The night air was cool and clear, and a slight breeze kept any clouds from forming overhead. Stars shimmered in the heat the Night Island gave off, and the island was full of noisy humans bustling about their business, each one of them a walking meal. Neon lights blazed over the porn shops and strip joints, tucked away behind the expensive restaurants and ritzy casinos. Daniel loved it.

But it would have been better if Armand was beside him.

Daniel sighed and shook his head slowly. No use wishing for that. Armand couldn't stand his presence, at least he had said so in that damn book. That book he had read countless times, not including the number of times he'd read the whipping scene alone...

"Since when are vampires expected to write books?" he sighed, glancing up at the moon. An image of Armand's face played across the silver surface, and Daniel turned away before the pain in his heart got any worse. "Armand...I still love you." He practically moaned the words.

He growled angrily and closed his eyes as he leaned against a casino wall. Excited, mortal voices echoed out to him, whispering "eat me, eat me." He heard mortals everywhere, especially now that he'd rented a place on the Island. Even if he couldn't live with his maker, he could live near him.

Soft footsteps made their way toward him. Daniel whirled hopefully, but his shoulders dropped as he realized he could feel this vampire's presence. Not Armand, then. A familiar figure turned the corner of a building and walked toward him.

"Louis," Daniel smiled politely, "I didn't know you were still over here."

Dressed in a tattered sweater and tight jeans, Louis was oblivious to the attention he was receiving from most of the mortals on the street. "Lestat wanted to finish up his shopping, and I still haven't seen all of the bookstores on the island."

"You're not missing much. Most of 'em are porn stores."

"And you would know because...?"

"Uh...curious?" They both laughed. "If you've been here so long, then why haven't I seen you in ages?"

The older vampire returned his smile. "I'm afraid Lestat has been in a rather protective mood of late." They began to walk together down the sidewalk. "He has not let me out of his sight for weeks. I only just snuck away this night."

"Won't he be angry?" Daniel asked, always surprised at how Louis was not afraid of Lestat.

"So I upset him again," Louis shrugged nonchalantly. "He won't hurt me."

They walked quietly for several seconds.

Daniel glanced sideways at his friend. "Louis..." he began hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Does Lestat ever shut you out? Give you the silent treatment?"

Louis stopped walking and just stared at Daniel for several seconds.

"You're serious?" he finally asked.

"Yes, I'm serious," Daniel said, a little indignant.

Louis' smile turned into a grin, and then into soft laughter. Soon, however, he had to lean against a wall as his laughter grew uncontrollable. Blood tears fell from his eyes as he slid to the ground. Daniel sighed and waited. It was several minutes before the sound died out.

Finally Louis calmed down and looked up at Daniel. "Oh, thank you, Danny, I haven't laughed like that in months."

"I don't see what was so funny."

"Child, 'Lestat' and 'silent' simply do not go together."

Daniel smirked. "Show's how much I know of him."

Louis watched as the younger vampire sat beside him. "This has to do with Armand." It was not a question.

"You read his book?"

Louis nodded. "Indeed. He stated that the two of you had grown apart from each other."

Daniel shook his head firmly. "No. He grew away from me, but I...I..."

Louis put his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "You still love him, don't you?"

Daniel nodded, sniffling a little. "He just stopped talking to me. I don't know if I did anything to anger him or if he just hates me."

"Armand can be difficult to understand at times," Louis smiled reassuringly. "Give it time. It took years before I realized that I truly love Lestat."

"Speak of the devil," came a smooth, new voice that completely took them both by surprise.

"Lestat!" Louis cried out, trying to stand quickly.

There was a blur of blond hair, and then suddenly Louis was jerked to his feet and shoved against the bricks.

"You remembered my name," Lestat snarled, "I'm flattered. A night's cavorting with another's fledgling could have taken me from your memory."

"Lestat, it's not what you think," Louis tried, but his lover cut him off.

"Why did you sneak off like that? Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"

"You wouldn't have let me go!"

"Well, dammit, that doesn't matter!" Lestat raged.

"I'm not your slave," Louis returned, angrier than usual, "no matter how much you want to think otherwise. I'll do what I wish!"

Lestat pulled Louis up just enough so that he could look his fledgling in the eyes. "No, you're not my slave, but you are my fledgling and I will not tolerate--"

"--the same things you force others to endure?" Louis retorted.

