Vampires 1. Prologue

Prologue

I died in London, England in 1664. William Shakespeare was still working at the Globe Theatre and Oliver Cromwell hadn't even been born yet.

For the last four centuries I have lived along side vampires, keeping them on top of the longest continuing battle in the world. The battle between vampires and werewolves, yet I am neither, I am worse.

Being what I am, I have only two chooses to survive, hide or kill.

If I were to choose to hide there is only one place we can go, to Christophe, the leader of the only coven that exists for my kind, but if you choose to fight? I would have to pick a side and you stick to it. For neither would ever have me back.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_2 centuries ago._

"Where is Alexandria? Tell me where she is right now." Marcus growled through his now exposed fangs.

"Please, my Lord she'll be here soon." The small, pale faced servant was cowering on here knee's at the bed side of Marcus, head of the vampires.

"She better be, wretch, or you'll be the next one to leave this place in a body bag, human." His fangs were starting to expand from his gums. His hold of the woman's hair was pulling her head back at a painful angle exposing her slender throat to his hungry gaze. Just as he lent in to bite the woman's throat her pulse rapidly beating just under her fine skin the engrained, solid oak doors banged open and in a flash a woman stood right beside Marcus the doors slamming shut with the speed of her entrance.

"Marcus? You're ill! Please don't send another one of our servants to the morgue." The mysterious woman breathed into his ear, "I brought the doctor I was telling you about. The young one, you remember?" She looked like about twenty, but her eyes showed she had more knowledge than twenty years would have allowed anyone to have gathered in those short years.

"Come in doctor, I want you to meet Marcus." She called over her shoulder, her gaze never leaving Marcus's ruby red eyes.

"This is the man I was telling you about, the one I said you could help heal." Her panic was well masked as she moved the maid from her crouching position on the floor to the nearest servants exit in the same moment, sparing her for Marcus's wrath.

"You better be right about this man Alexandria or we will have some problems." He was tired, you could tell by the tone in his voice but Alexandria also sensed fear, he was ill and if he died no-one knew what would happen to their coven.

Alexandria lower her head so as to be at eye level with Marcus, her eyes were flag stone grey and aged with wisdom, far different from the blood lusting ones of her vampire companions and whispered so low no one but them could hear, "My love have some faith in me. I searched everywhere for this man! Please at least give him a try and if it doesn't work you can have him as a present." A coy smile flashed across her face and Marcus nodded slowly the corners of his lips turning upwards ever so slightly.

"What is your name human?" Marcus ordered never taking his eyes off Alexandria as he questioned the human doctor as he crossed the room to stand at the end of an old hand carved mahogany bed.

"My name is Doctor Samuel Lenihan." The doctor replied curtly with a polite smile, "And if you must know my speciality is foreign diseases or in this case, dead diseases." Doc might have been nice at face value but when he was treated as if he was indifferent, he became slightly nasty. He had spent too many years being treated as if he was under everyone when he was there equal at least maybe even more.

"That hurt, Doctor." Marcus replied, a mask of mock hurt spread across his ghostly face. Chuckling, "I like you, which if you want to live long is a good thing, so try to stay on my good side." He reinforced his threat with a flash of his ivory fangs.

They were only being civil but it was better than Alexandria had hoped for, at least Marcus hadn't killed him yet, there was hope in this relationship she thought into herself laughing.

"If you'll excuse me gentlemen," Alexandria smiled sweetly, bowed and started to leave.

"No. Please, would you stay with us Alexandria? This was your idea after all and if this works, you should be her to celebrate with us." He might have had a polite smile on and a friendly facade in place but his request was nothing short of an order. Marcus had no belief in the fact that a human doctor could save him. Besides, Marcus was famous for never trusting humans or anyone else for that matter.

"Of course my Lord and it will work have faith in the good Doctor." Alexandria replied curtly, she didn't like taking orders, but Marcus and his coven had taken her in, she owed them. She also stayed out of pity for the doctor, if she did leave them alone there was no telling what Marcus might do to the poor man and after all he was only trying to help.

Hours passed and all Alexandria did was sit stiffed back, watching the doctor work on Marcus, taking blood samples and checking his body all over with medical instruments. She watched him with honest curiosity, she had never seen a doctor work before and it fascinated her to see how he worked with such control and authority this close to a vampire.

