Things were definitely not going his way, Kai Kaido Hiwatari decided, staring at the creatures surrounding him and the other vampires. They looked human, all present on the lawn of Vaperio Hall, but the majority of them were something else. He didn't know what.

'Vampaneze, vampires gone insane with blood lust,' Midnight whispered faintly in his mind. Kai hugged her cold life-less body to his chest. The princess was still very weak from the previous fight. She would need defending while in her present death-like state. 'The Vampaneze are dangerous by themselves,' his soul mate continued, 'starved for innocent blood to the point of madness, but if one is in fact truly insane, that is when they are deadliest. And these must be crazy to attack me.'

Julian and Aidan exchanged a glance. What their sister said was true. To attack a vampire of nobility was a grievous crime, and the generals of the Vampire Clans would never let such go unpunished.

'Selene wouldn't rest,' Aidan 'pathed,' until the entire race was extinct.' Aloud, he demanded, "What business do you have with us?" Midnight concentrated on lifting one eyelid to regard the Vampaneze. Greenish-gray skin was loose on their bones, blood shot eyes wide in their fat faces. The Vampiress suppressed a shiver.

"We seek permission to feed on the village."

"You know better. The laws in Sangria are the same as any other Vampire cities. No eating the people. Get off our lawn." Kai shouldered past the fat, creepy creatures, followed by the others. Midnight did not relax until the ebony gates of the hall were shut firmly behind her. Theo, her slashing gold eyes cut to Gregori. Her look told him the complete stupidity of his actions. The Vampaneze were salt on a wound in the way of war. Dara sighed, suddenly hating everything in sight but a pair of cobalt blue eyes. She smiled wanly to ease the worry in Kai's face, ignoring the pain in her body as he went up a flight of steep stairs after Gregori. He was trying not to jostle her.

"In here." Gregori said tonelessly, and opened a black wood door. Kai went in and laid Midnight gently upon lone table at the Dark One's command. Dara moaned softly in pain. "Hold onto her, Kai Kaido Hiwatari, and I shall heal her." Silver eyes met blue ones and Kai glanced at Dara for decision help before nodding to Gregori. "Let us begin then."

Selene and Michael leaned on opposite sides of the door to the healing room, silent. The two vampire werewolf hybrids were tense and alert, for their noses caught the scent of the Army of Death approaching the hall. Neither hybrid would allow them near midnight. Selene reached a hand into the pocket of her black leather trench coat and withdrew twin Beretta automatic pistols. A window to the far right shattered, and a Lycan leapt through. The werewolf snarled.

"Move, slut." He growled at Selene. Michael raised his own gun and fired. The bang was loud -exceptionally loud-to the hybrids with their delicate, sensitive ears. The silver bullet ripped into the enemy's chest, sending him flying backwards, out the shattered window. A challenge roared from the other end of the hall. Another Lycan and a Remesian accompanied by three Vampaneze bellowed and charged. Selene lifted her gun, but twin blurs rushed past them to attack the monsters.

Melissa, tall and slender with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes, fired three shots from her .32 revolver with silver bullets. Two slammed into the Remesian, ripping molten silver into his chest. He fell to the floor , hot steam rising from the holes. The third bullet hit the Lycan between the eyes, fragmenting the back of her skull and showering the wall with gray matter. Christine, blond and dangerous, slammed her twin knives into two of the three Vampaneze.

Michael and Selene grinned at the two hunters as Michael ripped the heart from the Vampaneze's chests. Two maid walked up the stairs, down the hall, and sighed in unison. Tish shook her head at Melissa, who grinned, showing her fangs and braces. "Sorry about the brains," she said unrepentantly, "the Hall's under attack, these bastards were fuckin' easy." She toed the corpse of the brained Lycan. "You and Sal hide, Tish." The two humans nodded then Sal murmured, "Stacie can't find her automatic." Christine sighed in exasperation.

"She'll show automatic pistol or no. You two, get out of here." The humans scurried back downstairs as another boy, looking about sixteen joined them by the door.

"Garret, where's Stacie?"

"Damned if I know. Full moon tonight though. The wolves are out."

