“So that’s it,” Angel said, wrapping things up three hours later.  Jardin, James and Thomas were due in an hour, and the rest of the Order in three.  “Tonight’s agenda is the Merovians and the threat they represent.  It will be a battle counsel, and we’ll introduce Maria and announce her Clan’s defection.  Hopefully the Clan Masters will buy the argument of them being the edge we’ll need to take their old Order out.  The rest of the Magdala will stay masked until tomorrow night, when we do the ensouling.  Any questions?”

None were forthcoming, and Angel nodded his dismissal.  Illyria stood to escort Maria back to her clan in the cage, while Angel, Spike, Wesley and Gunn turned back to the stacked books on the center table to do a little more research in the hopes of finding the elusive spell that might provide the Master of Aurelius with some additional strength during the ensoulement of his Order.

*   *   *

Angel sat in his chair on the Diaz and stared down at the vampires milling about the main floor, inspecting the weapons and paintings hanging on the walls, as well as the majicked lights that flickering with soft, amber flames in the hurricane lamps above them.  The pentagram star had been activated and protection spells cast for both the Order of Aurelius and the House of William, which now contained its senior members.

There were fifty vampires present in total; sixteen Clan Masters, including his Steward, sixteen Lieutenants, and sixteen minions.  That left him and Spike, who currently stood behind him at his right shoulder.  Many glances were surreptitiously cast their way as the Clan Masters inspected the fourth painting over the door, then turned to compare it to the two masters on the Diaz.

There were only three non-vampires in attendance.  Wesley and Illyria stood at the back of the Hall, at either side of the door, in full battle dress, numerous small weapons secured about their persons.  Gunn currently knelt naked beside Thomas, his only ornaments the Topaz-gemmed collar, cock harness, and chain that framed his genitals.  Of course no one but Angel, Spike, and their pets knew about the cloaked presence of twenty other very powerful wicca vampires twenty feet down the hall in a chamber hidden behind an innocuous storage room.  Angel turned his attention to Gunn once more, staring intently at him and the minion who stood beside him.

Thomas was well aware of that scrutiny – as Angel had intended – and promised himself for at least the twentieth time since the pet had been turned over for his use two hours since, that he would take no disrespectful or excessive actions toward one who was obviously a favored pet of his Order’s master by the way he glanced their way periodically.

Of course taking the pet for his sexual pleasure didn’t fall into either of those categories, and Thomas had done so within a half hour of coming into possession of the buffed black man.  And he’d been very pleased with the pet’s skills at fellatio – he’d used his mouth twice already, once in the suite given over to the Steward and his entourage, and again just twenty minutes ago here in the Hall, after Master Angelus had informed the waiting vampires that his cherished pet was fulfilling the second half of a punishment for insolence to the valued and trusted minion of his Steward.  The envious looks from the lesser minions watching had been satisfying in the extreme.

Master Angelus and Master William had both watched closely as their pet serviced Thomas in public, as a matter of fact.  Their expressions had been critically assessing, but otherwise dispassionate.  Their focus, however, had never wavered, and after he’d tucked himself away, Thomas had decided that perhaps it would be best to save the pet’s next sexual use for the privacy of his Master’s suite, once the meeting was over for the night.  Of course just having the Master of Aurelius’ pet kneeling by his side increased his status immensely, and he was quite happy with that.  He was sure the other minions would be currying him for favor shortly, and happily imagined the various demands he could make in return for the privilege of granting his ear to their requests.

“Aurelians, it is time,” his master’s voice broke abruptly through those fevered musings.

Thomas turned his gaze to the Steward of Aurelius who stood on the first step of the risers, two steps lower than Master Angelus and his Most Favored, but a full step above the rest of the Clan Masters and their entourages.  The minion’s hand, resting on the smooth-shaved head of the kneeling pet, absently stroked there while he listened to the vampire he’d worshipped for many decades.  James, the Favored Childe of his master, stood on the main floor, just off to the side of Jardin, and like his sire, faced the rest of the vampires, clearly there as the general Lieutenant at Arms.

“Master Angelus has called us here, to his Most Favored’s House, to determine the strategy of dealing with that bastard Dagobert and his Merovingian horde after their outrageous attack upon our territory.  As Masters of Aurelius, be prepared to give your best counsel, and keep in mind always the interests and welfare of your Master and your Order.  Master Angelus,” he said, turning to the side and bowing low as he backed away off to one side of the room.  James shadowed his sire, and in minutes Angel and Spike were the sole focus of every creature in the Hall.

“Welcome Masters,” the dark vampire called out loudly.

The room erupted in noise as the vampires acknowledged their new Master with heartfelt hails, all past animosity forgotten.

“Together you represent the power, authority and glory of the Aurelian line.  Will you see that power diminished by an incursion of another Order bent on taking what is ours by force?”

