Akeldama

"Don't thank me, foolish girl," Helen growled. "What were you thinking, barging in here when he was with another?!" Lynn backed away from Helen's burning anger. "Do you honestly believe he will listen to a word I say? It's more likely to drive him further away from us. If he was fully recovered, I doubt he would leave us alive for the audacity of dictating his life."

"I could not sit by while another woman filled his head with dreams of another life," Lynn said, growing red in the face.

"Your jealousy will be the doom of us, Lynn. Have you learned nothing from the past hundred years? Did you learn nothing the first time you came before my son," Helen said, sinking into the rich leather. "If you had not noticed, we are not dealing with the same man we once knew. We must tread carefully around him, for what awoke from that coffin is nothing more than a killer. One which would gladly see us gone before being forced to deal with, and I say this," leaning forward in her chair, "we must tread lightly around this man for we don't know what he is capable of, so he learns nothing of the plans we have to bring to heel those who thought it wise to stand against their creator."

******

Mary leaned against the closed door of her father's sitting room. Her heart hammered in her chest, her mind swirled as she saw his smile over and over again. Her breast heaved as she lavished over the feeling of his kiss on her skin. Blood rushed to her pale cheeks remembering how his lustrous pale blue eyes drank in her form.

"Well," Sue said, causing Mary to jump. Sitting next to her on the leather sofa was her companion June.

"Yes, do tell, daughter," Harland said, coming out of his library. "Although, in truth, I had expected you home an hour ago. I hope I don't have to discipline the man on a proper time to bring one's daughter home," he said jokingly.

"It was..." Mary combed for the words through her fogged mind, "very stimulating father."

"Oh?!" Harland said, crossing his arms. "Does that mean what I think it means?" he asked, with mischievous light in his eyes.

"Father!" Mary blurted out, feeling her face reddening due to her embarrassment.

"Don't tease the poor girl, my lord," June said, eager to hear about their encounter.

"Yes, I, too, am curious about how their rendezvous went," Sue said, leaning back winking at Mary. Harvey crept out of his room, awoken by the clamor of the noise yet stayed back so as not to appear to be intruding on their conversation.

"Well, do tell us how it went," June said, offering Mary a chair. Pouring her a glass of blood spiked wine before rejoining Sue on the couch.

"That's when Lynn barged in," Mary said, after finishing her glass to ease her nerves. "Whoever she was, she had the idea that Conner belonged to her. If I had not met the man before, I would have sworn he would see that woman dead."

"He still may," Harland said offhandedly. Mary made a note to ask him about that at a later point.

"Then she practically threw me out of the room." Gasps escaped from Sue and June; a deep scowl appeared on Harland's face. Harvey crept out of the shadows, quickly refilling their glasses so he would have a reason to be there. "Then I felt his hand on my arm," her blushing cheeks deepened into a rich crimson. "he said as he helped me up; I must admit you are by far the most vexing woman I have had the honor to meet. I would be most honored that if you so wished to grace me with your presence, you would be most welcomed here. If you so choose to grace one such as I," Mary said, repeating word for word.

"He said this. Are you sure?" Harland asked, sitting on the edge of his seat.

"Yes, father, I am quite sure," Mary said, feeling her ears burning. Just then, a soft knock echoed in the silent room; jumping to his feet, Harvey hurried to answer the door.

"Can I help you?" Harvey squeaked as he stared up at the strange man.

"I wish to call upon the Lady Harland if she has not already sought out her bed." Their heads snapped in unison at the sound of his voice. Lord Harland looked to his daughter, seeing her shyness coming over her. Graciously getting to his feet slowly yet deliberately walking towards the door.

"How can I help you, Prince Conner?" Harland asked, greeting the Prince. Noting the agitated stance the Prince had taken up at the threshold of the door.

"I only wanted to see if the Lady was not harmed in the altercation earlier," Conner said, keeping his tone light.

"Altercation, my lord," Harland said, giving the Prince a puzzled look. "I wasn't aware there had been any sort of altercation."

"That's good to hear," Conner sighed, "I had hoped she was not affected by it. Also, since we were interrupted, I was wondering if she would show me the city."

"I shall ask her once she has arisen in the evening."

