Another long day for Arthur, wasted on useless council meetings and solutionless problems. His people's population had steadily dwindled in the pass few years; more were being killed and less were having children. At the rate Hunters were picking them off, there wouldn't be any vampires left soon, and that was a problem. Yes, they killed many of the Hunters, but the Hunters had them terribly outnumbered. Even if they were to turn a hundred humans, the newborns would be cut down before they even killed anyone, as he persistently reminded many of his council members.

He shook his head violently and nearly ran out of his large house, trying to escape the oppressive cloud over him. The scent of the forest called to him, its clean, earthy smell already relieving his stressed thoughts. Arthur let himself wander deep into the green, thick undergrowth, far from any signs of civilization, but he was far from lost; he knew this forest as well as his own body, perhaps even better.

After roaming the worn trails, he finally came to the place he'd been looking for. The wide meadow grew lush with flowers and other plants, and a large boulder leaned over a small pond; it was the very picture of peace for him. He slowly strolled to the grey stone and sat down with his back against it. The coolness of the rock nearly matched his own body temperature. He'd considered this meadow his place since he first found it and showed it to no one.

A southern wind stirred the grass around him, sending ripples through the water of the pond, and brought a new scent to his sensitive nose. It smelled spicy and warm, if warmth had a scent, but it was all he could think of to describe the interesting scent. Then he heard the snap of a twig; he wasn't alone. With inhuman speed, he jumped to his feet and dropped into a defensive crouch just as a man walked out from behind his rock.

The man was of slim build and made for speed. He had dark chocolate-brown hair and two deep hazel eyes that seemed to reflect the greens and browns of the forest behind him. If Arthur didn't know better, he would have mistaken this man for a spirit of a tree, but he could smell the scent of demon on him. It's strange he didn't smell it sooner.

"You're a long way from home," he growled, never taking his eyes off the demon. The stories told of some demons being powerful enough to steal your soul with just their eyes, but those weren't just stories meant to scare children. They were truth, and those beautiful eyes seemed just like the type to steal souls.

"Yes, I am a long way from home. Would you relax? I'm not here for a soul like yours." The demon spoke slowly, as if he was holding back something, and frowned at him.

Arthur didn't move from his crouch. He'd read too few books on demons to trust them. Most of them read that demons could take souls without even touching their victims, and take control of people's bodies and force them to do their bidding. But that was all he'd been able to find, all the books that had had more detailed descriptions burned in a mysterious fire and the information lost over the many years since demons and vampires were friends, and demons were good about keeping their secrets locked away. "What are you doing here?"

"Why do we hate each other?" The demon leaned casually against his rock.

"What?" Arthur asked dumbly, blinking in shock.

"Don't be an idiot, I'll be severely disappointed if you turn out to be a dunce." The demon frowned even more, a crease forming between his brows. "Demons and vampires, why do they hate each other?"

He bristled at the insult to his intelligence, or almost insult, really. "Don't you know your history, fire-breather? Demon King Romulus formed an alliance with the Hunters to help destroy vampires, thus sealing the bond of hate."

The demon had the nerve to actually roll his eyes at Arthur, as if he was a silly child. "Now, tell me the similarities between us."

"Do you know who you're talking to, wanker?" He growled, not use to being ordered around and no one, but his older brothers, dared to speak to him so rudely.

"Yes, but the better question is do you know who you're talking to? But that doesn't matter, answer the fucking question."

"You're only some demon," Arthur scoffed, letting his temper burn away any caution. "And, since you obviously don't know, demons and vampires share a common food source and a common enemy, although demons are more willing to sell themselves cheap."

"You really have no idea who I am," the demon's melodious voice rang with amusement and he smirked mockingly.

"Oh, where are my manners," he grumbled sarcastically, straightening up and bowing. "My name is Arthur Kirkland, king of all vampires."

"My name's Lovino," he answered, unimpressed by Arthur's kingship.

"You have the same name as the demon king. Your parents must be very proud demons," he sneered.

The demon got a very strange look on his face, and said, "You could say that. Have you ever seen the demon king?"

"No, I don't make it a habit to associate with such dishonest creatures," he answered stiffly. All his patience had worn thin; the bombardment of stress made him cranky and in need of release, and this demon's lack of reaction to his insults irked him.

"Perhaps you should," the demon told him, rolling his beautiful eyes at his irritation and sat down among the flowers. "It would cure your ignorance."

"I am not ignorant!"

"If you weren't, you would know that if demons and vampires were to put aside their stupid feud and come together, we might be able to win against the Hunters if they start another war," Lovino said nonchalantly.

