At no point in his life had Azrael ever claimed to have what he would call an amazing time. There was no denying, however, that his time during this past week with Jacob had been almost perfect. The two of them had been growing steadily closer, the old bond of their childhood providing a strong foothold for the two of them to strengthen their relationship. The foundation of friendship had proved solid for the intimacy that was flourishing between them as lovers.

Azrael had never had a time in his life where he felt he couldn’t keep his hands off someone, while also simply wanting to be close to them. Their sexual chemistry hadn’t extended beyond a few repeats of their first time together. Both of them wanted to go further than that, but both seemed equally content to let their relationship grow naturally. They’d spent every night with each other since their discussion in the park, and Azrael had treasured every moment together. It didn’t matter if they simply sat somewhere and talked, or if they slipped back to Jacob’s apartment for some privacy. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d been as happy as he was whenever he was in Jacob’s presence.

Another perk of being with Jacob constantly was that Azrael essentially had permission to be exempt from whatever vampiric matters were happening. He knew from Seamus that some delegation from a Camarilla somewhere in what he believed was Colorado had come to their city. Being busy playing at trying to seduce Jacob for information and gain his trust meant he didn’t have to bother even introducing himself. Alexandre usually required Azrael to make at least a brief appearance at some of the meetings, but even that glimpse of his participation wasn’t required so long as he was working the job his sire had given him.

Despite having made jokes about the required number of dates, both of them had stopped thinking of their time together as anything that concrete. Mostly they spent their time together sitting somewhere off the beaten track, or walking through a quiet section of the city. They walked hand in hand, neither man fearing any sort of danger from the world around them as they wrapped themselves up in each other. Azrael hadn’t feared anything from normal humans in years, especially now he was a vampire. It was probably the same for Jacob, but then again, Azrael felt Jacob had always been a little impervious to the judgement of the outside world in his own, quiet way.

They walked peacefully, hand in hand, along the edge of a canal. Azrael recognized it as a continuation of the same canal where Jacob had first kissed him. They were further downstream, though the stream was just as non-existent. It was closer to a more populated part of the city, and they occasionally passed others out for a night time walk. No one bothered them, and the two of them were enjoying the relative peace and quiet as they talked softly.

“Sometimes it’s really weird being back here,” Jacob said after a moment of silence.

“I guess after being away for so long, it would be kind of weird to see everything again. I get a little taste of that when I go back to the old neighborhood. It’s like, because I’ve been away for so long, something should have changed, you know? But I realize it’s the same as it always was, I just feel different. The only thing that’s changed when I go there is me, not the neighborhood,” Azrael said.

Jacob nodded. “That was what hit me when I first came into town. I walked into our old stomping ground and it was just…the same. Maybe a little more beat up, a little more dangerous, but it was pretty much the same. You’d think that what, thirteen years, would have made a difference, but it’s all the same there.”

“The city itself has changed over the years, but our old neighborhood? Not so much. It’s like it’s frozen in time,” Azrael mused.

It made him think of the oldest vampires he’d met. The one thing Azrael realized about being a vampire after a year or so, was how little vampires changed with the ages. He had thought that perhaps, given time, a vampire would grow and develop. It turned out they were no different to people in that regard. People didn’t change as they aged, they simply became more like their true selves. Vampires just had more time to become themselves, becoming locked into rote and habit in a way that no human could understand.

“Change is hard for some people,” Azrael added as an afterthought.

Jacob nodded. “It’s a shame though, because as hard as change is, it’s necessary. Without change, nothing would be different. Everyone who’s still there in that neighborhood will always be there unless they change it. They’ll always go through the same struggles, fight the same fight, until the day they die. Just like the neighborhood itself, the people there are stuck in time, never moving past the same everyday bullshit.”

“I don’t know if they really have a choice,” Azrael said uneasily.

“Maybe, or maybe they do. I might not have gotten out because I chose to, but you did. It might not be the most moral way of doing it, but you did it without joining up with some gang. You got out with your own skills and your own hard work,” Jacob said earnestly.

Azrael couldn’t correct his friend without giving away more about himself than he was willing to. While he’d been on a path to move up in the world, Azrael’s own self-destructive habits had continually pulled him back to the dirt and mud. It didn’t matter how good he was at what he did, or how well his new clients paid him, he always found a way to ruin what little good came into his life. It would have been the end of him had it not been for Alexandre’s desperate, rushed decision to make him a vampire.

“Luck is a pretty big factor too,” Azrael finally said.

