Akeldama

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" Mary asked, seeing that wide smile on Conner's lips.

"Very much so," Conner agreed.

"So, what are you going to do?" Mary inquired, crossing her arms as she stood in a sleek black, 1920's style full-length slip dress she had chosen to wear when Lord Harland had informed her of the ball. Her silk gloved fingers moved along her forearm as the sleeve-length fabric grew taut when her muscles flexed.

"Attend, of course. Was it not you that told me I couldn't learn anything about their machinations if I stayed in the dark?" Conner mused, watching Mary's eyes widen and how her cheeks heated.

"You actually listened?!" Mary stammered in surprise.

"I might allow my anger to get the better of me sometimes; nevertheless, I am old enough to know good advice when I hear it," Conner stated, feeling Mary's hands gliding along his waist as he pulled her into him.

"Shall we arrive fashionably late or?" Mary mused as she peered up at him.

"I'm thinking we'll have some company, don't you think?"

"Huh?" Mary muttered in confusion. Her eyes blinked rapidly at a loss on how Conner got a hold of her phone when it was in her clutch in her hand. She certainly didn't like that coy smile on his lips when he brought it to his ear.

"Mary?!" Mathew's worried voice came over the line once the call connected. "How's Regan doing?!"

"Hmm... can't talk about that right now; however, I promise to fill you in on what has transpired in regard to your friend," Conner answered in a regal voice.

"Conner?!" His smirk lifted the left corner of his lips at the surprise in Mathew's voice.

"Hello, Mathew; I hope you and Dole don't have any plans for this evening?" Conner asked, arching an eyebrow at Mary's concerned look when he spoke those words.

"No, not really; we were just planning on relaxing at the club in hopes Regan would drop in."

"Ah, I see; I do apologize. I can understand your worry. Yet things have happened, things that are best not spoken within these walls at the moment. I assure you that you have my word that I will tell you and Dole when we arrive to pick the two of you up."

"Conner, just what are you planning?" Mary asked worriedly.

"If I'm forced to attend this drab of a ball, then I wish to have company, company I would enjoy instead of old, dried up, bags of bones that can't remove their lips from the Queen's backside for more than five seconds," Conner said in a firm tone. "So, boys, would you rather stay home or come crash a vampire ball with me? Yes, Regan taught me the lingo," he uttered when Mary stifled her giggle behind her hand.

"Hold on, let me ask Dole." Conner listened as the two of them talked amongst one another. Looking down when Mary poked him in his stomach.

"Say, sexy," Mary whispered so as not to be overheard. "Say it," she prodded on.

"Sexy," Conner uttered, unsure why that word had her flustered as a twinge of his French accent he had earned over the century and a half living in France made its way into his voice.

"Okay, I'm back, we're in, as long as this is on the up and up. I'd rather not get eaten, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, you boys don't worry about a thing; you'll be guests of my House; they wouldn't dare lay a hand on either one of you. Otherwise, I'll kill them on the spot," Connor replied with deathly undertones.

"Well, doesn't that just make me feel all warm and fuzzy." Conner couldn't help it that did get a smile out of him. "So, are we supposed to wear something special to this thing?"

"I assume you two have a nice suit to wear?"

"Yeah, should we wear that?"

"Yes, it's a formal function," Conner nodded against the phone.

"Alright, we'll be ready when you two get here."

"You going to tell me how you got my phone out of my purse?" Mary intoned as she took the device from him after Conner had ended the call.

"You'll be amazed at what you can learn when your fledgling is a master thief," Conner mused with a coy smile.

"Don't you ever pick-pocket me again, or there will be repercussions?!" Mary stated in a firm tone with her finger in his face.

"That so? And pray tell, Lady Harland, whatever will these repercussions be?"

Mary noted by the light in his eyes that he was highly amused. She so loved the fact that it was she that had brought that light back, the same light she had seen in that portrait in that ancient tome in Harland's library. When this all was said and done, she did hope that light wouldn't fade ever again.

"You place long, sweet, lingering kisses, right here?!" Mary said, her finger tapping her lips as she puckered them.

"Then I suppose I must pay my dues to the fair and radiant maiden, shan't I?" Conner spoke in a soft tone as the back of his fingers brushed gently down Mary's left cheek.

