The Leys was a grand old house, situated a couple of miles outside the town, hiding on a hillside, surrounded by trees, overlooking the valley below.
The architecture hinted at castle influences.  There were turrets on one side, topped with elaborate green domes. There were three stories, and numerous expansive rooms inside.  A stately home indeed, purchased by Christian, fifty years ago, for a handsome sum, when he led the 'family' to the welsh border, seeking a change of scenery.
There were ten Iunctus living at The Leys, included Brendan.  It was their haven; their safe-place; their home – the one place where they could relax and let their guards down.
The Porsche rolled slowly along the long driveway and crunched to a halt on the gravel outside the house.
Brendan climbed out of the driver's door and took a deep breath.  He looked so different now.  Most people would barely recognise the young professional, 'Dr Rose'. Blue jeans and a soft-cotton pale green t-shirt had been substituted for his crisp work suit; his hair - which had been waxed flat to his head during the day - was ruffled into a semi-wild mop, which hung carelessly around his forehead. And it wasn’t just his clothes that were different. His whole demeanour had changed. Now, he was 'Brendan, the freak'; casual and filled with boyish confidence. He even looked younger than he had in the hospital.  His real age was twenty-six; and he tried to look and act like a twenty-six year old in work. But, like all his kind, he stopped physically ageing in his early twenties, and, like all his kind, he was imbued with rare angelic beauty, and youthful vitality. In his 'Brendan' persona, he looked about twenty. And he acted about sixteen.
He paused for a moment to glance around the gardens. As always, the sprawling grounds did something to relax him.  He took another deep breath, listening to the faint sounds of the forest, and the river in the valley below.  His daily transition from 'Dr Rose' into 'Brendan' had been rushed, on account of Ramone's request for haste.  But the transition had been successful.  He had stopped mentally suppressing his super-sharp senses – which he did while he was in his 'Dr Rose’ persona.  He had switched off his mental reminders not to move too quickly, or blurt out something that he shouldn't know – something his supernatural hearing had picked up without him realising it, for example.  Confidence had wrapped around him like a cloak, as it always did during the drive out to The Leys.  He was 'Brendan', a Iunctus, superhumanly strong and fast; capable of anything.
He pushed the Porsche's door shut and jogged into the entrance hallway.
Bryony and Shannon were in their usual seats in the living room, reclining on the plush leather sofas in front of the fire, drinking wine.  They greeted Brendan with sparkly eyes and girly smiles as he glided across the room.  He smiled back at them, but didn't stop to talk.  He hastened through the large room, and out into the ground-floor hallway, destined for the library, as per Ramone's request.
Anne-Marie was descending the wide staircase.  She reached the bottom step just as Brendan strode around the corner.
Her hair was gathered back into a ponytail, revealing the full natural beauty in her face.
They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment.  As always, the sexual chemistry was instantly strong and intense between them.
Brendan met her smile with a smouldering grin, "Hey, A-M."
His eyes swept quickly over her body. She was dressed in black: black combat trousers and a black lightweight jacket.
She shook her head irritably, "Why do you insist on calling me that?  My name is Anne-Marie!"
She fell into step alongside him.
Brendan laughed, "Sorry, Anne."
"Hey!"
She punched him on the arm.
As he well knew, being called 'Anne' was her pet hate.
He laughed again, "Wow.  Feisty today aren't we?"
"I'm always feisty!" she said, growling at him, and restraining a laugh simultaneously.
They reached the library.
Brendan gestured towards the door, "After you, Anne-Marie."
She sneered with mock-aggression as she barged past him.