Warrick stared at Devon. “Dad is dying?” He said lowly.
“Someone's poisoning him.” Devon looked at Warrick with worry.
“We must go back!” Warrick shouted. “Maybe you can help him!”
“I know human biology, not vampire biology.” Devon snapped.
Warrick dragged his fingers though his blonde locks. “What are we going to do?”
“I don't know! Something is seriously wrong at the castle!” Devon almost shouted. “I need to think.” Dan pulled away.
“Let's go back then! My training can wait!” Dan said, holding onto Devon's arms.
“Dan, if someone is poisoning my father and someone spiked you to get to my documents…it's not safe.”
“I can protect myself now. Just tell them you turned me to save me from dying or something.” Dan looked pleadingly at Devon. “Devon, please…”
“I'm sorry, Dan. We're not going back.” He looked at Warrick. “But you must.”
“And tell them what, Devon!” Warrick asked.
“Make something up, Warrick!” Devon said. “In the meantime, you must make sure mom and dad are safe and that nothing bad is happening!”
“So you're going to stay here in the woods and watch him get nailed down into the floor by his mother?” Warrick asked.
“I'm going to to find answers.” Devon fisted his hands.
“DEVON!” Warrick shouted. “It's not going to work!” Warrick looked worried. “What about your birthday ball and the coronation and all of that!”
“I'll be back by then. It's just another two months or so.”
Warrick gave up, trowing his arms in the air.
“I'll go back, but you're gonna be in touch with me.” Warrick threw away the toast that had burned. Devon sighed. “And you're going to make sure your back a week before your birthday.” Warrick said.
Dan looked at Devon. “What are you going to do?” Devon looked down at Dan.
“First, make sure you're safe. Second, find the proof and answers I need and then we go back home.”
“But, aren't you suppose to marry a girl when you're King?” Dan asked.
“I'll be the king. I'll marry who I want to.” Devon said and kissed Dan's forehead. Dan smiled. “Everything will be okay and everything will change for the good, okay?”
Dan smiled, holding onto Devon's hands.
Agatha and Claire returned with the honey and bananas.
“Is everything okay?” Claire asked.
“Yeah, everything's fine.”
(㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)
Quinton slammed his fist in his desk. Lacy sat on his bed, only covered by the sheets. “Where could they be?” Quinton growled.
“Quinton, come join me. The bed is feeling cold without you.” Lacy purred.
“Devon was here.” Loxen suddenly sung from the staff. Quinton turned his attention to the staff that rested on a stand.
“What!”
“I sensed his presence, but he left towards the woodlands.” Quinton took hold of the staff and stared ino the gem.
“So he isn't dead…and Warrick?”
“Just Devon, although, if you can follow Devon when he comes back, you'll find Warrick.” Loxen said, a serpent tongue showing itself. Quinton turned away from the staff.
“If he comes back, god knows for what, and I follow him back…” Lacy smiled when Quinton turned to her now. “Lace, it won't be long and we'll be the new King and Queen!”
Lacy dropped the sheets when Quinton was close enough. Wrapping her legs around him, she passionately kissed Quinton as she undressed him.
(㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)
A week went by since Devon had found out about their father's condition. Now it was time for Warrick to take his leave.
He suddenly turned to Devon and sucked in a breath. “Punch me.”
“What? No. You need to get going.”
“Punch me, it'll look like I'm traumatized and then they won't ask too many questions.”
“I think they'd be more concerned then.” Devon bluntly said.
“I'll punch him.” Paul suddenly spoke up. “In fact, I'll do a couple for free.”
“Behave, Paul!” Wennie scolded.
“Just do it. Don't worry, I have everything under control.” Warrick proudly said. Devon glanced at Dan who shook his head.
“What exactly are you going to tell them?”
“First, we were taken hostage by foreign bandits. They weakened us with Holy Water-”
“Holy water?” Dan said confused. He was only aware of one type of water and that's the drinkable varity.
“Vampires are still creatures made from Black Magic. Holy water is like copper bullets to us.”
“I thought it was silver?” Warrick said.
“Vampires aren't the only ones that can lie.” Wennie said with a smug face.
Warrick looked at them with respect. “Anyway, you managed to let me escape and I managed to get back to the castle to tell the tale.”Warrick said dramatically.
“In that case, you don't look rugged enough.” Devon smirked. Warrick watched Devon closely, but Devon was too fast. Grabbing Warrick's collar, Devon quickly dragged Warrick through mud, maneuver and grass.
“Hey!”
“You gotta look the part!” Wennie laughed and Paul couldn't stop rolling on the ground.
Paul got to his feet, cracking his knuckles. “It just needs a few finishing touches.” While Warrick was pulling out sticks from his hair. Paul came and gave Warrick a sucker punch in his eye and then one in his gut.
Warrick caught the third punch and threw Paul into the maneuver where Devon had dragged him through.
“And now, I take my leave. I think my personal bathroom is calling me.” Warrick sped off, making sure to push Paul back into the shit when he ran past him.
“He'll be okay?” Dan asked.
“He'll be fine.”
(㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)
Warrick eventually found the castle coming in view. He was hungry, thirsty and tired. He had ran for a good majority of the day to get this far.
The last small stretch, he walked. Immediately a guard had caught sight (and a whiff) of Warrick and immediately sent another guard to alert the King and Queen.
