Soo, no excuses I just completely forgot to update Friday..and Saturday..and yesterday, oops, I'm sorry!
***
Kai clamped his mouth shut. His lips were ready to say Zoe's name but that would've been a mistake.
The woman leaned against a tree, hands behind her back, and smiled.
"I like that about you," she said. It made Kai shiver and clench his jaw. "Though I must say, I was surprised to find out the guards you train aren't as good as yourself. I snuck in with little hassle."
"Why are you here?"
"That's a foolish question, don't you think? I'm sure my sister and her big mouth told you everything." The woman chuckled and leaned off the tree. Kai took a step back. "Well, not everything. Shall we talk? Or do you want to fight me first?"
Kai didn't say anything, just keep his narrowed eyes set on Annesa. In all honesty, he didn't know what to say or do or act. He stayed still as if that would make her disappear and he would think he imagined it all.
But that wasn't the case.
"I get it. My sister said some bad things about me and now I'm an enemy you have to be wary about. Well, she's always had a big mouth and never wasted an opportunity to use it. You look like the type of guy who will listen to both sides of a story before picking aside. Don't you want to hear mine?"
"I won't listen to anything you say."
Annesa shook her head and flicked her tongue across her top fangs. "Here I thought you were such a bad boy. But truly," she chuckled, "you're all bark no bite."
"I don't care what you think of me."
"Well, you should. You're an important reason why I'm here."
"What do you mean?"
"I've heard stories about you, Kai. Great stories. How much does your majesty know about your past, hm? Your violence and delinquency? What about that prince of yours? Does he know who you were back then? Or have you forced your past behind you–"
"That's none of your business."
"But it is. I admired you. A reckless rebel. Your strength and reputation caught my attention and I don't oversee things I take interest in. I thought to myself if I can get someone like him on my side, I was sure to win. But then I find you in this kingdom with my sister."
"I'm sure no matter what kingdom I was in, I'd never join someone with such a toxic mindset. Wars get you nowhere. Killing—turning – innocent people don't prove a point."
"Wars are the only thing that catches the humans' attention. Those lives are examples, and so be it if they're innocent."
"I will never follow someone like you." Kai's heel touched the wall of the building and he tensed up. Annesa smiled something wicked and took the opportunity to stand directly in front of Kai.
"See," she said and grabbed Kai by the chin. "All bark no bite. Why are you afraid, Kai? Are you afraid of me? Or that I'll be able to change your mind?"
"You'll never do that." But to Kai's worry, he didn't sound a hundred percent convinced.
"Humans are the real monsters. They treat vampires like exotic pets and slaves. We do their dirty work, they starve us, we fight their battles, they put leashes on us. How morbid is that? How sick and demented could they possibly get? Oh, I know, they'd pretend they actually cared before stabbing a sword through our hearts. Humans are animals. Animals need to be tamed." Annesa forcefully let go of Kai's chin and took a step back. "If you were to become one of us, become like me, we could rule over both the humans and the vampires. We could set the rules, the laws, and watch them suffer. You could also enjoy the sun, put those pesky fangs away. The power you can hold is incredible, it's a win-win, Kai. Join me."
Kai kept his back against the wall. He stared into her washed-out eyes, searching for a false statement, a lie, a manipulated glint, but he saw nothing. No lie, only truth. What she said was all true. He agreed. But that doesn't mean he was going to let it happen.
Kai shook his head and Annesa sighed.
"You're just confused. I'll give you a few days to think it over."
That was Kai's queue to leave, to escape and run away. He slowly turned his body and Annesa simply watched him. When he turned to walk away, she opened her mouth for the last time.
"By the way, I trust you're smart enough to not tell anyone I was here. I know you won't, but I'm just reminding you. Oh–and the next time we meet, let's talk about that dagger you found."
Kai could swallow the lump down his throat fast enough. Annesa was gone from his sight and he was left with a clenched jaw and a raging heartbeat.
