An underground parking garage
Port Charles, New York.

 The clash of steel echoed through the garage as the two men lashed at each
other.  Attacks, parries, lunges and counters.  The brutal violence seemed
almost artistic.  Eric Regan was fighting for his life.  He didn't want this....
all he wanted was to go home after a long day of work when this man challenged
him.  Now he was only minutes away from death and he knew it.
 The dueling men strained against each other.  Face to face their swords sparked
with electricity at each contact.  Catching Regan by surprise as he lunged, his
opponent stepped back and Regan stumbled forward off balance.  His oppenent spun
around, his sword slicing open Regan's back.  He fell to his knees as his foe
stood over him victorious.
 "Who...are...you?" Regan asked gasping for breath.
 "Does it really matter?" the man said as he raised his sword.
 

PROLOGUE 2

Police Commissioner's office.

 Mac Scorpio sat at his desk while Felecia Jones looked over his shoulder at the
file he was reading.  On the tab were the words "Ardanowski, Venus."  Mac sighed
he waited for Felecia to read the last page then closed the file.
 "That's it." Mac sighed again.  "V checks out.  Not a gap anywhere."
 Felecia returns to the chair in front of the desk and sits down.  "It doesn't
explain how she knows Aaron Grey.  Before he moved to Toronto he spent years
just traveling around Europe.  When did she meet him?  According to the file she
has never left the country until recently.  And lets not forget to mention that
'Daddy' remark."
 "Unfortunatly that's not the only question we're left with."  Mac says looking
at her.  "Everything we've been able to find on Aaron Grey or his wife doesn't
go back any further than fifteen years or so."  Mac rubs his temples feeling a
headache coming on.
 The door to his office swings open and in walks that headache followed by a
flustered secretary.  Mac signals her that everything's okay and she leaves the
office.
 "What do you want Jax?" Mac asks mildly annoyed.
 "We need to talk Mac," he replies. "about Aaron Grey."
 

PROLOGUE 3

The dance club Nightshade.

 The club was packed as it was almost every night.  Since it opened a few years
ago it has remained one of Port Charles' hottest nightspots.  Club goers crowded
the dance floor, the music from the stereo system making the very walls shake.
Those not dancing sat drinking at the bar or sat at one the tables or in one of
the many booths that lined the walls with friends.  Tucked away near the back
wall of the club were several such booths, these were reserved for special
patrons.  In one of them, the one nearest the office in the corner, sat four of
those special guests.
 Sitting with her back against the wall was an attractive woman with red hair,
clear blue eyes and creamy skin.  Her name was Theresa Ryan and to the average
person she looked not that much older than most of the other club goers.  She
was in fact over two thousand years old.  A two thousand year old vampire to be
precise.
 It had taken many years but she eventually came to some kind of peace with what
she was.  A killer.  A monster if you will.  Condemned to live only in the hours
between dusk and dawn, feeding on any innocent human who had the misfortune to
cross her path.  But that was along time ago, she had changed a great deal over
the centuries, so much in fact that she no longer felt she had any connection to
the woman she was then.
 Altough delicate looking in appearance she possessed a strength and a power
that one could almost feel.  The younger ones certainly felt it when she came
into the club, the ocean of bodies parted like the red sea when she approached,
but one didn't get the message.  He stood directly in Terry's path and refused
to move almost daring her to move him.  She didn't have to, one quick look into
her eyes told him this was very bad mistake.  He stepped to the side and allowed
her to pass and then slinked off to the opposite side of the room hoping not to
be noticed.
 
 Across from Terry sat Aaron Grey, her husband of over nine hundred and fifty
years.  Aaron was an Immortal, twenty-two hundred years ago he was the son of a
Roman general and a soldier in the emperor's army and for a thousand years after
his first death that's all he was, a soldier looking for a war.
 But that changed when he met a young orphan girl, he took her in and raised her
and when she became a beautiful young woman she surprised Aaron by telling him
that she loved him.  He should have known it wouldn't last and it didn't.  When
she was killed in a riding accident a year later his world collapsed, he went
insane and for the next hundred years he went after any Immortal he could find
hoping that one will finally put an end to his misery.
 He wanted to die but he wasn't willing to just surrender to death.  That's when
he met Terry and his life changed completely.  She's the better part of him, the
part that makes him feel alive again and he knows that should anything ever
happen to her he won't fight death again, he will surrender.

