I recognized his eyes as soon as he walked through the door. I froze. I couldn’t do this right now. Last time I saw him, he tried to kill me. I couldn’t remember the reason, but I certainly hadn’t deserved it. Presently, I was in the middle of a job and didn’t have time to waste on this centuries-old distraction. Maybe he wouldn’t see me, or if he did, maybe he wouldn’t recognize me.

He had a new face, but the eyes were unmistakable. No doubt, there had been a fight, or chase, or element of surprise that almost ended him for good, but he had made the jump in time. I had forgotten he had such an ability until I saw his new face. He could transfer his consciousness from one mind to another as a survival mechanism. When his mind and body were damaged beyond the scope of regeneration, he would seize the mind and body of the being that caused the damage. A sort of ‘life I win, death you lose’ situation. I was suddenly jealous of that unique ability.

If he was aware of my presence, it didn’t show in the way he crossed the room. His head soon disappeared among the sea of swaying and spinning bodies in black suits and red dresses. Moments later he came up for air at the bar, and then dove back into the sea of dancers who unknowingly providing him cover.

I closed my eyes and focused my mind’s eye on the room. In an instant I saw him moving through the crowd toward me. Time slowed. His expression was devious, cunning, evil, but there was something else. Was that a smile or a sneer? He was aiming to take me by surprise.

Had he forgotten my unique ability just as I had forgotten his? I couldn’t seize minds, but with my mind’s eye, I could see through objects and speed up my perception of time, which caused objects to appear to move in slow motion. It had it’s advantages, but I’d rather be able to seize minds.

He reached the edge of the crowd and veered left, smoothly floating like a phantom behind the DJ’s booth. A black floor-to-ceiling curtain ran along the wall from the DJ’s booth to my table. I correctly assumed this would be his route. As he inched along behind the curtain, he slowly pulled a long dagger from a sheath tied to the inside of his arm.

“…get…you.” A faint voice almost broke my concentration. I was waiting for this. He was trying to enter my consciousness. I had to stay strong, to resist his mental assault. He had always been stronger, or at least seemed stronger, in this respect, so I had to keep my mind’s eye focused. He was halfway along the curtain. I put all my attention on keeping him out of my mind.

“…I…get…you.” Not today. Not ever. I made every effort to push him out of my mind. I wasn’t even sure how to do it, but I figured if I focused on staying in my own mind, and envisioned a barrier, a solid wall between us, I could fend him off successfully. The more I thought about it, the more obsurd it seemed. A mental wall. Was there such a thing?

“Is there anything I can get for you?” My eyes snapped open and, as they focused, I saw an exasperated waiter staring back at me. He was the faint voice I had been fighting against. “Is there anything **_I_** can **_get _**for **_you_**, sir?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Can I please get a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc with two glasses, and some ginger prawns.

“Sir.” The waiter nodded and made his way into the crowd.

I closed my eyes and my mind’s eye focused just in time to see the figure emerge from behind the curtain directly behind me. He approached without a sound, the dagger held low. His arm slowly extended out wide, the dagger point toward my neck. I recognized it. It was no ordinary dagger. It had once belonged to me. It’s power was beyond this world, and it could certainly end my existence.

Just as he moved to plunge the dagger into my neck, I reached up, eyes still closed, and grabbed his wrist. In one motion I was on my feet facing him. I twisted his wrist and the dagger dropped from his hand into mine. I opened my eyes and, for the first time in more than a century, looked into his red, glowing eyes.

“Hello, brother.”