For once, Lestat did not reply. He took a small step back, still maintaining his grip on his lover's shoulders.

"I was worried," he said simply. "You're not as durable as I am."

"Or as emotional," Daniel said dryly as he rolled his eyes. He remained sitting, waiting for the quarrel to end.

Lestat ignored him. "Besides, if you didn't want me to find you, why were you laughing so loud? I heard you clear across the island."

Louis chuckled. "Ask Daniel."

Lestat sighed in exasperation, then glanced down at the young one. "Well?"

"All I did was ask if you've ever given Louis the silent treatment."

Lestat looked up in confusion. "What's so funny about--?" His look became stern. "Louis, I am not a chatterbox--"

Louis suddenly took Lestat's face in his hands and stole a long kiss. When he drew back, Lestat had a faintly surprised look on his face. Daniel smiled quietly. It was cute how Louis could take all the wind out of Lestat's sails in one blow.

"Yes," Louis smiled, "you are."

"Oh, no, you're not going to sweet talk your way out of this one," Lestat said. "I'm taking you home, even if I have to carry you there! You have to face the consequences of your actions."

"Lestat..." Louis sighed exasperatedly, as he did whenever his maker became overly dramatic.

"We're going now. Say good-bye to Daniel."

Daniel smiled and began to walk away as Louis waved. "Have fun, you two."

"At least one of us will," Lestat answered.

Behind his back, Daniel heard a sound much like someone being tossed over a shoulder. He briefly wondered what degradations Louis would be forced to put up with, but had to stop thinking about that when it reminded him of what Armand used to do to him.

Louis sighed again as Lestat flew through the air. He could only look down on what they passed since he was slung over Lestat's back like a prize trophy. It was a vulnerable position. If Lestat lost his concentration or if his grip slipped, Louis would plummet down.

"Lestat?"

"Yes?"

"Could you please just hold me in your arms instead? I feel as if I'm about to fall off."

"Louis, I will not drop you. Stop whining."

They were quiet for a few moments. The ground flew by at a dizzying rate. Louis tried to shut his eyes, but he could still feel the motion.

"Lestat, please...I'm scared."

That did it. Lestat immediately pulled his fledgling back and cradled him in his arms.

"Better?"

Louis wrapped his arms around Lestat's throat and buried his face in his shoulder. "Much. Thank you."

Lestat suddenly stopped, hovering in mid-air. His body naturally leaned back, and in that position he was able to hold his fledgling more securely. "Louis, are you all right? You're shaking."

Louis tried to stop himself, but a tear slid out from his shut eyes. "Oui, I'm just...afraid...I mean, I was, but not now. I..."

Lestat started flying again, but this time he landed on the nearest rooftop and set Louis on the cement. He settled beside his lover, holding him close.

"Louis, are you afraid of flying?" he asked gently.

"Non, non," Louis shook his head emphatically. "It's just...when we've flown before, I wasn't tossed over your shoulder, I couldn't see how high we were."

Lestat held his fledgling as tightly as he could without crushing him. "I'm sorry, Beautiful One, I had no idea. I will never do that again." He growled in exasperation.

"What's the matter?"

The blonde vampire looked down on his dark-haired chere. "Oh, it's just that I come down here to bring back my wayward fledgling, and instead I'm the one who ends up apologizing."

Louis smiled softly, then rose up to kiss Lestat's cheek. "I'll make it up to you when we get home," he offered coyly, brushing Lestat's hair with his hand.

"Mmm, promise?" Lestat purred, lapping up the attention.

"Of course," Louis said, suddenly becoming serious. "On one condition."

"What's that?"

"That you let me out when I wish to go."

"Only if you tell me where you're going--,

"Agreed!"

"--and I approve!"

Louis rolled his eyes. "But then you will never approve!"

"I don't want to see you hurt!"

Louis glanced away in anger. Lestat reached over and forced his lover to look at him. He stared into Louis' eyes. "I'm sorry, Louis. I promise I will try to be less...restraining, but you have to promise me you'll be careful. I'm so worried that something might happen while you're alone, that--"

"--That I may do something rash, like exchange bodies with a mortal or sing live in front of a human concert?" Louis asked in an ironic voice.

Lestat grinned. "Well, maybe not sing in front of a concert, although I would love to see you in my old Vampire Lestat costume. But you won't step in front of a car or light a bookstore on fire before you remember to get out first?"

