"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.
The familiar crunch of a car rolling over gravel was heard and Sebastian was stepping forward, throwing the front door open.
Alexander followed him and Xavier had started too, but the freeze in Hanna stopped him.
Her hands were clutched to her chest. Her eyes wide in fear. And Xavier stepped towards her, blocking her sight. She didn't look at him–was staring through him really. Without a second thought he lifted her chin up so he could meet her eyes.
"Hanna," he said softly–softer than he ever imagined he could. "Everything will be okay. You have nothing to worry about. You've got Sebastian and Alexander... and me. We won't let anything happen to you."
Slowly, she came into herself. Her eyes focused on his, and her posture relaxed–practically melting into him and Xavier realized that he need to stop this right fucking now before he lost himself.
He dropped his hand and stepped away from her.
"Let's go meet the Blood Suckers."
________
Dinner wasn't what Xavier would call a good time.
Seb sat at the head of the table (like always) and this time Hanna joined him, but at the other end. Alexander sat on the right of her, while Xavier sat on the left with the Vampires placed between Seb and him.
Sebastian had taken it upon himself to hire a few serving people, so there was a constant stream of interruptions throughout dinner. But, business was never talked about at the table. A stupid rule Sebatian insisted on keeping since their father's rule. Which is exactly why Xavier hated it.
"Where's your shadow, Alistair?" Xavier questioned, interrupting whatever Seb had been saying to Lord Oberon.
"He is currently engaged in being another's shadow at the moment. Why do you ask?"
"I've never seen you without him. He's usually your right hand. Thought it was weird he'd miss such an important meeting."
"What are you implying?" Alistair demanded, setting his cup down, blood slipping down the side.
Hanna tensed up beside him. Xavier noted Alexander's hand slipped under the table.
"Xavier." Seb warned.
"What? I haven't done anything wrong. Just pointed out an...anomaly. Alistair's most trusted is currently missing from the table, and Dracula is gone. Just... weird don't you think?"
"Cyrus is a traitor if that's what you're getting at."
"Can't be too sure anymore now can we? Who allowed our Dear Cousin into Dracula's prison? Who has access? You do, Lord Oberson does, and I am sure that it won't be too difficult for Cyrus to gain access."
"Enough, Xavier." Seb commanded.
"I am not going to sit here, pretending to have a pleasant family dinner, while we have real issues to discuss."
"And what of you, Xavier?" Alistair asked.
Xavier raised an eyebrow. "What of me?"
"Disappearing for years on end? Wreaking havoc wherever you land. An army at your disposal. It is common knowledge amongst us all that the army follows you and the only reason why they follow your siblings is because you follow them. How can we know that you are thinking of going AWOL? Pledging your allegiance with your cousin. Becoming the one true King of it all."
Xavier stood, chair flying back, hands slamming down on the table.
Hanna squeaked, jumping in fright.
Sebastian stood too, "sit down, Xavier."
"I am not going to have some pissant blood sucker come into my home and accuse me of being a fucking traitor!"
Alistair stood up too. "And I am not going to have some beast accuse me of harboring a traitor! We came to you, as our King, in hopes to solve the issues that we all are facing! Why would I if I decided to become a traitor to the Crown?"
"Go take a walk, Xavier." Alexander said. "You need to calm down. You're scaring, Hanna."
Xavier bared his teeth at his brother and stormed away.
Traitor.
Traitor.
Traitor.
Traitor.
Traitor.
Traitor.
"Xavier!"
He was outside, in the massive field he used to train his troops, on his hands and knees hyperventilating.
"Xavier?"
Oh, her sweet voice was a balm to the hurt that covered his body. Nothing and no one could ever make him feel this way, and he didn't know how to live without it, but he also didn't know how to live with it.
"Xavier, are you okay?"
"Go away, Hanna," he croaked.
She didn't go away. Instead she sat down a few feet from him, dirtying her pretty green dress in the wet grass.
"Alexander isn't going to be happy if you stain the dress."
She shrugged. "He can always make me a new one. The price of the dress is worth making sure you're okay."
Those words shouldn't hit him as hard as they did.
Goddess, he didn't deserve her kindness.
He didn't deserve her.
"I'm not a traitor."
"I know you're not."
"I'm not. I'm not."
"I know, Xavier. I would never think that."
