Chapter 167

Chapter 167
Aeron
I let go of the young man Isla brought and wait to see what she wants to do next, but she's done for the night. She's gone as far as she can and pushed herself beyond her limits already.
It's time for me to take back control. I could insist on more sex, because I wouldn't mind watching her get fucked every way, going through orgasm after orgasm until she is a quivering mess that begs for mercy, but she's done... at least for now.
I pull my bride onto my lap and nuzzle he neck. She smells like me, like her blood, and the girl I fucked. "Why did you do that?" I ask her.
I know why. Of course I do. But I need to hear her say the words.
"I wanted to challenge myself," she says. "I wanted to know if I could handle it. Watching you with another woman."
"The sex... it's meaningless to me. It was just fun."
She cuddles into me. I don't particularly enjoy the smell of that human on her, but I am carrying it too and for now both of us just have to bear with it until we can get to a shower.
"I know," she says after some time. "It wasn't as... scary as I thought it would be."
"Hm," I grunt and lift her hair away from her neck. "Next time, get one that will eat you out while I fuck her. That's hot."
Isla laughs softly, but her whole body screams no. I was pushing my luck with that last request, and I know it, but I also know that eventually she'll do it - because she'll get curious, and she'll want to know what that is like.
And when a person has eternity looming ahead, curiosity can become so heavy that it can crush you unless you answer the call of your body and mind.
For now, Isla is done exploring.
"Last night, I felt something," she says. "A... shift. I thought it was because you said you'd take another bride."
"I already told you... if that happens, it will be a mutual-"
She pats me on the chest to silence me. "That was not it. That's not what... made me feel the way I did. I still feel it, even now."
"It's not just jealousy?" I ask hopefully. "Watching me with that girl? If it helps... she was kind of boring. My own hand is more exciting than-"
"No," Isla interrupts me again. "It's something else. Something much bigger than you... bigger than me. Neither of us are so special that we can change the atmosphere."
I laugh softly and open my mouth to speak, but at that exact moment Vladimir walks in, bare chest, trousers riding low on his hips. He is a good looking man - he always has been. I remember the fierce competition among humans to become his familiar.
But like me, he only ever loved one woman. And she died.
It's difficult for a vampire to commit suicide, but Elizabeth found a way.
I knew her. She trusted me, came to me for help... but in the end there wasn't much I could do for her. Like it or not, she belonged to Vlad, and she could not live with being one of the undead.
"Good evening, brother," Vladimir says, and plants his hands on his hips. "I hope you found my humans... satisfying."
I grin at him. "We did. Thank you."
He nods and smiles, but as always it doesn't reach his eyes.
We are always so quick to judge Vladimir, but we miss it, all of us do - the sadness. It's always there, right under the surface, and it has been since Elizabeth overdosed on Sorrowshade on threw herself on that metaphorical stake.
Vladimir nods. "You will be leaving soon, I assume."
"Yes," I reply and sit up a little straighter. "A day or two. We need to rest. It has been a... difficult year."
He nods again, thoughtfully biting into his bottom lip. "I wonder, brother, if I might visit with you. Stay at your castle for a while?"
Vladimir has never asked to stay with me. When Einar and Idun were still ruling, he'd come by without even asking, but as my father always says, family doesn't need to ask to visit. And that's exactly what I tell Vlad.
Isla gives me a weird, doubtful look. She doesn't like him. At all. And she doesn't want him in her space, but I'm not about to ask her permission to have my brother over. Not because I don't care about her opinion, but because Vlad's request intrigues me. He wouldn't ask unless there was a serious reason for it.
He keeps to himself here, close enough to the pits so he can sense the suffering, but far enough so he can block it out and use his humans when he wants a break from it all.
Then I remember Isla telling me that something changed last night. A shift in the air.
"What's going on?" I ask my brother. "Did something happen."
Vlad doesn't answer me, but he nods while saying, "No. Can't a brother visit without a reason?"
Isla stiffens even more in my arms and I can feel her frown.
Something definitely happened.
"Okay," I agree. "You're right. Of course. Will you be traveling with us then?"
"I think that would be the easiest. Don't you?" His eyes plead with me, and I'm itching to ask him what the fuck is going on.
Last night, he gave indication that anything was amiss. He was the same annoying, gothic fuck face I remembered.
Today, he's practically begging me to take him away from this place and rescue him.
"When do you want to leave?" I ask.
"Today. If you feel up to it."
I don't. Coming to the pits is exhausting - mentally and physically so - and I usually need a place where I can recharge before I can return to the castle, but if Vlad is scared of something, and he wants to leave, it would be a good idea for me to listen.
"All right," I say and nudge Isla off my lap. "I guess we should get going then. Start tapping your donors?"
"Already done," Vladimir answers. "And I have coaches waiting to transport us to your village."
I stare at my brother for a long time.
"What the fuck is going on?" I ask.
"Nothing," he says in a tone that really means everything. "I just need a... break from this place."
"Fine," I agree even though every part of me is burning to find out what's going on. "Then I guess... is there at least time to shower before we go?"