Incest/Taboo Akeldama

"Oh, silly little fledgling, I was like you when Conner turned me. However, you'll lose that over time when the people you know start to grow old and pass away. You should prepare yourself for that. It's a very hard thing to deal with when you know mortal life is so fleeting," Patience uttered in a warm tone. "I know my eighth year to my hundredth were my most trying of times. That's when you realize you will never change while the world and its people do. Now, when you come to realize that sex is just sex, you'll see that the one you seek will hold far more meaning to you."

"You hungry?" Nico asked, peering at Regan in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, just wish I knew why this little one is so ravenous," Regan spoke, gazing down at her stomach as her hand rested over it.

"It's most likely due to it being Conner's child," Patience stated, peering around her seat.

"Huh?"

"I've seen Conner drink five people dry before when he's really ravenous."

"But doesn't he get... what was it he called it... blood haze?" Regan asked, thinking back to that night.

"No, he's the only one I know that doesn't. Given that your child is the second pure blood to ever exist and I suspect a Crusnik as well, I doubt he or she will be like anything our world has ever seen, minus the child's father," Patience said with a warm smile on her lips.

"Do the others know about us?" Regan asked curiously.

"No, well, only that we're used as boogeymen to scare other vampires. What predator likes to know that one of their own stalks them while in the midst of their little group," Patience said sinfully, her upper lip lifted, revealing her duel sets of fangs.

"Hey! Yours are curved too!" Regan spoke when her eyes fell on Patience's fangs.

"All of ours are," Nico stated, pulling into a darkened parking lot so he could retrieve a few bags of blood for Regan. He wasn't about to have Conner rip him a new one because he failed to take care of her when he put Regan in their charge. "It's a sign of who our maker is, not that anyone knows about us," he said offhandedly, throwing the column shifter into park.

"How are you feeling? No discomfort?" Patience asked in a concerned tone as she lightly rested the tips of her fingers on Regan's left knee.

"Honestly, I thought being pregnant would be a whole lot more strenuous than this." Feeling the corners of her lips lifting when Patience smiled at her. "Now, if this little one could like stop with the constant feeding every three hours or so, that would be great," she joked.

"It's likely due to its rapid growth," Nico stated when he opened the rear passenger door. "That's the only reason why I can think of as to why you're consuming so much in a day," he said, slyly running his index finger down the back of Regan's hand when she took the bags from him.

"Thanks, you can be sweet when you want to be," Regan teased, knowing he was slyly flirting with her, not that she minded. She was highly intrigued by the thought of the two of them hooking up.

"Don't tell anyone; I have a rep to keep," Nico said with a wink, hearing Patience stifling her giggle.

"Mmm... maybe, if you do something," Regan stated with a flirtatious smile.

"And what might that be?" Nico asked in an amused tone. Leaning into the SUV when Regan beckoned him forward. Feeling Regan's light touch on the bottom of his chin, drawing him closer. He will admit, if only to himself, that he did lose himself in that kiss, she planted on his lips.

"Mmmhmm, not bad for an old man," Regan teased, dragging her lower lip along her teeth, savoring the taste of Nico upon it.

"Then I'm glad you're pleased with the embrace," Nico spoke, putting on airs. "Don't worry, we'll get there before the sun comes up," he whispered low when he noted how her eyes glanced to her right and to the sky. Even when it was still dark, they could still feel the approaching sun. "Worry not, I made a promise to Conner, and I aim to keep it," Nico said in a caring voice. Knowing if she was like him when he was Conner's fledgling, the sun was the one thing he constantly feared. He had seen enough vampires being burnt alive by the sun, and he had no wish to ever experience that.

"You sure we're in the right place?" Nico asked, knowing they had been coasting down the gravel drive for longer than even he would have thought.

"Yeah, knowing my Vani, if he was on the run, he wouldn't want anyone able to sneak up on him," Patience said, noting how the headlights played along the trees that lined the road that was cut through the stand of trees.

"But why all the way out here, I thought vampires like being at the heart of a city?" Regan asked in a perplexed tone.

"That's the point, Regan; no one would think of looking all the way out here for him if he was on the run. Like you, they would think he would be hiding close to a human settlement and not starving himself out in the woods," Patience answered, knowing how the mind of her beloved worked. "That rat bastard?!" she hissed when the headlights shone upon the house once they had breached the mile-long wooded approach.

