He had always loved the underground, so many people going to so many places living out different lives with only a ride on the underground to connect them with everyone else in this one point in time. The people would never talk to each other, bustle past and push one another. He watched as the students would come on board with earphones and giant backpacks, women with giant shopping bags chattering loudly and a business man attempting to look unruffled by the girl with the piercings making herself comfortable beside him, she smiles as she ignores his discomfort. So many people for him to watch over.

For three years he has been working like this, searching for those in need of a saviour, wondering about the earth to where ever someone was praying for help.

He loved his work, Eric had often told him he should take a break, often hassling him into resting. "Your not the only Angel out there, Orli, get some sleep or I will tie you to the damn bed", he didn't doubt his Guardians warning. Eric had been one of the Angels who had come to him in his final hour, he used to be Orlando's guardian Angel before his death, though he often forgot that he didn't need to look over him anymore, though in truth Orlando felt comforted by Eric's protectiveness, he was like the brother he never had.

In his first life he had only just begun to work at the Lockerdam training hospital when he had tried intercepting a mugging only to gain to knife in the gut, that's when he was given the choice.

He remembers it like a dream; three Angels had surrounded his broken frame, their wings moving soundlessly as they descended, the one behind his head had gently pulled him to his broad chest, holding him close in his strong arms. With one quick pull he had removed the knife from his stomach swift and painlessly and handed it over to the female who placed it carefully within her robes. The man in front of him began to speak softly to him;

"Through your life we have watched you, though cut short your life was good and even your death was in sacrifice for another, you are dying now and though we cannot save you from this mortal death, we want to offer you a new one" his green eyes shone as he spoke, he wasn't looking at him but into his very soul. Though his body was growing cold and his thoughts were clouding, he understood what was being asked, it was the easiest decision of his life. Carefully turning in Eric's arms, he looked up into his deep gaze he slowly nodded "Thank you"

That was his last memory of his first life. The next time he awoke, for that is what it felt like, he was a new man. In life he had been different, he was the same person now but he just looked different. It was explained to him that as an angel he does not take on the shape of his previous looks and form but becomes a reflection of the beauty of his soul.

He looked around the carriage one final time before getting off at Queen Street, for the first time he walked around the streets of Glasgow looking for broken souls

Chapter 2-Karl pov.-London

The London underground, you have to be brave to try and ride it on you own for your first time, not only does it stink of urine but of the many odors of over a thousand people that push their way onto the over crowded boxes everyday. Karl smiled as he passed the young musician strumming away on his guitar and singing for pennies as loud as he could just to be heard over the hustle and bustle of the busy people that hurried by to catch the speedy trains before its two minute stop finishes and it races away again to its next stop at Piccadilly.

He hated London, it wasn't the place itself that bothered him or the strange multitude of mortals all crammed into one giant city but it was the memories its streets and old buildings held.

It was all Harry's fault of course, sixty seven years ago it had been his bright spark idea that if you want to stay hidden from the trackers you should find the city that has the largest population of the enemy and set up camp, and what it worse he set up their base right on the doorstep to the largest Lycan base ever built. Admittedly he didn't know they were practically next door neighbors until they had fully set up a hideout and moved their lot in that he discovered how idiotic he had been. He had thought that the werewolves would never think to check their own base city for vampires as it would be unthinkable for vampires to actually choose to hide in the dog infested city. Harry was wrong.

It had been a blood bath, not only were they sniffed out within six days but they lost seven good fighters just trying to leave their hideout, but that's what life was like for vampires then, he has lost countless friends because of this war. Before the war he had never imagined loosing any one of his friends to something as improbable as death, they were immortal powerful beings, what could possibly harm them? It is a miracle that there are many left now.

The Lycans had wiped out the majority of the Vampire clans by then and were fiercely tracking the last of them, many vampires never stopping in a city for longer than a few days as they would fear the many packs on their tail. It wasn't until Ian, the eldest of them all, united them into one family were they able to stop running and hold some ground.

Karl missed the old days when vampires were free to roam their cities, feed where they wish and mingle with the ever changing mortals around them, he remembered a time when he joined a mortal actors troop, blending in as best he could playing minor characters in their second rate plays just to see if he could get away with it, even having numerous flings with various members of the cast. When he was a young vampire it took effort to blend in, but when he was with those actors on stage they were all painted in the same white grease paint and the same overdone stage make-up so that the only thing that could be noticed would be his abnormally deep eyes and his unnaturally graceful movements. Sometimes he would pretend to bump into things or stumble over a step; he still maintains that the greatest role he ever played was not the characters he became on stage but the clumsy wooden actor who no one could quite remember the name of. At this time he had been a young and unimportant member of the Drokain clan in Venice. It was only when the Werewolf battles began did his name become more important. He was found along with Harry and a few others to be great fighters, though the clan was later taken down by the Lycans and the majority of it members with it, it survived the longest due to this groups skill and bravery. Today those great fighters survive and are part of the remaining members of Ian's Last clan; Karl was making his way to Heathrow airport for his ten fifteen flight to Edinburgh.

