A/N:Thanks for all the reviews. I'm sorry this has taken a while. Reviews are always welcome, however. It really does push me to keep writing. -

I am surprisingly calm now, moments away from my death and rebirth. My Father is making a speech in front of a large crowd of mixed demons. We stand in the throne room, which is quite large in itself. It is an hour away from midnight. I am kneeling before the throne, My Father stands before me, my mother next to him, and my back to the crowd.

I hear Dawn whimpering on the side. She stands between two guards, chains restraining her magic and her strength. She's dressed in a white silk dress, which suits her quite well. Her large blue eyes are set in pools of tears, and they stream down as a waterfall on her face. She's quite exquisite when she's in pain.

Finally, the speech is finished, I hear clapping.

"Rise, Connor." My Father says, his strong arms on my shoulders, helping me to rise. We share a moment, our eyes locking briefly, confirming all the years shared, and confirming a bond. I love him.

My Mother is now beside him in her beautiful red satin dress. "May this moment serve as your christening, and a marking point for many successful years by my side, ruling this glorious kingdome." He says not to me only, but to the hall.

Then we look at each other again. The slightest nod passes between us. My mother is now behind me and I sense her morphing. I feel my mother's cold hands clamp on my upper arms. Her sweet scent permeates my nose as her face morphs and she bites into my neck.

I gasp as a sudden jolt of pain shoots through my body, but I do not struggle, resist, or even move. I glance at Dawn and I see she is screaming my name, but I do not hear her. My world is fading.

Suddenly, I feel her withdraw, and my Father brings me in to his embrace, and I notice a cut on his arm. On my knees once more, I suck at the wound as I know is routine. He does not move it and I cannot stop. I am weak, and I feel myself slip into death. And as my heart slows to a stop, there is a last dying word on my lips. "Dawn."

When I wake, I am on a velvety surface. As I open my eyes, I realize, I am dead. I cannot feel my heart. I do not panic though, because I know this is how it must be. It feels as if it has always been like this.

I open my eyes weakly, as I hear a clanging noise. It is the grandfather clock, I notice. My hearing has grown much keener. It is striking the hour twelve, it is midnight. Upon opening my eyes, I see my Mother and Father looking down upon me calmly. There is a glint in my Father's eyes, and he raises his and hand snaps his fingers. "Release her." He yells. I hear demonic laughing, and I know it is the demons releasing Dawn and the other demons attending the party trying to degrade her.

But I am also surprised to find that a certain other demonic chuckling is comming from me, from my own body. I feel my body rising. I am on a bed of red velvet. My Mother and Father look upon me with pride. I stand now, from the platform, and then once again kneel before my Father. He takes a sword already sheathed served on a pillow from a nearby servant.

"Connor Angelus, do you swear by your blood to serve the line of Aurelius, do you swear your loyalty, allegiance, and the new life you have been given, to serve this most sacred of all lines?"

"I do."I said solemnly.

"And do you swear your eternal allegiance and loyalty to me, and whomever the ruler of this Kingdome should be?"

"I do."

I hear the unsheathing of a sword. "Then I, Angelus, childe of Darla, Childe of Heinrich Nest, and Master of the line of Aurelius, Proclaim you, Connor Angelus, Childe of Elizabeth Anne and I, officially, the heir to this Kingdome, and rightful heir to the title of Master, should I ever not be able to fulfill my duty." He taps my shoulders with the sword. "You may rise."

I rise. My mother holds a neatly folded shirt. I remove my own garment, and put on the black shirt, emblazoned with the Aurelius crest. Then my Father hands me the sword, once again sheathed.

"Well done, my son, well done." He whispers. I smile confidently. Then I turn to the large crowd of highly esteemed guests, who now have glasses filled with liquid of various kinds.

I unsheathe my sword once more and raise it. "To the Kingdome!" I yell across the hall, and my voice echoes."

"The Kingdome." They echo back, raising their glasses to me. Suddenly I am overtaken with a wave of want. I'm hungry.

I turn to my Mother and Father.

"She has been sent." I say, confirming what I know.

"As soon as you rose, she ran." Mother says.

"The doors are locked?"

Father nods. "Go hunt, my son." He saysslowly, darkly."Seek your prey... and devour it."

"Yes, Father." I sayin the same tone,turning. Iknow that the look in my eyes is equivalent to that of my Father's when determined.The crowd parts for me as I break off in a run. It is not only hunger I need to serve tonight.