"You must rest Doctor. You are exhausted and if you keep taking blood out of Marcus you'll not be around for much longer." It was a low hit at Marcus but she didn't care, as much as she owed them, ordering her about was not the right way to go about earning her respect or gratitude.

"I'm done anyway." The doctor smiled, pleased with his progress, "Yes, Marcus you do look kind of hungry if you ask me." Marcus looked up for under his pale hand and gave doctor a questioning yet unimpressed look. The doctor chuckled and answered, "Your eyes are a darker red than what they were when I came in."

Marcus's fangs snapped down, like pearl white daggers, "You dare look at me as if I'm an experiment? You are lucky I haven't drained you already, peasant." He was starting to rise up out of the bed when Alexandria ran in between the two men.

"You hurt this man Marcus and there's no other way on this planet you have of getting better. Do you really want to die and leave your coven in a state of disrepair?" Alexandria growled out angrily, she let that sink in while flashing worried glances over her shoulder at the doctor. He gave her a vague wave trying to convey that he was, in fact ok but she wasn't buying it.

"I think it's time we left Doctor Samuel's." Alexandria gave Marcus a warning look, he might be head of the coven but she was stronger than him, even in his strongest form and she wouldn't let him forget it anytime soon.

"I believe you might be right and please, just call me Doc. It's easier for everyone if you do." He smiled and small smile then turned heading straight for the open doors at the other end of the room.

Alexandria let him get about half way on his own, still locked looking into the eyes of Marcus. She snapped her head round and covered the distance to Doc had covered in half a second, grabbing him and carrying him out of the room in another half a second. When he was let go the Doc brushed himself off and straightened his jacket out, Alexandria closed the heavy doors, the wood creaking with age in protest.

"Those doors are nearly as old as me," She chuckled, while shaking her head, trying to get the look in Marcus's eyes out of her mind, "I do apologise for that but it was necessary." Her tone invited no questioning from the doc tor as she started to head down the main hall she waved the doctor to follow.

"I think I know what's wrong with him." Doc seemed confused about his diagnoses though, "It hard to explain though." He ran a shaking hand through his long, blond hair that sat ragged on top of his head.

"Please try and I will see if I can help you." They turned into another hallway and Alexandria opened a door, gesturing Doc in first.

"Well, the blood in his system is poisoned but I don't see how a human poison should affect someone like him." Doc shrugged, it was confusing because no human poison should harm, much less slowly kill a vampire. "Has he feed on a human who could want Marcus dead?"

"We are not that open about what we truly are too many people, Doc. Yes, there are those who hunt down and kill vampires but they use stakes and behead them." Alexandria was trying to figure this out as much for her as she was trying to help Doc.

"Has he been given blood in any other form? Say, given to him in a glass because he was unable to actually drink for the human body." Doc seemed so comfortable with discussing this, that it completely baffled Alexandria, she was so used to people going mad when someone told a human they were a vampire.

"I think he might have been given it like that a couple of time because he was unable as you say, but I have been away looking for you so I wouldn't know for sure. Why do you ask?" Confusion questioned Alexandria's whole expression.

"We should investigate into that, there might be some complication with separating the blood from the human to giving it to Marcus." Ask Doc explained his theory he started to get up, heading for the door again.

"Where do you think you're going, Doc?" Alexandria cocked her head; she lifted her hand silencing him with a wave of it as he started to answer and said, "You need to rest. These will be your chambers while you are with us."

"No I can't possibly; my brother would come looking for me. Plus I have no clothes at all with me." He was flustered and if Alexandria had been human she might have found it the slightest bit attractive, she chuckled to herself at the thought.

"No need to worry good doctor. I will go over to your house personally and inform your brother myself. I will even ask your brother if he wishes to stay here with you and help you. He is a doctor as well, two heads are better than one or so they say. Sleep now! Please? By the morning your brother will be sharing the room with you and I will come visit you myself, in the morning and take you to breakfast." With a smile and a slight bow of the head Alexandria left the stunned doctor to his rest.

As she walked back along the portrait hung hallways heading towards the main hall thinking about how she would get to Doc's brother she was interrupted by a tall, very well built vampire.

"Marcus is pissed at you, you know." When he spoke a hint of a long lost Russian accent was present, "So did the doctor work or am I going to have to get someone to get rid of another body, I'm running out of places to hide the bodies you know."

