Name: Alexander Dremone
Age: Over 500, appears around 23
Race: Vampire
Small Bio: Alexander had been the son of a noble family, the next in line for the fortune. An over zealous vampire discovered this and turned him just before he was to receive his inheritance. He fianlly got it and led a secret life after slaughtering the one who made him. He knew the tricks of surviving after so long and is now an esteemed lord and a friend of the king's. He knows his politics and is quite cunning, knowing how to manipulate others.

Name: Anarith Chevalier
Age: 50, appears around 19
Race: Vampire
Small Bio: Anarith had been engaged to her creator and had one night attended a party with him that her mother had no clue of; upon arriving she was in for a most horrid surprise and she was turned against her will. Her fiance was a cruel man who enjoyed cruel games and had kept a tight leash on her, until the villagers killer him. Now she lives as a cousin to the King and has been staying at the palace recently.

Darkness spilled across the great mansion's court yard, the moon casting sinister shadows. Something was going on that night to some poor soul. Some unsespecting human. The dark creature of the night would be sure of that. The human would live not as the human anymore, but as some pet, some apprentice to the dark creature and be one of him. He would be the creature's companion and live a long existance, never ceasing as long as he followed the rule.

That was where they always went wrong. It disgusted the creature. He would grant them the kiss of dark immortality and they would destroy the gift. Not all humans received such a chance but some just threw it away. He;s had pets hurtle themselves into the sun light before. The clock struck, it was time.

The creature slipped into the house and climbed the grand stair case. It entered the room of a sleeping male, the heir to the land. He smiled, fangs glinting in the small amount of moon light bleeding into the windows. He approached his prey and the strike was quick. The male was now his, but little did he know, he sealed his own death.

Alexander shook himself from his night reverie. That was over four hundred years ago, why did that same dream continue to come up? It had been a long time since he had slaughtered his own creator. The creator had deserved it, that and threefold more. He had done all he could that night for his revenge on his stolen mortality.

But, tonight was of different concern. It was a night of celebration for the king and queen, for their first son was born the night before. That made the vampire smile, and feel bitter all at once. He would never have the family once promised to him. Sighing, he swished the red liquid in his cup and took a sip. It wasn't blood, that was disgusting cold but he had discovered that he could tolerate the red wine humans drank.

He was dressed lavishly for the ball, though it were a cliche' thing. He would not be dressed such as other males- in bright colours. No, he was more dark and sinister but that always attracted his prey. It was to be a masquerade ball. His mask was simple, but lovely. His silver hair was to be covered beneath a hat or else it would give him away.

The clock struck, it was time to leave for the king's ball. He slid into his carriage and he was off to the ball. He wondered what was to be his prey for the night. He did not discriminate- old, young, male or female, short or tall, fat or thin, pretty of ugly... and the list went on.

He arrived fifteen minutes later and the party had already begun. He was always one for being fashionly late. Chuckling to himself, he got out and headed into the ball. He knew people would be waiting for him, even the king. The king was a close friend of his and that would be his first stop for the night. He would be sure to pay his respects.

The king was surronded by a group of other people, men and women but when he saw, and recognized Alexander, he excused himself politely and greeted Alexander. Well, there went his cover for the night but he would not receive any less invitations for dancing or the fawning looks of girls.

Anarith watched as her cousin the King went to greet a man that was famous throughout the Royal Court as his very own man. Many happened to think that he was an emissary of doom, a spy, an assassin, usurper any and everything wrong the man could be labeled he had been. She could only smile coldly. However when she was asked by some aristocratic lady why her dress was so dark, she only smiled.

Her exquisite mask was tucked safely into the folds of her gown, and she could only smile more, this time it was a very beautiful smile. She curtsied deep to the woman and took her leave, making her way to the Queen's side, who held a blushing and very active little bundle of happiness; this time her smile was genuine and full of emotion. The Queen pressed the infant into her hands and went to attend to her husband who was still currently talking to Alexander.

She cuddled the baby close and cooed to him, gently letting him grasp her fingers and even gum at them a little. She giggled with happiness and then snuggled him, he cooed unexpectedly and flailed happily. Shaking her head, she gently laid the child in his crib and told the nursemaid to watch him, she then made sure she got the King's personal guard to stand by the boy. She couldn't say that she wasn't overprotective. If only she could have her own children, she wouldn't need to find her happiness in her family's children.

