Note: This story is for Tenka-chan.

Kings and Aces

3/?

December, 1940- London

Emmanuel Dominic Black signed this life over to the British army, enlisting to fight in the world's second big war. World War Two had been going on for barely a year now and civilians were evacuating London by the hundreds. Dominic was twelve for the 448th year in a row.

"Child! You there! You can't enlist. You have to be 17 to enlist in the army," A thick, British accent called to him. Dominic cringed. He hated being called "child". It was the name his controlling master had branded him with for life.

"I'm almost sixteen, surely you can make an exception," Dominic inquired, mustering up all the hypnotic strength he could harness. He did not look sixteen. At most he looked fourteen. But one characteristic Dominic liked quite well was the ability of hypnosis. It was something that did not come until later in his vampire life. The man studied him, the doubtfulness slowly draining from his eyes.

"Surely, of course," He answered with a smile. Dominic nodded to him, turned on his heel, and made his way back to the tunnel he was sleeping under. He cursed Xavier for yet again being right. It was much harder than he had imagined to get a home looking twelve. It would take much more practice with hypnosis to dissolve people's suspicions when it involved their money. The world, after all, was run by it.

There were many other homeless people under the tunnel other than himself, some even looking almost as young as he. Dominic slowly slipped his black sunglasses off and put them into his trench coat pocket. It was night and he was hungry.

In his hundreds of years being a vampire Dominic had only been feeding on his own twice. Mr. X had always insisted on going with him, and only when Dominic was able to sneak around Mr. X's defenses was he able to be alone. In all his years, this had only happened twice.

Dominic secluded himself and prepared to change into his ambiguous form. Honestly he needn't go any farther than the tunnel itself, considering all the old, helpless, homeless people that littered it. But he wanted a change of scenery and to be alone with his thoughts. Two things he rarely got the chance to have.

Dominic both loved and hated Mr. X with a passion. It seemed that even when he was able to slither out from under Xavier's reach, his still couldn't get away from him. He was always on his mind. He couldn't do a simple task like hunt prey without thoughts of his master sneaking up on him. By now Xavier would surely be looking for him, sniffing him out. Dominic knew it was only a matter of time before his father found him. The older vampire had a keen since of smell.

The fact both reassured him and angered him. In a way he knew he wanted Mr. X to find him and force him home. After all, living under a tunnel and fighting in a ridiculous war was hardly what he wanted to do with his life. Both acts had been out of sheer rebellion. He had wanted his space, and when it got old he knew his master would be there to drag him back home.

He often took comfort in the yelling and lecturing that accompanied his disappearances. It was nice to know that his father cared, even though he refused to call him that unless around others they were trying to keep the act up to. What he hated was the days that followed his homecoming. The days Mr. X would refuse to let him leave their home like he was a child. How he loathed his master's domineering attitude.

After sinking his teeth into an innocent bystander to release his rage, Dominic returned to his old form and levitated into the sky to watch the city. It was his favorite time of night. When the sun was thinking of waking up and the moon was not quite ready to let go. These times the stars were radiant and the air was soft and childlike.

Mr. X stared at his wayward son through the misty dusk, watching him rejoin the other homeless men as he shoved his sunglasses back on impatiently. Mr. X had been there all night in the tunnel, clasped upside down in the dark in his bat form. He had hoped his son would come back on his own so he wouldn't have to drag him back. But he knew this was not going to be the case when he followed his child to the enlistment location.

Mr. X had been both proud and outraged at his son's use of hypnosis on the recruiter. Proud that the boy was so strong in his mind power, but outraged that he would go to these measures just to defy him. He watched as Dominic gathered his bag and left the tunnel anxiously. Mr. X returned to his natural form and followed his son through the slim crowds of the early morning.

"Morning Mr. Black," The man said to his son, handing him a British uniform. Mr. X shook his head, not believing the boy had the audacity to use his last name, when he had refused to go by any other time. Mr. X smiled nicely when the recruiter caught his form looming behind his unknowing son.

"Salem Dominic Black, do tell me you aren't doing what I think you're doing," Xavier ordered in a stern voice. The boy's shoulders tensed up and he turned to face his angry father. Mr. X was more than a little thrilled when he saw relief in his child's eyes. Of course, anger was shortly followed.

"And you sir, what are doing recruiting twelve-year old boys to fight in a war?" Mr. X asked un-maliciously. He knew it was of no fault of the man's that his son was able to sneak his way past the age laws.

"No matter, just don't let it happen again," He answered to the man' s worried features. He grabbed Dominic's shoulder and pushed him along in front of him.

"Enlisting in the army were we?" Dominic's father yelled as they entered their home in Italy. Dominic had to admit that he had missed this hated home.

"Yes, well, I thought I might get some practice in," Dominic replied curtly. "Besides, it none of your business so I suggest you leave me the hell the alone!" Mr. X lost all patience with the boy and shoved the small child against the wall rather roughly.

"Let's get one thing straight. You. Belong. To. Me," Mr. X emphasized with a hiss. He was slightly glad to see the fear that enveloped his son's eyes. "Yes it is my business. And I hope this running away thing is out of your system now. Because anywhere you go I will. find. you." He released the squirming child and took a step away from him, pinning him with a harsh glare.

"I hope you like the house, my son, as you won't be leaving it for awhile."