The air was cold as me moved across the ice towards the station no the Antarctic Tundra. The last few days had been surprise after surprise as Low, no the real Furlow told me about the best he and Fedious had made long ago about when the time came to disappear from both human and vampire society what name they would chose. Fideous had joking bet to take Furlow's name and Furlow said he would take Fedious's name. So it seemed the mentor I knew had taken the bet seriously but the real Furlow had not. Anthea's original name was Anna Marta and they were from a clan called the Akkada. She said it was one of the only clans to survive the first era after Fideous destroyed the rest.

Furlow had then told me the history of the world, how Vama truly didn't understand the impact her ability to turn would have on society. At first she wouldn't kill any human and those humans would then turn into vampire. So she and Fideous would try to understand what was behind it. Sadly technology wouldn't progress well into the centuries and according to them both was far more advanced than even this era. It was discovered that Vama was in fact a genetic anomoly that could give it to others. Over time they understood how if other vampire ingested her blood they would grow stronger. Thus Purebloods were born. It wasn't till closer to the end of the first Era when Vama became too full of her power and started turning too many people into vampire that starvation came. Not enough humans and Fideous knew he had to change this. As he and Vama were the defacto rulers of the first era, He was considered the Sun and she the Moon. So he left Vama and started a war between the vampire. It was a bloody battle and the only reason Anna and Furlow had survived is by taking Fideous's side. It seemed only the Akkada clan did survive in the end. Few vampire did and once the mother of all vampire died Fideous had been a wreck.

Low had done all he could for his friend and finally Fideous started to recover and to take charge of those few remaining vampire and humans. All of technology had been effectively wiped out, so it took thousands of years to help reseed the human population. Fideous made it very clear to the remaining vampire to not make new ones and what's more to only feed when absolutely necessary. As time past the vampire went into seclusion and built Kotawa. As Anthea and Low told this more and more came to listen. Every now and again Low had brushed the walls, telling about how the history of the world lay right there on the walls, in the vampur language.

As I looked at the walls, I realized the truth of it. Those intricate designs were in fact the history of this society, etched in stone. Low looked at me with a soft smile at one point and said that Fideous always felt alone in the world as he was the only one of two worlds. I felt that myself as I looked at all those around me. It had been surreal to realize I was truly unique among these people. So as we trudged through the snow, I look ahead at Low and Anthea realizing they truly are the oldest vampire alive. It was imperative they remain alive.

When we had reached the icy surface, a blizzard was in full swing, but with these two we were enveloped in a bubble of calm as they held hands and used their shared ability to keep us going in the right path. Longsworth was now beside me and I couldn't help seeing how healthy he looked now. Though he still was old in looks, he looked less hallow and more filled out in his clothes as he walked along with briefcase in hand. I ask as we move along, "What is that?"

"This? It's all my research on all the playing cards so far."

"All the playing cards? The bloody aces?"

"Yes."

"What did you find out?"

"Much the same as I did before arriving in Kotawa. However I did notice a distinct difference in a few of the cards," he says, eyes ahead as he thought before continuing, "I shall share it with you when we don't have so many ears."

It was true we had many ears listening as now everyone of these fifty others not including Ki and Igor knew the truth about the Silent Phantasma. Well at least everything concerning the attack being the cause of it, not who was in charge of it all. From ahead Anthea calls out, "I see the station!"

That was a blessing because I knew all were terrified on the sun. Unlike most of the world six months of darkness was common here, thus a perfect place for vampire. But with the summer months drawing closer, the sun was more unpredictable and soon would be up for months at a time. Igor had gaged the sun to rise in an hour. The blizzard would help, but even with it the lower ranks would feel the sun the most. I nod to Longsworth and look at these remaining ones. Fifty out of who know how many thousands from Kotawa. I ask, "Do you think anyone else survived the massacre?"

Longsworth just shakes his head, but then Ki to my right says, "We vampire are not so easy to kill, we are like cockroaches that way."

I just smirk and shake my head as Ki continues, "It's true, they city has emergency exits throughout. Knowing anyone at least some of the generals got out."

This sobers me and I murmur, "But not the Purebloods?"

"Well as long as your bloodbond is still in tact then we know at least Nick survived. As for the rest, there is a distinct possibility that at lest a few made it out. Aname is pretty hard to kill."

"That's true." I hear Igor say behind us.

Igor had taken up the rear of the group, making sure no one got left behind. It was strange to feel his void like presence all the time and left the hairs on the back of my neck perpetually raised. I look behind me and ask, "Why do you say that?"

"The Romane war."