Sighing she made her way to the floor donning her mask, which was full faced and was almost immediately swept up by a bachelor who was hoping to gain her favor and become more powerful by his ties to the King. She didn't bother to smile at him, but barred her fangs at him behind the mask.

And then almost by force was turned into another mans partner within the next two minutes. Time moved too slow for her liking, she was not a woman of the court, she did not like games of flirtation and politic. She was at best a philosopher, and would like to remain that way. One turn led into another, then another, each face blurred before her until finally she begged a headache and left for the safety of the infant Prince's cradle.

"You know, we're not asking you to marry, but maybe you should allow us to introduce you to a few men who would be happy to give you your own bundle of joy." said the Queen from behind her, who was now sitting on her throne, and admiring the love she saw reflected in the girls eyes.

In a honeyed whisper that was barely a breath, she responded with utmost poise and grace, "Your Majesty, it has been confirmed by your physician's that I shall never bare a child, I'm happy to be able to love the Prince like he was my own however."

In saying that she would never be able to have a child of her own, it struck deep and made her want to cry, then she remembered where she was, at the ball, in front of thousands who looked upon her as little more than just a pretty face with connections, some thought this with snaring position in their minds, others with jealousy, some just did not care. Why should she?

After removing her mask, she lifted the baby from his cradle and handed him gently to his mother then resumed her vigil by the throne, watching the King with hawks eyes as he continued to converse with that man, Alexander. She'd do well to remember him, he wasn't going anywhere soon as she hoped.

Alexander and the king talked for awhile more, chuckling at dirty jokes about many of the court's females. Alexander would toss a sultry look once in awhile to the well known mistresses, and occasionally to the young virgins who only blushed and giggled. His being infertile wasn't known around the court, he never stuck around long enough for one of the woman to find out. He smiled, excused himself from the king gracefully and went off into the waiting crowds of the females and their overly zealous mothers. He was young, he was a bachelor and he had a self made fortune- all things the mothers wanted for their daughters and secretly wanted for themselves. He could never get attached though, no, that went against his survival code. He was thankful women couldn't purpose or else he would be drowning in sea of them.

With his mask in place, he went to the waiting women in their beautiful, tightly laced gowns and their wonderful masks. They all knew who he was, silver hair having escaped the cap and his tall, slim build set him apart from the rest. The way he carried himself was with grace, a bit of prowess and arrogance. And arrogance he was entitled to by now.

Reaching the women, he went to select his choice despite all of them being pushed towards him. He seemed distracted but he was well aware of that which was going on around him. Eyes were on him, but not in a friendly sense at all. It was someone further away. Alexander turned in the group and his eyes met with that of the king's cousin, Anarith. She had a cloud of mystery about her and not one Alexander was likely to dabble in. He targeted many women but she, he was wary of her. He wasn't stupid in the least. He liked challenges but she was just to... gamey, in a sense.

He finally pulled out a young women, barely turned seventeen and it was obvious it was her first season. Her gown was lower than most of the other womens' and she was dressed a swan for the evening, mask and all. White. The colour of purity. He chuckled at the irony. The next song started and he began to dance, twirling her around. After each song a new girl was put in place and he just smiled, his lips half curled. It was an interesting look that was neither safe nor unfriendly. Almost like promising sweet, forbidden temptations with dark promises. It elicited bright smiles and sultry looks from the many different girls.

But none had what he really wanted. None could truly be his wife. None could birth him the son to take over as heir of his lands. No, they were human and he was not. Worlds apart. It almost made him bitter inside. Almost.

When he looked back at her she felt a sudden jolt of realization. She'd seen this man years ago, in passing, as a mere fledgling. She then was not going to ignore that, it was rare for anyone she'd seen from that time before to ever make it before her eyes again. She was very good at hiding, and had done so for years. Finally she tired of her little solitude and had ventured back into the world.

