Sean grabbed Von Battle's shoulder, turning his head a little to meet his eyes when he said in a low whisper. "But you helped with the rebellion?" Von Battle straightened him up to continue waltzing around the room. Sean was even unknowingly improving, allowing them to keep better time with the music. Holding him close, Von Battle stared only at him, when he answered calmly. "I've fought in a lot of battles. I've won all of them. Yet... It's not enough." Sean's fingers stroked the ring of Wonderland on Von Battle's finger, asking him curiously. "What do you want the ring for? What will it give you?" Von Battle raised his hand to spin Sean around, then raised their hands higher to bring Sean up against him. Staring deeper into his eyes, Von Battle answered calmly. "Power and title." Sean huffed, saying a bit sarcastically. "Don't you already have that? You're a king." Von Battle's lips curled into a devilish grin, before he told him. "Yes... and yet, the Kings of Cards hold all the power. Though I control the night throughout Wonderland... I am not worthy of their respect. I helped them destroy your family... and I get shut out as a result. I help your family rebel and again... get far less than I deserve."

Sean let that sink in, before straightening himself up more confidently to say coolly. "You think that having that ring and drinking my blood will force them to respect you?" Von Battle stroked his knuckles down Sean's cheek, smirking out. "Worth a try. What have I got to lose? If it doesn't work... I've still got something that the King of Hearts will want more than anything." Sean licked his dry lips, before stopping at telling Von Battle openly. "What if I just give you what you want?" The vampires dancing and laughing around them kept going like their conversation didn't interest them. A few glanced at them though as they danced around them. Von Battle shook his head subtly, purring back in a gorgeous regal tone. "I don't trust people anymore. It's how I've survived. Why rely on someone else. When I can just do it myself." Sean fearless took his hands, telling him sincerely. "But do you want to take the risk of it not working? You kill me... and you won't get a chance to try again." Sliding his hands up Von Battle's arms, he held onto his shoulders and whispered to him as he moved to press himself against him. "I want the King of Hearts to fall too. I don't need you to trust me... but let me go and I'll pave the way for your new reign as King to mean something."

Von Battle tilted his head a little with an amused expression behind his raven half-mask. Sean bit his lip, then added even softer to him. "What have you got to lose? I'm the one he's after. If I weaken him... That's less work for you to deal with. If I fail, he'll never suspect that you had anything to do with me. You'll be able to plan all on your own. Doesn't that sound better than becoming his next target?" Von Battle smirked, the tips of his sharp fangs peeking from under his upper lip. Looking away for a few seconds, he seemed to consider it. When his eyes returned to his, Von Battle lifted Sean's chin with his finger and whispered over his lips in a smooth charming voice. "A tempting offer. But if drinking your blood works? Then I will have what I want." Sean nodded but whispered back with an unwavering voice. "But what if it doesn't?" Von Battle brushed his cold lips over his lightly, before telling him softly. "Let's find out, shall we?" Sean inhaled sharply. Von Battle smiled, straightening up as he added commandingly. "Come with me." Von Battle wrapped a firm arm around his waist, walking him off toward the throne chair. Sean's heart thundered in his ribs as Von Battle led him off the black and white chess colored dance floor. Stopping briefly by the throne chair, Von Battle told the Necromancer sternly. "Stay here and watch over my guests. I'll be back."

The Necromancer bowed to him, replying politely. "As you wish, Highness." Von Battle then pulled Sean toward a door in the back that guards opened for him. Sean shook as Von Battle led him down the dark dimly lit gothic halls of the castle. He could barely see anything without all the stain glass windows that were opened to let in moonlight. The thin red curtains billowing in the light breeze that came from somewhere in the drafty castle. Von Battle glanced at him as he walked with a perfect stride and posture. "Are you cold?" Sean nodded, but it was a lie. He barely felt the cold compared to his fear of being stabbed by two fangs! Von Battle chuckled to himself like he could tell that he was lying. Guiding him to the room at the end of the hallway, two guards rushed out from behind them with inhuman speed to open the wooden black doors for them. Von Battle released him as they moved inside. Allowing Sean to stop and turn around to watch the guards close the heavy sounding doors. Wincing, Sean swallowed and looked around. The room was smaller than the ballroom but still big enough to be a small house by itself. The room was stunningly decorated in shades of black and rich deep purples.