"I noticed. Damn." Three fully transformed Lycans, followed by two Pantherae shifters, leapt through the already shattered window. Garret and Melissa fired, catching the female werewolf in the chest. Christine's throwing knife came to rest between the ribs of one shifter who fell. "Fucking leeches!" The second panther roared and transformed, taking the sleek terrible form of the great cat. It launched itself at Garret, but Melissa shoved him out of the way. The cat slammed her back into the wall, tearing at her with it's claws. Christine and Michael were about to help, but a werewolf knocked them both to the ground. Selene and Garret were busy with the other wolf.

"Stacie were the fuck are you!?" Selene shouted.

Kai's ears were ringing from gunfire, and Gregori was hellishly tense. Midnight was changing hurriedly behind a screen into her fighting clothes. Kai's gaze rested on the weapons set up on the table: thirteen silver knives, a silver katana, and two automatic pistols. Midnight slipped two knives into each of her knee-high hunting boots, one into each secret place under her clothes, easily accessible in a fight. Her pistols went into thigh holsters under the hems of the legs of her black shorts. She tucked in her crimson tank top and braided her black hair tightly. "Showtime you goddamn bastards." She withdrew a shotgun from a drawer and checked the clip. Pure silver. Hot damn. "Kai, I've taught you sight shielding, stay hidden. It's very important. Okay?" He nodded. "Let's go."

"Stacie! Nicole, where's Stacie?" Kayla exclaimed. The blond vampires growled in frustration. Nicole, the hunter healer sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know, "she snapped, stirring the distillation of silver nitrate calmly, "so stop bugging me. I have to get this right. Give me some of that powdered copper and the ruby, please." Kayla handed Nicole two phials, one filled with a sparkling red powder. Sharpening her nails, she used her index nail to scoop some up and sprinkle it into the spring water dosed with silver, the stuff in the flask turned yellow as Nicole stirred. She dosed the stuff with copper, which deepened it to a deep burnt orange color. Her blue eyes went wide as she grinned, her fangs gleaming. "Got it. Perfect! This is perfect!"

She lifted the flask and poured the stuff into a mold for a bullet. She filled a dozen, then dumped them all into a steaming pitcher. Kayla exclaimed, "What are you-" but Nicole shushed her, grinning and whispering, "Yes, yes." Kayla sighed as she realized Nicole had gone mad-scientific- genius mode on her again. Nicole, using a pair of tongs, pulled out each shell and loaded them into a clip of ammo. "This'll get those evil shifters, no question."

"What is that stuff?"

"Copper is lethal to the Serpiente, and silver to most Lupine. But nobody can handle blood ruby poison unless you're already dead." Kayla hissed at the sound of gunfire.

"Come on, this is serious." Kayla said as both she and Nicole raced from the lab.

"Hey, where the hell's my gun!?" An Asian looking girl yelled and fired two rounds from her Winchester. " I want my auto!" Stacie kicked a Lycan in the stomach, then between the legs. "You bastards stole my auto!" Stacie dispatched the wolf-man, looked around as Midnight decapitated a roaring were-beast.

The Pantherae raced to the window, but a shot rang out and the beast jerked and hit the floor twitching. Nicole, standing with Kayla, shot it again in the face. Stacie, sniffing, sneezing, and gagging, at the stench of death, exclaimed, "Hey! It's my .44mm Scarletti pistol! Ha!" Stacie picked a black steel pistol off the floor. "Eww. Werewolf blood. That's icky." She began cleaning it with a black silk handkerchief.

Midnight sighed, laughing, murmuring, "You and your stupid Scarletti. You still planning on marrying that Mafia Shifter?" Stacie stuck out her tongue, crying. "For your information Enrique is my life mate, and this gun was a present. Your soul mate never gave you a gun."

Kai materialized behind Midnight and hugged her hard, kissing her cheek. "Nope, never thought of it."

"Hmph." Stacie snorted. "Hey Nicole. Most shots won't down a shifter like that . New formula?" The redhead nodded, replying, "Blood ruby. Kills almost instantly." Kenny whistled in amazement.

"Did you make the weapon yourself?" Midnight's silvery laugh rippled through the air.

"Nicole is our second best healer, a weapons researcher, and she designed the house."

"Oh."

"Anyone hurt? Well then who wants a tour?"

