Marcus had told him that they were going to go somewhere in Europe so he could be introduced into the vampire society. He had no idea what was in store or him or what would happen. He didn't hear any stories about the elders being mean or anything, so he thought they would just welcome him in and that would be the end of it.

They took a plane to England where a large gathering was taking place. It was just him and Marcus going on this trip. He wanted Casey to come, but knew that the dragon wasn't able to set foot out from the graveyard. He rarely said anything during the entire plan ride there and simply picked up his bags.

He looked around at the surroundings and saw the house they were going to stay in. He went to his room and unpacks some of his things and got ready to go to this gathering. He went to Marcus room and smiled."So.....how long are we going to be at this social gathering?" He asked.

Marcus knew full well that the longer he waited to introduce Alec, the harder time the council would give the newborn once they met him. He absolutely hated to leave Damien behind while he traveled, but it was the safest way to go considering how it had gone the last time he'd taken his lover to these people. The vampire also wished that there had been a way to take Casey with them as it certainly would make Alec safer, but at the end of the day he would have to deal with any misbehavior himself.

Once they were at his house, Marcus got dressed in a delicate black suit and a grey tie, looking up to see Alec just as he finished to knot his tie. "A few days, at the most. Depending on whether or not they can behave themselves." Walking over to Alec, he ruffled his hair lightly.

"I know we agreed you weren't going to be a pet to me, but for your own safety I need you not to freak out if I become a bit possessive of you. Try to act as if it's perfectly normal as most of these people wouldn't understand." Marcus actually worried how some of his so-called friends would react if they knew that he of all people had taken in a boy without making a pet of him. "I just want you to be safe..."

He smiled when Marcus ruffled his hair much like a dad would do and just smoothed out his dark hair. What the man said next made him wonder just what he was going to be walking into and blinked his innocent eyes at the man."Should I be worried.....they aren't going to kill me are they?" He asked and started to nervously tug on the bottom of his long sleeve shirt.

He hoped that there wasn't going to be some scene or anything. It didnt even occurr to him that the elders were perverts when it came to newborns or pets. He just walked out with Marcus and got into the car with the man and was nervous now once they stopped infront of a huge mansion. There were alot of people here already an he just looked to Marcus like a scared child.

A chuckle escaped him at what Alec had to say. "Stay on your toes, they won't want to kill you, just possess you, which is why it's crucial you don't stray from my side." While he'd been protective of Damien in settings like this, his lover knew how to defend himself if need be and he knew what to expect from these vampires, Alec was completely new to this. He wouldn't let the kid out of his sight for a second, not really caring if Alec found that annoying or not.

Once they arrived at the mansion, Marcus rested a hand protectively on Alec's shoulder and smiled slightly at him. "I won't let them hurt you," he murmured to reassure the kid. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to even lay as much as a finger on the boy as he might just hurt them for that.

Bringing Alec inside with him, he quickly located the man that had tried to take Damien away from him the last time he'd brought a fledgeling to one of these gatherings. "Alec, this is Talbot, a dear old friend of mine who's promised to help keep you safe," he smiled, glad they had sorted out their differences again. He could use the extra set of eyes and ears to make sure no one tried to take the boy away.

Possesse him? His eyes widen when he realized what that meant and was surprised that vampires would actually try to take newborns and pets from other vampires. He was quiet for a moment before smiling some ul at Marcus once he placed his arm protectively around his shoulders. They walked in and already eyes were on him and he could hear their words and it only made him blush so hard that his cheeks hurt.

He looked up to the man that was introduced as Tabolt."Nice to met you." He said with a small smile and looked around again and so many eyes were on him."There so many people staring at me......" He mumbled softly.

Shortly after his last visit to London where his old friend had tried to take Damien away from him, Marcus had returned and the two had found a way to settle their differences. The only reason he was mad was because he felt that Marcus had tricked Alice to be loyal to him instead of her maker and when Alice made it perfectly clear she'd never preferred one over the other or turned against her maker, that settled the matter. They were all friends at one point and it was time they were again. No more scheming.

"That's because you're such a beautiful boy, Alec. It gets lonely after a few centuries and they would all love to have a pretty face keep them company for a little while," Talbot answered truthfully and brought the two vampires to a more private area where they could sit, have a drink and explain a few things to Alec while avoiding people's stares before it was time to do the necessary introductions.

"Most of these vampires would love nothing more than to take away my Damien, because of his innocent looks. You on the other hand are even more childlike and there is nothing they'd want more than someone to spoil without the trouble of turning another vampire." Hopefully Alec would see that he wanted nothing more than to keep him safe, and that he'd take care of him to try to make sure he was happy. "I didn't want them to hear about you and come to the town to try to take you. It's better for everyone that we just get the introductions out of the way as well as make it perfectly clear that whoever tries to take you away against your will, will be punished for it. "

What Talbot said didnt make him feel any better about the situation. He was used to people wanting him because of the way he looked. Some people have even gone as far to say that he was a exotic beauty.....whatever that meant. He tried to just keep his attention away from all the males eye staring at home and was somewhat glad that Casey wasnt here.....god knows what would happen.

"Can't they find their own pretty boy...." He mumbled and just followed the two vampires and was practitioners attached at Marcus hip.

He listened very intently to what Marcus was telling him and it surprised him that vampires would actually go that far just to acquire a gorgeous pet. "Is the better looking your pet, the better the vampire you are or something?" He asked and heard a vampire approached their table, the male kept his eyes right on Ale and asked as if Alec wasn't even there where Marcus goes to get such lovely pets. Alec made a face and glared at the vampire.

