56 years later

Aidan

Aidan's eyes lingered on Rhys absent-mindedly. The other vampire seemed to enjoy his evening and raised his glass every time someone cheered in the room. The pub was crowded at this hour, and some patrons had started to play music in the back.

"You're thirsty," Rhys said, running a hand in his red hair.

Aidan mumbled an answer.

"You're grumpy when you're thirsty. We should go and find you something to drink."

Aidan nodded. Rhys hunted as ruthlessly as him. And he was not anywhere near shy about it. The era when Aidan tried to hide this part of him had ended the day he had met Rhys, a few months ago. One night when he was feeding on a girl, he had felt eyes on him and the presence of another vampire. He hadn't been able to resist the look of awe and desire he had seen in Rhys' eyes at this instant. This gaze had sealed their relationship.

Some nights Aidan felt relief in embracing his nature. Others he repressed shudders of revulsion. If he were to be honest with himself, though, the shame never left him. But he was not alone anymore. At least, this was what he was trying to convince himself of.

They wandered the cold streets of Bristol, their steps leading them to the harbour. It was generally easy to find a victim in this area of the city. But on this night, it took longer than expected, and Rhys was impatient. He turned to Aidan to satisfy his restlessness in other ways. He grabbed his arm to stop him and pulled him against him. He kissed his jaw and pulled back to look him in the eyes while sliding his hand low on Aidan's chest. Aidan's gaze blurred in the haze of lust.

He was accustomed to the sensation of his body seeming to have a life on its own while his mind drowned in emotional numbness. Rhys didn't care about how he felt anyway. The deal was crystal clear.

Aidan grabbed Rhys' head and kissed him. Suddenly, the smell of human blood reach them, and they both froze. Rhys looked at Aidan with a smile. "Finally."

When Aidan saw the old man walking in the street without noticing their presence, he knew right away it would not be a night of relief. They fed together on the poor man and Aidan avoided Rhys' gaze, too scared to see in them the reflection of himself.

"I heard that an old vampire is in town," Rhys said, on their way home, with the hoarse voice he always had when he was high. "He's gathering people around him. What do you think? We could try and find him?"

Aidan frowned. "Who? Do you know his name?"

"He's a foreigner. His name is Stanislas."

Aidan's heart skipped a beat and he slowed down his pace for a second.

"You know him?" Rhys' eyes twinkled.

Hearing the name of his sire seemed to wake Aidan up from a deleterious dream. Aidan felt this tension in his body, this urge to see Stanislas again. Would he reconsider? Maybe. Time had passed, after all. Aidan still ached for his sire. At this moment, he didn't care if it were to launch himself into another nightmare. There was nothing else after all.