I blink remembering that, in fact, Nick had been in that war. In fact that was the war in which his and Igor's father had passed. I look at Ki and he nods saying, "Night Hunters were tasked during the war. Though we didn't take sides we insured new vampire didn't get out of hand. Though by the end it became apparent that the Romane were intentionally creating too may c ranks to through at the other clans and we had to step in."

"Ki." Igor warns.

Ki shrugs and confirms, "The truth hurts but we both know the outcome."

We all did. Fideous had insured I knew the basic history of vampire kind, but hearing it from the perspective of those who truly lived it was mind altering. I had myself seen the human wars, the US civil war, two world wars, and more. But the scale of that would not compare to a war among the vampire. I had no desire to see one, but it looked as if I would...soon.

-D-

There was something to be said about the tanacity of humans. When the small group of them that say us walking in from the frozen tundra in almost no clothing it was all hands on deck. Anthea never left go of Low's hand, as if she did his power would kill any human that came near. He seemed jumpy as these human's got us inside and the in proper clothing. There were ten humans in total and we had all been given wash water and clothes. I was now in a small bunk area, wiping the blood and soot of my body behind a curtain as Igor spoke to one of the humans, a man named Charles and was a biologist as he asked, "How did you all survive?"

"We knew if we stopped moving we would die."

Igor had told them that we had been in a plane going over Antarctica to the horn of Africa as a tourist group. The plane had gone down about five miles from this station and we survivors had started walking. He did make up a lie that we had lost a few along the way, which in honesty would have been the truth if he hadn't picked up a few once they fell. I pull on a shirt as Charles asks beyond the curtain, "Is your friend with the cut on her face alright?"

He was talking about me.

"Yes she will be fine. It's a mild concussion and the cut news a few stitches."

"Julie is our doctor on station. She could stitch her up really quick."

"It's alright. Since it's been well over three hours, stitching now would be more of a hassle than a help. If I could use your radio to call in to Johannesburg to let our families know we are alright, it would be appreciated."

"Of course."

I pull on my pants and through my mess of hair up into a bun. Opening the curtain I see that Igor has changed into his own new gear and it was startling. Instead of the crisp black attire of suit and black shirt and tie. He now wore a tight grey thermal shirt and black fleece lined pants, much like my own. Charles chuckles when he sees my face and says, "Sorry about the clothes being a little tight. Not many his size here."

Igor grimaces slightly at that and says to me, "The others will be here shortly to discuss what to do next."

I already saw Longsworth, and Noah at the long card table sipping on something hot and I nod as Igor continues to speak with Charles. The rest of his research group were already tucking in to sleep as they were only a few days from leaving themselves. Sitting down beside Longsworth, I glance over at Igor again. It was true that the clothes were tight on him and his build was very much like Nick's. It would be after all since they were twins, both the same height too. But unlike Nick, Igor seemed more athletic in build, which fit with what he did as a Night Hunter. It wasn't all about strength but speed as well. It took me back to the fight that almost broke out between them, how Nick told him he wouldn't win. However, seeing Igor now in these clothes I wasn't too sure. When was the last time Nick had to fight for his life. The ache on my back told me he wasn't doing too well.

Anthea said she would look at the bondmark once we were alone. As if on cue, the door opens at the entrance and Ki, Anthea, Low, and several other prominent A rank come in. One was a Won from his looks, another two Elric's by their stature. Igor thanks Charles and says he will talk to him later about what the plan was. Once Charles leaves the room, I feel the slow sieve release of power and pheromones as everyone settles at the table. Igor closes the door and says, "Charles will set up one of the buildings as a temp station for us all. I've mind melded with him and he won't make any mention of us. I'll insure when we leave to wipe their memories of us, only that the blizzard lasted two extra days. Now, you three A ranks, tell me your clans and your position in them."

That seemed a rather odd request but slowly the Won clan member stands and says, "I am Lee Choi-Won of the Choi-Won clan. I was stationed outside the Won Estate as security as an A-rank lieutenant when the city was invaded."

"Makes sense it's closest to the library."

"Yes. I tried to evacuate as many from the Won estate as I could, but then...the explosion took it out."

He looks down at that, his raven hair looking haphazard as he ran his hand through it. Then he nods and sits down, then one of the Elric's stands and says in a Irish accent, "I'm Wyatt O'Niel of the Elric clan, second in command to general Chuck O'Brian. I was in the library at a request of Milady Elric for a book on poisons."

This made me perk up, remembering what I spoken to them not long before on the poison that was killing Purebloods. Not that it would make much difference now with what looked like only four Purebloods alive now, all of which were now in this room. Maybe five if Nick would survive his wounds. Wyatt sits and then the other Elric stands saying, "I'm James Farland, an accountant of the Elric clan. Me and six others were going over the Elric's accounts when the world exploded."

