Kitty entered the big hall. She decided to go into the livingroom to see if anyone was still up. It was early in the day, so most of the vampires were probably sleeping. She entered the livingroom.

Aiden was sitting in a large chair, hidden behind a big tome of a book. She was so absorbed she didn't notice Kitty enter.

Kitty turned the TV on. She was bored, but not tired at all. She watched the news, some people had been killed during the night. She sighed. "Same old story.." Kitty mumbled, then looked over at Aiden. "What are you reading..?" She asked, wondering if Aiden would act like an ass.

Aiden glanced up from above her book, giving Kitty a surprised look that she quickly hid behind a half-glare. "Crimson petal and the white," she answered before her eyes fell down on the page again.

"Ah.." Kitty answered. "Why were you following me earlier?" She wanted to know. Kitty didnt like being followed. And the fact that Aiden had seen her spare the life of a wolf didnt make it better.

"You went in to the church. I went into the church after you. Yes, obviously I followed," Aiden rolled her eyes. "And with good goddamn reason," her eyes flashed. "Dunno why I haven't told the queen about your wolf yet, should've done it straight away."

"I lied so that you guys shouldnt storm the church!" Kitty snapped. "Noone will spill any blood in that church as long as I'm alive.." She glared at Aiden. "I didnt do anything wrong, we can kill him some other time! What's the rush anyway.." Kitty got up and just left the room. That woman made her so goddamn angry. She went to her room, and went to sleep.

Aiden shook her head. She just didn't understand the other girl. The fact that her blood could easily have been spilt in that church obviously hadn't crossed her mind. Aiden was younger than her, but she sure hoped she wasn't as goddamn stupid. Snorting slightly, she went back to her book.

As Kitty fell asleep, Michael came back to the school after a good hunt. He went into the livingroom. "Hey, Aiden.." He mumbled and sat down in a comfy chair.

"Precious princess send you to yell at me?" Aiden lifted an eyebrow and looked up from her book.

"Huh..?" Michael looked confused. He had no idea what she was talking about. "Yell at you? For what?" He looked at Aiden.

Aiden smirked. "Oh, only the usual. Being a big, bad meanie," she said lightly, giving him a half-smile. "Nothing to worry your pretty little head about if Kitty didn't send you to yell."

"What do you mean? what did she do?" He wanted an answer. He sat up, watching Aiden. "What did Kitty do? Did you two have a fight...again?" Michael sighed.

Aiden sighed. "You won't like it," she warned, looking seriously at him.

Michael looked thoughtfull. "She's found herself a lover?" He asked, knowing Aiden would think his question was funny. He looked sad, but patiently waited for Aiden to answer him.

"Well, she is meeting up with strange werewolves in remote locations," Aiden said slowly, looking at Michael for his reaction.

Michaels eyes widened and he got up. "What?!" He stared at Aiden. "Wolves? How long has this been going on?" He sounded angry, but not at Aiden. What was Kitty doing? Was she trying to commit suicide or something? Michael shook his head.

"I don't know," Aiden said truthfully. "I followed her inside, she almost bit my head off in anger. Nothing knew there."

Michael started wandering restless back and forth. "Kitty.. and a wolf? That cant be.. she hates them.." He looked thoughtfull. "You sure you didnt misunderstand the situation?" He looked at her, almost begging her to say yes.

Aiden shrugged. "I don't know what to think. She followed the trail of the wolf she spotted earlier, then suddenly she stopped, lied to the Queen about losing the trail and went off to find him on her own. She even promised him that neither she, nor I would hurt him. Said she would have me punished if I even lifted a finger against him. I left then. I wasn't taught not to harm wolves, but nor was I taught to disrespect a direct command in a serious situation from someone of highter rank than me. So I found it prudent to remove myself from the situation to avoid the dilemma."

"That little whore.." Michael hissed. "I'm sorry Aiden, I cant stay. I have to find the Queen. Thank you very much for the information.." He actually gave Aiden a slight bow before leaving the room. Michael headed straight for the Queens chamber.

Aiden sighed and tried to go back to her book, but her mind was occupied. She knew Kitty would hate her even more for this, she would most likely consider it outright betrayal, but from Aiden's point of view it had been the right thing to do. If Kitty was fraternizing with wolves, someone needed to know, and that someone was not Aiden.