"Nicholas you are the best at hiding things in this coven." Nicholas's fangs flashed down, "If you threaten me this will end up like it did the last time you thought you could beat me, and anyway it was a compliment. You are the best at hiding things." A poison sweet smile spread across her face, just daring him to start on her, the memories form the last fight of theirs still hung in her memory. "Anyway you wouldn't hurt me and you know it, you like me too much." She ran the back of her fingers across his cheek and he closed his eyes, relaxing into her touch with a shudder.

"You should leave Marcus and come with me." His eyes flashed burnt crimson but you could see the hunger in them, but it was the hunger for her body that burned brighter than the red of blood lust ever could.

"And if I did that, I would get thrown to the wolves, literally and you would end up being a traitor, you'd also end up with no head." She didn't want to leave Marcus but if she did the pain she would receive was something she didn't want to endure, she liked living and the werewolves would not allow that.

"Seeing as we've finished," She continued before Nicholas could come up with another excuse for her to run off with him, they'd already had this conversation, many times, "Do you know where my brothers are? I have something I have to take care of."

"I think James and William are in the kitchen flirting with the kitchen maids." He shrugged, "Do you want me to come with you? Your brothers sometimes need a lot of persuading to get them away from the ladies." He was telling the truth and he would be a lot of help on reflection.

"Yes and seeing as your coming with me now," Alexandria chuckles at the dazed expression that now flashed across his face. "You can come with me and my brothers. We have to go collected Doc's brother and bring him here." They descended the stairs and headed for the kitchen.

"May I ask why you're going to get the doctor's brother? I see no reason why we should have both them around here; wouldn't they be safer if they were staying outside the mansion?" Nicholas's logic was good but he had missed one important detail out.

"Doc and his brother are the only people left in his family and if we have them both under this roof we can control what is said about us in the outside world."

"So basically we have two prisoners, who are both doctors and we keep our secrets hidden from the streets of this town." Blunt as always was Nicholas.

Alexandria rolled her eyes, they were nearly at the kitchen, "Yes if you must put it that way, anyway we might need to persuade the brother to leave the house I think it's the only thing they have left of their mother and father's." She frowned; she didn't understand why people liked to hold onto things of the dead.

"That shouldn't be difficult with me and your brothers there." A cruel smile had appeared on his face as he held to door to the kitchen open. Alexandria ignored him and focused on finding her brothers, the effort having a fight with Nicholas was too great to bother with at the moment.

She found James first; he had lifted a kitchen maid onto the wooden table and was slowly biting his way down her throat but not drawing blood. The maid's face had drained of all colours, her eyes were stuck wide open with fear and her heart, from where Alexandria stood sounded like it was beating way to fast, at this rate she'd end up having a heart attack before James drained her.

"James put the woman down now." Alexandria's voice was ice cold as she ordered her brother to stop.

He lifted his head, licked his lips and spoke, "Sis, would you really interrupt me when I'm having so much fun?"

"You know something, I would and I just have." She stuck her tongue out playfully at her brother, the more seriously continued, "We've got a job to do so put the girl down and where is Will hiding?" Her voice was still cold but it also sounded tired.

"Why should I know I don't follow him everywhere? I had my own business to take care of; he's probably up in the library studying." James laughed but his gloating was cut short as in a blur he was crashed into the opposite wall. William was crouched on top of James chest.

"Now what was that brother? About me studying I think?" William hissed menacingly in James ear.

They both rolled over laughing as they stood up. They were twins, it had taken Alexandria years to figure out what they reminded her of as they played together like this but know it was obvious. They looked like two bears when they acted like this; they were both pushing six foot and had solid muscle covering most of their bodies and shaggy brown hair, it made her laugh when they acted like this.

"So little sis what's the job you where talking about with James?" He was teasing her, they always did.

"I am the same age as you Willy." She punched him, hard in the arm and only hit muscle; he flinched and pretended to howl in pain. "Well I am! So stop teasing me; we are triplets, even if you two decided to be twins."

"Yes changing all three of you at the same time, I still wonder if that was a sensible idea." It was the first word Nicholas had spoken since we'd walked into the kitchen and he sounded amused; Alexandria had almost forgotten he was there.

"Nicholas!" Both James and William chorused at the same time as the flashed across the room, tackling Nicholas into the wall he had his back to, sending things flying as they did.

"Get of me!" Nicholas coughed, "You to have to remember you're just a little stronger than I am."