Jacob stopped walking, turning so he could kiss Azrael lightly. “I can’t tell if you’re trying to defend the people you left behind, or if you’re trying to downplay your own accomplishments.”

Azrael couldn’t find the will to argue, smiling up at Jacob. “I’d tell you, but someone decided to cheat and kiss me instead of letting me make my point.”

“Wasn’t aware that kissing you was cheating,” Jacob said with a smirk.

“It is when we’re talking and I was about to beat you down with my insanely accurate logic and reasoning,” Azrael grumbled, still unable to hide his smile.

Jacob turned away to continue walking. “Because that’s exactly what was about to happen.”

The larger man had been so busy focusing on Azrael he hadn’t paid attention to what was coming his way. His broad shoulder knocked into someone as they had tried to pass by. The smaller figure stumbled and Jacob reached for him, spitting out a hasty apology as he tried to keep the man upright. The stranger glared at them, the brief glimpse of his face in the faint light making Azrael’s stomach turn for some unknown reason as the man moved to stomp past them.

Jacob grinned sheepishly at Azrael, wincing a little as they moved to hurry on. There was the sound of a sharp intake of breath behind them that caused the muscles in Azrael’s shoulders to bunch up in readiness. It was the hiss that made him whirl around, ready for a fight. He’d only heard that animalistic noise made by someone once before, but his instincts recognized the threat and fury in the sound. It wasn’t unlike the angry hissing of a large cat, but with a far more human and yet inhuman quality to it that only a vampire could manage.

The other vampire lashed out, catching Azrael as he spun and sending him flying through the air. As Azrael twisted about, trying to get his bearings, he regretted their choice to walk beside the steep canal. His body was flung over the low railing meant to keep people on the right side of the walkway, and he hit the incline sending him tumbling down to the bottom of the dirty canal. His head buzzed with a ringing noise that seemed to radiate from both ears, the vampire having delivered a hard blow. It didn’t stop him from hearing the sound of the scuffle above.

There was a grunt of pain, and then the enemy vampire spoke in an arrogant hiss. “I heard rumors that there was a mutt in the city. I didn’t think I would be lucky enough to have the chance to tear him apart myself though.”

Jacob’s voice was a deep growl that Azrael had never heard before. “If you hurt him, I’ll make sure you die screaming, leech.”

“Oh, don’t worry, after I gut you, I’ll drain your little lover boy dry,” the vampire promised with sadistic glee.

Fear washed over him as he realized just how much of a disadvantage Jacob was at. They were far enough away from the bulk of the night time crowd of humans that their fight would go unnoticed, but not far enough away that Jacob could reliably change forms. This vampire, who Azrael swore he recognized from somewhere, had Jacob at his mercy. Jacob could either take the vampire on in his human form, because he wouldn’t dare flee without knowing if Azrael was okay, or he could risk massive exposure by transforming. Azrael didn’t know how quick the transformation was either, and it would probably leave Jacob exposed for a dangerous amount of time.

When the sound of flesh hitting flesh, followed by a pained grunt from Jacob echoed down, Azrael’s fear melted away. All he’d been trying to do was have one more good night with Jacob. It seemed no matter what he did, or how desperately he wanted something, he was never going to get the peace and happiness he so badly craved. He’d covered all his bases, accepted the possible moral implications of continuing his deceit with Jacob, but damned if fate hadn’t decided to intervene. Now, a pissed off and dangerous vampire had come stumbling into their private moment alone, and he was going to have to do something about it.

With the speed and strength leant by his vampiric blood, Azrael scaled the steep incline of the canal. There were enough places to shove his hands and feet to propel himself up the side with inhuman speed. He brought himself up and over the railing with a leap, after assessing where the two combatants were. The vampire never saw him coming, too busy advancing on a stooped over Jacob.

Azrael slammed into the vampire, sending them both rolling across the hard ground. Azrael barely noticed the harsh grate of gritty sand and sharp rocks against his skin as he followed through his momentum to pop up to his feet. The other vampire was quick to gain his feet, whirling around with another inhuman snarl, which was met with a hiss of Azrael’s own.

Azrael’s motion stopped with a jerk when he saw the man’s face. “Paul?”

The shock in Azrael’s voice gave Paul pause, his head cocking as his face mirrored the same shock. “Azrael?”

Jacob stood up from his hunched position, face pinched in confusion and pain. “Azrael?”

Azrael winced, but kept his gaze locked on Paul. “I didn’t realize you were part of Denon’s group.”

