Karen wraps her arms around herself as she half shuffles down the tunnel. Dan had been whispering in a lot of ears the past few days and word got around there was going to be a secret meeting for those not happy about the latest changes. She was still on the fence about the whole ordeal. Vampires turned her into a slave, but it was also a vampire that freed her. The only thing really goading her down to the meeting was she wasn't so sure she was safe around Integra. The woman scared her. A lot. The loud murmur of several people talking at once reach her ears long before she actually reaches the small chamber that everyone was gathered in. And this was supposed to be a secret? She glances back over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being followed or someone was just attracted to the noise.

Dan grins when Karen takes a seat on a crate and walks over to kneel beside her, "Nice of you to join us. I knew you weren't happy with your current situation".

Karen bites her lip for a moment then shakes her head slightly, "I don't mind the vampires. But Integra…"

Dan sneers, "That woman is a stain on our existence. We get rid of her our lives will improve greatly. Her little group will mourn her for a bit, but they'll get over it." A grin slowly spreads across his face, "And that would give you space to weasel in and comfort that man of hers."

A blush lights up her cheeks.

"I didn't miss the way you look at him. Why else do you think she wants you gone? No competition. And wouldn't he be better off with someone who's not constantly ordering him around….treating him like a dog."

"I…I guess so."

"Stick with us, we'll make a difference."

After a long pause she finally nods her head.

x*x

Alucard barely peeks an eye open when he hears the muffled giggling. He had the feeling he was about to be ambushed by a horde of pint sized invaders and he really did not want to know what was in those cups they're carrying. The giggling intensifies, but the ring leader tries to shush them as they creep closer to the shallow alcove in the cave wall he was using for a bed. Tiny hands rear back with their cups and within an instant the slumbering vampire darts out of his alcove in the form of a wolf before the water soaks his makeshift bed. Shrieks and squeals echo through the cavern and adjoining tunnel as the massive wolf pounces on his would be assailants.

The chaos comes to a sudden silent stop as the form of a very angry looking Scotswoman fills the entrance. Alucard perks the ear up that doesn't have a child clinging to it and attempts to wag his tail. No luck there, there's another monkey in the form of a small child hanging from that. Probably not as bad as the hand…or maybe it's a foot caught in his jaws with a squirming child attached to it.

"I can't leave ye heathens alone for five minutes without trouble brewing?" She points a finger at the vampire turned wolf, "And you!"

Alucard opens his mouth to let the child drop to the floor with a grunt, then the tiny creature scrambles to try to hide under him.

"You should know better! You're a grown man. The wee ones should be sleeping."

Alucard snorts, like he had started this! He starts to shift back to tell her he was the victim, but as his shadows begin to swirl around him he loses the strand of power he had pulled on to shift back. It feels like a brick being thrown through through a glass window and from the look on Sara's face she had felt it too.

Shaking loose from the children he barrels down the narrow tunnel hoping Sara had enough sense to stay with the children. Not so she stayed safe. He didn't doubt in the least the woman could rend an army once angered. That was what he's counting on, someone to protect the little ones.

The smell of fresh blood hits his nose long before the sounds of battle drums out everything else. He vaguely notices the uniform of the intruder before all four paws leave the ground and he crashes into the freak's chest, his jaws clamping down on the man's throat with a savage growl.

He can feel the monster rising to the surface, the gentle being that had played with the children crumbling to ash. The sting of bullets hitting his side draws his attention away from his victim. Standing there with gun shaking in his hands is a boy barely older than David. His mind conjures the image of the little vampire through the bloodlust induced haze, but it's fleeting. Letting go of his wolf form he lunges for the frightened boy, a hand clamping onto the boy's face with a wet crunch before moving on to his next victim.

"Alucard!"

Alucard...yes...yes that was his name. No matter now!

"Damn it vampire!"

He's wrenched away from the soldier and his back collides with stone with enough force to crack it. He blinks then the brilliant glow of his eyes dims as he focuses on the concerned face of Dorin.

