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                Edward

wasn't actually angry. He had rather figured on butting heads with the Russian

mobsters who had entered the restaurant, so his response was more measured that

emotional. What he had needed was a way of getting their attention. And even

then, he only needed one of them to notice him. That would be the smallest one

in the bunch.                The

hand on the mobster's head turned dark and gnarled while his other hand balled

up into a fist. He stuck it down on the table and waited. The boy looked at the

hand and the fist before looking up at the man they belonged to. Even as the

rest of the gang were fumbling for their weapons, he halted them. "Wait. I

think this gentleman wishes to have a discussion."                Edward

nodded. "That's generally more constructive that just firing randomly or

destroying bars and churches, now isn't it?"                "So

that was you I was after? That stupid priest was correct after all. Oh well,

too late for him. Sit down my friend, for I see you have something I very much

desire."                Edward

turned and waved the females away. He sat down and leaned in toward the youth.

"You've been angry for a very long time Alexei. I don't blame you, but did it

ever dawn on you that you were going about this the wrong way?"                The boy

made a face. "What can you know of my life? For that matter, how do you know my

real name?"                "Is

that something you want to discuss with all of these men present?"                He

looked around and shook his head. "You're right. If you do know, there is no

point in telling everyone." He pointed to his men. "Get. GO! Find another

table. And leave everyone alone, including the owner. I have a feeling that if

you even talk nasty, you'll be paying for it."                The men

drifted over to the tables closest to the entrance, a wise move, if not a

brilliant one. "So friend, who am I to your eyes?"                "You're

a young man who never got the change to grow up and live a proper life.  And for that past fifty plus years, you've

been on a vendetta that has gotten you nowhere."                "You're

guessing." The youth said with a straight face.                "No I'm

not Alexei, youngest son of Tsar Nicholas the Second. You were bitten by

Rasputin, but the full transformation never took hold, did it?"                The

youth bit his cigar in half. "Who the hell are you?"                "I

guess that depends. Who do you want me to be? I can help you, or I can kill

you. I'll leave the choice up to you."                "You

dare threaten me?"                "It's

not a threat Alexei, it's a promise. Right now, if I feel I have to, I can rip

your men apart like a drunk goes through vodka." He reformed his hand into a

huge werewolf claw. His nails raked the table.                The

youth looked at it and quailed. "How can you help me?"                "What

do you want?"                "I

want... I want to be rid of this curse."                "And

which curse is that? Being stuck as the young man bitten by a werewolf, yet

never able to become one himself? Or that you've become a cynical asshole in

your old age?"                "How

dare you..."                Nails

scraped the wood. He stopped.                "Look

Alexei, you've approached this problem the wrong way your entire life. I could

give you my ring and I think you'd finally change. But what good would that do

you? At this point you're as bad as your sister."                He was

just relighting the stump of his cigar. The rolled mass of leaves fell from his

mouth. "Sister?"                "Well,

two actually."                He

stubbed out the tobacco and stood. "What the hell are you blathering about?"                "Maria

and Anna."                 "They're

dead you lying piece of shit."                The

claws came together in front of his face. "Then who has the family rings? Or

did you think that I stole the one I'm wearing?"                The

youth sat back down. "Yes, I assumed that you had acquired it through nefarious

means. It's obvious you know what it does."                "I'm

more aware of what it can do that you ever will be. But it's safe to say, this

one is mine. It came to me through my family."                "You

look American."                "And

you look out of place sitting here with a cigar in your mouth, what's your

point?"                "I was

asking what family you are from."                "Bourbon."                "As in

the Beast?"                "Ah, so

a few people know about that. I'm glad I'm not dealing with a fool. That gives

me hope. Now, I have something to show you." He turned and waved the girls over

to the table.                He was

going to introduce Maggie, but he knew that Maria, the tsarina, needed no

introductions. She came up to the table and nearly collapsed. "Alyosha?"                "No one

ever called me that except for... Oh my God! Maria?"                She

rushed to him, causing a few of the mobsters to stand, fingering their weapons.

Edward let out a growl that shook the windows and threw everyone for a loop,

even the youth. He looked over to his men. "Sit down and don't disturb us." He

turned back to his sister. "I thought you dead. When the government said they

found your bodies, I figured I was alone in the world."                "They

said they found yours too baby brother. But how have you not aged?" Then she

pulled back. "And why have you trying to kill me all these years?"                Edward

tapped the table, motioning for them to sit. "Incomplete transformation. That

boy I'm told I bit at the village was apparently stuck in one form only. I got

thinking that he might have been older than he looked. Aging varies in the

Kind, as I have seen, and so it made sense that if , as you said I said, he was

a youth and yet not a youth, then he must be old, but looking young. And here

he is."                "Yes, I

get that. But Alexi, why were you trying to kill me?"                He

actually looked contrite. "Because I did not know it was you sister. Forgive

me. I assumed, after my agents saw you once with the ring, that you had somehow

stolen it. After all, a few of the eggs went missing, as did the original box,

so what was I to think?"                She

pulled out the box which Maggie had gotten from the priest. "It was hidden away

in the old Winter Palace. As for the ring, I have had it ever since Gregori

gave it to me."                "What?

That old fool gave you the ring? I suppose he dug you out of the pit and sent

you on your way too."                "Yes.

didn't he help you?"                "No one

helped me," He said bitterly. "Only I helped me. I dug myself out from under

seven feet of dirt and rock. I guess he didn't think I was worth saving."                "Nonsense!

You were the first one he helped."                "It

still doesn't explain why he left me there to rot!"                "I'm

sorry brother, but I can't answer that. Gregori told me so little when he

rescued me. Perhaps he though you truly dead. He did not bite us until after he

had saved your life, and he told us to tell no one. Even mother and father did

not know. If not for that simple thing, we would not be here talking today"

Then she got a concerned look on her face. She turned t Edward.                "You

knew he would be here, didn't you?"                "Who?

