32. My last breath will forever belong to him.
**Octavius**
Alright, I may have overreacted. There were a few things I shouldn't have said and done. There are some things I should have overlooked and reacted to differently, but I still can't believe it.
I can't believe he did it! That crazy son of a bitch!
Of all the Elite vampires, Kieran was the last one I thought would betray me. The whole system is full of corrupt fuckers, but the one who stood the closest to me had to be the one who turned his back on me. After all I did for him. Because of him. For us.
It's not about what he did to Ocean anymore. I wouldn't give a shit if he fucked her or claimed her if it wasn't for that damn house collar. We owned her, both of us, together, but he had to stab me in the back and claim that bitch. She was OUR thing.
A chuckle escapes my lips as I lower my body to the floor of the cell. "That pathetic, lost moron. Out of all creatures, he had to fall in love with a fucking human."
Everyone warned me when I first met Kieran. Even back in the days when we didn't have the Elite alliance, the city, or the power, every vampire I met warned me. Yet, I didn't listen. I never listened and fought for Kieran's rights.
I took in the half-breed, I shielded him, and I kept that moron under my arm, so this is the price I pay for having that monster under my roof.
I'd expect Kieran would stab me in the front, but just like any other coward, he waited until I'd turn my back on him and plunged the knife in without raising any suspicion.
"Master Octavius, you can leave the cell," a guard opens the cell door and steps aside.
What is the point of this spectacle? Everyone's well aware I could leave this place if I wanted to; I'm the last person who needs a key. The only reason I agree to obey the orders of the low-life guards is Kieran.
Yes, he betrayed my trust, yes, he went behind my back, but he still matters. As angry as I am for everything he has done, I can't turn my back on him. I love that man more than I've ever loved myself, but he's too stupid and blind to realise that. He's my brother, the closest person I've ever had, my partner in crime and the fucking love of my whole life. I've loved him since the moment I laid my eyes upon the half-breed warrior, and I believe I will love him until the moment I disappear. My last breath will forever belong to him.
Groaning, I stand back to my feet and approach the guard. "What's going on upstairs? Is my brother still here?" I try to sound casual, but the things I feel are overwhelming.
I feel like my heart has a heartbeat again, but somehow, the organ is beating so hard that it has jumped up and stuck in my throat.
Only because of Kieran, only because of him, could I feel such unreal things. Only because of him do I truly feel anything at all.
The guard pauses for a moment, barely looking at me, and quickly closes the cell door as soon as I step out of it. "Master Kieran has taken the human to the hospital, Master Octavius. She is in poor condition and possibly dying. The injuries caused by the impact are usually fatal to humans." His eyes roam everywhere but me.
Great, this moron has to be thinking it's my fault Ocean was taken to the hospital. I didn't want the outcome to be what it is, but it's definitely not my fault; I didn't throw her across the room. It's on Kieran.
I raise an eyebrow but don't bother to hide the hint of amusement I feel, "Fatal, you say?"
It's not that I hate Ocean or think she's a lost cause, but at this point, I'm more than curious to see how Kieran would act if she died. Falling in love with someone as fragile as her and then being the cause of her death. Watching something you love and cherish get killed can't be nearly as bad as being the one to take the only life that matters. This is where the shit show starts.
"Yes, Mater Octavius," the guard mutters, following my steps.
We walk to the door in silence. Neither of us has anything to say or news to share. Come to think of it, I'm sure the guard is keeping something from me. It doesn't matter if it's information or his suspicion about the situation; I'll find out. It's just a matter of time.
We leave the cells and walk towards the living room. The servants rush back and forth with blood-soaked pieces of fabric in their hands; some go as far as bringing those to their noses. Damn, I knew hiring low-rank vampires wasn't a good idea.
My eyes focus on the massive amount of red fabrics. Did Ocean lose that much blood? Hell, it's a miracle she didn't die before reaching the hospital. That is if she's still fighting for her life.
However, as I watch the human servants, I can't detect any other emotion than sorrow. When Ocean entered our house, and we collared her, many women showed their hatred and jealousy.
The servants didn't like the fact that a woman appeared, and both owners instantly liked her, yet despite that, everyone seems sad. Is this a human thing? To hate someone and still feel bad when that someone gets hurt? How pathetic.
I shrug off my thoughts and turn around to face the guard who has been watching me intently the whole time. Is this moron really trying to read me?
A loud, frustrated sigh escapes my lips as I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes, "Has he told anyone if he's coming back home?"
I can't expect to see him after everything that happened in his bedroom. Led by anger, I told Ocean about one thing she shouldn't know. Still, I don't feel sorry for what I did. If anything, I'm relieved that the truth is out there, and we don't have to hide it anymore.
Besides, there's still a possibility that she doesn't remember the first auction. If that's the case, we can bury the issue and pretend nothing happened.