Valaria is the only one that came out and ducked down to meet Warrick face to face as medics were alerted.
“Mom…”
“Warrick! What happened! Where's Devon!”
“I…I…”
Warrick struggled to speak. He intentionally ran out ahead further than he is capable off. The medics arrived and immediately did a checkup.
“He needs to get cleaned up, then we can do a better examination. So far he seems fine.”
Two guards help Warrick get inside the castle and to the nearest bathroom where he got cleaned up. It felt weird that people helped him bathe, but he didn't complain.
He hissed when he felt the pain in his stomach and face. Looking down at his stomach, he saw a bruise forming. He hissed when the servant cleaned his face. The bruise was sensitive and swollen badly.
His body had a few scratches on them too from when Devon dragged him through the ground. No need for him to fake the pain. He is in real pain.
He was taken to his room after getting dressed in comfortable clothes and had doctors examine him. While the examination was happening, Valaria stood next to Warrick, with Valaria holding his hand.
“Son, what happened?”
“Devon found…a lead to where the pet kidnappers went and we both followed it only to get caught off guard.”
“These bandits, did they take the humans? Is that why they took you?”
“They didn't have them.”
“Is Devon still alive?”
Warrick nodded his head. “He made sure I escaped so that I can get here.”
“Where are they! We'll make sure they pay!”
“I can't remember! I'm sorry!” Warrick hid his face. “It's somewhere in the woods and that's all I know.”
“Sorry, if I may. The worst injury is the blow he got in the head. Other than that, he'll recover. I do suggest some therapy for the trauma.” The doctor said.
“Where's Sean?” Warrick asked.
“We'll bring him. You just rest, okay?” Warrick nodded with a smile and closed his eyes.
It wasn't long afterwards when he felt someone get on the bed next to him. Opening his eyes he saw Sean, his pet.
“Master, I missed you.” Sean said sadly.
“It's okay, Sean. I'm back.” Images of Devon and Dan popped up in his mind. He looked at Sean. “Sean, when no one else is around, please just call me Warrick. Okay?” Sean looked utterly confused.
“Erm, er…why?”
“Humans deserve to be free just like us, Sean. Just call me by my name, okay?” Sean moved into Warrick's arm when Warrick opened up space.
Sean curled up next to Warrick in the crook of his arm. “This is nice.” Sean said, but Warrick was out cold. Sean smiled, closing his eyes.
When news had reached Quinton of Warrick's return, he didn't believe it until Loxen confirmed it.
A new plan immediately formed in Quinton's mind. “This is to good to be true and he's weakened.” Quinton exclaimed.
“I just have to exploit Warrick and the dear older brother will show up or better yet, Warrick will lead me to them.”
Lacy smiled, wrapping her arms from behind and over Quinton's chest. “You're so brilliant.” She whispered biting his ear lobe.
“And you, are so damn gorgeous…” Quinton said in a soft whisper.
“I'm going to go see Warrick. Stay hidden…” Quinton said and slipped out from her hug.
Quinton left the room, going down the hallway. He peered into the room and saw Warrick fast asleep with Sean still snuggled up against into his chest and arm.
Quinton quietly entered and stared at Warrick for a moment. Rolling his eyes, he shook Warrick awake. Warrick just stared at him with a frown.
“Why did you wake me up?”
“Wanted to see if you were actually back.” Warrick looked at him strangely. “But where's Devon?”
“I don't want to talk about it.” Warrick said. “And why do you care?” Quinton tried not to blow a fuse. He sucked in a breath and smiled.
“He is the next king afterall, Warrick. Did you see the condition father is in.”
“Devon will escape. He's not going to let those morons beat him down into the ground.”
“Of course. He is the Dark Prince afterall.” Quinton said, he turned around and left. He eyed Sean for a bit before leaving.
“He would make a nice treat, though.” Quinton whispered to himself with a smirk.
Heading back to his room, he heard his mother. “Quinton, dear.”
“Yes, mother?” Quinton said, hiding his annoyance. “Do you need something?”
“No, I just…please don't disturb Warrick too much. He's been though too much and he needs his rest.”
“I just went to see him. I didn't bother him. Is there anything else?”
“No…” Valaria eyed him up and down. “But I must say, you look very handsome today.” She said before leaving.
Quinton tch-ed as he walked away. He frowned trying to formulate a strategy. How was he going to make Warrick lead him to where Devon is? How is he going to make sure both of them are taken down for good as well?
He entered his room and saw the staff glowing. Going to it, he inspected it. “I know what you're trying to figure out and I know just the thing to do the trick.”
“I'm listening.” Quinton said. He looked if Lacy was in room, only to see she was in the bathroom getting cleaned up.
“Next time you see your brother, break a piece of the gem off and offer it to him as a gift.” Quinton raised an eyebrow. “I can imbue my essence into his psyche and find answers. Once I have the information needed, I will give you the signal.”
“You're going to possess him?”
“Something like that.” Loxen laughed a, piece of the gem breaking off. A string materialized around it, creating a necklace. “Offer him this and sit back.”
Quinton held the gem in his palm, the string hanging over his palm and between his fingers.
“This better work, Loxen.”
“Oh it will.” Loxen smirked. “Don't you trust me?”