"Okay, I'll bite; what did he do?" Nico asked as he pulled his SUV around the house and into the hidden covered carport.

"I'm... I'm... well, I'm going to do something when I see him again," Patience huffed as her back thumped against the seat as she crossed her arms along her chest.

"Alright, now I'm really curious; what did Giovani do?" Nico asked, knowing he's never seen this side of her before. It was kind of cute.

"He built it and didn't even bother to tell me," Patience stated in an aggravated tone.

"I take it this is your two's dream home or something?" Regan asked as she unbuckled herself, hearing Patience's hum of an 'Mmmhmm.'

"Of course, he would build it in New Jersey?! The one place I try not to visit," Patience bemoaned as she slid out of the Land Rover.

"And why would ol' Giovani do such a thing?" Nico inquired, given how the front of the house was modeled after the old Plantation houses from the old South. He knew how much Patience enjoyed those grand fanciful balls that were held in such places, given the many feeding opportunities that one could achieve during that time. Patience, however, loved the glamor of the events the owners of such houses put on.

"Don't get smart with me, Nico," Patience snapped as she helped Regan out of the rear of the SUV. Hating the sound of that chuckle as Nico opened the rear door of his vehicle.

"So, why would Giovani build this place out here if it's your dream home?" Regan asked, taking her bag from Nico when he handed it to her.

"Oh, we had a little spat back in the '30s," Patience sighed, that long ago argument played out in her mind.

"What about?" Regan asked, watching Patience pulling out her phone.

"Hold that thought," Patience mused as she brought her phone to her ear.

"I wondered when you would call me." Patience pressed her lips together at the smugness of Giovani's voice when he answered the phone. "So, told you it would be an excellent spot for us, but you had to go out west."

"Vani," Patience pouted, "can we not fight. That was over seventy years ago. Can't we just move past that?"

"So, did you like it?"

"First, how do we get in?" Patience stated.

"I gave you the key long ago."

"That's what it was for?!" Patience hissed, her anger rising once again.

"Yeah, but you're the one that ran off to California."

"You could have told me! I would have stayed!" Patience huffed, stomping her foot.

"Why? I was mad at you. Plus, you had to make that choice yourself, and you didn't. Did you enjoy your time with Clark Gable?"

"Vani?! You promised never to bring him up," Patience whined.

"Can't help it, what man likes knowing his woman would rather spend time with some foolish actor than..." Sighing over the phone, "Sorry, you're right, I did promise."

"You know it was only an infatuation. It never meant anything. You know you're the man for me, don't you?" Patience asked sweet-like into her phone as she pulled out the set of keys she always carried with her. Most went to safe deposit boxes she had scattered throughout the world if she ever needed some quick cash or went on the run. Others went to places she kept throughout the years for the same reason she had so many safety deposit boxes.

"You have a funny way of showing it. But you better not let anyone in the master bedroom. That room is only for us." Patience smiled at the sound of Giovani's firm tone as he put his foot down.

"Yes, dear, I promise the master bedroom shall remain solely ours," Patience said in a light tone as she inserted the key that he had given her ages ago into the lock.

"I don't have the resources like the Queen does, but the basement will serve just as well as those fancy hide-a-way coffins they have."

"Okay." Peering around the place after Patience flipped on the lights. Sadness swelled in her heart at how much thought and effort Giovani had put into outfitting the place, knowing about every piece she could see had some attachment to the both of them. "Vani, can you forgive me? This place is so beautiful," Patience uttered in awe as her fingers ran down the genuine statue of Madonna.

"I know; who do you think I built the place for?" She knew her cheeks would be heating at that moment if she had recently fed. She may love laying with Conner, yet only Giovani made her heart flutter like it was doing at that moment, metaphorically speaking, of course.

"Vani?!" Patience sighed in a loving tone as she swayed a little. "So, will you be here tonight?"

"Possibly, working on getting her enough blood..."

"We'll probably need a hundred for the week."

"Really?! That many?" Patience heard his astonishment in his voice.