Louis smiled. "I promise."

Lestat leaned down and kissed him. "Let's get home. I want to apologize for slinging you over my shoulder."

"And I for making you worry," Louis smiled.

"You know something, chere? I think we fight just so we can make up."

"I see nothing wrong with that."

Daniel stood on the sea shore, watching the stars begin to dim. It had been a week since his conversation with Louis, and almost seven months since he had seen Armand last. He looked over the horizon, where the sky was turning pink and gold. It took a great deal of will power to stay awake, but it would be worth it. Just a few more minutes, and then he could rest.

He had tried to call Armand the night before. To his surprise, neither Benji or Sybelle had answered and coldly told him to stop calling. Instead, the answering machine had picked up, Armand's familiar voice politely ringing out. Daniel could still hear himself giving his brief message. He couldn't really remember what he had said, but he did know that it was pretty clear. There was no mistaking what he meant. And right now, there was no misunderstanding what Armand was telling him by not showing up.

He glanced up and down the shore again. Armand must not care about him anymore. The light was getting warmer. He smiled despite his gloomy mood. He hadn't seen the sun in ages. At least that would be nice. Just a few more minutes now.

The Night Island was nice in the day, but at night, the street lights and store lights made it shine like a real diamond. It was commonly said that you could get anything at the island if you looked hard enough. Anything. But right now, the owner of the island was not getting what he wanted. He was sandwiched between two companions who felt more like aliens than friends. Irritating aliens. Killer Klowns from Outer Space kind of irritating.

"For God's sake, we're going home and we're going now," Armand growled, turning away from the dolls in the store window. He pulled the hood of his cloak further down over his face. "It'll be light soon, and we don't want to be outside when that happens." He looked down the street. If Daniel were here, they'd have been home already, doing...something. But Daniel isn't here, so stop torturing yourself.

"But we can stay upstairs here!" Benji insisted, pulling on his arm like a child. "The doll store has rooms above it!"

"And it'll be a nice change of pace, instead of eat, shop, home, eat, shop, home," Sybelle agreed. "Please? Or better yet, let's go farther out, to that hotel in the middle of the island."

"Aren't you two tired yet?" Armand growled, impatient now. "You're young, still."

"But we aren't tired!" Sybelle said, but out of the corner of his eye, Armand caught Benji yawning and struggling to keep his eyes open.

They're lying to me, he realized. But why?

"What is you're hiding?" he asked bluntly, catching Sybelle by the arm and holding her close.

"Nothing!" she cried out, struggling to get away. She was definitely hiding something, or else she wouldn't have been so frantic. With the cold efficiency that had earned him a place in the Theater, Armand looked into her mind.

"You monsters!" He threw her to the ground and turned around. Without waiting to hear his companions' cry, he raced as fast as he could to the beach just behind the mansion, jerking his dark cloak around his shoulders. The worst part was knowing he would never make it in time.

Daniel glanced up at the sky one last time. The sun was about to come up. He started crying, wondering why Armand hated him so much that he wouldn't even say good-bye. He looked across the beach, thinking there might be shelter from the sun, but there was nothing in reach. Even if he started digging, he wouldn't get far enough to save himself.

"I love you, Armand," he whispered, just before the sun finally burst out from behind the ocean.

Daniel had expected a quick flash and then nothingness. He had always been under the impression that a weak vampire would just explode into ashes. Instead, he found himself lying on the ground, curled impossibly tight, slowly burning. His skin turned to ashes and darkened and the inside of his mouth scalded as he screamed. The only reason he still had his eyesight was because he had closed his eyes before dawn, but his eyelids were quickly vanishing.

He was only vaguely aware of two arms lifting him up and something covering him from the brunt of the light. As the pain dulled, Daniel knew he was being carried somewhere dark. He couldn't move or speak, though, and he fell asleep before he even knew if he was safe.

Armand broke into the nearest shop, carrying Daniel downstairs into the basement. He glanced around the room, trying to hold back the fatigue in his body. He wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer. There was a dark spot behind the water heater where they were least likely to be discovered, so he sat down and lay Daniel over his lap. He pulled his cloak back, uncovering his burned fledgling. The boy was terribly damaged, but he would have to worry about that later. Right now, he could not stop himself from falling into the death sleep.

