"Aye, you be fucked my friend if you don't mind me saying."

"Want to know the real icing on the cake?"

"That wasn't it?"

"Oh no, being a lesser creature and not even one of the famous brothers, and tearing out someone's throat while naked in front of her isn't even close." Duncan pushed the whiskey bottle towards him and Raphael poured himself another drink.

"When she rejects me, I have a lifetime of pining for her and never finding another woman attractive again, till I'm driven mad or just finally have enough and end my pathetic existence. Unless I'm one of those lucky Vampires who just become empty emotionless shells." The Scot winced sympathetically.

"Aye lad that's shite. It's about the same for werewolves. The need for our mate drives us mad and eventually we just turn into a wolf and never change back. We lose our human half and just become a crazed animal. Our clan usually puts us down at that point before we end up mounted on some human's wall. Why don't you come back to the Hidden Isle with us? It's a quiet place where a man can lose himself to hunting, fishing and farming."

Both men knocked back another whiskey.

"Duncan!" A woman's voice boomed behind them and the huge man cringed. Turning to see what kind of deadly Harpy could make a man the size of Duncan of the Hidden Isle cringe, Raphael was amused beyond words to see a small middle-aged-looking red-haired woman dressed in, for Venice, a rather plain burgundy dress and corset. She looked somehow out of place in the grand bar area they were currently sitting in. But there was something about this stout little woman, an aura, that filled the room and spoke of a mature experienced woman who feared no one.

"Ma?" Duncan sounded like an errant child who'd just been caught out, which amused Raphael no end.

"You are meant to be in that meeting with your Pa. It started half an hour ago!" She turned her fierce amber eyes on Raphael.

"And don't you sit there smirking young man. I'm assuming you are Raphael, the same young man that ran through the fountains with my knuckle-dragging son. Your brother is also at that meeting and he is after your hide as much as this bumbling Oaths Pa is his." The two men exchanged looks.

"Do not just sit there like a pair of stupid lumps. Shoo, off with the pair of you to that meeting now." There was something about the little she-wolf that gave Raphael the impression that answering back would get him a thick ear or a chunk bitten out of his worthless hide. Despite her fierce words, she looked kindly and he imagined she was as loving a mother as his own had been. Jumping up from their stools at the bar both men strode quickly from the room with the tiny she-wolf at their heels all the way to the meeting hall.

Inside the hall, all eyes turned to the two late comers as they shuffled in trying not to make a noise and failing spectacularly. Every footstep they made echoed in the huge chamber. A tall dark-haired bearded wizard watched them with agitation undisguised on his thin, dark-eyed. face,

"Nice of you to join us, gentlemen. Please take your time. Refreshments?" The sarcasm dripped from each syllable. Both men just hunched their shoulders and found their seats with their respective families. Gabriel gave Raphael a look so cold and angry he knew there were going to be murders when this was over. Well, at least that would save him from decades of pining for a woman out of his species class followed by madness or death. A clean quick death was seeming quite appealing right now, which spoke volumes about the day he'd had. Noticing an empty seat with the witches and wizards at the front of the room, he wondered if it was meant to be hers. She wasn't in the room. if she had been his demon would be doing somersaults in his effort to reach her while that strawberries and cream scent tortured him.

"As I was saying" continued the wizard in a clipped tone "we are seeing more signs of the end of days, the coming of the apocalypse. After a century or more of few creatures finding their fated ones, in the last few decades, we have seen a massive rise in inter-species pairing. What was a distasteful, rare occurrence is becoming more and more heard of, almost commonplace." He shot a withering glance at Raphael, well word was out then, how wonderful everyone and their cat could share in his humiliation, perfect. A voice whispered through his head "I will kill you both if you go near her again " Raphael looked about him, what the Hades was that?

"We are seeing more and more underworlders in places they never before dared to tread. My own sister was attacked just this morning by two." His sister? Ah, shit, Raphael cursed inwardly, that was August Jet. He was here and knew his sister was the fated bride of a Vampire. Could this day get any worse? He started formulating a plan to get out of there as soon as this thing was over and before the notoriously overprotective big brother could bring in their legendary father and the pair roast him before he could utter the words I never touched her.

"There are more signs, all only the early signs. But it is imperative we redouble our search for The Oracle. I am sure I do not need to reiterate the prophecy to any of you." As one every creature in the room chanted,

"Only the love of The Oracle will banish the darkness and bring back the light, so it is written."

Well at least if the wizards kill me I won't be here for the end of days and the coming of the four horsemen. Silver linings and all that contemplated Raphael.

