This was what people referred to as being newly wed: the feeling of euphoria in the proximity of ones recently acquired spose. Claudia hadn't lost her mind; she had always secretly feared indulging one's sexual appetite constantly would do that. Rather, Claudia discovered these extremly pleasurable flashes of clarity. Sure, orgasms, but she just hadn't been letting go of herself quite enough before, maybe she had only thought she was having orgasms before because she didn't know. Her point was, that the absolutely gorgeous moments of purity of thought didn't detract at all from her mental capacity or intellect, instead they enhanced her awareness, or this was how she saw it.

      Apparently John was experiencing things differently, which was no matter, he was still happy. A bit smug even, when Claudia admitted his idea of submission or sacrifice bringing one to total love was right again. It had to be that she had retained some fear before, and now it was gone, this feeling John liked to name complete love was happening more.

      It was glorious, the flashes of total awareness and then when they melded together or seemed about to be forgotten there were the feelings John called total or complete love, but which Claudia thought felt more like a perfect balance of spirit, mind, and flesh. This state was ideal for thought. It was becoming not unusual for Claudia to say something like, "Oh, John, that feels absolutely lovely, do go on...I think Hannover was wrong. Going to Bremen was inspired. I think the Netherlands next. It should keep us from the crackers a while longer."

      Something had been altered in her mind as soon as Patrick had shouted for her to marry John. The thought had suddenly made sense. Now, she felt like a fool in retrospect. Again, the moment of clarity had come and Claudia had thought: he is intelligent, educated in areas I am not, devoted to me utterly, pure and giving in spirit, and he's absolutely gorgeous, not only do I enjoy his company and desire him greatly, but now logic says I am mad to ever let him go.

      Even David in the back of her head couldn't interrupt. Claudia had to allow that in the future there would be tension and even argument, but now David could never have her entirely to himself. If she had to become David's child-in blood, then she would turn John herself, make him her Vampyric child. She never spoke this to John, but she repeated it sometimes to herself. She meant her vows, even in the next life.

      Claudia liked to look at John's body when he was naked and sleeping. She liked to curl the palm of her hand over one of the bony landmarks of his figure. A hipbone was best, but shoulder blade was just fine, and a shoulder, knee, elbow, ankle or wrist would do. Covering John's bony parts with herself made Claudia feel connected to him and sometimes protective.

      Claudia was having one of those completely perfect moments, lying stretched out and naked on her belly eating a pear and John above her, kissing softly each of her vertebrae. This was now the best pear she ever tasted. "I bet it's Athen's Mother's name."

      John didn't speak, only made a questioning sound and moved to the next vertebrae up, kissed it through her skin.

      "I shouldn't be that simple, but it occurs to me that if the Alexandria computer had a backdoor it would be passworded with the name of Athene's mother." John wasn't going to answer, moved up again, his fingers digging the flesh of her shoulders. "Unfortunately, I do not know her name, but I bet I can find it somewhere...by the way that feels excellent, do tell me if you want me to try it on you. I find recently that the giving parts of lovemaking are very fulfilling and satisfying."

      He'd reached the last vertebrae, was at her neck. "Mother Teresa said that to really love on another properly there must be great sacrifice," John told her. He bit down hard on the flesh at the right side of her neck. It made Claudia's eye roll back into her head. "I think the inverse is true, to sacrifice properly, there must be great love. You fell in love, so now you are into seeing me find pleasure just as I am so into seeing you find pleasure."

      "I put your will before my own," Claudia said. "Is it time we put their needs before both our own?"

      "Likely," John said. "It's been days."

      Claudia sighed. "I suppose I did fall in love with you and completely without planning. Do you suppose Elonwey made me realize I really wanted you?"

      "Maybe," John said; he lay down at her right side. "I think I first loved you when we were in Paris. First you shocked me, then I thought you pretty, then I liked you, and then love."

      "Sounds right, we did have a nice chat in Paris, before the bombs went off. And soon after that we were in Ballater."