The next night, Daniel woke up to find himself in someone's arms. Daniel's eyes opened slightly and focused on his maker, taking in the face he hadn't seen for so long. Sun burned cinders fluttered down around his lashes.

"Armand?" he whispered weakly. "Is it really you?"

Armand cradled his helpless fledgling in his arms, almost crushing him in his tight grip. "Yes, Daniel, it's me. I was so worried about you. Why did you leave? Why didn't you tell me where you were? Why didn't you at least call before now?"

"But I did," Daniel moaned, fighting to stay conscious. "I called every day. They told me you were out feeding, that you weren't there."

"But then why didn't I know--?" Armand fell silent. He pulled Daniel even closer to him. "Who did you speak to? Was it one of the servants?"

Daniel shook his head. "No, always one of..." tears started to fill his eyes "...one of your new companions."

Armand was astonished to see his fledgling weep so bitterly. He took Daniel into his arms and climbed up the stairs, beginning the long walk home. Daniel fell asleep after only a few steps.

Daniel woke up in familiar surroundings. He was in Armand's bed, covered in soft blankets. He glanced around, trying to see anything, but the room was extremely dark. He moved to sit up, but a gentle hand fell just below his throat and pushed him back down.

"Don't," Armand's voice came from the darkness. "You're not up to it, yet."

Daniel nodded to himself. "You take such good care of me," he sighed.

"I have no choice," Armand said coolly. "You are my fledgling and responsibility."

Stung, Daniel closed his eyes, afraid that he would start crying again. "I'm sorry," he whispered almost inaudibly. "I'll leave as soon as I can. I won't bother you."

Armand was shocked into silence for several seconds. He had thought his words would be reassuring. He reached across the bed and gently touched Daniel's face.

"No, child, you won't leave. I won't let you leave ever again."

"But you don't love me anymore."

Armand was silent a moment. "Daniel, who told you that?"

"You did," Daniel whispered in a shaky voice, "in your book."

"No, Danny, no," Armand insisted, leaning down and softly kissing the healing lips. "I do love you. I thought that you didn't want me anymore. You left so suddenly and you didn't even say goodbye."

"You wouldn't talk to me. I cried and screamed and you wouldn't even look at me."

Armand looked away. "I-I'm sorry, my love. I'm not used to having a full time lover. All of my other relationships were so forced that now it's not easy to form one of my choosing."

"What about your companions?"

"The miserable brats," Armand spit out, and Daniel found himself smiling a little. "They can't hold a candle to your light, Danny."

"But now that I'm here, what will they--?" Daniel started, but his maker cut him off.

"Benji and Sybelle I will deal with later," Armand said in a soothing voice. "Relax, I'll keep you safe." He slashed his wrist and held it above Daniel's mouth. "Here, you need to drink."

As soon as his fledgling finished, Armand left Daniel with a firm command to sleep, and then went to find the companions Marius had made for him. He was certain they were where he'd last seen them, so he left Daniel safe in bed and began to search.

Armand found his new enemies back at the doll store, still nestled in their bed together. The sight of them sleeping so peacefully, after they had been ready to let Daniel burn in the daylight, enraged him further than he had ever been in his life.

He stepped closer, slapped Sybelle awake and then grabbed Benji by the throat and dashed him against the wall, right beside the window. Benji woke up screaming in pain, collapsing to the floor to hold his head in his hands. Sybelle sat up in fright, backing away before Armand could lay a hand on her.

"What are you doing?" she shrieked. "We love you, why are you hurting us?"

"Love?" Armand hissed in his fury. "How could you love me when you would let my Daniel die in the sun?"

"What do you need that little weakling for?" Benji asked petulantly, in a whiny voice that Armand noticed that he was growing to hate.

"That 'little weakling' is my first born," Armand growled, "and I will not see him hurt, not by you or anyone else!"

"But you have us now, darling," Sybelle smiled sickly, easing beside him. "We're all you need."

Armand drew away faster than he should have, prompting a snicker from her. "You two are merely companions, but Daniel is my friend and lover! He is closer to me than you are. He knows things about me that I have never told anyone, not even Marius."

"Oh, so you're keeping secrets from me," Sybelle cooed, moving again towards Armand, who thought she looked like a serpent slithering for a mouse. "That's not what you're supposed to do to your companions."