"Thank you, I shall take my leave; please forgive the intrusion at such a late hour," Conner said before heading off toward the guest quarters on the other side of the compound.

"So, the Prince sought you out personally," Sue said in wonder. "I have never seen him take another glance at those who have entered into marriage negotiations."

"Agreed," Harland said, sending the boy back to his room. "It bodes well for us that he has," he said, placing a hand on Mary's left shoulder. "I must commend you, daughter, you have succeeded far more than I had hoped," he said, his smile beaming down at her. Yet, she could not fathom why she felt like this so suddenly towards the prince.

"So, you going to take him up on his offer?" June asked, her eagerness apparent in her eyes.

"Yes, you must," Sue said, nodding her approval. "It would place you under the watchful gaze of the Queen. Yet, she will have nothing to say since her son has taken a liking to a noble's daughter. Since the Prince has seen to offer another gathering, the Queen will most likely see that all other proposals are held back. If, or when, the two of you find that your match does not suit your needs, or until the Queen is certain that you two would make a poor pair."

"Surely you will need ladies in waiting," June said, giving Mary a sly smile. "With us there, we can advise you when dealing with those old prudes, no offense, my lord."

"None taken, my dear; I was about to suggest the same thing," Harland said before looking down at Mary. "I know this is all new to you, my dear; I would not ask this of you unless it was absolutely the only course of action we had. However, I am not a tyrannical father to force you to marry a man you feel nothing for, so if you feel this is not what you want, then we can end this."

Mary sat quietly, contemplating the choices before her. On the one hand, she could call this whole thing off, saying she felt nothing for the man. Given his anger, while not misplaced, was something she had seen that drove men to their deaths. Yet, Mary could not deny how his lustrous eyes filled her with liquid desire. How his smile sent cascading heat throughout her body, how his touch made her heart flutter. Yes, she could call this off; however, would she ever see him again. Could she live with the fact of seeing the Prince with another woman he cared nothing for when she saw something he hid, even from himself, when she looked into his eyes? Mary could deal with the elders not approving of their union; what weighed on her mind was the Queen. Given what she had read, heard, and seen since she arrived, the Queen was not someone Mary thought she was. That scared her to no end; if she could do that to her own son, what would she do to the woman she disapproved of for her son.

"I would like that," Mary said breathlessly.

Chapter Four

"Relax, you got this," June whispered into her ear as she stood on the right side of Mary as her handmaiden along with her friend Sue tried to help Mary navigate the waters of courtly life.

"This is just putting it into the official record so Lynn can't do what she did last time," Sue offered, placing a reassuring hand on Mary's left arm. "You don't have to speak if you don't want to," she uttered low as Mary took a step forward, gently pushing her onward as Lord Harland stood before the Queen, his mother, the woman she knew firsthand of what she has done. However, her chocolate brown eyes just wouldn't leave the man as his throne sat askew from his mother and the Council as if to say he was on his own. Nevertheless, it wasn't all she saw. It seemed to her the shadows of that very room were drawn to Conner himself. Given how she's never seen an elder before, wondering if this was how his gift manifested that all elders get when they reach their first thousand years and each after if they lived that long.

"Ah, Lady Harland, was it?" Helen mused, leaning on her hand, looking disinterested all the while playing off that she didn't notice what was happening around her son. Pondering on if her lover had a hand in this. Her glacial blue eyes glanced over to Lynn standing at her right, who wasn't hiding her disapproval at the sight of Mary in the room with them.

"Yes, my Queen, you look lovely, your highness," Mary uttered in a polite tone as she curtseyed in the red, tight, elegant dress that Harland had bought for her for this purpose. Feeling Harland's hand on her shoulder as he stepped forward to address the ruling Council and the Queen.

"Your grace, if I may?" Harland spoke, gesturing to the floor.

"Seems you may," Helen answered, waving him on.

"Thank you, your highness, Prince Conner, as a man that's led men into battle..." Harland appeared embarrassed when he felt Mary's hand on his right shoulder as she strode past him.

