3. SHOCK AND AWE AND FUN

SHOCK AND AWE AND FUN

D aemon opened his eyes the moment that Julian and Christian practically flew out of the gate. He stood up in a graceful movement. The communion ended as he moved from knees to feet. But he did not need the comfort of it right now. His Childe and Christian had returned.

"Daemon!" Julian cried.

"My king!" Christian got out.

And then they could say nothing more as Daemon had swept them both into his arms and crushed them against his chest. There were muffled "oomphs" and "ahhhs" and "we're okay" and "sorry, had to do it" and "love you". He just squeezed them and rocked them and kissed both of their foreheads.

They were unharmed .

They were safe .

They had succeeded .

He could feel fate aligning like puzzle pieces slotting into place to fill in the big picture. He smiled so hard that his face hurt with it. His heart leaped with joy. He closed his eyes again, but this time with happiness, and buried his face in the boys' hair, breathing them in, and rocking them as if they were true children. They hugged him back.

He wasn't sure how long they spent like that. But both boys were calmed down when he pulled back to see their faces. And to allow them to breathe. Bright eyes looked up at him. Faces were flushed with excitement and knowledge and so much to tell him. He could have just read their minds. He could have just looked into the future. But he held himself in the moment. This moment.

"Daemon, we're okay!" Julian blurted out.

"Yes, I can see." Daemon smiled broader.

He had feared never hearing Julian's voice again. A voice that was utterly precious to him. Time to him had little meaning so though he had known Julian for a very short time in the grand scheme of things, Julian was still the person he had been waiting for forever.

"We're sorry! But we had to do it!" Julian's eyes searched his face for understanding, not daring to touch Daemon's mind.

"You should not be sorry, especially when it was something you had to do," Daemon told him.

"But still… I know…" Julian broke off. He had touched Daemon's mind. There was a wound there just from having Julian and Christian gone for… what? Not even an hour of this planet's time. "If we hadn't done it--"

"Things would not have gone well here." Daemon nodded. He pressed another kiss to Julian's right temple and held his lips there. "I know you did what was best. I did not have the strength to… to ask you to do it."

"Julian didn't want to leave you and I didn't want to leave Balthazar," Christian said. "But it was essential we did, especially considering what we found out and who we found there."

Julian nodded vigorously and a smile tugged at his lips. "Y-yeah, this is sort of going to blow your mind."

"Is it?" Daemon tilted his head to the side, now very tempted to find out what they had discovered. Knowledge was on the tip of his tongue. But he held back.

Julian put his hands on Daemon's chest. His fledgling felt how fragile he had been, how near to destruction. Julian's eyes were filled with concern and the warmth of his hands felt like a benediction. "We are sorry. Leaving you was…"

"The only choice you could make," Daemon repeated. "No more apologizing. You must tell me. What have you found out?"

That smile bloomed to life on Julian's face again, but this time full on. "I've got my parents."

He pulled out the soul gems like an exhibit. Daemon touched the cloth pouch and felt the Harrows' life forces within them. He smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes, so good to feel them again. I remember them."

Julian's eyes were dancing with even greater amusement and excitement again as he said, "And I'm pretty sure that Caemorn can actually bring them back, because Caemorn is--"

"Kaly," Daemon finished and let out a chuckle.

Of course, he is.

"You knew?!" Julian goggled as well as looking a little crestfallen. He shouldn't have stolen Julian's thunder but it had just burst out of him.

"Not until this moment. But I should have when he said he could bring your parents back and meant it," Daemon explained. "A fledgling cannot do more than a Master, and certainly not more than an Immortal Master."

Julian nodded his head as a broad smile crossed his lips. "Yeah! That totally makes sense! And that means he really can bring them back. I really will get them back!"

Daemon nodded. "Yes, I felt he was telling the truth then. Now I know he was."

"He is not aware, King Daemon, of who he really is," Christian quickly got out. "He has no idea. But there's more than that! Eyros, Seeyr and Kaly all got together when the war was raging, trying to stop it. His other selves--"

Daemon held up a hand and patted Christian's cheek. "It's all right, Christian. I know. I can hear your thoughts loud and clear. Making Kaly whole again will be our first … hmmm, wait a moment."