***
The halls of the mansion gradually grew more vocal. They weren't empty but they certainly weren't crowded with busy maids and servants.
The prince sighed as he closed the door to the smaller library on the second floor and wandered over to the sitting area. He wasn't surprised to see Kai lounging on the love seat, but rather the expression he wore.
"What happened, you looked like you just saw a ghost."
Kai's ear twitched at Iris's voice but he didn't look away from staring at the ceiling. He simply shook his head, not daring to open his mouth.
"Kai? What's wrong?"
Again, he just shook his head.
Iris came beside Kai and sat down on the floor. He crossed his arms over Kai and rested his chin on his arm. Iris danced his hand into onto Kai's, intertwined their fingers, and still, he didn't break his stare from the ceiling.
Iris passed a few minutes playing around with Kai's hand, fidgeting with his fingers, before he glanced up at him.
"So..I told my dad about us."
It took Kai about two seconds to process his words before finally tearing his gaze to look down at Iris.
"I didn't really, I just wanted you to look at me."
Kai let out a breathy scoff and Iris sat upon his knees.
"Kai, talk to me. You always listen to me rant, you can do that too, you know."
"I don't have anything to say." Kai's voice sounded deeper than usual. And his gaze was distant, too.
"Just voice your thoughts."
"There's too many."
Iris laid his head on Kai's stomach, batted his lashes–not on purpose–but it caught the vampire's attention real quick.
"Okay, I was thinking about....us."
"Alright, that's a start."
Kai looked back up but started combing a hand through Iris's hair. "Uh, I was thinking about how maybe when this is all over, then we can tell your dad."
"Mhm."
"We'll definitely tell him, just later instead of sooner."
"Yeah."
"And–" Kai glanced down to noticed Iris's eyes were shut and his breathing pattern was slowed down. He paused his hand and a few seconds later, Iris's eyes opened.
"Go ahead, I'm listening."
With a small chuckle, Kai removed his hand completely and started pushed Iris up.
"Come here." Kai shuffled on the love seat, his legs were hanging off one end, and Iris gladly crawled on top of him. He laid almost directly on him. They were similar in size but to Kai, Iris weight very little to him.
Kai wrapped his arms around Iris's shoulders and Iris snaked his around Kai's waist. Neither thought cuddling together would feel so good.
"I'll still listen to you," Iris mumbled into Kai's chest. The vampire squeezed him and sighed.
"That's alright. This is better than being listened to."
Iris snuggled closer and Kai allowed his eyes to rest while the prince drifted off to sleep.
What a blessing he was, Kai thought. Iris was a sedative in the form of a person, someone who, that just in their presence, calmed his mind, his thoughts. He turned down the loudness in his head and surrounded his bones with closure. Kai didn't know how he got so lucky. With a past like his, he figured nothing good was going to greet him in the future.
He wanted this to last. If not forever, then just a few more months.
***
The time was unknown when Kai started blinking his eyes open. He didn't mean to doze off, but it was hard not to with Iris pressed next to him.
He rubbed his eyes and lightly nudged Iris's shoulder.
"Hey, wake up." His voice croaked and he cleared his throat as he tapped Iris again. "Wake u–"
"Iris!"
With a jolt, Iris flinched up and Kai froze.
"Are you–"
The timing was a second too late.
Kai pushed Iris off him just as the King walked up and stood behind the couch. He watched with raised eyebrows and a slightly gaped mouth.
"Dad!" Iris stood up and patted his pants. He chuckled nervously."What are you–did you need something?"
The King switched his gaze from his son to the vampire. Taking in their appearances first; Kai's messy hair, Iris's shirt that hugged cricked on his torso. Even though they were just sleeping, it looked like they were doing something much different.
"You know what, I'll just tell you tomorrow." Arlo nodded, satisfied with that answer, before turning around like he saw nothing and walking out of the library. The two waited until the door shut before letting out heavy sighs.
"First of all," Iris began, "what the hell? Second of all, what the hell! Thirdly, pushing me was unnecessary."
So much for later.