Chapter One: The Breeding
The night air was heavy, the heat was oppressive as was the scent of the bodies that brushed too close. Even their breath was hot on his cheek.
The smell of sweat, hunger, loneliness, desperation and most of all lust was like the aromas of fine wines to him and his companion.
They always walked the metropolis together, each encouraging and restraining in equal measure.
They bred outside their bloodline as their people hadn't produced a child in a century or more, but it mattered little as the Nephalem always survived as they had done since the Great Fall.
They were the offspring of Angels and Demons, or so the Humans would call them.
But they were not demons nor angels, they were creatures without a god or a master. They lived in the shadows of human existence, and they walked among them without a single noticing eye.
Tonight, the humans were out to play but Elric and Hermione were out for breeding stock. They were both in their seasons and they had but four nights to conceive.
Of course, being Nephalem, they needed humans. One woman for Elric's seed and a man for Hermione's womb. They would have to mate with as many as they could in this season, lest they missed their chance.
In a crowded pub, in the middle of a nondescript market town was their stock. They should be unnoticed here and then be swept away with the rest of the legion. The pub was popular and there was all manner of humankind there. They stood to one side, having already tuned their instruments and were waiting for the 9:00 pm start. Elric, on the lead guitar and Hermione on vocals with her brothers on the drums and bass. They had plied their musical trade throughout the year and returned to known live music venues. It was an excellent cover for their activities.
Being slender, with long white hair and possessing piercing blue eyes, Hermione drew a lot of male and female attention, her figure was tight, and her bust was small but firm Elric, like a shadowy twin, wore short black hair, was pale-faced with grey eyes was lean but strong as all Nephalem were as the Bible had named them giants, their stature had evolved to resemble humankind but their power remained. They poured their energies into the arts, as all Nephalem were players, artists, and writers.
As they took the small stage, all dressed in black, with various silver adornments from necks and on fingers, Elric felt the eyes of the audience upon him, for he too drew much attention from admirers. Hermione, sultry and seductive smiled at the men and the women in the gathering. Her brother, Magnus, tapped four timing strokes on his black drumsticks and then the guitars launched into the opening bars of a well-loved rock anthem. Above his power chords, he could hear the cheers of the audience and as their breath found voices to accompany Hermione in the chorus, this would be a fertile ground for the mating.
By the end of the first set, with alcohol purchased and consumed, the music had seduced many and stimulated the listeners to a great voice. Hermione swayed and swivelled her hips and blew kisses at the young and old of both sexes. As the final song left ears ringing and the crescendo of clapping and cheers, Hermione bowed her head and thanked the audience.
Elric looked up, his eyes already found two or three women that were now, spellbound by the music. The whole pub shifted imperceptibly, their inhibitions were slipping away like smoke. Looking over to the bar, the manager smiled greedily as his profits were going to exceed even his initial estimates. Of course, both he and the promoter were unwitting accomplices in their booking. As far as they were concerned, they were a gothic-styled popular band that was well worth acquiring. The Nephalem activities were unnoticed by all but a very few and the Nephalem were ever watchful for them.
During the break, drinks were offered to the band and accepted and as usual, Hermione was the centre of attention to several young men that danced and cavorted before her. She smiled and laughed at their chat-up lines and just to gently pique their interest further, she sidled up to a tall ebony beauty and kissed her on the lips and then turned and kissed one of the men to keep them guessing. Elric was too old for such infantile games, he had seen his paramour for the evening, leaning against the bar, talking to a larger man, who could even be her husband or boyfriend. Such tawdry affiliations were beneath Elric, after a thousand years and countless women, he knew this woman who serve her purpose and bring another Nephalem to the world.
The woman, attractive by Nephalem standards, was slender, blonde with neat dark low-lights with a warm smile. As Elric walked up to her, he could smell the desire in her breath and the hunger in her loins.
"You play with such passion" she smiled, and Elric pulled her close.
"I play for your entertainment, Gina!" His words were thin but deeply resonating. Elric couldn't wait for this woman and spoke the daemonic whispers to her. The effect was immediate and terrible. The man she had been talking to, turned and saw Elric caressing his woman. She hadn't even noticed that he had used her name, despite never meeting before this night.
"What the fuck!" Elric turned and glared, his eyes black and his eyes tore at the man's pathetic soul. The words diminished in his mouth, and he became silent. He looked away, his spirit torn asunder and his face paled as the blood drained from him. He stood rigid and lifeless.
Upon seeing the effect of his look, Elric offered a crumb of comfort to the human.