A tall, hulking vampire stepped onto the plane when the door opened. He bowed to them and spoke in a deep voice. “Greetings your Highnesses. I hope your flight went well. I am Duarte and I am head of security for the duration of your trip. As no-one knows you are here we shouldn't have many problems and the car is outside the plane, waiting for you. Are there any questions?”

“We have security?” Kurt asked then rolled his eyes at himself as he realised what he'd said. Of course they would.

“Indeed, your Highness. We are unseen and unheard but still there. You are royalty, the future of our race and must stay safe at all times.” Duarte said reverently, inclining his head as he spoke.

“Kurt smirked. “No pressure then.” He quipped. Blaine burst out laughing and Duarte smiled.

They got up and Kurt went over to Annalei who was blinking awake, having spent most of the flight asleep. “Annalei, we're here.” Kurt whispered and she smiled, taking his offered hand.

Duarte eyed her with curious interest as they walked down the steps to join Blaine and Rachel in the car.

As they drove Kurt watched the Californian scenery roll by. He'd only been out of Ohio once and that was to compete in New York and he felt the buzz of excitement. Being here, what they might see, the reunion of Blaine and Cooper and the thought that this was just one of thousands of trips they'd take in their forever. It was thrilling.

“Kurt look!” Rachel called out, her hand pressed against the window and a look of awe in her eyes. Kurt looked out and gasped. The sea was a sparkling sapphire blue, rolling in waves topped with white foam as the waves crested. Surfers were riding the waves, some crashing which made Rachel giggle. He'd never seen anything like it.

“I see you've become captured by California, like your mate, your Highness.” Duarte intoned and Kurt looked at him.

“You were there when Blaine was here before?”

Duarte nods and his eyes flick to Blaine who is watching them happily then back to Kurt. “I have been with the royal family for over a century. My lineage dates back to the battlefields of Wallachia where your ancestors made their promises. Mine promised to guard them many years before they ever grew fangs.”

Kurt stared at him in stunned silence for a few seconds, feeling a little winded and then smiled. “Then I'm honoured to have you protect me.”

“The feeling is mutual, Highness.” Duarte replied.

Finally Cooper and Annalei's house came into view and Kurt felt his mate's nerves build, fear and worry choking him. He closed his eyes and sent a wave of calm over the other vampire and he felt the choking subside. He opened his eyes and met Blaine's grateful ones.

The car stopped and they climbed out, Annalei lead them up the path and opened the front door. Immediately a short, thin man ushered them inside and they walked into the solarium.

“How is he?” Annalei asked.

“His Lordship is sleeping. He will be happy to see all of you. Your Ladyship, your Highnesses.” The man said and walked away after bowing.

“His Lordship?” Kurt echoed and Annalei shrugged at him.

“Ever since we came here that's how they referred to us.”

Kurt nodded and they walked towards a chaise facing the sunlight streaming through the window that Cooper was lying on.

“Still a Prince.” Blaine mumbled and Kurt squeezed his hand reassuringly.

“Cooper?” Annalei called out and the man lying down immediately sprang up, his eyes wide and confused. Kurt could see the similarities and differences to Blaine more than he had in the picture and it made him smile.

“Annalei? What's going on?” He asked as his eyes travelled over the other people, zeroing in on Blaine who stared back.

“I brought Blaine to see you, love. This is his mate Kurt and their friend Rachel.” Annalei replied.

Cooper's back stiffened and his chin rose in the way Blaine's did when he heard something he didn't want to hear. “I don't want them here. Get out.”

Kurt leaned towards Blaine and whispered. “He's lying.”

Blaine looked at him smiling and Cooper looked at him startled. Kurt smirked as Cooper's voice whispered in his mind. “You can read me?”

Kurt nodded and turned to his mate. “I think we'd better leave you and your brother to talk. I'm sure Annalei would love to give us a tour.”

“Of course I would.” Annalei said excitedly, she didn't have many visitors and she felt a bond with Kurt like no-one before apart from Cooper.

Kurt nodded and kissed Blaine's cheek, pushing him lightly towards Cooper. He hooked his arm around Rachel's and the three walked out of the room. Kurt glanced back as they walked through the doorway and saw Blaine tentatively reach out towards his brother.

“Do you think they'll talk?” Rachel asked and Kurt glanced at her before turning back again.

“Oh I think they'll have no problem.”

“Cooper?” Blaine asked, his voice breaking. His brother looked nothing like he once had. The Cooper in his mind was tall, built, and good-looking like their father with thick, wavy brown hair and clear, dark blue eyes. The man in front of him looked sick. His skin was pallid, his hair too dark and lank, his eyes were darker too and he was thin.

“You're really here,” Cooper whispered and cross the gap between them, enveloping his brother in a bone-crushing hug and sobbed into the boy's hair. “I've missed you baby brother.”

“I've missed you too.” Blaine hiccupped and they separated but they held onto each other's arms.

“You've grown up well, squirt. Look at you. You've been working out, strong jaw, still short though.”

“Hey,” Blaine protested, laughing. “Hotter than you.”

“Right now,” Cooper said and Blaine rolled his eyes. “So, tell me about your life. Tell me about that boy of yours.”

Blaine grinned and sat down with his brother, feeling the bond mend itself, excited to talk to the man he missed and talk like they always had.

“What can you feel?” Rachel whispered.

“They're talking. Actually I think they're gossiping.” Kurt said and they laughed.

“So what's the plan, you're not coming all this way to just visit, are you? You didn't share many details with me but isn't he going to get sick again if you guys leave?” Rachel asked.

Kurt shook his head and replied. “No. The whole point was to get them to sort everything out and bring Cooper and Annalei back but we're going to be here for a few days while Cooper and Annalei pack up and to have some fun before Blaine and I go back and you go off to New York.”

“Awesome!” Rachel whooped and the three of them laughed happily.