Chapter 95: Needful to Say

Chapter 95: Needful to Say
Seth was seated in his private office, looking out the window of the Onyx Eye building.

Whenever he looked out of the window like this, his thoughts became distant. Taking him back to a place he sometimes wished he’d never gone.
Shameful, wasn’t it? That, at his age, he still thought about a girl he’d only met for brief moments. She’d appeared in radiant majesty and had disappeared from his life just as brilliantly.

He still remembered the last time he’d seen Clover.

She’d been clinging to him in her girly naivete, as though just by holding onto him, she could have him.

And how he wished she could.

Seth sighed.

“Seth!”

He jolted, turning to the door.

Xavier stood there, his usually coiffured black hair unkempt and brushing his pale forehead.

“Yes, X?” Seth said.

“Are you okay? I said your name a few times.”

“I’m alright. Have you seen Vlad?”

“No, I don’t need to. You don’t need to reinstate me. I’ll complete my suspension period and then return to work, as I deserve.”

“Vlad said—”

“Vlad doesn’t give a fang about me or anything I do, not even if it has to do with him. So, don’t throw any pity in my face and let me face my punishment.”

Seth leaned his cheek against a fist, calmly studying X. “Zen said you’ve been feeling unwanted lately.”

Blue eyes rolled to the back of X’s head. “Zen and his flapping lips. I’m fine! It’s my fault, anyway. I’ve been a lot of trouble, I always have. The wild parties, the sex, the smuggling seductresses into Onyx. Everyone else has had to be on their best behavior to make up for my bullshit, so the King’s not getting frustrated with us too often. I know. So, if I start feeling guilty, it’s deserved, and you should just let me feel that way until I get over it, not—”

“Been a while since I heard the ramblings of your overthinking.” Seth smiled.

Blinking, Xavier glared at him. “I… I don’t overthink.”

“Why did you and Vlad fall out?”

A dark look clouded X’s face, and he turned away. “I need to go. I’ll remain suspended until the punishment ends.”

“Vlad says no.”

“Since when does Vlad have more authority than you?”

“Since I figured out that this entire thing is really just between you and him. You’re back at work. If you don’t want the pardon, take it up with Vlad.”

Xavier tightly clenched his jaw, fists tightening.

Without a word, he turned on his heel and marched out of the office.

Seth watched him go with a tired sigh. Some days, being a workaholic wasn’t worth the stress of dealing with his brothers. He would rather redesign Onyx’s entire security system than mediate another fight.

In fact, he needed to take a day off. Go on vacation, maybe. Do some sightseeing.

And let these overgrown toddlers sort out their own messes for once.



One of the said overgrown toddlers Seth was thinking of was still in his castle. Vlad had taken a shower and was standing in his kitchen.

Everything in his home was always in place, and his provisions never ran out. Maria and the other servants knew to become ghosts when they came to work in his castle. Vlad couldn’t explain why seeing them made him feel intruded upon. He preferred to live with the delusion that his home was perfectly his, that no one tainted his air with their presence and aura.

Here, he could be at peace. And if here became inadequate, that was when he fled to his forest cabin.

But he hadn’t been there since Aurelia was with him.

Vlad paused, hand frozen over his cup of coffee.

Damn it, could he go five minutes without Aurelia appearing in his head?

Already, he was feeling pretty empty. So, he could tell that she had left the estate. He couldn’t sense her at all; there were no tugs on his heart.

It felt peaceful, but…

There was an annoying longing. The emptiness was depressing.

Luckily for Vlad, someone came right on cue to fill that emptiness.

With bickering.

“Why did you tell Seth to lift my suspension?”

The question jabbed the back of Vlad’s head. He didn’t turn around or say anything.

He could feel X’s simmering temper. If he answered him now, it would turn into an argument. So, he remained quiet, giving Xavier time to calm down.

“I asked you a question,” X muttered.

Vlad turned around then and looked at his brother.

X paused at the look in his eyes, his frown slightly relaxing. His body was tense with aggression, but at the sight of Vlad’s peaceful expression, he found himself slowly loosening.

“Do you want to sit?” Vlad calmly offered. “I’m making coffee. I’ll make you hot chocolate.”

Xavier blinked, his frown disappearing now as puzzlement took its place.

What the hell was this? Hot chocolate was one of the first things Viktor had taught them from the things he’d learnt among humans. Since Syre had hated the taste of different teas, Vlad used to make hot chocolate for him on winter nights.

The kid had a strange warmth in him that made him weaker in the winter. Even his red eyes would lose color; it was very odd. Very unlike normal Vamps.

Well, X had been a normal, cold-blooded Vamp and also older than Syre. A boy too proud and embarrassed to admit that he was curious about the hot chocolate, and that he wanted some too.

So, Vlad—as silently as ever— would always make him some and offer it, so X didn’t have to ask.

That was a childhood memory. One that X was not pleased to hear about right now.

“Do I look like a fucking child?” he muttered, scowling.

Vlad looked at him for a moment and then pushed away from the counter, walking across the kitchen. He pushed out a counter stool. “Sit there.”

Xavier glared at the damned stool for a moment.

He slowly sat.

In minutes, the kitchen was filled with the scent of chocolate.

While Vlad’s back was turned, X frowned anxiously at him. He didn’t want to have a serious conversation with Vlad right now. He wasn’t ready, but Vlad seemed to be readier than ever.
X had tried it earlier, and it had felt ridiculous, like they were cosplaying as other people.

Sighing, he stood to leave.

“Sit.”

Vlad’s instruction was instant.

Scowling, X dropped back onto the stool.

A few moments later, Vlad turned around with two mugs. He set the steaming, sweet-smelling one before Xavier and then sat across him, ready to enjoy his iced coffee.

“Now,” he began, “while you drink that… maybe you can tell me why you think I’m so incapable that I need you to fight my battles. To the point of getting punished for me. I’ll wait.”