"Zarin?" Nikolai says greeting a man and a breathtakingly beautiful woman.

"Nikolai, it's been some time, how have things been?" Zarin says smiling at the vampire prince.

"Fantastic as you well know or you wouldn't be here. I'm glad you received my invitation." Nikolai says smiling. He wasn't sure that Zarin would make it.

Zarin smiles but there is something there that makes Nikolai stiffen. "What is it?"

"Nikolai, let me introduce you to my girlfriend, Alexandria." Nikolai hisses as he looks at her. 

"You look like her."

Alexandria looks at him in confusion. Zarin in understanding. "I wouldn't have brought her here if it weren't important. I know how much the memory hurts you."

"Nikolai?" Natalia says coming up to him.

Nikolai shakes himself from what ever memories he lost himself in and gives Natalia a smile pulling her to his side. "Zarin, Alexandria this is the lovely lady that is crazy enough to marry me. Natalia this is one of my oldest friends, Zarin and his lovely lady Alexandria."

"One of the oldest? I am the oldest. I met this bastard about eight hundred years ago."

Natalia didn't get the vampire vibe from him and is confused. "You look like a human, not a vampire." The female at his side most definitely doesn't look like a vampire.

"Ah, fair lady, we are not humans, nor are we vampires. We are witches or rather Alexandria is a witch and I am a warlock." Natalia wasn't expecting that but after being around vampire's for almost a full week preparing for the wedding she's far more able to hide her feelings.

Zarin smiles, "He hadn't told you then I take it?"

"No, I had only found out about vampire's a little more than a week ago."

"I didn't want to overload her with too much information at once. She's still trying to deal with vampire's being real." Nikolai says more than a little embarrassed for his oversight.

"Are werewolves real as well? Or fairies?"

The three look at her with blank expressions. "Fairies and elves left earth millennia ago, they didn't like the iron age at all. As for werewolves, those are just tales to scare humans that have nothing better to do with their time." Zarin says dismissively.

"Just like vampire's and witches?" Natalia says archly.

"Touche, you are of course quite correct. No, there are no other stories to come to life."

"I must say for a human you are taking this rather well." Alexandria says her accent making her words musical.

"Thank you. Alexandria, forgive me, but where do you come from? Your accent is beautiful."

Alexandria blushes and lowers her eyes at the compliment. "From Egypt."

"She is the great granddaughter of the last witch princess of the pharaoh line." Zarin says smiling at her and holding her close.

"She is the spitting image of her grandmother." Nikolai says softly so only Natalia hears him.

"You met her?"

"She was one of my pets." Nikolai says once more barely speaking the words.

"This pet, you loved her?"

Nikolai looks at Natalia unsure of the feelings he's getting through their bond. "Not like you and I and I wouldn't say love. She was a fascinating woman until she made it so I had to kill her."

"So the stories are true?" Alexandria says looking at Nikolai intently now.

"Depends on the stories," Nikolai doesn't want to go into it. He should never have taken a witch as a pet.

"It is well documented, the type of woman my grandmother was. It was only because of you that the line wasn't hunted and destroyed centuries ago. Thank you."

Nikolai bows his head to Alexandria.

"We need to speak, Nikolai. This cannot wait." With those words Nikolai ushers Zarin, Alexandria and Natalia to the study.

Zarin looks at Nikolai, "I'm not sure having your human mate here would be a good idea at this time."

"I don't have time for this Zarin. Natalia is part of my life now and as such she'll hear what's going on."

Natalia on the other hand had been closely watching Alexandria. "Why are you so scared, Alexandria?"

"What needs to be done should come at the cost of my life. I am not yet ready to die. Only Nikolai is powerful enough to do it and with me looking like my grandmother he will likely take the cost with my life."

Alexandria's words are easily heard by Nikolai of course. He whips his head over to look at her. Then back to Zarin and he narrows his eyes. "What is even beyond the power of the strongest magical being?"

"Alexandria's coven turned black. She is the sacrifice they used to entice the demon." Zarin says now sweating as Nikolai looks at him in anger.

"And yet she still lives." Nikolai hisses angrily. Black magic is forbidden. The last thing the Earth needs is a demon running amok or even worse, multiple demons.

Alexandria steps forward. "I did not know about my coven turning black until they had me chained for the demon. They summoned him and I was accepted as a suitable sacrifice." She holds up her hand to stop him from speaking. "The demon didn't wish to kill me, he wished to mate with me. When he was done raping me I was with child. But I was also near death. My lovely coven members rather than care for me threw my body out into the desert. 

"There Zarin found me and nursed me back to health. That was last month, already this life is draining mine." Alexandria finishes facing Nikolai who had adopted a look of absolute horror on his face.

"You can't kill it?" Nikolai turns to Zarin and demands.

"No."

"You know what the price is for black magic. You know what should be done."

"Death, yes I know. I helped set out the rules. I can't kill her. She has suffered at the hands of the witches and demon already. I love her Nikolai, I will do anything name your price." Zarin begs Nikolai.

