Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Chapter 78

They lingered out on the deck until it grew late, Ruoxi and Kath’tan taking to the skies once more.

Dulce was placed in a seat by Ruoxi so he could get over his dizziness. He sat quietly, looking up at the sky with an absent look in his eyes.

Kath’tan flew past his line of sight, nearly knocking Ruoxi off balance.

Soon it was time to retire for the night, Dulce now able to stand without falling over.

Ruoxi was the first to leave, the Incubus warping directly to his room to head right to bed.

Dulce was about to walk off with Caedos and Kath’tan when he realized that someone was left behind. "I’ll stay back for a bit." He excused himself, returning to the table.

Kath’tan looked at them over his shoulder but didn’t slow down, making his way to his quarters.

Asael looked up at the Vampire making his way back to the table, bracing himself for the inevitable questions about flying.

"If you want to sit outside for longer, do you mind if I join you?" Dulce asked instead.

Asael looked into the welcoming darkness of the ocean. "You don’t need to worry about me." He dissuaded, his gaze drifting back to Dulce who was like the moon on such a dark night. "You look pale."

Dulce placed his hands over his cheeks, horrified. He had forgotten an important task. "Oh no," he mumbled. He had forgotten to arrange blood for the trip, he hadn’t even remembered to feed, subsisting off the blood he got from Kath’tan nearly a fortnight ago.

Asael figured out the matter at a glance, "The Fiend wouldn’t mind offering you another drink." He said lightly.

Dulce’s frown didn’t ease, "I am worried, I don’t want to take too much."

The Shadow Demon narrowed his eyes at the claims, he had barely taken a mouthful. He could take enough to fill his stomach and at most, the Fiend would just need to sleep it off.

"Or perhaps I could ask Caedos," Dulce went on, he had completely forgotten about making preparations for blood but he remembered that Ruoxi needed to eat, and when. He needed to feed before the Incubus could eat.

Their journey to the east by sea would take about two weeks, which was just in time to get to the largest port city in the east, Boussiney. When they arrived, procuring blood would be an easy task.

Asael said nothing further on the topic, it was far too similar to the subject of flying.

"Where will you go from the desert?" He asked after a long stretch of silence, watching as calm silver blue eyes turned to look at him.

"I’ll keep searching for a way to undo Kath’tan’s summons." Dulce replied without hesitation.

Asael rose to his feet, not sure why that response weighed him down, he should have seen it coming. "And if you never do?" He lingered at the table to ask.

Dulce lowered his gaze to the table, his voice carrying the weight of the years he had lived. "There is surely a way. I wouldn’t condemn someone else to forever with me."

Asael felt dissonance at the Vampire’s words, experience actually claimed otherwise. Everyone they came across almost seemed hellbent to be a part of his life. Even humans had survived several generations waiting for his return.

But despite all this, Dulce was completely convinced that he was so much trouble that no one wanted to bother with him.

"Do you plan to spend the night on the deck?" Asael asked instead of what he actually wanted to say, and that was that the Vampire could be selfish and condemn someone.

Dulce rose to his feet as well, "No. I should go make my request of Caedos." There was no guarantee that he wouldn’t fall into a trance after drinking so the sooner the better.

"I’ll come with you." Asael invited himself, his gaze distant.

Dulce thought nothing of it, used to the constant company. It was a nice change from the endless days he spent alone, pleased to have the Demons around no matter how temporary their stay might be.

Caedos was curled on the bed in Dulce’s quarters. The Hellhound looked to have been waiting for his return, his hazel eyes completely devoid of sleep.

"Caedos, can I ask you a favor?" Dulce went right to the point, walking into the room.

The Hellhound sat up, on alert. As long as it was something he could do...

"I need a drink of blood."

Caedos was caught off guard by the request, but only for a moment. "Sure." He agreed easily, his brief pause had been him trying to figure out why that was needed.

"Thank you," Dulce appreciated, perching on the side of the bed to take the Hellhound’s hand. "This will sting a little and I’ll be careful not to take too much blood."

"Don’t be careful." Caedos countered, "I have a lot of blood."

Now it was Dulce’s turn to pause, the tall Hellhound certainly looked like he had a lot of blood. It was reassuring, it lessened some of his worries.

He lowered his head slightly at the same time that he lifted Caedos’ hand, trying to keep the bite gentle. Dulce never cared much for the taste of blood, it all tasted like blood to him regardless, but at his first sip of Caedos’ blood, he nearly pulled away.

It burned, scalding his throat on the way down, it was like a mouthful of very strong liquor. Despite the discomfort, he focused on drinking, drinking more than he usually would have after being reminded that he likely couldn’t drain the Hellhound of blood.

Dulce pulled away with a gasp, there was more than color on his pale features, every visible part of him burned red, his red eyes filled with water.

"What’s wrong?" Asael asked right away, for a Vampire, his relationship with blood was very shaky.

Dulce blew out quick breaths with his mouth, his red parted lips unable to close. "It tastes spicy." He revealed reluctantly, looking like he wanted to keep the information to himself.