The Vampire Queen's Rebirth

Chapter Twenty

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"If you could please take a seat, Your Majesty, we can begin the meeting which has brought us all here.''

Parker said, gesturing to some of the empty seats that were directly opposite Zero's seat. The others watched, silent whispers erupting as they observed them. Everyone was still on high alert but reassured by the presence of the Head Hunters. They would guide them on next moves, in case of anything.

''Come, Reina. Let us remind these people why we are the pinnacle of the Supernatural world.''

Saber said, his voice calm but filled with equal parts distaste and a fire that burned strong within him. He was clearly displeased by the purpose of their meeting and was more than prepared to face off in a civil manner with them before pulling out the big guns in a battle that would definitely be a bloodbath.

Reina nodded, turning away from Zero and making her way to the empty seats, all eyes on her whilst she did so. Saber was right beside her as was Maya on her other side. Zorin walked calmly but assuredly behind them, his gaze trained on every single one of the Hunters who stared at him in absolute awe and not the good kind. Everyone knew of the tumultous history that the Demonaires beheld. Zorin was a monster and he enjoyed being perceived as such.

Saber pushed the seat back for Reina and Maya, allowing them to seat before he sat on the seat directly next to the Queen of Vampires. Zorin was on the other side of him, seeming quite amused with the happenings around him. It was the three of them against a whole council of Ten Hunters, of whom detested them completely.

Reina knew she didn't anyone else beside her other than the people she had come with, even Zorin. They were the embodiment of the Vampire world, both the good and the bad side. They would do everything in their power to ensure the safety of their people- despite the personal differences they all shared.

They had gotten through worse situations in the past. And their odds were certainly better here than they were in any of the other situations back then. Their plans were going accordingly.

''We can begin then.''

Parker said, turning to the Hunter's who nodded amongst themselves. Saber and Maya nodded whereas Zorin shrugged, pouring himself a glass of red wine from the drinks prepared for the people gathered. He could feel the displeasure amongst the Hunters as they watched him make himself comfortable, making him chuckle as he poured glasses for each of his companions.

''Chateau Margaux- A Subpar choice as is to be expected of the tasteless individuals who chose it but it will do. Here, you will certainly need it for what's coming, trust me.''

Zorin stated, earning a silent groan and shake of the head from Maya whilst Saber simply shook his head in bemusement. Reina said nothing, however, noting Zero's fixated gaze on Zorin. He was clearly discovering that not all Vampires were the same. He had much to learn before he could fully become the Head of the Association and earn the respect of all those around him.

Reina nodded and muttered a silent thank you to the Demonaire before taking a big sip. She knew she would need it.

''You have not fed in a while, Reina. That is not a good sign.''

Zorin muttered, raising a brow before refilling her glass. The two other Royals all paused at his words, glaring in surprise at Zorin's audacity. Of course they both also sensed the acute hunger within the Queen of Vampires but neither one of them was stupid enough to point it out. That would be a disaster and disrespectful towards her.

But then again, Zorin has never really cared about what others think of him or of social etiquette...The man is a literal psychopath...

''We can talk about that later and of your little present for me through Lord Andrei Kisner.''

Reina muttered, turning to the Hunters as Zorin let out a dark chuckle as he sipped on his drink. Reina knew more than anyone what the Older Vampire was capable of, including his affinity to f**k with her whenever he had the chance to. She had known from the moment Andrei presented one of his daughters that he had been colluding with a certain sadistic bastard who was his close friend.

''This Hunter's meeting is now in session. With regards to the imbalance in nature as well as the multiple supernatural deaths, we bring forth the Vampire Queen and her companions to plead their case...You shall be listened to with impartiality and we shall judge you accordingly... Do you accept?''

Clark Grant spoke up, looking up at them as he took up his role as the Head of the Second Aristocratic House and thereby the Assistant Head of the Hunter's Association, as he had always been.

''Yes.''

She glanced at the others who nodded. It was time to set things in motion and ensure the culling of the Hunters before they made a big mistake that would cost them apprehending the true culprit behind this entire mess. Zero and Reina shared a small look before she turned away from him at the sound of Clark's voice, refusing to acknowledge the feelings strongly coursing through her being.

''You may begin then.''