 Next to Aaron sat a good-looking man with jet-black hair.  He name is Derek
LaShalle.  Anyone listening to their conversation would be shocked by Derek's
manner.  He had a personality in private that was a complete opposite of his
public one.
 Derek is the leader of the Enforcers in Port Charles, a group of vampire "cops"
you can say whose sole purpose is to protect the Community from danger ---
dangers without and dangers from within, and to do so effectivly he has to
illicite fear and respect from the others at all times.  But when he is alone
with close friends or confidants the public mask of menace and intimidation
gives way to a somewhat good natured and courteous individual.

 Across from Derek and next to Terry sat an exotic looking woman with long
braided blonde hair.  Her name is Mariah and Nightshade was her place.  She is a
few years younger than Terry and courted a great deal of respect in the
Community, not to mention a great deal of fear as well.  She could be cold at
times.
 Her opinions on matters were usually brutally honest and to the point.  Her
opinions of mortals were unkind to say the least, while she has nothing
personally against them, she doesn't much care for them either.  At least most
of them anyway.  There have been a few over the years who have endeared
themselves to her but she rarely speaks of them to others.
 She had opened Nightshade as a refuge for others of her kind, a safe place in a
dangerous world.  Everyone is welcome so long as they obey the rules of refuge
and don't touch the guests, well not the paying guests at least..

 The four old friends sat laughing and drinking catching up on old times.  Aaron
was nursing a bottle of beer while the others were sharing a bottle of the house
special.  Not one of them noticed the man at the bar watching them.  Finishing
his glass of the house's own he turned to leave.  <Soon Theresa.  Soon we will
be together again.  Like it was meant to be.>
 

CHAPTER ONE

The undergroud parking garage,
Around 4am.

 Newly promoted Lieutenant Alex Garcia bent down to take another look at the
body lying on the floor of the garage.  The head had apparently been severed
from the body and was currently lying a few feet from the rest of him staring
sightlessly upward at the ceiling.
 "What do you think the cause of death was?"
 Garcia turned to face Detective Taggert.  "That's not funny Marcus."
 "Sorry, defence mechanism.  It keeps me from puking all over my shoes."
Taggert said apologetically while moving closer to the body.  "Looks like we got
victim number two."  He said reminding Garcia about the headless corpse fished
from the river a few weeks earlier.
 Garcia was about to say something when one of the officers shouted his name.
"Lieutenant Garcia!  Over Here!"
 Alex turned toward one of the uniforms who had been searching the garage.
Going over to her he asked.  "What is it?"
 "I think it's the murder weapon."  The young officer pointed to a three foot
long sword lying under the front end of a car near the back wall.
 He bent down to pick up the sword.  Taking a hankerchief from his pocket he
picked it up by the blade gently handing it to an officer wearing rubber gloves.
"Bag it."  He said and then walked over Taggert who was watching the ME take the
body away.

Kelly's,
Later that morning.

