043:- A Mouthful of Truth

"Thank you," Luna said stiffly to Luka while keeping a firm hold on Cielo, who was squirming in her arms, no doubt wanting to return to Luka's wrist. "Elio, please see him out." She requested in her clear voice.

Luka had impressive self-control, but if she let this go on, Cielo would drink from him to an orgasm, and that would just be embarrassing for everyone in the room.

Elio strode forward, his long black hair in a neat braid down his back. He offered a hand to Luka, waiting patiently for the Vampire to make his choice.

Luka would have turned it down in any other situation, but right then, it felt like his blood had turned into syrupy pleasure. He wasn't too eager to hang around company for much longer.

He took the offered hand, his skin tingling as it made contact. He pulled away quickly as soon as he rose to his feet, heading for the door.

Elio quietly walked beside him, not bothering to offer assistance again. As soon as they were sufficiently down the hallway to be out of earshot, he had Luka pinned up against the wall.

Luka had a bored expression on despite the sharp claws that threatened to nick the skin of his neck. His body slowly dissolving from within was higher on his list of important things than the Crown Prince's anger.

"I don't care what you do to Silvan or what you get up to around Alessio, but drag Luna into it again and I'll give you something to keep busy." 

Elio's words seemed tame, but Luka knew precisely what his words entailed. With vampires' superior healing abilities, it was incredibly difficult to kill them. Elio could chop off his limbs, and he would still recover, it would just be a slow, painstaking process.

Prince Elio's threats weren't bluffs, but Luka was more worried about his betrothed than the black-eyed Crown Prince, because to chop his limbs off, Elio would have to completely defeat him in a fight.

However, he had no interest in the Biancis, he planned to go out of his way to avoid them, especially Cielo… "As Your Highness wishes." He muttered flatly, slipping out of Elio's hold and disappearing down the hallway.

Elio didn't give the aggravating Vampire a last look, he knew that Luka hadn't been listening, maybe he should suggest to Luna for them to take a trip, he wouldn't even mind taking Cielo along.

Luka was a flaming meteor, the Vampire damned consequences and took everyone down with him. He didn't want Luna to have anything to do with that.

He returned to find Luna coddling her younger brother. Their parents had had them to continue the bloodline, and then they went their separate ways, so Luna Bianci had been the one to mostly raise her younger brother. The timid Vampire was very important to her, and in turn was very important to Elio.

"He's asleep," Luna quietly informed him, gently placing Cielo down.

Elio nodded and gave them privacy, waiting outside for his beloved. Luna would want to get her brother comfortable for bed. As he stood outside like a sentry, patiently waiting, he thought of ways to deal with Luka.

-+-

Unaware of the tensions running high in Cielo's room, Alessio and Alexander clinked their fifth or sixth goblets of wine before emptying them. Their movements were uncoordinated now, and from the sidelines, Silvan watched quietly with a scarcely drunk goblet of pressed grapes.

"I'll give you a chance to withdraw." Alexander slurred, but his tone was full of camaraderie.

Alessio had drunk more than him altogether, but he seemed to be handling it better than Alexander, who was another goblet away from passing out cold.

"Try saying that after another drink," Alessio bantered in turn.

Silvan considered stopping them, Alexander wouldn't be as confident in the morning when he would be spending the entire day in a carriage.

The thought of Alexander and his father leaving the next morning, taking the last of Asten with them, made him place his goblet of pressed wine on the table and replace it with alcoholic wine.

Getting drunk would ruin him, but he could comfort himself a little bit. Silvan's gaze grew distant as he sipped lightly on his new drink, barely paying attention to Alessio and Alexander, who kept on with their competition.

He refocused when someone approached his table, he looked up to find his father approaching with a wary expression. Alexander didn't notice their father's presence, his head dropping to the table with a bang after the umpteenth goblet of wine.

"I win," Alessio smiled haughtily over him, hiccuping.

King Rolfe placed a hand on the drooping shoulders of his first son. "I'll guide Alexander to his room, he's going to regret this on the journey tomorrow." He spoke lightly.

Alessio's brow furrowed, it was clear that he hadn't thought of this, or maybe the Vampire was more drunk than he let on, and he hadn't processed a word King Rolfe had spoken.

Alexander sat up without prompting, "We're going tomorrow," He slurred heavily, "Why can't we take Silvan with us?" He asked seriously, needing to lean against his father so he didn't fall over. "The wedding is over, is it not?"

Rolfe panicked at Alexander's words, hastily pulling him to his feet so they could make a speedy departure.

That wasn't enough to quiet Alexander, unbothered by the lack of a response, he kept speaking. "Silvan can be a little shit but I rather liked how things were, he seemed happy at the temple. The alliance is strengthened, why can't Silvan just come back and remain a High Priest…" His words were fading as Rolfe practically dragged him off.

"My apologies," The King smiled benevolently, "Alexander is completely out of it." He didn't quite know who he was apologizing to, the hall was all but empty, Alessio was just as drunk as Alexander, and Silvan… well, Silvan…

A faint smile graced Silvan's lips as he watched his father finally regained control of a chatty Alexander, speedily leading him out of the hall.