"Mmmhmm," Mary hummed, feeling her body heating as those pools of shimmering blue stared down at her. Her hands held onto the sides of his face as her tongue attacked his with gusto. Then again, Conner needed to know just who was going to be lining his side for centuries to come, and it sure wasn't going to be Lynn. Sucking on her lower lip as she pulled away, her smirk shown in her eyes at how she could bring befuddlement to his mind. "Now, come, the drive to the city is long, and we can't be too late," Mary uttered, looping her arm around Conner's right. Foretelling all who would and always will line his arm.

Noting how intently Conner was listening as she told him about her accounts during the Great War of 1914 and the horror of the Second World War. The words he spoke will always echo in her mind: 'It will never cease to amaze me the depths of cruelty mankind will inflict on its own.' Peering over her shoulder as they continued their trek noticing how she saw a few lesser nobles rushing off towards the Queen's chamber. Wondering if Conner knew this would happen and paid them no attention. Whatever the case was at that moment, it didn't matter to her, his attention was solely on her, and in truth, that's how it was meant to be.

"I'll drive," Mary stated, taking the keys from a very startled man whose sole job was to organize the motorcade for the ruling House and those that sat on the Council. "I rather not chance your driving," she teased as she walked around the car.

"You can't..."

"If someone gives you trouble, simply tell them Prince Conner of House Ambrose took it," Conner stated, peering back at the man as he held the passenger door open.

"But that car is meant for the Queen?!"

"Excellent!" Conner exclaimed in a wicked light. "Tell her I will enjoy it greatly," he said, laughing maniacally as he slid into the seat and shut the door. A deranged smile appeared on his lips; his mother suddenly appeared in the entranceway. Noticing her fuming look as Mary pulled away in her Bentley Turbo RT. He was a rather amused vampire at that moment.

"Very naughty of you stealing the Queen's car," Mary spoke, slipping her right hand into his left.

"Me?! You're driving, isn't the one doing the directing of said automobile the one at fault?" Conner asked with a coy grin on his lips.

"Nope, to you, I'm just an irresponsible youth. You're the elder here; you're supposed to stop me from doing something wicked," Mary said, lifting her eyebrows when she spoke the last word. Her smile lifted the corners of her lips at how Conner belted out a laugh beside her. Praying in her mind that she would hear that sound for many more years to come as they drove towards the city lights.

******

"Give Dole a moment; he's putting the last finishing touches on his attire," Mathew said as he greeted Mary and Conner. "Come in," gesturing for them to enter, "and tell us what you couldn't talk about over the phone."

"Mathew, I'm going to have to get my tie; this bowtie just isn't..." Dole froze in his tracks; his tongue grew still at the sight of his friend and Conner, who he hoped were growing to become friends.

"Here, allow me, young Dole; I do believe I have a knack for tying these," Conner said with a warm smile on his lips as he moved past Mary. Feeling her fingers running along the velvet of his coat sleeve.

"Can you do that like slower?" Dole asked as he peered down at Conner's hands the best that he could.

"Now you appear like a proper gentleman," Conner stated in praise, lightly patting Dole on the sides of his shoulders.

"Thanks, I can never figure out how to tie one of these things," Dole said bashfully as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.

"You're quite welcome," Conner stated, placing a hand on Dole's right shoulder. "Now, as to this news, I have. It mustn't leave this apartment. Understood?" he spoke in a stern tone as he peered at Dole and Mathew.

"Okay, but why?" Mathew asked, confused.

"Because if the Queen ever learned of this, Regan's and the child's life will be in danger," Conner warned.

"What?!" Mathew and Dole shouted as one.

"But how?! I thought vampires can't have children?!" Dole stated, perplexed.

"I must remind you; I am not like the normal vampires you have met," Conner uttered, placing a hand lightly on Mary's arm. "No offense."

"Why would I be?" Mary asked, looking right at him. "You are indeed different; there's no sense in denying that."

"Okay, okay, so Regan's pregnant," Mathew muttered as he paced the floor of their apartment.

"Where is she? We haven't been able to get in contact with her for a few days," Dole stated, looking between the two of them.

"In hiding for the moment, it's the only way I can keep her safe from my mother and whatever plans she might dream up for the child she is carrying."

"And if this doesn't go as you have planned, what then?" Mathew asked, coming out of his pacing.