Mary watched how those pale blue eyes glanced to her that had once seemed bored as he pretended to be aloof since her arrival. "Good evening, my Prince. I know our night was interrupted. Moreover, I believe we should give it another chance, without the distractions this time," Mary spoke in a light, regal voice as she slyly directed the Council's attention to the cause as she stood before him. Seeing his mirth in his eyes when she did that. Mary had to admit, at least to herself for the moment, she wanted to see it again. "That we see what this proposal has to offer one another. After all, an elder such as you, my Prince, should think about these things," she said with a flirtatious smile.

"Hmm... yes, I do remember some very unpleasant company showed up," Conner mused, noting how that irked Lynn to no end. "Please, do continue," he uttered, gesturing her on like the others didn't matter to him.

"I know, this age seems strange to you; I thought I'd take you to a place this evening that you never thought you'd see," Mary said, staking her claim in one bold move.

"Then please, Lady Harland, join my side," Conner said, waving to his right. "You can regale me with this proposal you have while these... nobles, talk amongst themselves."

"Thank you, Prince Conner, I would like nothing more," Mary said in a soft tone as she so elegantly glided along the floor to join his side. Noticing the murmuring among the nobles.

"Surely, good Prince, you won't make my daughter go without her handmaidens?" Lord Harland asked, gesturing to June and Sue from behind him. Seeing how Conner gave them the signal to approach his throne.

Mary went still at his light, quick touch that lasted for half-second. Nothing appeared to have happened; however, she, on the other hand, felt the softness of his brush touch down her cheek in that quick second. She knew he did it to ease her stress about being before the leaders of the Houses around the world and the Queen.

"Hmm... I have to agree, Conner, Lady Harland makes an excellent point. As an Elder, you have more important duties than running out among the army's lower ranks. An Elder is far too valuable to lose to our people than to have your wisdom lost to us," lifting her right hand off the armrest of her throne when Lynn started to speak, "we have a new fight on our hands. We could use the Elder's mind who was the one that led our people in that forgotten war," Helen said, seeing the nods of the nobles agreeing with her. "Now that this bit of formality is out of the way, we can start to turn our focus back to the matter at hand. Dustin."

"Conner, as we speak, the Queen and I are gathering up our best hunters to aid you in this," Lynn said, stepping forward to show all there she was the one worthy of being the next Queen without appearing rude to a fellow noble. "Yes, you have every right to be angry with me, but can you blame me, Conner, for getting a little jealous? After all, we have known each other for over six centuries. I know I wasn't in the war for long, yet I did see you in your armor. Do you remember that night, Conner?" she asked, trying to mend her bridges with him.

"Yes, how could I not? It was the night the Wolves came. Does your groveling to me supposed to mean something, Lynn?"

"I am sorry for my part in her death. Conner, but I didn't know they would take it that far. I just wanted you. It was the same on that night," Lynn said, taking a step closer. "Me, the human Countess' daughter, whose father helped our beloved Queen in her war with the Zwei Knights. Who, like then, now clings you your leg as I did on that night when the humans had sent their captured werewolves at us. I kneel before you, my Prince, to see it in your heart to forgive my part in Margaret's death so that when you come to realize we are meant to be together, you won't have that look on your face when you gaze at me." She knew this would throw him off guard for a bit, given how she isn't prone to doing such in the first place. This would at least give her a way to wiggle back in when the time was right. She might have lost the battle; she wasn't about to lose the throne. "This is why, my Prince, the Queen and I, in your rest, have sought out only the best to hunt the man down. I am sure you may have heard of them before your confinement. May I intro..." Lynn blinked, and Conner was gone as the doors to allow the Hunters entrance opened.

Helen's immortal eyes looked around the room as all the shadows were drawn to her son. The moment her eyes fell on her son, she knew then someone was about to die as the lights began to dim as the shadows grew along the walls and ceiling in their quest to grow their brethren. Wondering why she felt Shalim's^[1] influence as her eyes darted about as the shadows began to take form.

Conner's pale blue eyes appeared down at them. "I don't care who you report to, you slow me down, and I will kill you myself," he stated in a cold, murderous tone. Even he was a little taken aback when dark tentacles wrapped around the two Hunters' necks. The sound of one of the antique lamps shattered loudly in the room as one of the many tentacles that were writhing in that world between worlds sent it crashing into the wall.

"We understand," the two spoke, knowing they didn't have the strength to challenge an elder.

