The Three Kings

Chapter 36

"What a thing,
to be both starving and empty.
To ache for love--
to take the scraps from it's table,
and yet, run sickly from the feast.

You can't fathom why I'd
gobble your kisses but
duck your attention, please.
Understand--
some of us have gone so long
hungry,
the idea of being full
feels worse
then the affliction"

____________

The Kings
____________

The Vampire Lords had arrived.

Xavier could feel the shift in the air, the unmistakable scent of...nothing. Blandness, that surprising took up space. Though there was nothing to smell (vampires didn't fucking sweat) the insipidness of them spread to their surroundings. For miles, there were no flowers, grass, or the appetizing cooking. And, maybe best of all, Xavier could no longer smell Hanna.

Her scent had been a looming phantom over his head, set to make him lose his mind. The bitter, souring scent of her fear kept him awake at night, and followed him throughout the day. The only reprieve he got was when he left the house completely.

But, even then, something out in the green hills, or the blue water, or amongst his troops, would remind him of her. When that happened, the acidic scent of her terror would plague him again, almost forcing him to his knees.

He couldn't escape it and he feared he never would. That smell will forever haunt his subconscious.

It started to rain. Xavier watched from the window upstairs as the rain drops trickled down, and unmistakable lights from headlights came up his driveway.

He needed to finish getting dressed and head downstairs. It was his duty as King to greet the guests, he just couldn't help but dread this part of his job. Conversing with others was never his strong suit. Seb could at least fake it, Alex just had a certain charm about him that made him likable and easy to talk to, but Xavier? He was better at giving orders. Most didn't enjoy talking to him, mainly because he didn't enjoy talking to others and he made his disdain clear–even when he tried not to.

Rolling his neck and popping the joints he threw his suit jacket on and went down to meet the others.

From the top of the stairs he saw a group of his troops hovering behind his siblings and mate, blocking his view from them. But, as he stepped down, they unconsciously stepped aside, making a path for him.

Hanna turned around first and he–of course, as usual–was stuck by her beauty. An ache in his chest blossomed, and he had to punch down the urge to go to her, hug her, hold her, cherish her.

Fucking feelings.

Never in his entire life had someone impacted him the way she does. The mere thought of her is almost enough to bring him to his knees. So, when she's standing around in a pale green dress, tailored to her, part of her back on displayed (that shouldn't be as fucking erotic as he found it) he stuttered a step.

And, because the fucking Goddess just wasn't on his side tonight, Alex turned around at that moment, smirking at him and obviously trying to fight the laughter. Xavier glared at him and went to stand by his side, elbowing him in the gut.

Alex hunched over, groaning in pain. Hanna looked over at the two of them and rolled her eyes and Xavier didn't imagine them rolling into the back of her head as he had his wicked way with her.

"Behave." Sebastian said.

This time it was Xavier's turn to roll his eyes, but he gripped the back of Alexs' jacket and propped him up right.