"She'll have to stay on the run, at least until the child is old enough and strong enough to venture out on its own. Even then, the child will have to keep what it is hidden from every vampire they encounter, except for my children. If I fail, they will see to Regan's and the child's safety," Conner stated, seeing how Mary was gazing at him when he uttered that word.

"Conner..."

"It's okay, Mary. I kind of knew this would be a battle that I might not walk away from. I knew the risks of pitting myself against my mother. Even I'm not sure if I can win or not," slipping his hand into her left, feeling how trembling it was, "are you still willing to walk beside me in this?" Conner asked, knowing this might be one of the few nights they had left before they breached the gates in a manner of speaking.

"Yes," Mary answered without hesitation. "If I'm to fall, then I'm glad I lived this long to have these fleeting moments with you."

"Hey," Mathew's voice drew them out of the moment they were having, "not to interrupt or anything. But say if you do die, will we ever see Regan again?"

"Most likely not," Conner said in a matter-of-fact manner. "In order to keep her and the child as hidden as possible, they most likely will not stay in one place for too long, and returning to New York City will never happen. The Queen has too many eyes here for the two of them to go unnoticed. I might be able to keep her attention on me for the moment, given how I'm making myself into a nuance as of late. With me gone, if she catches wind of the child, there isn't anything in this world that will stop her in finding our child."

"Then," sharing a look with Dole, who nodded along in silent argument, "if that happens, we want to go with her," Mathew proposed. "They're going to need someone to watch over them during the day, and what better way to hide a bunch of vampires than having them live with two humans. Plus, in this day and age, if they never see anyone leaving during the daytime hours, they're going to grow suspicious."

"Are you sure you're willing to up end your lives like that? Because once you put yourself against my mother, there is no turning back. She's very vindictive," Conner said darkly.

"We're sure," they answered as one.

"Seems I missed judged this era; there still seems to be some chivalry in this day and age," Conner stated in a proud tone.

"So an old vampire can indeed be humble," Mary teased, shooting him a smile as she gently squeezed his hand.

"You wound me, good miss; I can indeed admit when I'm wrong," Conner said, playing up his act as he tugged on the lapel of his jacket.

"You'll live," Mary cooed, lightly patting Conner's arm as she snuggled up to him. Hoping and praying that these were not the last days they would have together. "Come, we're already tardy as it is; there's fashionably late and just downright late," she spoke, peering up at him.

"Seems we must, well, gentlemen, are you prepared to set your eyes on an event that no human had ever seen before and lived to tell about it?" Conner asked, smelling the slight fear coming off their bodies.

"You sure we're not going to be eaten?" Dole asked as they stood out in the hallway as Mathew locked up.

"Quite certain," Conner nodded firmly. "As long as you stay within my reach, the others won't dare lay a hand on you."

******

"Holy?!" Mathew gasped.

"Shit!" Dole exclaimed into the night as he and Mathew stared at the Bentley that sat against the curb.

"I take it this is supposed to be some special kind of car given your reactions," Conner mused as he stroked his chin as the two men gawked at the car.

"Duh?! This car is over two hundred thousand dollars!" Mathew stated, thrusting his arms out towards it.

"Ah. I see. Shall we take the Queen's carriage out for a spin?" Conner asked with a devilish glee in his eyes as he held the rear door open for the two of them.

"You serious?" Dole asked, growing slightly pale in the face.

"Oh yes, I was a naughty little vampire," Conner answered, grinning madly, revealing the tips of his fangs.

"Mary, make sure I'm well away from the splash zone if Conner gets into trouble," Mathew spoke as he climbed into the rear of the car.

"If you don't make it through tonight, it was a pleasure knowing you," Dole stated, feeling the corners of his lips lifting as that got a bark of laughter out of Conner.

"Yes?" Conner spoke into his burner phone as he slid into the passenger seat, nodding to Mary that he was ready once he had shut the door.

"Sire? Are you on your way?"

"Depends on who's asking, Salvatore."

"The Council and your mother have been badgering the three of us as to when you were expected to arrive."

"Us?"

"Give me that?!" Conner heard Patience's voice over the line as she took the phone from Salvatore.

"I thought you have more important things to take care of, Patience," Conner said in a disappearing tone.

"Do you honestly think Nico and I were going to miss out on a ball where we can finally lay claim to your House? You must have gone mad in that box, Prince Conner, because that's just insane to think we would miss this! As for you know who, Vani and Iyana are watching over her for the evening."