The retort he had ready to fling at Lovino died in his throat. In truth, it had never occurred to him to seek outside help, and especially not from demons. "Why would you suggest something like that? Our people hate each other."

"Do you really think you're the only damn one the Hunters are targeting? Because you're not. A king should consider every option to help his people," the demon scolded, scowling deeply in disapproval at him.

Arthur felt an embarrassed blush crawl over his cheeks. He'd let his temper get the better of him once again, his mother would be disappointed in him. "And what do you suggest? Mending the bonds won't be easy. Vampires never forget such things as betrayal."

"I'm well aware," Lovino snapped at him. "You think I have not thought of this before?"

"You've thought of this before?"

"Have you really not realized yet? I don't know if you're stupid or just fucking slow."

"Shut it, you twat! It's been a long day and I don't have time to think about strange demons like you!" Arthur felt his anger rising again, if it continued like this, he'd say something rash again.

Lovino rolled his eyes, picking a few flowers from the ground around him, obviously more comfortable in the presence of an 'enemy' than him. "Whatever you say, bastard."

"What the bloody hell are you even doing on my land, soul-sucker?"

"What the hell have we been talking about, fuck— I came to recommend a solution to our problems."

It amazed him to watch Lovino's face go from near murderous with rage to deathly calm and unfeeling, which was the strongest emotion he'd seen from the demon, except cold indifference. "Why should I listen to you?"

"Because soon, there won't be any vampires left for you to rule. The Hunters are planning a big wipe out."

"What? How do you know this?" Arthur studied the demon's face for any trace of dishonesty, something he was good at spotting, but found none.

"I have a spy in their system. They're planning to exterminate everyone."

"What does that have to do with you?"

"Ignorant bastard. When I say everyone, I mean everyone, including demons," Lovino growled.

"We can fight." And lose, but he left that unsaid, it would be foolish to bare such a weakness like that.

The demon took a deep, calming breath. "Look, it's not like it's easy being here. I say you mend old hurts and join together to keep our races alive. You can't fight them alone and win, and neither can we."

He gave Lovino a disapproving stare. "How am I going to fix centuries of hate?"

"Only your people are still sore over what King Romulus did, mine are rather indifferent on the matter," Lovino explained to him slowly, like he was trying to teach a stubborn child his letters and the child just couldn't learn it.

"My people won't take kindly to forgiving demons, idiot, not without a good reason."

"I know, bastard!" The demon growled and his fists balled up in frustration, trapping the poor flower in his grip.

"Fine, fine. I'll think about it," he mumbled and sat down, tired out by the argument. "You took a big risk coming here."

"I know, but I'm not afraid of an idiot like you."

"Yeah? And what if, instead of me being here, it was Ivan? That big brute would tear your limb from limb before you could get a word out," he growled, too tired to rise to the insult.

"Do you think I'm stupid? You might be ignorant enough to barge into demon land without knowing who you're looking for, but I'm not," Lovino said, giving him a glare that seemed to cut all the way to his soul.

"Shut up, wanker." He couldn't help but shift uncomfortably. "Would you stop looking at me like that?"

"Like what— oh." Lovino shifted his eyes away slightly, his gaze staying strangely neutral.

Arthur stared at the demon, who stretched out a bit as the sun came out of the clouds. There was such little information on demons, he didn't know whether to keep his guard up or not, but Lovino didn't seem to be displaying any hostile intentions.

"What the fuck are you staring at, shithead?" Lovino glared at him accusingly, but his posture remained relaxed. He looked like one of the biggest contradictions Arthur had ever seen.

It fascinated him the way Lovino's eyes blazed with some inner fire, smoldering and burning into everything he set his gaze upon. "Is it true demons are born from fire? Does it really run in your blood?"

"Yes and no, to both questions. What the hell made you ask that?" Lovino scowled suspiciously at him, eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"I'm just curious. Somehow, your people managed to keep the details of your kind to a minimum understanding to anyone who's not a demon."

"Yeah? Well, good. The less everyone knows, the better," Lovino snapped.

He decided to ignore the rude tone and thought over the few books he'd read that mentioned demons. "Fine. Is it true that 'Fire can fly from a demon's finger tips and will never go out without the demon's consent'," he quoted from one of the books.

"That's from the 'Book of Volatile Creatures', si? Because that's a shitty book."

"I agree, it's not the best. Please, answer the question," Arthur let irritation slip into his voice.

"For the most part, yes." Lovino looked away from him and at something distant.

"May I see?"

"You'll have to move closer, bastard." Lovino motioned at the wide distance between them.