Kai lounged lazily on the bed in his soul mate's room, looking like a sexy, slumberous god of old. 'Awaiting his virgin sacrifice,' Midnight thought, smiling. The black silk sheets contrasted sharply with Kai's bloodless, ivory skin. He lay there, his mind tired from the sight shield. Midnight put a gentle hand to his cheek, her nails, splashes of crimson against his face.

"I know this is all new. I would leave this place, Kai, if you wished it of me. Give you more time." Kai smiled faintly. Midnight went to her knees and took Kai's hand. It was trembling with exhaustion. Kai had given her strength to resist the enemy at a great cost to himself.

Midnight began to whisper, "Nure nim vitamdas, ni lani nu, anosha." 1

"Midnight" he whispered almost desperately, "Say more."

The Vampiress smiled and whispered in Saguinyte, "Nu nosih nim sanguina, anosha, tans nim sanguina." 2 The ancient tongue of vampires, Sanguinyte, was also a treasure to the vampires, as only the ancients knew it. The words struck a chord in Kai's almost totally Vampiric soul. Kai turned to face her fully, looking into her deep blue eyes.

"Dara... do it." Their lips met in a passionate kiss. Midnight trailed soft, gentle kisses from his mouth to the cool, white flesh over his heart. One crimson talon scored a deep gash over his heart, and her mouth went to capture the life blood flowing from the wound. Her tongue lapped gently at the rich redness, savoring the taste of her soul mate. Kai barely noticed when she stopped. He was too busy removing the red silk pajama top she was wearing. The shirt fell away, revealing icy porcelain skin, unscarred, unmarked, smooth, flawless. His own mouth went to her pale, lovely throat, then skimmed down over her collar bone to the soft swell of her breast. His fangs lengthened, sharpened, and pierced her skin. Sweet blood welled up and flooded his mouth. Rivulets of crimson splashed their skin.

Heat flowed through them, and deep in their joined minds, Midnight whispered lovingly "Nure nin auramdas; nin vitamdas; nin lani; e ander fleh ao nin aura; e eldi oa nin mnoche; e lani oa nin mnyte; e knyte oa nin vistang." 3 Kai continued to feed voraciously, needing it desperately. The princess began to get drowsy.

"Nin snaguina si nur'e sanguina, nur'e sanguina si nim. Nuimn gaia viastang, telma, nad aurai sir unda. Nui vita, nui lani, i mnyte, i knyte, i e mnoche." 4 Kai's mouth was hot and demanding against her skin, his fangs needles of exquisite ice.

"Nu tres nin vistang I nur'e digan. Nure nin vitamdas, nin auramdas. Nui sir tises franuinma a lani, drasir, henesha, tharish phix ala thynety. Nin sanguina mnoir I nur'e sangai, shi nur'ei sra i nin." 5 The bite Kai left stung and throbbed, but it felt wonderful. He kissed her once, her own blood staining her lips. Her soul mate looked into her eyes for a moment before his mouth claimed her neck. His tongue swirled lazily over her frantic pulse. Her lovely skin was as soft as satin, warm with the lifeblood rushing just beneath the skin. His teeth scraped over her throat, nipped at it gently.

"Kai, amon nin toth, anosha, nad lisn tem. Nur'e nin auramdas nad vitamdas, NIM, phixnor, nad ni lani nu. Nui sir unda. Ni lani nu." 6 At her last words, the beast in Kai roared for release as the now fully fledged vampire bit down hard and drank.

"Where are the twins?" Midnight asked, smiling. She was wrapped in Kai's arms, staring out the window dreamily. Kai, the others noticed looked very different. His skin seemed paler than ever, his blue eyes colder, emotionless. He was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans. To two hidden onlookers he didn't look like a vampire. Dara didn't either in black shorts, tank top, and scarlet, shoulder baring sweater. Midnight asked again, "Eryka and Erynh, where are they?"

Two girls melted out of the shadows, twin brunettes with brown eyes. One smiled, showing off gleaming, pearly fangs. The other one blinked, the black pupils turning silver, for a moment before darkening to normal.

"Ah. Boys, this is Erynh," pointing to the second girl, "and her sister, Eryka. Erynh's a werewolf, a Remesian. Eryka was made vampire a few centuries ago. Don't piss them off, they're sword happy." Both girls exchanged an amused glance, then Eryka muttered, "We got a small army coming this way. Lycans, Breeds, Rogues, you name it, it's probably out there." Erynh growled at her twin's words. "We need the others."