      "The church. I remember."

      "My first Human," Claudia sighed.

      "You were mine," John said and she didn't believe him.

      "Seriously?" she asked.

      John's fingers toyed with her hair. "I did have dates and girlfriends, but I was a good Catholic boy until Joy and you. I mean, there were sexual acts involved, but it was like reading a book with every third word blacked out, not the full experience."

      Claudia smiled, "Technically, your first, that's acceptable. I suppose you'll continue on with Alaric as well?"

      "You know about that?" John whispered, as if anyone was close enough to hear. Claudia turned slightly to look John face to face.

      "Don't be dense, of course we know. Merideth has always known Alaric to be bisexual and I've seen you close enough to it."

"It's not 50/50," John whispered.

"I know." Claudia was certain bisexual didn't mean that, but maybe John really didn't know. "There are nights you sleep in Alaric's bed, with Merideth and I not a meter above or below, so."

"Wasn't always in a bed."

"Maybe not everyone notices, like they don't all notice lipstick." she laughed, "You and Alaric do have the whole Ubermensch thing about you. And you are always touching."

      John sighed, and Claudia tried to guess if he was upset she pointed this out, or happy she'd always noticed him. He took a few breath before speaking. "You know I'm sure ancient tribal chieftains had more than one wife, maybe even concubines, at least in the Bible they did."

      "A man will be allowed to have two wives. I will make sure they know this law. But, this does not include lovers they keep and do not share children with of any sex. And no women should have more than one husband."

      "Yes, this way we can be married and the silly girls won't be discouraged from joning the tribe just to be near me." He laughed, but it was true. 

      Claudia raised an eyebrow to that, true or not. "Let's go back," she suggested, "It's been cathartic and tantric and things I don't have vocabulary for yet...but I want to see Merideth, and have Miko ask questions. I heard them last night; three more joined the tribe without seeing us."

      John lay on his back, right arm behind his head. A deep breath was taken and released. "If you want it."

      Claudia pushed herself up, sat facing John and swatted hair over her shoulder. Ever since the PU questioners had cut off all her hair and the Faeries in Pict Firth had used their magics to make it grow back, the hair had seemed less tameable and was quick to grow. "I remember I used to be guarded. It doesn't have to be like that. I do favor what is logical, what is proper, and ladylike, but that doesn't mean if you feel like holding me or kissing me I'll swat you away. It's entirely proper now we're married."

      "I suppose at times I thought your being so not-Catholic meant you hadn't morals. They were just different. There I was wanting to crawl all over you constantly, and feeling my own guilt, and you just didn't think it proper. You might have actually liked it secreted away somewhere."

      Claudia laughed. She bowed her head forward in her giddy fit, covered John's face in a tent of her hair. "Ladylike, sixteen, moral, or proper don't quite add up to frigid. Didn't I always end up in throws of passion when we were alone? But it's more proper for husband and wife to be together, quite alright for people to know we've been sleeping together or that we desire each other. I promise, we'll still feel newlyweds."

      "Promise?"

      So yummy, no word for it but school girl slang. Claudia just wanted to swallow him whole, or have John melt on her tongue. "Our battlecry is love, Cher, we are husband and wife, Leader and Lady of the Goth, we have nearly died for each other, made sacrifices for each other. Could we be more romantic?"

      "Je t'aime, ma Chere," John said, tolerable French. It was cute him trying to speak it. "But we must be as romantic as possible, to inspire more people to follow us. Romantic and noble, brave if need be."

      Claudia nodded. He was right. She was right. "Bath in the stream by moonlight, dress in old fashioned clothing, have breakfast ready when our tribe wakes."

      He was reaching for her throat. "Just one more kiss?"

      Claudia gave in.

