The Enforcer: Eternal Redemption

By a Pond

Althea was not the first to fall under his spell. He recognized, being an Enforcer carried a certain mystic with it. Marcus had once stated it in a manner that was acceptable. Edwin was forbidden fruit. There would always be ones that wished to partake.

He was male enough to enjoy the attentions of the opposite s*x frequently, but always, his chosen profession took priority over everything.

He told himself he had championed Althea's ridiculous cause to repay Marcus, who had intervened at a crucial time in his life. That is what he told himself.

Althea had amused him, and nothing much amused him any longer. He was bored, clear and simple. With life, perhaps, so when the Council had summoned him, he was pleased to find some activity to take that feeling away.

He heard Althea on the phone with Colton. A thorn in his side, that one. The female held a soft spot for the other Vampire. She favored him. The thought irritated Edwin. It amused him she had called on Christopher Colton to champion her.

How amusing it would be to best the puny being.

But if Althea favored Colton. Would it be in his best interest to alienate her by such an action? She had taken his phone without permission. He found that fact amusing as well. He would never share such information, of course, certainly not with the female.

He lifted the lid of his cubicle, sitting upright.

She stood, her back to the room, reading the titles of the novels along the north wall.

"Are you afraid to die?" He put the question to her, for it had interested him what her answer might be.

Althea startled, swirling about. "I'm already dead...hello!" She stated the obvious, unnerved by his unexpected intrusion into her world.

"I meant, permanently." He found he preferred her waspishness to the other, choosing to ignore his inclination to rip her head from her body on this occasion.

"You've got me dead, already? Not going to put up much resistance, are we?"

"If they send Stefan, he is my equal." Aldemeer climbed from his refrigerated chamber. "It will be interesting to see who the victor in such a battle will be. We have never faced each other before."

"Those little scamps never play fair, do they?" Althea didn't like hearing such a thing. "Well, Bat Boy, sorry you opened your big mouth now?" It amused her somewhat that he found himself in such a pickle.

"I ask you the same question. Are you afraid to die?"

"I am prepared. I have always been so." He crossed to stand before her.

"I suppose it’s the nature of your vocation." She measured him thoughtfully. "What did you do? Wake up one day and decide to become a maniacal killer? Or were you just born that way?"

He remained silent, interested in her continuing.

"I mean, Enforcers, they are such a special breed. Even your own kind find you," she stopped hesitantly, "well..." she had the grace to be a bit bothered. "That was uncalled for, wasn't it." She grimaced accordingly. "Crappy of me to..." she sought an appropriate apology. "...Sorry."

He inclined his head minutely. "Most of my breed are, as you say." She sought in vain for another subject, coming up empty in the end.

"It is necessary we exist. Humans outnumber us and could easily eradicate our race should matters reach such a stage." Edwin said. "In the beginning there existed a group known as the Destroyers." He wasn't sure she was interested in such things, halting his narrative.

"I don't know them." Thea was big on her heritage. "Were you one of these guys?" "Not hardly. They were well before my time." He motioned her to a nearby divan.

She followed docilely for once, sitting when he indicated she should. He took a seat to her right. "It was their hope to eliminate all humans by either bringing them across or...death."

"A rather large undertaking."

"Not really. Not at that time in history." He corrected. "They could not be controlled, so the Council ordered them destroyed."

"How old are you, Hans?" The girl was fascinated.

"Give me my name." Those green eyes trained on her face, refusing a reprieve.

Althea caught her slip. "Oh, yeah. Sorry...Edwin." She altered hastily. "I meant, Edwin.

So, how old are you?"

"Old enough to know better." He muttered. "My Sire was one of these creatures."

"Really!" Thea moved closer, settling in.

"Their bloodlines still exist to this day, actually."

"She is still around?"

"No, Marcus solved that problem for me."

"Was she? A problem?"

"Very much so.” The being could finally admit to himself.

"Am I sorry? That she is gone?"

"No." Edwin shook a slow head, his eyes hardening.

Althea nodded mutely. "...Okay, then."

"Marcus and his son Nathaniel, was it not? They were at odds for many decades, yes?"

The female didn't know if she should divulge any information on that subject. "I-I never met him. The son, I mean." She hedged.

"Never?"

"No." Thea smiled tentatively, drawing in a soft sigh. "No." She glanced around, seeking a subject that might take his mind from the present one.

"He disliked what he was, I hear tell." Althea remained silent. "To the point of actually attempting to sustain himself on the blood of chickens or some such nonsensical thing."

"I don't know, really."

"I wonder if he ever missed the rush of the kill." Edwin wondered.

"I don't."

"You do not kill?" The thought surprised him.

"Not for sustenance." Thea told the truth. "There are too many alternative methods by which to obtain what we require.”

He shook his head scornfully. "Youth these days."

She shrugged mentally. "Why did you not eliminate your Sire?"

"Could you do so? Yours?" Edwin already knew the answer.

"She was too powerful?" Althea asked the logical question.

"At that time, yes." Edwin could accept that fact after all these centuries finally. "But it was more."

Althea nodded. She understood that concept.

"You have displeased Marcus. Will you tell me how?" He got to the point. "I believe it has something to do with Nathaniel. Am I mistaken?"

Althea's eyes grew wide. "He...he is dead."

"Is he?" The shrewd gaze rested intently upon her features.

"Of course!"

The being moved closer, his arm going along the back of the divan. Althea glanced as his knee touched her thigh. She moved aside instinctively, leaning back slightly, away from such lethal contact. Her heart began a wild thudding in her chest. Or at least that was the feeling which descended.

She sought the being, her mouth parting breathlessly as his aura surrounded her.

"I think..." his gaze swept her body with a slow, thoughtful sweep, “you lie, and," his finger gently moved a stray tendril from her cheek line, "you do so rather badly, my pet.”

Althea started to move from his influence, but the being moved artfully, his other arm crossing before her. His huge hand curved to the arm of the divan, cutting off any avenue of escape she might wish to utilize.

"Do not leave." He shifted even closer. "It is just beginning to get interesting."

Althea swallowed hard, settling back into the soft leather of the divan, watching the being more than warily.

*****

Christopher Colton waited impatiently, hovering over the shoulder of Krycek, his resident computer whiz kid. He anxiously peered down at three different screens, trying to decipher all the data being sorted and shifted with such rapidity it was difficult to follow.

"Don't hover." Krycek suggested, albeit strongly, halting the rapid movements of his fingers over the keyboard. "I need my space, man! Just saying."

Christopher rolled his eyes but stepped away from the vicinity, if only for appearance’s sake. "Its past four. Why doesn't the little i***t call?"

"Maybe old Hans is preventing her from calling." Alex sensed as much. "We should have..."

"What, Alex?" Christopher's temper was short these days. "What should we have done?"

"Alright." Alex backed off, holding his hands aloft in the universal sign of peace. "Alright. We're doing all we can."

"Hey, I know she's in England. That narrows it down." Krycek reminded.

Christopher nodded at nothing in particular. "She said, mausoleum." He remembered. "I'm thinking castles or very large estates."

"By a pond." Alex shrugged helplessly. "That cuts out only none of the estates around, I'm sure."

Christopher walked back over to Krycek, taking up his spot behind the young vampire's

chair.

"I don't think Hans means to hurt her, Christopher. He’s had ample opportunity, after all, right?" Alex reassured his friend. "It could be exactly what she said. That he is just protecting her until this s**t is over and done."

Christopher nodded again. "I just want to see for myself that she is okay."

"I know." Alex knew. "We'll find her."