"Can you help them, Nikolai?"

"The easiest way would be to kill her. That being said, yes, but it will be difficult for Alexandria and damn expensive for them both." Nikolai looks at them both, "Are you sure that you are willing to pay the price? Zarin knows what I'm going to ask."

Nikolai looks to the powerful warlock and he bows his head, "If you can save her than it will be worth the price."

"What is the price, Nikolai?" Natalia demands since Nikolai doesn't say anything else, just stares at his friend.

"I would never have asked this of you, Zarin." Nikolai says hoarsely.

"Yet, you desire it more than anything other than Natalia. With it you will have all the power. I will willingly bond myself to you as will Alexandria."

"Only vampires can bond, Zarin. You will have to become my pet." Nikolai says it and the words seem to echo in the room.

Zarin shakes his head, "No, I will perform a blood binding as will Alexandria."

"It will not suffice. You must be my pets, the binding isn't strong enough in your case and likely Alexandria's. Being made a pet was barely sufficient for her grandmother. I can however place you and Alexandria above the rules to an extent. I and only I will touch your blood."

"What about the other?" Zarin demands.

"You know as well as I that sex is necessary for the marking to take place. I will not force either of you to accept. Alexandria has already had too much trauma in that department. If however, you choose to go forward I will not expect either of you to share another vampire's bed. I will also limit myself. That is the best I can do for you. The choice is yours." Nikolai says rather sadly.

Zarin seems to deflate, "You can accomplish what needs to be done?"

"The coven is forfeit you know that?" Nikolai counters.

"Yes. There are many powerful witches in that coven though. I would not be able to take them down on my own."

"My vampire's will take them down tonight." Nikolai states and Natalia is confused.

"My children in Africa, I have rarely had need to call upon them, but they will welcome the chance to drink from a witch." Nikolai explains to Natalia.

Natalia watches and listens in fascination and no little horror.

"Black magic is proscribed, Natalia. It is the summoning of demons and they would lay waste to the Earth. It will be far less costly for my vampire's to take out this nest of rogues than it would be for other witches. My children will destroy the entire coven and burn it to the ground. They will make sure that none of the magical books or other paraphernalia survives. When they are done there will be nothing left." Nikolai explains to Natalia but watches the two magical people before him. They both nod their acquiescence.

"Natalia, do you stay or leave?" Nikolai asks politely startling the other two.

Natalia gives a pained smile, "This time I think that I will leave."

"Very well. Let father know that I will be some time and he should start dinner without me if I'm not there. I will be doing the abortion as soon as they are mine."

"Very well Nikolai." Natalia says and makes her way out of the door.

Nikolai makes sure that Natalia is gone. "I lied. Alexandria come here, you should have come sooner Zarin."

"We came as soon as we could."

"This is going to be very painful and it's possible that she will not survive the abortion. It's been left almost too long now." Nikolai says feeling the life within Alexandria. "I need witches blood in order to do this."

"Take mine," Zarin offers going to Nikolai.

"You willingly allow yourself to become my pet?"

"Yes," Zarin doesn't even hesitate.

"Very well." Nikolai needs blood but he can set his mark at the same time.

Filled with the power of the witches blood Nikolai faces Alexandria, "You wish that creature inside you to die and you to live?"

"Yes, master." Alexandria kneels before him.

"I am not your master yet. You will willingly submit yourself to me as the price to pay for what you are asking?" Nikolai motions for her to stand up and she does so.

"Yes," Alexandria says spellbound by his glowing eyes.

"Zarin hold her." Zarin immediately goes behind her and holds her. Nikolai places his hand on her extended abdomen. Alexandria screams in pain as the demon child fights the death Nikolai is sending to it. Finally she collapses and it's only because Zarin holds her that she remains upright.

Nikolai is exhausted. The demon child had been strong he almost wasn't enough.

He slices his wrist and has Zarin open Alexandria's mouth. "Drink, Alexandria if you wish to live."

Alexandria weakly drinks from Nikolai's wrist. Shortly after that she is able to stand on her own feet. 

"The blood has healed you and you show no signs of being under it's influence. Do you now submit willingly to me to become my pet?"

"Yes."

"Zarin, do you remain?" Nikolai demands.

Zarin looks at Alexandria with anguish. "As my lady wishes."

Alexandria looks down in shame. "It will be easier without him." 

"I will await outside. Nikolai, I beg you to-"

"She will bare me a child, Zarin." At Nikolai's words Zarin nods and leaves the room.

"Is that part of the price, Nikolai?" Alexandria demands.

"All female pets are required to give me a child. After this it will be your choice whether you have my child or not. You may have any children you wish with Zarin as well."

"As my lord commands." Alexandria bows her head in submission. To lose a child she must bare a child. A child of great power at that. She just hopes that Nikolai understands what he is doing.

Then the seduction begins and she loses all thought.