Both Talbot and Marcus chuckled at what the boy was mumbling and they were grateful that he had a sense of humor about it all. "Something like that... Though we do have a tendency to swap because we get bored of our own. Marcus handed me Arya a good while back through marriage to one of my fledgelings and in return he took my youngest just a few decades ago." There was no malice in his voice anymore, even if he'd made it seem like the fledgelings had absolutely no free will in the matter.

When the vampire arrived with his question, Marcus hissed at him, making him retreat for now. "Most of us don't force ourselves on others pets, we merely work to win them over. Others kidnap and torture newborns to change their allegiance." The same vampire approached again though and asked if they could please start the introductions now rather than him trying to hide Alec to keep him safe.

"If you insist, but they have to come here. One at a time."

He was alittle stunned at what Talbot had said. He was glad now that Marcus didnt view him as a pet but more like a son. He would be extremely upset of Marcus just traded him like he was some cow or a better cow. He did glare at the vampire who immediately backed off when Marcus hissed at him and couldn't help but to wonder how many vampires were goin to come over here to introduced themselves to him. Already it appeared alot of vampires wanted to make their aquentinces with the newborn.

Alec sigh sofly and looked up now, practically hiding himself behind Marcus at the looks he was getting. "I've never been looked at by this many people.....it's so uncomfortable." He said

Maybe it was for the best that Alec had become more like a son to him than a pet, there was absolutely no way he'd let anyone take his boy away. Sure, he was protective over his other fledgelings as well, but not like this. With Arya there had been an opportunity to strengthen an old friendship and he hadn't hurt others for just laying a hand on Damien, but he wouldn't hesitate to hurt anyone who got the wrong idea about Alec.

When Alec was practically hiding himself behind Marcus like that, he couldn't help but chuckle at what was being said. "The looks come with the territory. It's not often that vampires like Talbot or myself turn someone new, we have far too many responsibilities already." While the curious vampires approached one by one and greeted them all, Marcus kept a protective arm around Alec, making it perfectly clear through his body language that he was not trading his newest 'pet' for anything.

"I'm not going to drag you away from home for these events very often," he said, trying to cheer Alec up a little. After all, now that they'd all seen the boy, they wouldn't have a reason to come to Bitter Springs to take him away. Though one vampire got a little too close and was about to touch Alec's hair to see if it was as soft as it looked. Turning away from his son, Marcus pulled out a pen from his inner pocket and jabbed it through the vampire's hand, smirking at him as he pulled away yammering. At least that set an example.

He looked up at the other with a small smile though at the protective arm around his shoulder and did feel alot safer with Marcus there. So this is what vampires were like, it was honestly not like anything he had thought of. Everyone it seem had some hidden agenda against another vampire. There seem to he other young looking boys here to and he even saw what look like a trade was taking place.

He looked back forward and was polite as he could be and flinched when one vampire reached out to touch his hair and giggled when Marcus jabbed the mans hand with a pen. The vampire didnt look happy but walked off. He did lay his head on Marcus shoulder and smiled."If they are like this I don't want to go to them." He said softly and smiled. The same vampire kept his eye on Alec had if he were a prize to be won.

Talbot couldn't help but smirk slightly at his friend's overprotective nature. For once it seemed it came in handy though as no one else tried to touch the newborn after Marcus had made it perfectly clear that it wasn't ok. Once people stopped approaching, he excused himself and decided to see if he couldn't locate his own pets, especially since he wouldn't need to stay by their side to keep an eye on the newborn.

Marcus smiled slightly when Alec said he didn't want to go with any of the other vampires. It was a relief to learn that he wouldn't want to go with someone that would surely force him to be a pet. In a different life, one where he didn't have Damien, he probably would've done the same, as it was though he didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize his relationship with the man.

"Let's go back home, I don't like their looks any more than you do," he muttered quietly.

He smiled when Marcus said that they could go home now. He wondered if maybe Marcus and him could just go and sight see for a bit. He had never been to England before and had always wanted to go. He nodded."Fine by me." He said with a big smile and got up after Marcus did. He stayed extremely closed to the man, ignoring that stars as they walked by. He couldn't help but to feel as if they were being followed and dared to turn and look to see te same vampire that had tried to touch his hair actually seem to be alittle but closer.

Marcus was so used to traveling with Arya or Damien, both of whom had seen a lot of the world by now and wouldn't really need to go see places, that it took a while before he realized that Alec might want to go see the city before they left. Keeping his arm around the newborn, he got their car and opened the door, letting Alec in first before he followed him into the back seat. Looking up at their driver, Marcus ordered him to take the scenic route to the house rather than drive straight there.

They got out of the car at tower bridge so they could walk across the river and walk a little through town before they would meet up with their driver again. It had been an attempt to throw off the vampire from before, but he wasn't sure how well it had worked. Since they were out of the crowded mansion, Marcus didn't feel the need to keep holding on to Alec like he had before, as long as he could keep an eye on him that was good enough. After all, he wanted Alec to be able to feel like he had a say in where they would go as he was determined not to pull the strings at the moment.

He smiled when Marcus allowed them to go sight seeing. London at night was simply beautiful. He was like a little kid and ran ahead some, stopping when something caught his eye and watched as a farry went underneath a tall bridge and the palace lights sparkled on the dark water. "Wow it's so pretty here...." He said softly and smiled.

Marcus must have had his attention elsewhere when he felt a pair of hands on him. One covered his mouth and the other wrapped securely around his thin frame. He panicked and tried to get away but whoever this man was, was very strong and they easily carried him off somewhere. He was knocked out and when he woke up, his shirt and pants were off and was bound by a chain collar around his neck and his hands were bound. The vampire was in te same room and seemed pleased that he was awake and gently touched his soft hair, saying weird things to him.