Daemon stopped as he heard Balthazar's mind voice in his head.

… they have crosses! Holy water! They even have crossbows that shoot wooden stakes! Balthazar was sending to him with a hysterical tint of laughter in his mind's voice. The US government believes in Vampires! How unexpectedly delightful!

Balthazar, Christian and Julian are--

Back! Yes, I know and I can feel their minds. That's why I'm not completely out of my mind, Balthazar answered. Now I can actually just be half mad and enjoying this upcoming crazy conflict with the FBI, CIA, and some other black ops US military personnel! Exciting!

Daemon snorted. You need to be resting, not playing with the US military.

Oh, come now, we finally can show ourselves! I want to have some fun, Balthazar sulked.

The three of us shall be back shortly, Balthazar. Do nothing too foolish, Daemon told him.

Tell the boys that they are in a lot of trouble. That we're going to punish them for this! Balthazar said, but not in a serious way.

Balthazar, I can hear you, Christian said with a repressive look. And I see the image you have in your mind of spanking me.

Julian was smirking even as he had a hand up over his eyes as if to block the mental images. Yeah, we call all hear and see that image. I can't really wipe it from my mind.

I thought you were both dead! And I nearly killed Caemorn for it! Balthazar whined. You have no idea how upset we were!

You didn't really hurt Caemorn, did you? Christian's eyes flickered between him and Julian in alarm.

Just squeezed him a little, Balthazar said with a touch of guilt. But I apologized! He explained his reasoning. But the man needs to stop being a martyr! I would never have thought it of him, but he really has this complex about taking on responsibility that isn't his. He just needs to explain himself!

Julian and Christian smiled at each other as Julian said, wryly, Yeah, well, he's got sort of a history with this.

What do you mean, I wonder? Oh, wait! It looks like the black bag military op is starting! Balthazar sounded so pleased. I cannot wait to face the holy-water wielding thugs! Get back here soon or you'll miss out on all the fun! Come, Meffy, we're off to battle!

Christian put a hand up to his forehead and sighed. "I'm really wondering if getting him a kitten was the best idea."

"Do you think Meffy is egging him on or that Balthazar is showing off for Meffy?" Julian asked.

"A little of column A and a little of column B." Christian used his hands as balances.

Daemon snorted. "Eyros has always enjoyed himself in battle. Come, we must make sure he does not have too much fun."

"What's our plan? With the humans?" Julian asked him.

"We're going to show them up close and personal how dangerous it is to go up against us. But we mustn't hurt them," Daemon counseled. "They are to be our subjects."

Julian's eyebrows rose. " Our subjects? Well, your subjects, but--"

"You're the Vampire Prince, remember?" Christian nudged his best friend. "They are, in fact, your subjects, too."

"Okay, so shock and awe, but no killing?" Julian confirmed. When Daemon nodded, Julian said, "You might want to let all the Vampires know at the manor about the no-killing bit."

Daemon passed that message along to everyone. "Done. Shall we?"

He extended both hands to them. Julian took one. Christian the other. He used the power of Wyvern to teleport them back to Ravenscroft Manor. Not inside the manor house itself, but on the periphery of the estate, behind some bushes. Balthazar and Caemorn were there.

"Ah, finally!" Balthazar hissed. He grabbed Christian and kissed him thoroughly before wagging a finger and saying, "Bad fledgling. Naughty, bad fledgling."

Christian looked completely unrepentant, reaching over and scratching Meffy between the ears. The battlecat was perched, as always, on Balthazar's left shoulder.

"I was not naughty. I was doing what was right," Christian told him. "And I will do it again." He frowned. "Of that I'm sure." His expression cleared. "I don't want to hurt you for the world but--"

"The world was at stake," Balthazar finished and grimaced. "You're going to make me age."

"You have to trust us," Christian told him.

Another grimace. "I know." Balthazar glanced at Daemon. "It's just hard to be the ones left behind."

"We were actually almost perfectly safe," Christian said with a faint laugh. He was looking at Caemorn.

"If you have to blame someone, Balthazar, you should blame me," Julian answered. "I was the one who convinced Christian to go."

"I wouldn't have considered doing anything else," Christian said.