Me? What were the chances that he'd come into here when we were here eating our

meal? I mean of all the places in St Petersburg he could eat at, who knew he'd

choose this one?"                Alexei

cleared his throat. "This is one of the few places I trust to eat at my friend.

By the way, do you have a name? And what of your little ...daughter?"                "My

name is Edward Peterson. This is Maggie, my adoptive daughter and your great

niece."                He

stood up, staring at her features. "The line is diluted, but I think I do see

Anna's features mixed in with her own." He reached across the table and stuck

out his hand. "Glad to meet you my dear."                "Likewise

I'm sure sir."                He

laughed right from the belly. "Sir? Do I look like a sir to you?"                "No you

do not, but it doesn't mean I'd treat family with so little respect as to

remark upon it."                "Wise

words. Kind words. I'm not used to them. I surround myself with paid meat. No

brains and fewer emotions." He sighed. "This feels good."                Edward

eased back in his chair. "So then, would you like a ring?"                "Will

it help me to shed this awful body?"                "Yes, it

will help you to shed it. It will still be you inside, and you will still have

to wait for it to mature."                "Which

means I will live on for another century or more. I don't know that I find that

idea tolerable."                Maggie

grinned from across the table. "But you have family now. Don't you want to make

the most of it?"                "I

don't know my child." He chuckled. "Me calling you a child! But you are,

compared to me. I am of a much older generation. I have seen more years than I

care to remember."                "I'm

sure you have. And from the looks of the goons you have, I'd say you dabble in

things not within the scope of the law."                "A

delicate means of calling me a crook if there ever was one. But you are correct

grand niece. It is not a proper profession, but the only one where I can hide

my identity and my age. It is very difficult to be taken seriously when you

look like this."                "Yeah,

that has to suck. You're probably one of the oldest guys in town and no one would

be the wiser of it."                "The

oldest, or I was until my dear sister returned. Now I think she has the honor."                "Alexei,"

the tsarina started, "what shall we do now? I mean, after all these years,

where do we begin?"                Edward

took off his ring and slipped it on the boy's finger. "I think he has some

growing up to do.  Once he's done with

that, I think you'll find something to make of your life." He stood up and made

as if to leave.                "Sit!"

cried the youth. "You drop into my life unexpectedly and now you think you can

just give me this valuable gift and leave?"                "Yes, I

think just that. At this point, you need it more than I do."                Maggie

tugged on his arm. "I don't mind your generosity, but how can you say that you

won't need that ring? His men already put a bullet though your skull."                Alexei

blanched. "So it was you at the bar. I was told there was a werewolf that

trashed the place. My sole remaining man said that he was only protecting

himself."                Maggie

was furious. "We were in there having a good time, bothering no one. Your men

fired upon us for no god damn reason."                "I'm

sorry grand niece. I did not know who you were. Since you came from the

Vatican, I assumed you were under the pay of Cardinal Medici."                "You

should be sorry! We killed that creep in France!"                "What?"

The youth sat in stunned silence. Then he recovered himself. "That man has been

a menace for decades. It almost makes me feel sorry for the priest. I think he

didn't know who was the lesser of two evils. It's too bad he didn't trust me

more, but then again, I'm a criminal. And the Cardinal was his superior."                "An

evil, horrible man. He nearly killed my father and I suffered under his power.

In the end it took, the combined might of..."                "..others."

Edward said quietly.                 There

were multiple stares, and for different reasons. "Alexei, right now, the less

you know of me and of Maggie, the better. You really need to catch up with your

sister and maybe make plans on visiting the United States to see Anna."                Maggie's

jaw dropped. "But you don't remember saying she was alive!"                "No,

but you said I did. So all we need to do is to get back and find her."                "And

you intend to leave your ring here?"                "It'll

be in good hands. Besides, if your grandmother has one, then perhaps it is

meant for you. That would mean that we would have a spare ring, and that would

do no one any good, now would it?"                "Your

logic sucks..."                "My

logic is perfect."                Maggie

stuck her tongue out. "Which is why it sucks!"                Alexei

slid the ring off and attempted to hand it back. "It seems that I owe you much

already. I cannot possibility take this from you. I'm sure my sister would be

glad to lend me hers."She smiled and nodded.                "No, I

think that for now, you had best keep it. " Maggie was suddenly struck with

something, some random thought, and she turned to Edward.                 "I

don't like this. I just got a funny feeling about this place."                "Yeah,

that can happen. Don't let it worry you. The best way to avoid an explosion is

to defuse the bomb right off the start."                She

stared long and hard at him. "What the hell does that mean?"                "Shush.

Sit down and think on it." He turned to Alexei.                "Keep

the ring. If you really want to be of use in returning a favor, then maybe you

can find a way for us to get back out of the country. I have a feeling our

false documents from the Vatican may be worth a tin dime right now."                "I

really would rather have you stay my friend, but I cannot make you. I have my

own jet, and I'm sure I can smuggle you on board. Where are we going?"                "I'm

going back to Rome. Maggie is coming with me. You had best stay here."                The

youth stuck another cigar in his mouth. "On no! Where you go for now, I go. We

are family, and family should not be separated. There has been too much time

apart. We will travel together and catch up on our pasts."                Edward

sat in silence for a few moments. "Ok. But I pick the flight plan."                "Whatever

you wish my friend, whatever you wish. Make it the longest way possible for all

I care. I have not had such a light heart in many years. I wish for this moment

to never end!"                "A nice

sentiment Alexei, but we all know that everything will come to an end

eventually."                "Dah!

But not today my friend, not today!"