Clark sat back, a mischievous and unsettling glint in his eyes. The evidence they had all gathered was overwhelming against them. There was no way that they would be able to get away from this. A war would begin and the Vampires would finally be punished for all of their sins. This was simply a tip of the ice berg considering all they had done and the evil that lurked within all their hearts.

The other Hunters turned to her too, their interest piqued. They were ready for what was to come and the ensuing judgementthat they had to pass as the Balance Keepers of the Supernatural world- working in tandem with the Witches.

''Well, for starters, none of our households had anything to do with those killings. There have been Vampires who have been murdered as well and though we have no empathy, we still believe that no one should be allowed to get away with hurting our Kind, no matter how f****d up we may be. Someone is clearly trying to frame us, knowing that we would be the first you would look at because you tend to make judgements according to your emotions and not your heads.''

''Whoever is doing this certainly wasn't wrong. They played you all and now, we are wasting our time and energy trying to convince you of something you seem to have already made up your minds about.''

Zorin stated, refusing to back down despite Saber's disapproving look. He refused to sit and be silent whilst the Hunters hung on the precipice of beginning yet another senseless war. Not that he was not prepared to m******e them all. He had done it before and would not hesistate to do it again. Age had somewhat changed his mindset, though.

Beginning battle preparations would be too much of a hassle, honestly...

''So you're saying the ripped out hearts and heads were all a work of someone else from another race and not Vampires who are known to do just exactly that? Blood was drained from their bodies, Lord Demonaire. Tell me that does not point immediately to your people. Maybe you have an errant group within your Kingdom who have decided to go against the Accords and begin to fuel yet another fire. We all know that it would not be the first time this happens. Your people are known to be quite 'free spirited' ''

Clark stated, his words dripping with doubt and sarcasm. The other Hunters seemed to acknowledge this question, their unconvinced looks sending an uneasy shiver through Maya who looked down at the photos in the folders that were being passed around. True enough, the bodies of the dead Hunters, Witches, Vampires and Werewolves had not only been mutilated but had the familiar puncture wounds on their necks and wrists. Some even had the marks on other parts of their bodies.

Reina had been prepared for this eventuality. It had been part of Maya's report from her time in Romania but never had she anticipated such gruesome c*****e that seemed to be swaying every single person within the room. including Zero who was clearly appalled by what he saw. Clark knew that this presentation would be enough to sway the people. She knew he had done this on purpose to also turn opinions from them.

That f*****g asshole...Hopefully Zero is smart enough to see through him and the fire he is trying to fuel here...

Reina mused inwardly as she glanced at Maya who seemed to be of the same opinion. They had not anticipated that the Hunters knew of the puncture wounds on the bodies. They had come in prepared to explain away the gruesome method of killing that was known to be of Vampiric influence. The person behind this had planned everything disturbingly well.

But they will not beat us...They will not f*****g win...

''Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. Look, I know it sounds like a long shot but we have no reason to lie. I mean, we have kept our end of the bargain and stuck to the rules of the Accords for centuries upon centuries! As unbelievable as this may seem to many of you who have a distorted idea of who we are, we do not want another war. Its just too much work. We have been living in harmony with your kind for years now. Why would we suddenly decide to push it aside and cause such harm, even to my people?''

Her gaze landed on Zero, hoping to remind him of the person he could sense within her. Yes, there was the silent bitterness in her heart that she knew he could sense but she knew he could also see her sincerity in this moment. Not that it mattered really, in the grand scheme of things. She had already made her alliance with the new Head of the Hunter's Association. The outcome of this meeting had already been decided.

But, for some reason, I don't want him to believe the narrative that all his brothers and sisters have been fanning for centuries...That we are all soulless monsters who only want death and despair...

Clark could see Rena getting past Zero's defences as well as some of the other Hunters who began to logically assess the situation. His plan was not working as well as he believed it would and that angered him all the more.

''Well, maybe because you're deranged psychos with no conscience and heart....You eliminated entire bloodlines of witches and Hunters just because we were a threat to your existence! An existence that you do not even deserve to possess! Its in your blood to be cruel, cold and ruthless. You were born as blood slayers. You don't need a reason to kill. You just do.''

Clark replied with a shrug, the hate in his words and his intent to erase their existence so intense, everyone turned to him with surprised looks, Zero included. He could not believe that his Godfather had spoken such venomous words. He had known that his godfather disliked Reina but he had not anticipated such detest coming from him.

