Several days later Alana is with Jeffrey looking over the fight plans they made with the guesses as to the prince's strength. They hope that they are at least in the ballpark with the numbers since they haven't been able to get close enough to get an estimate. The best they've been able to do is have some vampires stand watch at the edge of the forest so that they will have some forewarning before the attack occurs.

Chronos knocks perfunctorily on the office door before coming in. "The sentries send word that the Prince is assembling his daylight forces. They should be here in less than an hour."

"If you would be so kind as to tell Clara this as well? I'll let our forces know to meet them where we planned." Jeffrey says smiling coldly. They might not be able to choose the time, but they will be able to choose the place.

"Yes, father. Charlene and her children arrived an hour ago. They said that if they eat they'll be ready to fight once more."

Jeffrey sits back in his chair when he hears this news. His face is a blank mask and he lifts his finger up to his mouth as he thinks. Finally he says, "Send her in after she gets something to eat. If she's already finished just send her in."

Chronos nods at them both before leaving silently.

"Charlene?" Alana says in question as she looks at her husband.

"Almost as old as Chronos. I made her a decade or so later, she was around when Persephone was. They didn't get along too well. It's weird that Chronos and Charlene did though. Persephone was jealous as fuck at how close Chronos was to her. I think it was Charlene that made it possible for Chronos to survive after Persephone's death and the death of our children."

"What do Apollo and Artemis think of her?" Alana is intensely interested in knowing this.

Jeffrey laughs, "They can't stand her. They feel that she was trying to take Persephone's place in my life and that of Chronos."

"What will she think of me?" Alana is curious.

Jeffrey smirks, "She'll likely test you a bit, but in the end I think that she'll love you."

"Testing I can deal with, as long as she doesn't disrespect me while she's at it." Alana says relaxing a bit and giving Jeffrey a small smile. Jeffrey smirks and pulls Alana onto his lap and keeps her there as there is a knock on the door.

"Come in, Charlene." Jeffrey speaks normally and holds Alana's squirming body tight to him.

"Father, mother," the stranger says as she stops in front of the desk.

"I like her better than your two brats already, Jeffrey." Alana says finally giving up on trying to get up.

Jeffrey smiles bigger, "Of course, she doesn't have an over inflated sense of self like my halflings do." Turning his attention to his daughter he continues, "Thank you for coming Charlene, I know that it was inconvenient for you to do so."

Charlene merely sniffs. "Any chance to take on the Prince himself, I'd drop anything to make it." Charlene turns her full attention to the female in her father's lap. "I don't think I've ever seen father so happy. That and the chance to finally take on the Prince of Hell himself, I would welcome you. Thank you. As for those two nitwits, I don't blame you for not liking them. Speaking of which, that bitch, Malia," Charlene smiles a rather evil smile, "I hear you finally made her one of us. Too bad, I was hoping that she would choose death. Any way, I heard that she was being punished for what she did to you both." Charlene's face becomes dark and angry. "I hear that she says that some of your higher vampires and trusted will betray you. My bet are those half bloods."

Alana stiffens up, "What do you mean?" She turns to face Jeffrey, "Well?"

Jeffrey sighs, "A couple of days ago she begged Chronos to bring me to her. I did and she told me that the Prince has been sending invitations to my vampires to betray me. She said that she turned it down but she's pretty sure that some of my children have accepted. I have several of my children that I suspect would take the words of the liar and his promises of rewards, they are under watch. Apollo and Artemis are both being watched, yes. As are several others. The fact that the message was given to many, at least a third of those coming to fight, and only Malia told me about it makes me a bit nervous."

"You should be, Father. I had no idea that many had received the message." Even Charlene is a bit sickened by this estimate.

"None of them are those that will be defending during the daylight hours. Alana, will you and your grandmother be able to help with the defenses without being seen? I know that we talked about it before, but Clara wasn't sure at that time."

Charlene startles at this news. "Clara? You don't mean the Hag do you, father?"

"Yes, Clara is Alana's great grandmother and has decided to help us fight."

Charlene looks at Alana with renewed respect with those words. "So it is true that you married her by the Celestial marriage?"

"Yes," Jeffrey says more than a little smug at those words. He and Alana have become much closer over the last days. He feels more for her and deeper than he ever has before.

"You love her?" Charlene says half astounded and thrilled. Her father has been cold and closed off or fuming in anger for as long as she's known him. Now the anger has lessened and he actually smiles at times. He smiled more in the last little bit that she spent with him than she can ever remember seeing him smile in all the years that she's known him.

"Do I? I don't really know what that word means. I know that I care for her more than I ever have with any one before."

Charlene seems to draw into herself and smile at them both. "Good. You are happier with her." She turns to Alana, "As long as father is happy with you, then I have nothing against you. Now if we all survive this fight I will love to get to know you better."

