!! - A Letter - !!

Giacinto glared at the unopened letter laying on the large table within the room.

Already she hated and she'd yet to do more than touch the heavy envelope. He writing on it was addressed to her in a language that so few outside of the Fae's species could read.

As soon as the letter had been delivered - by Faeries of all things - she had sent out a message to the other Elder's of the mansion. They needed to talk. It was of utmost importance.

The Fae had sent her a letter and when the Fae were involved, nothing good could come of it.

Nothing good whatsoever.

"Come on, come on," she growled softly, glaring at the open door, waiting for someone to arrive.

Alek, she knew, wouldn't be able to attend. He had been called out to the Mainland urgently. She just hoped that Theodore could arrive promptly. This was something that they really needed to discuss.

The nameless Vampire's once again knocked on his bedroom door, it felt so strange being in his room alone, after his last little outing he hadn't left the room much, the Lycan had been keeping him close.

But when a letter arrived with the utmost urgency he promptly pulled on his clothing and made his way to the meeting room.

He walked down the hallway swiftly, his heeled boots clicking against the hardwood, there was no need to knock as the door was already open, as such he swept himself into the room.

Even in his urgency the Elf looked graceful and commanding, he hadn't seen Giacinto since the incident down in the dungeon, he had his revenge but was still annoyed, however personal feelings did not get mixed with work.

"I hope this time the matter really is urgent."
He muttered, looking down at the Vampire as he crossed the room.

His eyes widened a little when Lycus swept into the room, then narrowed a little.

What was he doing alive? She had left him to die. She was sure of it.

No matter. Business and pleasure held no place with each other. They had urgent matters to deal with. She could sort that mess out later. At the moment she had another mess to deal with.

"The Fae have sent for me." Her tone was dark, her face sporting a grave expression. When the Fae came to you outside of the thousand year celebration, it was never a good thing.

"I thought it was best for another Elder to witness the reading. And help me deal with whatever shit they've left behind for me."

She moved to the door, closing and locking it, before flitting to the very end of the table where the letter sat.

Her tongue ran over her lower lip slowly as she took a seat at the head of the table and picked up an ornate letter opener. She sliced through the envelope then wrinkled her nose. The letter was written of Vampire skin. A little tradition of the Fae - write a letter on the skin of the species the letter was for.

Her eyes flickered up to Lycus.

She was nervous and it showed. The Fae scared even her.

The Fae.

That wasn't a good sign, hearing from the Fae was never a good thing and something serious was happening for them to get involved.

Lycus pursed his lips as she closed the door and went for the letter, slowly he sat down, bracing himself for what ever the letter contained.

This was just what they needed right now, Elves were more closely related to the Fae, and even Lycus didn't like them, they were vicious and powerful, there was no telling what they would do, the Fae were beyond law or judgement, they followed so few rules set by their own kind.

His eyes locked with Giacinto's the sharp, hard irises showing signs of his worry, this could be bad news for all of them.

"What does it say?"
He asked, dreading the answer.

She slid the thick pressed skin from the envelope and unfolded it gently.

Her eyes scanned over the series of dots, lines and swirls that consisted of the Fae alphabet slowly.

"Fuck," she sighed softly. That wasn't good. That really wasn't good.

"Giacinto,

It has come to our attention recently that you have taken on the burden of a safe house for supernatural creatures." Her brows creased. "Recently? I've led this damned coven for six centuries. Fae and their fucked up time frame..."

"We have taken it upon ourselves to monitor the few that have taken up residence in your safe house. So many species in one area may lead to hybrids and mixed species relationships. As you well know that is not tolerated by the Fae, though you have proved well enough for us to overlook your flawed species. Bastards." So what if she was only half Vampire?

"We will send - oh fuck me sideways - Xtopherus and Feidlimid to monitor your safe house and correct any mistakes they find intolerable." She groaned and tossed to pages onto the table. "I really hate Xtopherus and Feidlimid." They weren't the most agreeable Fae in existence.

"We're fucked. Half of us are going to be killed. Might as well send us all to the slaughter house now. Fucked with a capital F."

