All my life I have been in hiding or learning to fight from one master or another. School was tutors and there was always Roger watching and more than once slapping my head. He was supposed to be my bodyguard but he always said learning came first. My parents were distant and emotionless when it came to me which is why I was named Demon.

I was a younger son and not meant to rule and that changed on my sixteenth birthday. My oldest sister was killed and then both older brothers with my parents as they attended her funeral. To say I was not happy was a serious understatement. I might not have expected to rule or loved my family as much as I should but they were My family.

I shoved the stuffy noble out of my way as I stormed through the palace I had only been in once. He tried to follow and Roger shoved him back as the other guards hurried ahead. When I reached my mother's office several more nobles were searching her desk. I gestured to them, "seize them and strip them. Put them in holding cells and have them questioned."

They gasped as the soldiers following me rushed around me and towards them. I looked at the white faced assistant against one wall, "I want everything my mother was reviewing and I want it now."

I turned as the noble following puffed up, "listen close asshole. I do not care who you think you are. I am the emperor now and you will do as I tell you or by god I will have you stripped of your patent. Now unless you have the answer to who had my family killed and why get out."

I spun as the others were taken out and crossed to the desk, "Roger find the head of the royal guards."

I shoved the chair away and looked at the assistants rushing back in, "one of you get me the fleet sky marshal and the commander of the marines."

The data screens on the desk were a mess and I hesitated before I began to stack them, "one of you start talking."

Six hours later I chewed the last of a sandwich and reached out to shut the reader off. I looked at the two men standing on the other side of the desk, "find the man that paid the assassins. I want the person responsible."

I turned to look out the huge armored window, "if you need anything call me and I will make damn sure you get it."

I looked at the constables, "your job is not easy and I am not going to cut off heads unless it is the bastards that murdered my family. Get my private comm line number from one of the assistants."

One nodded and then bowed before taking the comp screen and leaving. The door stayed open as a tall well dressed woman entered and I sighed, "I do not need nobles bothering me your highness."'

She smiled slightly and ignored the fact that I had removed all the other chairs, "I know it hurt when they were killed Demon. You will have to work with your nobles. Right now they are summoning the full council to force a regent council on you."

I growled and stood, "I have no intention of letting them or anyone..."

She cleared her throat and I looked at her before I blushed, "I apologize."

She nodded and turned towards the door, "be that as it may you are almost the last of your line. My mother is your vassal and is on her way to give her allegiance. I on the other hand am here to bring you tribute."

I shook my head, "princess Gandtear it is..."

She cleared her throat, "my oldest daughter Angel is here and I would offer her to you."

I stopped as I was walking around the desk, "your daughter?"

She winked, "she begged me."

I sighed as I headed for the door, "thank you but..."

She cleared her throat again and I looked back. She smiled, "just say thank you."

I hesitated, "thank you your highness for such a valuable gift."

She nodded as she turned to walk out with me, "she wants you to fuck her Demon."

I smiled and then grinned, "something pleasant to look forward to."

She laughed as she walked away and I looked at one of the assistants, "where are the nobles meeting?"

She swallowed, "the Assembly your majesty."

I snorted as I turned, "my name is Demon and you can use it."

I started for the hall and Roger appeared and fell in. He glanced at the dozen guards that joined us, "and where are we going?"

I snorted, "to issue a declaration of war."

He looked at me, "Demon..."

He touched my shoulder, "sooner or later you will need them."

I nodded, "true but I am not going to let them rule or tell me how to rule or play puppet master."

I grinned, "her highness princess Gandtear has given me a tribute. Her daughter Angel."

He grinned and then laughed and I climbed into the armored vehicle. I barely listened to the guards or Roger as I thought about what I needed to do. When I walked into the huge Assembly hall the voices stilled. I gestured and the guards fell back except for Roger as I crossed the polished floor to my family seats.

I turned to look around the room, "there will be no regent council. I will take every noble patent before I let that happen."

I looked around at the white faces, "someone ... maybe even one of you is responsible for the death of my family. My mother was your empress and ruled as I will. You may bring your laws before me but ... I will decide if they are made law. The way this empire is ruled will not change because I am emperor."

They shifted and I shook my head, "you are either my vassals or you are traitors. I did not want to rule but I damn well did not want my family murdered. There are changes coming, changes my mother had planned and changes I believe we need. Now forget this nonsense and return to your lands. I need to see all my dukes in my office in two hours."

I turned and started walking across the floor as they murmured. When I returned to the palace and my office I had a dozen people waiting. I nodded to the assistants, "send in whoever is next. In two hours hold everything so I can speak with my dukes."

They nodded and I went in and around the desk and Roger moved back to the wall. Mostly it was routine business and I worked while they came in and made their speech or pitch or condolences. I glanced up when the sixteen dukes came in and the door was closed. I pushed the comp I was reading away and sat back.

I waited until they were in front of the desk and nodded, "ladies and gentlemen first I should tell you my mother thought well of you. She wished to make a few changes in the empire and with some of your duchies. From her notes she has talked to some of you about this."

I looked at them and several nodded and I stood and turned to the window, "I am not sure she was right in what she was going to do."

I turned to look at them, "we already have three kingdoms in our empire and three more would complicate things. Someone tell me why I should do this. How the nobles who will have to kneel to a new king or queen will take it."

They looked at each other before duchess Marble started talking. I listened to her and then the others as they talked for or against it. I sat when they stopped and leaned back as I looked at them, "how many systems are for you lady Marble?"