With those words Alana gives her a smile and replies, "I will look forward to it." She turns a bit and gives Jeffrey a small kiss before hopping off his lap. "I'll go find my grandmother and help her set up the surprises we have for the tainted."

Jeffrey watches Alana leaves with a soft look on his face. Charlene watches Jeffrey with a puzzled look.

"What do you actually think about this upcoming fight?" Charlene asks carefully.

"I think that we'll be very much the underdog. Just like when you were a newborn. We've estimated at least ten times the number of tainted to daylight vampires. At least half my forces can't be mobilized for the fight that will be starting shortly. As for the night time fighters, well, I can't say since I don't know how many will be willing to go against me.

"I think, we will be very lucky indeed to survive this upcoming fight. If by some miracle we do, there will be huge losses of my children and grandchildren. I have done my best to get them trained up to par," Jeffrey shrugs his shoulders but Charlene can tell that he's no where near as nonchalant as he presents himself to be.

"You're worried about this fight." Charlene states, somehow managing to hide her shock. Jeffrey has never shown worry about a fight before, no matter how bad or uneven it looked to be.

Jeffrey gives a bitter laugh. "Half my reserves are likely traitors, we are already severely overwhelmed by estimated numbers. Hell, yeah, I'm worried about this fight. Hell, the Archangel Michael doubts that he'll be able to take down the Prince." Jeffrey leans back into his chair and closes his eyes.

"If you are going to betray me, Charlene, do it now. I have no wish to witness the death of so many of my children and the betrayal of the others."

"I have no intentions of betraying you, father. I've seen you come out of situations that were impossible before, I have no doubt that you'll be able to do so again. Besides, my children are solidly on your side," Charlene smiles nastily. "They are still in the throws of blood lust from the last fight we finished. They want to go against the tainted immediately. We've all eaten sufficient and are ready to go again. 

"All my children are used to fighting for up to twelve hours or more." Charlene tells Jeffrey.

"Even in the sunlight?" Jeffrey is doing his best to keep his delight of this news off his face.

"We've been fighting tainted, large amounts of them. They've been attacking in the daylight hours. They didn't expect us to be able to slaughter them just as easily in the daylight as the night."

Jeffrey lets out a sigh of relief, "How many do children have come with you? Twenty?" He couldn't remember how many she had last time he talked to her.

Charlene waits until Jeffrey's eyes are once more on her before answering. "I have more than a hundred vampires willing to start fighting now."

Jeffrey can't hold back the smile that takes over his face. "When did you get so many children?"

"I've made a few more children since we've talked but most of my children also have made several children and so on. I lost about half my forces in my fights before coming here. That's why so many of my children are so eager to continue fighting."

"They want to punish the one responsible for their children's deaths." Jeffrey murmurs his sympathy for Charlene and her children well hidden.

"Yes, just like you father. "

Jeffrey smiles in delight, "Then come here, Charlene, let me help you and yours do a better job at fighting in the sunlight." 

Charlene isn't sure why Jeffrey wants her to go to him but when he bites his wrist and offers it to her she takes his wrist and drinks his blood.

"What the fuck?" Charlene says as she feels the change in her body.

"A little gift from the angels. It will allow you to fight in the sunlight as well as heal by the sun's rays. It won't take the place of blood, but it will help you survive until you can get to some."

Jeffrey stands up from his chair and ushers the shocked vampire out of his office, "Give to those you deem worthy of your gift. Just as I gave to you."

Charlene shakes off her shock, "Yes, of course, father. Thank you!"

Jeffrey watches Charlene leave in amusement. Chronos comes up to him, "The daylight fighters are in place except for Charlene's children. Not sure where Alana and Clara have taken position at, but we have the fortified shields in place."

"Then I guess we should go to the fight as well, then shouldn't we?" Jeffrey says smirking at his son.

"We should, indeed join in the fun." Chronos says flashing his own smirk. It's been a long time since he's been able to indulge in his full murderous urges. Now, not only will he be allowed to do so, but the angels are cheering them on.

"Too bad the angels have to do a protective perimeter to save the humans."

"Until the demons attack humans they can't do anything, you know that." Jeffrey says hiding his own feelings about the angels. He takes out the sword the angels gifted him and starts swinging it in delight.

Chronos edges away from his father as his full vampire state comes out for the first time he can remember. "Shit." He says in awe.

Jeffrey turns to him, "Let it out, Chronos, just make sure you retain some control so you don't kill innocents. I would hate to have to kill you if you survive this melee. If I fail, you will need to find this sword and train hard until another chance to take him down presents itself."

"I will, father." Chronos pledges himself to Jeffrey. Jeffrey nods once in reply as they race to the clearing where Jeffrey killed those six tainted that were chasing Alana all those weeks ago. He thinks it rather appropriate that the final fight take place here. He just wishes he knew where Alana was so he could give her another kiss.