"Just a little," James winked at Nicholas laughing, "So are you coming with us on this job? You wouldn't leave us alone with Alex would you?"

"How kind you are to me James and yes Nicholas is coming with us." Alexandria needed them to get back on tract it would be morning in a couple of hours and then Nicholas would have to sleep. "You know the doctor I brought to look after Marcus; well we have to go bring his brother here."

"Why bring him here? Wouldn't it be safer if he stayed out of the mansion, for both of them?" William and Nicholas thought more alike than they realised Alexandria thought with a small chuckle.

"That's exactly what I thought Will, but if we keep them separated the brother might talk and are secrets could come out." Alexandria glared at Nicholas; he had just stolen her reasoning.

"That doesn't sound like something you would come up with Nicholas." James interrupted and I smiled, James always saw through Nicholas when he tried to be smart.

"You got me," Nicholas held his hand up as if to surrender, "It was your sister's reason for bringing them both here and a very good one, I agreed."

"That sounds better," James might tease Alexandria but he wouldn't let anyone take credit for her ideas. She was the smartest out of the three of them and the reason they were still alive, even in this form, because of her. "You shouldn't take credit for other people's achievements Nicholas, it's rude." His voice had a bitter edge to it.

Nicholas's jaw was set tight as he spat, "My apologies, it won't happen again and if I had known you would act so defensively of your sister's thoughts I would never have of spoken."

Alexandria glanced up at William and she saw the same look in his eyes as what she felt, if they let this continue there would be a fight right here in this spot.

William coughed, pushing off the table he was leaning against, "Gentlemen, if we don't start moving now we won't get to the brother any time soon."

"Yes, Will's right can we please hurry up?" Alexandria added, she had promised Doc that his brother would be here by the morning it was already nearly one in the morning.

"I'll go get the carriage." Nicholas offered and left the kitchen in the same instant.

"James, next time you decide to choose a fight can it not be over me and can you try to have better surroundings than a kitchen." Alexandria snapped when she knew Nicholas was out of hearing range.

"Can't promise you anything and your welcome sis by the way," Alexandria just ignored him and headed to get her coat, "I'm sorry A' but he was being rude I couldn't just stand there and let him get away with it."

Alexandria let out a long sign, and flashed across the room and stood in front of James. She looked him in the eye and then stood up on her toes and gave James a quick kiss on the cheek, "You and Will are my only family and I worry one day your temper will get you killed, so please try and keep it in check, for me at least."

James could never argue with Alexandria when she was like this so he simply nodded and placed a kiss on her forehead, "We'll meet you at the front door go get your coat, our jackets are by the front door anyway." She did as she was told and flittered out of the kitchen and headed to her room, as she left she heard James say, "She'll be the death of me rather of my temper." William laughed in agreement and so did Alexandria.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Still two centuries ago._

"Is Mr. Michael Lenihan in?" Alexandria asked the shocked butler with her sweetest smile.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Lenihan is asleep, ma'am." He choked out.

"Then I suggest you go wake him and have him dressed so we can talk to him, it's about his brother and the job he turned down." Alexandria arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow; she was losing patience with the old man.

"Very well ma'am, I will go fetch my master. Please come in and make yourself comfortable, all of you." He bowed his head as they entered, gestured them in to a poor lit room where all four of them sat down and then left to fetch Michael.

"Well that was particularly easy, why did you need us again A'?" James asked as he studied his new surroundings.

"There are many reasons I brought you three but the main one is that if Michael turns out difficult one of you will carry him out." Her tone was completely serious with no trace of humour and James accepted here reason unquestioningly.

They sat in silence for the next 15 minutes as they waited for Michael to arrive; when he did, he looked flustered and a little bit angry.

"I told you never to come back to this home." The anger saturated every word Michael spoke.

"I wouldn't use that tone with me Doctor Lenihan and anyway I'm doing this for your brother so play nice." Her voice was cold and calm, "We wish you to stay at our mansion with your brother and help him with his work. You will be given every luxury of course and the best medical equipment."

"If I say no what will you do?" Michael asked his face devoid of all emotion.

"Michael the reason I've brought my two brothers and Nicholas here is so you can say no if you want but you will still becoming with us regardless." She sounded so confident it took Michael a few moments to gather his thoughts again.

"So what will I need then? Does my brother need anything?" Michael asked in a defeated tone.