"I see," his finger lightly tapping his lips, recounting how Patience couldn't pass up a good ball, "how is she doing?" Conner asked, feeling Dole's and Mathew's eyes on the back of his head when he asked that question.

"I suspect it will be any day now. She's advanced quite rapidly in the past few days."

"Does she understand what she must do if the worst-case presents itself?"

"She does, but she doesn't like it."

"I understand; tell her soon she will know what to do. We should be arriving shortly, maybe half an hour," Conner spoke when Mary whispered to him how long it would take for them to get there.

"Alright, I'll let them know, although you should be prepared, your mother isn't too happy right now."

"Huh-uh, what she wants means little to me; I wasn't even going to go to this thing. They were the ones that demanded that I show myself," Conner intoned.

"And what were you planning on doing if not attending this ball?"

"Watching Mary shaking her hips, as the saying goes these days," Conner stated truthfully, smirking devilishly at Mary who's head instantly snapped towards him.

"You best be treating her right, or so help me I'll..."

"You'll what?" Conner mused, calling her bluff.

"I'll have Vani read you the most pretentious book of this era while Salvatore and Nico hold you down."

"I see, so you will bore me to death. Is that your threat to the one that made you?" Conner asked in a light-hearted tone.

"Mmmhmm, it will make the last hundred years seem like a long nap!"

"Hmm... that does sound devious and underhanded. Are you sure you're my child?" Conner asked as their car sped down the streets of the city. To his eyes, it wasn't hard for him to make out every object, person, or sign that went whizzing past him; to him, this was slightly slower than the speed he runs at.

"Very sure, sire."

"I think it's all those late nights you and Giovani snuck away to do... whatever it was that you did out of my eyesight. It appears I must have a talk with Giovani; he seems to be a bad influence on you."

"Don't you dare?!"

"My dear, have you ever known me not to do such a thing?" Conner asked, grinning madly at the silence over the line. "My, that was rather rude of her," he uttered as he peered down at his phone when Patience hung upon him. Scrolling down two numbers out of the four stored within it and coming to the one that Giovani had inputted for himself.

"Sire? I do hope you know I have a rather extensive collection that you so have to catch up on." Conner arched an eyebrow when that was what Giovani greeted him with.

"I see, already in cahoots with Patience. What did I ever do to garner such sneaky fledglings?" Conner sighed into his chest. "Put Regan on," he ordered after getting his greeting in with Giovani.

"Conner?!" He heard her excited voice when Giovani handed her the phone.

"Hello, Regan; how are you doing?" Conner asked, unsure if he could speak freely within his mother's car. So, he opted to play it safe and keep what he wanted to ask as vague as possible.

"Feel like a damn balloon!" Conner could only chuckle at her statement. "But, I can feel our baby moving; this has gone faster than I thought possible. It shouldn't be long now, maybe a day or two more. It's getting very hard getting up out of that coffin. I feel like a beached whale!" Conner nodded along, listening to her complain.

"Are you listening to the others?"

"Yes, Conner, I will have you know; Patience has been a very good teacher in your absence."

"Good," Conner spoke, knowing they would be doing more for her if his plans went to ruin. "Now, I have some people here who would like to speak with you. Are you up for it?"

"Who?!" Conner heard the excitement in her voice.

"Say hello, boys," Conner directed, holding his phone over his shoulder.

"That was nice of you," Mary whispered, casting him a sweet, warm smile as Dole and Mathew chatted away when they put the phone on speaker.

"Seemed they needed it," Conner said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Still, it was a kind thing to do," Mary stated, brushing her thumb along the back of Conner's hand. "I'm sure Regan needs this right now, given everything that's going on with her right now," she whispered so as not to interrupt the conversation that was taking place behind them. Smiling when Regan shouted over the line when Mathew and Dole told her that they would be tagging along with her if whatever Conner had planned didn't pan out like he had hoped. Biting her lip when she heard the both of them utter: 'Regan, it doesn't matter where we are, we can work anywhere. We aren't about to let you go through this alone. Friends don't do that.' She, too, got a little teary at that, as did Regan as she broke down crying. All too soon, their reunion of sorts was cut short as the four of them arrived at the complex that the Council had rented to hold this event tonight.