In fact, as she contemplated the pictures further, she realized she almost recognized the clothes these people wore. Not exactly, and it was honestly hard to tell with only the sketch instead of a photo or other more accurate representation. Yet the feel of the sketch was familiar and comfortable to her.

"Clare?" Gav called out from the room at the end of the hallway.

"Coming," she replied as she turned away from the sketches and quickened her step to walk down the hall. She idly wished she knew the name of the color of paint on the walls, some sort of blended mixture halfway between midnight blue and turquoise green. It looked sensational, soothing and rejuvenating at the same time. Clare made a mental note to ask Gavreel, or the mysterious Alderic, later.

As she came to the end of the hallway, the s.p.a.ce opened up into a ma.s.sive room. The entire area was warm and comforting. She hesitated to label it cozy as it wasn't girly or cramped enough to really be called such, but it certainly felt like a sanctuary to Clare. She smiled as the thought of sanctuary entered her mind. It was something she hadn't realized consciously, but she desperately needed it at this moment.

Overstuffed chairs were spread in a half-circle in front of what appeared to be a fire. Clare hesitated to label the fire as such as it was a shadowy blue-green. Heat seemed to emanate from it, and it made the motions and sounds of a fire, but there was no wood burning, and no red tinge to the flames.

Clare felt her curiosity stir, and purposely looked elsewhere around the room. The last thing she needed to do would be kneel in front of the fire and try to study it like a moron. Gavreel would think she had lost her marbles.

A few paintings were hanging on the walls, along with a number of three-dimensional photographs. As Clare turned slightly to view more of the enormous room, she saw a man who looked middle-aged hand a mug of something steaming to Gavreel and then pick up two more mugs, one in each hand.

With shoulder-length straw-gold hair and a set of impressively dark blue eyes clearly seen though a pair of round, wire-rimmed spectacles, Clare wondered if men here were always so incredibly good-looking.

Clare smiled warmly at the thought of a whole world full of handsome men. The man she a.s.sumed was Alderic nodded her toward a well-padded chair. She moved around to it and asked her first burning question.

"Who are the men and women in those sketches in your hallway?" she inquired in what she hoped wouldn't prove to be a rude way.

"Ah," the elder man adjusted his gla.s.ses and smiled warmly at her. "Those are a more modern rendition of the first ever vampires, my dear. I researched them quite thoroughly and to my expert knowledge they are the most accurate sketches anyone could hope to find."

Clare nodded as her mind attempted to digest this information. While Alderic had seemingly answered her question, it had only raised a dozen more inside her. Wanting to be comfortable as they talked, she dropped her purse beside the chair and carefully laid the old tome on the small reading table next to the mammoth seat.

Gingerly sitting down in the dark orange-colored cushion, Clare involuntarily released a sigh at the softness of the padding. Tension in her arms, back and neck she hadn't been aware of eased.

Within seconds of her feeling the softness of the chair close around her in a body-encompa.s.sing hug, all her worries and muscle strain drained away, released.

"Wow," she murmured under her breath as she gently flexed her body. All thoughts had flown from her mind and only the amazing feeling of light and suppleness was left to fill her brain. Clare happily swallowed everything else she wanted to babble about, merely wanting to enjoy this first moment of pure bliss.

"So you like my comfort chair, do you, child?" she dimly heard. She felt fairly certain it was Alderic who asked her this, as she didn't recognize the voice as Gavreel's. Clare didn't want to open her eyes, so she simply nodded.

For a moment, she wished she were back home, curled up in her own favorite chair, a hot chocolate in one hand and a favorite book in the other. She imagined herself sitting in front of the heater, relaxed and feeling safe.

Hoping against hope she had just had a strange dream, she opened her eyes, half convinced she would, in fact, be sitting in her small living room. Instead, she opened her eyes to see both Alderic and Gavreel looking at her, sipping from their mugs. Sighing, she looked down and saw her navy work suit and sagging pantyhose.

She toed her pumps off and curled her legs underneath her. She took a careful sip from her drink, startled to find it sweet and tasty. She thought it somehow managed to taste hearty, as well as a brief flavor of spicy citrus all rolled into the one liquid. Shrugging, she continued to sip the drink for a few moments. She forced herself to not think and question what it was.

It was warm, and tasted pleasant, so the rest could wait.

When she was half finished, she stretched over so she could place the mug carefully on the table, and lifted the tome from where she had rested it, to place it in her lap. She studied it carefully without saying a word, enjoying the tranquil silence in the room. Thankfully, neither man had tried to fill the quiet, or intrude upon her few minutes of silence by asking questions.