As wary as he was, he wanted to know more about this secretive man and his race. Wordlessly, he rose and crossed the distance, and sat cross-legged in front of the other male.

Lovino, for his part, seemed surprised by his actions. "Damn, you really want to know that bad?"

"Yes."

The demon sighed and pressed his hands together. Between his fingers, a small glowing formed. Lovino cupped a tiny ball of fire and sighed again. He watched as slowly, the ball uncurled and a small wolf sat up in Lovino's hands. The fire-wolf jumped out of Lovino's hand, floating in the air, and walked around them. It ran a few circles around them, before settling on his leg. Through the fabric of his pants, he could feel the warmth and he hesitantly reached out a hand to touch it.

"Wait—" Lovino tried to warn him, but it was too late.

The wolf disappeared, leaving his hand charred and burned. He jerked his hand back and hissed. His damaged nerves screamed and pain shot up his arm.

"Shit! It's still fire, not some fucking pet!" Lovino's eyes found his, concern focused on him.

"I know that now!" He grit his teeth, holding his blackened fingers away from him, as if to push away the pain.

Lovino took a deep breath and let it out. "Give me your hand."

Cautiously, Arthur held out his injured hand to the demon. "What are you going to do?"

"Fixing it." Lovino took his hand, treating it far more gently than he expected. His fingers began to glow and green fire formed around the edges.

"Wait, wait!" He tried to pull his hand away before the demon could touch him, but Lovino held-fast and pressed his fingers to the damaged skin. Instead of the searing pain he expected, only a pleasant warmth greeted him as his nerves healed and reformed.

"There, fucking wimp," Lovino said gruffly, letting out a huff, and released his hand. "Sorry about that..."

He ran his fingers over the smooth skin of his newly healed hand in amazement. "Bloody hell..."

"What are you so surprised about?" The demon grumbled and glared at the ground.

"Well, I believed fire could only destroy." His eyes rose to meet Lovino's and he watched the fire flicker and burn in those beautiful hazel eyes.

"Continue to believe that, fire will always destroy." Lovino stared back at him until the distant rumble of thunder alerted them of the oncoming storm. They both stood up slowly and took a few steps away from each other.

"I'll be leaving now," Lovino said abruptly, then turned and marched away.

"Goodbye, Lovino," he called as the demon ran into the forest.

He stared at the place between the trees where Lovino had disappeared, long after the undergrowth had stopped its trembling and he could no longer hear Lovino's light footsteps. The encounter with the strange demon raised many questions for him. Lovino hadn't seemed like he lied about the Hunters wanting to eradicate his people, the recent rise in deaths caused by Hunters only supported his words. But was an alliance with the demons really the answer? How would he even bring others to accept help from the demons? Last time vampires and demons fought together, it ended with heartless betrayal by the demons and since then, the ties between the two races never reconciled. There'd been a few individuals that made friends with a demon or two, but those friendships were usually made before the War.

Arthur had only been a child when the War broke out, his body barely bigger than a six year old's at the time. He remember the long nights waiting for his mother to kiss him good night when her battle planning ran late. Back then, he was too young to understand the importance of the men she held council with and the long periods of time when she went away. It was only towards the end of the war that he learnt her long absences were caused by battles.

At the healthy age of seven, Mother took him to meet King Romulus. It would be his first, and last for a long time, meeting a demon, and the large man terrified him. The King stood taller than his mother and his golden eyes seemed to drown him, slowly suffocating him. In a nervous greeting, he had held out a trembling hand. The demon smiled at him kindly, shedding his intimidating air, and took his hand in a warm handshake before picking him up and swinging him around, like a father would if he ever had one.

After that first meeting, he knew King Roma was a good person, that only made the betrayal of the demons even harder for him to accept. But he didn't have much time to think of the Demon King as he once was, or insist that the king was forced to betray them, because not long after, his mother died in battle and he was named heir to the throne. He was told that King Roma gave the killing blow, but he'd always had a hard time believing that. How could the kind man, who helped him improve his sword skills and always smiled at him when no one else would, kill his mother? He would never know, nor want to.

The War: It was basically a war that started out Demon and Vampires versus Hunters, but about half-way through, Demons struck up a deal the Hunters and switched sides. This ultimately turned out to be a bad choice, because once the Arthur's mother (Vampire Queen) was killed and most their people killed, the Hunters went after Demons and killed King Romulus. And thus, vampires and demons became moral enemies.

Another story to start and write for. Who knows how long this one will take to update, because I don't know. School is hard and inspiration is low.

-Windy