It was true that her line was related to the King, however she'd had to do things to stay here as his family. She'd been declared dead long ago, and the family thought it wonderful that there was a descendant who looked so much like their missing Heiress who'd taken the family name with her to the grave.

The least she could do was give them a fine connection and make their lives easier. Not to mention she enjoyed being here, but there she was, getting sidetracked. She needed to find out who this man was, she was sure now, she never forgot eyes as cold as that.

And though those silly girls thought he was truly interested in them, they were wrong. She'd never been a normal vampire, she refused to drink from humans, she used animals blood, and even though it wasn't a preferred taste, it was an aquired one. But she found that she could survive more easily on that than on the blood of humans. It had seemed so dirty to her, but not to him, she could tell that he fed regularly and that he was strong, possibly very much older than her.

She swept down from her perch. "I think it is past time that I take your advice Majesty, I shall introduce myself to Alexander, and hope that he is amiable to talking with me." she said softly as she then made her way through the room, searching for the man who should not have disappeared from her. But he was definitely not human, she could tell now, he was not a man to be trifled with, however she didn't want anyone to suspect anything, in some type of kindred way, she wished to find out more about him or be able to at least learn from him.

Even if she never met him again it would be fine, she managed to find him as he came through on one of the next few turns (she was sure it had been more like 50 with the way things were going), and inserted herself into his arms as smoothly as the previous females had done. She looked up at him, without challenge, lust, desire, hope... she just simply watched him. "It is nice to finally meet you..." she said in a whisper meant for only his ears.

The different aromas from the women had him slightly drunk with hunger. He smiled lazily on occasion but immediately shook off the fuzzy feeling. His dark eyes switched from face to face, memorizing all of them but not caring a single bit. They were all just food to him. He never did care for the 'vegetarian' diet some vampires put themselves on. It was disgusting to him and below him, or that was how he felt. He carefully hid his opions in front of those that could easily harm him.

He learn long ago not to underestimate other vampires, it almost costed him his life once and he would up with a cross shaped burn scar on his chest. It was in the position as if he had a permenant cross around his neck. It had kind of been a sick joke to the other vampire who had done it. But, he wound up killing that one as well. Anyone who had mocked him or betray him wound up dead. In fact, he was at the top of the vampire food chain.

Speaking of vampires...

One found its way into his arms. The female who had been watching him earlier. Something about her felt the slightest bit familiar. He was one of the few vampires that could sense where others of their kind were. As one went up the vampire food chain, the more abilities they gained. So far, Alexander was doing rather well. But back to the dancing vampire in his arms, "Tis my delight, Miss Anarith."

"I've seen you before, at a ball like this nearly 50 years ago..." she again said this only for his ears. When it came time for the turn, she merely glared at whichever female approached until she got the message. Right now she would use her weight among the court to get her way, and not care a fig about what people said later, her reputation was unimportant.

She thought back to what she'd been back then, a foolish little girl. Someone barely into their first few years as a vampire. She had been lead around by her fiance, her creator haplessly. And yet she'd been happy to stay by his side, to have received this special gift from him. But in the end, she'd run. Her strongest ability was cloaking her presence and she did so admirably, as he'd yet to find her.

She thought all about how if this man who held her in his arms had been her creator she'd not have suffered. But Fate was not as cruel as she seemed, here she was cousin to the King, confidant to the Queen and personal nursemaid to the infant Prince. Her life was happy yet empty; she had so many questions for him, things she'd never learned, words she'd never shared, thoughts she'd locked away.

"How old are you, where did you come from? Ho-" she cute herself off in the middle of her interrogation. "Would you mind accompanying me tonight as my escort?" she asked boldly, not caring for the rules society placed on them and allowing herself freedom because she had the confidence to shake any humans resolve. She wished to know more, to be able to know exactly what kind of creature she was, to not have to fear anything. He was her salvation in a way, her sanity made solid.

Because she was sure that any other male would have bored her to her eternally damned death.

Such a pushy woman, tsk, tsk. He knew there was a reason he didn't want to deal with her and it had nothing to do with her being a cousin to the king. She seemed... He let that thought slide off and drop into the abyss in the back of his mind. IT didn't concern him. Though a vampire, she was just another female and again, he never kept attachments and handing out his own secrets was something he did not usually do. He hadn't really planned on changing that about himself but he figured he could humor her a little further before wishing to drop it off. Being her escort... now that would keep him from his food.

