by Mandy Rosko
Silus’s struggles eventually tore the rags he was being tied with, and more guards had to be called in to pin him down. His struggles did not cease, nor did his roars of rage, until Winchester returned with the items required of him and, in front of his father, cut his wrists and ankles.
Silus hissed and cried out, his struggles instantly becoming lax lest he rip his own limbs off.
“Will this work?” Wiktor asked, staring down at Silus as he bled into the bowls. He felt the slow drain, the taking of his energy. He grew tired, his eyes turning heavy, and his body became limp and weak without the blood to sustain him. The room began to spin.
“My lord,” Crowley said, voice low. “There are no guarantees. This is the only known method to flush the sun sprite blood from his body. You are required so that he can feed pure blood back into his veins. But I will not lie to you. Most vampires do not survive the process.”
Had Silus the strength, he would have laughed. Perhaps this was the true reason most vampires did not live long after biting sun sprites. Not because the blood itself killed them, but because their insane families killed them trying to remove the blood later.
As he was pulled into unconsciousness, his thoughts were of Cedric. He’d promised his lover he would join him, but now that would not be possible.
As he slipped away, his father whispered into his ear, “My son, lost to me or not, I will find and kill every last sun sprite in your name for this, including this Cedric.”
Had he been able, he would have opened his mouth and roared.
Chapter Eleven
Silus’s cottage turned out to be a mini mansion made of logs with arched windows and a wraparound deck.
Whoa. Silus wasn’t really one for accurate descriptions, it seemed.
A fine layer of dust inside indicated he hadn’t been there in a while, but also that he’d told the truth about no one but himself ever visiting the place, not even a maid, otherwise the wooden banisters would gleam like intended, there would be food in the fridge, and perhaps fresh sheets on the beds.
Oh yeah, Silus’s cottage had guest rooms. Even Cedric knew that a cottage didn’t have guest rooms. Or stainless steel appliances, or a giant gleaming grassy yard with no neighbors for, like, four miles. Just the house and the lake, all to himself.
Definitely obvious that a man with money had purchased the place.
On a shelf placed beneath the flat screen on the wall sat an Xbox 360, a PlayStation, and the cable box. The cable box he kind of expected. The game consoles, not so much, but this was just one more thing they could do together.
Off to the side, sat another longer shelf that reached the ceiling, with a library of movies, games, and books. Cedric had to smirk at the sight of a couple of pornos in plain sight among all the rest. It was more proof Silus never brought family or friends here, otherwise these would be hidden.
He contemplated watching them, but quickly banished the thought away, recalling the feel of Silus’s hand between his legs, squeezing and ordering in that sexy voice of his for Cedric not to touch.
He picked out a few of the more promising ones for later instead. Maybe he’d get lucky, and Silus would have another TV and DVD player in his room, then they could watch while getting it on. Not that either of them needed the help, of course.
After a little exploring, he found that, indeed, Silus kept a Sony flat screen in his room directly in front of his king-size bed. Cedric eyed the thick sheets with longing. He could not wait to roll around in them with Silus.
But, as Silus was not here, he was the first to test it out. Alone. He slept away the night in Silus’s bed, killing the hours until dawn when he awoke excited for his day. Tonight, Silus would be meeting him.
Because he would go crazy if he sat around playing games or watching television, Cedric first went out to grab some food, and since he was pretty sure his credit cards had been canceled by now, he’d have to make do with the hundred dollars he had in his wallet.
He wasn’t a cook. There had always been someone else to do that for him while growing up, so even the shopping itself was an adventure. By the end of it, he had salads, pre-cooked chickens, desserts—especially the cans of whipped cream—all nicely tucked away in the fridge. Then he cleaned the dust off everything and opened windows to make the air fresh. He even remade his bed with fresh sheets he’d found in the closet. He wanted everything to be perfect for when Silus came home to him.
Cedric stopped as the word flitted through his brain. Home.
Then he grinned a stupid, little-boy-with-a-crush grin. Yes, while Cedric was busy driving him crazy, Silus had said that no matter what, whether his parents accepted his choice or not, he would be leaving their house.
Though Cedric himself was also out from under his parents’ thumbs, the thought didn’t scare him. It was freeing. Vampires and sun sprites always remained in the home with their families until the head of the family died, passing it on to the eldest son. Had he married his cousin, she would have moved in with him permanently, and yet they still would have both been considered the children of the house. The same went for Silus, even though he was not leaving behind a fiancée.
But now he was here, and soon Silus would be, too, both totally free from their families and independent.
Well, Cedric was almost independent. He wished he’d been as smart as Silus had and had saved some of the allowance his father had afforded him. But he hadn’t. Cedric would have to find suitable work. He refused to let Silus take care of him.
Silus.
Cedric kept on thinking of the name and kept looking at the clock. He’d never wished for the sun to vanish into the horizon before, having always taken pleasure and strength from its shine. Today he wished it away like never before.
He swam in the lake then jogged along the property, anything that would kill time without making him think of Silus and the agonizing wait.
Eventually the sun did go down, and he waited for the one hour mark when Silus would drive in.
And waited. And waited. And waited.
