Not an epilogue, the next chapter.

[teratologist]

It took time to settle in to the new Sanctuary. No longer the world wide network but one main facility with tiny satellite branches for necessary local use hidden about world. For starters it was massive, the subterranean grounds made some of the worlds major cities look shabby and small.

The venture had taken careful planning to grow through the 113 years of her hiatus from humanity, ending with an achievement Helen was exceptionally proud of. This single unit of habitats could house most, if not all, of the abnormal population of the world; with that came certain precautions.

Helen dare not let anyone into the confidence of it all until she was absolutely sure things were running as well as could be. This was by now a labor of love, and no one had the experience or commitment to preserving both spirit and letter of the Sanctuary foundation than she did. Eventually she brought the others in, Henry of course and her faithful companion Bigfoot came along right away. Will soon followed and Kate not long after, but there were others that required..well..the proper timing.

She had to give Nikola credit, he'd been vastly determined to not only locate her but try and gain entrance to the facility. She had enough time to plot this out though and Occam's razor prevailed. Nikola remained the last vampire on Earth, if she wanted to keep him out explicitly, she need only block that DNA. No matter how sophisticated a trick or trap he could make, the watchful eye of security would not allow him to pass, not until she was ready.

Three months, blink of an eye to their life times, but three months of denial was surely torture for Tesla. So, when it finally arrived the invitation came also with the balm a 2003 Opus One Bordeaux blend. Of course he couldn't have made finding him easy, it required most of her considerable resources and a bit of hunting by Henry to track down the genius and see that her invitation was passed along. So there it would arrive, a bottle, a single long stemmed blush rose and a rather poetic invitation written in Praxian so only they two would know what it said.

Nikola,
Forgive me the rudeness, but until now I'm afraid things weren't quite ready for you. But, if you're willing, you'll know how to find me.

Helen

Defenses down, his entry allowed, the new Sanctuary welcomed Nikola Tesla.

Comments

[teratologist]

She took his hand, no hesitation just the ease of fingers entwining with his long. spidery-thin ones.

"There's more to discuss, but as you said, another time."

She nodded ahead of them. "Care to continue the tour? Or does dinner sound more appealing?"

[tesla_vampiris]

"Dinner," he said. "Starving, frankly. And this is a lot to take in. I'd like to save it for dessert."

He just smiled at her, that same take-on-the-world grin he'd always had.

[teratologist]

"Right this way then." She gestured with her free hand toward a corridor ahead. Formal dining room would be something she was sure he would approve of. Nikola always had a taste for the finer things in life. "I believe it is rack of lamb tonight." Don't ask who was cooking, just..don't.

[tesla_vampiris]

He wouldn't. Never look a gift horse in the mouth. In this place, possibly literally.

"You always did have a taste for the finer things," said the man with an insatiable taste for the finer things in life. He walked on, paying attention to everything, and occasionally brushing his hand along the wall. As if reminding himself the state of the place.