Morgana stepped away from Julian and sighed. As she stood in the middle of the room, she said, "They had one part right. The two of you would have torn one another apart."

Julian sat in a large leather chair, his arms draped over the side. Cash was on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. The two stared at each other, glaring. The animal laid just beneath the skin and it wouldn't take much to set them off again. They had just barely been separated when Sydney wandered downstairs holding her jaw, moments before Daedalus had brought Stacy upstairs.

The leggy Ventrue stood off to the side, hiding somewhat behind Daedalus. The fact that they'd been fighting when she walked into the room had given all the more reason for her fear. That anger could have easily turned on her, and probably would have if Daedalus weren't there to protect her.

The Brujah primogen watched it all with an amused stare. Chyna stood at his back, one hand on his shoulder. They didn't really care what happened. One Ventrue prince was just like any other as far as they were concerned. As long as the person in charge did their job and left his clan alone, Dave was satisfied. However, he did take offense that he was so easily brushed aside as unobtrusive when this little plot was hatched. If anything, his pride was hurt by the ignorance.

"We might still tear into each other," Cash said with a grunt. He shifted to the other side.

"Perhaps I should turn to another clan for protection," Julian said, sitting up straight in his seat.

Cash barked a rough laugh. "Who else are you gonna trust to watch your back? Brujah? Not fuckin' likely." His eyes flashed with contempt towards Dave and Chyna. "You can't trust a Brujah has far as you can throw one."

"Apparently, I can't trust a Gangrel very far, either."

"This from the man who's own clan is trying to take over."

Julian started to rise. Cash pushed himself off the wall. Morgana moved to take a stance between them, but Sydney beat her to the punch. "Would the two of you stop, already? Damn!" She groaned and ran her hands through her hair. This entire situation was getting on her last nerve. They acted like they were the ones hurt in all of this. Sure, they're pride might have been damaged, but she was the one that had been violated.

Sydney knew she wasn't going to be able to survive between the two of them unless she could get them to stop fighting. Despite her adamant affirmations that she didn't want to be Kindred, she knew that she was stuck with it. There was no turning back, so she had to make the best of it. Of course, to make the best of it, she would have to learn something and there was on way in hell either of them would be able to teach her a damned thing if they didn't stop fighting.

Beyond that, she was toast if they killed each other. Hell, even if they just wounded each other, she was screwed. Those in charge had no intention of Embracing her and they would rectify the situation as soon as they could. This Helmsley guy seemed to be completely about his business, and the first order would be to get rid of her.

"Neither one of you are happy with this," she said, "but it's too damn bad. Believe me, neither of you are as pissed off as I am. And honestly, I'm more pissed that they killed those fuckers before I could get my hands on 'em."

Julian was quiet as he looked around the room. Archon had called him the Prince of Peace so many times that it had obviously made everyone else forget that there was still a beast lying beneath the surface of Ventrue gentility. Julian had thought that he could keep the clans together by keeping the peace, but all he had accomplished was to be taken for granted. It was time for them to learn that he was a forceful prince, as well as a kind one. When pushed, he would push back hard. San Francisco was his city, and he was not about to let the dregs of his species take it from him.

Slowly, he turned his eyes to the primogens. "Talk to Stacy and get the names within your clans. I want them dead before the sun rises." He looked to Morgana. "Hunter and Trish will probalby bring the bodies together, more than likely, around the crack of dawn. I want you here with me when they arrive."

"Final death?"

He nodded. "I am the prince of this city, and it's about time that others realized it. I will not fight off traitors with delusions of grandeur at every turn. I have asked for respect in the past, and now, I will demand it." Across the room, Ric Flair had watched silently. Julian knew that he had been pushing for him to be stronger, and he was finally getting his wish. "I will leave the Ventrue scum to you, Ric."

"You should have done this all along," Dave said as he stood up, straightening his jacket. "The Brujah traitors will be dead within the hour." He looked behind him to Chyna for a second, then turned back to Julian. "And the dead? We can disappear most of the bodies without a problem, but when Trish and Hunter die, we can't hide that. They're both too high profile."

"I'll handle it."

Cash grunted. "Kohanek, again?"

"The only place Frank has in this is when I tell him that there will be no war. We are keeping our business out of the streets." He paused for a moment, then looked at Ric. "Call Sonny. Tell him I want him here for this tonight. Everyone is aware of the connections between myself, Hunter and Trish. Combine that with his partner's previous obsession with putting me in jail, we can work their deaths in a somewhat legal fashion."

"Julian..." Daedalus stepped forward. Stacy still held onto his arm. "The human media will devour this. Can we afford them to put their noses into our business?"

"I'll take care of the human media. We know that at least one paper in this town will be very biased in my direction." Julian stepped to the side and lightly touched Stacy's arm. She jumped. Julian calmly rubbed her arm and coaxed her out from behind Daedalus. "Your loyalty will not go unrewarded, Stacy."

"I..." She gulped hard. "I feel that I've done something wrong, yet... I know I did the right thing. Does that make much sense?"

Julian nodded. "Hunter is your sire, and you have a bond with him. But, you respect your prince, and you value your life as well as those of your friends." He looked at Daedalus with the last for just a second, then went back to Stacy. "Thank you for coming forward. I know that you've never been a fighter when war was upon us, but have faith in the knowledge that you could quite possibly be the person who truly saved this city."

He stepped back from her, his arm still outstretched, hand sliding down her arm. Stacy shakily stood up and looked at him. As he moved back farther, she took a light hold of his hand and lowered her head. Her lips brushed across his knuckles. "My allegiance is to my prince," she whispered, then kissed his hand again.

When Julian turned, the others were there, ready to acknowledge his command. Morgana was the first in line. Her lips grazed his knuckles, then she pressed her forehead to his hand. She moved slowly to his right and wrapped her arm around his waist. Daedalus took the hand and pressed his forehead against it. Begrudgingly, Chyna and Dave kissed their prince's hand. Ric imitated Daedalus's show of respect. Cash kissed his hand, but the eyes that rose to him were still angry. Julian gave him the same eyes. They were both angry, but that didn't matter at the moment. All that mattered was the city's survival.

Sydney was the last to take Julian's hand. He was her patriarch in human life and Kindred. He was her prince. However, that didn't mean that she was thrilled with the idea of kissing his hand. She had lived so long without acknowledging anyone's authority that it just seemed wrong to be doing it now when she lingered somewhere between life and death. And yet, she knew it must be done.

Her head bent and she kissed his knuckles. Julian pulled her to him and she stopped at his left side. With an arm each around Morgana and Sydney, he looked out around the room. "Destroy those who threaten this city, and do not come back here until your jobs are done."