Xavier sighed contently, his grey eyes centered on the red-brown liquid swirling in his glass.

He raised it to his lips, turning around to survey the room.

Portraits lined the walls, pictures of kings past. Vampires glared down at him, confined to their golden frames.

He smirked back, gulping down a mixture of alcohol and blood.

He paused in front of one, admiring it.

A tall, armored man stared down at him, his lips twisted in a snarl.

"A friend of yours?" a voice said behind him.

He smiled, not turning around, but knowing what he would see; a woman with a river of straight black hair framing two sparkling green eyes.

"William the Conqueror," Xavier replied. "He was the King of England, and also my father."

He raised his glass in a toast, his eyes traveling to the woman in the next frame.

"Mathilda was my mother. Amadeus and I were his 'unknown sons'. Our parents refused to tell anyone of our existence, because they feared that we would be assassinated. It's not much of a surprise, seeing as all our brothers and sisters were murdered."

"Very true," the woman said, turning and lowering herself onto a couch. She snapped on the lamp.

A bright glare flooded the room, and Xavier turned, a pleasant smile on his face.

"Feenix," he said, inclining his head at his fellow ruler. "A drink?"

"If it would not trouble yourself," she replied, crossing her legs casually.

"Of course not."

He poured her a glass of red wine.

She took a sip.

"A positive?"

"AB positive," Xavier corrected, taking another gulp of his own.

She smiled. "How is Amadeus?"

"He's currently selecting a Hunter to replace my own in a Peace Treaty."

Feenix took another sip of the crimson liquid. "And you plan to attack him while his guards are escorting the Hunter?"

"No, I do not. If I did attack his coven, they would simply go into lock down, and my Hunters would not be able to penetrate through the protection to kill Amadeus."

Feenix smiled. "You plan to attack after the Treaty is signed. You plan to break the Treaty, as did your father."

"Yes," Xavier said, glancing at the portrait. "My father began the Wars of Dominor, but he failed to unite the covens. I plan to finish his work. Once Amadeus' Hunter has been killed, the Treaty will be invalid, and the war will begin. He will be forced to face me in the open. Once I have depleted his numbers, he will either surrender or fight to the death."

"Will you be able to kill him?" Feenix asked.

Xavier paused. "I will regret killing him, but the covens must unite. Too many deaths are occurring. The end must come. This war is the only way for that to happen. If I must kill my brother, then I will do so."

Feenix nodded, lowering her wineglass onto the table. "I will take my leave. I shall meet you again tomorrow night."

The door clicked shut quietly behind her.

Xavier turned the light off. He could see just as well with it as without.

His eyes returned to the paintings of his mother and father. He finished his drink, lowering it down next to Feenix's half-drunk glass.

He suddenly felt old, as if his nine hundred and thirty-eight years were rushing back to him.

He was going to die soon, and he knew it.

He had pushed himself past the average barrier of a second-born vampire. He had already been given an extra hundred and eighty-eight years, and now his body was slowly giving up the fight.

He would probably last the fight with Amadeus, but that would deplete his remaining days greatly.

He smiled grimly, silently moving over to his desk.

An old silver-framed photograph stood placidly on its surface.

He picked it up.

A woman with waves of blonde hair smiled up at him, her blue eyes shining. She wore a simple blue dress that made her eyes look like shimmering sapphires.

Xavier sighed, running a finger down the ornate frame.

"Soon, Alaia," he murmured softly, sinking down into his chair, watching the moonlight sparkle through the window and cast dancing shadows onto the floor. "We'll meet again soon."