The Vampire Prince's Toxic Consort (bxb)

Chapter 19 A Gift

"How did you two meet?" Lucius asked.

He was lying on one side of the bed and Dorian on the other, back facing back. The space between them was enough for two more adults lying comfortably.

Dorian didn't say anything, and Lucius almost thought he was asleep.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I'm your consort. I think I have a right to know about my husband's past love affairs."

"It was not a love affair. And I'm not ready to talk about him with you."

That exasperated Lucius to no end. He brooded silently for a few minutes before opening his mouth again, "what's the end game then?"

"End game?"

"Yes. What do you want from these alliances? Do you really just want peace? And what do you plan to do with me after you get what you want? I don't suppose you really want to keep me as your consort."

Dorian was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "why don't I want to keep you?"

"Because I'm not Julian but only an imposter and a painful reminder. I don't suppose you want to pretend this relationship for your whole life? Besides, I'm unable to give you an heir."

"Pretending is the essence of a political marriage. As for the heir, I can have it with a concubine in the future."

"Ah, so it's just a marriage in name. If that's the case, I guess you don't mind me taking other lovers?"

"You need to wait until I become the King. Now is not a good time to break the pretense. I can promise you that I won't take a concubine before that as well, if that helps."Dorian's tune was so dispassionate that it felt like talking about business rather than their marriage.

Lucius was getting increasingly frustrated, albeit he didn't want to admit his feelings, "how generous of you."

Dorian sighed and sat up, looking at Lucius's back, "why are you upset?"

"I'm not."

"Liar."

Lucius pulled the cover over his head.

Dorian rolled his eyes, "you are acting like a child."

"And you are annoying!"

After another moment of silence, Dorian nudged Lucius's shoulder.

"What?!" Lucius snapped.

"How long since you've watched a sunrise?"

Lucius pulled the cover off and turned to look at the vampire prince nonplused, "like...forever?"

Dorian got out of bed, "come on, put on some clothes."

"Why?"

Dorian glanced at him while buttoning his shirt, "I can't sleep, and you can't either. Would you rather waste your time lying on the bed with eyes wide open?"

"You want to go watch the sunrise?" Lucius chuckled amusingly, "but you are a vampire. You suppose to hate the sun even if you are an apostle."

"It's not good for my skin, but luckily I am immortal, and my cell regeneration speed is 100 times faster than humans."

Lucius blinked. Did Dorian really just make a joke?

As Lucius dressed himself, Dorian pulled the curtain open, and the first beam of sunlight poured into the darkness-dominated realm like molten gold. Lucius was so unused to it after more than two months of vampire-style life that he couldn't keep his eyes open.