“No!”

“Never!”

The fierce cries rang out, filling the Court.  Amid the many, Maria’s voice could be heard loud and clear.

“My brothers and sisters, the means to deliver the Merovians into our hands has been brought to us, to this very place,” Angel said once the cries had died down again.

This unexpected proclamation was greeted by astonished and excited whispers, the blood lust growing quickly among the gathered conclave.

“Illyria, bring her,” Angel cried out to the blue pet at the back of the Hall.

Illyria nodded and left the room, and in her absence, confused looks and whispered questions were hurriedly exchanged.  She returned two minutes later, entering the room behind a vampire that apparently many on the main floor recognized by their surprised gasps.  Angel watched their own Maria in particular as she clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide with shock.

“I see, Aurelians, that many of you know the august history and lineage of Maria, Master of the Clan of the Magdala, of the Order of Merovia,” he declared softly.

The buzzing increased, commiserate with the vampires’ confusion.  Their Master’s words and tone of voice almost sounded as though he greeted an honored guest, but none there could determine how such a thing was possible given the circumstances of their gathering.

“Master Maria, kinswoman to our own Maria, Clan Master of Aurelius, has brought us a weapon of immense power – her very Clan.  They have petitioned for admittance to the Order of Aurelius…”

A roar of confusion filled the Hall at these words, and Jardin was forced to send James onto the floor to quell the agitation brewing.  The power the Steward wielded was clear in his childe’s quick success.

“They have petitioned for admittance to the Order of Aurelius,” Angel repeated loudly once the room was quieted again.  “And after determining her true intent and trust-worthiness through various means, including the blood oath, I have accepted her and her Clan into our Order.”

This time the cries were filled with shocked outrage.  Several on the floor showed their demons, snarling their displeasure.  Angel stood up and Spike moved forward to stand directly beside him.  They fell into game face as one and together presented an extremely menacing front.

The vampires on the main floor grew quiet again, uneasiness showing as they backed up a step and lowered their eyes to the floor out of deference to the Master of their Order.  Those who had let their demons out quickly reigned them in again, hiding their fangs and baring their necks, lest their Master’s unwanted attention was turned their way.  They were pack animal predators, but they also clearly recognized the alpha of their pack and his beta.  In their world, both of those entities were alpha to the rest of them.  Taking on one was taking on both, and the odds of surviving such an encounter were slim at best.

Throughout the face-off, Maria stood quiet, head-bowed, under the protection of the strange blue creature that was familiar to the others by her presence at the previous conclave, but still alien in her own right.

“I have accepted Maria and the Magdala into our Order,” Angel repeated firmly, “and you will, too.  They are the oldest and most powerful Clan of the Merovingian Order, and we all know that legend whispers of the Ancient who founded them being one and the same as the one who founded the Aurelians.  We may perhaps share the dim roots of our past, and the precious blood of that one Ancient as well.  This is not something to be taken lightly.  The Magdala bring us great power and knowledge that can be used in the fight against our enemies.  Are there any here who wish to question my decision?” he asked, slowly scanning the vampires on the floor below him.

Angel waited quietly to see if one or more of them would declare themselves opposed to their Master, and when none stepped forward, he sat back down and Spike took up his place behind him again.  He didn’t show it by word or expression, but Angel was silently grateful that none of the Clan Masters was willing to test the odds this night.  The success of their plan was too important to risk derailment by revolt before the ensoulement attempt was even made.

“Wesley, Illyria,” Spike called out.

The two jogged toward a side wall, picked up the two ends of one of the numerous backless benches lining the walls of the Hall, and quickly positioned it at the foot of the risers, along one side of the star.  A second bench was collected and placed across from the first, on the other side of the star.

“Minions,” Jardin commanded.  “Two more, one on either side of the star, and a second row behind each of those.”

The fifteen minions – minus Thomas, of course – hurried to do the Steward’s bidding.  In less than a minutes there were two rows of benches on either side and facing the star, with Angel in his chair at the apex.  Once the benches were in place, the Clan Masters took their seats, with Jardin in the first position at Angel’s left and Spike in the first position at Angel’s right.  Maria sat next to Spike, and her grandchilde sat at her right, grasping the elder vampire’s hand to show her silent pleasure.  The Lieutenants took their places on the benches directly behind their Masters while the minions took up standing positions around the outer perimeter of the Hall, and the pets returned to stand at either side of the door, clearly guarding the gathering.  Thomas stood behind James, the only minion allowed this close a proximity to the Counsel, and Gunn knelt naked on the floor beside him.

Jardin stood up, bowed to Angel, then Spike, and finally to his peers.  “The Counsel of Aurelius is now called to order,” he formally intoned.