Chapter 248

Chapter 248: Chapter 248

Long gold lashes fluttered against pale skin, voluminous waves of hair framing a face that would put many brothel ladies to shame.

Camri only kept his attention on his company; it was easy to, the aristocrat was striking, his delicate features appealing.

He brought the half-drunk mug of elderwine to his lips and drank a mouthful, but he didn’t swallow right away, gently tipping his companion’s jaw so that he could feed him the sweet wine with a kiss.

Dulce went without resistance, his gaze dropping to the courtesan’s lips as the other closed the distance. Perhaps he would get around to drinking human blood tonight...

The next moment was a flurry of motion, and he couldn’t say if the courtesan was pulled or if he fell backward. He felt his back hit a familiar hard chest, pulled out of his cushion as well, leaving it empty.

Dulce scowled as he regained his bearings, he was on Kath’tan, the Fiend’s arm was tightly wrapped around his waist. His current position was surprisingly the least upsetting, not when Caedos had the courtesan in a chokehold.

The male courtesan was unconscious, Caedos’ grip essentially keeping him off the ground. He knew this because the male courtesan had thin black veins running up the side of his neck, and he didn’t have to look to Asael to know that Shadow Demon had poisoned him.

"It was either that or he lost his head," Asael said with a jug of ale to his lips, his tone dry.

"Give him the antidote," He demanded, anger threading his words.

"Send him away." Kath’tan asked in turn, his low voice right next to the shell of his ear.

Dulce glared at the Fiend over his shoulder, even more infuriated at the pleased gleam in the Demon’s eyes. He wrenched Kath’tan’s restricting hand away, intending to rescue the human courtesan from the brazen Demons.

He didn’t get far, his actions halted by Kath’tan pinning him down to his deserted cushions. Dulce gasped when his back met the padded pillow, too stunned to react immediately.

"How presumptuous," He scoffed, retaining his cold haughtiness despite being pinned down in a brothel hall, his wrists confined.

"It was an unspoken agreement." Caedos tossed the still unconscious courtesan to Asael. "If you had summoned another Demon, it would be torn apart."

The Hellhound’s cold tone was jarring, it contrasted with his pacifistic nature... well, he was only tolerant to most. Dulce was the only person he indulged endlessly.

Dulce reminded himself that they were in a crowded hall and he couldn’t just shove off the Fiend much like he would have liked to. "That is not your decision to make." He bit out.

The table conveniently ignored his words. Asael placed down his emptied jug of ale, jamming a bottle of antidote down the courtesan’s throat.

The male courtesan woke up with a gasp, panic burning in his eyes. For a moment, he was completely paralysed, but that was the least terrifying thing at the moment. He had caught a glimpse of pitch-dark skin and an overwhelming presence weighing down on his consciousness.

Asael tossed a heavy pouch of coins on him, "Tell your madam your services were satisfactory."

Camri didn’t wait a moment longer. As soon as feeling came into his legs again, he rose to his feet and strode off without so much as a last glance at the table, cold shivers going down his spine.

Dulce no longer felt like entertaining the Demons, feeling his throat close up at the restrictions they imposed on him. "Get off." He hissed up at Kath’tan.

He had completely lost interest in indulging them that night, he almost wanted to return to Marlen, but that was a terrible idea, so he would be returning to the cottage.

His demand was met with a rough kiss, one that stunned him dizzy. This time, he reacted in time, pushing Kath’tan off him - a tamer version of what he would rather do.

As soon as he sat up, he was pulled into another kiss, elderflower wine filling his mouth and spilling down his throat.

Dulce’s eyes went wide in surprise, and he couldn’t quite say how he felt about Caedos’ insistence on mimicking the courtesans, looking right into fiery eyes that exuded an unfamiliar chill.

Dulce gasped when the kiss broke off, a lingering sweetness and warmth on his tongue. He looked around the bustling hall despite himself, he couldn’t believe that he was being passed around like a paid whore out in public.

It was more stunning than infuriating, and he barely recovered before a familiar face came hovering around their table again.

It was the brothel madam, and she was in an even happier mood than earlier. "Would you like a private room ?" She asked, all smiles.

Dulce rose to his feet, flushed from alcohol and kisses. The music in the hall had gotten even livelier; the night had grown later, and, inadvertently, the hall grew even more crowded.

"Yes," Ruoxi replied, rising to his feet as well.

Dulce turned to look at him, and then lowered himself to sit again. He had been intending to turn down the brothel madam’s offer and take his leave, but what difference would it make?

The Demons would only trail after him, regardless of where he decided to go next.

Their mere presence was exasperating, and it had only been a few days since he had agreed to keep them company for an entire year; he was more or less bound to them in turn.

He reached out to take the jug of elderflower wine that had been poured out for him earlier, settling in to drink. He had no plans to join them in their private room, and in truth, he had no interest in any courtesan regardless of gender.

Dulce cradled the jug to himself, paying no attention to the goings on at his own table. It had been a while since he sat and just watched the world go by, completely isolating himself from the world, even though the sun had no effect on him.

Asael rose to his feet as well, the brothel madam had been waiting expectantly to guide them to the private room she promised them, sidling closer and closer to Ruoxi.

"Lead the way," He said to her, taking a jug of ale with him.

The brothel madam beamed; she had gotten her wish, clinging tightly to Ruoxi’s arm. "I’ll have your drinks brought to your table, as well as a fresh batch, on the house."

Caedos and Kath’tan had yet to move, their reluctance plain to see. It was clear that Dulce had no intention to accompany them; it was unfamiliar ground, the Vampire was a spitfire.

"Will you spend a bit longer in the main hall, sirs?" The brothel madam asked, though she very much looked like she would be happy to wait an hour or two more.

Caedos rose to his feet as well, and when the brothel madam pulled Ruoxi away, Kath’tan got up to leave as well.

Dulce paid no attention to them as they left, taking a dainty sip of his jug of wine. The sip quickly turned into a swig and without realizing it, he had drunk more than he intended.

He looked down at the jug, greedily licking his lips, elderflower wine really was a splendid drink. All alone now, silence seemed to press in on all sides, which was strange because he hadn’t exactly been having a proper conversation with his previous company.

A brothel lady soon came over, smiling sweetly at him as she carefully picked out every jug of ale to take with her. She soon took her leave after completing her task, no doubt taking them to the private room.

Dulce’s thoughts drifted as he absently picked up the clay jug of wine again, struck with a strange memory. It was when they were on their way back to Dewmire from the east, and they stopped at Ensbury for flower wines.

Maybe it was the alcohol he had drunk tonight, but he was strangely in the mood for reminiscing, ironic considering that he had planned to people-watch.

All the flower wines he had mentioned had been drunk by his heartless shell; he had lived without worries then, no different from a human, it had been a peaceful life. One that was completely out of his reach now...

Suddenly curious, he placed down the half-empty jug, needing to hold it with both hands to keep it from spilling. Then he searched through the jugs on the table, sitting up to get a proper look.

He picked up jug after jug, taking whiffs of their flowery scent, lavender, rose, acacia... His eyes lit up when he found orange blossom, taking an eager sip. It tasted like spring sunlight, citrusy-sweet.

Without realizing he had drunk half the clay jar as well and could barely keep himself upright. The hall was thrumming softly with conversation and coquettish laughter, music playing constantly, but it felt lonely.

Maybe his heartless shell wasn’t wrong about that either, that drinking with company made it much better.