A hand shaking his shoulder woke him.
Cedric jumped at the nightmare he was having, disappointed to see Ben looking down upon him with worry instead of Silus.
“Hey, you kinda looked like you needed me to wake you there. You okay, man?”
Cedric winced and lifted his hand against the sunshine that half blinded him. Morning so soon? What the—?
He straightened himself, or tried to. He stopped halfway, wincing again at the painful crick in his neck. The couch was definitely not as comfortable as Silus’s bed.
Slower this time, he sat up, twisting his neck around to crack it and maybe release some of the tension in his sore bones. “What time is it? Is Silus here?”
Ben blinked his big brown eyes at him. The only reason why he knew where to find the cottage was because Cedric had told him where it was when he grabbed his things from Ben’s place. “He didn’t show?”
Not what Cedric wanted to hear.
He flew up from his chair, ignoring his protesting muscles, and ran up the staircase to Silus’s room. He tried to tell himself not to panic. Maybe something had held him up, preventing him from coming until nearly dawn. Though he’d developed a tolerance to the sun, Cedric doubted Silus would want to stay in any direct sunlight. If he’d come home, he’d likely seen Cedric, left him to sleep, and went to close himself off from the day.
Cedric opened the door a crack to peer inside then threw it open at the sight of nothing. No Silus in bed, but Cedric didn’t need to search around, or even call out to know he wasn’t in this room, or even hiding in the joined bathroom. The room was bright, and the curtains were wide. No one had been inside to close them. Silus was not in here.
He left the room and did the same with the three other guest rooms, this time calling out, the spot under his breastbone cracking just a little more when he came up with nothing.
“He’s not here?” Ben asked.
Cedric had to brace
his hands on the doorframe of the last empty room in order to steady himself. He shook his head, his voice quiet. “No.”
Whatever had kept Silus away must’ve been important.
“Shit!” Ben punched the wall, putting a fist-sized hole in it.
Cedric jumped. “What the fuck?”
“Ceddy, there’s a big problem happening right now. I just got back from your folks’ house, and there’s going to be a fight.”
“Fight? With who?”
He bit his lower lip, made a helpless half shrug, then sighed. “Vampires and sun sprites. Silus’s father issued the challenge early last night. They’re all going to try and kill each other.”
It felt like the lid on his sanity just cracked. With a roar and a flash of the brightest light he’d ever emitted, Cedric flashed.
* * * *
They nearly bled him dry before his father finally offered his wrist, and by then, Silus was in and out of consciousness.
He did not want the offered vein. He hated his father and didn’t want anything to do with the man’s blood. But when that artery went under his nose, and Silus inhaled the sweet scent of fresh blood, so close, so warm, pulsing with every heartbeat, his mouth watered and his fangs lengthened of their own accord.
He was so thirsty. His body felt cold like ice without any blood inside to keep him warm. He had to have it or he would die.
Silus opened his mouth, but he couldn’t lift his head to take the bite. His father’s other hand clasped the back of Silus’s neck to lift him up, to wrap his lips around that narrow flesh. Then he took the bite, relishing the familiar piercing sound of tight skin giving way under fang, and the immediate flow of that hated life-blood splashing into his mouth.
It tasted sour to his tongue. If it had been Cedric’s blood, it would have been spicy sweet.
Cedric. With his previous blood loss, Silus could no longer feel his sprite, could not call to him. Not that he could to begin with. He’d bled so quickly that first time he couldn’t get his head on straight to send out any messages before it had been too late.
He would not have done so even if he’d been able to, though. Cedric would have heard him and immediately come to his aid, endangering himself in order to protect Silus. It was better this way. This way, he remained safe and hidden. Silus’s father did not know where Cedric was, so when the attack commenced, whenever that would be, with Cedric disowned, he would not be in the middle of the battle that would kill many vampires and sun sprites alike.
“That’s enough. Any more and he could break his chains,” said Crowley.
Wiktor tried to pull his wrist away, but Silus locked his jaw and kept right on pulling and sucking that thick fluid into his mouth. Though he despised the taste, the good doctor was correct. This was just what he needed to escape.
“Silus, release me,” Wiktor said through clenched teeth, his palm pressing down against Silus’s forehead, attempting to push him away. Silus ignored him and continued to drain what he was now stealing.
“I said release me!” This time, with great force, Wiktor used his open palm to punch down on Silus’s face. The shock of the strike had him open his mouth, droplets of blood he hadn’t yet swallowed spattering all over his face and bedsheets.
His father backed away and sucked on his wound, chest heaving.
Silus’s breaths came in rapid succession as well with the new blood inside him. He pulled on his chains, testing them, but what strength he gained from the feeding was not enough to break them. He was still too damn weak.
Crowley was in his face again, this time flashing a low watt light in his eyes. Silus swore he would kill the little shit for this. “Tell me, my lord, how do you feel?”
“Angry,” Silus growled.
The light went away. “That is understandable, however, is it us you are angry with, your father and mother, or are you angry with that sprite?”
Silus shook with the urge to scream at them all. He swallowed that rage instead and replied, “The sprite.”
Crowley, Winchester, and his father leaned in close to examine his face.