He was finally returning to the Clans home, it had been many years since he packed up his few belongings and went out to see his old haunts, discover new places and experiences. He looked forward to seeing his old friends Harry and Viggo after their long years apart.

The war was so quiet now that it was almost like the two sides had disappeared, though Karl is not foolish enough to believe it is all over. The Vampires pride has been so badly wounded that the Werewolves cannot go unpunished so long as the Vampires survive.

Karl flicks the few coins he finds in his pockets into the guitarists case before evaporating into the crowded underground.

Chapter 3

Orlando's pov

The last time he had been in Glasgow was when he had come up to meet his old friend Billy. They had first met at Cambridge University where they were both studying medicine. They had become close very friends in the short but wild years as they used to go out every weekend with each other to any club they could find. After a year of Uni they decided to live together and ended up sharing a broken down flat for the remaining years. Since splitting ways they hadn't been able to see each other, Billy had moved back up North to finish his education at a training Hospital in Glasgow.

When Orlando came up to visit him it had just been like old times, and now seeing the familiar sights again with his new eyes he dearly missed his friend, the pub they had been carried out of, the massive cinema that he had somehow managed to get lost in when trying to find popcorn, and the silly statue with a traffic cone constantly shoved on top that Billy insisted on trying to climb on top of while a police officer looked on.

Orlando knew the rules well, you never, under any circumstances, visit your old family and friends. It is not for mortals to know that there truly is an afterlife. If they were to know then there would be no room for faith, and without true faith there is no entrance to heaven and so on. It's not like Billy would recognize him now anyway; he was no longer that gangly man who couldn't pick up a girl to save himself that Billy would know.

He kept thinking that any moment, Billy would round the next corner wearing that daft parker that he always used to wear, with glasses resting on the top of his head and a biro pen tucked behind his ear, just forgotten.

Orlando dearly loved his new life but he mourned the loss of his old friends. Its not like he doesn't have friends now, very good friends but to loose everyone in your life in one go was just painful. He remembered Sean telling him after his turning that after a couple of years he would let him watch his friends and family but until he was ready he would not be allowed near them. Many angels had tried to contact their remaining relatives to reassure them but they always got caught. Eric had taken pity on Orlando and had went out of his way to watch over Orlando's friends and family to report back to him about the little things that were happening in their lives.

His family hadn't coped well with his death, but three years on they had began to find their feet again. Sam was going to be married next spring and his mother was going off on a cruise with a couple of her oldest friends. But Eric had never said anything about Billy.

Surely it wouldn't hurt to just look in on him, if he didn't tell Billy who he really was then surely it couldn't be so bad.

Having made up his mind he headed for the Sanctuary Hospital. But when he reached the sliding doors he began to doubt himself, even if he didn't tell Billy who he was he would still get into a lot of trouble over this, and after all that Eric had done for him he didn't want to disappoint him, Eric meant so much to Orlando. Eric would also be in trouble for this no doubt; he was Orlando's old guardian after all.

Just as he began to think of Eric he heard his familiar steps coming up behind him and before he could turn round he felt his warm arms encircle him.

"Come on, I shall take you to meet him. It will be our secret."

Chapter 4-Heading home-Edinburgh

*just want to remind people that this is my first story and I do know my character dialogue still needs some work so forgive me if its rubbish. Practice should help I'm sure.

Karl


There was something about the idea of a vampire going through a metal detector that made Karl smile. Vampires can fool all mortals no matter how intelligent they were but they cannot hoodwink these daft looking machines-not that he really needs a weapon but it was just the sheer annoyance of the extra waiting and the tedium that it brought.

All these restrictions and measures which are taken, they just seemed alien to him.

He remembers the first time he had to go through a metal detector, he had been stopped three times with the stupid alarm, he could feel anger beginning to grow in his stomach-all he had to comfort himself was the fact that he could break the stupid bleeping machine with less than a flick of his wrist but that wasn't enough to prevent him from terrifying a balding man wearing a security uniform who had tried to touch him in a way he was sure went further than a usual inspection, he was sure the man made it bleep on purpose.

Once upon s time having a weapon on you was essential, you would either have to be very brave or suicidal to go without a weapon, but these days life had more value so these ridiculous checks were unavoidable.