"Considering I was the one to tell them where the gate was, I am the one to blame ultimately." Caemorn touched his throat, which had Balthazar wincing.

Julian turned to Caemorn. He stood there, looking at him for long moments, before he suddenly hugged the Kaly Vampire. Caemorn stood there, stiff and bug-eyed, as Julian practically lifted him off of his feet. Daemon bit his inner cheek to stop from laughing and feeling touched at the same time. Julian was forgiving Kaly though Caemorn did not know it. All that had happened in Moonfall was clear to him. There was much that pleased him in it. But still, to see the Ever Dark crumbling like that… he shuddered and focused on this moment.

"Thank you, Caemorn," Julian said. "Thank you so much for everything."

Caemorn blinked. "All I did was give you a location and a symbol–"

"It's more than that." Julian squeezed him again, which silenced Caemorn. The Kaly Vampire awkwardly patted Julian's back as the embrace continued probably longer than Caemorn had ever been held. And to have Julian being the one to do it was completely unexpected. Julian continued, "It's so much more, Caemorn. We'll tell you all about it after we deal with this."

"Tell me…" Caemorn was blinking rapidly.

His gaze lifted to Daemon and confusion was evident. Daemon just smiled and nodded. That had Caemorn blinking more. Balthazar's eyes had narrowed and he was looking among all of them. Like Daemon, he could have just known by looking into the boys' minds what had happened, but he wanted the surprise. Julian came back by his side. Daemon wrapped an arm about him. His Childe's mind was filled with excitement and relief. Julian leaned his head on Daemon's shoulder and Daemon kissed it.

He's back with me. Everything now is as it should be. The beginning of everything.

He gave Julian another kiss. Julian hummed happily.

"I sense your parents' souls. You have the gems?" Caemorn asked.

Julian nodded. "I want to hang onto them until you're ready to bring them back."

"Of course." Caemorn bowed. "I am curious about many things."

"Like I said, Christian and I will tell you everything that happened," Julian stated simply. "I promise."

"We don't have time for twenty questions right now, Caemorn! Though you'll be telling me, too, Julianm" Balthazar said. He pointed through the hedge towards where there was a street that led straight towards the manor. "In a few minutes, we're going to have guests."

"You look so pleased about that," Fiona said as she teleported into the midst of them with Arcius.

Balthazar jumped. "Aieee! Fiona! Don't sneak up on us like that!"

"How am I supposed to announce myself and not startle you? You've become like your cat," Fiona said with a shake of her head. "Oh, wait, your cat has fallen asleep."

"Bah! The humans are coming, yes?" Balthazar asked as he touched Meffy's black, sleeping body.

Arcius, who was chuckling, after recovering from the teleportation. "Yes, there's quite a few of them. Two dozen black vans. I was able to locate over 100 heartbeats. They should be showing up quite soon. Oh, King Daemon, I didn't see you there." Arcius quickly bowed low and Daemon waved him up. "Will you be leading this encounter?"

Daemon though shook his head. "Not altogether. I want the rest of you to enjoy yourselves, though, remember no deaths. I will take care of their commanders with Julian. Balthazar, ready the people. It's time."

"We have Vampires here from every Bloodline," Balthazar said. "They've been gathering all night. They're listening to me."

"I love how you sound so surprised," Caemorn remarked dryly.

Balthazar scowled at him. "Of course, they listen to me! I'm just… just saying… I don't know what I'm saying!"

"You never do," Fiona said with a laugh.

"Guys, I think our uninvited guests have arrived," Julian said and pointed beyond the hedge to the road.

At that moment, the vans that Arcius had described appeared at the end of the street. Their headlights were out and they were moving at speed. Though clearly roomier than Balthazar's sleek, elegant sports cars, they still reminded Daemon, uncomfortably, of his tomb. He was truly done with small spaces.

Balthazar's mind voice echoed in Daemon's head as he sent the order out to all of the Vampires, People, the guests are arriving! I repeat the guests are arriving. Let's have some fun. But no deaths! Remember, King Daemon doesn't want any deaths!

The vans fanned out as they reached the gates to Ravenscroft Manor and screeched to a halt. The back doors of the vans flew open as men and women in all black and bristling with weapons flowed out of them like water. They immediately began to spread out in a coordinated pattern. There were other vans pulling up on streets all around the manor. But Daemon could feel the minds of over a hundred Vampires surrounding the estate. Ready and waiting and eager for the hunt.

