April 11, 1694 London, England

The Hertford Theatre was crowded with patrons awaiting this night's show, even as backstage the actors prepared themselves.

Among the latter, was one who though young had a beauty that outshone many of the more experienced among the others...she had only joined the troupe a few months before, courted by the besotted owner of the establishment who had lost his heart to her as indeed had almost any man who had seen her but once.

Oddly enough though she had not at least so far as anyone knew yielded to their yearnings, she seemed to prefer to tantalize them and that was without even trying.

And as if the near divine perfection of her outward form was not enough her voice was even more so...let the musicians strike up their instruments and she once open her mouth and all who heard her were enraptured.

Though she was too young in years to have known much of the experiences of life, being but nineteen and unwed (a rarity in itself) when she sang the old songs of love and passion it was as if she had lived them herself.

But what Sarah (for that was her name, the only name the others of this place knew her by) did not know was that this night was different.

That night as Sarah took the stage and began to sing, one in the audience looked up at her...and found himself as captivated as the rest, if not more so...which latter shouldn't be possible for a mere kine, he thought.

He had heard the talk of this troupe's newest singer, and just had to see the girl for himself...like all Toreadors, he worshipped art and beauty and this girl had both.

-- two hours later --

"Sarah" stepped out of the building, ignoring the calls of two drunken suitors as they tried to follow her out....she did not mind flirting with men to a point but not when their wits were addled by drink.

She started to walk along the street in the direction of the house where she and the others of the troupe resided.... to be stopped half way down the block by a man stepping in front of her.

He was tall, nearly a foot taller than she, with dark hair and the deepest brown eyes, set above what some would term almost classical features. In fact he made her think of one of those ancient statues somehow brought to life and his pale skin only served to reinforce that impression.

His clothing was of the finer sort as well, such as only one born to high station would wear, the silken shirt and trousers, the velvet cloak, and even the broad hat with the single white plume, all spoke volumes. She knew well what the quality would wear..too well.

"Excuse me--" she started to say, only to be interrupted as he took her hand and kissed it in courtly fashion.

"Forgive me for so accosting you, my dear, but after that..." he waved his free hand with a flourish back in the direction of the theatre.."I could not resist..." he smiled reassuringly at her, and for some reason she did not feel frightened of him, in fact she didn't know why but there was more than a little...awe?

"I am...Richard, my lady, Richard Carlisle, and only too pleased to make your acquaintance,...?" he paused giving her a chance to speak. Of course that wasn't the name he'd started out with but that wasn't something one talked of with mortals, even one so exceptional as this.

"I am Sarah." she replied, the alias coming easy to her after so many months of constant use, the other name...the other name was best forgotten.

"Sarah..." he repeated, "that means 'Princess" and so you are, my dear.." he replied unable to take his eyes off her, up close she was even more of a vision of beauty than she had been from the distance he'd seen her at when she'd been on the stage.

She stiffened at that comment, just for a moment, then realized it could only have been his choice of words. She smiled and relaxed slightly...though she had noticed his hand felt cold she put that down to the night air, nothing more.

"Where are you going?" he asked, "it would be an honor beyond estimation if you would permit me to walk you there. A precious jewel of womanhood such as yourself ought not to walk these streets alone...there are those about who might seek to harm even such exquisitness as yourself."

"Thank you kind sir," she replied...she thought for a moment, she hadn't really wanted any company tonight, but this one seemed worth changing her mind for.

Just then the two drunks came up the street having finally made it out of the theater. When they saw her, one blearily blinked then nudged his companion and pointed at them.

"Look..." he said..."th' lady's got comp'ny..."

"So she does..." replied the other man as the sight penetrated his sodden brain.

The first one came closer. "Is this man...bothering...you missy?"

Sarah tugged at Richard's arm. She didn't want any trouble, she just wanted to get away from these two, the smell of the beer on them was so strong she couldn't stand it at this close range.

Richard nodded and stared at the two men. He didn't say anything, just held their eyes for a long moment. Suddenly both turned and fled, Sarah forgotten, in their apparent haste to get away.

She was relieved and puzzled at the same time. Richard hadn't done more than look at them, and yet...? "thank you." she said to him, "but how...?"

He shrugged, feigning ignorance. "Who knows what goes through the minds of the drink fuddled, my dear? But think on them no more, they will not come near you while I am here...I give you my word on that."

(It had actually been a slight bit of Intimidation and Presence), he thought to himself, (but again, those were not things one talked of with mortals.)