He had always marveled at flight. For years he had been jealous of the Angels ability fly, they were majestic while they flew, their white wings spread wide as the soared through the sky.

Now these mortals found a way to fly, blasting fumes into the air as the metal machines roared across the sky, he admired the intelligence behind it but there was no elegance or grace to it, you couldn't feel the wind in your hair and go where ever you wish or even just glide through the sky just for the fun of it. On these planes all you could feel was the overpowered air conditioning and sitting pains while the in the tiny seating space you had the silent fight for the armrest would commence.

He had finally landed in Edinburgh and once he had gone through the final motions of the airport system he set about to find his lift. he was moving through the last of the crowds when he could feel a strong presence ahead, and it was a very familiar one, he smiled as he heard the voice to accompany the presence appear in his head;

Welcome old friend, you certainly took your time, how quickly do you think you will recognize me?

He could tell Viggo's American accent not to mention his humor hadn't been unaffected through time.

Hmm less than two seconds, must be getting rusty I think, found you

By the exit doors he had spied a sandy haired man, plaid shirt and jeans-not exactly blending in with all the Scottish tourists and businessmen returning home, but what did he expect kilts? To the average human he would be uninteresting but Karl's eyes saw the unnatural tinge to the skin and the complete grace in the man's step as they walked towards each other.

"Its good to see you, ok it has been a few years but it's not like I didn't keep in contact with you" he said as he embraced Viggo.

"You call two letters and a phone call sufficient contact for twenty years?" Viggo exclaimed as his lips quirked into a smile.

"I was busy, not to mention that I only contact via the internet and it's not like the clan advertise their email address, does the clan have an email address??" Karl said as he gave Viggo a little nudge

"Probably, but I doubt any of us have figured out how to use it yet, Ian still insists on letter writing. He who lectures us on the evolution of cultures refuses to use computers; he claims they are too impersonal"

"We have our habits; I bet you still try to ride those damn horses everywhere"

"Only sometimes, but don't worry your ass can rest easy I will get you to headquarters, I do own a car now. Nowadays people get disturbed if they hear horses hooves clattering along their streets at night and I don't want to get caught trying to take my horse down the motorway again, Harry still hasn't stopped ribbing me about it"

The two of them headed off towards the airport car park. Karl loved nights like this, the sky was clear and the stars were twinkling down, it seemed like nothing escaped the silver touches of the moon. The cold Scottish weather went unnoticed by the pair as they finally found their car.

Once on their way they had settled into a comfortable silence, Viggo effortlessly mastering the winding country roads, while Karl stared out of his window, those dark eyes reflected in the window while watching the trees and hills pass him by.

It had been so long since he had been with his clan, they were his family but he had been gone so long that he had become accustomed to being alone, he was thankful that it had been Viggo who had come to collect him rather than one of the others. Viggo was like him in this respect; he never felt the need to fill time with words and was quite happy to sit in companiable silence throughout the long journey never breaking it unless Karl felt the need to talk.

Karl wasn't yet sure if he was happy to be returning home or not, he had missed them all and he protection that the clan offered but he knew that after a while he would be itching to run off again. He wanted to settle down but he just couldn't find a reason to.

Viggo could sense the loneliness in his friend's heart and he knew something was bothering him but he also knew that Karl would only talk if he was ready.

His best friend was finally coming home, and to Viggo that was all that he needed to know for now.

Chapter five-The Billy situation Orlando

Author notes: Vampires were once beings of God, like Angels they worked to protect the mortal humans. It was the Angels job on Earth to protect while the Vampires job to remove the evil doers. Eventually the vampires turned away from their work, they are more human than angels are and because of this they are much more susceptible to temptation. Vampires eventually became sick of killing in the name of their creator, and chose to turn to a life of human desires. In retaliation God had punished them all for turning on him, God cursed all Vampires and their future generations to only walk in the night, to be forced to kill to survive.


Eric knew he should be asking Sean for permission but seeing Orlando ache over this was too much for him to bear. He was going to have to find out everything eventually anyway. It would be a weight off his mind to finally let Orlando know the truth.

He reached for Orlando's hand and once the smaller hand was held in his own he began to lead him away from the hospital, ignoring the questioning gaze thrown his way.

Eric waited until they were out of site before he took off into the air; still holding Orlando's hand, taken by surprise Orlando awkwardly dangled a little struggling to spread his wings. Much to his barely hidden embarrassment he still hadn't perfected his gift of flight, partly out of his major fear of heights, a little hangover from his past life he kept forgetting that death really wasn't an issue for him anymore, and the other reason was that Elijah, a fellow angel, was supposed to have taught him properly long ago but had been off on an unexpectedly long mission, in fact Orlando was sure he was supposed to have been back by now.