His eyes widened slowly as she read, this wasn't good news, he had never had to worry about mixed species, he was a full blood High Elf, and all those under his control were full Lycan, this definitely wasn't good.

"Calm down."

He said firmly as he stood up, walking around the table in order to help him think, they couldn't just give up and allow the Fae to slaughter innocent creatures, despite the cross breeding.

The Elf ran his hand through his hair and let out a frustrated groan, they were not in a good spot here, they needed to act fast or risk losing half the coven.

"We're going to come up with a plan so that when Xtopherus and Feidlimid come we are at least slightly prepared."

He muttered, he hated those two just as much as Giacinto did, they were old, powerful and cruel, just looking at the twins could render you frozen in fear.

"This is urgent, we need to get any half breeds out of here immediately, they will be killed on sight."

"We have more halfbreeds than is sensible to remove."

What halfbreeds did they have? Moe, Luka, Cinaed, Lex's unborn child, Alyosha, Alexander.

"With their partners following them, we'd lose a large amount of our coven. The Fae would know what we'd have done and they really won't like that. They don't like being cheated, Lycus. Trust me on that one."

She worried her lower lip.

"And even then, we have the worries of mixed species relationships. There's no way we can ship those off, too. We'd be without the coven that they want to monitor. It's a move that could cost us more than just the deaths of our coven members."

"Then we remove the ones with the most to lose, Mothers and their children, that's it. Fathers and adult half breeds will have to stay to avoid drawing attention.

I'll not stand by as innocent children are slaughtered because of their blood.
That should not be that noticeable of a loss, we can send them to my estate in Greece, they would be looked after and safe until the Fae leave."

He replied, children were at the greatest risk, the Fae would not hesitate to kill a hybrid child, it would stop another generation from beginning, cut the problem off right at the head.

"The relationships have to stop, that isn't an option, for the time being everyone in their assigned rooms, no public affection amongst anyone who isn't of your own species.

Any affiliation they have with each other while they are here is done at their own risk, in absolute privacy, death being the likely outcome if they were caught."

He added, a lump rising in his throat, he had faced death before and his relationship with Aleksandr would get him killed again, he'd have to go without the man in his life.

"My granddaughter and her aunt. With Moe's children, that's four and the unborn child. Five. Their mates aren't going to like us shipping them off to Greece and forcing them to stay. Alexis may birth in Greece. We don't know how long the Fae will stay here. Would it be possible to fly Tahir there if that happens?"

She didn't want Tahir to miss out on the birthing of his child if it got to that point.

She sighed softly.

It was the best lead they had so far. She just hoped that people heeded their warnings and didn't do anything stupid.

"We're going to have to broach this carefully. It'll be a sore subject for any of them. We have mated mixed race couples. They will not be amused with having to stave off all affections."

She sighed softly.

"We have too many headstrong underlings, Lycus. We need to keep people in line. Warn Hybrids of their possible fates and broach all mixed-race relationships. I don't know when they'll arrive here. I dont know how much time we have to do this."

"Their mates will do as instructed for the safety of their women and children, I have no doubt when I say that if the women stay their children will be slain."

There would be no mercy for those children and anyone who tried to stop the twins would meet a far worse fate.

"If the time comes I will try to get Tahir to Greece but I make no promises."

There was no knowing what this inspection would be like, whether or not the man would be able to witness his child's birth was unknown.

"Then we act immediately, even those who are headstrong will do as ordered if not for their own lives then for the lives of their lovers.

We can't try to smooth this over will any of them, they have to know the threat and the consequences of their actions if they choose to ignore our warnings.

We are dealing with a force beyond our control or our laws, any misbehavior will be met with swift and harsh punishment because anything we do to them will be far kinder than what Xtopherus and Feidlimid are capable of."

He had no doubts about the twin cruelty, they lived through so much and they held no fondness for anyone, no mercy for anyone.

"If there is any misbehaviour it will be us on the line."

She gave a grim smile.

"We represent the entire coven - Vampire, Elf, Lycan, Necromancer - if one of them causes trouble, it is us the Fae will punish for not keeping them in like properly."

Which will make it difficult for the hybrids. Two bloods; two species; two Elders to punish.

She was fucked if Alexander caused any trouble for her. He was the Vampire that chose to cause the most trouble for her.

