*Sexual Content Warning*

Awendela knew her smile had frozen on her face but years of training had prepared her for this, so her mask stayed right in its place. She gave him a quick curtsy, more of a bob then a dip, and inclined her head respectful for his station but indicating she held no loyalty to him. He smiled coldly at her, reaching for her hand which she extended to him, he brushed the top of her hand with his icy lips before releasing her.

"This is the famous Awendela Shemihaza, I have heard many great things about you. They say you are very skilled in handling vampires."

Awendela repressed a shiver as his voice, rich, full, and husky wound down her spine, his dark grey eyes watching her, judging her. Her own dark brown eyes flecked with gold did the same. This was one of the most powerful vampires in existent, no one knew how old he was but the guess was somewhere in the thousands. It was also the first time she had met him, he had many people to do this vampire business for him, though he threw an annual ball every winter for his kind and for many leaders and partners of the vampire world. Her parents went every year since as far back as she could remember.

The last few years her parents had tried to get her to go but she firmly refused each time. Needless to say it didn't go over well with her parents who were grooming her to take over, they insisted it was a key element to keeping the peace with the vampire.

"I am sure whatever rumors you have heard are greatly exaggerated, your majesty," she replied politely.

"Well seeming most of the boasting has been from your parents perhaps you are right," he replied with a gently laugh, his voice light and teasing.

Awendela watched her parents laugh, her mother chatting about parental pride, when the song playing shifted into something slow, dark and haunting. Awendela cocked her head to the side turning slowly, this was her song, a melody she heard many many years ago but had never been able to find its origins. It had been during one of her hunts, she had been wounded and had little memory of the night except for this song, though everyone told her that it had been impossible for there to have been music playing in the back streets of Italy. She had taught herself the song, or what she could remember of it, on the piano and from time to time she would play it.

Xia had noticed the change in the young woman before him, her eyes had gone glassy, her body turning slowly towards the musicians on the far stage. He stopped his conversation with the Shemihazas, giving them an apologetic smile before moving towards the girl, slipping between her and the musicians as the song he had written centuries ago filling the room.

"Will you dance with me?" he asked her softly, her eyes focusing on him.

Awendela knew it would be rude to decline his offer, she blinked a few time to clear her head, dipped into a polite curtsy and took his proffered hand. He swept her away from her parents and into the center of the room, shifted them in time of the dark melody. Awendela sank into the song, it filled her to the core and she was lost within it and the dark grey eyes that study her.

Soon the song faded and Awendela slowly came to her senses, she gave her head the tiniest of shake before her mask slipped back into place, "Thank you Xia for the dance. If you will excuse me."

Xia released the young women who curtsied then moved away from him and towards the musicians, he smiled softly before turning his attention back to the girl's parents.

"My apologized, this song caught your daughter's attention, I assumed she wanted to dance. She is a lovely young woman. Have you told her yet?"

Mr. Shemihaza shook his head, "I have not, Xia, I thought we should talk to her in private tomorrow. This ball is in your honor and business should be discussed on another day."

"I am flattered by your generosity, however I am concerned about your daughter's commitment. I have heard she does not trust vampire, and that these emotions have deepened since her brother's awakening."

Xia watched the Shemihazas shift uncomfortably.

Mrs. Shemihaza answered, "It is true your majesty but she takes her work seriously, is determined and loyal. She has never let her emotions dictate her actions nor cloud her judgement."

"Then I shall put my trust in her," he replied with a incline of his head.

Any further conversation was put on hold as other leaders came to speak with them.

Awendela spoke with the musicians about the piece they had just played, one of them was kind enough to give her a copy of the music score and informed her they did not know where the music came from, it had not been in the pre-approved music her parents had sent them, they could only assume it had been adding later, being the talent musician they were, they could play it by sight.

She thanked them and slipped away to put the music score somewhere safe, she knew she couldn't be far from the ball for a long period of time. She entered her rooms in the dark before stopping several feet in. Someone was in the room with her, someone she knew. The cold air wrapped around her, seducing her with its icey touch.

"Min Ho..." she said softly, putting the music score on the desk, moving deeper into sitting room, the door closing on its own accord.

"I thought you were done with me?" she asked softly, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, faster then a human but not instantly like a vampire.

She could see her friend leaning against the doorframe of her bedroom, she also noticed he was not dressed.

"So did I," he moved towards her, a leopard intent on its prey, circling her.

"This was your decision after seeing me in the dress?" she asked softly as he approached her, everything in her telling her to run.

This was not her best friend and former lover, this was a winter fae in all his glory, intent on taking what he wanted and that was her. She could feel the fae power wrapping around her tightly, binding her, holding her in place.

"You know I will never forgive you for this?" she asked breathlessly.

"Who saids I want your forgiveness."

Awendela felt his hands run down her spine, slowly unlacing the dress from her body.

"When you are satisfied you will."