Tense silence filled the air as a mixture of emotions reigned. Hate, Disgust, Shock and Disapproval resonated through the room as Ramone and Parker shook their heads in disappointment at their companion's words. Reina, however, broke the ice and the tense atmosphere as she let out a small chuckle that did the opposite of calming the room.

Instead, it sent shivers of apprehension through everyone, including Zero who turned away from his godfather and settled his gaze on the woman before him who seemed to be holding back the volatile energy he could sense coming from her somehow.

"It must have been exhausting, huh? To hide beneath the cloak of your own 'righteousness' and 'superiority'. But alas, they now see you as you truly are. A monster, even more than I am. Well done, Clark Grant."

Her grin was sinister, her gaze beholding a silent detest that Clark matched as he stared off with her, neither one of them backing off one bit.

''What happened to impartiality, huh? I thought you guys weren't supposed to judge us until we proved our case, which I frankly do not see the need for considering that we did nothing wrong, and yet here you are proving to be exactly what we knew you were. Judgmental bastards. Especially you, Lord Grant. You are really going to let your bitterness and grudges be the spark that ensues a blood bath? Because we will not stop until we stand at the top of the battlefield."

Maya stated, a firm look on her as she glared down at the man who seemed to turn all of his detest towards her. There was a lot of shady history between them and she knew better than to engage him in any way. She had avoided interactions within him for years but this was the last straw. She refused to let him use his anger and bitterness towards them to orchestrate a horrid war.

"As you said, Lord Grant, we have no qualms about destroying entire bloodlines. If you start a war against us, I assure you that we will respond in kind and we will be justified for it due to your injustice. I am already fired up and ready to go."

Saber added, backing his daughter as they each glared down at Clark. Zorin let out a small chuckle, enjoying the fire that had been lit within the room. It was rare to see the others so riled up- a situation in which he was the calmer of his three companions. But he knew that their feelings were valid considering the outright judgement being passed by Clark Grant.

"I believe we are done here, Reina. It seems there is no convincing this grudging man of anything...I will enjoy hunting you down and ending your entire bloodline. I will finish what Reina and Maya begun, I assure you."

Zorin's words seemed to be the fuse that lit the fire as Clark immediately got up from his sit and glared down at the four unperturbed Vapires before him. His companions were, however, stunned by his violent reaction as they watched the scene unfold. All of them knew that there was no stopping him when he got this riled up. They were wise to prepare for the m******e he was about to unleash upon the room.

''How dare you disrespect me in my own meeting?! You seem oblivious to the fact that I hold your life in my hands! I decide whether you live or Die, Zorin Demonaire! And the mere fact that you just threatened my family has sealed your fate. I will destroy you, you bastard!''

Clark shouted angrily, earning a worried glance from Parker and Ramone as well as the rest who now turned to Zero. He would have final say on the decision to be made in this meeting. He was in control and the mere thought of ruling against his godfather's favor filled him with anxiety. There was clearly volatile history between all of them and he made a mental note to ask about it later.

''I really would like to see you try, Lord Grant. Make it worth my while when I rip you apart and feed you to my Hounds. Until then, I'm done here. Let us meet on the Battlefield.''

Zorin stated, granting them all a wide, sinsiter grin as he flashed his fangs that filled everyone with anxiety. They knew he meant it and the thought of him releasing his infamous Household into the battlefield was a terrifying thought. Zorin moved to leave when Reina's voice stopped him in his tracks, prompting him to turn his gaze to her.

''We're done when I say we're done, Lord Demonaire. Now, sit your irate ass down and shut the hell up.''

She spoke up, her tone quiet but full of so much anger that the former was taken aback for a second as he sensed the overwhelming power that she beheld. Although he was displeased by her tone, he knew better than to f**k with her when she was like this. The Queen of Vampires tended to be more terrifying than many people knew. Even he, with all his defiance and stubbornness, knew that she was dangerous.

''Listen to her, Brother.''

Saber stated, his eyes beholding a knowing look that Maya held as well. The rage within her was being fueled by her hunger. One wrong move and a m******e would ensue where none of them would be exempt from her wrath. With a passive shrug and annoyed frown, he did as he was told, refilling his wine glass.

''Good luck with this bullshit.''

