Chapter 39 - C37 Blue Liquid and Arrows

Dante's POV:

I looked towards Raven as she played at my feet, giggling as she ran a little horse doll across the floor and exposed her fangs as she eyed it over. I smirked and crossed my legs as I sat in my throne then purred. I could get used to this... very quickly. "Master Dante, you have a letter," I heard a maid say as she walked up to me with a polished silver tray that held a small white envelope on it. "It was brought by a Russian." I frowned and snatched it from her tray, looking at the back to see Victor's seal on it. What does he want now? I opened it and snatched the letter out, starting to read its contents before I tensed and dropped the letter.

"Burn it," I muttered and glared towards the maid. "Burn it now with the envelope." He's not getting any help from me to help that bastard. I'm not going to save Richardo. He can kiss my German butt if he thinks I'm going to stick up for Richardo at the council meeting. Richardo is a monster... and Paris is a backstabber. Have I received a letter from him since those days long ago? No! Did they include their close friends in the final battle? No! They left us to rot at home and went to fight even if they would have died... and this... this is sickening. He left Paris and now he's in Africa... starting to expose our race to the humans. The maid widened her eyes and picked up the letter shakily as I stared at her then scurried off quickly with it, trembling.

"Dante," I heard Raven call out, climbing up into my lap before she wrapped her arms around my neck and giggled. I looked at her, softening my gaze before I smirked.

"Yes, my little princess?" I asked her and lightly touched her nose. She giggled and exposed her fangs before she playfully snarled. "Aren't you my little monster?" I asked and smirked at her. "You'll stay here where it's safe, won't you?" She nodded and snuggled up to me.

"I won't ever leave you, Dante," she whispered and nuzzled her head against me as her golden eyes lit up in delight.

"What are you burning?" I heard Frederick ask as he walked in suddenly with a tray containing two glasses of blood on it. He handed one over to me and sat the next one down on the table next to us. He walked up to the maid and snatched the letter from her and read over the content it contained before his eyes looked towards me and frowned.

"What?" I asked sharply and tilted my head up as I took a sip of the blood in the glass. "I'm allowed to have my opinions." He nodded before he handed the letter back to the maid.

"Continue as you were instructed," he told her. "Then wait for me in the hall." I eyed Frederick over then smirked.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he told me calmly and walked up to me with a huge smile. "Guess who's getting ready to see you soon~" He said in a teasing tone.

"The devil?" I asked and raised an eyebrow. "High time he showed up."

"I'm sure it doesn't work that way," he laughed out and shook his head. "No! Guess again."

"Hmm... Andreas?" I smirked then and settled into my throne with a loud purr. Is it my sweet little Stefan?

"Andreas?" He asked and frowned. "You're bad at this game," he grumbled.

"Hmmm... my next guess would be you, but you're already here," I sung out and took another sip of my blood. "Is it God?"

"I'm done," he said calmly and started to leave with his little tray.

"Stefan?" I called out quickly and chuckled. He chuckled as he looked towards me.

"Not anymore."

"Hey~ I was just playing with you, Frederick~" I purred and waved him back over to me. "I get to have my jokes. It is him, right? Or do I have guests again?" He walked back up to me and smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know~"

"I would very much like to know~ I'm prince of this castle," I reminded him. I would have been KING but nooooo the council got rid of those titles.

"How about you find your way to your bedroom tonight to take a look inside~ It might be a surprise."

"A surprise?" I asked and raised an eyebrow. He better be talking about my Stefan.... He smirked and nodded.

"Yes~ A big surprise."

"When will it be ready?" I asked cautiously and sipped on my blood some more as Raven started to reach for hers with a whining noise. "I know it's not my birthday."

"Right before your bedtime," he told me and eyed me over. "So~ You have a few hours to wonder."

"Frederick~ what are you up to?" I asked him and smirked. "Are you trying to distract me tonight that way you can throw a party with your fiancé?"

"No..." He chuckled as he watched me. "I'm packing though and planning important things for our future." I nodded to him then sipped on the blood some more before I finished it.

"Alright... put me to bed when it's time for me to go in there. I'll be patient for this surprise you've set me up for. In the mean time..." I reached over and grabbed Raven's blood for her and helped her get a sip of it, watching as she immediately broke out into a purr as she got a taste then grabbed the glass as her fangs exposed and a look entered her eyes that sent a shiver through me. She bit into the glass and snarled as she drank the blood then yelped when the glass shattered. "Raven~ you're not supposed to bite the cup," I told her and made sure to get all the glass out of her mouth and off her. "Naughty girl." Frederick eyed over the glass on us and looked a little concerned but wasn't moving to help us.

"You should be more careful, Raven... You're a little girl." She looked at the spilled blood and frowned before she sniffled and looked up at me.

"Dante," she whined then grabbed me, yanking me down to her before she bit into my neck. I widened my eyes as her little fingers curled into my shirt, forcing me to stay down or risk yanking her up with me. Frederick watched us before he smirked and walked out of the room calmly. I widened my eyes then hissed as I looked towards the door then started to rub Raven's jaw, trying to detach her from my neck and groaned.

"Loosen up," I told her only to hear her growl in my ear. "Raven, you will listen to me," I hissed back and looked at her out of the corner of my eye. She tensed and pulled back from my neck, looking up at me with wide eyes as my blood dripped down her chin. "Don't disobey me," I warned her, turning my head to look at her. She whimpered and nodded before she curled up to me.

"Yes, Dante, I'll obey you," she whispered and clung to me. I smirked and rubbed her head then sat her in the floor.

"Play with your horsie some more. You'll get more blood around dinner time." She looked from me to the horse doll on the floor then giggled, grabbing it before she started to play with it some more and purred loudly, running around the room. I smirked and rubbed my neck before I settled into my seat. There~ I can make a wild child obey me. I'm Dante... prince of Germany.

~Time Skip~

I looked up at Frederick as I finished my dinner then put my napkin down on my plate before I looked towards Raven who was snoozing in her chair, well fed from the amount of blood she managed to get this time along with her chicken salad they had made for her. "Have her put to bed," I whispered then leaned over and rubbed her head. She purred slightly and grabbed my hand, giggling in her sleep as she snuggled up to it. "Give her the kitten tonight.... She won't bite it when she's this well fed."

"Yes sir," Frederick purred out before he picked up Raven. "Wait for me in your room," he told me softly as he walked out with her. I nodded then teleported up to my room, looking around curiously to see if he had changed anything on me. I saw there was a few candles set up in my room- lit like it was waiting for me. There were rose pedals everywhere along with a box of chocolates sitting on the end table. He must be giving me Stefan tonight. I smirked as I eyed over the room then went over to the couch and laid out on it, facing towards my windows to look outside at the night sky. I wonder if Stefan asked him if he could come up here or if Frederick decided on his own. I've been wanting to see my Stefan lately. After a few minutes, Frederick walked in and shut the door behind him before he smirked towards me and brought over something in a box. He opened it to reveal new pajamas- they were blue with a gold trim. "New Pajamas~" He told me happily. I looked them over then purred loudly. They're gorgeous....

"Dress me then," I told him and purred at him, giving him a pleased look. He smirked and changed my clothes over to the silk- smooth pajamas. They were comfortable and probably one of the best pairs I owned now. I purred then stretched out on the couch once he was finished and looked up at him. "When did you have these made?" I asked curiously. How long has he been planning to present these to me?

"Oh~ I plan things like this way before you get it~" He eyed me over before he smirked. "Your real gift is about to come inside. So, try not to get too excited." He took the box and took it into the closet before walking out of the room. After a few minutes, Stefan slipped into the room in a coordinating set of pajamas. He carried a tray with two mugs up to me and sat down in the floor in front of me and blushed.

"Hi," he whispered. I looked down at him and purred before I shifted on to my side.

"Hiya right back at you," I purred out and then looked at the mugs curiously. He picked up the mug and handed it to me- leaving the second one on the tray.

"I brought you hot chocolate," he told me. "I have one for myself... I've never had it before, and Frederick made me wait for tonight." I laughed and took a sip of my hot chocolate.

"You're in for a treat then," I told him and smirked. "Go ahead and take a sip~ So did Frederick tell you to come up here or did you ask him to?"

"I've been wanting to," he admitted and blushed. "He told me I should spend a little time in my own bed though," he whispered before he sat the tray to the side and took the mug. He took a sip and gasped at the taste. I smirked as I watched him then kissed his forehead.

"I'm glad you like it," I whispered. So, Frederick has been making us take a break from each other? Okay.... Well, I can't always have him in my bed... and that one night I had Raven sleep in here was kind of fun. She looked like a little angel. He eyed me over before he crawled into my lap quickly.

"So, I get to sleep with you tonight.... If you want me," he whispered and blushed. "You do... right?" I laughed and nodded before I smirked.