"Good. Then gather up the data you've collected," he knew it was just a sham, he was seeing what they were trying to use him for, "and be ready to leave the following evening," spinning on his heels, causing the room to instantly revert back to its once stately atmosphere. Looking to Mary, wondering if she would go along with his plans. "Do forgive the outburst, fair Lady Harland," Conner offered his apologies with a grace of a gentleman from the dawn of the 1900s. "Might I indulge you in escaping this stuffy little room with me for the evening?"

"Of course, your highness, I'd love to," Mary agreed, shooting Lynn a look as she turned and slipped her arm around Conner's.

"Now, would you kindly grace me with a hint of where you will be taking me to this evening?" Lynn fumed in her mind as Conner's voice trailed off as the door that led to the noble wing closed behind him.

"Good, this just means we can talk freely now," Helen said, turning her attention to her two hunters. "Don't interfere with his hunt for Dustin; I will let him have him for now. No. Your true mission is recon. If those lowly worms think they can wage war on Me!" Helen shouted; the unholy power she had gained that night darkened that room. "Then I want feet on the ground, kind of intelligence gathering, so when they do think to strike at me, I want to hit them hard. Other than that, watch my son; I don't care what the woman that might leave with him does. I want to know his every movement."

"Yes, your highness," they uttered as one before bowing to her.

******

Two hours later...

The 69 Eyes's 'August Moon' played overhead as they descended into the named for club. Conner was confused as to why she changed from the dress she once had on for the dark garb she was now wearing. Noting the looks, he was getting in his black Edwardian-era style suit made from the finest silk of the modern day. His crimson fine linen shirt foretold of what mood he was in. Fashioned in one night from their skilled vampiric tailors. Noticing the vampiric script on the pillars as they continued down. Something they wouldn't have done before his confinement.

"Looking mighty sharp there for a man from the Edwardian aristocrats," Mary mused as she turned in silhouette to him in one of her favorite Victorian steampunk outfits she wore to the August Moon.

"My dear Lady, is this the new fashion for ladies in this age?" Conner asked; his eyes ran down Mary's crushed crimson velvet tailcoat long trench coat to match his red shirt. Along with her black, vintage, beaded buttons pleated shirt and mid-thigh loose black skirt, wearing matching leggings, ending at her mid-calf, gothic, casual punk, lace-up, one-inch heel boots. Given the script, he assumed it would be fine speaking openly.

"Nope," Mary said, starting to sway her hips to the bass she had heard coming up from below them. All vampire-friendly nightclubs were held underground in case one of the House members was caught far from home before the sun rose. So all would have a safe harbor to rest during the day. "This is of my own creation," she cooed, shooting him a wink. "What do you think, my Prince," Mary stated loudly for those like her to hear, turned their heads to the sound of her voice.

"Have to say, I like the change in the Victorian fashion," Conner said with a sinful grin.

"Then come, I promise, you'll enjoy yourself," Mary said, holding out her hand to him.

"When did these things appear?" Conner asked, keeping an eye out for any he once knew had connections to Dustin.

"After the bombs fell," referencing the beginning of the atomic age, "Man began to fear the supernatural less and less. Before, we did have help, but those humans were limited in number," Mary said, making small talk about his years in the war. "Now, well, you see," she uttered, gesturing to their surroundings.

"Yes, I see, it's strange," Conner muttered, used to being feared and not loved from the human's perspective.

"Promise, you won't freak out, you have to meet my friends," Mary said excitedly, seeing the group she's been a part of since the last three years when Regan, her donor as the term went for those willingly offering their blood, introduced her to Mathew and Dole. Knowing they could make an easy three hundred for the night with donating a single pint of blood. Nine hundred cash if they wanted to push their luck.

"I don't understand what you mean by 'freaking out' as you put it," Conner spoke, trying not to be confused by the changes in the past hundred years in the English language. Getting caught up in the moment as she dragged him hurriedly down the steps.

"Ms..."

"It's Lady Harland now, Betty," Mary interrupted her friend and gave her the good news.

"Forgive me, Lady Harland," Betty said, curtsying behind her counter as she logged in all vampires and humans that entered so not neither one disappeared on the site. Getting a giggle out of her friend which too caused her to smile. "And who might this be? I've never seen you before?" she stated, giving Conner the once over.