Michael came back. "Eh..come with me.. I dont know all the details.." He stood in the doorway. He waited for Aidens answer.

"What details?" Came Takara's voice suddenly from behind him. She stood arms folded as she watched the pair. Her long white hair now hung loosely round her shoulders with a few beads entwined within it and she wore a long loose white dress. "Is something wrong?"

Aiden stood from her chair and inclined her head. "My Queen," she murmured.

Michael turned. "Mother.." He bowed. "I hate to say this.. but if Aiden's right, Kitty spared the life of a werewolf today.. The werewolf.. The one we were looking for." He looked sad. "I dont know why, but she did...."

"She what?" Takara said suddenly looking furious. "Where is she?" she asked knowing that they knew better than to lie when she was this angry.

"She left some time ago, I'm not sure where she went," Aiden said truthfully. She suspected Kitty had gone back to her room, but since that would be the obvious assumption, she didn't feel the need to voice it.

Michael's head fell. "Mother, dont be so harsh with her.." He said. "Maybe she had a good reason? Maybe they're forced her..?" He looked at the Queen, hoping he was right in some way or another.

Aiden sent Michael a look that very clearly said 'you're pathetic, be a man'.

Takara glared at Michael. "Go and fetch her now." she snapped not wanting to hear any more excuses as to why Kitty did what she had done.

He gave his mother a bow and hurried to get Kitty. They both came back just moments later. Michael stayed outside the room, though. Kitty walked in, wondering what the hell was wrong this time.

Aiden steeled herself and mentally prepared for the verbal diatribe that awaited her once Kitty realised what was going on.

"Aiden leave us please." Takara said her back to Kitty as she stared out the window feeling incredibly angry towards her.

"Very well, my Queen," Aiden said and exited the room, stopping when she noticed Michael loitering around. "Waiting for the other shoe to drop?"

Michael looked at Aiden. "I wont stay here.." He said and just left. He figured it would be best he'd be far away when the Queen yelled at Kitty.

Kitty looked at her mothers back. "So, what's wrong this time?" She said, knowing she'd get yelled at...again. Kitty sighed deeply and sat down in one of the comfy chairs.

Aiden followed Michael's lead and headed to the other side of the building, venturing into the library where she located one of her favorite books and sat down in one of the comfy chairs to read.

Walking into the confines of the clan's nest, NaTasha looked around with her golden eyes and pursed her lips. "Hn." It stinks in here. She removed the bow from her back and held it in her grasp as she headed for her own room. With her sleeve, she began wiping a bit of blood from her lips, having stopped off and killed a fledgling that was threatening to reveal them to the humans by killing in the middle of a group of young men. Yummy. Tasted like he was made by a vampire in the nest, but she couldn't place whom. Oh well. It did not matter to her. She glided up the stairs and into her room, shutting the door behind her silently.

"So...you think it is alright to lie to me Kitty?" Takara replied still looking out the window, her voice quiet but incredibly threatening.

Kitty raised an eyebrow, not knowing what the Queen talked about. Then she remembered. "You mean.. the wolf?" Kitty asked. "Can I explain the situation, before you get really angry and all that?" She asked her mother.

"Explain? What is there to explain? You knew that wolf was in the church but you decided to lie and say you'd lost the scent. But I suppose if you think there is something that may reduce the anger I am feeling now, say it now." Takara replied.

"Well, first of all I didnt want any blodshed in the church! It's a holy place, and no blood should be spilled there, no matter what species." Kitty said darkly. "Second, now I know what he looks like, now I know what he smells like! I can track him down very easy now, and we have a greater chance of killing him without losing any of our own kind." She said, now calm. "We can plan the kill better..."

"So that is the only reason you spared his life? You do not have any feelings for the beast?" Takara replied finally turning to look at Kitty.

"What?! Feelings? Who the hell do you think I am?" Kitty stood up. "Feelings?" She sounded very angry. "How could you believe I have feelings for a monster?!" She looked straight into the Queens eyes, showing her that she told her the truth.

"I suggest you change your tone." Takara remarked coldly as she watched Kitty. "Alright...we will plan a proper hunt to kill the beast, and if you fail me a second time...you will be punished, understand?"