"I should have killed you when Marius made you. I couldn't stand you even then."

Sybelle laughed. "You don't mean that. You love us. That little brat you like would only hurt you. He's a twisted little devil and you mustn't listen to him."

"I love him. I loathe you."

Sybelle's eyes narrowed in anger. "You little freak!" Suddenly she tried to strike, lunging at Armand's neck. Armand jumped back quicker than she could move, though, landing gracefully on the windowsill as she fell forward onto the floor.

"Clumsy, child," Armand said mockingly. "I was not a coven master because of my good looks."

"Obviously," she hissed, standing. "Who would want a little boy in their bed? Except maybe your 'padrone' pedaphile?" She spit out the words like venom. "Or a vampire you made. Is that why you made Daniel? Because nobody else would take a child to bed than another child?"

This time it was Armand that attacked, wrapping his fingers around her throat before she could back away. He tightened his grip and squeezed her throat closed. She struck out at him, scratching his face with her claws, but nothing fazed him.

"I did not survive five hundred years out of kindness, either," he snarled. "I have no mercy for my enemies."

"You obviously...didn't...survive...by your wits..." she gasped defiantly.

His eyes narrowed. He glanced around the room slowly, then frantically as he realized that they were alone. Benji had disappeared. "What? Where is he?"

"Knew...Daniel'd...replace us...don't mind...being sacrificed for...revenge..." the light in her eyes slowly dimmed and then failed as her entire body went limp. He knew she had only passed out, but he could not risk her threatening Daniel again. With a vicious jerk, he tightened his hands into fists while her throat was still in his grip. Blood sprayed everywhere as her head was pinched away, falling to his feet. He dropped the rest of her to the floor, struck a match out of the matchbook on the nightstand and lit the shop on fire, then turned and raced back home, knowing Daniel was in danger.

"I knew they weren't meant to be like us," he muttered to himself. "Not when they treated death so casually. Not when she wanted to see me kill. Damn, I am such an idiot! Hold on, Danny, I'm coming."

Daniel woke up to find himself unable to move. He tried to lift his arms and legs but only heard a metallic clang, a noise he knew very well. It was the sound of manacles clasped around his wrists and ankles.

"Armand?" he whispered wonderingly.

"Not quite," came the voice he had heard on the phone so often. "Boy, you must be perverted. You find yourself in chains and automatically think sex."

Daniel turned his head to his right. In the dark light he saw what looked like a boy sitting on the chair beside him. He breathed in sharply when he saw the kitchen knife in the boy's hand. This child was prepared for butchery.

"Why?"

Benji laughed. "Because Armand wants you more than us. Sybelle is probably dead by now, but that's okay, I'll be with her soon. And so will you."

Daniel heard the dangerous note in the child's voice. Benji was insane. I guess the Dark Trick was too much for him, he thought. Where's Armand? He realized that his lover was probably on his way now. All Daniel had to do was stall until he got here.

"I could never understand why he liked you more than us," Benji said sullenly. "You're not really good looking. You're not smart. You're pretty stupid, actually. Maybe Armand just likes dumb blondes."

"But...he pushed me out and didn't call me back," Daniel argued. "He must like you more."

"He just tried to kill me," Benji snarled. Daniel's heart leaped with joy, but Benji wasn't done ranting. "The little bastard almost did it, too. Won't he be surprised when he finds his precious Daniel carved into pieces? That'll make up for all my lonely nights." He stood up and adjusted his grip on the knife.

"You mean, Armand never did anything with you?" Daniel asked feebly, grasping at any straws he could get.

"What you mean, 'did anything'?" Benji asked. He sounded curious and cautious at the same time.

He's just a boy! He wouldn't know much about sex just yet. He'd be really curious. Daniel smiled softly. "Yeah, I mean, no chains or ropes, no leather?"

"He uses that on you?"

"All the time. Not as often as the handcuffs, though. Armand can be pretty impatient sometimes. I guess that's natural, since he died when he was a teenager. Sometimes tying me up or shackling me to the bed takes too long for him. That's when he just handcuffs my wrists to the bedpost."

"And you cooperate with this?" Benji sounded both repulsed and intrigued, and he sat down again, eagerly listening.

"Not like I have much choice," Daniel laughed. "He's much stronger than I am. He can just throw me on the bed and tie me up before I can react, or other times..." he smiled and sighed.