"Yeah, she packs in around nine or ten a day," Patience stated, flashing Regan a teasing smile as she peered back at her and Nico.

"I see... alright, I'll see what I can do. If I'm not there around nine, I should be there by twelve."

"Alright, we'll christen that room when you do," Patience purred into her phone.

"Oh? Then I definitely will be there by nine."

"Well, you two, look around, just don't touch anything, that's not furniture," Patience spoke, looking right at Nico as she pocketed her phone after she and Giovani said their goodbyes. "I best not find you purloining an item from this house; my Vani went to a lot of trouble in procuring every piece."

"Come on now, you know I wouldn't steal from Giovani or you," Nico intoned, rolling his eyes.

"I can never be too sure with your sticky fingers. Anyway, the door to the basement is through that hallway and the third door on your right whenever you feel like heading down," Patience said, giving the two of them directions on how to find it from what Giovani had told her. "Just don't use the red coffin."

"Why?" Regan asked in a curious tone.

"My Vani got it for me," Patience said in a happy tone. "Now, if you two will excuse me, I'm going to explore the master bedroom and take a long soak before the sun comes up."

Regan cast Nico a look when they watched Patience sauntering off, humming as she did with her hands behind her. "Is she always like that after the two of them talk?" Regan asked low.

"Oh, you should have seen them when I was Conner's fledgling; it got rather nauseous at how lovey-dovey the two of them were. Salvatore and I would always tease them about it," Nico said in a light chuckle as he and Regan walked around the ground floor.

"What about you? Have you ever been like that?" Regan asked, wondering what this feeling of being drawn to him was about that has been occurring ever since she met him.

"Once, but that was a very long time ago," Nico said, the shadows of his past playing along his face.

"What happened?" Regan asked, curious to know more about his past.

"She died from the white death," Nico stated factually.

"The what?!" Regan stammered. She's never heard of such a phrase before.

"It's what they refer to now when tuberculous was spreading like wide fire in the 1800s," Nico stated in a matter-of-fact manner.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sure her passing couldn't have been easy on you," Regan said in a kind tone as she rested her hand on Nico's upper right arm.

"It was, that was when, like Patience, I had to come to terms that I will never age while those I love do and fade away while I remain the same," Nico uttered sadly. "I should warn you, Conner doesn't get human emotions all that often, so don't expect sympathy from him if something like this..."

"Oh, I think he understands that emotion very well; at least now he does," Regan cut in.

"Hmm... yes, I do believe he does," Nico nodded in agreement.

"So tell me, what's it like to be a thief?" Regan's voice faded away as the two of them continued their meandering of the house.

Conner sat in his room, blaring Regan's music, namely the song he had heard in that club. Although he has grown to like the song 'Forsaken' he didn't know if it was a cover or their original song, yet it spoke to him. His chin rested in the nock of his thumbs as his elbows pressed down on the armrests of the chair he was currently sitting in. His pale blue eyes stared unblinking at the wall as his mind pondered on what was to come. Playing out scenarios in his mind like he has done countless times before some battle he was to be a part of. The shadows condensed all around him; it appeared to him that they were dancing to the melody, which, if he could be truthful, was rather weird even for him. His eyes glanced over to the door when his mother barged in as the line from the song, 'Did you think it's cool to walk right up. To take my life and fuck it up!', played loudly before his mother forcibly switched the cd player off.

"Excuse you," Conner said coldly. "What gave you the impression you can just barge into my room?"

"Save it, Conner, you've been playing that same damn music for the past two hours!" Helen said heatedly. "It's growing tedious! You're acting like some moody teenager! She's dead; there is nothing you or anyone can do to bring her back. It's time for you to get over it," she hissed, staring her son down.

"Is that so?" Conner asked, controlling his anger. Hearing Mary's words repeating in his mind as he peered at his mother with indifference. "Maybe for someone that's never cared for anyone before, it might seem strange to you."

"Bah!" Waving her son off, "I care, I've cared for you, so don't you ever think I don't?!" Helen uttered, brushing off her son's comment. "So, where's this fledgling of yours?"

"Where I want her to be at the moment," Connor said aloofly, leaning back in his chair. His arms lowered, resting along the armrests, his nails dragged up the leather that covered the frame of the chair. "So, did you want something, or did you just come here to disrupt my solitude?"