Kitty raised an eyebrow, then sighed. "Yeah yeah.." She sat down in the chair again. "As you wish, Mother.."

"Good." Takara replied then walked from the room to go to her own private room, saying nothing more.

Kitty slept in the chair, the rest of the day. Late the next evening she woke up and went to her room. She now remembered the note the wolf had given her. She looked at it again, then threw it in the fire. She made sure it was all gone, before she climbed out of her window. She wanted to go to the church again, be alone. She left a small note: Just out for a snack. Then I'll confess. Dont worry about me! PS: Mother, when I come back, we'll make a good plan to kill the beast. And her very special signature at the end of the note. Katherine Her real name. She never used it, unless she was very serious about something.

Michael found the note an hour later. He read it, then brought it to his Queen. "Mother?" He knocked carefully on her door. "I have a message for you. From Kitty." He said in a low voice.

"Well bring it in then..." Takara called from the other side of the door.

Michael entered the room, and walked over to his mother. "A note.." He said shortly and handed it to her. I stayed silent as she read through it. Michael knew that the Queen had told everyone to never go out alone, but he trusted that Kitty could take care of herself.

Takara took the note and read it slowly. "Follow her for me Michael...just to make sure she is not doing anything she shouldn't..."

Aiden was feeling a bit peckish, so she exited the library and went looking for someone to hunt with.

Michael nodded. "If I can find her, Mother.." He said and exited the room. He hurried down the hallway... and almost bumped into Aiden.

"Whoa, watch it," Aiden lifted her hands and took a step back to regain her balance. "What's the hurry? There a fire somewhere?"

"Sorry Aiden. No, I'm just getting ready to go out. Gonna go hunt, and look for Kitty. She wrote a note about going to the church, and the Queen wanted me to check in on her." Michael answered, he seemed abit stressed. "After the new wolfking, noone's safe. I have to go see if she's at the church.."

"Mind if I head along? I'm definitely in need of some food," Aiden said pleasantly enough. "Besides, I wouldn't want to miss the drama of Kitty realising you followed her," she couldn't help adding, grinning a little.

"She'll probably stop speaking to me.. for days.." Michael shrugged. "But I'll live.." He nodded. "Tag along, it's ok with some company." He said.

"Alright," Aiden nodded. "So we hunt in the area around the church then, I'm guessing?"

---

Michael nodded once. "O..k.." He said and got up. He walked over to a huge bookshelf and started reading the titles. After a while he took out a huge book and went back to the chair.

Aiden pretended to go back to her own book, but peeked curiously over the top of it to see which one he had chosen. She was of the firm opinion that a person's choice in books revealed something about their personality.

This book didnt have any title. It was old, and pretty worn out. The cover was in brown leather, with some golden ornaments. The pages was getting yellow, and the writing was in latin. Michael loved that language, and studied it whenever he had the chance.

"What are you reading?" Aiden asked after a while, when her curiosity could no longer be quelled.

"Latin.." He answered short. He had to finish the chapter before talking, and he had just two more lines. When he was finished, he looked up over the book. "This chapter was about ancient roman warfare..."

"You're interested in history then?" Aiden's eyes lit up. History had been one of her favourite subjects in school. She was especially enamoured with the Victorian era, and the English upper-class system.

"Yeah, it's interesting.." He admitted. "I like the latin language..Somehow I find it easy.. You interested in history?"

"I've always loved it," she admitted, an opportunity to discuss literature and history, two of her favourite subjects, completely driving any thought of social withdrawal from her mind. "It's so fascinating, to see how they lived and dressed and organized themselves, and how society developed from the very beginning into what it is today."

"Wow.." Michael smiled faintly. "So you can be nice and somewhat social.." He nodded. "Yeah, it is fascinating.. though, I've seen some of the changes.. and I have to admit I liked it better before..." He looked abit distant.

"I... I wasn't being nice," Aiden muttered. "I was just... well... why don't you like seeing it happen anyway?" She asked, changing the subject. She hadn't been a vampire for long enough to know what he was talking about, and she couldn't understand how anyone could not enjoy watching history happen before their very eyes.

"well.. some changes are good.." Michael started. "But, there are things that was better before.." He stated. "Take the simplest thing as being polite.. some 150 years ago, it was the most common thing.. Now everyone's being an ass.." He shrugged, kinda embarrased that he hadnt come up with a better example.