"Why were you looking at the accounts?" Igor asks, eyes narrowing.

"We had noticed money moving in a way that wasn't right, so we were investigating it on Tiberius's behalf before being evidence to him."

"What did you find?"

James shuffles and looks down saying, "It is private information."

The black hole that was Igor grew slightly as he says in a monotone that sent shivers down my body, "Please don't make me ask twice."

Before Igor could even finish, James blurts out, "We found money was being syphoned off to weapon research that wasn't authorized by Tiberius or his father for years. Billions of dollars from the Elrics Clan's GDP."

"I see. Thank you. Sit," Igor says and James does so with a plop.

Igor stood there at the head of the table, look at us all, and it was strange. He was so calm, as if calculating before he begins saying, "As we know, Kotawa has fallen. There is no easy way to put this but our society is likely what sits in this room and a few onclaves we will need to make contact with. We need to gather every last vampire we can to our cause and..."

"Who put you in charge?" Lee snarls, and I feel the wave of his power as he continues, "We don't know if all the Purebloods are gone Night Hunter."

Igor stared at Lee, his eyes that eerie black again. The tension was high until he points to me and says, "Milady Draculu sits with us, princess of the Dracul clan, she will have final say on everything."

Lee's eyes widen as he looks at me and then he snorts and says, "Oh please, she is nothing more than Nick's pet."

Before another word could be said, Igor has his sword out and through Lee's chest. Lee gasps out and we all step away from the table as Igor says coldly, "Mind your manners or I will slice you in half. Order still reigns, we aren't savages."

Lee groans out, "Says the vampire with his sword through me."

Anthea was the one to speak next, "As long as we live, we must keep order. Lee you must listen, rebellion won't help us now."

Slowly Igor slides his sword out of Lee and Lee growls out before he slimps down into the chair he had been sitting at. Igor pats him on the shoulder and says coldly, "Good."

Goosebump was all over my skin as Igor return his sword to the cane sheath and stands back at the head of the table. Everyone takes their seat as Lee's wound slowly stitches back together between panting breaths. Igor continues, "As I was saying we need to call all we can to our cause. Order must be reestablished before the Silent Phantasma has time to take complete control. MiLady Dracul, seeing as you outrank us all. What are your thoughts?"

It was terrifying as Igor's eyes land on me. In a matter of days I went from the most vial of vampire, a bitten clanless to a queen of a clan. On shaky legs, I stand and look at the small assembly of powerful vampire around me and lick my lips. Then I hear a voice in my head, "Hesitation makes you look weak. Speak up Natasha."

My eyes cut to Igor. He hadn't tried to invade me, but simply encourage me in his own way. Nodding, I turn to the others and say, "I agree with Igor. Time is paramount now. Each of you should get in contact with your clans once we are at Johannesburg and see who has survived. I don't want to believe all the clan leaders are dead as I know my husband isn't. So find out who has survived and then we must decide where to go to meet up."

"Where would you suggest?" James asks, rubbing at his forehead with worry.

"Run to ground I'd say," Wyatt says with a nod, as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"Hiding didn't help us this time," Ki says, looking sharply at Wyatt.

"We weren't hiding then, whitey."

"Then what would you call it?"

"I..." Wyatt begins, but then slumps back grousing, "Very well we were."

Ki turns to me as Igor sits and says, "I would suggest hiding in plain sight."

I nod, thinking on this and then say, "Nick and I spoke on this just before the party. We planned to return to New York City to gather strength."

Lee grinds out, "It does no good to gather strength if we don't know where the threat is, or who it is."

"I know who it is."

This stills the ground and I feel Igor's eyes on me. Once I told this group who, every eye would look at the Dracul clan differently, but it was time. I say after a deep breath, "Zoren Dracul."

There was silence until Wyatt lets out a laugh and says, "Zoren Dracul was eaten by his son, impossible."

But before I can say anything Igor replies, "It is. History is written by the victor and Zoren was known as a very crafty vampire. Evidence has shown he is still alive and even more so he is the leader of the Phantasma."

Everyone looked on in shock as I continue, "I do not know where his forces lay as of yet, but seeing as he was willing to use ghoul and explosives to destroy Kotawa, I am very redescent to say that was his full force, simply bomb fodder for what is to come."

"And what is that Milady Dracul?" Lee sneers.

"War."

The silence was deafening as I continue, "I think it is in our best interest to head to New York City, gather our forces. Get all of our intelligence we can to find the Silent Phantasma's home operation and attack before he has time to begin his true campaign."

"Which is?" James asks worriedly.

It was Igor that spoke what none of us want to admit, "The annihilation of the vampire world and dominion over humanity."