"I am a fae, how long did you think our friendship would really last. We both knew at one point this could happen, we knew it long before we fell into each other's beds. We knew we would shattered everything."

Awendela moaned as he murmured the last into her ear, his lips skimming her throat before his teeth bit down, she gasped as the pain sent tingles down her sides slamming into her core. Min Ho chuckled into her ear, his hands pushing the loosened dress from her shoulders letting it pool around her feet, a splash of glittering black water. Cold swept over her naked skin, Min Ho's hands, almost burning where the touched, ran down her breasts and over her flat stomach, he felt her lean back against him, his erection pressed against her back. One hand on her stomach, the other moved lower, cupping her, his middle finger pressing against her heat's core, slipping inside. Awendela gasped as the ice cold digit was inserted into her molten center. Her hands reached up to grip Min Ho's hair pulling his face down while she twisted her head so she could capture his lips with her own.

Awendela was filled with a primal need for the male behind her, their tongue warred with each other, she felt his hands shift turning her so they were pressed stomach to stomach, each needing the the other desperately. The winter fae growl in his throat forcing his prize down to the cashmere carpeted floor. Awendela knew better then to fight the fae, she would never win, or perhaps part of her didn't want to. It was hard to tell with the enthrallment he was throwing at her, being a Nephilim she could fight it off completely but she didn't really want to.

When he thrusted inside her, she cried out, her hands clutching his back, holding the male against her, as he moved inside her, her hips moved in time with him. It didn't last long but it was hungry, fast and violent. Soon they were spent on the floor, panting heavily side by side.

Awendela stood up slowly, she shifted her eyes to the winter fae next to him, "I have to get back to the ball. You need to leave."

"Dela-"

"Don't! We'll talk about it later," she said suddenly feeling very tired, "get out."

The winter fae slipped into his clothing and exited the room without another word. Awendela on the other hand turned on the lights, went into her shower and washed up quickly, redressing, reapplied her make-up and checked the clock, she lost almost an hour. Her parents would kill her after the ball was over.

She reentered the ball as if she had lost no time, she glanced around and noticed head turning towards her then cursed herself. Vampire would still be able to smell the sex pheromones on her despite her shower. Awendela felt her cheeks redden but she smoothed out her dress and took a breath feeling her cheek loosen up.

Her parents gave her the death glare from across the room and she decided to make up for it by playing the dutiful daughter, chatting up important leaders. As she chatted she felt as if someone was watching her, she lifted her eyes and saw the Vampire King watching her from across the room. She gave him a polite smile before turning back to the conversation. Awendela knew it was going to be a long night.

Morning came too soon for Awendela who barely slept, spending the rest of the night and morning in the piano room, working on the haunting piece of music that sank into her darkness of dreams until she fell asleep on the sofa in the room. She had showered and changed, sending in a request for her rooms to be steamed cleaned and aired out. There was some perks to being part of a very rich family though she didn't alway taken advantage of it.

Breakfast consisted of coffee which she drank in the empty family dining room, glancing at the text from Min Ho apologizing and requesting to talk, she powered down her cellphone as she listened to the chatter from the guests in the conference dining room. She, however, enjoyed the silence or would have if the door hadn't opened and the Vampire King entered the room holding a mug of coffee as well.

"Do you mind? I could use the silence," he asked politely.

"Whatever you wish, Xia."

Awendela watched him as he entered the room and sit a few chairs down. He was silent as he had indicated he would be, sipping his coffee almost seeming to be lost in thought. Awendela finished her coffee went to the bar to prepared herself a second cup.

"Can you top mine off?"

She turned and saw he had his mug half outstretch with a little it of black coffee left, she refilled his mug and then tabbed the sugar with finger but he shook his head. She sipped her coffee own leaning against the bar watching him.

"May I ask you something, Xia?"

He nodded looking up to studying her.

"Why are you here? I do not recall you visiting before this."

He smiled coldly, "That is because I never have, you will find out soon enough. Now, I have a question for you."

She arched an eyebrow at him, "shoot."

He grinned at her, "why haven't you come to my winter balls? I have sent you an invitation for the last few years but you never came."

She blinked, "My parents asked me to come but they did not indicate they were personal invitations from you."

He shrugged, "not so much a personal invitation but since you will be taking over your parents business I figured I should meet the person I will be doing the business with in the future. I had my advisor pass on my thoughts to your parents."

"Way to make a girl feel special," she muttered under her breath sipping her coffee, she liked that he ignored it, she knew he heard.

"Oh Awendela!"

Awendel looked up to see her mother enter the room, "I was looking for you. Oh! Your majesty, my husband is in his study, I believe you had a meeting soon?"

"Yes, yes. I was about to make my way, my thanks" he replied standing up and exited the room without a backward glance.

"When is he leaving?"

"Awendela that is rude you know he can probably still hear you!" her mother hissed at her.

She shrugged not really caring.