"At least I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not," Aiden said heatedly and glared at him, before pointedly opening her book again.

Michael raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? Are you saying that I'm pretending to be someone I'm not?" He asked cold.

"No, but I'm saying that half the people of your glorified past more than likely were, and that I'd prefer honesty over manners any day!" Aiden said, tossing her hair over her should in an angry jerk.

"You're just mad because I ruined your romantic thought of the past.." Michael leaned back and opened the book again.

"I don't have a romantic bone in my body, so believe me, that has nothing to do with anything," Aiden glared, her statement a blatant lie. To those who cared to look, the books Aiden read more often than not had romantic themes, or a touch of romance, if nothing else.

"Somehow I dont fully believe you." Michael gave her a grin and looked down at the book again. He hoped to see a different side of Aiden soon, or else he would state her as a cold, angry 'old' woman.

Aiden blushed slightly at being found out, so to speak, but she stuck to her argument. "I just... wouldn't you rather someone was honest with you? Instead of lying through their teeth, because it would be the polite thing to do?"

"Ofcourse, but sometimes it's better to be polite than honest.." Michael answered. "Though, you're right. I'd rather have people being honest.." He nodded after a little pause.

Aiden smiled and nodded a litte, as if she expected nothing less. She lied about little things, usually because she felt a need to protect herself and her innermost feelings, but never the really important stuff.

Takara stood at the door watching the two for a few minutes before she wondered inside, standing tall and proud like a queen should. "I see you two are as busy as ever." she said but with a hint of a small smile playing across her lips. "I trust both of you are well?"

Michael stood as soon as he noticed the Queen. "Mother.." He gave her a slight bow, then sat down again. "Yes, I am very well. Kitty's staying at the church tonight, Mother." He said quickly, before she asked any questions about Kitty.

Aiden also rose to her feet and bowed her head in respect, before sitting down again. She rolled her eyes at Michael's very obvious attempt to divert any questions about Kitty's whereabouts, thinking that if he hadn't brought up the subject himself, he might have gotten away with not talking about it. "I am well as well, my Queen," she murmured in answer to the question.

"She's staying at the church?" Takara asked glancing at Michael as she took her seat by the fire, which was the grandest in the room. "Why is she doing that? Is there something you two are not telling me?" She now looked between the two, her expression caught between confusion and harshness.

"I dont know. She likes it there, she's stayed there before. You know Kitty, she's a good friend of the priests and monks.." Michael shrugged. It was true, Kitty had spent many days there. He didnt know what she did, or where she slept, only that she wanted to be there. Michael folded his hands, the book lying in his lap.

Aiden stayed quiet, following the exchange, but attempting to appear uninterested.

Takara seemed to calm with Michael's words. "Well as long as she is safe." she said as she smoothed a crease out from the front of her dress. She yawned slightly then lounged back in her chair. "Have you no thoughts of getting some rest?" she asked directing the question to both of them.

"Soon.." Michael looked down at the book. "I think I'll go now, actually." He got up and put the book back. "I'll she you tonight, mother. Maybe we could hunt together?" He asked both Takara and Aiden.

Aiden nodded and gave him a small smile before turning back to the queen. "I will read some more before I go to bed," she answered the question.

"Yes a hunting trip sounds wonderful, I need a little exercise." Takara said with a smile. "Sleep well Michael." She turned to look at Aiden and gave a small nod. "Well make sure you get enough rest, especially if you are hunting later."

"I will, my Queen," Aiden said respectfully.

"Good. Well I think I shall retire myself...daytime is so boring." Takara replied as she stood slowly. "I do not know how humans can stick it..." she said almost as if talking to herself. She walked to the door then turned to Aiden. "If anything happened that I should know about, you would tell me, wouldn't you?" she asked suddenly.

Aiden looked up from her book. "Of course, my loyalty is to you," she said at once.

"Thank you. I feel there are less and less vampires I can trust nowadays..." Takara said almost sadly before changing her expression to a more pleasant one. "Sleep well when you decide to rest." she said then turned and left the room.

After finishing a couple more chapters, Aiden went back to her room and slept quietly for the rest of the day.