The Choice

Chapter 1: A Decision-2

Neil met him at the door when Albert finally arrived. A wide smile spanned Neil’s face, and Albert couldn’t have prevented his reflexive grin if he’d tried. Although it had been less than a year so far, no matter how long they lived together, the sight of Neil’s joy at Albert’s homecoming would never get old.

Sure, part of Neil’s enthusiasm was because he was still riding high on the joy of simply being alive. Albert had “recruited” him that past spring when Neil had been known as Phillip, and had been mere weeks from dying. But the bounce in Neil’s step, and his obvious delight when in Albert’s presence was also due to that mysterious attraction the vampires had come to call “blood-mates.”

By all accounts, their bond would be for life. All vampires who’d found blood-mates were likewise affected—drawn to each other with an intensity unequaled in the human sphere.

While there were no stories of vamps with more than one blood-mate at a time, Albert had heard of several who’d found a second after their first had been killed. One particular account concerned a blood-mate couple who’d befriended a third vamp, and only after one of the original pair had been killed, had a fresh blood-mate connection developed between the remaining vamp and the friend.

“What’s all this?” Neil took the box from Albert and placed it on the counter dividing their kitchen and living room spaces. “Are the flowers for me?”

Albert pulled Neil to him, and Neil responded as he always did, wrapping his arms around Albert and drawing a deep breath with his nose buried in Albert’s neck. “Of course, amor meus.” Albert trembled while his hands gently rubbed Neil’s back. “Who else would I buy flowers for?”

Neil snickered and leaned back to peer into Albert’s eyes. “True. Did you know, no one has ever brought me flowers?”

“No? And did you know that I’ve never purchased flowers for anyone?”

“Seriously? Never? But y’all are so…” One side of Neil’s mouth curved into a sweet half-grin. “…so ancient.”

“That I am.” Albert reluctantly trailed his fingers the length of Neil’s outstretched arm as they pulled apart. “Although, if I’m going to be completely honest, I have picked wildflowers in a field in years gone by for a woman playing the part of my wife. We both knew it was for appearances’ sake, so it hardly counts.”

“Anyone I know?”

“No.” Albert added more water and a preservative packet to the vase while Neil found a home for the plant. “We eventually parted ways, and I never learned what happened to her. She might still be alive.” It was a big planet, and even long-lived faction leaders and council members couldn’t claim to have personally met all living vampires worldwide. He could put out an inquiry if he really wanted to know. But while he’d liked her well enough, they’d been partners out of practicality rather than out of any kind of genuine attachment, so he felt no burning need to discover her fate.

Neil rejoined Albert in the kitchen. “I was afraid we’d miss the movie date, but we’ve still got time to meet everyone.”

Ah, yes. Albert hadn’t forgotten, of course. Vampires didn’t “forget.” But he had pushed their evening plans to the back of his mind as he’d focused on more pressing concerns.

A fun outing was just what he needed after a rough afternoon of brainstorming with key security personnel who’d been part of the surveillance rotation for this case, and with his department heads. They had a plan now. It would take a little time to get everything in place, but it would work. Cameron and Dennis would be given a choice: become vampires and have just as much to lose if vampires were exposed…or die. Either way, their existing identities would have to die.

Vampires worldwide were accustomed to causing both new recruits and their own retiring identities to “die” and/or vanish seamlessly from society—they’d infiltrated enough key services and industries to facilitate that. Those situations were always ones where few, if any, questions would be asked about the deceased. Their recruit choices were carefully selected, and they each lived out their vampire identities deliberately making themselves unmemorable to the humans with whom they were forced to interact.

On rare occasions, trickier cases popped up unexpectedly. But it was uncommon to have to make a couple disappear. Especially a pair who had friends and family that would ask questions.

“Plenty of time.” Albert ran his fingers through Neil’s highlighted blond hair. “Tell me, how were your classes today?”

“Wonderful.” Neil pulled Albert toward the refrigerator and retrieved their daily ration of blood, then attached the adapter and handed the bag to Albert.

“Thank you, dilectus meus.” Albert’s fangs snapped out, and he quickly drained half and passed it back to Neil, who did the same.

“Biology is my favorite,” Neil added. He was just over a month into university classes toward getting his pre-med degree. “Although it still feels weird that most of it no longer applies to me. I could live without the calculus class, but it’s not as hard as it would’ve been before gettin’ this super-memory.”

“I’m happy to help if you have difficulty grasping any concepts.”

“I know. It’s okay, though. I get everything so far. It’s just not my thing.” Neil drew his phone out of a pocket and checked the time. “We fixin’ to leave? You ready?”

“Yes.” Tomorrow was Saturday. Albert would have all day to bring up the dreaded subject of Cameron and Dennis. The last thing he wanted to do was to tell Neil in a rush without time to fully explain. Albert took Neil’s hand, pressed a kiss to the inside of his wrist, and reveled in Neil’s gentle shudder.