"Ah, that ball," He sighed, "That was quite some time ago... or atleast, for one so young as you. I am suprised you survived so long, some are just so... blantantly stupid," He chuckled to himself, "I am over five hundred and that is all you need to know for my age, my dear. And where I come from... I am not that far from home but I do not reveal everything about myself on the, as some say, first date." He quirked one of his slim eye brows.

"But, in all honesty, as lovely as you are, you are not a meal or even a snack. I must feed and I would invite you but I smell animal on you. The smell of a 'vegetarian' vampire, if you will," His voice was too low for human ears, "After this, I shall be on my way. Whatever you do is at your own discretion and choice but I must feed. Your company for that wouldn't be savory less I shared with you and I do not share with anyone lightly." The song changed and he switched pace with her effortlessly. No other human woman was approaching. So far, she was getting in the way. He could dance with her a little longer but he really needed to be able to feed that night.

"I have my own ways... and yes I am... it was a traumatic experience with human blood, I've had an aversion to it since. And then I thank you for humoring such a child as you probably find me. However even if you sneak off to some dark alcove with a female, I shall still seek you out. I'm not so rude as to disturb your meal." she smiled brightly at him, then as the music took a sudden bright swing she curtsied to him and excused herself.

And like that women flocked to him once more, but little did he know that she was not to be brushed aside so easily. She regained her place at the Queen's side, who asked her excitedly about her time with Alexander, she'd hogged him to herself and acted as she should over a man, or so the Queen thought.

"I wouldn't mind marrying him..." she said to quench the nosy but loving Queen's thirst for news. What she didn't know as she turned to tend to the now mewling baby Prince was that the Queen was whispering this news to her husband. This was going to turn into a disaster, and it was going to be all her fault in the end.

She calmed the baby down and handed him to his mother, the Queen slipped away to another room to feed the baby. And Anarith was left alone with the King, he doted on her like a father and treated her like his own daughter, at first he and the Queen hadn't been able to have a child, but it seemed that the small miracles that were happening since she'd come to live with them. "Anarith, dear, come over here." he called softly as she complied willingly. "Are you sure that you're happy here?" he asked softly, holding the girls hand and looking into her eyes.

She sighed and launched into a conversation about her future, her life and her past with him. He was just as bad as the Queen and yet, she'd only seen him be cold around Alexander, as though the man knew things beyond others comprehension. She only smiled when she thought of her bold ways to try and monopolize him, it was quite stupid and very rude. But she'd not seen another of her kind here for years. He interested her; however she could tell that the feeling wasn't mutual, if at all, he only thought of her as a nuisance.

The musicians then began to play a waltz, which was supposed to be dedicated to the King and Queen and hopes for more Royal Heirs. She sat down on her seat which was on the King's side and settled in, watching everything go on with passing boredom, she donned her mask again and escaped into the night air into the rose gardens. Having sat for what seemed like hours and only watching others, she was extremely exhausted.

She sat in the gazebo and began to sing up to the full moon. Her voice sounding pure and untroubled by man, she gazed up with eyes full of the moons beauty as she took in everything. There was no one else out here, and she was alone. She should go back inside, but something in the way the wind whispered through her hair made her stay. Hopefully, she was just imagining things, but she'd stay here on her perch, and sing beautiful words to a beautiful moon.

Alexander smirked and returned her curtsy with a bow, "Twas... nice to see you after so long. Seek me out if you will but don't let it be a habit known to you. Others who cross me have seen an end to their days," He shrugged, the words were what they were meant for and nothing more. He was stating a fact, not threatening her. If anything, he had just given away one of his secrets which he kept close. Not many vampires willingly killed their own kind because they saw themselves as being to good for such folly. Oh what fools. He spent the next few hours dancing till he grew tired of it and knew all the faced. He pulled out one young maiden and led her away.