"When would I ever not want you?" I purred out and looked him over as I took another sip of my hot chocolate. He took another sip of his before he started to down it quickly. I smirked as I watched him then sat mine aside before I leaned in for a kiss from his lips. He placed his aside when he finished and stole a kiss from me. I smirked against his lips before I leaned into it then pulled back slightly. "Did you lock the door?" He shook his head and blushed.

"Ops... should I?" He asked and looked towards the door.

"If you want to do more than sleep," I teased him as I gave him another kiss. He laughed softly before he nodded and moved out of my lap. He walked over to the door and locked it before he ran over to the bed and jumped onto it and curled up into my blankets. He let out a satisfied moan. I smirked as I looked him over then finished off my hot chocolate and got to my feet, starting towards the bed. He eyed me over and made room for me quickly and got under the covers. I chuckled and slipped into the bed before I stretched out in the bed and moaned at the feel of my soft bed. It's so wonderful to be back in my bed after today. He moved into my arms quickly and wrapped an arm around my waist. He eyed me over before he leaned in and stole a kiss from me. I smirked and kissed him back as I turned a little to face him and ran a hand down his arm that was around me. He eyed me over before he pouted and exposed his neck to me.

"Are you hungry by chance?" He asked curiously. I purred at him then chuckled.

"Want to get bit?" I asked and exposed my fangs then leaned in, scrapping them against his neck. I bit in hard and started to move on top of him as I drank his blood then marked him quickly. He moaned and laid his head down on my pillow and squeezed it. I purred and moved my face more into his neck, straddling his stomach with my legs as I dug my fangs in deep. He gasped and tensed up a little under me and let out a whine. I pulled my fangs out quickly and looked down at him in alarm before I licked my lips clean. "What?" I asked him quickly then gave him a small kiss. "Did I hurt you?"

"A little~ You bite hard," he whispered to me and rubbed his neck quickly. I frowned then gave him another kiss.

"I won't go that deep again," I murmured and then looked at his neck, giving it a soft kiss before I bit down a little more gently and marked him again. He gasped and wrapped his arms around me, curling his fingers around my hair. I purred and moved my fangs out before I started to give him a love bite on his neck then started to trail kisses up to his lips. There we go~ He liked it that time. He gasped and ran his fingers down my back- rubbing it as he gave a small moan. I purred and kissed him passionately as I reached his lips and ran my fingers down his sides slowly. He grabbed my hands quickly and gave them a squeeze. I squeezed his hands back then pulled back from his lips before I leaned into the other side of his neck and kissed it again before I started to trail love bites down it. He smirked and tried to flip us, looking me over curiously. I smirked and let him before I kissed him quickly. "You want to try it out?" I asked him teasingly. "Want to tame a vampire prince?" He blushed as he eyed me over and bit his bottom lip before he blushed.

"Dante," he whispered and bit his bottom lip.

"What?" I asked him and smirked. "I can take over if you're too nervous."

"No..." He trailed off as he rubbed my shirt with his thumb as he watched me. "I was wondering... If you love me," he whispered. I frowned then and sat up slightly.

"If I love you?" I asked him then rubbed his cheek. "What makes you ask that?"

"I was wanting to know," he whispered as he eyed me over. "So... do you?"

"Do you?" I asked him and raised an eyebrow. That's the more important question, isn't it? I could easily force him into this if I wanted it that badly. I wrapped him up in my arms then and rubbed the small of his back with my thumb.

"I asked you first," he whispered and frowned. I studied him then nodded before I blushed a little.

"How could I not?" I murmured to him. "You're sweet when you want to be... you're gorgeous... you're the only other servant around besides Frederick that has gotten close to me.... Why would I not love you? If I didn't... I wouldn't ask you up here so often. You're mine...." I rubbed his neck slightly with my finger where I had marked him. "I do love you...." He blushed and gave me a loving look.

"I love you too," he whispered to me and licked his lips before he gave me a kiss. I kissed him back quickly then ran my fingers through his hair, curling mine into his before I tugged on it slightly and moaned then yanked us back down into the bed, pulling him on top. He pulled back and played with my hair as he eyed my eyes over.

"Dante..." He leaned in and gave me another kiss before he gave me a nervous look. "I want to be your newborn." I widened my eyes then.

"Newborn?" I asked then frowned. "Where'd this come from?" I know I offered once... but... he turned me down. He blushed and moved to my side.

"It's just.... I'm going to get old one day... and then you won't want me anymore... Not the way you do now." I frowned and looked towards him.

"If I turned you, your blood wouldn't be as healthy to me anymore," I warned him and sat up. "I'd have to teach you everything...." Is he really worried now about becoming old? He blushed as he watched me.

"You don't want to turn me because you want me to keep giving you healthy blood?" He asked and frowned. I watched him then sighed. Well... he will get old one day....

"I can go back to drinking from glasses and from the other donors," I whispered then looked his body over. It would be more interesting for him to be a vampire with me... but... I turned Reuben... and he was taken from me. I clenched my jaw and felt my fingers curl into the blankets quickly. What if someone kills him? I won't be able to save him.... He watched me and eyed me over before he gave me a small kiss. I kissed him back then furrowed my eyebrows. "What if someone kills you?" I whispered.

"Someone could kill me now," he whispered and eyed me over.

"Yeah but it'd be easier to save you.... I could turn you," I muttered then gave him another kiss. "I lost... I lost the last person I turned that was important to me."

"Well... Just because he died doesn't mean I will," he whispered softly. I watched him then nodded slowly before I leaned in towards his neck.

"Are you sure? You'll have to be brought to the brink of death," I murmured in his ear. He gave a hesitant nod then.

"I'm sure." I nodded before I exposed my fangs then leaned in towards his neck, biting in quickly. I'll pull away if he changes his mind.... He let out a small gasp and tensed up a little before he relaxed and gripped my shirt as tight as he could. "I'm going to come back right? As a newborn of yours afterwards?" I gave him a small purr and pulled my fangs out.

"Yes, I'll turn you," I promised him then started to suck on the bite wound for his blood, starting to drain him. He held onto me until he started to grow weak from the lack of blood. His fingers slipped off my shirt and fell onto the bed as he started to pass out. I pulled back slowly then looked down at him before I licked my lips clean then bit down into my lip hard with my fangs, making myself bleed. I leaned down and kissed him quickly, making him part his lips so that way my blood could get into his mouth. He looked up at me weakly as he licked my blood- giving a smile at the taste as he closed his eyes again. I watched him then pulled back before I bit down into my wrist and gave it to him. "Drink up." He licked my blood off his lips before he started to drink it down quickly- running his tongue against my wound. I gave a slight moan then purred, pulling away slowly as he got a few gulps then kissed his forehead. "It'll take a little bit," I promised him then leaned over him, grabbing the box off the end table before I laid back beside him and opened it curiously. He curled up to me then and licked his lips as he closed his eyes, looking tired. He's probably going to sleep through the first half of his transformation. I looked at him then sighed before I kissed the top of his head then pulled out the box's contents, humming slightly. He's not going to want to mate after he's done transforming.... That stuff wears you out and hurts like hell. I could hear his heart stopping already in his chest. It's begun.

I glanced his way then started to eat a piece of chocolate that had been in the box and closed it, stretching out as I looked towards the ceiling. He's going to wake up a little bit stronger than usual. We'll have to see about how strong. I could smell my venom spreading through his body- eating away at him. After a few minutes, it stopped as his body started to respond finally. His straight- freshly cut hair started to curl into a pretty wave... His skin grew pale like the dead- an unnatural beauty vampire have. He let out a small whine and reached up to his throat quickly as he opened his mouth. I could spot his fangs growing in. His heart woke up then to a new rhythm- one that was beating for me- My stone pulsed then at the rhythm- an overwhelming sense of love took over me at the sight of him... This is my newborn... He's so loyal to me his heart is beating for me and I can sense it. He woke up a vampire to be mine forever. He's dedicated. This wasn't a feeling I've had before... Not even with Reuben when he became a vampire. Reuben still wanted to be his own being while being mine- but Stefan doesn't have anything else to be but mine- and he knew it when he asked me to turn him so he could be mine forever. Stefan isn't my soulmate... but he's developed feelings for me as he grew to know me more than just a vampire he lived with and served. Stefan deserves to be much more than just someone I'm currently cherishing... He's a perfect soul mate. If fate was kind enough- she would grant us to be soul mates right now- while he's still waking up. Stefan's eyes started to open slowly to look around before his eyes landed on me and he gave a relieved smile.

"Dante," he whispered softly as he ran his fingers up to his mouth and reached it- touching his fangs. He gave a smile before he looked towards my neck and suddenly his body crashed into mine as he bit down into my neck and started to drink my blood- I felt my back finally hit the bed. He's fast! He doesn't realize how fast he really is though. I heard him give a loud moan at the taste of my blood. I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck before I purred loudly in his ear.

