part 1

The strangest day of my life began quite normally. There was nothing in it's unfolding that might suggest anything but a day like all the rest, no uneasy dream of dark prophecy, no Greek chorus to warn of what awaits. I faced nothing unfamiliar or unanticipated, only the script I fillowed every working day: Alarm, shave, shower, breakfast with coffee, a commute, a few greetings, more coffee, a leather office chair, and a stack of briefs. By ten o'clock I was settled into a vigorous rhythm, and it was then the telephone rang and I was called, out of my office, out of my life, out of any future I might ever have imagined, into a world that would never be the same.

I had a choice, of course, we may always chose not to be chosen, though the price is often high. But there seemed no need to choose, how could I have known? I was called, and I answered, my interest was piqued. I had never been called to an office on the top floor of the building before.

In the briefing that followed I was told things I was not in any way prepared to ever hear in my life, let alone believe. I did not believe them. In the span of a few minutes, the circumstaces of my life passed from mundane to unusual to bizarre, as they would soon move on to surreal and ultimately to madness.

I had been told what to bring from my office, and was escorted directly to a waiting limosine. I was driven to a place I had occasion to visit from time to time in the line of duty. I was led deep into the bowels of the building, and although I was expected, I was challenged often. Eventually I found myself once more in a place I had never been before, this time on the lowest floor.

I had been given explicit instructions. When I was as far underground as it is possible to go, those instructions were repeated, and once again I was required to verbally acknowledge each one. I was led to a steel door in a low corridor and the closer we came to it, the more anxious my escorts seemed to become. I was not immune to this influence.

Above the door was a video monitor, no sound. I could see three figures inside, barely, the room was very poorly lit. The door opened and two armed and uniformed men came out. I entered alone, heart pounding, and the door closed behind me. I made my way carefully to a folding metal chair and took my place at a long steel table across from the man I had come to see. The only illumination came from two small candles, one at each end of the table. My eyes had not yet fully adjusted to the dimness, but I could see well enough that in an instant I knew everything I had been told about the man was true.

The man's current identity is that of one Jonathan Borlund, but his original name was Prince András of Istvanis. My heart began to pound as I came to the full realization of the nature and gravity of my situation. This was not a fraud, a misunderstanding, or a game. I was locked in a small darkened room, alone with a vampire.

It took me a few moments to compose myself as my mind attemped to keep pace with the adjustments my eyes were making. The prince was seated and his chair rested against the wall behind him. He was wearing a straightjacket and was shackled throat to ankle, bound to his chair and to a steel railing anchored to the wall. Even seated, it was obvious he is quite tall. His long, straight white hair was not combed and fell around a face with several days growth of white beard. He appeared to be a well conditioned forty five or fifty. His skin was very pale, and his eyes . . . well . . . his eyes were red. They were not bloodshot, I mean the eye color, the irises themselves, were actually red . . . blood red, I couldn't help but think. They were fixed on me in a manner that made my mouth dry and my face burn.

Once I managed to swallow successfully, I cleared my throat and began as steadily as I was able.
"My name is David Petrus, Mr Borlund, or should I call you Prince András?" He remained motionless. I continued, "I've been appointed by the federal court to represent you temporarily until such time as you can secure counsel of your own choosing. Is this satisfactory?"

His eyes continued to smolder in the darkness but he said nothing.

I opened my briefcase and removed a pale blue notepad. I hate yellow legal pads. I took out a rolling writer and removed the cap.

I have never been afraid of another individual since I have been an adult, but my fear of this man was quite real. This irritated me. Whatever his power, he was bound from head to foot in a manner that was beyond excessive, that I felt was fully ludicrous, and was obviously helpless. I decided there was nothing I could do about how I felt, but there was no need to allow my fear to fashion my behavior. I looked directly into his eyes and held his gaze.

"I have several questions. The situation, as you are aware, is unprecedented in American law. I don't have the faintest idea where to begin, or how to proceed, you may as well know that right now. You may as well know I think that what I said earlier is probably bullshit. It's what I was told, but I don't think the FBI is interested in disclosing your existence here to anyone, let alone another lawyer. As far as I can tell, there is no case, there are no charges, and I was ordered here to make you feel like their intentions are governed by rule of law, not something out of Kafka. I don't think they have the faintest idea what to do with you, but it's my guess you will never be a free man again. What they want, of course, is a list of all the others who are like you, and where to find them. They are going to promise you things, and pressure me to persuade you to make a deal. I'm not convinced they will do what they will say they will do. This interview is private by law, but there may be no rules here. Any communication between us should take place in view of that caveat.