She was a plump thing, as he found he liked better. It wasn't like biting into a meatless chicken. She chatted excitedly and he nodded, leading her through the grand doors and out onto one of the many darker balconies for couples to have a tryst in. He leaned her against the wall, trapping her in like the prey she was, even if she was oblivious. He smiled at her sweetly, nodding when appropriate. He kissed along her jaw to her throat and she fell silent, her mouth hanging open slightly.

He chuckled and struck, clouding her mind and sending her sweet thoughts and memories. After this, she would think they just had some fun. He finished, licked the wound and it healed, earning him a shudder. It was always such an erotic thing for him. He never grew tired of the reactions. He led her back inside to her awaiting friends and shook his head to himself, they would all be gossiping.

Speaking of which... there was an interesting rumor about him and Anarith. Marrying? When had he proposed? Or supposedly proposed, as the real truth was that he didn't. The king? There had been a mention to the king about something and now it seemed that there were to be some such wedding or courting between him and Anarith. What had she done now? He growled to himself, head.

Still sitting outside in the chill air, she had no idea of the rumors circulating already about her and Alexander. Truthfully all she wanted was to learn from him, had she known that speaking to him might lead to such a disaster as the one she would face when she reentered the ballroom she would never have said a thing to him in her life time.

But as it was, her long life was possibly shortened now if his threat earlier was true and he did plan in killing her.

She sighed happily and slipped back in place beside the Queen with ease and the woman tossed her a concerned look. "What is it Majesty?" she inquired softly when she could no longer stand the woman burning a hole in the side of her face.

"It seems my Lord husband thinks it was meant in seriousness about your comment, and now there are rumors about you being Alexanders woman." she said in a rush, worrying her bottom lip in agitation and definite guilt.

Sighing she could only turn her her toward the errant King, who seemed to be enjoying this new mischief he had created, sometimes he was really an oversized child! She cursed to herself and silently swept to his side. "Cousin, I beg of you please, clear any rumors and end this farce now. Alexander is no-" and before she had time to expound, he got up and clapped his hands together til everyone stood in silence.

"My dear guests, I hope to clear any misunderstandings about my younger cousin Lady Anarith Chevalier and Lord Alexander Dremone.. They are not engaged to be married. He is not courting her, and she has not accepted his suit. However I would like to make it known that I would like to formally announce MY decision to engage these two! Now back to the merry making."

With that everyone was stunned into silence, even the Queen and Anarith had matching looks of astonishment on their faces. She could feel her skin get clammy and her vision narrow, but Anarith remained standing upright, her cousin had just sealed her death. And no one was going to be the wiser! But Gods how fate was cruel! She'd always been a good little vampire, she'd done absolutely nothing to deserve Alexander's killing of her.

She was done for, she only sat down with an unladylike plop and looked around to find Alexander, hopefully she could have him talk to sense into this fool of a man. What was he thinking?!

Never such a thing had ever been asked of by him. How... Alexander growled once again and stood on the outskirts of the crowd, cloaking himself from anyone as long as he was still. The king formally engaged the two! Her little stupid comment had led to this, even if it had been in jest. This was her doing! His eyes now stirred an angry red, his fangs poked into his lower lip. Now was not the time to react, he needed to think upon this.

He was certain that she was thinking he would kill her but this presented new possibilities for him. The king may have just done Alexander a great favor. She was held in high esteem by many and being the cousin to the king made it that more favorable for him. Maybe something could come of it but that would remain to be seen. He had much to think about when it came to this. Well, if he grew tired of her, he could always kill her and blame it on some accident. That was yet another thing he had much practice at.

Chuckling, his eyes went to Anarith, making himself known to just her for a moment before disappearing away entirely. He had left a card for the king near his throne on one of the decorative tables to say his farewell. It was a known habit of his so it wouldn't be looked down upon. Alexander went back to hid estate for his thinking and plotting.

She'd seen him for an instant. Her life was in shambles, she retreated to her room and locked herself within and carefully and painstakingly undid every part of her costume and dressed herself for bed. She needed rest, her curtains always remained drawn as she preferred the dark and was quite sure vampires did not greet the dawn unless wishing for death. She somehow was thinking now might be a good time to just end it all. So she'd lived for a few more years than she'd intended. She didn't want to go through anything so horrible as what she'd been through all over again, and horrible was spelled 'A-l-e-x-a-n-d-e-r'.