"Okay," she started slowly. "I am afraid my tale doesn't start with 'Once upon a time', it starts maybe half an hour ago. I work in a library, in what I believed was the only planet with living creatures, human or otherwise, on it. I don't know if it means anything, but it was just after the turn of the twenty-first century and we called home Earth."

Clare looked up, wondered for a moment if she were boring them or letting her story ramble on unnecessarily. Both men, however, were sitting back, utterly relaxed and sipping from their mugs, watching her carefully. Gavreel smiled at her, while Alderic simply waited patiently for her to continue.

"I was just shelving books, when I came across this tome. It doesn't have any markings on it, and understandably curious, I opened it up to have a look through it." Once more Clare paused, feeling slightly silly, and looked from one man to the other. They both seemed politely interested, neither looked as if they were about to jump up and drag her to a funny farm. She cleared her throat.

"It appears to be some sort of book on vampires, their history and something akin to an encyclopedia about them. The Ancient Civilization of the Early Vampires," she said with almost a smile in her voice. "I spent an age debating with myself whether it was fiction or something else. Anyway, it interested me and I decided to take it home with me to read through tonight." She laughed dryly and rubbed the large "O" on the cover. "One minute I was looking through the book in the park, the next minute I noticed the sky was purple, there were two moons, one blue and one green of all things. The vegetation is huge and apparently carnivorous, and I am a long way from Kansas, Toto."

Clare shook her head as the pop culture reference mystified both men. Neither said anything, but both were savvy enough and looking curious enough to have realized they had missed the joke she had sarcastically made.

"Anyway, that's my story in a nutsh.e.l.l. I know it might be incredibly naive and hopeful of me, but I am seriously counting on one or both of you knowing how to get me home, with or without the d.a.m.n book." Clare took a deep breath, realized she was edging closer to hysterical laughter, or maybe tears.

She looked at both men, who were watching her with large, slightly sad eyes. She laughed, a dry, humorless sound.

"I am a.s.suming by your looks that neither of you have any ideas on how to get me home. I guess I won't be curling up in bed and laughing myself silly tomorrow morning about the absurd dream I just had. And to think I've always been intrigued by the oddities of the universe."

The sad, almost pitying look in both Gavreel and Alderic's eyes had Clare swallowing convulsively. She had a feeling she wouldn't want to hear whatever it was they were about to tell her. Letting the tome sit in her lap, she bent over again and picked up her mug. The sweet, citrusy smell gave her a small measure of strength.

Clare watched as Alderic and Gavreel looked carefully at each other. Tired and dispirited as she was, she could almost imagine the two men talking to each other telepathically, arguing who would tell her whatever they were worried about.

Clare grinned into her mug at her imagination. Amusing, though, as it had been to daydream about telepathy back home, the thought that maybe people here in this strange new reality might be able to really do such things became an unsettling thought.

Refusing to get upset or worry about it, since more panic could certainly help her in no way right here and now, Clare took another healthy slurp of her drink and decided to wait the two men out.

After a moment Gavreel heaved a sigh, as if he really had lost some mental argument with his friend. Clare shivered slightly at the thought, nerves and panic creeping up the edges of her hard-won courage.

"We truly don't know how you arrived here. That vampire tome you have is the only one of its kind, and so incredibly rare, many, many vampires don't even believe in its existence at all. That's not even mentioning the fact that no vampire still living, to our knowledge, has personally read it."

Clare blinked in surprise. Gavreel was talking as if...as if he really believed in the existence of vampires! Obviously seeing her incredulous face, Gavreel flashed her a cheeky smile.

"Oh yes," he replied without her having even asked the question. "Vampires really do exist. We have been in this galaxy far longer than the humans, and most other mortal humanoid creatures. The immortals, on the other hand..." Gavreel trailed off as Clare felt her hands begin to shake and her eyebrows rise high on her forehead. She took a deep breath of air, and then another, forcing her mind and body to calm down.

Information overload was something she could deal with, she just needed to put all her questions aside and think about it later.

Instead, Clare focused on the actual words Gavreel had spoken, rather than their implied meaning. She reheard in her mind his claim "We have been in this galaxy..."

She frowned. His words made him seem as if he thought he was a vampire. Clare shook the silly thought from her head.

The man sitting not three feet away from her wasn't some fanged monster, dressed dramatically in a cape with a score of willing virgins hanging from his arms begging to be bitten.

Clare recalled the sketches in the hallway and Alderic's explanation of them being the first vampires. She shook her head. Did she just have vampires on the brain? Or was this all really starting to look how she thought it might be?

Taking another sip of her drink, fortifying herself and trying to still the imminent flow of questions, Clare forced her mind to concentrate as Gavreel continued.