She rubbed at her temples gently as she sighed.

"With Moe gone I only have Fabian to keep in line, I'll be able to go across to the Vampires and Lycans if need be.

With an Alpha and Beta the Lycans should be able to be controlled, so few can go against their hierarchy, I think our main issue is going to be the Vampires, there are so many of them and even with an Elder it is hard to keep them controlled."

He replied with a sigh, slouching down in a chair, this was a colossal mess they had gotten themselves into.

"We will need to cease any unsavory activities."
He added, looking up at the woman, the dungeon couldn't be used, humans could not be brought to the mansion as a meal, hunting in the city would need to stop.

"You'll be better suited to helping me with the Vampires. Alek has full control over the Lycan and Elves are more closely related to Vampires than any other species."

She gave a humourless smile. "Elves are the product of Faeries and Vampires mating together."

The woman rubbed at her face. She looked tired. Haggard. She wanted to do nothing more than pretend that this wasn't going to happen. She wanted to pretend that she had never gotten the letter and just go back to normal.

"I'll have to go into town and say my goodbyes to my human tonight."

She gave a low groan. "Belial."

That was a whole other ballgame. She'd have to attempt to deal with Belial and his harem of sluts. That would be difficult at best; an absolute nightmare at worst.

"I'm aware of that, why else do you think the Fae are so lax when it comes to me yet breathe down your back."

He replied, Lycus should draw more attention, he had been breeding Lycan for millenia but being an Elf they were more lenient. Giacinto was a half breed herself, they had reason enough to dislike her.

Lycus nodded softly at the mention of her human, he would have to stay in his room alone, remove any of Aleksandr's belongings and try to get rid of his scent from the bed.

His lips pursed at the mention of the Fallen angel.
"Get Aleksandr back here, he is best suited to dealing with Belial, the two of them are close."

He muttered, if Belial went to Hell and back as a favor for the Lycan then surely he could behave for a while upon request.

"If I could get him back here then he'd be here," she groused.

"His primary duty is to serve his pack. The coven is a secondary concern to him. If he wished, he could take his family and leave and we'd be left to pick up the slack. In fact, I think I may suggest that."

It would save the pack any loss or trouble.

"He'll return in a few days. Until then we need to take matters into our own hands."

She gave a loud whistle and two Vampires appeared almost immediately at the door.

"Fetch Belial. Tell him its important and he should drop every bloody thing he's doing and get his ass down here. Now. We don't have time for his whims right now."

The two nodded then sped off to find Belial.

His lips pursed slightly at the thought of Aleksandr up and leaving with his family.

Could the man really do that? If so would be leave the Elf behind so easily to handle his end of this mess.

Thinking it over seriously it would be easy for Lycus to slip out early in the morning, moving silently through the woods, he could move through fairy territory with ease, no one would be able to follow him through there and he would escape the incoming Fae.

The thought dwelled there for a while as he sat silently as Gia ordered her underlings.

It took mere moments for the Vampires to be knocking at his door, which Asher answered, letting them in so they could talk to the Fallen.

"Well then, Tony gets what Tony wants." He muttered with a chuckle as he disappeared from the room and reappeared sitting in one of the chairs.

Belial was dripping wet, naked with a towel wrapped around his waist, a smug grin spread across his lips.

"I'm afraid you caught me in the middle of a shower, what is it you wanted?"

He asked, looking up at her, mirth filling his eyes.

Her response wasn't amused in the slightest.

"We have Fae coming."

She pushed the letter towards the Fallen. She had no doubt that he could read the ancient language. He'd realise what shit they were in when he read it.

"You have to get your shit together and let go of your Slaves."

It wasn't a request.

"Woop de do?"

He replied, picking up the dried skin and reading it before tossing it back onto the table.

The Fallen shrugged and lay back in his chair.

"The Fae don't like me, I certainly don't like them, I've had those assholes trying to control me for eons."

The man paused and looked up at the woman.

"What have my Slaves got to do with anything?"
He asked, his eyes narrowing slightly, if some little uptight Fae think they would try to do anything to those in his protection they had another thing coming.