She felt scared and alone, like a child again. Like that night after that ball those years ago. She shuddered to think about it, to remember the pain she'd gone through. Vampires didn't faint, they weren't as fragile as humans... but a woman was fragile no matter what. She had to make sure that the King retracted his statement or that Alexander told him no. She was not a pawn or tool anymore, she'd let him kill her before she was used again.

In her dreams she saw nightmare images and reels that flashed before her of that night. She remembered it vividly in unmistakeable clarity. And yet she was so young and haunted every night by the face of the only man she'd love laughing as he'd made himself another companion right before her eyes, as he let his friends use her like they used all women. She had been destroyed so thoroughly it amazed her that her sanity had returned to her.

She woke up with a scream trapped in her throat and multiple claw marks on her skin, this didn't bode well for the coming days. Because she was going to be locked inside with no company but her own and it seemed like the worse the nightmares got the more wounds she would acquire. All because she was more afraid of what Alexander might do if he decided not to kill her. Because he was just that cold hearted of a bastard.

Alexander had gone up to his room with nary a sound. His servants were like ghosts in the hall ways, in their passages and stairways. He whistled to himself once he entered his room. A small part of him was thinking about what Anarith might want instead of him just saying yes. He knew that such an offer from the king was usually snatched right up. He reasoned with himself that even if he did say no, he would likely be out of the king's favor. The king could be fickle like that.

Though Alexander was self made, he could just as easily be exiled by the king. Saying no would make the king angry with him. He didn't need that now. Saying yes would bring him closer to the king's grace. Maybe the night had really turned out for the best. He chuckled and whisked off his mask and hat, tossing them onto the hooks. He slipped off his clothes and slipped into the soft satin sheets of his bed. The light would be kept out by heavy drapes.

He sighed softly and turned onto his side, laying back on the fluffy pillow. She was a beautiful creature, but like a snake. Pretty and slick, cunning and quiet. He would have to watch her, that was for sure. His eyes finally closed and his thoughts drifted off into a dream. He didn't have nightmares ever and tonight was just the sweet lull of a wonderful dream.

He would be seeing Anarith the next night, he was sure.

She sighed as someone knocked at her door and turned back over covering her head with a pillow and drowning them out. She was throwing a child's temper tantrum, but she couldn't care less at this point. Because all in all, she knew what was next for her. Either a cold and political marriage or death. And she'd choose death.

She fell into another sleep, and still the same dreams haunted her to no end. Every time she managed to go to sleep, she had to wake herself up before she hurt herself too bad. She observed her arms, she had some blood stored in a little compartment in one of her cabinets, and she got up to eat. The cuts healed by themselves as she drunk from the full skein.

Eventually even the King and Queen attempted to rouse her from her room, but still she refused to leave. She supposed that she shouldn't worry them so, but it was her choice to act like a child and run away from this. Because there was nowhere far enough where she could run to; there was no escape from Alexander. And that was all she wanted. Because he was no better than her creator, and she refused to go through a new hell.

Alexander peeped open one eye as the clock struck for him to awake. He never used his servants to awake him, no. They would be sleeping or putting their own children to bed. Children. That was something he was always sensitive about. He had once considered adoption but without a wife, it would seem strange to some. It was not uncommon that children were used for... disgusting things. Those nobles always ended up dead though. God had created children to be untouched, to be pure and these monsters were worse than himself in that way. He had never laid a hand on a child that wasn't loving.

Sighing, he brushed silver hair from his eyes and pushed himself out of bed. It would soon be time to go and approach Anarith. He had decided that the marriage was what he wanted. She had been so fascinated with him at first but something told him that she wasn't in the mood any longer. Too bad. It was his turned to do the seeking and unfortunately for her, he was great at locating people and getting what he wanted.

He got up and dressed himself after bathing. His hair was tied back with a simple ribbon and he trained his eyes back into a dark brown. He slipped out of his own manor and went to the king's where Anarith was. He slid down the hall ways and through the doors without being noticed. He stopped, and knocked on the door, even if his strength would have let him in by itself. He was trying to be civil.

