A Night of Nights

"Benara where did you go?" Michelle asked with a tear-streaked face. Benara was like a best friend to her even though she was the family nanny for many generations.

"I had to unlock the princes' demon side so they wouldn't die," she replied as everyone gathered in the living room.

"You awoke DaDrak?" Dante asked as he stared at her.

"I didn't have a choice. If I didn't you both would have been dead and I didn't want Michelle and her family to suffer through that again. Surely not after they just found you after all these years," Benara explained.

"But how did you know that combining us would release a powerful demon dragon?" Dante asked as Keliana handed him a cold juice before sitting beside him. He looked at her and smiled before resuming his line of questions at Benara.

"Have you forgotten I see glimpses of the future," she smirked.

Everyone then nodded as they remembered that part.

Drako's eyes then went blank. When his eyes returned to normal he said, " Sorry we can't stay anymore. Mondola wants us. So just keep an eye on the girl for Dante, please."

"I will send you a message if I hear anything... how can I send you a message?" she asked now that she thought about it. They don't have cell phones so how was she going to notify him?

He then took out a piece of the pink crystal he took from her room the first time he came to her room and whispered a few words to it then handed it to her.

"If you need me, speak to the crystal and I will hear. Tell me where you are and I will be with you instantly," he replied.

"Okay. Do I need to shout or whisper to it?" she asked.

"You can speak normally. I am not deaf," and with a wave of goodbye, they turned into red and black smoke and disappeared.

"I can't believe our brother is a Prince of Darkness. That's so not what we are supposed to be or expected to be," Keli whined.

"I know what you mean. A couple of days ago we found out we were royals and now our brother is literally a dark prince and becomes a two-headed flying dragon. When did fiction become reality?" Khalisa babbled.

"What else will we learn as a new day approaches?" Jayden asked.

"Everyone, don't get too anxious now. I know everything seems like it came crashing down on us all at once, but remember who we are at the core and I know we shall overcome all obstacles and we will be victorious in all our battles no matter how small or great they are. So my beloved family, let us take it one day at a time and be supportive of each other." Michelle said holding her husband's hand, which he gently squeezed and then brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. She blushed a little then said, we have to try and get back to some form of normalcy. I know we want to take on Mondola as he killed your parents Erinic. But we also have Drako who was raised by him, perhaps we can come to some terms and have an amicable relationship..."

Before she could finish, Erinic interrupted her.

"Darling, I know what you are trying to do, but this man is still after our blood. What kind of amicable relationship do you expect by having relations with a cold-blooded killer," he asked.

"I understand your anger darling but he raised Drako and Dante, " she replied.

"He did and look what fine pillars of society they have become. They are literally hellhounds walking the earth. If we were not their family, they would have killed us already," he stated.

"No honey, they would have tried and failed. Remember who is our commander and chief and he doesn't leave his vessels at the mercy of demons. So I know we would have been given victory over them." Michelle said as she sat in her husband's lap. She hated to see the worry lines on his face and tried to smooth it out.

While her parents talked Keliana moved to her room. She toyed with the crystal Drako gave her and decided to try it out.

"Drako, I need to see you now," she said holding the crystal to her lips.

Within a few seconds, Drako stood by her bedroom window after the red and black smoke cleared from her room.

"What do you want?" he asked flatly.

He seemed almost distant and his eyes looked more angry than normal.

"Are you okay brother?" she asked as she walked over to him.

"If you don't have anything important to ask, please don't waste my time." He replied and was about to disappear when she grabbed his hand at which he winced in pain. She released her hold instantly and lifted the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a deep wound.

"Who did this to you?" she asked.

"If you don't do as you're told you have consequences to pay," he said nonchalantly.

"Di...did he do this to Dante too?" she asked.

"Let's just say Dante has other chores to do before he is released from his duties."

"But you are princes and I believe more powerful than Mondola. Why do you subject yourselves to his punishment? "

"What can I say? Even though he is a tyrant I still want to please him. I wasn't able to please him as we lost Benara and we didn't give him the territory he wanted."

"I see. You both protected Benara and received punishment for it. I don't know what to say... but I can try to heal your hand," She offered.

"Sure. He has a way of preventing wounds from healing quickly as he wants you to be in pain. So my healing abilities are still fast but based on what he used it will take time to heal. It's so that we remember the pain and work towards not feeling it ever again."

"Okay. But what about your plan to rule your own kingdoms and territories? " she asked.

"I still have that. But it is more of a passing time while we work towards our goal. My time has not yet arrived to shine, but it will soon."

"And what will you do to Mondola? He is still family," she asked.

"While I understand that he has blood relations, trust me you are no family to him, but a means to an end. I wouldn't suggest talking peace with someone who only wants more power and war. I am afraid Mondola will never be satisfied. So don't waste your time."

As he made his last statement he disappeared in a cloud of red and black smoke.

Keliana wanted her family to unite, but she didn't want one to kill the other. There must be a way to unite Mondola with her father. Surely if he knew his own nephew was alive and had a family of his own, he would want them to be with him right? she wondered.

She looked out the window and realized night had fallen and she hadn't eaten. Her mind was too consumed with the idea of creating a peaceful union and see if it will end the war. She had to come up with a solution. If she is to be the future Queen of her world then there must be a strategy to create peace and happiness for all, including her uncle. There must be something he truly desires more than ruling and spilling innocent blood.

"What a night of nights? What shall I do?"