There was a beautiful stone fireplace with snarling gargoyles. The purple, blue, and black stain glass windows made the room look old and mysterious. Before the fireplace was a black leather couch with purple pillows. Then there was a wide black coffin that sat open to reveal rich purple interior and silver silk pillows and blankets. Hanging in a perfect circle all around the coffin was a curtain of thin strings that glittered with small diamonds that you had to walk through. Slowly pushing the strings open, Sean stepped inside and looked up at the sparkling crystal chandelier that hung high above the coffin in the dead center of the curtained off section of the room. Sean's jaw dropped as he gawked out breathlessly. "Holy fuck... The dark side never looked so sexy." Walking just outside the diamond curtain, Von Battle chuckled out to him in a buttery tone. "You like it?" Sean nodded, telling him sincerely. "Ya. I was expecting cobwebs... not diamonds or crystals..." Von Battle's hand lightly ran over the curtain as he walked around it, telling him casually. "I'm restoring the castle. Soon every room will look as lovely as this one. I want to showcase grandeur in every room. I plan to bring colors back into the night. Rich reds. Gleaming golds. Deep emeralds and shimmering whites. When I'm done. My castle will be dark and beautiful."

Sean shivered a little, following Von Battle with his eyes when he said a bit uneasily now. "I hope I'm around to see it. Sounds simply extraordinary." Von Battle stopped, his hands parting the curtain of diamonds when he answered almost mournfully. "It will be. Though, I can't promise you'll live to see its completion." Sean hugged himself, asking with a shaky voice now. "How much blood do you need to test your theory?" Von Battle pulled his jacket off his shoulders slowly, upon telling him calmly. "At least three pints. And since the average adult has eight to twelve pints in their body... if you lose five pints, you could exsanguinate and die. So, I'll try to restrain myself." Von Battle flashed him a grin, his fangs growing out slowly. Sean felt the color drain from his face as his heart slowed down from shock. He started to back up, but Von Battle's arm wrapped around his back to keep him from going far. His hand feeling like ice across his exposed back. Sean inhaled sharply, unable to get himself to breathe normally as fear set in. Von Battle's lips went to his ear, purring to him so calm and beautifully. "Keep breathing like that and you'll pass out. Or is that your plan to get through this?"

Sean was so scared that he found himself chuckling through it and sarcastically snapping back. "No! How would you feel if someone wanted to eat you?!" Von Battle chuckled a little darkly, turning Sean to face him better. Putting his jacket on the coffin lid, Von Battle put his forehead to Sean's to stare him down through the dark mask and his long dark bangs, when he answered a little bluntly. "I was scared... at first. It's natural for prey to feel that way in the presence of a predator. And for good reason..." Sean swallowed, mumbling out. "I can't trust you. Can I?" Von Battle shook his head, then yanked him up against him. Bringing his lips to his, he whispered to him in a deep powerful voice. "No more than a farm animal can trust the love of the farmer that cares for them." Sean put his shaking hands on Von Battle's chest, taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down. Von Battle seemed to let him have his moment, waiting for him to relax. By the time Sean got himself to stop shaking and got his breathing almost under control, he looked up into his eyes. Inhaling deeply, Sean reached up to grab the beak of the raven mask. Slowly pushing it up and off his face.

Even without the raven eye mask, Von Battle had black make-up across his eyes that gave him a softer look than the sharp narrowed features of the raven mask had given him. At least, until Von Battle's dark eyes started to turn a bright red. Von Battle's free hand slid down to Sean's side toward the back of his neck where the dress's clasp was, while he leaned in toward his throat. Swatting Von Battle's wrist away from the clasp, he tried to back up from him as his heart leapt in fright. The idea of feeling his fangs on his throat made his skin crawl. The dress's choker top was all that was keeping him at bay. Jumping back, Sean yelped at his legs hit the coffin and he fell back into it. The inside of the coffin was so soft and comfy that it felt like he landed on a cloud of silk, and yet... he'd done it so ungracefully. His legs shot up into the air, flipping the skirt of the dress up. Sean tried to put his legs down but couldn't in his current position. The edge of the coffin was not designed to rest legs on. Von Battle carefully took ahold of his ankles, letting them rest on his torso, when he chuckled down to him. "Well... That was graceful."