"Go away!" she called out fearfully, not wanting to see him so soon. She wasn't even dressed let alone mentally prepared to receive a visit from him. Whether it be her death in one way or another that knocked at her door. She was determined that her choice was not going to be taken from her.

He was 500 years old, she was only a tenth of that. How could anything ever work even if he decided her favored the idea of a political marriage? She wasn't able to process all of this at all, it was just happening too fast for her to even grasp. Fresh from a dream of her hellish past and thrown into a hellish future, well that was how she viewed it, and maybe she was right. But she didn't want to hope for anything and be proven wrong.

She just wanted him to disappear. She couldn't decide what she wanted, her mind was in utter turmoil which was reflected in her thoughts and actions. Finally she hide beneath her covers and a pillow and called out with as much fear and uncertainty as she felt, "Come in..."

Alexander was patient while he waited, he could sense the shifting mood within her. He chuckled to himself. Fear and the like was not feelings he usually received from a woman but then, she wasn't a normal woman. And that had nothing to do with the fact that she was a vampire, like he. He actually had come up with a little thought that she might like with this marriage.

He entered as soon as she had told him to and no sooner. He didn't want to completely scare her. She had covered herself as it was. He walked in, closing the door quietly and walked close to her bed. He stopped at the end of the bed and sighed, looking down at her. She had no need to hide herself, it would do her little good in the end. If he said yes, there wasn't anything she could really do about it.

"I know this will not please you, but I am accepting the marriage but more for political reasons than anything else. I know that you think less of me, or so I would assume," His eyes were red now, "But, to make it a bit more interesting for you... I know you had questions and thins you wanted to know. Give me little trouble with this arrangement and I will answer what you want to know and introduce you to others of our kind. I know where to locate them and how to find them."

"How dare you! If I wanted to marry for political reasons, I could marry a foreign emissary... I will not tie myself to you for this life or the next with no hope of love, and with no love... well children in anyway would be out of the question. What I'm trying to say is, I won't make this easy for you if that's all you want, you'll be just like the rest of them to me and no better. I could kill myself easily enough and that in itself would create problems for the life you've built here. I have feelings and I won't have them stepped on a second time... I've endured worse than you already, so you can either deal with MY terms or leave..." this whole thing was in a furious whisper.

However after the first words had left her mouth she had quit her bed to walk up to him to stand toe to toe with him, even if she was much shorter. She didn't care, he wasn't the end of her life. And she had any and all rights to refuse him if she wished. She may be weaker, younger and more foolish than him, but she wasn't about to let him just walk all over her. She'd been too much her own person when she was alive, now she had someone else trying to mold her into a puppet what a laugh.

"You know, you and my creator seem like you would have fun together... he was just like you are... too bad I didn't see that til after he treated me like the doll he claimed me to be and then tossed me out for the next trill with a generous body. Or are you going to prove me wrong?" she challenged him with narrowed eyes, just because he was stronger didn't mean she would ever back down. He had better learn that women who knew their own minds would never be cowed by men such as him.

Alexander snarled at her, "Don't act like such a spoilt brat. You should take what is offered to you, if meerly for your own survival. You want to displease your cousin? He did what he though was right. But, I do not need you in all reality. I could come up with an excuse for the King as to why we do not wed and it could simply be because you cannot bare children," He smiled slightly, but laughed bitterly, "No one knows what I am and it is not so easy to prove that I can have no children." He didn't step back but just looked down at her.

"Don't think you are so tough, even if you know you are not as strong as me physically. Don't be so stupid. When is the next time you will meet someone as old as myself or even another of our kind less you make them yourself? I could so easily give you a bad reputation amongst the night creatures and they would never come near you and forever keep away." He wasn't lying there, though that was a last resort. Mayn would become curious but not truly interact. He could alienate her in that world just as much as she could do to him in the human world.

"Now play nice and back off a bit dear, we may be alone but who knows what might float outside of these walls. You think you know all of my intentions, but you know nothing about me." But the last thing he needed was her to kill herself. She was right that it would hurt his reputation and there was little he could do about that.