"Tell your servants to pack up all your belongings and tell them to pack your clothes and medical equipment onto our carriage then everything else in your carriage, one of us will take your carriage to the mansion. After your servants have packed everything, tell them to close then curtains and cover the furniture you aren't taking with sheets, and then tell them they're going to need to find new places to work." It was as if a slither of ice was gliding down Michaels back.

"I can't do that Alexandria; some of these people have nowhere to go." The thought of leaving this place and it people upset him.

"Name the people who have no other place to go and Nicholas can take care of them." As she said it Nicholas conveniently let his fangs slide down and Michael outwardly shivered.

"Fine I'll tell them now, it could take hours though." Michael said with a sigh.

"You have two hours then we leave weather you are ready or not, so I suggest you pack your clothes and medicals stuff first." She left no room for questioning so Michael left stiff backed.

"Alex there was no need to be that cruel to the poor boy." Will said in a low gruff voice.

"How else was I going to get him to do what I want? I can't hypnotise people although that would be a good skill to have." She laughed out loud and was joined by all three of them, "We should go see if we can help in some way, I think I've been rude enough."

It took them nearly the whole two hours to have everything done even though the four of them added a helping hand, Michael looked exhausted. He had been running around after everyone making sure they were ok, arranging things so they had a place to go. Alexandria watched him with interest, he looked exactly like an older version of his brother although he had shorted hair it was still the same blond and around his eyes there were small laughter lines forming.

Alexandria walked through the crowd of exhausted servants towards were Michael stood arguing with a disgruntled neighbour, she tapped Michael on the shoulder so he would let her past and allow her to help.

"Is there something the matter sir?" She had put on her most innocent voice and smiled up at the man.

He stumbled over his words having to stop, take a deep breath to so to steady himself before he could come out with a coherent statement, "I'm simple trying to get out of this young man what is going on."

"You should have just come to me; I would have told you everything in seconds." She sighed as she fluttered her eyelashes; she heard his heart stutter and smiled. "I'm sorry sir if this woke you but Dr. Lenihan has an important job to go to and we have to leave right away. We're finished now so you can go back to sleep sir, no one will bother you anymore. It'll be a silent as the grave, I promise." She knew she was over doing it but it amused her greatly to watch the stranger stagger back to his house completely dazed.

She turned slowly, not realising that Michael was still behind her or that close and asked, "Are you alright you look tired. We should get you back to the mansion so you can rest." She was trying to be pleasant but the expression on Michaels face didn't seem to think that.

"Why did you help me?" He asked his jaw tight.

"Would you rather I stayed out of it and let you have a brawl on the street? Believe what you want but I don't start of every day with the intension to be cruel everyone, I do try to help people sometimes." If he was going to be like this with her, she could give it right back.

"Your right, I will believe what I want and I'm sure you're just a perfect angel." His voice was cold and harsh, "We're ready to leave when you are and by the way your friend Nicholas is going to be out of a meal tonight, I would apologise but I'm not sorry."

They glared at each other until someone called for Michael, the muscles in his jaw faltered and he turned at stalked off. As he left Alexandria noticed that most of the people had left, there were only a few standing around and one woman had taken too hiding in the shadows of the alleyway ahead, she looked haggard and worn, she also looked half dead. Nicholas appeared at her side as if from nowhere.

"I couldn't help but over hear..." He half whispered into Alexandria's ear.

"I bet you couldn't help yourself." Alexandria interrupted calmly.

"It's not my fault I have vampire hearing is it?" Alexandria just glared up at him; he shrugged and continued, "Well I've decided that Michael Lenihan is the complete opposite of his brother and that I enjoy watching you two argue."

"You're unbelievable you know that." She was still bussing with electricity; she wanted to hurt Michael so much, her fists were bunched into convulsive fists.

"Calm down Alex, you would break him if you touched him in this kind of mood and then Doc wouldn't be so willing to co-operate with us if you killed his brother and Marcus would never get better." Nicholas was talking sense for once which was rare for him but he continued, returning to his normal self, "But if you want I could kill him for you, I haven't had a good meal today."

"As tempting as that offer is dear, you are right, we can't kill him he has more uses alive than dead and if you want something to eat there's a stray in the alleyway." She pointed down the alleyway that she had saw the old woman in just a few moments ago and felt the gentle breeze as Nicholas ran off to get a drink. As she thought about what Nicholas was about to do she shivered, she might be a hybrid but she still needed to drink blood to survive not as often as the vampires, once or twice a month but that didn't mean she enjoyed it, in truth she hated herself even more because of it.