She blinked, "besides mine?"

She looked at the others, "four."

I leaned forward and gestured to the right of my desk, "stand there with them behind you."

They moved and I looked at those remaining, "my lord Garret how many systems will stand behind you?"

He smiled, "besides mine four others."

I gestured to the left of the desk and they moved and I looked at the remaining nobles. I searched their eyes before I choose, "my lord McKnight how many will stand with you?"

He smiled, "five including mine."

I looked at a red faced duchess, "duchess Sinclair I have a request from you to my mother."

She nodded and I turned to make a call. I waited until it was answered, "this is Demon. I need to speak with his highness."

A moment and prince Zarzine answered, "Demon?"

He was more than twice my age and I had spent time with him and his family many times, "your highness I need you to call your father. Lady Sinclair wishes to kneel and give her oath and allegiance to him and your kingdom."

He was quiet before he answered, "are you sure you want to do this?"

I smiled at the duchess, "I will explain over dinner at eight."

"I will call you right back."

The line went dead and I looked around the room, "I will arrange the ceremony. In the mean time you three need to get with each other to draw up your kingdom declaration. I will need to confirm and ratify them before you are crowned so please do not keep your people waiting. If you would please join me for dinner at eight tonight."

I stood and gestured to the door, "now I am several days behind. Thank you for coming and duchess Sinclair I would also like you to join me for dinner. We should have your answer before then."

She bowed, "thank you your majesty."

They all bowed before leaving and I sighed and sat, "next!"

Roger chuckled, "I do not think they realized you just stole their power."

I smirked, "mom was the sneaky one."

I glanced up at a woman in a long fur coat. It was open all the way to her crotch and showed nothing was under it. I grinned as I sat back, "princess Winston how may I help you?"

She winked as she started around the desk, "well scamp we could use your desk and you could..."

Roger cleared his throat and she sighed and turned my chair and sat in my lap, "spoiled sport."

She kissed my cheek, "sorry about your family Demon."

I nodded as I put my arms around her and watched where I put my hands, "thank you."

She smiled, "father is on his way but I am commanded to give to you a tribute."

I frowned, "I do not think..."

She wiggled and bounced, "hush lover. I give into your hands my heir and daughter Clare. Use her well and may fortune and fertility follow you."

I shifted and then laughed, "if she is like you I think I will be the one to get used. Thank you very much and tell your father I said I am in his debt."

She stood and grinned back at me, "that is his hope."

She walked out and I shifted to straighten my hard cock. Roger chuckled, "want to bet the prince gives princess Devon to you in tribute?"

I looked at him and gestured to the door, "go find my quarters in this nightmare and make sure the girls do not injure themselves or each other."

He laughed as he started for the door, "no guards are allowed in your bedroom."

I snorted as I looked at the top of the desk, "next!"

Roger was right, the princess Devon was already moving into my suite with both Angel and Clare. Her father slipped into the office an hour later and told me. He also let me know his father would accept the duchess after speaking with me. Dinner was not what I was used to but I had eaten with enough royal families.

After dinner Roger led the way while Angel, Clare and Devon walked with me. The attack came when we were within sight of the doors. I caught the girls and took all three down as a dozen men rushed out a door firing weapons. Roger went to a knee as he began firing and the two guards following leaped over me.

I pulled the slim plasma pistol from the small of my back and aimed from the prone. Roger jerked and twisted and started to fall and I began to fire. To say I was frightened would be accurate but I was also pissed, I had not seen it coming. One of the guards went down and only two attackers were left.

I shot one and the guard shot the other and I came to my feet, "get back up here and a doctor."

I moved to Roger and checked him as he coughed up blood, "do not move."

He shifted, "get..."

I slapped his face gently, "suck eggs."

I turned to look at the girls, "are you okay?"

Devon was on her feet and I was surprised she was holding a pistol. She growled, "no I am pissed!"

Angel stood, "I knew I should have kept my pistol."

Clare sat up, "at least he was not laying on you."

I grinned, "sorry."

She shook her head as the other two pulled her to her feet, "not your fault."

A moment later guards were rushing into the hall and a medical trauma team followed. I stood and let them work on Roger and gestured, "get me colonel Blake. If any of those are alive I want answers. Someone contact the two constables in charge of investigating my family's death. Search and seal the palace until you have verified everyone."

I pulled the girls after me and towards the suite, "get Roger and the guard to the trauma center and keep me informed on how they are."

I looked back from the door to watch them rush Roger away. I looked at the six guards by the door, "watch your back."

They nodded and I stepped into the suite and closed the door. I turned and looked at the three girls as they stripped. I smiled, "you might want to do that in the bedroom. I have the head of the palace guards on the way."

They grinned and strutted towards the other door as I crossed to look out the armored window. I turned when the door opened and colonel Blake stepped in. He looked pissed and stood at attention, "it was my fault your majesty."

I snorted, "it was our fault. Now we make sure it does not happen again. Lock the palace down, no one gets in unless we know who they are. Find out how these managed to bring weapons through the palace without the scanners going off. Work with the constables investigating my family's death."

He nodded and bowed before turning to leave. I went to lock the door before heading towards the bedroom. I looked at the three girls in the huge bed and crossed to set my pistol on a night table. I shook my head at the two already there and started undressing. I moved onto the bed and Angel pulled me down and onto my back before straddling me.