"Much of the information in the tome you have brought is widely known, our ancestry, our lifestyles and physiology are all well doc.u.mented and fully understood by our race. Yet there is an almost-forgotten legend linked to the powers in the book. I won't bore you tonight with an old man's tales when it is far more likely you have a zillion things to ask and discover. Even so, I have a feeling you finding this book in your library, your curiosity about its contents and your subsequent, possibly unwilling, movement over here are all somehow linked."

Clare felt her mind overloading on the scant information he had already supplied. She opened her mouth, the question burning in her mind, but her heart not knowing if she wanted the answer.

"And my home? Earth..."

Once again Gavreel and Alderic looked at each other, seeming to talk between themselves without opening their mouths.

"Oh come on," she snapped, feeling annoyed, "if you can talk telepathically at least be reasonable and do it fast. If you're just looking at each other then one of you answer my freaking question. I'm not some silly baby and I did ask, therefore I promise to not get too hysterical at the response."

Clare swallowed as she heard a hitch in her voice. She couldn't swear she wouldn't get hysterical at the answers they would give her, but since she had come so far without screaming and tearing out her hair, she had high hopes for the future.

Or at least for the next ten minutes.

"My apologies, Clare," Alderic said carefully. "It was incredibly rude of Gav and myself to...uh...'talk' by means that excluded you. We were merely concerned that you might not like the responses we have to give you."

"Though personally," Gavreel continued seamlessly, "I would prefer for you to settle into this galaxy and time a little more slowly, you obviously need your own questions answered." His voice took her attention back from the dark blue eyes of Alderic. Clare watched in fascination as Gavreel appeared to flounder for a moment, searching for the right words.

"Earth has not existed as a livable planet for well over a century."

Clare felt her mind reel with the simple, carefully stated words. She bit down on her lip, determined not to do something she would cringe about for months to come. The last thing she wanted to do was upset or offend the two lovely men-vampires, she corrected herself-who had taken her in.

Clare, who had always loved stories, devoured academic journals for most of her life, finally found herself in the middle of the greatest story ever, and she couldn't even begin to write a paper on it. How on earth could one do justice to the swirling ma.s.s of confusion, fear, excitement and curiosity tearing through her system right now? Words couldn't even come close to conveying her feelings at this moment, which would make it utterly impossible for her to write anything about it.

"Century?" she finally said softly, still in shock. "What year is it?" she asked breathlessly, scared and excited by the possibilities of the answer about to come.

Once again Gavreel seemed to almost grimace. "It is the very end of the year twenty two hundred and five."

Clare nodded slowly, even though she could feel tears threatening behind her eyes. Instead of giving in to the incredible urge to cry and wail, she took the final sip of her drink and replaced the cup carefully on the small table.

With wobbling legs, she pushed herself up out of the chair, uncaring of the tome sliding to the floor with a dull thud. She felt immeasurably pleased the jittering in her leg muscles wasn't particularly visible, as she firmly believed showing weakness in front of anyone, let alone strangers who happened to be vampires in the last part of the year 2205, was a bad idea.

"Well..." She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. She really didn't want to sound like she was on the verge of tears. "I do believe I have enjoyed about as much of today as is possible." She once again blinked back tears. She recognized with the stilted, almost arrogant turn her speech had taken that she was a whole lot more upset than she had known.

"Now, Clare," Gavreel said softly, rising and grasping one of her hands. She only vaguely noticed him bending down to place the heavy tome back on the chair she had risen from. She couldn't even rustle up much concern for herself or the tome as he gently placed an arm around her shoulder, much as a father would.

"There's no need to leave. Alderic has plenty of room here. He and I are going to talk late into the night anyway, so there is no sense in you leaving us. How about you throw your care to us and at the very least spend the night here?"

Clare frowned, not really caring about decorum or manners anymore.

"Neither of you will need to bite me or anything before you sleep...or do whatever it is you do, will you?" She felt slightly foolish as Gavreel chuckled and looked back at his old friend. Alderic had also risen from his chair and closed the distance between the three of them.

"I will search around the easier books and records, pull out some of my more basic vampiric references," he said to Gav casually, his eyes resting sympathetically on Clare.

"You might want to do a bit of catching up and studying, my dear," he said to her.

Clare nodded, understanding the wisdom of researching the bizarre futuristic world she found herself stuck in. "I can only imagine what nonsense your mind has been filled with," Alderic continued on patiently, "particularly in regards to we vampires. Neither Gav nor I have needed blood since our last moon cycle of being in heat. Drinking from any orifice, let alone using our teeth to puncture skin, is just not done nowadays, so very pa.s.se."