"My sweet Stefan~" I purred out and then threw my weight against him to flip us. I'm so happy he convinced me to turn him! He growled playfully at me and licked my neck before he wrapped me up into a hug.

"Dante," he purred out and kissed my neck. I purred from the bottom then quickly moved my face to steal a kiss from his lips then went past him to his neck, biting in and marking him. He moaned and fell on top of me- melting at my touch. "Dante~" He purred out and scrapped his fangs against my neck. I held back a moan from the feel of it and tilted my head, tightening my grip on him as I felt a shiver rip through my body.

"Bite me," I husked out into his ear and clung to him. He sunk his fangs back into me and started to drink my blood again. I moaned slightly and threw my head back before I looked up at the ceiling and played with his hair happily. "I'm going to have to teach you to mark soon~" I hummed out thoughtfully then rubbed my foot against his leg. He sat up on me then and licked his lips.

"You mean like what you do to me?" He said and rubbed his neck. I nodded then smirked.

"Yes, that's marking~ You do it to your lover so that way others know that they're yours. If a vampire showed up here, they'd think we're intimate," I said and sat up slowly, rubbing his bottom lip with my thumb. "I want you to mark me," I whispered as I locked onto his eyes and leaned in, giving him a small kiss on his lips as I moved my thumb to his jawline. He nodded and gave a smile as he leaned in towards my neck.

"How?" He asked me softly. I looked him over then rubbed his head, moving him closer to my neck.

"You have venom in your fangs. You have to figure out how to release it into my veins," I whispered to him. "We'll have to figure out how to trigger it so you can get used to the feel. It might be easy for you... or it might take a little convincing for your body to instinctively do it."

"Okay," he said softly and bit down into me. He licked my skin as he kept his fangs in my neck. I moaned slightly then looked his body over before I trailed my hand down the back of his neck then along his spine. He might be able to figure it out on his own.... After a few minutes I felt his venom slowly coursing its way into my veins. I moaned a little and moved my hand down to his butt, giving it a squeeze as I yanked him closer to me. He let out a gasp and pulled away from me and licked his lips.

"Did I do it?" He asked curiously. I nodded then gave him a quick kiss.

"For a first time, you did excellent~" I told him then smirked before I gave him a playful growl and leaned in for another kiss. He kissed me back and gave me a playful growl before his eyes landed on the box of chocolates. He snatched it and stole one of them and started to eat it. I laughed a little as I watched him then ran my fingers through his hair, giving him a loving look as I played with his hair. "I'll have to tell Frederick in the morning that you're no longer a servant... and that you're a newborn- my newborn."

"Yeah~" He purred out as he eyed me over and leaned in towards my lips- giving me a soft kiss. "I'm more than just your newborn though... right?"

"Of course," I whispered then gave him a soft smile. "You're my mate, my lover," I told him then leaned in for another kiss, stealing one. "I wouldn't have turned you if I didn't feel that way about you... and I wouldn't have marked you so many times if I didn't want you as my lover."

"Well I would hope you would want me after all that marking and mating," he told me in a teasing tone before he gave me a loving look. "After all we've done..." He leaned in and gave me a kiss. I kissed him back and purred against his lips before I slowly snuck the box out of his lap and started to lean us back, putting him on bottom at the foot of the bed. He purred in amusement and eyed me over as he looked towards the ceiling then back at me. "Dante," he whispered softly.

"What?" I asked him and smirked as I stayed on top of him.

"What are you doing up there?" He asked curiously.

"Kissing you," I whispered then leaned in for another kiss. "Also thinking about how fun it would be to make out in front of my fireplace on my rug...."

"You just want to lay on your bear rug," he teased me as he looked towards it.

"No... I want to make you lay on it with me on top of you," I teased back and winked. He blushed as he got where I was going with it.

"You want to do it someplace new?" He whispered and gave a small smile.

"That is if you want to try it somewhere new," I purred out to him. "We can do it all over my bedroom if you'd like. We have the whole room to explore... like my couch... the coffee table... my rug... my walls... my bathtub... and if you want to get really adventurous, my balcony~" I teased him lightly and gave a wink. He gasped and shook his head quickly.

"Not the balcony!"

"No? You don't want to have fun out on the balcony? We could always try it out at a lake~ unless you think we wouldn't get caught on the balcony as fast as we would the lake," I hummed out and smirked. He shook his head then.

"No... I don't want to try either of those places, Dante."

"There's the rose garden under the moonlight~" I teased him and winked. "If someone catches us, we can say you were just trimming the hedges."

"N-no, I don't think so- but the idea of the garden is nice... I like the smell of roses," he whispered and blushed as he eyed over the rose petals across the room.

"Are you sure? Everyone is asleep besides us~ No one would catch us," I told him then purred. "Plus, you could moan as loud as you want. There'd be no one nearby."

"No- No," he shook his head quickly. "I'm not that adventurous- Mr. Centuries old." I smirked at him then kissed his neck.

"The library it is~" I sung out to mess with him then reached down to his thighs, making him move them around my hips before I slipped my hands behind his back and picked him up, taking him over to the rug in front of the fireplace. I kneeled down with him before I eased him onto his back and got over him with a loud purr, going for a kiss as I felt the fireplace's warmth heating us up. He blushed as he eyed over the rug than gave me a kiss.

"This is better," he admitted and ran his fingers across the fur. I nodded then purred.

"I would hope so~" I stole another kiss from him then moved down to his neck, starting to kiss him there. "I paid good money for this rug...." He laughed and wrapped his arms around my neck.

"I love you," he whispered to me and locked eyes with me.

"I love you too," I whispered as I watched him then gave him a small purr. "You'll start sleeping in here with me from now on," I told him softly and leaned in for a kiss from him, hesitating above his lips. "Understand?"

"You mean... together- together? Tiger and Mason can sleep with us too right?" He asked and blushed. "They'd grow lonely at night without me." I nodded to him then smirked.

"On one condition... they get put up in the bathroom on nights when we're too busy kissing," I warned him.

"O-okay but you might want to make sure they know~" He said in a teasing tone. "They'll get mad if we surprise them one night with it." I nodded and smirked.

"Well~ I don't want them getting a show~ They can hear as long as they don't see," I teased back and stole a passionate kiss from him. He kissed me back before laughing a little.

"We might put them in another room... I'm not sure I want to scare Mason with that... He wouldn't be able to sleep with us again after the first time."

"I doubt he'd understand... and he'd grow used to it," I whispered. "We can get them a playroom to sleep in though for when we want some us time to ourselves." He nodded and bit his bottom lip.

"Okay... We'll give them that," he whispered and licked his lips before he gave me another kiss. I kissed him back quickly then licked his bottom lip to deepen it, leaning into the kiss more. He purred softly to me before adjusting himself under me to get more comfortable. I slipped my tongue into his mouth then and closed my eyes as I started to playfully rub my tongue against his and moved my hand down his side towards his hip. He reached down and pulled my shirt off slowly- throwing it across the room when he got it off. I felt a breeze crawl up my spine as I heard a creak- my balcony door slowly came open and a breeze flew in. I yanked back from the kiss quickly and looked towards the door as my body tensed and my fangs instinctively exposed. What the hell? The breeze couldn't have opened my balcony door like that.... I studied it then slowly moved into a more protective stance over him, staring the door down for what did it.

"Dante, it was just the breeze," he assured me and rubbed my arms. "It's windy outside... How about you go shut the door before it knocks out the fire." I looked down at him then nodded.

"You think so?" I whispered as I sat up then felt a little uneasy as I looked at the door. What could have possibly opened it besides the breeze though.... I got to my feet and slowly walked over, pausing at the foot of my bed to pick up a sword I had hidden under it then finished crossing over to the door. I glanced outside quickly and clenched the sword in my grip, my stone pulsing from the possibilities. As I glanced around, I couldn't find anything but the wind pushing across my bare chest and chilling me. There wasn't anything outside on my balcony... I was just over reacting... It was the wind... I caught a glimmer from the distance then- somewhere in the garden. I squinted towards it then slowly stepped out, being careful about my movements as I moved up to the railing to check it out. What the hell? The glimmer shifted slightly before I heard something strange out there. I caught the glimmer of metal coming at me before a roaring pain struck me in my chest and an arrow stuck out of where the pain was coming from.

"Dante?" I heard Stefan ask with concern from the rug- noticing I hadn't come back yet. I could hear him coming to the door to check for me.

"Get back," I hissed through the pain then rushed back inside, slamming the door shut behind me. I groaned and moved to the side, sinking against the wall as I touched the arrow. FUCK! Who the hell is in my garden?! "Don't you dare go outside," I snarled towards him and glanced his way before I let out a small huff and started to tug on the arrow. "Get away from the door." He rushed to my side and eyed the arrow over.