Christian let out a soft laugh as he saw something swinging in front of one of the humans' chests. "They have crucifixes and holy water around their necks."

"I know!" Balthazar giggled. "Should we pretend it affects us at first and then bam ! Take them down? Like a gotcha thing? Will they pray, do you suppose?"

Balthazar was so giddy that he was practically doing a little dance. Christian just sighed. Fiona shook her head in amazement.

"We really shouldn't use their religion against them, Balthazar," Arcius said repressively.

"Don't be a spoilsport, Arcius! C'mon, let's go have some fun, Christian!" Balthazar grabbed his Childe's arm and pulled him through the bushes towards the humans. Daemon heard him say out loud to the soldiers, "Well, hello there! Would you like to douse me with holy water?" When someone cursed and fumbled for their holy water, he heard Balthazar say, "Most excellent! Oh, yes, get that crucifix out! Press it against my forehead! Is there any burning? No, how disappointing!"

There was a splashing noise and someone yelling, "Hands up! Get your goddamned hands up!"

"They know we're here!" Someone squealed. "The Vampires know!"

"Of course, we do!" Balthazar laughed. "We're Vampires! We actually have ones that can see the future, but we just heard you coming in our minds. Yep, we can read minds. I know what you're thinking right now. Tell him, Christian!"

Christian sighed. "He's thinking that he should have gone to church more often. And that he shouldn't have been so dismissive of his mother saying the rosary."

The soldier whose mind had been read squealed, "How--how do you--you--"

"Your mother's name is Rosa, by the way. And you really should go visit her more often," Christian answered with another sigh. "Please put that gun down. You'll just end up hurting yourself."

"No way! No way! No way!" One of the humans screamed and there was a thunking sound.

"Now really, my fledgling did tell you not to lift your gun so I had to take it away from you." There was a snap and clatter. "Now I had to break it too."

"Shoot them with the stakes in the heart! In the heart!" Another soldier shouted.

"That's not very friendly," Balthazar tsked. "I think I shall have to make you do a jig. What do you say, Christian? A jig or perhaps some kind of salsa dance?"

"He's making us seem ridiculous," Caemorn sighed. "We need to appear as the Lords of the Night that we are."

"That's Balthazar for you. He is our king's jester," Fiona said with another shake of her head. "I'm just going to teleport and grab some guns. I really don't want anyone shot tonight. Join me, Arcius?"

"I think that's quite a good idea," Arcius said as they laced their fingers together.

"What about you, Caemorn? Want to get in on this?" Fiona asked.

Caemorn shook his head. "I have something else planned. Go along."

Caemorn had already taken out some soul gems and he started murmuring something to them. There was a groaning sound as the earth erupted and animal skeletons climbed out of the ground: wolves, bears, foxes and more. This army of skeletal animals turned as one with eyes glowing blue-white and started towards the humans. Immediately, there were screams and shots were fired.

"Better get those guns, guys!" Julian suggested.

Fiona and Arcius disappeared.

"Will you be all right, Caemorn? Julian and I are going to go see some humans who think they are in charge. You may come with us if you like," Daemon offered.

But two bear skeletons lumbered up to Caemorn and the Kaly Vampire patted their dirty skulls. "Oh, I think I am going to have some fun , too. I must stop Balthazar from making us ridiculous."

"Of course." Daemon grinned.

"Good luck with that, Caemorn," Julian chuckled. "Balthazar is intent on having a good time."

"Indeed. Then I have my work cut out for me. Julian. My king." Caemorn bowed gracefully and then he and the skeletal animals went towards the humans.

Daemon offered Julian his arm. Julian took it. They began to saunter out themselves.

"Where are the leaders?" Julian asked.

"There are commanders on the ground, which are located in several vans a few blocks away, but, of course, there are the people above them that are being reported to in the downtown police department and then there are the people--"

"So are we going to take out all of them?" Julian was laughing a little and shaking his head.

"We will start with those locally and then we will make the others come to us… in Nightvallen, I think," Daemon explained.

"Nightvallen? That's fantastic! That will definitely amaze them," Julian cried.

