"Kai!" Astrid exclaimed as he strode into her office. "What can I do for you? And can you make it quick? I have a meeting in a little bit."

"I just wanted to ask if there was any way we could make me not be a vampire anymore," Kai told her. "Victoria and I…we want to have children of our own because of the whole fiasco with my mother and the twins, but since I'm a vampire, we can't. However, I thought that since I became a vampire because of being murdered, then maybe you could just fix me? I know you don't do it for everyone, but will you think about it?"

Astrid paused. "Well, you are part of the bunch that's gonna stop John and Freya, aren't you? And I suppose that Victoria's first pregnancy really helped the magical world out because it got us a hold of Edele. I suppose I can think about changing you back."

"Thank you," Kai told her. "Thank you very much."

"So what did she say?" Victoria asked Kai when he got back to his house. "Did she say she would help you?"

"She said she would think about it, which isn't necessarily a 'No', right?" Kai told her.

"Oh, but it could lead to a 'No', which is totally unfair!" Victoria stomped her foot. "It's not your fault that you became a vampire. You should get to change back!"

"You're right, I should," Kai nodded. "But as Astrid is the only one who has the power to make the change, if she denies us, then we're just out of luck, aren't we?"

"Are you giving up when this is something we want?" Victoria asked. "There has to be another way besides Astrid. I don't give a fuck about how shifty it is!"

Kai smiled. "All right then." He pulled her to him, bit her bottom lip, and then kissed her. "You know, I like this new 'devil may care' attitude of yours," he told her. "Well, I guess it's not really new, but I like that it's come back."

"Yeah, you know," Victoria smiled and reached up to tousle his hair. "Me too. It's nice to be back." She paused. "So…are we gonna wait for Astrid, or what?"

"Why would you want to wait to be told 'No'?" Kai asked. "We'll see who else we can talk to."

"Yeah," Victoria nodded. "Let's do it."

"Why in the hell would I help you after what you just did to me?" Edele pouted. Victoria had taken the spell off of her so that she and Kai could ask if Edele knew anyone who could help them. "Maybe I should just leave you be and let you suffer."

"I don't think you want to do that," Kai said. "You haven't even heard what we want from you."

"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure you can manage without it," Edele snapped. "Now go away. I don't want to talk to you."

She turned away from them just as Kai said, "It's about getting you a grandchild! You want to help with that, don't you?"

Edele slowly turned around then. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Kai said and grinned, crossing his arms. "Not so dismissive now, are you? Do you know someone who can help us with this or not? Because we're pretty sure Astrid's not gonna jeopardize her standing in the magical community by helping me, even though she said she'd think about it."

"Well, there is someone, but I don't think you're gonna like the answer," Edele told him. "You might hate it so much that you won't do it."

"Just tell us," Kai told her. "We don't care who it is or what we have to do."

"Talk to John then," Edele told him. "He's not beholden to the rules of the Council and he's one of the most powerful people I know. His sisters made up vampires and werewolves for god's sake! If he can't fix you, I don't know who can."

Victoria stepped back a little. "Now wait just a minute. Are you really asking us to go beg and grovel to the man who's trying to steal our two children away to fix Kai so we can have more?"

"I wasn't asking you to do anything," Edele replied. "I was just telling you something that I thought would help you in your current predicament, since you told me there was nothing you wouldn't do."

"Come on, Vicky, I'm sure it won't be so bad," Kai said, putting an arm around her. "Whatever happens, whatever he wants in return, I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle."

"Well, this is a surprise," John remarked as he opened the front door and invited Kai and Victoria inside. "Why are you here? If you've come to beg me to leave my children entirely in your care, the answer is 'No'. Not going to happen. They're too important to me."

"We understand that," Kai told him. "That's why it's not what we came for. We came because we have a request to make of you."

"Oh?" John leaned forward and crossed one leg over the other. "Do you? You know that any favor you ask will have a steep price, right? Is it one you are willing to pay?"