"Are you with us again?" Dorin asks.

Alucard hesitates then slowly nods his head, "Yes, I'm...I didn't hurt any of you did I?"

Dorin grins, "Gave one of the old farts a bruised jaw for getting in your way, but aside from that, no."

Alucard slumps back against the wall when Dorin turns him loose. Better than the last time he lost it. He had tried killing Walter then.

"He's betrayed us!"

Alucard raises an eyebrow as one of the council wolves storms over to him with a finger pointing at him, "What in the hell are you talking about?"

"This!" The wolf nearly yells as he waves a hand around at the body littered floor.

For the first time since he had sensed them Alucard finally recognizes those uniforms. It was Gregori's men.

"You really think I led them here when I've been trying to get you to help us fight them? What kind of an idiot are you?"

The wolf growls and makes a grab for Alucard, but Dorin catches his arm.

"You know that's about as likely as seeing my mate prance around the den in a tutu." Dorin says.

Snickering erupts through the pack of wolves and Alucard can't help but grin a little himself. He'd only know her a few days, but seeing Sara in a tutu was about as likely as seeing Integra in one.

"Then how do you explain them knowing where we are?"

Alucard sighs, "One of the covens has betrayed us all. I know each coven is still run by one of the ancients, they would have been able to sense my arrival and track me here."

"So it is your fault!"

Alucard rolls his eyes, bad habit picked up from his fledgling, "You sound like a fussy three year old. Hush it! If you had just listened to me from the start then none of this would have happened. Pride will be your downfall."

He pushes past the wolf on his way to the exit tunnel.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

Alucard smirks without turning around, "To find the rat."

x*x

Andrei runs a hand back through his dark hair as he paces around the table, then turns to slam his hand down on the hard wood surface as he glares at the smug leader of the Italian. Letting the younger covens outside of Romania join the council was proving to be a horrid decision, "Are you out of your mind?! What do you think is going to happen when he realizes what was done?"

Carlo smirks and waves a dismissive hand, "You lot are just scared pups. He's only one vampire and a tamed slave at that! It's about time we rise above this filth and claim what is rightfully ours."

"Maybe…it is time we took matters into our own hands and made our people great again."

Andrei turns his glare on the French leader, Elliot, "You know nothing. Do you know why he's called the King of vampire?"

Elliot flinches and ducks his gaze. Leader of his own coven or no Andrei had hundreds of years on him and was more than a little intimidating, "Because he was the first?"

"Not just the first you little fool, he is the most powerful among us. Even with our combined power we'd be no match for him!"

Carlo scoffs, "Oh come on, Andrei, surely you don't believe that drivel you're spouting. And even if that was true then why did he never do what Gregori is doing now? Vampires should rule the world!" He grins, "And Gregori is young. So you see, your years mean nothing!

Andrei growls, "It was not the young German who put this into action. He may be leading the charge now, but it was his sire that started this whole mess out of petty revenge."

Elliot frowns slightly, "Revenge against whom?"

"Andrei spares a thankful but silent prayer to the ceiling as he turns to address the French vampire. Maybe there was hope for this lot yet if they were beginning to ask the right questions, "Revenge against his brother, Vlad Dracul."

The table occupants gasp, except for the other two Romanian vampires. They were as old as he and knew well the history behind Dracula.

Andrei says, "Yes, Gregori's sire is Radu Dracul. Vlad saw his brother as a traitor because he cowed down and accepted the turkish ways while Vlad was brutally beaten and raped at the hands of his captors. After he became a vampire he went after Radu to kill him, but being new to his powers Radu came back as that deformed half ghoul and half vampire. He has the strength of a vampire, does not age, and survives on blood like the rest of us, but aside from that...nothing. Gregori is the only one he's ever managed to turn."

Elliot says, "Why was he never destroyed? And how is world domination considered revenge?"