There was only the slightest unease in his fledgling at the thought of Nightvallen. He understood why. That was where Julian had lost his First Life.

"You will come to love it in time. All of the memories you have of it now, will be overwritten," Daemon assured him.

Julian touched where his parents' soul gems were. "Yeah, especially with Mom and Dad and Christian and everybody to see it all with us."

"Yes." He placed another kiss on Julian's temple. "Indeed it shall be wonderful."

"I love you, Daemon," Julian said as he cuddled tighter against him.

"And I love you, Julian."

Daemon moved the pushes to the side for them to easily slide through. None of the humans noticed them as they had other things going on. There was Caemorn with his skeleton animals that had some of the soldiers literally turning and fleeing.

Fiona and Arcius, along with a bunch of other Wyvern Vampires, appeared and disappeared after stealing weaponry. Some of them even stole clothing like pants . It appeared that Balthazar was not the only one intent on being ridiculous.

But then came the howls of real wolves as the Weryn got in on the act. Packs of wolves--double the size of regular ones--surged through the soldiers, tackling them and taking them down. Huge flocks of ravens circled and dive-bombed the soldiers, causing them to drop whatever weapons they had left and cower on the ground.

Lightning and thunder rippled across the sky as the Horys Vampires joined in. The sky split open as if the gods themselves were angry at the soldiers. Lightning struck vehicles that exploded all around them. Daemon used the Ashry gift of telekinesis to make sure that they and no one else were struck by the flying vehicles or debris. They walked through the insanity without any of it touching them.

Siryn Vampire voices were then raised that had the humans falling unconscious or simply handing their weapons over to the Vampires with tears of gratitude in their eyes. Helm Vampires turned invisible and played with the soldiers, causing them to try to fight what they could not see. Holy water was splashed on one of the Helm who angrily exclaimed, "You got my shirt wet! Ah, this is silk! It's ruined now!"

Daemon and Julian walked past.

Mirryr Vampires took on the shapes of the human soldiers, making the humans think that they were with their brethren, only to see them flash fangs. Or sometimes the Mirryr Vampires would take on the appearance of the human they were fighting which caused shouts of shock and fear and humans stumbling away.

He and Julian kept walking until they were well past the "fighting". It really wasn't fighting as no one had gotten hurt and no one would. The Vampires were having fun using their gifts without regard to being seen. While last night at the museum had been freeing, tonight was a full free for all.

Soon, the street was clear of Vampires and humans and it was just him and Julian walking under the stars. The vans with the leaders weren't that far away, but Daemon enjoyed simply being with his Childe.

"Moonfall," Julian began, then paused, then asked, "that won't ever really come to pass, will it?"

Daemon felt Julian's fear. Fear for him . His Childe was understanding that he and the Ever Dark were not so separate after all.

"You need not worry about that. Where there is creation there must be destruction and vice versa," Daemon explained, which he knew would not completely satisfy his clever fledgling.

"I just don't want you to ever…" Julian stopped. His arm tightened on Daemon's. "I just never want to…"

"You won't. I will never leave you. I swear it." Another kiss.

"Those are the vans, yeah? I can hear them freaking out inside," Julian said as they approached two more vans. "They aren't seeing us, are they? No, you're using Helm! I didn't know you could use it on me, too?"

"Yes, they have no idea we're here," Daemon said. "Not yet."

From inside the vans, he heard a man in a gruff voice asking, "What's going on out there? Someone report! Report! Jesus Christ, Donovan, what's the situation?"

"I'm only hearing screaming, sir. There's so much screaming," a female voice told him.

"We need to call in air support!" another man cried.

"What about the surrounding homes? We couldn't do that and expect zero casualties!" the woman objected.

"We should have come during the day! Daylight would have been our friend!" another man shouted.

"We need them to pull back! PULL BACK!" the first man screamed.

"Shall we put them out of their misery, Julian?" Daemon asked.

Julian nodded.

With the Ashyr gift of telekinesis, Daemon flung the doors to the vans open, revealing the shocked people within. Terrified faces looked towards them. Daemon had allowed the Helm gift to end and he and Julian were quite visible.

"Good evening," Daemon said simply, "Would you take me to your leader, please?"