Born without an expiration date

Forty-five

ETNA

Here we were, stood outside Achille's house. Demitri explained that he and Quinn had assigned people to watch all of the houses of Achille's that he knew about. Stab in the dark, but they were hoping he would be moving around so someone would eventually spot him. They were right as it so happened. He arrived here, was spotted, and now here we were.

The house wasn't very big. Maybe two bedroom, maybe less. There was a small path to the wooden door. Nice neat garden on either side. The curtains were all drawn. Quinn knocked the big brass knocker on the front door, and we all stood back and waited.

The door opened a c***k, then flew open. Achille stood in the doorway with a big grin on his face!

"Welcome, friends! I am so glad you came. Come in, come in, you are letting all the warmth out!"

He stood back and gestured for us all to enter. We shrugged at each other and walked in.

The hallway was small and neat. Flowered wall paper and black carpet. Coat hooks and a shoe chest on the left, two doors on the right, stairs straight ahead.

Achille shut the front door, and then wiggled passed us to open one of the other doors. "Shoes and coats off please, then come on in. I will just make drinks!"

"Very odd," muttered Leanda to me.

"Seems like he was expecting us," muttered Demitri.

"He's so strange," I commented, the only person in the room that hadn't met him before, though I recognised him instantly from the descriptions the others had given me. Tall and slight, with long dreadlocks died bright red - bit hard to miss even if he matched all the other vampires with his pale skin and golden eyes.

"Come on," said Quinn, taking Leanda's arm and leading the way through the door Achille had gone through.

The living room was also quite plain. Big fireplace, three settee's surrounding it. A drinks cabinet off in one corner, a bookcase in another.

Achille was stood at the drinks cabinet mixing drinks. He handed each of us a glass and motioned for us to sit down. He then began a nervous babble of happy questions.

"Demitri, so good to see you again. Etna, you look great, better than last time I saw you. Leanda, still with Quinn I see. Quinn, you simply must meet my friend Jesse, I am sure the two of you will hit it off!!"

He took a breath and a sip of his drink. It was Demitri who answered him first.

"I wish we could say we were just here on a social call, but I am sure you know that is not the case Achille." He sniffed his drink, took a mouthful, and then nodded to the rest of us. "Achille here has a liking of blood and red wine, its a lovely combination, try it. Though I hope you have remembered to give our Quinn something else."

"Of course, his is just wine, my friend" Achille clarified with a smile!

"Etna, of course will not remember seeing you before, given that she was not awake. You should probably introduce yourself properly!" Stated Demitri.

"Oh of course, Achille, pleasure to properly meet you," Achille said holding his hand out. I took it and he kissed the back of my hand.

"You too, nice to meet the person responsible for the experiment" I commented, trying to sound friendly.

"Research," he corrected me happily.

"Speaking of which.." began Leanda, but Achille cut her off.

"Yes yes of course, lets get everyone together first though. Saves a lot of hassle" Achille said, standing up and walking out into the hall. "Jesse, Amia" he shouted up the stairs "could you come down and meet our guests please".