"Dracula has a love for the mortal aspect of life, the beauty of it. And it was several years before Dracula realized what had happened to Radu and what the ghoulish creature lacks in power he makes up for in cunning. He's always managed to slip through Dracula's grasp. My mistake was not attempting to kill him myself when he approached the Romanian covens before the World Wars. He wanted us to side with him and end Dracula's rule."

Carlo smirks, "You should have listened. Look who's winning now!"

Dorin grins from his perch on the windowsill, "I wouldn't call it winning, yet."

All eyes snap toward the werewolf and Dorin laughs as he drops down to the floor, "For such intelligent beings your awful damned easy to sneak up on."

Carlo growls as he stands up from the table, "You are trespassing, wolf!"

Andrei reaches up to pinch the bridge of his nose, the little fool is going to get them all killed.

Dorin smirks slightly, "You broke the treaty, vampire."

Carlo says, "We have done nothing!"

Dorin says, "Not 'we'," He points a finger at Carlo, "Just you."

"And where is your proof?"

Dorin grins slightly as a tiny shadow gargoyle scrambles up the back of his shirt to perch on his shoulder, "This little fellow has been listening in to the whole conversation. You see, we got word from the peasants that there was a meeting being held between the covens tonight. A meeting happening only a couple days from the attack on our day? Seemed awful suspicious."

Before Carlo can reply the room darkens as the ceiling turns into a swirling mass of shadows.

Dorin's grin grows wider, "Oh you've done it now!"

Carlo frowns, "What the devil is going on?!"

The shadows descend to the floor and take the form of the vampire king. Andrei and the other older vampires bow slightly and step back, wise enough to not get between the arrogant vampire and their lord.

Alucard smiles slowly as he looks at Carlo, "A tamed slave am I? I suppose you're half right, I do prefer to follow my mate than lead myself. I will answer one of your questions before I end your pathetic life. I never did what this fool brother of mine is doing because even in my arrogance I knew the world must keep a balance or all life will come to an end."

Carlo shakes his head and reaches for the gun on his belt, "No, I won't be ruled over any longer!" The purest of silver went into crafting his bullets, but not a single one leaves the chamber before gun and arm fall to the floor and he's left staring at the stump of his arm for a brief moment before a hand is thrust through his chest.

Alucard growls as he wraps his fingers around the vampire's heart, "Traitors have no place in my kingdom." He squeezes then watches in satisfaction as the horrified face of the vampire bursts into flames then crumbles to the floor as ash.

"We...we're all going to die..." Elliot stammers.

Alucard scoffs and dusts the ash from his hands, "Don't be an idiot. If I was going to kill everyone I would have done so already." He nods toward the main door as it swings open on creaking hinges and two of the elder wolves of the council enter, "But we all need to have a long talk."

x*x

Integra narrows her eyes at Seras when the younger woman rubs her protruding belly.

"Think it'll give me good luck?" Seras says with a grin, but then ducks away from Integra with a squeal to avoid the notebook turned bludgeon.

"Off with you! I have work to do."

Seras chuckles, "Fine fine, but don't over do it."

Integra grumbles and turns her attention back to the notebook as she continues down the tunnel. They were doing well on supplies. The labor force had dropped off. Not that it surprises her. Things were getting easier so people were starting to get lazy. She'd have to bring this up with Jackson. She glances up when she hears the scuff of shoes against pavement and frowns slightly in confusion as Karen walks toward her.

"Is something wrong, Karen?" She asks.

The other woman shakes her head slightly then darts her hand forward.

Integra gasps and drops the notebook as she looks down at the knife stuck in her stomach, a hand immediately covering the bleeding wound once the knife is pulled back. Karen lunges again, but Integra brings her arm up, the blade cutting through the flesh of her arm instead of embedding in her chest.

In a panic Karen drops the knife and runs back the direction she had come. The woman would bleed out, her job was done right?

Integra drops down her knees and slumps sideways against the wall, "Se...Seras...Seras!"