AND THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN

So Jonathon spent the night in that cave on the hillside. And Sarah was with him. He played madrigals on the ancient oud, his ancient oud, as the gypsy witch twirled and danced. Then when he laid down the finely made instrument, the dancing girl caught her breath and said - Please, let me feed you. Let me offer drink.....And she turned back her sleeves and held out her arms.....For you. For you and the lady - she said......Jonathon hesitated. There had been no vision. She was innocent, her witchcraft more a delusional game than a true manifestaion. So he said - Woman, I cannot do this......The gypsy girl turned to Sarah and explained - Tell him. Tell him this thing must be done........Sarah knew not what to do. She was dumbstruck. And the desperate woman went on - My child is sick. My magic worthless. The healers turn away from the poor. Take my blood and return it to him. Work the miracle and let him live.......But still she was met by silence.....Then Sarah spoke. She said - I will help you. But I will not take your life......The  woman said - Thank you.....And she held up her wrist. Sarah broke the skin and drank. When she was done, the woman clutched the wound to her breast. She turned to Jonathon and said - And you sir? Please humor a desperate mother...Tears ran down her dirty cheeks. She offered him the other wrist and he took it. The woman looked into his eyes questioningly. He understood. And he nodded. And he drank. But the woman did not die. For the life-eaters tempered their thirst. So three souls walked out from that cave in the third hour after midnight. And the two vampires followed the poor woman as she led them into a town and toward her cellar home. It was dark. It was cluttered. An old woman, the gypsy's mother kneeled by a make-shift bed cradling a sick, gasping child. And Jonathon heard a voice, the voice of Johannon, his faithful servant from long ago. The voice said - Use the gift. Lighten the burden and save this life. So Jonathon neatly bit into his lip and kissed the child, transfering a small drop of blood from himself to the young one. In two heartbeats time the child relaxed. The breathing eased. The crisis was over. Tears streamed down the grandmother's face, as she uttered prayers in Spanish and in Rom. But the dancing girl just smiled. For she knew it would end like this. And she squeezed Jonathon's hand  and thanked him. Then she hugged Sarah too. But Sarah said - What have I done?.....The mother whispered - You showed him the way............

So they stayed there in that cellar for the rest of the darktime and through the following day, when the grateful mother took them to meet someone waiting beyond a little, rushing stream. It was a man. They felt him to be a life-eater, but could not be sure. For the magic, or whatever it was hung quite thickly about him, masking his true essence. The strange man said not a word, not even a nod. He merely gazed into their eyes and pointed inland. Then he turned and left. Jonathon and Sarah hurried after him.

They walked till they came to a city, but quickly made their way through the more or less contemporary districts, before entering a well kept quarter of medieval homes. Jonathon whispered to Sarah - I know these smells. I know those stones. My fingers remember the stucco on the walls. My ears recall the singing. My heart feels every prayer......Sarah said - Where are we?.....But before her mate could answer, the silent guide turned round and said - We are home.......