"Indeed there is," Helen stated, not enjoying that tone of his.

"And just what could it be that you disrupt my musings?" Conner asked, resting his chin in his left hand with a disinterested look in his eyes.

"Well..." Drawing out the word, "there's a ball tonight," arching an eyebrow when she heard him sigh, "you normally like going to those?" Helen said, incensed.

"Yes, when I thought my mother, I use that term very loosely, wouldn't have my wife raped and murdered," Connor said in an emotionless tone. Yearning for the day when he was going to bring it all down.

Pressing her lips together, glaring at her son, who seemed unperturbed by the act. "Be careful son, there is only so much I will tolerate even from you," Helen warned.

"Does it appear to you that I'm frightened?" Conner asked, his eyes cut hard to her.

"Very well then, come or don't, I'll no longer seek to keep you from falling out of favor with the other Houses," Helen said, arching an eyebrow when she heard her son snort.

"They're weak; as far as I see it, it would be better to cull them from the world," Conner said coldly, seeing how that genuinely surprised his mother. "I remember a time when you did such a thing when they were weak and allowed far too much of their greed to thin their blood. But what do I expect? They are, after all, your children," he uttered, putting his mother and all those that side with her down in one go.

"And you expect me to believe that these five you have turned are stronger than those that still walk the Earth before even you were born?" Helen asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Yes."

"Whatever," Helen uttered, rolling her eyes. "I'll let you live in your delusions; it seems that's all you have now," she intoned; if he was going to constantly insult her, she saw no reason not to return the favor. "Stay in here and sulk all you like Conner, sooner or later, you will have to return to the throne. With that comes balls and everything else that deals with being the Prince of this kingdom," Helen stated as she peered back at her son from the doorway. "I expect you to bring this fledgling of yours before me so I can properly suss out if she's worthy or not to remain in this House."

"No," Conner spoke in a firm tone.

"What do you mean no?"

"What part of that is too hard for you to comprehend? The 'N' or the 'O'?" Conner asked from his seat. "Who I bring into my House is no concern of yours."

"Be careful, son, that sounds an awful like rebellion to me," Helen warned.

"No, see, for nine hundred years, I was loyal to you; you were the one that betrayed me, not the other way around," Conner corrected. "Now, leave, I grow tired of you," he uttered, waving his mother off.

"Very well then, son, you and your House will stand alone," Helen stated as she shut the door.

"Hasn't it always?" Conner muttered as the door closed behind his mother.

"Conner, where are you going?" Mary asked as she walked into his room roughly twenty minutes after his mother had left.

"Out."

"But... there's a ball..."

"I'm not attending," Conner spoke as he turned to peer at her as his black velvet suit jacket slid along his arms before coming to a rest on his shoulders.

"Why not?" Mary asked; if he wasn't going, then she didn't want to either. She had no wish to be around stuck-up old prudes.

"I see no need in..." Scowling when a furious pounding came on the door of his room. Narrowing his eyes when three of the eldest Council members stood at his door when he opened it.

"By decree of the Queen and Council." Conner noted how those men took delight in uttering those words like they meant anything to him. "That the head of House Ambrose shall attend this night's gala along with any and all events hosted by the Queen and ruling Council in the foreseeable future. Failure to do so will mean expulsion and stripped of all titles and lands held by said head of House Ambrose. Along with paying restitution for any and all charges that may accrue. What say you, Conner Ambrose, Prince and head of House Ambrose?" Before he could speak a word, he felt a hand on his arm. Those eyes of hers told him to think for a moment and not allow his anger to fuel his words. He was all set in telling them to shove that decree up their asses, yet once again, Mary's voice of reason echoed in his head. Knowing full well that if he ripped out the throats of the three before him, he wouldn't make it out of that manor alive. His mother would see to that. Something at the moment he wasn't prepared to face off with. Soon, yet not that day.

"I see; seems you old fools haven't given me much of a choice now, have you?" Conner spoke, enjoying the scowls playing along their faces. "Scurry back beneath the Queen's skirts like you've hidden for the past century and tell her so-called highness that the head of House Ambrose will make an appearance when I'm good and well ready," he uttered before slamming the door in their faces.

"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.​