"Still not got the hang of flying "a rather surprised Eric said as his lips quirked into a smile at the struggling form, trying to contain his mirth.

"Let me help you" he said before Orlando could answer reaching for the younger angel's hand so he could gather Orlando close, all the while Eric was trying to convince his conscience that it was just easier to fly that way.

He had always loved Orlando and would take any chance he could get to be close to the young Angel. Even when Orlando was alive Eric had been enthralled by him, He used to follow him around when he had spare time, just to see what the curious young man was doing, what he was interested in, and who he was helping. Eric was always checking that he was safe. He had always seen the beauty in him-not that Eric didn't appreciate the outer beauty Orlando now possessed.

He was so very disappointed in himself for not being able to prevent Orlando's attack; after Orlando had died he had tracked down the murders and killed them. There was this selfish but it didn't rid him of his inner conflict. The selfish part of Eric's mind, his more human side that had been secretly pleased when Orlando had been killed, he could have Orlando close to him after all these years, it made his sick to think that he could actually find joy in what had happened to the man he was supposed to protect.

What kind of guardian angel was he? Not only was he unable to protect the young man but he had been pleased that he had been murdered because of his personal gain his murder brought.

Eric shook off these thoughts as he soared upwards, he could feel Orlando positively shaking and he didn't need to look to that beautiful face to know that Orlando's eyes were screwed shut.

"Orlando, I promise, there is nothing for you to fear, you are always safe when you're with me" he whispered into his ear,

"Come on and open your eyes"

Slowly Orlando peeked one eye open, looking out at the city streets so far below him. He began to relax. He trusted Eric, upon opening the other eye he noticed that he didn't recognize the places whizzing underneath him.

The night was coming along in bringing dark rain clouds with it when Eric finally started to descend towards the ground.

Once they had landed Orlando looked quizzically around at the old ruins and the empty fields surrounding them.

"Where are we? I don't know this place; Billy is in Glasgow not where ever this place is"

"It's just a little further out that Glasgow, I don't want to take you any closer than this. Its almost night and its not entirely safe, even for us" Eric said, he was beginning to think that this might have been a bad idea, but it was too late now and he believed that Orlando had the right to know, he just didn't want to see the young man upset.

Eric looked out into the growing dark. "You see that small light in the distance?" Orlando nodded, following Eric's gaze, wondering what was to come.

"That is an old house; it has been there for many years. That has been the clan house of the Drokain for over 70 years, where I know that your friend Billy has been visiting a lot lately"

Orlando looked puzzled at this, he had heard that name mentioned before, Could Billy have joined this mysterious clan? He was just a young starting doctor from a small town; he lived with his parents, had a girlfriend, a pet dog and was struggling to pay off his student loans. Could it have been in desperate need of money that made him join? Was it some kind of cult he had gotten mixed up in? Was he forced? All these questions ran through Orlando's mind, he didn't understand how the Billy he knew could have gotten caught up in this.

"What is the Drokain clan? I think it's been mentioned to me before." Orlando finally said still struggling to remember where he had heard the name before.

"You have probably heard Sean mention them before, he has had very little tolerance for the Vampires ever since they abandoned our side" Eric said, he carefully watched Orlando's features as he waited for all this new information to sink in, and sure enough he saw the rising worry and fear appear on his innocent face.

At hearing the word Vampire all his memories came back in a flash. One of the final Vampire clans, The Drokain, The house made by the ancient Vampire Ian and his sired family.

"You mean Billy is a vampire now? How could Billy have gotten mixed up in all this? Why would they want him, he is just a young Doctor!" Orlando felt hot tears begin to sting his eyes as he begun to remember all the terrible things he had been taught about Vampires, how could his happy-go-lucky Billy have gotten involved with them?

"Hey hey! Don't cry Orli, we don't know yet if Billy has been turned, and anyway vampires are not the evil creatures that you have been taught to believe"

"But Sean says that they... " Orlando tried to interject

"And defiantly don't listen to what Sean tries to teach you about them!" Eric continued on "They are not the horrible cruel beings that he believes them to be. They are people who just want to be able to survive in this world along with the rest of us, the vampires that live now are but the children of the vampires that turned, and do you punish a child for the deeds of their father? "

"Well no" Orlando said almost timidly.

"Exactly!" Eric laid his hands on Orlando's shaking shoulders and looked into his eyes Before he continued. "Vampires are certainly not our allies but they are not evil, We are just too different to get along with each other but our races share the same values, and either way its not like God is still here to tell us whether they are to be rid of or not, so for now we ignore them and they ignore us and keep the hell out of each others way"

A long silence passed and the rain began to fall, Orlando stood still looking straight at Eric, Amazed at what he had just been told.