 V Ardanowski walked into Kelly's.  She was wearing sweats and carrying a long
wooden case with her.  She spotted Robin Scorpio sitting at a table having
breakfast and joins her.  "Morning Robin."  She said as she slid her case under
the table.
 "Good Morning."  Robin smiled back.  "Where are you headed?  The gym?" She
asked noticing V's attire.
 "No.  I thought I'd swing by the practice hall for a quick workout.  It's been
a while since I've had anyone to spar with."  She took a drink of the orange
juice that she had ordered.  "What about you.  What have you got planned for
today?"  She asked setting her glass down.
 "I've got an apointment at GH later this afternoon but other than that I'm
free."
 "Why don't you come with me then.  You haven't seen the practice hall yet have
you?"  Robin shakes her head no.  "Good then you can come with."  V got up from
her chair grabbed her case and led Robin out of the door.
 Robin and V entered the building.  This place had once been a dojo but has been
empty for a couple of years.  It was now completely bare of any equipment or
furniture expect for a couple of small couches at the far end of the room.  They
sat in a little alcove next to the freight-type elevator.  Heavy metal shutters
covered every window in the room.
 The women entered to the sound of clashing swords.  Robin saw a man, his back
to her, drive Brenda back against the wall.  Both of them had swords but it was
obvious to anyone who was the better of the two.
 Brenda shifted her grip on her sword and made a low feint trying to drop him
off his guard.  When he dropped his sword to block the cut, she quickly brought
her blade up high instead to strike.  That move brought a smile to her lips.
But her opponent made a fast binding move that knocked her sword from her hands.
Closing her eyes she could hear the blade cutting the air as it headed for her
neck.  She felt the cold steel touch her throat and then heard him whipser.
"Remember if your head comes away from your shoulders it's over."
 "God Dammit, Aaron!"  She opened her eyes and looked into Aaron's grinning
face.
 "Not bad Brenda." Aaron said as picked up her sword from the floor and handed
it back to her.  "You've come a long way.  I'm amazed at how much you've learned
in just the last few weeks.  Another month or three and you'll be able to face
the world with confidence."
 "She's a lot better than I was when I started Daddy."  V said making her and
Robin's presence known.  Both Brenda and Aaron turned.
 "Yes she is."  He said while handing Brenda a towel and a bottle of water.  He
turned back to V.  "But then she's not a spoiled snot-nosed brat either."
 V playfully swats Aaron as she and Robin move over to one of the couches and
sat down.  Brenda sat next to Robin wiping the sweat from her face and taking a
long sip of water while staring at the sword in her hand.  Aaron sat next V and
watched Brenda for a moment then spoke.  "So are you going to ask the question
or not?"
 "What question?" she asked.
 "The question every Immortal asks sooner or later."  Aaron looked steadily at
her.  "What happens if in the end it's just you and me?"
 Brenda looked strickened for a moment.  She gathered her composure and
answered.  "I don't know."
 Aaron smiled.  "That's the answer my teacher gave me.  That's the answer I give
all my students.  I'd like to think I'd have the strength not to fight, to lay
down my sword.  But I don't know."  Distracted by a noise behind him Aaron
turned around to see his wife.  "Hey love.  I though you we're sleeping."
 "I was, but I got lonely."  She walked up to him and slid her arms around him.
Giving him a quick kiss she looked at the others.  She smiled at Brenda and
Robin.  "Good morning Venus" she said to her adopted daughter.
 "Hi M....Terry"  She barely caught herself.  Brenda didn't know about Terry and
there was no reason to tell her until it became necessary.  She just hoped
Brenda didn't notice her little slip of the tongue.
 Brenda and Robin got up to leave.  As they turned to go Aaron called out.
"Brenda!  Wait I almost forgot...this is for you."  He pulled out a long thin
wooden carrying case exquisitly carved with oriental characters.  He handed it
Brenda.
 "What is it?" she asked as she opened the box.  "It's a sword." she said
surprised as she pulled out a katana.
 Aaron looked at her.  "Not just any sword.  A Masramuni."
 "A what?"
 "A Masramuni"  V broke in.  "One of the finest swords ever made.  In fact they
aren't so much swords as works of art."
 "Why?"  Robin enquired.
 It was Aaron who answered.  "Masramuni was a Japanese swordsmith in the late
12th and early 13th centuries.  The weapons he created were centuries ahead of
their time."  He took the katana from Brenda and placed it back in it's case and
closed the lid.  He handed the case to Brenda.  "It's a fine weapon.  For a fine
woman.  Take care of it, make it a part of you."
 Brenda looked at her teacher.  "Thank you Aaron.  I will."  She and Robin then
left.  Outside the building Brenda placed her new sword in the backseat of her
car and then she and Robin drove away.  Neither one noticed the man across the
street taking pictures.

A house outside Port Charles.

 Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the boarded up windows illuminating the
otherwise darkened room.  He sat alone in a chair staring intently at the
painting hanging on the wall before him.
 It was a portrait of a woman in an ornate 17th century dress.  She had long
flowing red hair and was smiling seductively from the canvas.  It was a portrait
of Terry.
 

CHAPTER TWO

The Hardy residence,
The next day.

 Lucky Spencer sat at the computer typing while Liz Webber stood hovering over
him.  She was feeling a little uneasy about what he was doing.  Breaking into
the school's computer was one thing, but this, this was so not legal.  Lucky
just hacked into the police mainframe and was now trying to find some more
background information on Mr Murty, anything that might help them prove that he
was the man who assaulted her.  She kind of half-hoped that she was wrong about
him because the thought that he had been able to see her everyday since it
happened and gloat to himself about what he had done to her made her sick to her
stomach.  "That's weird."  The sound of Lucky's voice brought Liz back to the
moment.
 "What's weird?" she asked him.
 "I've found a copy of Mr Murty's birth records.  It says that Murty was born
April 9, 1965 in Syracuse, New York."  Liz bent down a little closer to look at
the screen, her proximity distracting Lucky a little as he looked at her face
and smelled the scented shampoo she uses on her hair.  Regaining his composure
he continued.  "uh...that's not the only thing.  There's also a record of his
death too.  It says that Mr Murty died eight days later."
 Liz backed away from the desk Lucky turning in his chair following her
movements.  She sat on the edge of her bed.  "So he's using the name of a baby
who died almost 35 years ago."  Confused she looked at Lucky, "But if he isn't
really Mr Murty..." she began.
 "...who the hell is he?" Lucky finished.