She nodded. "Then let us go, shall we?" Despite herself she found herself intrigued by this man...there was just something about him that she felt comfortable with in a way she hadn't around others.

They started down the street.

* * *

The next several weeks seemed to pass in a whirlwind...between her own performances and Richard's taking her to see so many others, even to see some of the most famous paintings, sculptures, and so forth, quite a few of which were in the homes of various Lords and others of rank.

She had almost bolted the first time he'd suggested *that*, but somehow he'd managed to calm her though she wasn't quite sure how, and then suddenly she felt as though she could trust him with anything, even this, her deepest secret. "My name isn't Sarah." she had said, finally, sitting beside him on the cushions of the couch his arm around her...gazing into his dark eyes. "Sarah was the name of...of the governess who took care of me when I was little. My name is...was...Catherine Jane Rochester. Perhaps you've heard of Lord Rochester?"

Richard nodded. "I have not met him, but I have heard of him, yes." He stroked her cheek gently, reveling in its soft smoothness...and smiled. "I should have realized, such a vision as yourself could not have sprung from common soil.."

Her way of thanking him for that compliment was to lean forward and kiss him. And as always, his skin seemed cool to her touch, but she was used to that by now. "Now you see why I cannot go to some places, Richard. Even disguised the risk would be too great."

Richard smiled reassuringly. "Leave that to me, beloved. We will go where we wish and none may gainsay us. I will allow no harm to come to you, do you not trust me in this?"

She continued to gaze into his eyes for a long moment, then nodded. "Of course I do..." she whispered.

He'd leaned close to kiss her and then took her into his arms....and no more had needed to be said that night.

And so it had been for more nights...true to his word, they had gone to some of the very places she had feared being recognized in most and no one had so much as looked at her...part of her wondered how this could be, but then did it really matter? She didn't know how or when she had come to trust Richard so implicitly but now it seemed completely natural, as if it had always been that way...

She loved him. THere weren't words for how much, she'd never thought anyone could *want* anyone else so much and yet she did. And it was clear he was as devoted to her...though in a dim corner of her mind was still the unasked question. the oddity of why it was she could never see him save at night...no matter when she asked he could never come to her then.

Richard, for his part, was fast coming to a decision of his own. The more he came to know "Sarah" (for that was how he would always think of her, and what did names really matter, anyway, they were just labels, he had had quite a few in his time himself) the more he knew he could not endure such a flower, a perfect jewel, as herself to succumb to the fate of all kine...to break the Masquerade was dangerous but to allow her beauty to fade and wither into decay and dust was unthinkable.

The only question was, what if she refused? He'd have to make her forget, then, but what if he couldn't?? He'd heard tales of some kine who could not be so affected and had had to be killed to preserve the Masquerade.

It was a concept he couldn't bear to think about and he shut it out of his mind. Killing was one thing, but he knew he'd never be able to bring himself to destroy *her*...for all she was only mortal she had come closer to him than anyone ever had and that *had* to count for something, it just had to.

He looked at her again, he would never tire of that, she was like a light in his world of darkness...and somehow he knew that if he did this, if he brought her into his world, it would not extinguish her inner light only make it burn all the brighter for being tinged with darkness.

Sarah sat watching as Richard gazed at her, and seeing that he seemed lost in thought she brushed her fingers against his cheek.

His hand came up and held hers...and he knew. the time was now if it was to be at all.

"Sarah..." he began. "There are things I must say to you now. And I ask you to please listen with a mind as open as your heart...if you have ever trusted me on anything trust me now."

She nodded, not sure where this was leading but knowing she couldn't refuse. "Of course I do, beloved..."

He took her by the hand and led her over to the mirror. "Look at yourself, my dear..." he whispered..."so young, so very beautiful...a flower that compels the eye and incites a man's soul to drink deep of its nectar as the butterflies drink a flower's..."

"Richard..." she whispered. "You flatter me overmuch."

"That is what you are, beloved, do not try to deny it." he whispered fervently. "But hear me out. That is what you are now...but think how fleeting such things are...one day a flower beyond compare, the next a withered husk, the merest shadow of what once was perfection...and the next ashes and dust."

Why was he talking this way all of a sudden, was he *trying* to sadden her? "Why...why talk of such now," she replied after a moment or two to collect her thoughts..."life is too short to dwell on that which cannot be changed. Let us rather enjoy now, beloved...love now...for it is all we have."

