Aiden

There was always a reason why I avoided visitors and left Hayden to deal with everything. This was the reason. Having to deal with a bunch of power grabbing old men who were desperate to taste my blood and by extension rule our world. It was the burden and annoyance of being born a Pure blood, one of the very few including my brother who were still in existence. We were also the highest-ranking members of all the families comprising that sec. I had a headache walking through the bland corridors. In truth they weren’t bland. They were decorated with antiques that would catch my eyes in hopes I’d be in a good mood. That’s what made it bland. The fact that they tried and failed to brighten my mood.

I should’ve really passed the invitation on to him, but knowing Hayden, he’d be too busy playing with his toys to stand as a proxy. And it was days like this that I needed him to not be distracted right now.

The large door leading to the council room swung back heavily clanking against the walls as I entered, not caring if they’d fallen from their hinges or not. White marble walls gleamed like harbored jewels. I had only one resolution entering this room and that was to get this annoyance over with as soon as possible.

“Lord Aiden” a council man purred greeting me at the table. “how kind of you to honour our invitation”

I pulled out a chair sliding the cloves from my hand placing them before me, ignoring the fact that they’d given me the chair at the head of the table. They really didn’t want me here. I didn’t see the reason for the pretences.

“If I remember correctly” I replied keeping my eyes forward. “You threatened me”

He smiled sheepishly like I’d said something to make him blush. “Yes well, it was a necessary evil. You tend to avoid occasions like these”

“I have my reasons”

“Which might be, may I ask?” asked another as they all poured into the room taking a seat.

“You all don’t like me and would rather me dead” I replied. Expressions paled upon my pronouncement as well as tortured gazes, exchanged between the men. They were such fools. I might have been a child when my parents passed, but that doesn't mean I was daft to their devices. "Why do you look so shocked, you don’t think I know?”

My eyes dipped to the gloves on the table. I wasn’t avoiding their eye contact, in actuality I was granting them mercy. The only person’s we were ever known to look at full on, were the person’s we purposed to kill. And I wasn’t interested in having less than interesting persons on my hands. That dirty work could be left to Hayden and his minions.

“If, however your plan does succeed, it’d be useless. The other Pureblood families would clamber for the top, so you underdogs would still have to answer to someone. ” I continued. “But that’s not the gibberish you came to torture me with, so why don’t you old hags just come out with it already. ”

They glanced at each other exchanging looks, while whispers sounded around the room. My eyes shifted to a man that had recently entered heading to the remaining seat at the head of the table, my eyes narrowed, and he walked away standing in a corner. The man who approached me earlier, cleared his throat calling the room to silence as he straightened.

"As you are aware, your plan to coexist with the humans have been doing well despite the upheavals. And while we have lost the allegiance of the Chancey’s regrettably, their estate going up in flames a few weeks ago and of course, the untimely death of their daughter, your fiancée”

“Drop the damn flattery and get to the point, ” I growled. Matters within my courts had noting to do with them and I’ve oft instructed them so. It was tiring and damn near annoying when they acted as if they cared.

“Of course, my Lord. While we understand your hesitation in exterminating all the rebels in hopes that they’d eventually see what you’re trying to do it’s not working. ”

“Our prime example: the Chancey’s” explained another. “They were our trusted allies, the head of the family served within our courts, now he’s dead for encouraging insurrection against us. What punishment do you have in place if something like this should happen again?”

Like I said damn annoying. They were all withering branches who weren’t content with staying within the confines of their estates and wouldn’t be happy until everything was over run and gone. They wanted to enslave the blood bags and I wouldn’t have it. But I wouldn’t have insurrection either.

Not to mention that human affairs should not have their hands in the mix. The Coucil was made soley for Vampire matters.

“What do you have in mind?” I grumbled indulging them. I was already here.

“Rounding up the rest of the rebels and holding a public display. ”

They were really doing this for their ego.

“And we’ll give them a chance to pledge their allegiance, because you are a fair King”

Funny, I never claimed to be King.

“And if not death. Something like that will keep all the others who ever thought of joining with them a good lesson. ”

“Or it’d just cause more upheaval in the capital” I replied running a finger along my forehead. “And who would oversee this little project?”

His mouth opened to form my brother's name but I held up my hand. Hayden didn’t need to be near this blood shed right now, his hormones were out of wack and the last thing I needed was him going berserk on anyone. He was impatient with a low annoyance threshold. Once he got annoyed enough, he’d kill them, they wouldn’t stand a chance in agreeing to join us. He’d cause more blood shed than saves lives. And they all knew it.