She decided there was no point in her standing out in the open street and headed for the carriage, as she walked towards it she sensed that she was being watched. As she turned in a slow circle she saw a flash of brown flash down another alleyway, before she could even say anything William and James were at her side.

"Werewolves, there everywhere, we can't even get these people out." James informed her of how bad this situation was getting.

"Nicholas, get here now." She might have whispered it but if Nicholas was still in that alleyway he should be able to hear her, "Nicholas get here now." She hissed furiously now, panic was starting to come over her but she struggled against it trying to keep calm.

"I don't see him anywhere and we saw that he didn't go that far off to have a dinner with that woman." William sounded exactly how Alexandria felt but he looked much calmer.

"You don't think that woman was one of them? They could have used a human as bait just like we have." She was trying to think of a rational explanation why Nicholas wasn't answering her and just like that cold, stone lips were at her ear.

"You look so cute when you're worried about me." Nicholas whispered so quietly that she barely heard let alone her brothers, playfully nipping her ear before becoming serious. "Do we know how many of them are here? We have to get Doc's brother out of here now, the rest of these people don't mean anything."

"Nice to see you're alive but don't bark orders and me Nic." James snapped.

"Shut up James." Alexandria said laying one hand on his chest and stepping between the two of them, "We don't know how many of them are here, but there must be a lot because this place reeks of their scent. We can't let all these people die, how would that be helping us keep our profiles low in this place?"

"Alex's right, we can't just let a full blown fight just open up here. You might have three hybrids with you but we can't beat them without making a scene." Just as William came out with that and was beginning to build up a new plan four shadows started to walk out of the alleyway that Nicholas had just been feeding in.

Out of the shadows walked two giants shaggy wolves, one was deep red colour while the other way pure black with them walked two men. Alexandria knew one of them immediately, it was Oliver head of the werewolves, but the other one was a stranger but by the scent Alexandria could smell from where she was, he was a hybrid. She threw a quick glance at William and James and knew by the way growls slipped from their clenched teeth that they smelt it to.

"Hello friends, it's been such a long time since I've seen all the three Thomas siblings together." Oliver smiled politely at them, his teeth slightly sharper than they should have been.

"Oliver." Alexandria just barely could bring herself not to curse his name to his face, but it was better to be polite for the sake of all these witnesses, "Before we go any further will you let these people go they have nothing to do with our war. Let them go." She felt her eyes burn, she'd been itching for a fight just as much as her brothers had been, she'd just been better at hiding it.

"Oh don't worry little Alexandria we aren't here to fight, as he said this Alexandria felt her face drop, that was the last thing she'd expected for Oliver to say to her. "I'm here to introduce someone to you and your brothers, the bloodsucker can listen if he wishes I won't be killing him either."

"You know I really don't believe you Oliver. It is not in your character to be civil or to go without a fight when the opportunity arises." As she said that more werewolves came out of the alleyways surrounding them. There was no way they would survive if Oliver gave the order for them to attack.

"I can't blame you for not having any faith in me Alexandria but you are in no place to argue with me." He lifted his hands as if to demonstrate the power he had as the werewolves moved closer in. "I do have to apologise, during our little conversation it completely slipped my mind to introduce my new friend." He smiled and waved at the stranger, he was tall but the clothes he wore hid most of his body obscuring the amount of muscle he had. "This gentleman is called Lewis," Oliver gestured to the man at his side. "By the looks on your faces as we walked across the street you already know what he is. Aren't you pleased to know when you fight us, one of you will get a fair fight against one of your own kind?" He sounded pleased at the fact that instead of killing a werewolf we would be ripping apart another hybrid instead, Alexandria shivered and it was definitely not because of the cold.

"So Lewis when did you come out of hiding 'cause there's no way you've been doing anything but hiding for the last say..." William started to say before he was interrupted.

"Lewis McEwen twenty-one years of age and been in hiding for the last sixty years." Alexandria stated clearly, adding the facts as she remembered them. Lewis was no stranger instead he was the last person to be turned into a hybrid by none other than Christophe. "What did Oliver say he'd give you if you came out of hiding and joined him?" Everyone had frozen including Lewis, Alexandria cocked her head waiting for his answer, she had a rare idea what it was but she wanted to hear him say it.