The guard clears his throat, "Yes, Master Kieran told the servants he'd be back as soon as he finds out that the human girl will live." I watch the guard like a hawk. His voice is full of sorrow, but he shows no real emotions.
Maybe I should be grateful for his appearance, but something is gnawing at me: I need to test this rat.
I take a step closer and raise my hand to my chin to mimic the motion of intense thinking, "And what if she dies?"
The guard's breath catches, but he's quick to shake his head and hide whatever emotion he almost gave me. He clears his throat again and straightens his body, "Master Kieran insisted that she would survive, so he didn't say anything about such a possibility, Master Octavius."
"Interesting," I say, leaning closer. His eyes, once again, search for something other than my face. I wonder why he doesn't look in my eyes like any other guard would. Those who work for me may be of lower rank, but vampires are proud creatures; we bow to no one.
One by one, the servants and maids disappear, leaving us alone. We stand in the same pose until the guard finally musters the courage to look into my eyes. There, right there, I can see it. I grin and lean closer to his neck. "Another half-breed," I whisper as I take in the male's scent. "I thought you freaks were good at hiding, yet here you are, showing off the delicious scent of your mixed blood. I wonder how sweet it is."
The room is far too quiet for my taste. Trying to get a reaction out of the tense man, I extend my fangs and gently graze his skin. The guard jumps back, forces his hand to the spot, and stares at me in horror.
I smile and shrug, "If Kieran happens to come back home, tell him, I'll be waiting for him in my office. The Elite vampires are looking for him; he's supposed to leave for a job like yesterday." A wide smile spreads on my lips.
Whoever sent this unfortunate creature to guard our house must be out of their damn mind. I'd find out who he is sooner rather than later, and I'm not a man who can resist such temptation. If it weren't for the whole mess with Kieran and Ocean, I'd be feasting on that poor bastard.
"I- I will, Master O- Octavius," the guard sputters, slowly backing up.
So much for a guard, he is. How can such a frightened man make sure our house is safe from intruders? If he can't stand a little bit of teasing, I'm sure he can't deal with an actual attack. We have many enemies, and some of them are part of the Elite- to stand against one of the ancients would be impossible. The poor boy has no idea that he's been sent straight to the abyss of hell.
"Dismissed." I wave my hand at him and head for the stairs. I've had enough fun for now, and if it happens I get bored, I can always call for the guard. It's not like he has an escape from this house or from me.
As I walk up the stairs, I lose any distraction I had around the guard. Thoughts of Kieran and Ocean invade my mind with newfound force. Damn it!
I'm jealous of her. I'm so crazy, stupidly jealous of a mere, weak human. Kieran is obsessed with her, with everything she does and says. Why can't he be the same with me? It can't be that he views me only as his brother.
We've done a lot of questionable things, especially with our shared properties. Fuck it, the last time we shared a woman, we had sex- me and Kieran. That was the best night of my life, and I'll be damned if I lose the opportunity to repeat it!
I wish things didn't change for us; I wish one person couldn't cause the drifting apart, but life is a bitch, and nothing ever happens the way I want it to.
The moment I reach my office and lock myself in, I drop my body onto the massive chair. I'm losing my mind, replaying the scenes in my head.
Was this accident all it took for me to finally admit and confront my feelings? But what now? I don't have the right to walk up to Kieran and tell him the truth.
'Kieran, brother dearest, I love you. No, I'm in love with you. Could you accept me as your other half, despite everything I've done and the brotherly relationship we've built over the decades?'
Yeah, that sounds ridiculous even in my mind. I bet it will sound like the worst joke if I ever say those words out loud.
On the other hand, if I don't, if I keep hiding my affection, I'll never find out if there's an actual chance for us to be together. A real chance to love each other like no one could.
I reach for the photo frame on my desk and pull it closer. It holds a photo of Kieran and me- one of the happiest days of my life. That day, we decided to leave Invictus and hide in the shadows to watch the sunset in person. Just him and me, hand in hand, the way it should be. He looks so happy; I've never seen him smile as widely as he does in this photo. If only I could travel back in time and stay in this moment forever.
Maybe, with everything I've learned over time, I wouldn't pay so much attention to Ocean and wouldn't insist on having her. I wanted to give her to Kieran, but something about her smell was driving me crazy, so sharing seemed like the best option we could have.
Kieran and I were supposed to share Ocean, but now, I feel like I'm sharing Kieran with Ocean. Why; just why can't he understand that I have feelings for him? Haven't I been obvious enough even before I admitted these feelings to myself? I've always tried to hold him, caress him, and be close to him.
Every time I fucked a woman and Kieran watched, I kept eye contact with him, silently pleading he'd understand that I wanted him and not a damn woman. "I love you," I whisper and place the frame back on the desk.