"Yes," Kai nodded. "I'm sure that whatever you want is something I can handle. Surely my mother's told you how bad I used to be."

"Yes," John nodded. "She did love to talk about what a troublesome boy her son was and how you were so terrible she had to have you locked up in prison to keep others safe."

"Just a minute," Victoria cleared her throat. "Before you two go any further with this, I'd like to excuse myself. This is just between the two of you and I don't want to get in the way."

"A very good idea, my dear," John told her. "Men talk best when women aren't present."

Victoria got up and when John was looking down to pick up his wine glass, Victoria blew a raspberry at him and stomped off.

"Now that your ill-mannered wife is out of the way, what is it that you want from me?" John asked Kai. "I have to say that I'm intrigued. It must be something quite illegal because if it wasn't, you'd be asking the Council instead of a man you hate more than life itself."

"Oh, don't flatter yourself," Kai told him. "I still hate my mother more than I'll ever hate you. But what I want is to be given life again. I was murdered with vampire blood in my system, and even though I got my magic back from Astrid as part of an earlier deal, I can't father children and because Finn and Molly aren't ours, Victoria and I were thinking that we want to have some of our own that can't be stolen away."

John heard this last bit and chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure you do. I would have loved to see the look on your face when Edele broke the news to you about your children's true parentage. It must've been quite heartbreaking for you."

"Not really," Kai shook his head. "You and my mother might be their biological parents, but since Vicky and I raised them, they're just as much ours. Even more so, actually. And that'll be true no matter what you say. So tell me what I need to do for you in order to be able to be a father again?"

"Well, it's not just something you'll need to do for me," John smiled. "The spell that will bring you back to your old magical self will also bring back your darkness. Possibly make you even darker than you used to be."

"That's fine," Kai shrugged. "Victoria's used to that. It's not like it'll drive her away."

John leaned in closer. "Maybe not. But you know what will? Her finding out that you're going to be helping me. That's the other part of the price. Is it still worth it to you? Is knowing that you're finally going to be able to send your mother where you felt she's belonged for years worth more to you? Or would you spare your mother to save your wife? I'll be interested to see which one you choose."

"Oh, there's no contest!" Kai got out. "I'd pick Vicky every time."

"You say that now," John chuckled evilly. "But you'll probably think differently once the spell is in place. Just to warn you."

"I'll do it anyway," Kai told him firmly. "Just fix me."

"All right," John sighed and started readying the spell. "But don't say I didn't warn you of the consequences."

And after the spell was done and Kai had been sent on his way, Freya came into the living room and John pulled her to him. "Did you hear that, my love?" He asked her. "We have someone else on our side! It's amazing how desperate love can make people."

"Exactly," Freya nodded. "Caring like that just gets you into trouble. That's why I only decided to care about me…and no one else."

"Are you sure?" John asked. "You better not be lying to me."

"Why would I do that if it meant I was going to die?" Freya asked, a smile curving her lips as she kissed him. "I'm not stupid."

"Well, I would hope you're not," John told her. "Cause I would hate to have to kill you when I've just begun to get used to having you here."

"Stephanie!" Percy whispered one night when he found her standing over his bed. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was talking to my friend Clarissa and when she wanted to be with her boyfriend, she sneaked into his room in the middle of the night, so I thought I would do the same thing," Stephanie told him. "I didn't suggest you get the tight pants for nothing, you know."

"I should have figured that was one of the reasons why you wanted them for me, but can we discuss this first?" Percy requested.

"What's there to discuss?" Stephanie asked. "I mean, would you rather not? You want me to buy you dinner first?"

"I don't know," Percy shook his head. "It's just that I've never really thought about it."

Stephanie smiled, her teeth flashing white in the darkness before she grabbed him and gave him a kiss that sent warmth spreading through his body.

"Are you thinking of it now?" She asked after they pulled apart, even though Percy still kept a lose hold on her.

"Yes," he whispered. "But I…I don't know what to do about it."