"Do you really believe God abandoned all of us?" he said, his stomach sinking at the very words, his eyes falling to the ground.

"I think so, yeah" Eric turned, emotion washing over him, it had been the first time he had said it out loud and it finally seemed to become real.

Orlando watched, he could almost feel Eric's pain; he put his arm over his shoulder,

"Eric lets go home"

Chapter six- Interruptions Karl

It's amazing to walk through a house where you used to live; with the many years he has been absent the house had evolved with the times yet still looked the same. The familiar paintings hung in their correct places like old friends they warmed Karl's heart welcoming him home but all the while the new photo's and posters reminded him of the years he had missed.

His rooms had been left untouched, he could see a book mark still keeping its place in a story never finished, and the long unfashionable clothes still filled the drawers.

He didn't feel like staying in, he had finally arrived home but he had too much energy to waste the night cooped up in the cold stone walls of the clan base. Grabbing one of his old leather coats from his past wardrobe, he snuck out his room, making his way through the memorable maze of long corridors he reached one of the many doors to the castle, praising his luck in missing any of his old friends and the no doubt dull exchange of information that had built up over the years.

---

Viggo would forgive him for borrowing his car; he probably disliked the metal machine anyway favoring the traveling style of many years past.

He roared passed through the city, its lights flashing by him, he had forgotten how bright the city could be. None of his old hangouts seemed to exist anymore, most converted into coffee chains or shiny looking shops with Barbie modeled mannequins. He abandoned the car searching for anything remotely interesting.

Walking down streets he once knew, same names just completely different. On bath street he found a line of new looking clubs, past the bouncers he walked down the stairs into club Kushion, the pulsing beats and the swaying bodies all around increased his thirst. He wanted someone perfect, but as always he knew he would fail, settling for the blood of a murderer or evil minded.

He could feel hungry eyes glance his way as he moved his way through the club; he gently separated the dancing crowd and walked up to the bar.

He searched the room, knowing he wouldn't find what he wanted.

"Wanna dance?" the voice interrupted his thoughts, he was a pretty little thing, he would do for tonight.

Inclining his head he led the young man to the dance floor, letting him follow in his wake.

He allowed the man's hands to roam over his body while his own slipped through the mans hair, when the man's hand slipped lower Karl couldn't help but smirk, humans were so impatient! But he indulged the man, pulling him up to meet his lips.

He tasted sweet, but the kiss was rough. Karl pulled back to whisper into his ear.

"So what should I call you? I would know your name before we went further yes?" The man laughed, now stroking Karl's chest,

"Mark, follow me out back?"

This one was brash; this meal would be too easy. It never ceased to surprise Karl how the taboos of sex had disappeared over the years, he remembered the once challenging circumstances that came with the fondness for men many years ago. He should have been born in this time, it was so much more open, wilder and everyone was curious!

Allowing himself to be lead out into on of the many back streets of Glasgow, Mark pushed him up against the wall, ravishing his mouth.

He wasn't going to have that, turning the tables he spun mark round unnaturally fast and easily claimed dominance, he could feel Mark shiver as he stroked his neck.

Ending the kiss, he began to lick at Marks neck. He was just a meal to him, a pretty meal but a meal none the less.

He sank his teeth into Mark's neck without struggle, the man was too far gone now, and he was under Karl's entire control.

Relishing the familiar bitter taste as it flowed from the man to his veins, Restoring strength, filling his appetite. Finishing he was about to wipe the man's memory clear of the whole event when he felt an iron grip on his shoulder, a second later he was slammed against another wall.

Recovering a little he wanted to get a look at his attacker, looking around he wouldn't see anyone, the street was now empty except for the now anemic looking Mark trying to dash out of sight. Making to follow him he felt himself grabbed from behind and thrown once again.

He could see his attacker now, and he couldn't help but be shocked. A real angel, a broad chested curly brown haired angel with an expression of pure revulsion. They were supposed to be almost extinct, why was there one here of all places, trying to harm him? He was hardly the biggest threat to the human race; surely they should be off fighting the werewolves! It is them that are the real threat around here.

Feeling a gust of wind behind him, hearing the flapping that signified the entrance of another yet angel, He knew when to pick his battles but he couldn't understand why two Angels had decided to kill off little old him.

The Angel in front of him was the last thing he saw before the white light of spell hit him. As the magic seared through him he just hoped that Viggo would figure out whatever the hell was going on. If anyone could it would be him.