Chapter 130

Chapter 130: Chapter 130

Ruoxi was the last to return, he did wear a shirt but it was unbuttoned, his hair slicked back. "I see you’re all done eating," He noted as he walked in.

Dulce was already rising to his feet, "I’ll have a barmaid arrange a meal."

Ruoxi lowered his head to watch the Vampire walk past him, a smile playing on his lips. "Oh? Does the inn provide special services?"

That caught Dulce’s attention, he stopped his journey to the hallway to find a barmaid, turning around. "Special services?" He repeated, wondering if there was something crucial he had missed.

Ruoxi started for him, "I don’t need the barmaid to eat," He said without mincing words, stepping forward to throw the Vampire over a shoulder.

Dulce lifted his head, the calm surprise on his face visible even as he was carted right out of the room. His eyes inadvertently went to the intent stares he got from his company left behind in his room, his pale hair partially obscuring his face.

"You don’t have to go through the trouble of carrying me around," He protested lightly as they went down the deserted hallway.

"Indulge me." The Incubus’s low demonic voice vibrated through him from the point they were connected.

Dulce made no more comments about his mode of transportation, getting placed on his back on Ruoxi’s bed, the Demon draped over him, completely covering him from view.

It was difficult to hold eye contact with the Demon in this position, his gaze lowering. Thinking of the Demons left behind in his room, likely waiting for him, he lifted his head to close the distance.

Ruoxi’s gaze widened a fraction when the Vampire took the initiative, falling headfirst into his soft mouth, kissing him ravenously. He had eaten the Vampire a handful of times now that the routine was predictable, he kept a taut hold on his self-control, but not enough to avoid pockmarking Dulce’s pale skin with bruises.

The Vampire fainting from pleasure every time violently threatened his self-control. He held Dulce in his arms, the Vampire’s head lolling to the side to reveal bruises that surprisingly remained unhealed.

Ruoxi stared down at the Vampire in his arms, the heat in his gaze only growing, his heart racing.

Dulce roused in a few minutes, red bleeding into the silver blue of his eyes. He sat up, fully dressed and cradled in Ruoxi’s arms. "Would you like me to return the favor?" He asked mindfully.

Ruoxi slowly closed his eyes, his brows furrowed like he was in pain. He lowered his arms so the Vampire could leave if he wanted to, "Another time." He forced himself to say, stealing a kiss before the Vampire rose to his feet.

"Will you come with me?" Dulce asked, Ruoxi had spent almost all the nights in the past week with him, the question wasn’t surprising,

Ruoxi thought about it, tempted. Dulce’s company was pleasant, but he would have to deal with the other sour-bellied Demons. Soothing energy was flooding his veins, he didn’t want their sour faces to ruin his peaceful state.

"Why don’t you stay with me instead?" He asked in turn, already getting comfortable on his bed, knowing Dulce’s response.

"I doubt I could convince Kath’tan or Asael to come as well." Dulce said, giving the question far more thought than it was worth.

Ruoxi winced, that was an even worse outcome. "I’ll sleep tonight, come to me if you need anything."

Dulce agreed, walking for the door disheveled and a little disoriented.

-+-

"I didn’t think you would accept to stay," Kath’tan broke the tense silence in the inn room. He still held his views of Shadow Demons but his history with Asael made the assassin the one exception.

Asael turned to him, "Would you leave if your summons were undone at this moment?" He asked bluntly, seeing right through the Fiend.

Kath’tan responded with silence, that was a bridge he would cross when he got to it. "I’ll leave eventually," He said instead, keeping his response vague. "What do you intend to do?"

Asael sank into the sofa, buzzing with energy after a long rest. His current state of idleness was an anomaly, usually he would be back out on missions. "Stay until I’m no longer inclined to."

"And if you remain inclined?" Kath’tan asked in a quiet tone unlike him.

Asael shot him another look, "Stay." He repeated after a pause, his response simple. Solitude had taught him to go through the path of least resistance, it was simply more logical to stay than go through torment without Dulce.

Kath’tan’s brows furrowed, like he hadn’t gotten the answer he hoped to hear.

Asael ignored him in favor of the door opening, he was less openly disgruntled about it because even before the relationship between them and their summoner changed, Dulce had always treated them equally so possessiveness was a wasted effort, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t vying for the others to leave too.

Dulce returned, disheveled like he had been tossed around on a bed, dark red bruises standing out starkly against his pale skin.

It had grown quiet in and around the inn, Hurwell only coming alive in the daytime. At night everyone went to sleep, even the quiet ships at the harbor.

"I wonder if there is any need to make a stop at the manor in Marlen," Dulce mused as he sat on the sofa Asael still inhabited, curling up at the other end.

All he got in response were two predatory stares fixed right on his neck, but he barely noticed them, answering his own inquiries. "I would rather not, there are too many Vampires in Marlen."

With a Vampire masquerading as the righteous Vampire-hunting Queen, Marlen was rife with Vampires, the immortal creatures skulking in expensive manors and reclusive chateaus.

"I do think we can ride right past and instead rest at nameless inns where it’s needed," Dulce kept filling up the tense silence, "I’m only sad we won’t get to see the kindly Bodwyns one more time..."