Queen of Darkness

Chapter 9

Relena kept her thought and emotions guarded as she made her way out of the mansion. She barely nodded to the young vampire that had guided her to the meeting. As soon as she got out of the mansion she used her supernatural speed to get to a nearby park.

Once at the park, Relena through back her head and screamed. The sound was so mournful and unearthly, that all of the dogs within a two block radius started barking. Normally, Relena frowned upon such releases of anger and emotion cause it called attention to them but right now she was to furious with herself to care.

She was getting soft in her old age. There was a time not so long ago when she would have maimed Natasha for daring to question her right to rule her people. For all that girl was on the elders' council, she wasn't even older than herself. The only reason that Natasha got the seat was because she was the oldest vampire that had wanted the position. The oldest that could be found at any rate. Relena as queen couldn't serve on the elders' council and Millardo at the time was and still is her general.

Natasha had even thought about challenging her for the throne. That had only lasted until she saw just how many supporters Relena had among their kind. Many were as tired of the wars as the humans were and Relena was their way out. She had banned vampires from battle fields where many would go for an easy meal. Caught once you got thrashed, caught twice you were racked, if you were caught a third time, you died.

As the battle fields faded and peace reigned the vampire community also found peace. Slowly Relena had let the council take over the everyday rule of the population. And until now there was no real reason for her to revoke their power. As the hunters grew in power, the older vampires, who were in deep slumber, would waken. They would expect to see the queen who had racked many of their kind. Not the fragile one that she had become.

Sally, Dorothy, and Cathy will become scared of me, Relena thought as she wondered over to a bench. Well maybe not Sally, because I believe that she's seen me rack a couple vamps. But Dorothy and Cathy have only ever heard of such things being done in history and movies. But I have to rediscover the vampire that earned me enough respect to keep my title.

Suddenly on the very edge of her awareness, Relena felt the presence of a hunter. Relena froze. The hunters were gifted with the ability to sense when vampires used their supernatural speed. Whether or not this one was powerful enough to sense her at this distance she couldn't tell.

I knew that shouting out your rage at the top of your lungs was always a bad idea, thought Relena dryly as she stood. Just because I can't use supernatural speed doesn't mean that I have to stay here. He would probably capture her and question her for just being in this area.

Relena picked a rather fast pace that she would be able to keep up for quite a while and headed out of the park. After ten minutes, she had begun to sweat lightly. It had been to long since she had to walk this long without using her supernatural speed. One would think that the supernatural speed would take more out of you bur it was the exact opposite.

Three seconds after the hunters' presence faded from her awareness, Relena fled the area. It took her another fifteen minutes before she reached the Devil's Hideout. Relena stopped in the alley half a block away to catch her breath. Once she had caught her breath, Relena made her way to the club. Even though most of the patrons were vampires, the club was very popular with human Goths.

As expected the line outside the door was about fifteen feet long. All of them were humans of course. Relena ignored the humans in the line as she made her way to the door. Alexander, one of Millardo's fledglings was working the door. Though he was only a hundred and fifty he gave off a very menacing aura. At 6" even and the body of a warrior of old, he was a force to be reckoned with. He was also a lady killer. Blonde silky hair, dark green eyes, and a strong chin that softened when he smiled, it was enough to make even her swoon.

"Hello, Relena," Alex greeted her with a smile, "you're here late. I thought you would have been here with the others."

"Something came up that I had to deal with." Relena replied thinking that he was one of the few vamps that used her given name. "Is Hilde here yet?"

"Not that I've seen, but she should be pretty soon." Alex told her glancing at his watch.

"Well when she gets here, tell her that I'm looking for her, please."

"Sure thing," Alex replied.

Relena was just about to walk through the door when she was grabbed roughly by the arm. She wiped her head around to see who dared to treat her in such a manor. Surprisingly enough she came face-to-face with the dark haired blue eyed hunter from Millardo's club.

How the hell did he get this close to me and I not know it? Relena thought trying not to panic.

"Can I help you?" Relena asked him coolly as she yanked her arm out of his hold.

"All I want to do is talk," he said simply in a monotone voice.

"Well you didn't have to man handle me." Relena told him as she held her arm. She also gave Alex a look to tell him that she was okay. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I would rather not say here," he said as he watched the crowd. "Would you join me for a cup of coffee?"

Relena's first instinct was to say no, but then she remembered that she was supposed to get closer to the hunters. So she replied with a "Sure I will."

"There's a nice little cafe just down the street." Heero said as he held out his arm motioning for her to go first.

"Alex, tell the girls I'll be back in a bit if you see them, please." Relena asked Alex as she started down the street.