Shockingly, Clare felt a giggle well up in her throat at the careless, almost Gallic manner Alderic said the last sentence. He even had the dismissive hand gesture down pat, yet there was no French in his very slight accent.

"Now," Gavreel said softly as Clare realized she had never before felt so incredibly tired in her entire life. Despite everything she felt insanely grateful she could just let herself relax and get some sleep here, without needing to leave and go anywhere else.

She could begin to work everything out in the morning.

"I can see you're even more confused," Gavreel continued gently. Clare nodded slightly as Gavreel hugged her close to his warmth and seemed to murmur soothing words softly to her.

Clare simply wished the pounding behind her forehead would cease. She needed sleep badly.

She allowed herself to be led back down the long hallway by Alderic. She smiled as Gavreel waved at her, resumed his seat and once more opened the heavy tome.

"Now, my dear." Clare turned back as Alderic spoke to her and opened one of the doors in the hallway. He touched a point near the doorframe and the room lit up instantly. "Just order the lights out when you are done, and sleep in tomorrow morning as long as you want."

Clare merely nodded as she looked around the room. The large bed was a pastel blue color, both soothing and fresh. A few boxes seemed to be scattered around, but she had no idea what they were or how they worked. She found herself simply staring around the room, dumbfounded and feeling more than a bit disoriented.

Alderic seemed to realize how out of it she felt.

He came back beside her and touched her shoulder soothingly.

"The front parlor is an antique store with a specialty in ancient books. As you are a librarian, I am sure I can teach you how to work with me. Gav owns a half share, and he seemed more than happy to have you stick around in our ill.u.s.trious company. Don't let your head be full of worries tonight. Tomorrow you can start researching our galaxy and both Gav and I will be more than happy to answer any and all questions you have."

Clare smiled and felt a warm sense of gratefulness to the older man-vampire, she corrected herself. She smiled as his hand gently squeezed her shoulder in a friendly manner. Stepping up on tiptoes, she kissed him on his cheek.

"Thank you, Alderic," she said softly, feeling a dreamy peacefulness settle over her, "I do hope everything will seem much better tomorrow morning."

"It's bound to, my dear," he replied easily. "Now, this will be your room however long you will need it. Through here is the cleansing room..."

Clare tried hard to pay attention as Alderic explained the newest technology in plumbing, but she nevertheless had a feeling when she woke up the following morning she wouldn't remember everything she ought.

Too tired to be bothered paying much attention, even though her curiosity was definitely interested, Clare merely smiled and zoned out for a moment. She resolved to search as many encyclopedias as possible first thing the following morning to catch up and try to comprehend the immensity of the world she now seemed thrust into.

When Alderic appeared to be hitting his stride, excitedly explaining the newer steam mechanisms verses the old-fashioned water vaporizers, Clare knew she would not be able to stand on her feet and stay awake much longer. She pleaded exhaustion, and Alderic appeared abashed, smiling wryly.

She could hardly believe the vampire was a gadgets junkie. Weren't vampires supposed to be reclusive, technophobic, darkly brooding heroes? Not middle-aged technophiles who practically glowed with enthusiasm for what appeared to be the latest shower-steam chamber apparatus?

Finally Alderic led her back to the bed and matching side table and Clare felt her whole body wilt as if her energy had literally been sucked dry. She had obviously been running on adrenaline and not too much else. s.p.a.ce and time travel certainly took everything out of a girl.

Alderic surprised her by smiling and bowing in an innately elegant, courtly, old-world manner, and with a good wish for pleasant dreams he turned and left.

The door swooshed shut.

Without any further thought, Clare stripped her wrinkled suit from her body, shed the pantyhose she detested and crawled, in her favorite leopard print teddy, into the huge bed.

Before she could even begin to plot and plan and make mental lists, before she could even swear her head had hit the pillow, she had fallen into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Chapter Four.

Three months later

"Stop stressing, bro, you know what the old man is like! I bet you a ton of credits Gav just found some incredibly rare, musty old tome from the turn of the new millennium and has locked himself away somewhere to study it."

Simeon Montague ran a hand agitatedly though his hair. He tried hard not to glare at his younger twin brother, who seemed supremely unconcerned.

While he and Rylan, to their own opinions, looked more like siblings instead of fraternal twins, Rylan often boasted he was the better looking of the two of them. With his shoulder-length, dark brown curls and naturally tanned skin, in contrast to Simeon's dead straight, but still dark brown hair and only lightly tanned complexion, very few people would mix the two brothers up.

Yet with identical dark brown eyes, and often eerily similar thoughts and mannerisms, more than one unknowing person had taken one twin for the other when they attempted such deception.