"Indeed" continued August Jet "now if I could ask everyone but the Colonels, leaders and anyone else with any authority to leave so I might brief them in private." As Raphael stood Gabriel grabbed his arm and barked at him in a whisper, "my room, now! I'll be there as soon as this is over." Shaking him off Raphael beelined for Duncan.

"Your invite to the Hidden Isle, am I still welcome?"

"Aye."

"Perfect. Cape wrath, down the coast to a small island I can't make my eyes look at?" Duncan nodded trying not to be overheard by his furious father "I'll meet you there my friend, might take me a while, I need to avoid portals." Without another word, he moved as quickly through the crowd as he could. Cassiel caught his arm by the door.

"I always thought I'd be the one to be killed off by someone's angry father, not you." Rolling his eyes he shook off his little brother's grip.

"I will be if you don't leave off." With that, he darted out of the door and made his way to the servant quarters.

Finding Winston their half-dwarven butler proved a challenge. Most of the waiting staff seemed to be dwarves, likely because of their inbuilt need for purpose and wealth in their lives or something. Many of the dwarves seemed to be disdainful when he asked them if they knew where he could find Winston. Raphael didn't have time to dwell on it, his literal life was on the line and despite its shitness was the only one he had. He finally found a goblin maid who pointed him in the direction of Winston's room, he was in there ironing one of Gabriel's shirts away from the other service staff.

Tall compared to most dwarves but still stout he wore his brown hair and beard neatly braided with a few golds and jewelled bead adornments woven in. Raphael had always been of the opinion that his clothes had so much starch in them they could stand alone, he often wondered how he managed to move in the stiff formal clothing never mind sit down. Brave, strong and the most loyal of beings Winston had been there long before Raphael was born and was fiercely loyal to them all.

"Winston, I know it's not likely since this was all expenses paid but..." Before he could finish the man who had been more of a father to him than his own put down his iron, picked up a large coin purse from his nightstand and held it out to him.

"I always come prepared, Master Raphael, and have heard, at least in part, what has transpired." He placed the purse in the Vampire's hand.

"Winston, you are a lifesaver. Literally. Could you do me a massive favour..."

"You never found me Master Raphael as I was not in the servant's hall, I haven't seen you and have no idea where you could be heading." Giving the man a warm smile Raphael turned to leave.

"One thing though, gh Master Raphael." He turned back to the butler, "Do not sell yourself short, you are a good, kind and intelligent man. High-born witch or not, she would be lucky to be paired with a loyal gentleman such as yourself." Clearing his throat Winston returned to his ironing as if he hadn't said a word.

Feeling a lump in his throat Raphael watched the man who had virtually raised him for a moment before crossing the room to hug the Dwarf, in a hushed tone he whispered.

"Thank you Wince,'' letting him go Raphael dashed out of the room, as a child he could never say Winston and had started to call the man Wince instead. His father had always berated him for it but the dwarf had always seemed to find it endearing.

He dashed through the servant's halls trying to avoid too much notice being paid to him and out the back door. The evening was drawing in and the sky was a warm glowing orange. He jogged down the path at the back of the place that only staff used and out the tradesman gate. He wasn't hanging about to be rejected or to deal with any of the fallout from it. It was his brother he was angriest at, he'd found his damn Bride, the epicentre of any creatures life was finding their fated one. Instead of being there for him when he was about to be rejected because the Fates had chosen to screw him because well, those three bitches hadn't screwed him since the moment of his birth anyway. His brother was worried about not embarrassing the family name further. When would he see that their family name was less than mud? Not only were they Vampires, not only had their mother been a Nymph making their blood impure, not only had Marcus Angelus been one of the biggest cold-hearted bastards to ever walk the earth, not only had he killed his own fated bride. But just to ensure the family name was mud, their baby brother, the bastard's own son had been the one who killed him. That was the biggest taboo of them all next to killing your own fated one. Vampires did not turn on the head of their house, not even half-breed Vampires. It didn't happen. It would take a miracle for Gabriel to turn their family's name around, he seemed to be in complete denial of their standing in the world at large. He saw them as respectable but tarnished, everyone else saw them as dirt, pure and simple. Those that aligned with the Olympians, distrusted them. Not completely shocking, their father had aligned with Lucifer after all.

He made it to the main street and looking about began to jog into the main town. If there was one thing Raphael knew it was that everything he needed he could find in a Tavern. When his absence was noticed he knew his brothers would have expected him to have headed for the nearest portal. But Raphael planned to ride across the country to Callais and get a boat from there. He was heading for the Hidden Isle but there was nothing to say he had to hurry to get there, no one would be looking for him to travel like a human. Two streets away he found exactly what he was looking for, a tavern with huge stables at the rear.