"I know you do," Stephanie told him. "Why are you hesitating?"

Percy got up and went to turn the lights on, revealing that his face was bright red. "Well," he got out, "I, um…uh, would you…" he waved his hand in an abstract way and then blushed even redder.

"Is this a way to tell me that you'd like me to change my outfit," Stephanie asked.

"Yes," Percy nodded. "Please. Or I at least want to ask if I can."

"Sure," Stephanie nodded. "Knock yourself out." She was just dying to know what his fantasies were.

He zapped her and she found herself in a gauzy white see-through robe over a pair of lacy white panties and a matching bra. She also felt something on her head and something else protruding from her back.

"Okay, I get the outfit," she said as he swaggered toward her with a grin and pulled her to him. "But what's on my head and back?"

"I'll explain later," he told her. "Just go with it, please."

"All right," she shrugged as he nibbled on her neck (which she knew would leave a hickey she'd have to explain tomorrow), and then opened her robe and pushed it off her shoulders so she just stood before him in her panties. Then she watched as he undressed and, just as she'd seen the day they went to buy him new clothes, he was much more cut under his polo than people would believe.

Then, he picked her up (again, something very surprising,) and took her to bed where he gazed at her with tenderness as he stroked her cheek and played with her hair before deftly removing her bra and panties and parting her legs to kiss her inner thighs. As he got closer and closer to her center, she felt her hips buck forward. She wondered where in the hell he'd learned all this, but she didn't want to ask for fear of destroying the very delightful fantasy she was currently in the middle of. Then, he took her in his arms and whispered in her ear, "I love you, my angel," before slipping inside her and filling her over and over again as she grinned and kissed his cheek. An angel. That explained what was on her head. And what was on her back. Wings. Wings and a halo. She was his angel and tonight, he was a devil in the guise of a really sweet and handsome guy.

"Oh, my god," Ethan started as he opened the door to what he thought was Ian's knock, but found himself face to face with a man in glasses, a charcoal gray vest over a shirt with the sleeves rolled up, pants that matched the vest, and black loafers. His dark hair was blown dry and had height, and his eyes sparkled at the look on Ethan's face.

"Excuse me," Ethan said when he could get a breath. "But who are you?"

"Ethan, for god's sake, it's me, Ian!" He told him, then grabbed him and kissed him deeply. "See? My god, what was the point of me wearing these clothes for you if you don't even recognize me in them?"

"Right, you look good," Ethan replied and cleared his throat. His legs began to feel like jelly, and as he felt himself start to fall from surprise, Ian reached out to catch him.

"Are you all right?" Ian asked and grinned as he looked down into Ethan's shocked eyes. "I wouldn't have dressed this way if I'd known you were gonna react to it so badly."

"Oh, I'm not reacting badly," Ethan shook his head. "Um…do you mind if we delay dinner for a bit? I'm not very hungry."

Ian smiled. "I thought you wouldn't be," he said and took Ethan's hand, making a massaging motion on his palm with his thumb and kissing his earlobe. "Is there…anything I can do to help you get your appetite back?"

"Yeah," Ethan nodded and let out a breath. "I really think there is."

They then went into Ethan's bedroom and Ian let Ethan undress him and then he did the same before they wrapped their arms around each other, kissing deeply as they fell back onto his mattress.

After he ran his hands over Ethan's body, Ian began to stroke him before leaning down and sucking on him gently.

Ethan shut his eyes and gripped the edge of the mattress as he felt his breathing pick up. It took a little time, but then he felt his body heat up and then he came as his body twitched and he emitted a slight grunt.

"Good?" Ian whispered as he kissed up his bare chest. "Was it good?"

"Yeah," Ethan smiled. "It was."

Ian began touching him again and smiling widely. "Cause you know, if it wasn't, I can always do it more if you like."

"You know what?" Ethan whispered, sitting up and pulling Ian to him. "I think we should just skip dinner, don't you?"

"Yes," Ian nodded and kissed him. "It's all right with me."