Page 44 (2/2)

“May I ask how you heard of us?”

“A vampire priest found me Father Columban,” he said “I didn’t believe him at first, when he told of an order of vampire monks Then, I did Did you know him?”

“Yes,” she said after a moment “Not well He traveled much, and I stay here and help run the abbey”

“He was killed I wanted to tell you—the Order—in person” Rick still wasn’t sure what he was doing Meeting the man had upended much of what he believed about the world, and about what he was “He wanted to recruit me But I’m still not sure I understand”

“You have a lot of questions You’ll have to ask the Abbot”

“And you are?”

She gazed at him coolly “I am Portia”

A sio with her look and manner Also a Roman name Could she be fifteen hundred years old or more? Could be

“Pleased to meet you,” he said His own accent was as cultivated as hers, but pure, flat American It made other vaer than he was

“The night is wearing on,” she said and gestured him into the car

If Rick had still had aHe should not be here, he should not have co his people in Denver—but he needed answers A larger battle waited to be fought Five hundred years he’d le of va into the middle of it But he had information, which he hoped to trade for answers to questions of his own

The vehicle’s driver was not a vatime servant, then A loyal source of sustenance These people would have an arovernment, law enforcelanced back at him now and then, but otherwise left him alone to stare out the

They entered the city, and the road took thehts set on ruins, cathedrals, ancient walls, the Colosseuether with a mix of other structures fro like it If he’d still needed to breathe, his breath would have caught He inhaled so he could speak

“Wait Can we pull over here? Can I look, just for a minute?”

Portia nodded to the driver, who pulled over at a likely spot, where a few trees framed the view Rick i This was the weight of years made physical

After a moment, Portia joined him She looked at hi as you have are more jaded than this”

He’d never been jaded, not once He never tired of a good view “This is my first time in Rome”

“As old as you are, and you’ve never been to Ro sound, quickly cut off, as if she had not expected to make it “What about Paris?”

“No”

“London? Cairo? Beijing? Anywhere? How is that possible?”

He shrugged “Just neverfor one as theoretically immortal to say His fists closed Yes, perhaps he should have made time He should have come to see Rome, Paris Should have traveled the world, even if he could only see such ht