"Freedom, what else would cause one of our kinds to come out of hiding? All of us can't be like you and your brothers, some of us actually value our lives." Lewis spat, he knew what he was saying wasn't true but he was definitely right, some of the hybrids thought people like Alexandria and her brothers were idiots for getting caught up with the war, that it was none of their kinds business, that they were higher up the immortal food chain so to speak.

"You the youngest of the hybrids, how can you be so careless with your life? Coming out of hiding came at a cost didn't it? I take it Christophe told you never to come back to the coven and that you were no longer protected by his powers." Another long silence and Alexandria's patience was running thin and the people around them were scared for their lives as the werewolves guarded every exit from the street.

"You don't think we value our lives? We've been around for two hundred years and every second of those years we've been looking over our shoulders. All of us, the vampires, the werewolves and the hybrids are all living on borrowed time; it will have to come to an end soon. There's something that confuses me Lewis, why give up the safety of Christophe and dive straight into werewolf territory? Are you suicidal? Because you know that you will never be granted your freedom by Oliver, it's not in his nature to look after or keep promises with hybrids?" The bitterness that Alexandria had been collecting over the last two centuries weighed heavy in her words.

The silence stretched on for too long and the atmosphere was as if you were at the edge of a cliff face dangling over the edge just waiting to fall off, only the humans could show their emotions, the rest of them wore ancient masks that hid what they felt because they knew they could never show what they really were feeling.

Oliver broke the long silence with a slow, steady hand clap and everyone's eyes snapped to him because they all saw no reason why he should be doing such an action.

"It might have been years Alexandria but you haven't changed, you grow more and more like Marcus. That was a lovely speech but seeing as you've made your point we must leave." He whistled loudly, that some humans standing near had to cover their ears, "Now we must really leave and look no fight, just like I said and Alexandria please let Marcus know I was asking after his health. Goodbye friends." He gave them a sly smile as he turned to leave, dragging Lewis by the collar of his leather coat stumbling after him.

They all waited in their line watching Oliver and his entourage go, the werewolves were the last to go and with a snarl from the black wolf all the other wolves started to draw back into the shadows. They waited for what seemed ages making sure, even with their enhanced vision that they couldn't see any of them.

"Shit that was way to close." James breathed when they'd all nodded that it was safe.

"That means they're hiding somewhere near here and with the amount of wolves present just now that's going to be one big pack or den." Nicholas added to James complaint.

"We've got to get back and tell everything we've just witnessed to Marcus and the council." William commented Alexandria barely saw Nicholas and James nod agreeing with him.

"Alex?" William continued confused as Alexandria headed off towards the carriage.

"William did you see were Michael Lenihan went? No you didn't so shut up one moment while I check this out." Alexandria murmured she knew William would hear and obey her when she acted like this.

She walked through the dispersing group of people telling them to get out of here as she passed but she wasn't paying attention because she was trying to think where Michael could have disappeared to. As she came up to the carriage she checked the area around it looking for any signs of perhaps a struggle and saw nothing. As she stretched up to open the door of the carriage she noticed that the door was slightly ajar, it was locked when they left it and the servants wouldn't needed to have packed anything inside so why was it open?

"Michael, are you inside? If you are you can come out now they're gone." Alexandria slowly opened the door and looked inside and then dissolved into giggles.

"What happened, are you alright, and is Michael?" William had appeared at her side; she nodded hoping that they would understand she was alright and waved them to look inside. William looked inside first the pulled his head back out rolling his eyes. "Please don't tell me you're laughing at the man because he's sleeping." Alexandria played innocent but it didn't work, William shook his head in mock shame and chuckled, "What are we going to do with him?"

"Well I suggest we all get out of here now before that lot decide they want to come back and actually have that fight." Nicholas said everyone nodded their agreement. "Fine then, Alexandria will come with me and we'll take Michael to the mansion, as it's nearly dawn and Alex did promise Doc he'd be with his brother in the morning and you two take the other carriage with everything else."

"James and I will take the other carriage to the stables behind the mansion so they can deal with all the stuff there." William explained his part of the plan in more detail than Nicholas had allowed.

"Seeing we've all explained the plan at least twice can we get a move on? We have an hour roughly till dawn and I don't want them coming back and us to be here so let's leave now!" Alexandria snapped coldly and they all went to their own jobs.