"Why? Why, Hanna? I've done nothing but hurt and betray you? I've spent my entire life hurting my brothers. I've done nothing to warrant your belief in my words."
"Are you a traitor, Xavier?"
"No. No. Never. I didn't want this. I didn't want any of it. I didn't want to become a King. But, Sebastian... offered me a place. He gave me a title, a place in the family... How could I ever betray him? He made me part of the family."
"You're not a traitor, Xavier. Everything you do, even if you don't like your siblings, is for them. You love them. Even if you don't like them." She said. "But, I'm sure Alistair also hurts from you calling him a traitor–or Cyrus a traitor. I understand where you're coming from, but unfounded accusations like that are never good for anyone."
She stood.
"You're not a traitor, Xavier."
Then she walked away.
__________
Sebastian, very rarely felt the embers of rage burning up inside him. He made a promise to himself–to his siblings–that he would never again let his emotions control him.
Leave it to Xavier to cause such anger to bubble up inside him.
Then, Hanna had left the table, running after him. And again, Sebastian had to fight the urge to run after her and stay put.
At least Alexander was behaving–and doing damage control.
"Since we've more or less finished dinner, would you like to speak in the library? Xavier has clearly gotten ahead of the business talk, but there are still things that must be discussed. I swear on the Goddess, that any talk of Cyrus being a traitor stops here and now."
Alexander, bloody brilliant, Alexander able to salvage whatever was left of this mess.
"Yes, join us in the library." Sebastian stood up, Alexander following and then Lord Oberon and Alistiar.
Sebastian, needing a few minutes to orient himself, Alexander had already begun, taking over without a word.
They had situated themselves on the couches and chairs provided.
"As far as we know, our cousin Eames has the Witches on his side and he's currently working on getting an audience with the Seelie King and Unseelie Queen. Which is also what we need to do. Come the new moon, the four of us will be in the Underground conducting business. Now, the biggest issue is the fact that someone stole the body of Dracula. It's safe to assume they will be trying to resurrect him?"
"Yes. And the fact that your cousin has the Witches on his side means that he will succeed very well if we don't put a stop to it now." Lord Oberon said.
"What do you propose we do?" Alexander asked.
"I would like to send Alistair, Cyrus, and a few others to hunt down his body before their opposition is successful in bringing him back. If he returns, I fear we will not be on the winning side." Lord Oberon explained.
"I'll call Cyrus now and have him fly in." Alistair stood from the couch and left as Hanna slipped in.
"Where is he?" Alexander asked.
"He's on the grounds, he didn't go far. I'm sure he'll be back soon to talk about strategy." She said.
With Hanna back, Sebastian could finally relax and settled into the love seat. Hanna took a seat besides him. They didn't touch. A few inches lay between them, but having her around calmed the emotions searing inside him.
"Do you have a plan to deal with your cousin?" Lord Oberon asked.
"As of right now, our first priority is making sure the Unseelie Queen and Seelie King have no allegiance to him. We also have a few tracking groups working to find where he is hiding out." Sebastian said. "They have yet to find him."
Lord Oberon sighed. "This isn't good. We're working in the dark, no knowledge of what Eames has planned, no idea what army he has gathered so far... and now with the body of Dracula..."
"It is not ideal. I understand that better than anyone. My siblings and I are working day and night to solve this issue quietly. But, Eames wants a war and I fear he may get it." Alexander voiced.
"Will there be more troops coming?"
"Yes. Xavier is working with Tobias to move them all here. This castle here will become our base of operations. There's enough room to house them all, and any of your subjects are willing to stay here too. It is my hope that we all converge together to go over a game plan in case of a war." Sebastian explained. "Now, it is late." He looked over at Hanna who was stifling a yawn in her hand. "We can discuss more over the course of your stay."
Sebastian stood as Alexander did. Lord Oberon after, bowing and bidding them goodnight. Alistair came in, bowing with a good night, then it was the three of them.
"Bloody fucking hell," grumbled Alexander, collapsing in the couch the Vampire's had just left. "How was your first official meeting as the Queen, cherie?"
"Scary?" She said with a yawn.
Alexander left out an amused breath.
"Alright, bedtime for the princesse." Alexander smiled fondly at her and came over to help her up to bed.
Sebastian let them go, even when the longing look Hanna sent him as they left cut him deep. He let Alexander take care of her, knowing she was in good hands as he left to the study to sort out this whole mess of a situation.