The Chronicles of James Pete Smith and Alysia Urie-Ross

Jimmy paced around the room, ignoring the chair offered to him in favor of his restlessness. His fathers watched him from their seats near the back wall. There was a soft murmur of conversation from his uncles, William--ready to intervene if neccessary--and Gabe--because William was there. Uncles Brendon and Ryan were surprisingly silent. Jimmy frowned at his shoes and the slipping cuffs of his pants. He bit his lip and grabbed a stick of gum from his pocket, then put it back when his fathers and uncles all shot him dirty looks. He cleared his throat.
Just as he was about to speak, however, the intercom crackled to life and a cool, female voice announced: "Mr. Wentz, a group of visitors has arrived for you."

"Ready to talk to some vampires, Ally?" he asked, glancing back at his cousin.

She looked a little uneasy. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

Jimmy ran a hand over his slicked-back hair and looked at the door. "Yeah, I guess I am, too."
Just then, the door opened. A group of three men--dressed in a formal style that wouldn't have looked out of place in the video for "A Little Less Sixteen Candles"--walked in, solemn umder the bright lights. One of them, the eldest, looked at the switch longingly. The second-eldest sat down in the front chair. He tossed his head and fixed Jimmy with an expectant stare. Jimmy, however, was staring at the youngest of the bunch. He was maybe seventeen (in appearance) and had proud eyes. He stared back at Jimmy, losing some of the pride. There was a hint of a smile on his face, the very tips of sharp fangs visible in the light.

Ally glanced at Jimmy, who seemed to be in a trance, and cleared her throat.

Jimmy snapped out of it and looked at the seeming leader. He smiled and took a step forward, holding a hand out and trying not to shake. "Hello. Mr....?"

"Lord Giovanni," the man replied, ignoring Jimmy's hand. "Senator Donovan," he added, gesturing to the eldest vampire. "And Jaime Swanson." He pointed to the youngest. Lord Giovanni had a slight Italian accent--which seemed to fit with his name.

Ally took a step forward, too. "Nice to meet you." Her voice was shaky and nervous when she spoke. "We're-"

"You don't have to tell us, we know," Donovan said, his voice empty of all emotions.

Jimmy glanced back at William--whose grip on his wand had tightened--before leaning on the desk. "So, ah..." His mouth was dry and he was shaking, but he masked it as best he could. "You obviously know of the conflict. Alright, so, which side are you on?"

Lord Giovanni looked back at his Senator. The Senator looked at him and nodded. "We're on your side," he answered to William.

"I'm not the leader of this group," William said, accent in full force. He cast a glance at Jimmy and Ally. "Those two are."

"What, they can't be much older that fifteen!" Donovan exclaimed, a stereotypical Transylvanian accent coming though. "This idea is utterly preposterous." He fumed for a moment before standing up and walking to the door. "Come, Swanson," the Senator said roughly to the boy, who stood up automatically.

"Now, now, Senator--" Lord Giovanni said, in a silky smooth, commanding voice. "Not all of these teenagers are... foolish." He smirked and looked at Jaime. "He was only 17 when he was turned, and it was his choice--after all."

Jaime smiled, though he still stood as stiff as a board. Senator Donovan looked between him and the pair standing at the front of the room, then sighed. Jaime relaxed, like a marionette whose strings had been released. He sat down in the chair and looked up at Jimmy with a hint of a knowing smile.
"I have to suppose you're right," the Senator admitted, walking back to the chairs and standing behind Jaime.

"I could make decisions for myself at their age," Jaime said, looking at Lord Giovanni. He, too, had an accent--one that was similar to William's, but more refined. Jimmy liked it, quite a lot. "Neither of you remember that far back, do you?" Jaime's smile only widened. "Trust them."

"See, even the boy agrees," said Lord Giovanni, smiling too. He looked back at Senator Donovan.

"Aye, I guess," he offered. "But the boy must sign this agreement, then. If this is going to be child's play--" He looked up to glare at Jimmy and Ally. "--then let this silly war be child's play."

"Well..." Lord Giovanni paused. "Then sign the papers, Mr. Swanson. Listen to your sire."