He muttered, his attention diverting to anything else but them. Reina understood his volatile feelings on the matter. She was struggling to hold back herself because she understood the implications of losing it on them.

''If you're done having your pissing contest then I shall proceed with my explanation.''

Reina stated, breathing through her anger as she prepared herself to launch into the next part of their plan. They were all angry but they knew to keep their displeasure at bay and find a solution. Zorin was more of a 'blood bath now, speak never'. There was too much at stake to let them all go down that path. The real culprit was still out there and they had to find them.

Parker nodded over for her to continue, withdrawing his hand from Clark's shoulder. The latter seemed to have calmed down a notchas he took his seat, refusing to look over at Zero who was staring in absolute surprise at him.

''Please go on, Your Majesty. I apologize for the interruption.''

Zero stated, truly meaning his words as he relayed his emotions through his gaze. He was truly remorseful for what had just transpired and irrate at the disrespect shown towards her. For a moment, he wanted to punch his godfather in the face- a wild emotion he had never experienced before. And all to ensure that Reina was protected from his harsh words.

What really is happening to me? These feelings are not just fascination and awe...they are more...

''We may be everything that you described us to be, Lord Grant, and we may have done all that you just said, but that doesn't give you any right to act as a saint. You've done horrible things to my kind and some of the other races as well. Things that are despicable and cannot be uttered here. You are as much a beast as we are. Think of that before you pass judgement. Prove us all wrong and be less hypocritical.''

Reina responded, earning nods of approval from Saber and Maya whereas the other Hunters looked away from her in embarassment. They knew she was right. None of them wwas perfect. Their history was stemmed in blood and carange. No one could stand on a pedestle and pass judgement on the other, no matter what.

It may have taken Reina everything to control herself but it had been worth it. She had planted the seed of doubt within the rest of the Hunters.The outcome had now been cemented despite Clark's passive look at her and her companions. She was sure,however, that he had taken it to heart. He had always been a reasonable man despite his faults and his grudges.

''We believe we may have a theory as to what's exactly going on but we need time to figure it out....but judging by most of your expressions, you were out for blood.''

Maya stated, surveying the room, her hunch quite spot on. They all fidgeted in their seats, glancing at Clark and Parker who both seemed quite engrossed in their thoughts. They had been ready to pass judgement on them and declare war at the beginning of this meeting but now, everything had changed and so had the other's opinion.

"Yes, I agree that my brothers and sisters had been misguided in their fast decision to declare war but now, things seem to have shufted. There is more to this situation and we need to investigate further before making a decision that could affect everything and everyone in our world. We must be sure before passing such a heavy judgement."

Ramone spoke up, earning nods from some of those gathered- including Parker. Zero was, however, silent as he watched Reina who seemed to now be distracted as she rubbed her hand over her chest. For some reason, he could feel her unease and a kind of unsettling energy not only within the room but beyond it.

It was only when Ramone placed his hand on his that he returned to the present, equally rubbing his chest in surprise and worry. All eyes were now on him and although many had missed it, Reina had instantly noticed their synchronized emotions.

"Its time for you to make a decision."

Ramone clued Zero in on what was going on, instantly noting his unease that begin to flood into him as well. The Vampires were already on full alert, noting the imbalance that their Queen had picked up on.

"I agree with you, Ramone. We cannot make a rushed decision. We shall collaborate with the Queen of Vampires and her people to get to the bottom of this. Should anything change, we should meet once again and discuss the next steps further. That is my decision. Should there be someone else pulling the strings in the background, we shall work closely with the Vampires to destroy the threat before it consumes not only our world but those who know nothing of this life."

Everyone nodded in agreement, Parker included. He was proud of Zero's wisdom and his strong will. His words resonated with a firmness that was reminiscent of his father's own wisdom. For a moment, they were sure that Zachary had returned. It was great to see his son become the Leader they knew he could be.

Clark released a small sigh and nod. Although he disagreed with the judgement passed with regards to collaborating with the Blood Slayers, he agreed that further investigation was needed, especially with the unsettling aura he could sense.

"It seems we may have to collaborate a little sooner than we thought, Lord Black. We have company..."

Saber stated, his words resonating with the room before the door burst open, revealing William and the rest of the Servants. Clearly judging from their expressions, there was a problem and enough for them to return to their Masters' side...

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