"Sure thing, Lena," Alex told her as he watched the two walk away. He could tell that something was wrong but he didn't know what. If Relena was worried, she wasn't letting on. Alex shook his head. Relena was a very powerful vampiress, she could look after herself.

With that thought in mind he returned his focus to the mindless humans that were trying to get in the club. He would tell her majesties ladies their message when he got his break. Either that or when Hilde got here.

Relena walked down the street towards the cafe with the hunter by her side. How many of her kind would have had the guts to do that? How many would be crazy enough to do that?

When they reached the small cafe, the both of them went to open the door. Relena was shocked to feel a small rush of heat go up her arm from where their hands touched. Relena stared at the hunter as she withdrew her hand from the door handle. If he felt anything he didn't show it.

Heero was shocked at the heat that had flared between them when their hands brushed together. In all honesty he didn't know what had compelled him to seek out this woman. Only his training as a vampire hunter kept his shock from showing on his face.

"Ladies first," Heero told her as he held the door for her.

Relena walked through the door with a nod of her head. Here I am trying to act like a human and this hunter was getting her all flustered. Mentally shaking the thoughts from her head, Relena glanced around the cafe. It only was a matter of seconds before she spotted a table free in the corner. Relena walked over to the table, now very aware of the hunter presence behind her.

Relena chose a chair nearest to the door. Some how she knew that this hunter preferred to be able to watch what was going on around him. Why she cared to indulge him was beyond her. Relena placed her small bad on the chair beside her as the hunter sat down across from her.

He had an oriental look about him. His lovely cobalt eyes were slightly slanted and barely visible beneath his unruly brown bangs. His mouth had a hard edge that she though would disappear completely when he smiled. His body was lean yet his muscles were finely toned, a body that would have belonged to a young warrior from her youth. He looked to be about 18, young for a hunter, but just turning into a man.

Heero noticed the girl across from him studying him. She had golden brown hair that shone in the light and fell down her back. It looked so soft and healthy that he bet it felt like silk. Her eyes were what really captured his attention. They were cornflower blue and looked older than the 18 years he pegged her to be. She had a slender form with curves that would make any man go nuts. Her muscles were toned as if she worked out regularly.

"Can I get anything for you?" a female voice asked, snapping the two back to reality.

"Sure, I'll have a cup of chamomile tea, please," Relena told the waitress.

"And I'll just have a cup of coffee," Heero said.

"I'll be right back," the waitress told them after taking their orders.

"So, I guess the first question should be what your name is?" Relena spoke up after a couple minutes of silence.

"Heero Yuy, and yours?" Heero asked.

"Relena Peacecraft." Relena answered as the waitress came back with their orders. "Thank you."

"No problem. Is that all?" the waitress asked when they nodded she left.

"Peacecraft," Heero repeated. "That's an old sounding name."

"My family has been around for a while." Relena replied as she fixed her tea.

"How long is a while?" Heero asked taking a drink of his coffee.

"Well we can trace our line back to the middle of the thirteenth century." Relena told him though she wasn't sure why. It wasn't like the story wouldn't hold up." But enough about me, what did you want to talk about?"

"It's not so much to talk," Heero began, "I'm warning you. That club that you were about to go to isn't the best place for you to be."

"Why do you say that? I've been going to that club since I turned 18. You would have to give me a very good reason for me to stay away. I also don't see how this is any of your business." Relena told him, knowing already where this was going.

"Honestly, I have no idea why I'm here talking with you. I don't usually say much to anyone. You're right it's not my business, and again I don't know why I'm saying this. I do know however that Devil's Hideout is a seriously dangerous bar." Heero said with a nervous confidence.

Relena took a sip of her tea to calm her anger. How dare this slip of a human presume to tell her what to do? Though she was absolutely furious, her voice was even when she asked, "What makes you so sure of yourself?"

"I'm sure that many think that it a frequent hang out for the undead. I know," Heero hurried on when Relena opened her mouth to speak, "you probably will say that you don't believe in such things but they do exist. There are groups of men and women that are sent by an organization to hunt down and destroy these monsters. A couple groups are going to Devil's Hideout tonight to kill the vampires there."

"That's just crazy," Relena laughed though she showed nothing of her inner panic.

"Crazy or not it's what's going to happen. And it's no laughing matter. Those creatures are going to die tonight." Heero told her confidently.

"You mean that innocent people are going to die tonight. All that frequent that bar are goths and if you had done any research at all on the place you would know that." Relena told him coolly.

"It doesn't really matter what I believe or don't believe the fact of the matter remains that Devil's Hideout will be attacked tonight. And for some reason that I can't understand I am compelled to warn you, Queen Relena."

To Be Continued. . . . . . . . . .