"D-Dante?" He asked as he looked it over. "You've got an arrow sticking out of your chest- What should I do?" He rubbed his wrist as he eyed it over. "Want me to pull it out?"

"I can do it myself. Sound an alarm. Wake up the servants... my newborns... and Frederick. Get a maid to get Raven to safety. I'll have to fight off whatever is outside," I told him and managed to yank it out, biting back a groan as my vision blurred. "Wake Frederick..." He frowned as he eyed over the arrow- looking at a blue liquid that was leaking from the tip of it. He looked towards me then.

"Why is it leaking that color?" He asked softly and looked concerned. I heard the bells going off in my castle then. They've already discovered we're under attack. I felt my stone panic then as a numbing pain struck through me- growing into my veins and heading straight for my stone. I heard the balcony door creak back open.

"Get out," I hissed towards Stefan quickly, starting to panic for his safety. Shit, I'm going to lose the ability to move. "Stefan, run. I'll be fine," I told him and shoved at his chest, making him stumble back from me. "Get out of here."

"I don't want to leave you," he whined out and looked towards the balcony door as there was a chuckle coming from it.

"Oh~ You won't leave him," I heard a man say in amusement. "Not so fast anyways. Not so- painlessly." I widened my eyes and glanced quickly towards the door then at Stefan.

"Stefan, don't you dare stay here. Get the hell out of my bedroom. Get out of the castle," I hissed at him. "Don't you dare stay in here! You'll wind up like Reuben!" He started to cry then as he watched me before he nodded and took off towards the door as quick as he could. He opened it quickly and was about to step out of it but backed up as I heard heavy feet following him into the bedroom.

"Where are you going?" I heard another man ask in amusement. "You're not running from him, are you? It's okay.... You'll be running from me now.... too bad you won't get away." I saw the shimmer of a blade in his hand as he threw its weight back before thrashing a heavy axe towards Stefan. Stefan yelped and managed to avoid getting hit from being so fast. I widened my eyes then snarled, teleporting over to the man quickly and stabbed him in the gut as I bit into his neck, throwing my weight against him and knocking us to the ground. I shoved the sword deeper into him and placed the hilt between us as I wrapped my arms around him to keep him from going anywhere and dug my nails into his back, racking him with them as I hissed. Tearing out a chunk from his neck, I spat it towards his face then glared down at him.

"How dare you," I muttered then pushed my weight against the sword's hilt more to make it go deeper, continuing even when I felt it slip between his lower vertebrae in his back. "How dare you attack my mate?" He let out a scream, but I could hear the other man coming for Stefan this time while he was distracted by the smell of the man's blood. I could smell Stefan's blood as some collected onto me from the man slinging an axe into him and knocking him to the ground with it. He took out the axe before he started to me with it. I could hear Stefan groaning before he got back to his feet and tackled the man. He bit down into him and let out a starving growl. I glanced over my shoulder quickly then hissed before I shoved the sword deeper into the man, feeling it lodge into the floorboard beneath him. I leapt to my feet and went after the two, snatching the man and stealing his weapons from him as I let Stefan have him. Stefan moaned as he continued to drink from him- draining him within seconds. He let the man go and licked his lips- watching his lifeless corpse. He licked his lips again and looked pleased.

"So that's what it's like to drink human blood as a vampire," he whispered in amusement. He looked towards me and gave me a concerned look. "Dante, your wound isn't healing." I nodded towards him before I looked at the man who was bleeding out on the floor then listened throughout the castle as I heard fighting and struggle everywhere.

"Don't worry about my wounds. Worry about getting out," I told him then looked towards the balcony. It's not safe... but it avoids the hallways.... I snuck over to it and glanced outside, looking for trouble before I would send him out this way. The garden looked untouched- all the trouble was forced inside my castle. There wasn't anything but the wind outside. Stefan walked up to me and grabbed my hand.

"Dante, I don't feel so good," he told me. I looked towards him then frowned.

"Just hold on till I get us out," I whispered then looked back towards the man. I'll have to teleport us out.... I pulled away from Stefan then went towards some swords hanging over my fireplace and got them down, tossing one Stefan's way. "Arm yourself. We're going to teleport into the garden... and then I want you to run far away. I'll find you in the town next over after I get Raven and as many servants as I can out." He nodded and gave me a brave smile as he looked around and took some swords off the walls and adjusted them in his hands.

"I think I could use these if I have to," he told me. I nodded and walked over to him before I snatched him by his waist and went to teleport us but groaned sharply as my stone pulsed in pain from the numbness. I fell to my knees as I started to pant and gripped my chest. Fuuuuck. What the hell is that blue shit on the arrows?! He frowned and dropped the swords as he leaned over me.

"Dante!?" He asked and grabbed my arms. "I told you that you didn't look good," he said with worry.

"I'm fin... fine," I whispered through the pain and gripped his hands. I have to get him out of here... somehow. "Climb down the balcony and get away," I told him and looked up at him. "It'll be fine...."

"No, it won't," he told me sharply. "I'm not going to leave you here either in this condition. You couldn't say fine without a break. What if this spreads?" He asked me and shook his head. "You're not healing like you should," he rubbed my cheek then. His skin seemed to be paling and growing gray and dead looking. "Come on... We'll leave together," he told me. I looked towards his skin then up at him before I slowly nodded. I need Val....

"A-Alright...." But what about Raven? I looked towards the door then up at him. I can't fix him like I can be fixed.... I eyed his body over then gripped his hand tightly before I looked towards the balcony. I can't fix him by myself.... I don't know how.... I can't lead Stefan through the halls either to get to Raven. It's too dangerous... and in my state..... I clenched my jaw then looked back to the door. I need Raven though. I can't leave her here. "Hide in here for me, will you? Hide under the bed," I whispered. "I need to get Raven." I smelled a familiar scent then- Laurence.

"Oh no," I heard his voice say from by the balcony doors. "Shit- I need to stop napping," he grumbled. "Are you two okay?" He asked with concern and eyed over the two dead bodies. I turned my face to look at him before I frowned.

"Laurence?" Shit, if he's here.... "Laurence, can you get Raven?" I asked him quickly, eyeing him over. "I can't teleport without pain."

"Yes, I know," he told me. "Raven is safe. The maids took her to a hiding hole and are protecting her just in case they find them- which they won't." He gave me a soft smile before he sighed. "I'm sorry I got here so late- otherwise I would have been able to warn you." I nodded then frowned.

"What do we do?" I whispered towards him and gripped Stefan's hand tightly.

"You cry... and you fall down a pit of despair... and you eventually die and meet Satan," I heard a girl hum out from the door. "Of course, there's a lot of fun in between but none for you~ just for me," she said and walked in calmly, flipping a knife between her hands. "Vampires." I yanked Stefan down to me quickly and hissed at her. What the hell? Is this a vampire hunter attack? I glared her down then and wrapped Stefan into my arms protectively. "What's that look for? Don't look so down~ I'll send you to the same place," she sung out then wrinkled up her nose. "You act as if you're lovers.... How disgraceful for men to be together... but then again, it keeps your kind from breeding."

"Oh, we can still breed," Laurence hissed out with a smirk. "We can cut off our fingers and grow more~!" He winked as a shadow wrapped around her quickly and slung her towards the door and straight out of it. Another shadow slapped the door shut. He looked towards me then. "I'm going to get you healed up so you can protect your kingdom with me," he said kindly and went to walk over but was struck by an arrow. He groaned and trembled in pain. A shadow got the door quickly- slamming it shut to protect Laurence from anymore arrows. He fell to his knees as he reached for the arrow- trying to get it out since it didn't go through all the way. "F-fuck fuck fuck," he hissed out. I widened my eyes at the sight then reached out for him.

"I got it," I told him quickly then ripped it out for him, going to throw it before I frowned. Would this affect them too? I glanced towards the door that lead out of my bedroom then slowly got to my feet, trembling as I walked to it. "Let's see if it hurts them too." Laurence let out a small hiss and suddenly I was standing behind him as the bed was thrown up against the door by the shadows. The couch was thrown up against the balcony door as he eyed me over before he looked towards Stefan.

"Stefan," he whispered. I saw him curled up into a ball- holding his chest in pain. "Dante, he needs help or you're going to lose him. He can't be healed like we can if the poison reaches his heart." I widened my eyes and dropped the arrow as I noticed how badly he looked now.

"What can we do?" I asked quickly as I mustered my strength to crawl over to him and pulled him into my arms, smelling him in fear that it was worse than it looked. He crawled over to me as quick as he could.

"Take out his heart!" He told me quickly. "Do it now!" I widened my eyes.