"That's the situation as I see it. I'm the guy they are letting you talk to, at least until they decide to try something else. If you agree to continue, I don't know what else to do but make a good faith effort to represent you, even though it may turn out that it's all a part of some ruse and a total waste of time. If you don't want to talk to me, that would be great, I'd like nothing better than to haul ass out of here and pretend this was all a hallucination. It's up to you, what's it going to be?"

I could see he was thinking it over, but he wasn't going to be rushed. I waited. After a few moments, he began. His voice was rich and deep.

"Why is it you have no children?"

This was such an unexpected question I wasn't sure I heard it correctly. "Excuse me?"

"It's a simple question David. You are handsome, well educated, successful, professional, heterosexual. You look to be nearly forty, why have you no children?"

"What makes you think I don't have children?"

He took a breath and let it out. "I have asked you a question twice. Twice you have replied with another question. Answer mine and I will answer yours, try to get a feel for this."

He was right. "Sorry, I was just surprised by the question."

"I should think a lawyer would be quicker on his feet."

"Quickness is not my style. I'm not a courtroom lawyer for that very reason. I'm a deliberator, and I'm good, so my job is to prepare cases that are argued by people who have a gift for the extemporaneous. I consider every alternative and start with the obvious and the trivial, so I need time to sift things and work my way down to what's relevant and causative. I'm quite thorough but I'm slow."

He waited.

"Here it is. I worked hard in law school and landed a good job right out of the chute. Young lawyers make secretaries eyes light up and for years I lit up as many as I could. Then I married an actress who was too busy and too selfish to have children. After ten years, she was gone and I was glad and by then I was looking for more than good looks and great sex. Women who make trusted, intelligent companions and possibly wonderful mothers are harder to find. It's not too late but soon it will be. I won't be one of those pathetic idiots like movie stars who must prove what studs they are by finding a woman a third their age and cranking out replicates in their fifties or sixties or worse. I think raising a child would be a great privilege, but if I miss out it's my own fault and I'll live with that."

For the first time, his eyes left mine. He lowered his head for a moment, then raised it slowly and looked around the room as he spoke. "Perhaps it is just as well."

He closed his eyes for a moment.

"I had a daughter once, long, long ago. She was very beautiful. I still miss her, even now." He sighed, long and hard, then looked at me again.

"But that was another time. And you have no children, or they would not have sent you to me. Tell me David, do you believe what they have told you about me?"

This was easy. "Yes. Now that I have seen you there is no question in my mind. I am sure you knew that, it must always be the case."

"You see, you are quicker than you give yourself credit for. Now, you have other questions. It will help to pass the time. And though you think you cannot help me, you alone of those I have encountered since I have come to this unpleasant place have shown me your true face. Ask, I will answer as I can."

"How have they been treating you?"

At this he laughed out loud, a sound much like his voice, deep and rich and . . . powerful. As his head came up and his mouth opened, I could see the fabled canines, only slightly longer and sharper than his other teeth.

"Like the beast they believe me to be. I am kept continuously constrained as you see. I will spare you the details of routines involving bodily functions, beyond the fact that they are humiliating. I am reasonably well fed, including the unique dietary requirements for which my kind are notorious. I am denied contact with anyone save those who are part of the design to manipulate me. By the way, you are not the first to play the role of my solicitor, you are just the first to be misled about the nature of the part they intend you to play. To your credit, this intent proved transparent to you, and you made spontaneous unilateral disclosure of your suspicions to me. This quality is more rare than even you may imagine and something for which I have great respect. However malevolent the motives of those who sent you to me, you have my confidence that your intention to act professionally on my behalf is sincere. This is no small thing, to have an ally."

"Thank you, Prince András." My response to his gracious gesture was mixed.

Sensing my ambivalence, he laughed again. "Perhaps an alliance with the devil, you are thinking. That is only fair to consider. And you have have knowledge of my ancient name and title. I have not used it among men in nine centuries, but perhaps it is fitting once again."

It seemed that way to me. "That brings me to my next two questions, which I assume are related to my selection to represent you. I specialize in cases involving unusual aspects of civil liberties. In your case there are obviously special considerations with regard to categories that are typically quite simple. My first question may offend you, please be patient, I must ask it. Are you, in fact, alive?"