“You and I both know my Master doesn’t go anywhere without me,” Paul told him haughtily.

Azrael snorted, remembering how much he had disliked the Colorado vampire. “And yet here you are, attacking people on the streets.”

Paul’s eyes flicked to Jacob, who was standing straight now. “You know that’s not a person, right? You can’t possibly be that dense.”

Jacob was staring, not at Paul, but in complete disbelief at Azrael. “Gabriel—what is this thing talking about?”

Paul glanced between Jacob and Azrael, his eyes wide. “Gabriel? Is that what name you were going by for this mutt? Good thing I came along when I did, otherwise you would have tried drinking from a stray. God, don’t you know how dangerous that is, has Alexandre’s quality of education really fallen this far?”

Azrael wished he could talk to Jacob right at that moment, rather than have to watch every movement Paul made. He could see the look of dawning comprehension on Jacob’s face, but it was the look of horror that made Azrael sick. In some way, he’d known he wouldn’t be able to keep his secret from Jacob forever, but damn if he hadn’t hoped for more time. What would come after that revelation was anyone’s guess, but Azrael hoped that maybe, just maybe, he might be able to get out of it without Jacob killing him.

The biggest threat at the moment, however, was Paul, who seemed completely unaware of what was happening between Azrael and Jacob. The cocky vampire was operating under the mistaken assumption that Azrael had been hunting Jacob through seduction, not knowing what Jacob was. Paul probably believed Azrael’s senses and lack of a ‘real’ education meant he hadn’t known the implications of the strong scent that stuck close to Jacob’s body. More importantly, ignoring what the vampire believed, he was still the biggest danger to both Azrael and Jacob. There would be no way to dissuade Paul from trying to kill Jacob, and even if Azrael succeeded in doing that, there was no way to stop Paul from passing what he knew onto the other vampires in the city. From that point, it would only be a matter of time before Paul and Azrael’s Camarillas both came for Azrael and Jacob.

“Paul, have I ever told you how much of a fucking idiot you are?” Azrael demanded with another snarl of frustration.

Paul huffed indignantly. “Your lack of manners and respect aside, I’ve done you a favor.”

“No, you only ruined everything,” Azrael hissed.

A look of understanding passed over Paul’s features, but it wasn’t enough. Azrael leapt, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. The other vampire went down with ease, surprise making him easy to bring to the ground with the grip of one of Azrael’s arms. Azrael’s other arm, which had been behind his back, slid into view with the long, silver blade Alexandre had given him. It flashed through the air in a glittering arc, opening Paul’s throat almost to the bone.

Azrael realized, as he felt Paul lash out at him blindly, that the idiot had never been in a real fight in his life. The vampire had attacked what he’d initially thought was a human, and a werewolf who would never be able to use his full strength to fight back. It was bad enough that Paul had intruded upon Azrael and Jacob’s private moment, but it made it worse that the vampire reminded Azrael too much of the bullies and thugs Azrael had grown up around. Even if the vampire didn’t have to die because of the threat he posed to Jacob, Azrael would have been tempted to kill him on principle alone.

All it took was a sharp downward shove and the blade cleaved through the rest of Paul’s neck. The vampire’s head rolled away, mouth still working, eyes still blinking as his body’s movements went wild and then ceased. Azrael would still need to burn the body, it was one of the only two reliable ways to kill a vampire. The other would require Azrael to leave the vampire’s body out for the sun to find, but that would create too great a risk of exposure.

He knew there was no time to worry about the need for cleanup as he sensed movement coming from Jacob. Azrael dropped the knife without hesitation, letting it clatter onto the blood-soaked ground. When a strong hand gripped him around the throat, bringing him up, he closed his eyes and when his back slammed hard into a nearby rock, he didn’t struggle.

After a moment, he opened his eyes slowly. Jacob stood tall over him, eyes wide with betrayal and rage as his nails dug into Azrael’s throat, nearly drawing blood. Jacob had used more strength than even his considerable muscle size should have allowed. Azrael had underestimated Jacob’s ability to defend himself. His old friend’s eyes were nearly yellow, his teeth no longer completely human as they extended slightly, ending in points. The arm that held Azrael against the tall rock was bunched, with a little more hair than it normally had. The nails digging into his throat weren’t human either. Apparently, werewolves were able to transform parts of their body, or at least control how much they turned. Just one more thing it would have been nice to know.

Azrael leveled his gaze with Jacob’s, smiling sadly. “I guess this means you and I should have a little talk.”