Lucy told Aidan as much as she knew. Martin Jennings was his real name, but he went by the nickname “Janus” He was in his mid-thirties, a well-off businessman who had retired to pursue his interest in vampires and the occult. He was the leader of a group, the number of members unknown, who were all self-proclaimed vampires. There were a few whispered rumors that they actually preformed rituals with human blood, but nobody could say for certain. Lucy had gotten in touch with a member of the group who had been willing to set up an appointment with the man himself. The more Aidan heard, the more he was glad he was going along. Here on Earth magic wasn’t as omnipresent as it was back home on Mysteria, but in either place people who used blood magic were bad news.

They left the club well before closing and took a taxi across town. Janus was meeting them in his home, a posh apartment near the middle of the city. They were met at the entrance and escorted upstairs in a smooth and silent elevator. Janus himself greeted them at the door, giving Aidan a questioning look. “I was given to understand that you would be coming alone,” he said to Lucy.

“I decided to have a friend along, for my own protection. I hope you have no objections?”

“Of course not,” replied the distinguished man with a genteel smile that showed his sharply pointed canines. Aidan gave the man a good looking over. He was tall, in good shape, with dark hair just showing touches of silver at the temples. He was dressed in a neatly tailored suit, his hair was groomed to perfection, and only the fangs themselves gave any hint of his unusual obsessions.

The “vampire” who’d escorted them thus far was cut from the same mold. Shorter and less handsome, he too was dressed in a dark suit and he too had a set of sharp teeth. That’s just downright creepy, decided Aidan. Blood-sucking businessmen.

“Have a seat,” offered their host. When Lucy and Aidan were both seated, Aidan perched on the very edge of the chair to give his wings room, Janus sat opposite them and began, with a little smile, “So, how can I help you?”

“You’re aware of my project?” asked Lucy.

“You are writing a book on modern vampirism, correct?”

“Yes. I want to find out what’s behind this current trend. Vampires are suddenly popular, objects of fascination and even admiration rather than superstitious dread. I want to find out all I can about the people who are today’s vampires. I promise complete confidentiality, of course. I won’t use your name unless you want me to, and I’ll change details of location, appearance and so on so that no one will be able to identify you, if that’s the way you want it.”

“And so you want my life story, is that it?”

“Essentially.”

“And what of your friend here. Will he too keep confidentiality?”

“I have no interest in your story,” said Aidan. “I only came because I was concerned for Lucy’s safety. And I have my own reasons for wanting to avoid publicity. I won’t be telling anyone anything I hear from you. It would only draw unwanted attention on myself.”

“Yes,” said Janus, nodding. “I can see that. I admit to a certain curiosity about your nature myself. I could almost believe that those wings of yours are real.”

Aidan remained silent.

“Well,” said Janus, “I have a few more questions about this book of yours, and then I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have. Firstly, are you working alone on this project, or is it some kind of group effort?”

“It’s just me. The book was my idea and I haven’t actually told anybody else about it, other than a few interviewees like yourself.”

“Ah. Are you a well-known author then, in certain circles, or is this to be your debut?”

“I’ve published a few small stories and an article or two, but this will be my first book. I’m hardly well-known in any circle.”

Janus smiled, and suddenly Aidan had a very bad feeling. “Then it is entirely possible that nobody will ever guess I was the last to see you before you vanished,” he said.

“What?” Lucy jumped to her feet, but Janus’s henchman was blocking the door and he had drawn a gun from a shoulder holster that his tailored suit had hidden. She turned to Janus. “You’re insane! What are you doing?”

“You have perhaps heard rumors that I and my followers have blood rituals. Well, it would hardly be appropriate for us to use our own blood in them, would it? I usually find some homeless street bum, but here you were presenting yourself to me so handily, and with nobody who knew where you’d gone. How could I resist?” Turning to the man guarding the door he said, “Shoot the winged freak, we only need one for the ceremony.”

Aidan meanwhile had also gotten to his feet. He was poised, ready to move, with his hands on the hilts of his long belt daggers. When he heard Janus’s command he dove forward and to the side, making himself a harder target but moving toward the armed man. The man, however, was a good shot. Despite Aidan’s sudden movement he still managed to hit him. The impact knocked the aerian backward and Aidan doubled over for a moment with the sharp pain, but he was only stunned momentarily. The shooter was already lowering his weapon, thinking his job was done, when Aidan straightened and moved forward again, the motion almost quicker than human eyes could follow. He had his daggers out now and he was angry. But even enraged as he was he didn’t want to kill, so he hit the man with the pommel leading. The force of the blow was more than enough to drop him in his tracks.

Janus and Lucy were both staring, stunned. “Come on Lucy! Let’s get out of here!” shouted Aidan.