Again her voice was that of a whisper, "Give me one reason I shouldn't fry myself with the sunlight? And reputation with night creatures, I don't know any! So what does it matter, they haven't done a thing for me... I've gotten by on my own and will continue to do so. I cannot bare human children you idiot... I'm perfectly fine, I lied about it... and the next time you think you know something about me think again... I do not care, even if I'm stupid I'd rather make my own choice than be a puppet again, so take your pick... we either play nice and go on my terms, or we don't play at all and ruin the other. Frankly, if you told him I couldn't bare children, I wouldn't care, they are not coming from him! And did I ever claim to know your intentions?" She only arched a brow at him, not backing down, not flinching or moving from where she stood.

She had a total disregard for her life at this point, if she was going to die, why not do it where she had some control over it? If she was going to end up in a bad place why not just do it herself? Why was she so up in arms with him, what about him set her teeth on edge, made her want to strangle and berate him. Maybe she just wanted to see the mask fall off, the perfect civilized mask and the predator beneath that he thought would scare everyone. Not her, she was done being scared, if he couldn't respect her wishes why should she respect his?

With that she sighed, and sat on her bed. "Look, we know nothing about each other and we seem to not like each other already. 1st I refuse to marry you unless you have genuine feelings of love for me... 2nd I'm not threatened by you, so you might as well stop threatening me... 3rd I'll listen to what you have to say if you won't antagonize me as though I have no brain, but in return you must also listen to me, do we at least agree on that?" she inquired softly as she watched him with a wary gaze.

Alexander scoffed at her, "I know what I hear, my dear. People talk often of you and so far you just disprove them. You find me naught but a heartless bastard, I am not oblivious to the fact," he crossed his arms in front of his chest, shifting his weight onto one foot as he watched her warily, "I am beginning to have no taste for dealing with this. I should have listened to myself earlier. Human politics are so fickle."

He waved his hand in the air dissmissively, "You have your wants and youur terms but I am not so inclined to listen after your over reaction. You could have beeen more calm to matter how little you like me," he gave her a look.

"But, I suppose I could give you a listen. You were all for seeking me out earlier, if you don,'t remember. I have answers that you want for what ever questions you have. Quit being so... nevermind, just don't think you are the only one with a bad history that got you in this posistion. I was human once too."

"You're not a female, you'll never know what it's like to have that choice taken away... So don't criticize me. I just realized that all in all, you're less of a devil than my creator was, so I have nothing to fear with you... Therefore I can be calm..." giving a sighing she looked up at him, feeling older than she was. But Gods, they lived a long time, too long for petty grievances.

"I'm not going to just marry you for political reasons... because I am a creature who yet dreams, it may seem foolish, young, childlike or even naive, but that's not for you to decide. However if you can keep happy, even if there is no love between us I shall concede. Is that enough for you?" she asked in a soft voice filled with not resignation but simple calm. She refused to back down and be stuck in an unhappy place again. It would be weird to explain how they technically never divorced.

Because they would have to either both die, or one die to free the other. It was nothing that could be done, she wasn't sure she liked the thought of actually marrying someone who did not love her, because it was hard enough to know that eternity was cold alone, but to spend it by someone who wouldn't love you; there was no real point to it... she just wanted to escape, no matter how, where or when. But she knew she wouldn't, she'd stay and do her duty by him, even if it meant giving up years of her life to misery.

Alexander secretly admired her just for the fact that she still dreamed. He had given up on such a thing centuries ago. Being passed to another master at another point taught him that dreaming, for him atleast, was useless. He had no room to dream anymore. That is what he kept telling himself. If she wanted to dream, he would not ruin that for her but he would not partake. Let her keep what shreds of dreaming she had left.

"I never said I would not make you happy. I can bring you into the world that we belong to as well," He walked to the wall and leaned against it, red eyes watching her with a slight interest, "I know you will be stuck with me for of so very long. And trust me, I never dreamed of marrying anyone. Let alone, one of my own kind. Things like that are usually done for love or for complete control.

His eyes wandered the room, "And you will certainly want for nothing when you are with me, whatever you want, I can give. Though I am sure you are used to that. Sadly, I can not accomodate everything just yet... in the place of the vampires. That will take time, if you wish to meet others of our kind. It will draw attention to you for awhile though, I must warn you."