the hospital until eleven. I think it would be best if I spoke with him about this outside of work," Jason stated.

"That's sounds great," Lea approved. "Well, you'd better be going now because we have a lot of preparations to make before the cruise. You need to get started on a security plan. On your way out ask Darius to get the ship's plans for you," she said as she dismissed him.

Andrew unlocked the door and walked into his apartment. He was exhausted. It had been a long and busy day in the ER. All he wanted to do was get something quick to eat, take a shower, and then go to sleep, hopefully without dreams of a certain Vampyr. After what occurred today, though, he sincerely doubted that was going to happen.

He'd seen a side of the Immortal that he didn't think existed. Jason had shown himself to be a real person who loved, and the vision showed that he was loved in return. Andrew knew that Jason was Connor's best friend, but until his vision he hadn't really understood what Connor had seen in the arrogant Vampyr. It broke his heart to see Jason in so much pain over the loss of his friend. All he had wanted to do was take the Vampyr in his arms and comfort him, to somehow draw the pain into himself so that the Immortal wouldn't have to suffer. In fact, he wanted to wrap Jason in a cocoon of love to buffet him from further pain.

Love! What was he thinking? There was no way in Hell he could ever love that egotistical son of a bitch. Or could he? Shit! Andrew was so confused. When he dreamed of falling in love he'd never pictured it being with someone like Jason. He just couldn't be falling in love with the Immortal.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught his attention. Alarmed, he spun around and took on a defensive stance distinctive to the Israeli martial art Krav Maga, which he had learned from his best friend, Todd. Andrew's heart skipped a beat, and then started pounded wildly. It wasn't from fear, but from a rapidly building sexual excitement. The Vampyr he'd just been thinking about was sitting on his sofa looking sexy as Hell.

Jason smiled sweetly, and said, "Hello, Andrew. You weren't home so I let myself in. I hope you don't mind?"

Andrew swallowed hard. If Jason found out that he was attracted to him, it would give him power that Andrew refused to let him have. Deciding that a good offence is the best defense, he launched a verbal assault. "What are you doing here? And, Hell yes, I mind you letting yourself in! Just who do you think you are? Just because you're an Immortal doesn't give you the right to break into someone else's home!" Andrew ranted angrily.

"Relax, human. It's not like I'm here to steal anything, so there's no need to bare your poor excuse for fangs." A leering smile suddenly appeared on Jason's face. "Or are you afraid I'm here to compromise your virtue? If that's the case, I assure you, you have nothing to worry about. Besides, I'm sure your virtue has been compromised many, many times."

Andrew was incensed. How could he have ever thought he might be in love with this jerk? "It makes no difference if you're here to steal or not, you still came into my home uninvited, and that is unacceptable. And just so you know, my sex life is none of your business. Now, tell me what you want, and then get the Hell out of here," he said in a calm voice that was laced with barely controlled rage.

"You're right. Please forgive me. The reason I'm here is to ask you a favor on behalf of the Alliance," Jason said serenely.

Andrew stared at him, incredulous. "You're not very smart are you? The last thing you want to do is piss off someone you need a favor from. Okay, let me save you some time. The answer is no. Now get the Hell out of my apartment!" Andrew exclaimed angrily.

"The favor is not for me. If it were up to me, I wouldn't be here, but Lea insisted that I ask for your help," Jason replied defensively.

"Lea is an amazing woman, and I like her a great deal. Out of respect for her, I will listen to what you have to say," Andrew conceded reluctantly.

"How gracious of you, he remarked sarcastically. "The Alliance could suffer a crippling blow and you're being an ass. I told Lea this was a mistake," he huffed.

"I'm being an ass? You're the one who invaded my home, acted rudely, and then presumed that I would be willing to do you a favor. I'm just a human, remember? I'm not a member of the vaunted Alliance. Why should I care what happens to it?" Andrew asked, irritated.

"If it wasn't for the Alliance, there is a good chance that you would either be serving--or being served as--dinner for a member of the Synod. The Alliance exists for not only the good of Immortals, but for humanity, as well. You should know this, especially since you experienced the evil of the Synod firsthand," Jason responded in a tight voice.

Andrew was about to retort angrily, but realized it would only be his pride speaking because Jason was right. The Synod was evil, and he was extremely grateful that the Alliance existed to fight them. If they needed his help--a human's help--it must be bad, so maybe he should listen. "Okay, what is it that the Alliance needs from me? I am, after all, just a lowly human, but I'll do what I can," he said sarcastically.

Andrew listened intently as Jason outlined the situation. His first impulse was to adamantly refuse. The thought of spending that much time with the Vampyr was a scary prospect. How would he keep his attraction a secret? But then a thought struck him. Surely he would no longer be attracted to the Vampyr after spending ten days with him. He'd be more likely to want to kill him than make love to him. And there was also the fact that if the Synod won it would be open season on humans. He looked at Jason and said, "I'll do it."