"W-what?" I asked him sharply. "Take his heart?! He'll die!"

"Don't crush it," he warned me. "If you take it out carefully, he'll be fine- we'll need a jar of human blood though," he told me and looked like he was struggling as he held out his hand. Suddenly a maid appeared with a jar in her hands- looking confused at us. He looked towards her quickly and snatched a knife that was in her apron and slit her wrist open. He shoved the lid of the jar off and held her wrist of the jar to collect her blood.

"M-master Laurence," she said in confusion as she let him. He looked towards me eagerly.

"Make sure none of the poison is on your hands." I nodded and looked Stefan over before I moved my hand up to his chest and gave his forehead a gentle kiss, shoving my fingers deep into his chest and went for his heart. He let out a scream and trembled against me, but he looked too weak to fight me.

"Hurry or you'll kill him," he told me. "Their hearts are fragile, and the poison is working fast." I clenched my jaw and did my best to hurry, grabbing his heart gently and started to tug it out of his chest as I took care not to squeeze it. The maid caught on to what we were doing and moved closer to me so I could get it in the jar quicker.

"Now," Laurence urged and looked like he was fighting inside himself. I nodded and slipped Stefan's heart into the jar carefully before I let his body go gently, lowering him to the floor slowly then looked at Laurence.

"Come here," I ordered him sharply. He's too small for this. He nodded but looked towards the body.

"Dante, I have to tell you- You've got to refresh the blood in his body- every drop needs to be new. So, you'll have to bleed it out of him and place more inside before giving him his heart back." He gave a sigh of relief as he told me then moved over his body and into my arms. "Be careful with me," he begged. "I'm small."

"I can't promise anything other than your stone's safety," I told him then yanked his stone out quickly, not wasting time with him before I looked at the jar of blood. I think it's safe to put him in there with Stefan. I gently put him inside it then looked towards Stefan's body, setting to work on it quickly as I kept back my own pain to work through it. I'd have to. I was the last one of us left, and my servants can't do this either... if they even survive.

"Dante!" I heard another familiar voice- VAL! "Oh my gosh- good! Stay here, I've got to get the others now that I found you." I heard her disappear before she came back. I caught the scent of Alex, Louis, and his two servants. Dante, are you okay?" She asked as she walked over and eyed us over. "Alex, help Dante's servants fight off the hunters now that we found him," she ordered him. "Louis, you can help him, but you should leave your boys with me for safety." I glanced back at them then fell against the ground in relief. Val's here.... It'll be fine now.... Louis nodded before he started towards the door and paused with a tsk.

"Alex, move this," he said and gestured towards the bed against my door.

"Just teleport us out, idiot," Alex hissed towards him and snatched Louis's hand.

"I don't have to help you, Mister I-can-stop-time," Louis hissed back and exposed his fangs. "Get the door open."

"No way. My lady is in here. They'll come in here after going around the castle," Alex said and shook his head. "Now put those fangs up. You're not my prince."

"Alex, you can just stop time, kill everyone, and restart time once you're back here," Edmund told him and frowned.

"It's no fun that way, and I want to watch your prince get his ass kicked," Alex said calmly.

"That's not nice... Louis I think you should be careful around the blades they're swinging out there," he said as he eyed over what was going on in here. "It looks like they're not normal weapons."

"No, they're not. They're laced with poison. You can smell it over those poor wretched souls," Louis muttered then threw Alex towards the bed with a hiss. "Move it." Alex grumbled and finally obeyed, starting to shove it out of the way before they quickly left to go finish off what had begun in my castle. I looked towards Val weakly then clung to Stefan.

"Laurence said to replace all the blood in his body," I whispered to her.

"I will," she told me. I caught Edmund moving the bed back in front of the door for us. He took one of the swords from my wall and watched the doorway calmly. Val eyed me over before she reached into my chest. "I'm going to make sure you both come back," she promised me. "I'll do my best. You're going to be right back." She started to pull me out suddenly- my world collapsing into darkness around me. A worry surrounded me- a worry for my little Stefan. Reuben was killed by hunters... what if Stefan dies?

~~~

My eyes fluttered open to the smell of Val's blood as she fed me it- waking me back up from the dark cloud I was in. Her blood stopped flowing into my mouth then like she knew I was awake. I could hear her moving away from me. "Okay, I got the blood out while you were under, Dante. Terry got you some clothes from your closet to put on. Get dressed." I opened my eyes slowly and looked for Stefan quickly, tilting my head to find him as I sniffed the air.

"Stefan," I whispered quickly.

"No, he's still in the jar. We need to go get him blood- human blood," she told me. I found her looking towards the human Laurence had brought in. "She won't be enough," Val explained as she looked towards the jar. "We need another human. Dante, go sacrifice yourself by looking for a human. You know the castle better." I glanced up at her sharply before I exposed my fangs.

"How long have I been out?" I asked her, giving her a suspicious look as I got to my feet slowly and snatched my clothes from Terry, making him yelp and take off running to Louis. He jumped into Louis's arms and clung to him as he looked a little afraid of me.

"It's fine," Louis whispered to Terry and purred. I glared towards Louis then.

"How are you back-"

"Alex sent me back and said he didn't want me. I almost got Alex stabbed," Louis said calmly and kissed Terry's head. "Of course, I was the one trying to stab him though. He wouldn't shut up about how great he was."

"Where'd you put Laurence's stone?" Val asked me as she sniffed the air in confusion.

"In the jar," I told her as I yanked my pants on. She moved over to the jar quickly and took it out and eyed it over before she whipped it off. She eyed over the jar- watching Stefan's heart.

"Dante, I don't think you've got much more time," she warned me. "You might want to hurry. I'm going to revive Laurence in the meantime to get his advice on what to do. Hurry up." I nodded then teleported out of the room, ditching the shirt as I went to the main room and spotted a maid hiding behind a potted plant. I snatched her then teleported back into the room, tossing her to Val's feet. Val was already giving her blood to Laurence's stone. She looked toward the maid before she looked at Stefan's body. She eyed him over before looking at Louis. "Take over for me," she instructed him before she waved her hand at Stefan's body. Its eyes opened slowly- the dead look in its eyes as it slowly stood up- looking dead tired and started for my maid with a hungry look- licking its lips.... but this isn't my Stefan.... This was just a hungry, soulless, beast. I shivered as I watched and eyed him over, moving back slowly. What... the... literal... hell... did she do... to Stefan? Louis was quick to cut his wrist, bleeding out onto Laurence's stone with a calm look as he hummed lightly. Stefan bit down into my maid quickly- without much hesitation and started to feast greedily on her blood- looking pleased at it started to gain its strength and heal. Val gave a tired look as she watched the corpse with a steady gaze. Was she controlling it? I eyed Val over then and frowned. What demon bit her and turned her into a necromancer? She blinked a few times and pulled her gaze away from Stefan. He fell over suddenly- growing lifeless. Val rubbed her head and looked at the maid.

"You'll feed him the rest of you when he wakes up," she instructed her. She looked towards me then. "You should put his heart in him now unless you want him to die." I nodded and walked over to the jar, snatching Stefan's heart out eagerly then knelt beside his corpse and slipped it back inside, watching it worriedly. This better work.... I watched as his chest started to heal up and he started to open his eyes slowly- giving a tired and confused look.

"Dante?" He asked softly. "What happened?" He eyed everyone over then. Laurence's body started to finish forming.

"We were attacked... and I had to work quickly to save you with my friends," I told him then purred happily, stealing a kiss from him quickly. Louis purred in amusement as he watched Laurence then nudged him with his foot.

"Hey there~" He hummed out and exposed his fangs. "Aren't you happy to see us?" Laurence opened his eyes and glanced around before he rubbed his chest.

"Louis? Val? Edmund and... Terry? Why're you here?" He asked and looked a little confused.

"Last minute plans," Val explained. "It saved your life though. Alex is kicking butt and taking names later downstairs." Stefan sat up then, looking pleased to see me okay. I hugged him tightly and kissed him again, starting to shower him in them. He's alive~ I didn't lose him like- I felt him suddenly jolt, crashing against my chest as the smell of his blood reached me. I widened my eyes and looked down at him as I felt a cry rip through me. A small black arrow with red feathers stuck out of his back, deeply embedded into it.

"STEFAN!" I shouted and quickly pushed him forward to look at his chest, my eyes starting to sting as I saw it sticking out of his chest in the front right where I had put his heart. I trembled and looked up into his eyes slowly. No.... "S-Stefan," I whispered, hearing my voice crack as my stone pulsed in pain. My eyes slowly shifted towards the balcony door behind him where a glass panel had been struck out from it and glass littered the floor. How... how could I have let this happen? I looked back at him quickly and gripped his arms tightly. I heard Laurence let a growl rip through his throat before he disappeared in shadows. He came back then with a man and threw him down at me- stepping on his head as he stole a bow from him and the same exact arrows out of his hand. I clenched my jaw as I looked towards the man then exposed my fangs. "You... little...." I snarled and snatched him before I bit into his throat viciously, tearing it out then threw him to the ground before I narrowed my eyes and ripped his heart out, throwing it across the room. I glared his corpse down then eyed over the arrows in Laurence's hand before I snatched them and started to stab the corpse with them quickly. "HOW COULD YOU?!"

"Dante," Val said calmly as she walked up to me and rubbed my shoulders. "You've already killed him. He can't feel that." She pulled my hands away and rubbed them. "Calm down, take deep breaths..." She looked towards the corpse then. "I might be able to save him, but no promises. I'm going to try a healing spell," she told me. "I don't know if it will work though." She sat down and placed her hands over the wound- pulling out the arrow carefully before she pushed her hand in and wrapped it around his heart. I heard her mumbled a spell to try to save him. I trembled as I watched her and grabbed Stefan's hand quickly, giving it a squeeze as I felt my stone pulsing in pain from the sight. I leaned my head down to his body and hid my face against his neck as I felt it hard to breathe, the feeling in my hand going away as I squeezed his hand hard. Laurence gave a hopeful look- like he couldn't even see if it would work. He looked like he badly wanted it too, for me. After a few minutes Val shook her head and pulled her hand back out before she looked terrible- her eyes watered up as she looked at me- but she wasn't about to tell me the bad news. I clenched my jaw then pulled back slowly from his corpse, looking away from it. I couldn't save him.... I couldn't save Reuben.... I couldn't even save my own castle. I slowly got to my feet then started for the door, snatching a sword as I went.

"Be careful," Laurence begged me.

"Who cares anymore?" I muttered then looked over my shoulder at him. "I'll just be another dead vampire if I die. It happens every day." I'll kill every fucking hunter down there....

"I do," Laurence told me and looked hurt. "I care about you." I clenched my jaw then.

"Somebody has to kill them," I told him then tilted my chin. "My mate is dead.... No doubt half of my servants are dead. I'm going to slaughter them... and then I'm going to find their boss and I'm going to kill him slowly and brutally. I had just turned Stefan tonight, Laurence," I hissed out. "Don't you understand? I had finally turned that poor boy."

"I know... I'm telling you to be careful... Not let them get away with it. Now have fun but be mindful of your surroundings. They're hunters." I clenched my jaw then kicked the bed aside, storming out before I went for the final sounds of fighting in my castle. No way in hell am I not going to kill each and every single one of them....