"Anyways go to your father's study, he wants to see you as well."

"Excuse me?"

"Office. Go."

Awendela groaned, refilling her mug again, exited the room and entered her father's office without knocking. Her father and the King were seated at the small sitting area each drinking coffee and apparently chatting until she walked in.

"Xia. Father, you wanted to see me?" she asked softly.

"Yes, please sit down. It is about your new assignment."

Her eyes shifted the between the two of them as she sank into a chair, "new assignment?"

"Yes, you are now in charge of the Xia's protection."

She blinked, "excuse me? No offense your highness," she added trying to stay respectful.

"Awendela!" her father scolded, "Xia, my apologies for my daughter's disrespect."

"It is quite alright, I expected it."

"You are damn right you expected it," she growled slamming her mug on the table as she stood walking to the door, "I am not taking this assignment."

Awendela jerked the door knob only to find it locked, she whirled around glaring at her father.

"You will sit down and behave yourself. Now!"

She seethed, leaned against the door, arms crossed, "I don't protect vampires. I kill them."

Xia stood up turning to face her, "a service I am most grateful for. If not for the Watchers' hunters keeping control of the RVs there would be a lot of unsettle among my kind. However, this is the very reason your father is putting you in charge of my protection. My people are broken in half, half that feel we should not have to answer to the Watchers nor to their own King. They feel they should be able to what they want, eat whomever they wish. I, however, am in agreement with the Watchers' control over the supernatural world and have been since its creation. It is the balance that keeps the supernatural world and the human from going into disarray. A war is threatening to break out among my people. My life is threaten as the radicals feel that if I am out of the picture then they can over throw everything we have been since the Watchers creation, that then the vampire can return to being 'real' vampires. If this happens millions of people will die for their thirst and greed and then they will in turn will die for they will suck the world dry and damn themselves but not before they will make everyone else suffer."

"While I agree that blood-crazy vampires is bad, I doubt this world doom is even probable. There isn't enough vampires in the world to cause such a thing to happen and the Watchers would put it to stop before it gets too out of control. I agree your death would be inconvenient even I have to admit you are the most important vampire in history, promoting peace between the species and ensuring it stays that way. However why can't your kind protect you?"

"Because I cannot trust them."

Awendela blinked at this, her arms uncrossing as she processed this information.

"I have no way of knowing if there is anyone among my people that are traitors, who agree with the radicals. Your parents agree with me on this and feel a Watcher would be the best type of protection. You are one of the best vampire hunter currently in the field and also a very important person to the Watchers. If you are my protector then it shows two things, that the Watchers are supporting me and that they will do whatever they have to to ensure I continue to rule my people. You are also a Nephilim, this makes you capable of being able to combat pretty much anything thrown my way. You are a vampire hunter, so you know vampire culture and can adapt to living within it, another may not. You are a Shemihaza, one of the most important family in the supernatural world, that by itself is strong enough to keep certain vampire clans as my allies merely because of influential power."

She rubbed her temples, it made sense. It all made perfect sense. As much as she hated vampires, rogue vampires or RVs, were vampires who killed when they fed and they were bad news. BVs were vampires that drank only bagged blood and then there were DVs vampires who drank from donors but respected their donors and kept them more like pampered pets. If a majority of the population of vampires went rogue there would be a lot of death before the Watchers could get it under control and they would lose a lot of members themselves in the process. However, if there was a way to stop or prevent it then she had to do it.

"What does protecting the Xia do in all this?"

"We need to keep him alive, while he reins in his people, gets his allies in check and stamps out the radical leaders before this boils over into an all out vampire war," her father replied.

Awendela hadn't realize she was pacing across the room as she thought everything through, "I am in charge of the Xia's protection? No one is above me?"

"No one except myself of course," Xia replied.

"No, I need to be above you as well. I cannot protect you if you try to pull rank on me and disobey my orders. The last thing I need is you thinking you know better and getting yourself killed," she had stopped at this point and looked directly at Xia when she said this.

He arched an eyebrow at her and thought for a moment, "a compromise, I agree to obey you orders, when they come to my protection of course, unless I have a reason not to, to which time permitting I will attempt to explain to you. You, on the other hand, have to agree that depending on the situation you will bow your head and obey me when I over rule you. You may try to explain your reasoning but there are somethings a vampire knows that you will not."

She nodded in agreement, "let us try it this way but if for some reason it does not work we agree to readdress the subject."

"Agreed."

Her father clapped his hands once and stood up, "very good! Well then, Awendela you have better start packing the Xia's party will be leaving this evening."

She blinked, "he is not staying here to conduct his business and for his protection?"

Her father waved his hand dismissing her words, "how can he conduct vampire business here? He is returning home this evening, he was merely coming to visit and pick up his new bodyguard."

Awendela felt the blood drain from her face. She was going to have to live in a vampire community, her, a vampire hunter. She wondered for a moment exactly what she had gotten into.

Notes

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