Opening the doors he was bombarded with the stench of stale ale and human bodies, taking a final breath of fresh air he stepped into the gloom inside. A fire roared in the hearth and a few sputtering candles lit the dingy room. Every eye in the place turned to the shiny-shoed newcomer, every occupant was dressed as a working man while Raphael was dressed as a fine gentleman. Ignoring the stares of the humans he strode confidently to the bar and smiled genially at the flabby balding man behind it.

"I wonder if you could help me, good Sir?" Said Raphael in perfect Italian. "I am in need, first of a glass. No make that a bottle of your finest whiskey. And then I need a good horse that can carry me many miles." The barman eyed him then reached under his bar and placed a glass and a bottle of whiskey on the rough sticky surface. Placing a silver coin on the bar the Vampire picked up the bottle, yanked the cork out and took a gulp directly from the bottle. Rather than sliding down smoothly like the whiskey he and Duncan had shared this one burned as it poured down his throat. Raphael had likely just paid the owner enough for a whole case of this cheap swill but it should serve its purpose. A few of the humans nearby began to whisper to each other about the riches that had just been bestowed on the tavern owner. The balding man picked up the coin wide-eyed.

"Thank you, my good man, that was just what I needed." Putting the bottle back down he began to tug at the fine silk cravat about his neck. Freeing it he turned to a plump middle-aged woman who had just brought a pie out from the kitchen and had stopped to stare at him.

"My good lady, I am sure this fine silk would look far better on yourself than me." He handed her the royal blue fabric that had likely cost more than she and her husband made in a year. "Could I trouble you good lady for one of those excellent smelling pies?" She giggled as he took her hand with all the airs and graces of a gentleman and kissed its course flour-coated skin. He knew the poor woman had likely never been treated with so much respect.

"Of course, you can, good Sir. She lisped through missing front teeth and hurried back into her kitchen." He put a silver coin on the surface of the bar.

"I am sure that should cover the pie." The owner picked it up and shouted out the back.

"Maria, pack the man some bread and cheese too." Addressing Raphael, "for your long ride Sir. I may have just the horse for you, Sir." Raphael smiled at him and removed his fine frock coat

"I think this fine coat would look far more distinguished on your good self Sir than me." He handed it to the man knowing it would never fit his bulging frame, who stroked the rich gold and black flocked fabric thoughtfully. Tallying the cost.

"Why thank you kindly, Sir. The horse was left by a man who couldn't pay for his room and board. I've been using him to pull the cart but I think he could be just what you need Sir." Raphael smiled, "lead on good Sir." The balding man plodded out from behind the bar calling for a youth that came running down the creaking stairs and telling him to man the bar. They walked out into the small dusty Courtyard and then into the stable that Raphael was sure smelt better than the tavern despite the rat that raced across the floor in front of them. He led the Vampire to the back where a huge though slightly skinny black working horse with white feathered hooves stood, its head bowed. It snorted a little at Raphael's approach, likely smelling what he was. Speaking gently to the animal Raphael patted his neck and ran his hands over the horse's body, checking its feet and generally checking it wouldn't die on him a few miles out of town. Apart from clearly not having been fed well in a few weeks, it was a fine horse. His owner had looked after him far better than the tavern owner. He was a working horse but that meant he would likely be able to carry Raphael many miles more a day than a sleek quick riding horse which suited Raphael.

"How much for you to part with him, good Sir?" The portly man rubbed his flabby chin thoughtfully.

"I have become so attached to him, good Sir." Raphael wanted to laugh at that knowing the horse had barely been fed and would likely have been sold anyway soon. "But I think for four of those fine silver coins of yours Sir I could bear it." He knew the horse was only worth about two but the money didn't matter to him.

"If you can possibly find me a saddle and reigns and some saddle bags full of feed for the good fellow I'll give you that amount in gold coins." The man's greedy little eyes lit up.

"Of course Sir, of course, I'll be right back, Sir." Raphael patted the horse's neck

"You're a young one aren't you lad. Don't worry you'll be out of this rat-infested hell soon." The horse snorted.

It wasn't long before Raphael was mounted on the large horse, a worn but serviceable saddle and saddle bags had been found and filled with grain and apples for the horse and the pie, bread, cheese and two bottles of whiskey for Raphael. As they set off he talked quietly to the horse until it settled into a rhythm with him.

"We have a long road before us boy, we'll be together for a while. I should give you a name, a big strong boy like you needs a good strong name. What shall we call you lad? I think you look like an Areion. What do you think lad?" The horse snorted as if it understood him. "Well, then Areion it is." They rode out into the night the horse's hooves clattering on the cobbles until they reached the edge of town where the road became dirt and grass.