~~~

I tossed my sword aside then sat down on a bloody chair before I looked around the room, my eyes lingering over the corpses on the floor. Alex looked at me in slight amusement and awe as he watched me then licked his sword before he tossed it to the ground. "You're a monster when you're angry," Alex purred out and eyed me over.

"Don't you have a princess to attend to?" I asked him sharply and exposed my fangs his way. He tsked as he watched me.

"Just because you're angry, doesn't mean that you can talk to me that way," he said and walked up. I glared at him then as he approached me.

"Did you ever lose anyone close to you?" I hissed at him. He tensed then stopped walking as he watched me. "I didn't think so," I told him then crossed my legs. "I've lost two in my lifetime." I caught the faint scent then of that priest I met.... the one that I turned on the day I found Raven... He was in this room. I tensed then sat up a bit more before I smirked. So, it's him.... He did it. "Why don't you come on out, priest?" I hummed out then stretched. "I can smell you~ I know what you did. Now come pay for it." I heard a window open from a room over. "Don't even try~" I teleported to the sound then reached out, snatching him from the window quickly before I shoved him up against the wall with a snarl. I looked him over and took his weapons away then bit into my wrist, shoving it against his lips. I'll make him fucking pay for it all. He groaned and shoved my wrist away.

"FUCK NO!" He yelled and spat my blood back into my face. "FUCKING EAT THAT!" He yelled at me as he eyed me over in anger. "You!" He growled. "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE!? QUIT LIVING IN THE CASTLES I TAKE OVER!" He growled and exposed his fangs. He shoved me off him quickly and ran out the window. I snarled and jumped out after him.

"GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE! YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR STEFAN!" I tackled him to the ground then smacked him hard across the face. "Oh! You so invaded the wrong castle! THIS IS MY CASTLE! YOU FREAKIN' PRIEST! I HOPE YOU LIKE HELL!" He groaned and kneed me between the legs before he shoved me off and kicked me again before he took off running again.

"I'M NOT GOING TO HELL TODAY!" He yelled and threw a few rocks at me as he kept running. "You go to hell!" I snarled and teleported in front of him before I grabbed him by his throat and glared him down as my hands started to heat up, making his skin sizzle under my grip.

"Didn't you learn your lesson the first time?" I hissed and clenched my jaw. "You don't fuck with vampires." He groaned and grabbed my arm.

"It's not my fault it ended up being your castle," he hissed out. "You should've told me where to not invade," he groaned out and stepped on my foot- pushing his heel into my foot as he knocked us over and pinned me down. "Let my throat go!"

"NO! YOU KILLED THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!" I hissed then bit into his throat harshly, starting to drain him. He squirmed against me and yanked away- sharply. He grabbed my arms and pinned them down before he eyed me over.

"Quit. Trying. To. Kill. Me!" He yelled and grabbed my throat. "You already won and I'm leaving."

"Oh no you're not," I snarled. "I'm going to shove an arrow through your heart and see how you like it!" I teleported us up to my bedroom and snatched an arrow, going for his chest with it. He yelped and snapped the arrow in half before he threw it back at me and took off for the balcony- jumping off it. "GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE-" I chased after him then and snarled. He was already running off towards the woods as fast as he could go. I stared after him then and gripped my balcony tightly. "AND STAY OUT!" I hissed. "YOU BETTER NOT EVER LET ME CATCH YOU AGAIN! I'LL TEAR YOU APART!"

"Dante," I heard a quiet voice behind me before Raven tackled my leg from behind and purred. "Why's there so much blood?" I tensed then looked down at her before I scooped her up quickly and kissed the top of her head as I clung to her.

"Don't worry about that Raven. Blood is perfectly normal," I whispered and started to shower the top of her head with my kisses. She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"It is?" She asked me sweetly. I nodded and gave her a soft smile to cover up my pained stone.

"Yes, it is...." I have to train her.... I can't let her get killed too. "Tomorrow... we'll start a new kind of class for you, okay cutie?"

"Okay, Dante~" She said and smiled hugely at me before she started to giggle. "What kind is it?"

"How to use your fangs~" I told her then started to bounce her lightly in my arms. "I want to make sure that you never end up like those bodies on the floor, okay sweetie?" She nodded and leaned her head against my chest.

"Mkai~"

"Good girl," I whispered and rubbed her back gently before I took her inside and hid her face from the sight of all the blood on the floor. I can't let this happen again... and I won't.

Louis's POV:

I looked towards Val calmly as we sipped on our morning tea. It had only been a few nights ago that Dante had that train wreck come into his life. I watched her then sunk lower into my seat, taking my tea with me.

"Are you going back to sea?" She asked me calmly as she sipped on her tea.

"Yes," I told her and downed my tea all the way. "I'm going to explore Africa a bit...."

"I'm not trying to rush you or anything, but I think it's time you get back to sea before you forget your sea legs," she teased me. I laughed then and nodded.

"The sooner I go... the sooner I can return home then go to America," I hummed out in thought. "I'm actually leaving today. I was going to tell you a few hours before," I told her then sat up. "I miss the sea and how the sun shimmers on it. It gets me away from a lot that had been on my mind." Like... my supposed twin... and how my parents had lied to me for years... and just... everything.

"Hmm... We have a council meeting coming up," she told me. "I don't think you've been informed yet since you've been at sea... but there were letters sent out. I guess if you're not there I can let them know where you're at." I nodded then and frowned.

"I don't want to go to the meeting.... Besides... it would be hard to explain to a room full of people why I look exactly like Paris Grimm... and I'm still making a name for myself!" I laughed then. "I've gotten richer too from my trips~" She nodded and smiled softly.

"Fine... I'll let them know you're not going to be there due to the sea." She sat her tea aside then. "They plan to discuss what's been happening in Africa," she said calmly. "Apparently there is a vampire down there whipping out whole villages and they think it's Richard- no they know it's him. They're going to discuss what to do about him." I frowned and nodded.

"How unfortunate," I whispered then sighed. "I'll have to be careful when I go there and try to stay out of his path. I don't want to wind up at his feet with him in that state. I might find my stone out of my chest."

"Especially since you look like Paris- who he's not to fond of right now," she whispered softly. I nodded then smirked.