“Hayden is busy with his house affairs and I will be off for awhile attending to urgent matters. Choose someone able within you and let me have a weekly report” I replied pushing back the chair standing up. “I’m guessing this was the end of the meeting?”

He nodded, replied with gratitude as they all bowed their heads. I’d rather if they all tried to shoot me instead of acting grateful. I really loathe their behaviour. But they were the council and as much as I would rather dispose of them, I couldn’t.

"Do whatever you see fit,” I said, walking to the door. “Next time don’t you dare threaten me, especially with something pertaining to this rubbish. Write me a letter” I ensured he met my eyes.

He nodded, his face growing paler as I held his gaze before I boke it walking away.

∞

Hayden met me on my way into the house, he stopped biding his minions to go on without him as I climbed the stairs and he followed suit. He was in a good mood today, I noticed. His breakfast must have gone well- no rather lunch I realised checking my watch.

There were more servants out in the garden than yesterday, I realised too gazing through the window momentarily. Or maybe that was their usual number. I couldn't tell anymore. Still, what was Hayden up to? I loved him but sometimes he became my biggest annoyance as well.

“How was it?” he finally asked unable to keep his curiosity at bay any longer.

“Next time don’t tell me about any bloody notice that was delivered from the council”

He smiled, running a hand through his dark hair. “You know they enjoy seeing you. So, what was it about?”

“Some rebellion. They’re just bloodsuckers too miserable to keep on living and too resilient to die”

My brother’s smile widened further seeing my agitation. “Well we are vampires” he commented. “Sad about that Chancey situation though. I was looking forward to seeing you happy….for once”

So was I. A false sense of if hope I had given myself.

Things were no longer as they were when I was a child.

He left me alone after our little talk and I barricaded myself inside my room. Belle’s death had still felt me reeling. I couldn’t understand why she’d die like that, without even saying good bye. She might’ve been human and her life span might have also been fleeting but I’d promised her that she’d continue remaining a human as long as she lived and would also be able to see her family whenever she wished. I wanted her to be happy, that’s what I’d told her that day.

“you can’t let me marry a vampire father!” she turned to her mother falling to the ground pleading. “you can’t, give them her, give them Yuuki”

“Don’t be stupid” her mother chided. “she isn’t fit and you better than to mention that”

“But, they’re evil! Look what they’ve done to us! There are so many rumours about what they will do once we fall behind those gates. Father please!”

“Get up!” he replied "This is unbecoming, and our guest is almost here! What will he think seeing you like this? It was already decided, and he also chose you Belle”

I wasn’t aware that she hadn’t been a consensual party, that was the impression that both he and the other members of his kind had given to me. Now they made it look like I was taking her away from her family.

“Your daughter will live at my estate for six months” I said stepping from behind the column.

Seeing me she had rushed into her mother’s arms.

“Absolutely not!” her father thundered.

“I don’t believe you have a choice” I responded calmly. “within that time, you’ll be able to make your own impression of me, what you’ve heard is mostly wrong, my brother has a strong urge to exaggerate sometimes, you’’ll realise that having interact with him”

“How’d we know, she’d be safe? She’s the only child I’ve got and now you’re taking her”

“I have no desire to hurt her, she has become my consort after all, its only natural to try to get to know each other. Especially with her grave concerns” I turned to her father. “Unless what you’ve mentioned to me was a lie, in such a case what would stop me from killing you right here? I do detest liars”

“Please Aiden, don’t hurt him, I’ll come”

“Belle!”

“It's fine” she glanced up at me. “I’ll be fine”

I nodded glancing at her parent’s before taking a long look at her beautiful features. She was more stunning in person and right then, the annoyance of taking the trip had started to fade.

I turned away walking back the way I came. “A car will be back to take you in three days, I’ll leave you until then”

My eyes opened again as the car sped down the road on its way to the airport. There were still a few damaged buildings still in view that were yet to be taken care of by the work men, another of Hayden’s neglected jobs. It seemed the only way I could get him to see anything through was robbing, of his favourite meals every once in a while. Another meeting with even more indulgent people. Everything just seemed bland again. The buildings passed in a blur while I watched through the glass bored, only slowing to get a small flash of a face before she disappeared.

“Belle”