Silus could only pray they believed his farce.
“He’s lying,” Winchester said. “Look at how nervously he swallows.”
“Obviously there is still some sun sprite blood in him,” Crowley said.
“I thought you said the bleeding would remove the sprite blood.”
“Father, there’s nothing wrong with me.” Silus struggled as much as he could against his shackles. “I love him.”
“Listen to how he speaks!” Wiktor was gripping his hair in mad rage before turning that anger onto Crowley. “Does that sound like the bleeding worked?”
“Calm yourself, milord,” Crowley said. “Think about it logically. Of course not all the sun sprite blood would have bled out of him on the first try. We’ll wait for his strength to rise and then do it again.”
Silus’s skin ran cold again. Again? He barely survived the first time. “Father, do not let him do this.”
Wiktor sighed. “How many more times will this need to be done?”
“As much as necessary,” Crowley said.
* * * *
Cedric flashed back to what was once his family home. He landed in the middle of the vast green lawn and sprinted toward the doors. He heard the familiar pop that meant Ben had followed behind him. His friend tried calling out, but Cedric ignored him and kept on going.
A human guard with his palm out stopped him before he could make it to the glass doors. “I’m sorry, sir, but I cannot allow you entrance.”
“I need to speak with my father.”
The guard’s face twisted, as though he were uncomfortable. “I’m very sorry, sir. I’d like to let you pass, but we all have our orders. You’re not to enter.”
Ben finally caught up with him. “Stand down, Peter, he’s with me.”
Though Ben was one of the family guards, it was likely because of Cedric’s friendship with him that Peter appeared unconvinced.
“He summoned me about the attack,” Cedric said. He prayed the weak lie would work.
Peter’s eyes rose above his sunglasses as he dipped his head. “You mean the challenge the suckers issued?”
The spot under Cedric’s eye twitched at the name. He used to call vampires things like that without thinking, but now it just pissed him off.
Ben stuck his hand on Cedric’s shoulder, snapping him from his murdering thoughts. “Yeah, it only just happened, so every team obviously didn’t hear yet, but because of the challenge, I was charged with retrieving Cedric. Seeing as it concerns him and all.”
Peter looked between them both then quietly stepped aside.
Cedric got the feeling the man knew he was being lied to but was doing him a favor anyway. “Thank you,” he said.
Peter nodded. “I’ll call the others to let them know you’re here.”
Cedric ran up the deck stairs, into the sunroom, and then he headed for his father’s study since that’s where that old bastard always was.
“Are you insane? What are you doing here?” Ben nagged. He grabbed for Cedric’s arms to try and stop him, but Cedric kept shrugging him off. “We all have orders to shoot you on sight. You’re so lucky I was with you.”
Cedric snorted. Shoot him on sight. Lucky. Yeah right. Ben wasn’t the only member of the guards Cedric had made friends with, and while none was as close to him as Ben, he knew for a fact none of them would dare point a gun at him, orders or no. His father knew it too, he was certain. The man always had a flair for the dramatic. “I need to know where and when,” Cedric said, finally bursting through his father’s study door. Without knocking.
The man sat behind his desk like some kind of king, his mother standing beside him. Both jumped at the sudden and unexpected intrusion.
“What’s going on?” Cedric demanded, walking right up to the desk where his father liked to pretend he ruled the world. “I know the vampires challenged you. Where is it going to be?”
<
br /> Cyricus’s lips thinned, and his mother put a delicate hand on his shoulder to calm him. That small action seemed to bring him down from whatever high his anger had taken him to. “You are no longer part of this family. It does not concern you.” Then his eyes narrowed on Ben. “Thick as thieves, you both are. I should have known you would bring him here when the challenge was announced.”
Ben shifted his feet around, and that really pissed Cedric off. When he told his parents that he was choosing a vampire over his cousin, his father had practically torn at his turtleneck to get a look at the bite marks it hid. Cyricus had squeezed that spot so hard he was honestly surprised his fingers hadn’t pierced the skin.
He’d let the old man do that because, well, he was his father, and he didn’t want to fight back when the guy was throwing his little tantrum. Now, after everything he’d been put through, Cedric was ready to throw the son of a bitch out the window.
“He didn’t bring me here. I came on my own and lied to the guards so they’d let me pass.”
Cyricus snorted and muttered something about finding good help.
“Father,” Cedric said, struggling for patience, “this wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for me, so it does concern me. I don’t want you or anyone in this family getting hurt over this.” Not the vampires or even his father, but he decided to keep that bit to himself. “Please, don’t accept the challenge.”
Cyricus’s face actually turned red. “You—you would have me dishonor myself? Again? For your—” Whatever he was about to say, he didn’t say it. “It matters not anyway. I have already accepted.”
Cedric felt his insides drop. As head of the house, Cyricus would be leading the attack, whenever it happened.
Great.
“Where and when?” Cedric asked. If he couldn’t persuade his father, then maybe he could find out what happened to Silus.
“Go to that vampire you’re fucking and ask him.”
His mother squeaked and actually jumped a little. Cedric couldn’t blame her. He’d never heard his father say fuck before. The poor woman just kept on getting shocked lately.