"Well... I'm not Paris, and if I do run into him, I'll make sure to not be the one that loses," I told her. "I'm not going to roll over and let my stone be taken if he sees me. If it comes to it, I'll just take his and then bring it to you to give back to Paris." She smiled at the thought.

"You better be careful... He's a Dracula... If he wanted... I'm sure he could control you like his father was capable of doing." I smirked then.

"Even if he wasn't fond of Paris right now, I highly doubt he'd control Paris into doing something dangerous," I hummed out. "I saw them once... even if I didn't know it too well at the time, but I don't think he would do something like that. Besides, Africa is huge~! I don't even plan on going into the mainland. I'm just going to sail a little down the coast, so I'm not going to run into him anyways."

"I just wanted to make sure you kept an eye out," she told me kindly. "I don't want to see you get hurt... I don't want to see Paris get hurt either." She gave me a sweet smile. "You two need to meet." I widened my eyes then and blushed.

"Uhmm I don't... well... uhhhhhhmmmmm that would be very..." I slowly shrunk back down into my seat nervously. Meet him? What would I even say to him?! Oh hi, by the way, I didn't even know you existed most of my life. Nice to meet you. "I don't even know what I would say to him!"

"Let's go see him~" She suggested and grabbed my hand. "I bet he's at home now~ Lonely... You need to take him with you and cheer him up~" She giggled then. I widened my eyes.

"V-Val! No," I said quickly and felt my stone start to pulse in panic.

"Yes~!" She giggled out and teleported us. We were suddenly standing in a familiar ball room. She let my hand go and glanced around curiously before she grabbed me and started to pull me into the halls- smelling the air.

"Hello!?" She asked. She glanced around before frowning. A servant walked up to us then with a huge smile.

"Master Paris, you're back with Val! You look healthier too," she said as she eyed us over. I widened my eyes then before I held up my hands.

"I'm not your master," I told her quickly then frowned. I really do look that much like him?

"Yes, you are," she giggled out.

"Back? From where?" Val asked curiously.

"Victor's castle," she told us and giggled.

"Victor?" I asked curiously. "Is that where I was?" I asked her, just going along with it as I gave her a small smirk. "Huh, I went all the way to Russia...."

"You did! With miss Rose... Is she staying there longer?" the maid asked me sweetly.

"Yes," Val purred out. "We came here to tell you that we're going to be there longer." I nodded then before I looked at Val and smirked.

"Well... it looks like..." I leaned in then and purred. "Like I can go back out onto the sea because he's somewhere else~" I whispered in her ear. Thank goodness too! I don't know what I could have ever said to him! She laughed and suddenly we were in a new room.

"VICTOR!" She yelled out and gave a playful smirk. I widened my eyes then growled.

"Val! I don't know what I would even say to him! Come on! Do you know how awkward this is going to be?" I groaned out. "I didn't even think he existed a while back!"

"Who existe- Louis~" Victor purred out from behind me then sunk his fangs into me. I yelped and exposed my fangs before I hissed his way.

"That's my neck!"

"Hey~ Louis and I thought we would drop by and see Paris," Val told him and purred. Victor pulled his fangs out then licked his lips.

"Paris? He's not here. He went to Africa to find Richardo," he said calmly then rubbed my shoulders. "Sorry, but you two missed him by awhile. He left days ago to find his mate. You can meet Rose though."

"Oh~ Looks like you won't have to worry about running to Richardo then while sailing down to Africa," Val told me and purred. "Want to meet your sister?" I bit my bottom lip then and went to shake my head no but Victor only laughed.

"ROSE, COME MEET SOMEONE INTERESTING!" Victor shouted and pinned me down in his arms. I yelped and squirmed, my eyes widening quickly.

"Calm down Louis," Val purred out. "She's younger than you."

"Who?" I heard a sweet voice asking as I heard footsteps coming our way from in the hall.

"A relative of yours!" Victor sung out and smirked. I shrunk into him quickly then.

"Victor," I hissed lightly and gripped his arms.

"Relative?" I heard her ask as she walked into the room then- walking up to us. She blushed as she eyed me over before she giggled.

"Paris what are you doing back?" She asked me. Her features reminded me of myself- but as a girl... I frowned at her then and shook my head.

"I'm not Paris," I told her then relaxed a little in Victor's arms.

"Y- yes you are," she whispered and frowned. "What's wrong with you? Did something happen to you on the way to Africa?" Victor chuckled then.

"This is Louis, prince of Wales. He's that one I told you to look into, remember?" He purred out then shoved me her way. I stumbled then righted myself before I straightened out my shirt and frowned.

"What? You told her to investigate me? Are you insane?" I hissed his way lightly. "I don't want people stalking me." She blushed as she eyed me over.

"Why do you look like Paris then?" She asked and reached out- taking one of my hands and rubbed it. She giggled as her eyes investigated mine. I tensed as I watched her then and bit my bottom lip.

"Ummm, well... I'm his twin," I whispered. She eyed me over and pulled me into a hug.

"Well it's good to finally meet you then," she purred out. "My name is Rose." I tensed a little then relaxed before I purred.

"Rose?" I asked softly then smelled her as I gave her a small hug back. "That's a pretty name...."

"Well it's a nick name... my actual name is Rosetta but everyone knows me by Rose. I'm- well I guess this makes me your younger sister," she said nervously. I nodded and looked her over.

"I guess it does...." I murmured and then looked towards her white hair curiously, touching it. "How much do you two know about me?"

"Well..." She trailed off. "Paris told me that he had a twin once, but he died at birth... So, I guess he doesn't know you're alive... He said that our father told him before he died." I nodded then before I looked into her eyes.

"I was actually traded away," I told her softly. "That's why Paris thinks I'm dead." She looked up into my eyes then and smiled.

"You need to meet our brother then. He's going to be so excited... He's been so unhappy lately..." She trailed off and giggled. "You're going to meet him too, right?" I tensed again and frowned.

"I... don't know," I told her then looked away. "Hell, I almost ran away from meeting you once Victor called for you."

"Well you shouldn't.... We're family, Louis. You should want to know us. I love you already~" She ran her fingers through my hair. "He's going to never let you go," she purred out. "You two are going to have fun adventures together." I purred a little at her then gave a slight nod.

"I just don't know how I would be able to say anything to him," I told her then grabbed her hand. "He thinks I'm dead."

"Start with a simple hello," she suggested. "Tell him you're Louis and that you want get to know him better." I nodded then purred before I kissed her hand.

"If you say so~" I told her then frowned. "I'm actually about to set sail again though. I might not see him for a few centuries. I'm going to America after this voyage I'm on now. I don't know if I will see him." I may be going to Africa, but... I still don't think our paths will cross. I looked her in the eyes before I gave a slight smirk. But... I could let her see some of my memories while I'm here. I tightened my grip on her hand then, giving her small flashes of what the sea looked like from the boat and the countries I had seen along with that ball where I had met Paris behind masks and when Grimm told me the truth about how Paris and I got separated. Rose giggled as she pulled away from me and eyed me over.

"You know... Paris can read minds and you can show your- memories..." She trailed off as she watched me. "I think you two will cross paths eventually. It's probably best right now you're having fun and exploring... He's busy trying to reconnect with his mate. You should keep an open mind though! He might find you by accident from trying to steal your ship or something," she teased me. She smiled and looked towards Victor. "You were keeping this from me~" she started for him then with a purr. "I'm going to have to punish you again."

"Daddy!" I heard a little boy yell as he ran into the room- carrying a book in his hands. He ran straight up to Victor and paused at his feet- holding the book up to him. "Read me a bedtime story? Please?" He asked. I noticed he had cute red- fox like ears and a fox tail that was tipped white. He looked a little ill though- he was pale and had a red nose like he's got a cold. He sneezed then and stumbled into Victor's legs and clung to them. A maid ran in then but paused and blushed.

"I'm sorry master Victor, he wouldn't stay in his bed like you wanted. He insisted on coming to find you," she explained. Victor purred and picked the boy up into his arms, holding him close.

"It's fine," he told the maid then kissed his head. "I'll read to you in a few moments, Trick," he promised as his eyes turned to Rose. "And I didn't keep him from you. I told you to investigate him, didn't I? Even Val knew that Louis was Paris's twin. We met him at Laurence's castle. Dante saw him too."

"Wow you all knew him before me!?" Rose asked and puffed her cheeks out. "If this is how I feel... you better hope Paris doesn't find out you know." Trick leaned up against Victor's chest and his eyes went towards me. "Paris?" He asked sweetly. "Is Paris better daddy?" He asked Victor and looked up at him.

"That's Paris's twin, Louis," Victor whispered in his ear then smirked widely. "Why don't you go say hi to him? He might read to you if you give him a cute look." I widened my eyes and went to hold up my hands but paused. They all love Paris so much.... Trick giggled as he looked at me curiously before he squirmed out of Victor's arms and ran up to me. He blushed as he came to a stop and eyed me over.