PCPD, Lieutenant Garcia's office.

 Alex Garcia sat at his desk going over the coroner's report on the body found
beheaded the previous night with Mac.  "The tests came back negative.  No drugs,
no alcohol.  No other injuries to the body.  The cause of death was
decapetation."  Turning to the next page of the report he continued.  "Forensics
found something unusual though."
 "What was it?" Mac asked as he handed Alex a cup of coffee.
 "You know that sword we brought in.  It turns out that it's not the murder
weapon."  He showed Mac the report.  "Their tests found minute traces of blood
on the blade but it's not the victim's."
 "What about that sword?"
 "Forensics said it's finely crafted blade, razor sharp and it's at least a
couple of hundred years old."
 "An antique?" Mac thought to himself for a moment.  "What about the victim?
Anything on him?"
 Garcia grabs his notes.  "His name was Eric Regan, he was a lawyer for one the
big firms in town.  He moved to Port Charles from New York City about four years
ago.  Not married, no family and he lived alone.  His co-workers all say that he
was a nice guy who didn't have an enemy in the world."
 "He had at least one enemy." Mac corrected him.  "Keep digging Alex.  Check out
his current and past client list and have someone look into his time in New
York."
 "I've got somebody on that already."
 "Good.  Is forensics finished with that sword?" Garcia says yes.  "I think I
know someone who can tell me a little more about it."  <And a little more about
himself if I'm lucky.>  Mac thought as left the office letting Garcia get back
to work.
 
The Quartermaine residence.

 Emily Bowen Quatermaine walked into house.  She started for the living room but
stopped.  Even the through the thick wooden doors she could hear them arguing.
Again.  Alan and Monica, Alan and Edward or AJ and Ned.  It didn't matter who it
was because it was always the same stupid fights over and over again only the
voices and the decibels changed.  <I don't need this.>  Emily thought to
herself, so she started up the stairs toward her room.
 Entering her bedroom Emily felt relaxed for first time all day.  It had been of
those days at school.  They were talking and whispering about her again.  The
kidnapping of Michael, the trial of Tony Jones and Carly's arrest for shooting
him after he got off with a slap on the wrist.  But that's not what put her in
such a funk, she's a Quartermaine and that means people are going to talk.
 No the reason for her mood was more specific, a specific person to be exact.
The oh-so-perfect Miss Sarah Webber.  God she was really starting to make her
sick, <Nobody could be that sweet.>, it's not enough that she had Lucky panting
over her, <Thank god he got over it.>, but she had turned the brooding Nikolas
Cassadine into a lovestruck doofus and in their conversations of late Sarah was
constantly whining about why did Nik break up with her.  <Maybe he's diabetic.>
Emily was almost certain that it was Sarah who arranged for her to be barred by
her parents from helping Nikolas regain his speech.  She seemed threatened by
her friendship with him for some reason.  But it backfired on her didn't it.
Instead of coming to her for help Nik got it from Robin Scorpio and now he was
completely infatuated with her.
 Emily wasn't going to think anymore about the rumors, the whispers, the stares,
the fights and little miss perfect.  She walked to her closet and pulled out a
black mini-dress she held it in front in her and looked in the full-length
mirror hanging on the door.  She wasn't going to think about anyone else. It was
Friday night and she was going out.
 
Aaron and Theresa's loft above the practice hall.

 A loud knocking on the door woke Aaron from his semi-peaceful slumber.  <If
that's another damn....>  He turned over to look at Terry to she if she was
still asleep.  <Gods.  She's beautiful.>  He got out of bed and pulled on a pair
of jeans then headed to the door to see who it was.  Opening it he was suprised
who his visitor was.  "Mr Grey, I'm Police Commissioner Mac Scorpio.  I was
wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

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