           †               †               †

      They were in a campsite equipped for trailer hookup between Bremen and the Netherlands border. Just as she had planned, there was time for Claudia and John to wash and dress before making breakfast. They tried to keep food about, but much of the tribe was without income while they travelled, and things were becoming scarcer in that respect. John had crept into the crew's trailer, and taken some of the night vision goggles, then creeping again about the woods with crossbow he had killed a few rabbits.  While he was away, Claudia walked in another direction and foraged, getting fairly good at finding hidden edible plants.

      Claudia did not consider herself much of a cook, and did not think John was very domesticated, but for keeping things generally tidy, and being able to tell when meat over a fire was the proper degree between raw and burnt. But, Karina and Elzbieta had both left recipes about for others to use. Claudia stole away some expensive-looking bottled beer from Alaric, noticed the new girl sharing bed with he and Merideth, though the bunk above was empty. Claudia measured out some self-rising flour from their stores within the mini and dumped it in a bowl. She poured the beer over the flour, mixed and then there was only the putting the dough in a pan to bake.

      They had about two stoves within trailers now, and there was the fire, but Miko, Cyprian, and Erik all told of scouting camps they had gone to and ingenious ways to heat food. So now, with some foil, duct tape, a cardboard bow, and some coals an oven was made. A several steel cans of various sizes, a bit of cardboard and some candle ends made a stove. They had acquired a bit of metal grillwork to suspend above the fire and also fashioned a spit and had a number of pots in various sizes as well.

      Loaves of bread in the box oven. Tea brewing on a crane near the fire. Spit waiting the game.  Water boiling in a pot on the grate to make warm cereal. Purchased sausages sizzling in a pan on the can stove. Claudia would have made coffee, but Marcus secreted away his coffee supplies in the RV where he could make the brew as he liked, even espresso should he desire.

      Claudia put the ends of the candles they had used in the wedding tent into a pot. She rested the pot within the larger pot of boiling water so the wax would liquify. Before living with the tribe, she had not known to do these things. Claudia had known so much about technology, how to be her daddy's perfect little lady in public, and various things gleaned from books.

      John approached, string of dead animals carelessly slung over his shoulder. So much of his clothes eventually became bloodstained. He sat down on the ground, cross-legged, and pulled a knife from his boot. Claudia smiled as John began to skin the first rabbit, knife slipping just under the skin. "I'm making breakfast," she said.

      "Double thanks to you for making breakfast," John said with a laugh and ceremonious nod in her direction. He had the goggles pushed up in his hair, blood on his sleeve.

      "Extra girl in bed with Alaric and Merideth," Claudia said.

      "Two new boys in a truck," John said with a nod toward the area where their horses stood resting.

      "Find a note or anything?" Claudia asked.

      "Troop movements are pretty much what we expected. We can be inside the Netherlands by the afternoon if we want."

      "Did any of the Vampyres you met ever mention Athen's mother?" Claudia asked.

      "Not by name. I doubt half the old ones know."

      Claudia stood up. It was dawn now, much easier to see. She walked around the circle to stand behind John. He was yet skinning small animals. Claudia stooped behind him and held John by the waist. "I think Anne knows."

      "Who is Anne?"

      Claudia swatted hair from her face. "Anne is child-in blood to the High Lord, a Vampyre naturally. She is not that old, though, perhaps as old as Theo or Daerrick who you have met. But...haven't I told you this? You could have forgotten. The real reason my Father no longer lives in Paris but in Alexandria is that he is Lady Anne's Human lover."

      "I do not think you actually spoke of them being lovers, Claudy, I would have remembered."

      Claudia shrugged. She leaned against John and looked over his shoulder. He was so quick with the knife, practiced at stripping skin from flesh. She licked her lips. "Anyway, I know my Father of course, and he is close with Anne, and Anne is blood-child and lover to the High Lord, and the High Lord is the natural father as well as Vampyre father-in-blood to Athen, and Athen designed the better part of the mainframe's operations. If I can get my father to speak to me of them, I might be able to intuit how they would choose passwords or number codes."

      "Well, if no one knows the true name of the High Lord, how would we get them to tell us the name of his dead wife?" John asked.