"Can you read to me?" He asked softly and handed the book over to my hands since they were stretched out. He gave me a huge smile as he snatched a ring off my finger and started to chew on it. I frowned and stole it back quickly, putting it in my pocket.

"Don't take my rings.... You can't have those- especially if you're going to chew on them- and that one was a gift from my father," I said then bit my bottom lip. Well... adopted father? He giggled and nodded as he moved closer to me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Okay, I won't steal from you if you read to me." I frowned at him and glanced towards Victor who was already walking away, whistling calmly as he headed towards the maid. I guess I could...

"Sure, I'll read to you," I told him and looked the book over then went towards a nearby seat, sitting down as I opened the book. He followed me and got into my lap when I sat down- eyeing it over as he waited for me to read to him. The maid in the room tensed up as she watched Victor. He smirked and snatched her by her wrist, yanking her to him and against his chest before he put a hand on her waist and started to dance with her slowly. She blushed as she followed Victor. Rose sat down as she watched them, and Val seemed to follow her quickly and whispered something to her quietly that made her laugh. I looked the two girls over then quietly started to read to Trick, glancing up every few minutes as I rubbed his head lightly. It didn't take long for Victor to finally pin the maid against a wall and bite into her harshly, digging his fangs in deep as he grabbed both of her wrists. Trick tensed up at the maid's scent and looked over the book at her and frowned as he watched her squirming a little.

"Daddy?" Trick asked curiously. I frowned then put my hands over his eyes. Does he do this often in front of Trick? Trick tensed up then and leaned up against my back as his ears twitched and laid back. He gripped my shirt then and whined. I purred lightly in his ear then frowned as I eyed over Victor feeding before the maid fell at Victor's feet, barely alive. Victor licked his lips then bit into his wrist as he knelt down in front of her and gave her his blood, pulling away after she got a few swallows and hummed.

"Victor, are you having fun?" Val asked in amusement. "You don't normally do that to servants~"

"I was hungry, and I don't want a dead servant.... They get expensive to replace," He purred out as he got to his feet and stretched with a happier look on his face. "Want to dance with me next, Val?" He teased, eyeing her over.

"No thanks, Alex would be mad if I did. You know what though... You could get a sun dragon if you find out where all the dragons ran off to. I heard they can make gold coins."

"I'm not interested in another pet that could eat Trick," he said calmly then eyed over Rose before he smirked. "What about you, princess?"

"No. I don't do sloppy seconds," Rose purred out in amusement. "You should have picked me first."

"Aww, she was only the appetizer," he said and smirked, coming her way. "You're the main course~"

"Step closer and I might have to show you a good time downstairs again," Rose teased. "Well... I would if it wasn't for your little boy over there waiting patiently for your attention."

"He's got Louis's," he hummed out then snatched Rose's hand, yanking her to her feet. "I don't take no for an answer~"

"You'll take it from me." She eyed him over before pulling her hand back. He tsked as he watched her then appeared in front of me suddenly with a huge smile, stealing Trick from my lap.

"Hey kiddo~" He said then kissed Trick's cheek.

"Daddy~" Trick gave him a huge smile as he kissed his chin. "Why'd you do that to the maid?" He asked softly. "That wasn't nice."

"That's how vampires feed," Victor told him and smirked. "I did it nicer than I could have~ Aren't you a little cutie though? Why don't we ditch the girls? I know a nice little bed with your name written all over it."

"But Louis was reading to me- can he come and finish the story?" Trick asked cutely and glanced back at me.

"You want him to finish it? Why not me?" Victor asked and frowned before he shot me a look. I tensed and slowly closed the book. Didn't he ask me to do it in the first place?

"Yeah... but he started it so he should get to finish it... You can listen with me. If you wanted to read it you should have accepted when I asked you, silly daddy." Trick rubbed his head up under Victor's head. "Too bad you didn't."

"Are you trying to make me feel guilty?" Victor hummed out, looking down at Trick as he lifted his head a little for him. Trick giggled and smirked.

"Am I?" He asked curiously.

"Trickster," Val purred out in amusement. Victor smirked right back at him then.

"Are you?" He teased then playfully exposed his fangs. "Do you know what I do to little tricksters? I tickle them till they can't breathe~" He started to tickle Trick's sides then and chuckled. Trick squealed in delight and tried to get away from Victor- reaching out for my help.

"LOUIS!" He begged. I laughed and shook my head no.

"Nuh-uh, he'll bite me," I told Trick then smirked. Victor suddenly tossed Trick lightly into the air, catching him in his hands and purred. Trick giggled and shook Victor's shoulders.

"Do it again," he told him.

"Again?" Victor asked and smirked before he tossed him up a little higher then caught him, spinning around with him as he brought him close. Trick giggled and laid his head down on Victor's chest and gave a tired sigh and laid his ears back. He curled his tail up then. Victor purred at him then sat down in front of me, taking great care not to disturb Trick before he looked at me and nudged my foot with his. "Read," he said and smirked. I nodded and opened the book back up, clearing my throat before I started to read it again to Trick as I tapped my foot lightly on the floor. Rose sat back down with Val as they watched us. Trick twitched the tip of his tail as his eyes shut. He looked like he was passing out until he nodded and opened his eyes quickly- fighting his sleep. He looked around tiredly and looked up at me. I smiled a little at him then went back to reading, starting to do voices for the dialogue to make it more interesting for him. After all... just a monotone voice is no fun at all for a little child. He rubbed his eyes as he sniffled- running his hand down to his nose as he listened to me. His eyes lingered on the book then before he shut them and started to fall asleep against Victor. Victor rubbed his back lightly and watched him then purred as he looked towards me.

I stopped at the next chapter, seeing Trick had passed out fully and shut the book before I sighed. "Jeez, reading can get tiring," I hummed out and sat the book aside then looked towards the girls as I noticed Victor was laid out on the floor, napping with Trick in his arms. "Don't tell me you two went to sleep too, right?" They giggled as they looked up from a card game they were playing together.

"Oh hi~ It's about time you realized they're asleep," Val purred out to me. "Come sit over here with us."

"Trick is hard to get to sleep- so Victor is probably taking this chance to get some shut eye," Rose told me and smiled sweetly at me. I nodded and slowly got to my feet, teleporting over to them then sat down beside Val, studying their game before I purred.

"Makes sense.... So... I need to set sail soon," I told Val and looked up at her. "If I don't leave in a few hours, I'll have to wait till tomorrow which will upset my porting plans."

"Oh, I see what you're saying~ You want me to take you back," she told me in amusement before she looked towards Rose. "I have to take your brother back to his boys. Don't look at my cards, I'll be right back." She sat the cards down at took my arm before she teleported us back to her morning room. I looked around then gave her a purr as I leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Val," I purred and pulled away then smirked. "I'll visit you again soon, okay? BOYS!"

"Okay~" Val purred out in amusement. Edmund teleported into the room then and glanced around before his eyes landed on me.

"Yes?" He asked.

"We're going back on the ship in an hour," I told him and smirked just as my innocent little Terry appeared right next to me, grabbing my hand with a purr. "We're heading out to Africa to sail a little of the coast and see what kind of islands we can find, okay?"

"Okay," Edmund sighed out. "I hate sailing though.... I'm going to be glad when you get tired of the sea. It makes us smell awful and feel terrible. No wonder why all the pirates are mean." He clenched his jaw tightly at the thought.

"Well maybe you'll get lucky and we'll wind up stranded on an island for a bit," I teased and smirked. "Besides, I remember some good times when we were sailing... like when we played around in my cabin."

"S-so?" He asked me and blushed. "We can do that here. Besides... You shouldn't talk about getting stranded... Fate can be cruel as much as she is kind." I smirked at him then.

"Fate isn't going to dump us on an island for a while. I've been sailing for centuries~ I know what I'm doing," I told him then held out a hand for him. "We'll be back on land before you know it... at home... and we'll rest for few weeks there then go to America for a very long time. Our time at sea is starting to come to an end for a little while."

"Stop talking like that... You're going to jinx us," he whispered to me and blushed. "I don't want to die on an island because of you. I like the idea of returning to the mainland." He eyed me over again before he frowned and disappeared. I frowned then lowered my hand. Did he just ditch me? Well.... I tsked and shook my head then felt Terry purr at my side, giving my cheek a kiss.

"Don't get upset, master Louis," he said sweetly to me. "Eddy just doesn't like the sea. I'm fine with it though~ Whatever you want to do." I looked at him then nodded before I kissed the top of his head.

"Thanks, Terry," I whispered and sighed. Edmund will come around and get used to being back on the boat again. He knew this wasn't going to last- staying here in Val's castle. "Go get ready," I whispered to him.