Jaime stood once more and walked with grace to the desk. He stood in front of Jimmy, a good deal taller than him--he was taller than Ally, too. "The papers, please," he requested in a sweet voice, smiling to match. Jimmy let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when he turned around to get the contract. Ally shot him a mischievous glance as she passed him a pen. He rolled his eyes and passed the clipboard and pen to Jaime.

"Sign in these three places," Jimmy said, pointing to three separate lines spread out on the four pages of document. Jaime did so with a flourish, then passed the contract back to Jimmy. The remaining spaces were signed by Jimmy, who then held out a hand to shake Jaime's. "Then the Giovanni clan of vampires is allied with the Believers."

"Yes." Jaime smiled again, before leaning in to whisper something to Jimmy. He blushed, then Jaime grabbed the pen again and scribbled something on Jimmy's arm. The pen was dropped, Jaime's grin persisted, and he left the room with the grim elders of his clan.

***

"So, the Wentz child has taken it upon himself to make a true organization opposing me," a cruel voice said from the dark. He seemed to be speaking to nothing until a flash of silver jumped on to his desk and settled itself. It laid in a position not unlike a large, grotesque cat. The man--if you could call him a man, how inhuman he was--reached forward and stroked between the ears of his felinesque companion.

"The Urie-Ross girl, too," she purred moving her head to fit with his petting motions. "Are you worried, my lord?"

"No, they pose no threat to me, yet," he answered, then moved his hand to the crystal sphere on the table beside him. He smirked, showing gleaming, needlelike teeth. "Nor will they ever, if this is to be protected."

"Oh, my lord," the catlike woman said, raising her head to look him in the eyes. "I trust they won't--but I fear--"

She was cut off by the noise of a guard entering the room. Not just any guard--one of the three Brothers, in fact.

"Yes, Kevin?" the man asked, sounding bored already. "What is requested?"

"My Lord Biebermort--" the man, Kevin, stuttered. "--the two spies you sent to the so-called Believers' meetings--"

"What of them?" Biebermort asked coldly.

"They request an audience with you, sir." Kevin bowed and glanced back at the door.

"Tell them to meet me in my Grand Hall."

"Immediately?" A nod. "I will, my lord." Kevin skittered out of the room and the woman lying across Biebermort's desk yawned.

"Let us go, Cyrus, my pet." The Dark and Dread Lord Biebermort stood up, his crystal ball levitating beside him. With a muttered incantation, he and Cyrus disappeared from the room, an ear-splitting sound like nails on a chalkboard accompanying this. They reappeared in a long, well-lit hall with a white table running down it. Biebermort climbed, with Cyrus' help, up to the large chair seated ten feet above the rest of the room. His crystal ball remained with him, floating around his head. Cyrus laid down at the bottom of the chair, looking down the hall.

Just then, two timid teenagers walked into the room. They looked at each other then stepped forward--before catching sight of Lord Biebermort and Cyrus. They bowed hurriedly, only to provoke laughter from Biebermort. "M-my Lord," the boy said, looking up at him.

"You have something to tell me, Connor Harley, so tell me," Biebermort replied. "I do not time for childish shenanigans." Cyrus laughed.

"The situation--with Jimmy--it's looking worse," Connor answered. "They've got this guy teaching them magic or something--William Beckett, used to be in that Academy band--and he's really good."

"Beckett?" Lord Biebermort asked. "He's back?"

"Apparently..." Connor swallowed. "I-I'm just reporting this because it's something relevant?" He swallowed again. "He's given them all wands, though, and taught them expelliarmus."

Biebermort's expression changed and he looked down at Connor. "Thank you, Mr. Harley," he said. "You and Ms. Darling are excused..."

Connor and Suzanne left the room quickly, almost running and slipping over the slick tile. As soon as the door slammed shut behind them, Lord Biebermort let his anger show. He let out a scream of indignation and glanced at his crystal ball. "Damn that wizard, Beckett!" he shrieked. "Damn this crystal ball, for lying!" It fell fast once released from his hold around it. The ball shattered on the floor and a soft voice escaped from its broken depths.

"One boy born at the end of September to protect their belief in cold December. Only he can defeat a dark lord and thief, to open the book and pen a new leaf. Both can live while the other survives, but neither can dream while the other thrives," said Lady Gaga, her voice bouncing through the large room.