Once more he laughed. "What do you think David? Take your time if you must do any sifting."

"Well, the question is begged by references to 'the undead'. However I have a medical report here from your examination and you appear to be in extraordinarily good health for someone who is no longer among the living. Blood and urine tests all in optimum ranges, low resting pulse and blood pressure. Everything they could get on you indicates you are much healthier than the average American. I don't know if you're human or not, but I think it's obvious you're very much alive."

"Very good. Continue."

"There is some ambiguity with regard to your citizenship. You have documents that indicate you were born here, but obviously they are stolen or excellent forgeries. If you were never granted citizenship, or obtained it under another name, then we need to find a category for you. I assume there's a possibility the country of your birth no longer exists as a political entity?"

"It does not."

"How old are you, exactly?"

"I was born 1079 in Istvan, the city for which our principality Istvanis was named. My father Bálint , was king. I left Eastern Europe in 1108 and have never returned. Since that time I have lived all over the world. I first came to these shores in 1745, before there were immigration laws or citizenship examinations. I have held citizenship or lived without it in many other nations over the years, it simplifies the process of incarnating. I have formally obtained US citizenship four times under different names, used many other identities without doing so. I have documentation for all of this. My current identity is a fabrication although I have been using it for twenty years or so. Do you think any of this will matter?"

"I think you know the answer to that. But it's what I'm paid to do, and I may as well look into it. Tell me about your arrest."

"I was ambushed. I returned from a trip to South America in my own aircraft, and remained in the cabin all the way into the hangar where I keep it. Between the plane and the hangar office, I was surrounded by armed agents, probably thirty or so, with their weapons drawn and their adrenaline pumping. I did not resist."

"Did anyone give you any indication what they were arresting you for?"

"No one would speak to me, beyond orders to lie on the floor with my hands behind my head. I was shackled and drugged. I regained consciousness quickly and was drugged again. This pattern was repeated several times until I found myself in my cell, which is through the door behind you. They bring me into this room from time to time to subject me to one kind of examination or another, body or mind as the impulse moves them."

I put my pen down and sat back in my chair. "Okay, that's actually about all I can think of to ask you about right now. I was handed your file less than an hour ago and I need to spend more time with it and with the agents involved and any of the other principals I can get ahold of. It looks to me like your case comes under the heading of, 'Vampire who is a threat to the human race and who we need to dispose of along with all who are like him as quickly and as quietly as possible'. In all likelihood, my life is pretty cheap right now as well, and I probably can't do much about that. But I need to ask you a couple of questions man to man, or man to supernatural creature of the night or whatever."

He waited.

"You can tell when people are lying, can't you?"

He smiled. I assumed he would say yes and I was preparing to ask if this was ever not the case, but he anticipated this and answered both questions with one word: "Always."

"Good. Because I want you to be clear about one thing. I understand why this agency is willing to ignore the rules here. Tell me why you and everyone like you shouldn't be exterminated as soon as possible. Tell me why you're not a mortal threat to the human race."

He knew this was coming, and he knew it was a fair question. "For centuries we were solitary souls, living as we could in a primitive world of savagery and superstition, but gradually we began to draw together for support and safety. In 1258, we organized the Burgundy Order, and in a few years all but a few had joined our membership, which numbered more than 800. In that year the entire human race was less than the population of Pakistan today. From that day on, my brothers in blood have pledged never to take human life. Recently it has become possible to pledge as well never to feed on living humans. Those who break their vow, and they are few, are hunted down and destroyed, as should all criminals who take the lives of others. As we speak but 271 members of the Order remain. What is the population of the human race? More than six billion and exploding. There is no danger to the human race, certainly not from us."

"But you do need human blood to survive."

"We obtain it perfectly legally from blood banks in the customary manner. I assume that is where my daily ration comes from, I would hate to think my government collects blood from the unwilling. We do not require much. In time we are confident we will be able to produce adequate supplies in laboratories from organ clones."

I took a deep breath. I stood up slowly and placed my things back into my briefcase. "I think that's about all I can deal with for the time being. Ordinarily we would make plans for our next meeting, but I'm out of my element here so all I can tell you is that I will return when and if I can. That's assuming I don't wake up suddenly and find this is all a hideous dream."

"You have handled yourself quite well, considering the circumstances. I am grateful for your willingness to accept this challenge."

Here he bowed, just slightly, head and shoulders, gracefully, bound in canvas and chains, the most elegant gesture I had ever seen.