Sean quickly fixed the skirt of his dress between his legs to hide his underwear. His cheeks burned with embarrassment and his temper flared a bit, when he snapped out. "Oh, fuck off... And help me out!" Von Battle raised an eyebrow, asking a bit smugly. "Well? Which is it? You want me to fuck off or help you up?" Rolling his eyes, Sean grumbled out. "Help me out of this thing." Von Battle smirked, then brought his lips to one of Sean's legs and kissed it. Sean's hands grabbed handfuls of the sheets beneath him, asking in a sudden terrified voice. "Hey. What are you doing...?" Von Battle didn't answer him. Instead, his hands slid down Sean's legs to hold his knees. Sean tried to sit up, snapping out forcefully. "HEY! Are you listening to me?" Von Battle parted his lips, the tips of his fangs lightly tracing down a vein along Sean's inner thigh. Sean's legs tensed, the sensitive skin along his inner thigh causing him to remain still. He didn't want to thrash and get cut or bitten there. Sliding his own hand up his inner thigh, he tried to block Von Battle from the spot he seemed to be going toward, whining out shakily. "Not there... Please? Look?"

Von Battle's bright red eyes met his, but his fangs lingered over Sean's hand. Sean turned his hand over and ran his fingers up the blue vein from his wrist to his arm. Trying to tempt him to bite a place that he could handle it better. Von Battle moved his hands to brace them down inside the coffin by Sean's hips, purring to him in a deep and almost sinister tone. "Scoot back." Gulping, Sean grabbed the skirt of his dress and braced his feet on the coffin edge to help scoot himself into the coffin better. Briefly, Sean thought about trying to climb out, but Von Battle gave him something else to worry about. Crawling into the coffin between his legs, Von Battle moved over him on all fours like a large hungry cat. Then grabbing his wrists, Von Battle pinned them down over his head with one hand. Sean twisted his wrists, but Von Battle's hand had a good grip on both with little effort. Leaning over him, Von Battle whispered over his lips softly. "Don't thrash around or tense up. That will just make it hurt more." Sean took a deep breath, whinnying out as he braced his feet on the base of the coffin. "Oh fuck..." Closing his eyes, he took one last deep breath and held it.

Von Battle's lips moved to the inside of his bicep, causing an involuntary reaction to tense. He'd thought he'd bite him in a less sensitive spot on his arm. Gritting his teeth, he told Von Battle gruffly. "Don't tickle me or I'll thrash..." Von Battle kissed a spot on his skin, before telling him seriously. "I won't. Just relax." Turning his head to look away, he kept his eyes shut and focused on breathing. Von Battle's scent filled his nose with every intake. The heavy but pleasant smell of him was helping to calm him a bit. It made it easy to picture someplace else. Von Battle kissed his bicep for a bit, keeping his fangs off him... until he sank them into him. Feeling them pierce his skin made him jerk his head up to squeal against Von Battle's shoulder. Burying his face against Von Battle's cold neck, Sean took strained breaths and desperately tried to ignore the throbbing pain in his arm. He'd never felt his heartbeat in his arm so much. If Von Battle was feeding, he couldn't hear him and that helped a lot. Sean curled his fingers into fists but did his best not to squeeze them, because he could feel the muscle in his arm move more than ever. He'd always imagined that a kiss from a vampire to be personal and kind of romantic... and it was but not in the way he imagined. Not when he was in more pain than pleasure.

The longer Von Battle's fangs were in him, the more he felt dizzy. His feet dropped from the foot of the coffin. He didn't have the strength to keep them pressed hard to the base. Then he got so dizzy that he had to lay his head back on the pillows away from Von Battle's shoulder. He was starting to feel weak. It felt like his body was so tired that he just couldn't stay awake. Eventually, his eyes started to close, but he tried his best to resist it as fear tugged at him. His primal need to stay awake and alive was fighting the exhaustion. Von Battle finally leaned back off him, a thin line leaking down his chin from one of his bloodstained fangs. Von battle licked his tongue over his fangs as they shrank, then wiped the blood off his chin with his thumb to lick that off too. Von Battle's red eyes slowly faded back to his dark brown ones, before he looked at the ring of Wonderland and straighten up. For a brief moment, Sean was thrilled that it was over, before his body passed out. To Be Continued...