"I have to tell you, because...because it isn't all we have. Or it doesn't have to be, there's another way. What would you say if I were to tell you that you could stay just as you are right now...remain young, beautiful, forever?"

Her eyes went wide, she stared into his eyes searching for something, some hint of the madness that must surely have claimed him for him to speak so.

"No. I have not taken leave of my senses, Sarah. What I'm saying is true I swear it...as true as my love for you. But listen a little while longer, and you will understand."

And slowly, carefully, still holding her reassuringly, he began to tell her of the Kindred...and of his own existence as well, which had already spanned nearly a millennium...of the various Clans which formed their world, including the Toreadors, his own...and the quest for beauty to which they had dedicated their immortal lives.

"That is what you are in spirit, beloved." he whispered to her, "I have touched your very soul and know it to be true. You know that also, that your true place is among them...with me..."

She could only gaze into his eyes as this incredible tale unfolded. For surely tale was all it was but yet...there was nothing but sincerity in his eyes, his voice, no hint at all of madness or deliberate guile... and, she realized, she *wanted* it to be true...she'd never thought about it before but the idea of growing old frightened her. she had not thought about it because it was something she had taken for inevitable.

But if what he said was only even half true it did not have to be inevitable, right? Suddenly with a certainty, a clarity, she'd never felt before she knew what she had to do.

"Richard...if this is real...if you can really do this...then do it now." she whispered. "Please..?" If she had to die to live again as he had said then she wanted it to be at his hands no one else's.

He held her closer...then nodded and bent his head slightly. she moaned as she felt his lips press against her neck then cried out as she felt a sting there, then it was a whirlwind, her life floating away even as she struggled to hold on to it and to him and his whispering in her mind urging her to do just that. A hunger rose inside her at the same time...an ache which burned stronger as her life slipped away.

Just as she thought she could hold on no longer there was a hand pressing against her mouth she felt something sharp she realized was her own teeth reaching for that hand the hunger burned hotter even as her teeth pierced the flesh and warm liquid filled her mouth oh God she wanted it she wanted it she drank and drank.

She could feel his presence there with her through it all, a stream of emotions and images filled her mind and somehow she knew these were all part of him...he had taken her life but only to give her his own...

As the hunger within faded...it did not vanish entirely, somehow she knew it never would, but only subsided...she opened her eyes to find herself lying on the floor in Richard's arms, he was looking down at her.

"Richard..." she whispered...she had learned so much just in this short time (or had it been a long time? she wasn't sure) but she still had a lot of questions...everything seemed the same and yet different...she sat up and looked around...colors seemed brighter, sound...even that of her own voice..seemed louder and, she realized with a start, whatever she touched she *felt* more...even the faint pressure of her clothing against her body was somehow more intense than it had been but she found herself drawn to these sensations still strange though they were.

"I know." he replied as he helped her to her feet. "That is how it is for our kind, especially for Toreadors. But you'll learn...I'll help you" and with that he hugged her briefly. "For now you must rest, it's almost sunrise. The new night will come soon beloved.." and with that he kissed her and led her to the bedroom, which had been carefully prepared to not allow even the slightest hint of sunlight to enter during the daytime.

She allowed him to lead her there, just reveling in the innumerable indescribable sensations of this new life...or unlife, as the case may be. As they prepared for bed she found herself unable to resist the urge to touch everything in reach including him. And when sleep finally came it found both of them joined in a tangle of arms and legs on the silken bedding.

* * *

She took to her new life as Kindred as a fish takes to water, the pleasures of the senses had always meant a lot to her and the strange new abilities the change had awakened within her made those senses so much clearer it seemed...the bond of blood had made her and Richard even closer and she was happier than she could ever have been as a mortal.

Until the night when that happiness was so brutally torn away, by one who lived in darkness as they did, but a greater darkness.

She remembered the flames...running...pleading with him to let her stay, but he had refused...then being dragged away even as she fought to remain then she had stumbled, the next thing she remembered was waking up in an inn with Charles, one of Richard's ghouls, standing over her and oh, the aching emptiness within where Richard's presence had been.

From that night on she searched first for Richard himself, for she had not felt his death and somehow she knew she would have...then for the one who had taken him from her. Though that one she knew was far stronger than she, she knew that would not always be so, even if it took her a thousand years she would bring him down. If nothing else, it would be the last thing she could do for her beloved, to destroy the one who had taken him from her.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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