      "I think Anne knows it. I just have this vague recollection of her speaking of the woman, maybe it was that she appeared as a ghost or Anne had learned to travel...but I think Anne met her, though she's no older than 200 and Athen's mother died about 2200 years ago or more."

      "Hey, you think any of the VC know?" John asked. "They're in Austria already. I bet Angel would know. They all say she's insane, but she's got a hundred years on Anne I bet, plus she was also the High Lord's child and lover, I mean, that's just common knowledge."

      Claudia sighed. "Among Loyalists, such my father and I were, it was all well known who the major players among the Union's Darkling were. You know that when I became bound to David I was travelling to Alexandria to compete for a scholarship. Every year people from all over the world compete to be chosen, one of the Vampyres chooses you based on your talents, and in return for blood, they make you their apprentice. Only, because I became bound to David before the competition, it rather changed things. I might have been one of the pampered Humans in Alexandria now.

      "I can name most of the high Lord's brood," Claudia went on. He turned his son Athen, then Angel, then Anne. Athen turned Faye, then Julien. Angel turned someone who has already died, then Ganymede, then Daerick, then Rachael, and then a whole lot more I forget. Anne has no children. Faye has had a child who I believe was her real sister but who died not very many centuries ago. I think Faye has some connection to Devon, but not the usual mother-in-blood connection. And I think she did turn Dennis. Julien is the one who turned Joy and then David."

      "I like him," John broke in, "He doesn't act as they do."

      "He acts the way the High Lord does, I met him once." Claudia continued, she wanted to see if she still remembered all the brood. "So Joy turned Amadeo and David has no children but he does intend to have me as one. And I think most of the rest are angels...I'm forgetting someone...oh, Andrew! Angel turned that other one, then Ganymede who has no children, then Andrew! Andrew is the one who turned Theo. Angel also turned Daerick, and we met Daerick's children Angelo and Estasi." Claudia felt John shiver under her. She was not certain, but shortly before leaving Rome to travel to Poland, something had passed between John and Daerick's brood. Claudia supposed they had seduced him in some manner and drank blood from him. "They drank you?" she asked.

      John nodded over the dead animals but did not speak.

      "Rachael's the other one I know the name of, apparently after Vatican City was taken Angel would turn anyone who asked and some who didn't and that is why the city houses an army of Vampyres. I suppose only Angel knows who they all are."

      "Freidric," John said. "You might not have met him, I saw him in Berlin and again during that night the wolves were killed. He said he was from Angel."

      "You told me. Of course it's all rather confusing and they are always adding. And there are the Vampyres who are not decended from the High Lord, there are the cousins and there are the Asian Vampyres. I think there are a very few of the European Vampyres left, perhaps Dolores is the last. And well, the Dracul, but I found out more from Nicholas and Milla than I have ever read of them."

      "You know who else might know about Athen's mother?" John asked. He didn't continue.

      "No. Who do you think knows?" Claudia asked finally.

      "Morpheus. I bet he knows."

      "I'd forgotten him," Claudia said, "I mean forgotten to consider him knowing. But you have a point. Like Aje Morté and some of the older Sidhe Morpheus' powers are barely understood."

      "And I had a weird dream of him one time. He and Opium know a lot of things we don't. They knew stuff Joy doesn't. Actually I know stuff about Joy she doesn't...though I'm not sure if I'm supposed to."

      "It was her loss, treating you badly like that."

      John made a lilting of his head to one side, his eyes low. "I didn't love her, but I sort of started to have a protective feeling toward her, before we went to Japan. Like, she is a Vampyre and 500 years old or close to it, but have you noticed every once in a while she does something and even all the old Vampyres shake their heads?"

      "They can be very patronizing toward her, I did notice that. Some say she is mad, but then I have heard the same about all female Vampyres. I don't think it's true but they claim loosing the ability to have children and the constant hormonal cycle, all at once, drives the females insane."

      John nodded but his mind really seemed elsewhere. "She needs looking after," he said.