Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Chapter 44

Dulce didn’t share in his mirth, deep in thought, there was a solution, but it all depended on him. "I’ll return." He said simply, turning to the brothel ladies.

He easily carried all of them out of the room, passed out, and overheated from aphrodisiacs. Outside the door, Kath’tan and Asael still stood, and their disapproval couldn’t be clearer to see.

"Has he gone through them so soon?" Kath’tan asked in awed disbelief.

Dulce had a lady in each arm, their elaborate hairdos resting on his shoulders. "Not quite. Could you assist me in taking them to a different room?" He asked politely.

The Demons carried the brothel ladies like dolls, the extravagant bed big enough to fit all six women, although it was a little cramped. They would wake up unharmed the next morning and return to the brothel.

Kath’tan wiped his hands when they were in the hallway again, "I smell like that shameless Incubus, how distasteful."

Asael had been watching Dulce the entire time, the Vampire had that look in his eyes that he did when he was about to do something incredibly foolish.

"He turned down the women," He said, his gray gaze sharp.

Dulce scratched his hair, smelling so strongly like he had dunked an entire bottle of perfume on himself, it forced the Demons to give him distance, his gaze surprisingly clear despite spending so long inhaling the fumes of potent aphrodisiacs.

"Ruoxi said they will die if he eats them," He admitted reluctantly.

"Undo the summons," Asael cut in ruthlessly.

"His captor is a Holy Demon," Dulce defended, "And... and he doesn’t want to go back," He added in a smaller voice.

He had efficiently silenced the other two with his words, the topic of an Incubus in a dangerous state of hunger momentarily forgotten.

"A Holy Demon," Kath’tan repeated, reverence in the words. It was immediately broken in the next moment, "That’s impossible, Holy Demons aren’t real."

"They are." Asael cut in, less surprised about the reveal, he had predicted it. Although Ruoxi never used the full extent of his strength with them, the Incubus was far too strong, it surpassed the limits of his species. "They secluded themselves in their Holy City, but they do exist." He went on, more knowledgeable on the matter.

The Incubus’ gold eyes had always been strange, as well as his glowing gold mark. Cubi had frivolous eye colors matching their homes, and Ruoxi had a lotus mark on his forehead. His eyes should be pink, as well as his mark, yet...

Dulce didn’t know that much, but it didn’t matter, "Seeing as he can’t eat anyone but a Holy Demon, I’ll do it." He tried to say bravely, which was defeated by his tremulous voice.

"Are you trying to die?" Kath’tan sneered, his hands itching to wrap around the Vampire’s neck. Not to wring it, rather to keep him by his side.

"I can’t die," Dulce reminded, turning around to return to Ruoxi’s side. "I’ll be fine."

Two sets of hands snagged him at the same time, pulling him back so they could both stare down at him in disapproval.

"That’s too foolish, even for you." Kath’tan scolded generously, a firm grip on his right arm.

Asael had moved before he could stop himself, the Vampire essentially in their middle. But he had nothing to say, there was no disputing that the foolish Vampire wouldn’t die, and they had no reason to prevent him when he was willing, yet...

"So what do you intend to do? Let him eat from you forever?" He asked, his tone frosty.

Dulce looked from Demon to Demon, not expecting such intense reactions. He was used to their disapproval, but they had never tried to physically stop him... well, mostly because he made his mistakes before either of them found out.

"I’m sure there is a solution, I just have to find it." He said with optimism. "Now, if you could both let go of me..."

"Is something the matter here?" An elderly lady with a shrill voice invited herself to the conversation, approaching with a walking stick, her back bent.

"Merely a simple conversation," Dulce explained immediately, which was rather counterproductive considering he looked like he was being shaken down for money by two thugs.

The old lady hmphed, exaggerated disapproval on her face. She thwacked the Demon closest to her, her measly stick causing no harm to Asael. "You unruly thugs, unhand him this moment, or I’ll get guards!" She screeched loud enough to be heard from the street.

In the ensuing confusion, Dulce got free, stepping in the way of the stick only to be thwacked on the head. "They really aren’t thugs, merely a mild disagreement with my friends," He tried to explain.

The only lady retrieved her walking stick when it hit him, the wrinkles around her lips were prominent when she frowned, she clearly felt heartache over hitting him. "Very well, friends should get along better..." She gave them anecdotes as she shambled her way down the stairs.

In the awkward silence that ensued, Dulce stole the chance to dart into Ruoxi’s room. There was no reason to barricade the doors, the suffocating flowery scent that suffused the room was enough of a barrier to keep the other two Demons out.

Ruoxi watched Dulce stand with his back to the door, loud banging coming from the other side, powerful enough to nearly rattle the door off its hinges.

"You should return to them," He said quietly, adjusting on the bed so he could go to sleep.

"I’m worried Kath’tan will wring my neck," Dulce said honestly, approaching.

The banging had stopped, and he couldn’t say if Asael had stopped the Fiend or if a third party had complained about the noise. Hopefully, it wasn’t the kindly but nosy old human woman.

Ruoxi went quiet, but his decision was clear to see in his eyes, he intended to let his hunger consume him. How strange, he knew that it would come to this eventually, and he had been prepared for it, and there was the added reassurance that the Vampire couldn’t die, yet...

Dulce got started on his cravat, his pale features wearing a mild expression. "I fear you have all made this out into a bigger deal than it is," He said calmly, more worried about the possibility of nearly dying than anything else.