The carriage ride back to the mansion was quiet and Michael never woke for his deep sleep, Alexandria watched him sleep, he looked so peaceful, Alexandria chuckled to herself he looked so much like his brother this way. As Nicholas pulled the horses to a halt servants flooded down the stairs to start the unloading of the carriage, the door was opened and a hand appeared, helping Alexandria lower herself out of the carriage.

"Wait." She whispered as Nicholas went to wake Michael up, still holding onto Nicholas's forearm she pulled him away and whispered in his ear, "Let him sleep, please. If you could sleep wouldn't you want to sleep after having a night like this?"

"You care for the mortal even though you have only known him for a few hours? You have such compassion Alexandria that none of my kind have," He smiled down at her the lines at the corners of his eyes crinkling as he did so. "You know that I would do anything to be able to sleep, to be human again and because of that I will let him sleep."

With that Alexandria watched as Nicholas cradled Michael like a child a carried him up the steps and into the mansion, just as she started to follow someone cleared their throat behind her.

"My Lady, Marcus wished to speak with you immediately. Your brothers have already spoken with him." The servant answered the questioning look that Alexandria wore; she nodded and headed up to Marcus's rooms.

As she headed up the grand stair case she felt a feeling of unease come over her, if Marcus needed to talk to her after her brothers had explained everything that had happened he shouldn't need to hear her side of the story as it would be the same as Williams or James's.

As she walked into Marcus rooms she froze, there standing in Marcus's clothes was a pale skinned, beautiful man, his skin shinning in the sunlight that came through the opened window, without even turning the man began to talking, "You know I have never had someone want to save my life before let alone search the world for the cure." He gestured a pale, long and elegant hand for Alexandria to come to the window.

As she slowly moved forward she could see the man's face. It was Marcus alright, just a younger, more beautiful one, the one she remembered before illness had struck him.

"Usually they would just run and leave me," Marcus continued as if he wasn't aware of Alexandria dazed expression, "That is how I ended up as I was, sick and old looking. If it wasn't for you my love I would be dead. Thank you." He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling at the effort.

With those two words Alexandria was snapped out of her daze, "You do realise that I was not the one to save you? It was a human." She was refusing to take the credit for this and enjoyed the fact that Marcus, renowned for his hatred of humans owed his life to one. "Why did you want to see me? I'm positive my brothers, and no doubt Nicholas," Alexandria added as an afterthought rolling her eyes at the thought of Nicholas giving a report, "Have told you everything I can."

"Is it a surprise for me just to want to see you?" It might have seemed like a question but Alexandria knew better than to answer, as the cool smile that had replaced his smile from earlier was an obvious warning. "Drake is coming to our coven to see my great recovery," Marcus waved his hands in front of him in an elaborate wave portraying what he was saying. "He also wishes to meet the good Doctor," sarcasm marring all his words. "That is where the small problem lies. Do you understand?"

"I'm sorry Marcus but I don't see were the problem lies. Why not let Drake meet Doctor Lenihan?" Alexandria answered courteously.

"Of course you wouldn't my love, you seem to believe that it would be quite alright for Drake to meet the human doctor but it isn't."

"So what do you suppose we do about preventing Drake from meeting Doctor Lenihan?" She wouldn't put Doc into harm's way; she had grown fond of him and didn't want to see him hurt.

"Always the cold hearted one in war but never one to see the obvious answer." Marcus chuckled to himself, "You see the meeting will go ahead as planned just take the dear, sweet doctor won't be human." His eyes flashed in a silent warning, daring her to argue.

"Very well," Alexandria answered through clamped teeth. "When will the transformation take place because at the moment Doctor Lenihan's brother is sharing his room and I would hate for his blood lust to take control and fro him to lose control and turn his brother as well."

"My dear you're too late. I changed the good doctor while you where away and had Nicholas place the brother in the good doctors chambers to have just what you describe happen." A cold hearted smirk had settled on his face and a shiver of pure terror ran up and down Alexandria's spine.

Alexandria made to leave, mumbling an excuse about needing to leave his presence immediately, automatically reaching for the door. As Marcus watched her he whispered just low enough for her to hear as she fled the room in hopes of reaching the brothers in time, "It's too late my sweet, as you are already well aware of."

A blood curdling scream rang through the mansion as Alexandria ran full pelt towards the two brother's room all hope died as the cry died into a sinful silence.

**Please review this because I would love to hear other people point of view :) thanks. xo**


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