"Other times what?"

"Other times he locks us in a room together, and orders me to take my clothes off for him, slowly, piece by piece. If I don't, he'll lash me with a whip until I do. And then, when I'm completely naked, he'll tie me up against the wall and whip me anyways. Afterwards, I'm completely exhausted, and that's when he takes advantage of me."

"He rapes you?"

Daniel almost laughed at the boy's ignorance. Benji really didn't know vampires couldn't do that. "It's more like consensual rape," he smiled, making it up as he went. "It hurts, and I scream and beg him to stop, but he has no mercy. Usually I'm black and blue when it's all over."

"Is he always that cruel?"

"Oh, yeah. Sometimes, if I'm really lucky, he'll actually have fun with me for awhile before or after he uses me. Sort of like exotic foreplay. The things that boy can do with a long-stemmed rose..." he sighed at the memory. "Or he'll kiss me over and over again, even though I can't move or kiss back. He especially likes undressing me himself when I'm chained to the bed. Or sometimes when I'm tied up and naked, he'll just stare at me for hours."

"Why?"

"He likes to get a good look at his property, I guess," Daniel said. He noticed Benji's repulsed expression and laughed. "Oh, I don't mind it at all. I know I belong to him. He couldn't own me more completely if he bought me. Just because I was gone for awhile doesn't make me any less his personal slave. One thing that never changes, he has to be in control."

"Indeed."

They both looked up in surprise. Armand was sitting on the windowsill, a playful smile on his lips.

"How long--?" Benji gasped in fear.

"From about 'he's much stronger than I am'," he answered. "Goodness, Danny, but you can be quite descriptive when you want to be."

Daniel smiled. "It's nothing but the truth."

"It doesn't matter!" Benji shrieked suddenly. "You still can't have him!" He raised the knife up above Daniel's heart, and then plunged it downward.

It never even got halfway there.

Armand seemed to fly around the room, deftly taking the knife out of Benji's hand and then turning the blade on the boy. It sank all the way down to the hilt into his left eye. Benji screamed and tried to claw the knife out of his head, but he only succeeded in driving it up and down through his brain. Within a matter of seconds, he staggered to the floor, then dropped dead.

"What a mess," Armand groaned, picking up the carcass. "Be right back, lover." He left back through the window, and when he came back, Benji was gone. Daniel knew better than to ask where. Armand didn't like being questioned, and besides, he really didn't care.

Armand sat down on the edge of the bed, eyeing Daniel's helpless body. He lay his fingers on Daniel's chest, slowly teasing the nipples hidden beneath the cloth. Daniel sighed with pleasure as he enjoyed the domination game.

"It's going to be one of those nights, isn't it?"

Armand laughed as he caressed his fledgling's face, then began to undo the buttons on Daniel's shirt and jeans. Once his outer layers were either removed or softly torn away, he caressed certain parts of his prisoner's body. The chest and abdomen, the arms and hands beneath the chains, and especially his throat. The burned skin, only recently healed, was all the more sensitive.

Daniel moaned as he was tortured sensually. Nothing like this had happened to him since he had left months ago, and now...it seemed like Armand was making up for lost time. He tried to move, to twist beneath his master, but nothing budged. Armand smiled possessively.

"You're mine, boy. I won't let you go ever again. In fact, it may be a few nights before I even unlock you from the bed."

Daniel smiled at the thought of being his lover's prisoner for that long. "I'd love that."

Armand leaned down, his lips beside Daniel's ear. His soft breath alone was enough to drive Daniel into a fit of pleasure. "I won't whip you," the master whispered to his slave, "you're still too weak for that. But I suppose your 'exotic foreplay' will have to do. A shame I don't have a rose."

"I'm not ready for that yet," Daniel said. "I haven't been back for so long. I'd die of ecstasy."

"Flattery will get you everything, my little tanned fledgling," Armand grinned. He removed his clothes and began to work, easing his lover's pain with unimaginable pleasure.

Daniel relaxed utterly as his captor moved on top of him, his hands touching all of the rights points. "Oh, Armand, my Armand..."

The childlike vampire smiled as he leaned over Daniel, gazing deep into his eyes. The fledgling recognized that look. His weakened condition didn't guarantee any pity from his maker. It was definitely gonna be one of those nights.