He awoke in the dark, and wondered for a moment if it was still the same night. He didn't feel rested, he felt weak still, and tired. Drained, he thought with a momentary flicker of gallows humor. That's how I feel. Literally.

A soft rustle of feathers by the doorway made him look up, to see Aidan standing there, holding the sword. The vampire's face was unreadable in the shadows. "Are you ready?" he asked softly.

David slowly sat up, still feeling a little bit light headed. "Yes," he replied.

"You know that in order for this to work you need to die? There is even a chance that you won't come back."

"I know."

Aidan gave him a long look, then nodded. "I am nearly tempted to try again to talk you out of this. But it's not my place to make your decisions for you."

David smiled. "Thanks. So..." he took a deep breath, "How do we go about this?"

"Let's go outside. I'd rather not clean any more blood off of the floor, if you don't mind."

David nodded and got carefully to his feet. He swayed a bit, and Aidan came over to his side. "Here, lean on me." David gratefully put an arm around Aidan's shoulders, and they walked together outside.

The stars were bright overhead and the moon was up, rising above the trees. David looked up at it. This could be the last time he saw the moon, or the stars, or anything else, for that matter. Then he shook his head. He remembered the dreams, the voice of the Hunter, the feel of the sword in his hand. He had a destiny before him, and he was choosing to fulfill it. He wouldn't die.

Still his heart was racing fast as Aidan stepped away from him and raised the sword. "You're certain?" asked the vampire. "There's no going back."

"Yes," he said simply.

Without a further word, Aidan stepped forward and then, in a flick of motion almost too fast for the eye to follow, he thrust the sword into David's chest.

David felt the shock of impact, But there was no pain. He dropped to his knees as Aidan withdrew the sword. Then he fell to the ground. The world began to narrow, blackness gathering around the edges of his vision. The last thing he saw was Aidan's face, the moon full behind him, and then the blackness closed in and there was nothing else.