Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Chapter 80

Kath’tan was quick to lose his patience, "Why? Is something wrong with mine?"

Dulce looked down at the inky surface of the water, caught off guard. "No, not at all..."

"Then it’s decided," He concluded on his own. "It is the least I can do," He added in a quieter voice, flying higher.

Dulce sat in the water until his skin cooled. It was peaceful, just floating in the sea in the dark, but he wouldn’t choose to swim in the sea again without a good reason.

Kath’tan had kept his distance ever since they came to the reluctant agreement about his feeding, and he couldn’t quite say if the Demon was angry or not.

When he had sufficiently brought down his body’s temperature, he swam closer to the ship, planning to scale up the side to get back on the deck. Just as he was about to hoist himself out of the water, he felt himself getting pulled out.

Kath’tan still wore a scowl even as they flew higher, "You would rather climb up the side of the ship than ask for my help?" He asked quietly.

Dulce gingerly wiped the salt water out of his eyes, curled up like a wet animal in the Demon’s arms. "I didn’t want to get you wet," He said simply, watching them go past the deck. "Quickly set me down, so I don’t get salt water on you."

Kath’tan’s anger deflated, brought up in a society where nothing he did was ever good enough, Dulce’s gentle treatment of him felt like a flail to his skin. The Vampire never focused on the measure of his strength or his capabilities, instead, the few thoughts in that head were filled with concern.

"A little salt water doesn’t hurt." He said in a manner unlike him, taking them down to the deck.

Despite being completely drenched on a cold spring night, Dulce didn’t shiver. "Thank you for the trouble," He appreciated Kath’tan, wringing out his hair.

"How do you feel?" Asael cleared his throat to ask.

"Much better," Dulce said, getting started on the buttons of his dress shirt to make himself look more presentable, a futile attempt. His dress shirt was made sheer whenever it came in contact with his skin, which happened rather frequently.

Caedos came over, an eager expression in his hazel eyes. "I’ll help." He offered generously, leaning down to help Dulce dry his hair by licking it.

Dulce protected his hair with his hands and took a step back, "You really don’t need to." He turned him down.

"Help?" Kath’tan repeated in disbelief.

Caedos glanced down with his tongue sticking out like he wanted to get a good look at it, it didn’t feel hot either, maybe it was the size. He shifted on the deck of the ship, causing it to groan lightly but it didn’t buckle under his weight.

Asael immediately tied a shadowy rope around his mouth before the Hellhound could go through with his plans. "Shapeshift. Unless you want to swim to shore."

Dulce took more steps back, keeping his distance from the massive dog. He doubted a wet tongue could dry him in any capacity, it would just end up with him being covered in saltwater and drool.

Caedos’s usually alert ears were drooping slightly when he shapeshifted, the rope dissipating. "I couldn’t be of much help," He admitted, downtrodden.

"You were," Dulce said, gathering all his clothes. "Your blood has cooled and I just need to take a quick bath." He simplified things, his voice bright and devoid of blame.

He left with his armful of possessions after speaking, going off to take the bath he said he would.

Caedos trudged off after he left, going back to curl up on Dulce’s bed like he favored, sighing in melancholy.

Asael and Kath’tan shared a look before parting ways, there one moment and gone the next.

-+-

Dulce returned to his room after sluicing down, changing out his damp clothes for a fresh set. He didn’t feel drowsy after his feeding session, consuming more blood in the last month than he had in the entire year.

By the time he settled on a barrel by the ship window with a book, it was already the early hours of the morning.

Caedos had fallen asleep by the time he returned, the Hellhound had been facing the door of his quarters as if waiting for his return, the bed barely fitting his hulking size despite his penchant for sleeping in odd positions.

Dulce barely focused on the book, his gaze drifting to the window ever so often although there was nothing to be seen out there.

After their journey to his palace in the east, he would move on to seriously seeking a method to release Kath’tan from his summons. It was likely he would have to go to the very last place he wanted to go to get answers; Vampires.

But after that, maybe they could finally return to the west, and he would return to Dewmire to his peaceful life there. Far from his past and devoid of Vampires... he tried not to think too hard about the possibility of returning alone.

Doing his best to remain in the present, he picked up his book again, sitting by the window until the darkness outside started to lighten, sunlight filling up the quarters.

Caedos was still fast asleep, lulled deeper by the gentle bobbing of the ship, the sun casting a golden sheen on his short, dark hair and twitching ears.

Dulce put his book to the side and rose to his feet. It was still early, just a short while past dawn and most of the passengers were sleeping. It was still quiet even amongst the shiphands, the sails yet to come down.

He wasn’t so quick to forget the trouble that had started up the last time Ruoxi needed to eat, it would be better to sort it out before his room was filled. So he went to go seek out the Incubus.