Midnight extracted herself from Kai as Melissa and Christine arrived. The hybrid snarled and growled when Dara told her of the Lycans and Rogues. Her eyes shimmered, lit as if by the moon. Her teeth changed incisors lengthening, accompanied by serrated canines. Vampire fangs sprouted over her eyeteeth, and her eyes suddenly slit like a cat's. Christine put a hand to her shoulder.

"Down, girl." Melissa snapped at the other girl's hand. "Fine! Jeez! Tish, D'Arel take the kids upstairs. We've got stuff to do." The two mortals rushed to find mortal and immortal children in the house and hide them. Kai pulled Midnight into his arms again, kissing the top of her head. Everyone noticed the possessive way he held her, the feral look in his eyes. They saw a demon where once stood a mortal man. Kai didn't look different, but he felt strange, dark, predatory. He was a true vampire. Even as she caught the scent of blood and death, Dara turned into Kai's embrace and kissed him.

The front door kicked in, and the creatures of the night drew their respective weapons.

"Why the house?" Midnight muttered dejectedly, and dodged a slashing claw. Midnight ripped out the owner's throat. As she tore into a knot of Rogue vampires, drenching herself with hot blood, she heard a familiar voice yell in pain from upstairs.

Erynh glanced at Eryka, who snarled as werewolf instincts kicked in. Her eyes went from black to gold to silver, and she grinned showing off fangs and serrated canines. Erynh roared like a demented beast and the twins loped up the stairs.

Dara hissed in fury and shook out her hair, spraying blood on the near wall, then went down on all fours and leapt at a raging lycan, fangs clenched as it ripped a hole in her side. Her talons raked across its face, and the beast roared, "Fucking leech! You'll pay for that!" It threw the princess into the wall, howled and charged. A deadly shadow intercepted it.

"What the hell? Aah... oh, my god, oh my god, no! no! No aaahhhh!"

The werewolf exploded in a shower of blood, bone fragments, and shredded meat. Cold blue eyes surveyed the remains dispassionately, the Kai smiled and waved his hand, every Lycan, Remesian, Fenrian, and Romulese werewolf in the room exploded, leaving a few Rogue vampires, and ghouls, which were quickly dispatched. Midnight stared up at her lifemate in awe. Such was the awesome power of her ancient blood, that killing was so easy for him.

Kai whispered, "I had to save you. I had to. do you hate me?" She shook her head.

"No. No, love. You did well. Oh." Midnight lurched to her feet, blood soaking her side. "I'm getting too old for this. Hmm... Mithainde?"

"Yes, Dark One?"

"Summon the Dark Bladers to me, along with both Clans, the Pack and Senotaph's Court. Understand?"

"Yes Dark One... Dara?!" Kai jumped and looked up to see Midnight collapsing.

"Da-ra..." Kai's vision swam, and suddenly realized he was standing in a pool of his own blood. A continually deepening pool. Kai fell, and everything went dark.

Kai's eyes fluttered open, and immediately realized two things: he was in Dara's room, and the vampire in question was lying across his stomach, asleep, a book hanging from her limp fingers. When he opened his eyes, she opened one of hers to regard him.

She said, "You look much better. I'm glad. You'll need all your strength, for the dark council meets tonight, midnight. We must all be there."

"Why?"

"It is a council of war."

A/N: I'll update when I can, but ch19 is going to be very long. and I might post ch20 too. You get to meet the rest of Midnight's inner circle, some good shifters, some more of Midnight's family, some super uber bad enemies, and Stacie's family. (familiar person. think European play boy)

Translation:

1 You're my lifemate. I love you, beloved.

2 You want my blood, beloved, take my blood.

3 You're my soulmate; my lifemate; my love; the other half of my soul; the lady of my night; the love of my shadows; the darkness of my heart.

4 My blood is your blood, your blood is mine. Our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls are one. We live, we love, in shadows, in darkness, in the night.

5 You hold my heart in your hands. You 're my lifemate, my soulmate. We are bound together by love, desire, hunger, and thirst for all eternity. My blood flows in your veins, as yours does in mine.

6 Hear my words, beloved, and heed them. You're my soulmate and lifemate, MINE, forever, and I love you. We are one. I love you.