"If you're caught with them, they'll be killed and Alek will be put on the chopping block along with them because they're under his protection. And perhaps even Lycus. He's the closest to a Faerie here. He'd get the blame for Asher's actions. You know what Fae think about mixed species relationships."

Her red eyes narrowed slightly at the Fallen.

"Either you let them go or the four of you can fuck off over the horizon and not come back."

Coilean wouldn't allow that to happen. He wouldn't leave his family so Belial's choices were limited.

"I'm not allowing you to get Aleksandr and Coilean killed because you dont want to play nice." She wasn't giving Belial a choice here.

Belial stood as she scolded him, he didn't take kindly to hearing these sort of things about his Slaves, he would not allow anyone to harm them.

"I'll let them go while those short little pricks are here but so help me if any of them come out of this even the slightest bit hurt it will be on your head Tony and I'll not only take my wrath out on Xtopherus and Feidlimid but on you as well."

He didn't have a choice, Coilean wouldn't leave Aleksandr and neither would Zakhar, the Lycan was loyal to him but still had a strong fondness for the Alpha.

Belial and Noam were the only ones who could stand up against the Fae but just how many people would die before they could stop the twins, too many, far too many.

"I have to survive this for you to take it out on me."

She had Belial's reluctant co-operation now. All she needed was the co-operation of everyone else. It was going to be difficult.

"Coilean and Zakhar; they can stay together. Fuck each other as much as they want. Do whatever the fuck they want. But you and Asher..." She shook her head. "Not even a kiss. If you need to fuck someone, go to Achinoam. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to be your fuck buddy until the Fae are gone."

She slumped in her chair.

"I don't want any of this, Belial. I'm doing this because it'll keep us all alive so we can enjoy it in the future."

"If anyone steps out of line and risks fucking this up for Zakhar, Coilean, Asher or myself I will personally see to it that they spend eternity down in the darkest parts of Hell."

He replied, narrowing his eyes dangerously, he would ruin anyone who did anything that would risk their lives, he would show them how merciless he could be.

Belial could take on a Fae, perhaps both of the twins, but there were many Fae in the world and only Noam and himself here, it wouldn't take long for them to be over run and in the time it took him to crawl back out of hell and find a new host body the Coven would be destroyed, he couldn't risk starting a full blown war between Fae and Angels, fallen or not.

He sat back down in his chair, a glum expression on his face, as his chin rested on his palm, he couldn't even kiss Asher, hold her hand, even touching her could ruin everything.

And Zakhar...they were going into mating season and he wouldn't be able to lay with his Lycan, all in the name of their preservation.

What if they died, if there was a chance that any of them could go to Heaven instead of Hell...he would never be able to get them back...

"You do that; it'll save me killing them."

Right now she wasn't playing nice guy. She couldn't afford to let people off if they screwed up. If they messed up, they were gone.

Done. No more. Dead.

"We're all in a tight fix here."

She'd have to find a Vampire lover to satisfy her. One thing a Succubus couldn't go without was sex.

Just about everyone she knew was in trouble of dying.

She'd send out a letter to her Imogenne soon. Someone to keep her company in bed and feed on. She needed someone if she couldn't get to Nanda.

"You've dealt with the Fae more than us, Belial. I've only ever seen them four times before. How fucked do you think we are?"

"On the off chance that we can pretend none of us are in cross species relationships we could be alright.

You know as well as I do how much they hate hybrids, depending on how they act will determine if they live or not, whether they are seen as a threat or repulsive."

The Fallen sighed, running his hands through his hair, it was a difficult situation now that people were vulnerable, he could evade the Fae, out run them if need be but have Coilean, Zakhar and Asher with him would slow him down too much, he couldn't run this time, or start a fight.

"Children are dead if they find them, we'd be more merciful killing them ourselves."

Letting them find hybrid babies was not an option in the slightest.

"I don't know if either of you have been on the receiving end of a Fae attack before but let me tell you, it is nasty, they aren't much stronger than a Vampire but they don't need physical strength with all the crippling magic they hold.

If someone acts up there is no escape for them or their superiors, you can't fend off their attacks, it's impossible, not even I wouldn't be able to block an attack from Xtopherus or Feidlimid for long."