29. Kieran is everything but that.

**Octavius**

I pace the huge library and struggle to ignore the thoughts running through my mind. Yes, we had a deal- I had some privacy with her, and now it's Kieran's turn. 

But even if so, why do I feel like it's unfair that there's the time taken away from me, the time I might be spending with Ocean now.

Yet, I can't shake off the feeling about Ocean with Kieran. Even if my brother is too dumb to notice or admit their connection, they share something special. The same goes for Ocean- she displays fear for his short temper, yet the affection is there. 

Sometimes I feel as if she's staring at that weirdo as if he's the centre of her universe. Kieran is everything but that. I hope so. 

My brother is a vile creature. Though we both carry secrets no one could find out, his sins are greater than mine. 

Surely, those who witness a crime, stand aside and watch in silence are closely as guilty as those who commit the said crime, but no one said that I'm supposed to speak. After all, if our secrets surfaced, there would be only one person to blame, and that wouldn't be me. 

Who would believe that the innocent-looking, good boy Octavius is the blame? Kieran, however, is another case. All I'd have to do would be point my finger at him, and he'd sink deeper than rock in the sea. 

The library door opens and brings me out of the daze I've captured myself into for the past couple of hours.

My breath hitches as her long legs stride into the room. As much as I hate this woman, she still has some rather tempting assets. And God does she know how to use them to her advantage. 

A bright smile spreads across her lips, "Octavius, it's a pleasure to see you around here again. I must say, I was surprised when I heard that you arrived. It's been too long. Here I was, thinking that you forgot about friends to spend time with your precious little obsession. Ocean, that was her name, wasn't it?"

"Lily," I nod at her. These days we've been running into each other quite frequently, and something tells me it isn't by accident. 

Lily has never been the person to mess with. Behind those blinding beautiful eyes hides a monster that might be greater than my damned brother. Why the Hell did I think that getting involved with this woman was a good idea? Oh, that's right- sex. She's an absolute tease and so damn good at what she does it's nearly impossible to resist her. I won't mention the blowjobs; those are mind-blowing. 

"Don't act so formal around me. I'm not here on duty; I just wanted to pay a quick visit before I head to your house and fetch Kieran. We have a job to do." Lily throws herself onto the small sofa others usually sit on during research hours. 

I watch her stretch out and wonder if it'd be a good idea to let the temptation flood my veins and get back to my old ways. I still want Ocean more than I wanted anyone else, but it's not like I lose the desire for other women. 

Speaking of which, I wonder how human will react when I break the news. I know that Kieran's planning some monogamous shit- only the two of them, well, for the exception of me. 

I, however, don't plan to restrain myself from taking all flavours of life. Ocean will be mine, she'll belong to me, and no other man but my brother will share the bed with her, yet I won't have a responsibility to hold onto the same rules. I'll have many women in my life, as per usual, and if she doesn't like it- well, that's her problem. 

Someone who has lived as long as I have would understand. It's impossible to hold onto one person, no matter how dear and important the person might seem at first. Sooner or later, they bore me to death, which unfortunately still hasn't come. 

I remember some of my old pets- some lasted for months, some for years, but none of them held my attention. It's far too easy to break humans, bend them and tire them until there's no resistance. Once that step comes near, I lose interest. 

Perhaps I might leave the leftovers for my brother to pick up since he seems more eager to get her than me. Especially lately. 

Shaking my head, I force myself back to reality. "Kieran's enjoying his day off with someone special. Job or not, everyone deserves some rest time by time. We might be vampires, Lily, but me and my brother never really accepted the luxury of rest and holidays, remember?" 

Honestly, I'd prefer it if Lily went to the mansion, grabbed Kieran and led him away from Ocean. In the meantime, I'd have enough time to court human and make her believe that she needs me. 

Sometimes I'm sure she does, but then again, there's the odd bond she has with my brother- the one none of them is acknowledging. I swear those two are too stubborn for their own good. 

"I get it, trust me, I do, but the Elite is sending us out, and it's not like I can handle the task alone. I need an enforcer, and your brother happens to be best of the best." Lily's voice holds no emotions, but a ping of jealousy hits me. 

I don't want her, not even close- the years we spent together were enough to get tired of her nature, but I don't necessarily enjoy it when she speaks about my brother so fondly. Kieran's been the savage, the force and strength for the Elite since we joined, so no one ever mentioned him with good intentions. These days our world is turning upside down; it's something I definitely don't enjoy. 

I wave my hand at Lily, a small gesture to hint that it's about time for her to leave, "Go then. There was no need for you to come here and explain the plans for the following days. We're not together anymore, Lily, so don't act as if we are." I sound more annoyed than I feel, but then again, this woman has always been way too good at pushing my buttons. At times, she drives me up the wall. 

"What if I've been missing a little taste from my past?" She licks her lips and stands up, taking a cautious step towards me. 

If anyone, Lily should be careful. Vampires aren't known for being patient, and since she's the same monster like me, I wouldn't restrain myself from raising a hand at her. Not that she wouldn't enjoy such a turn of events.

Is this another thing I used to obsess over? Her stubborn and sly nature? I've never turned my back to a challenge, so perhaps it was. Hate to admit it, but she cleans us well- the last time I saw her, Lily was a wreck, and all of a sudden, she's the same stunning woman I fell for. 

I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose, "We covered this issue, Lily. Our past stays in the past, along with the memories we created and the things we did. I might still be the same old Octavius, but I change too; it's a leftover part of my human self. We ended things for a reason." Explaining some details isn't as easy as it seems, but hopefully, she'll catch my idea. 

Lily's hand lands on my chest; her body instantly presses against me. "Mhm, now tell me that you haven't missed what we had. Tell me that you didn't recall even one of those nights I spent in your bedroom, tied up, forced to my knees while you face fucked me. I'd love to see how good a human could be to take you. All of you." Her voice is soft, silky and damn tempting.

No, I can't get involved with this woman ever again. I need to focus on the main issues and everything going on, especially the silent drama surrounding me, Kieran, and Ocean. I'll be damned if I lose the chance to taste the top quality human blood. Besides, having Ocean by my side means that I'll be satisfied in all fields- I won't starve, and my dick won't ache behind the zipper or my pants.

I shake my head to get rid of the thoughts. Every time Ocean's tear-strained face appears in my mind my dick twitches in my pants; I don't need Lily to take the action for something it isn't. "That's irrelevant to the situation."

Her lips collide with the bit of skin she could find near my neck. Damn me for not choosing the turtleneck today. "Which situation? I don't see any. Do you?"

I groan and grab her hips, unsure if I want to push her away or pull her closer. "Gosh, you're frustrating me, Lily. This situation- you, being here, blabbing about your plans or that job the Elite is sending you and Kieran to. Those aren't the details I should know, or quite frankly, would be interested to find out. Just spit it out, tell me why you came and be on your way." Though irritation radiates from me, I still hold my grip on her body as tightly as ever. 

"You're still good at reading me. Bravo, Octavius, you did it." She laughs so genuinely even her head falls back as the melodic sound passes her lips. 

I used to miss Lily's laughter, the joyful expression on her face. It wasn't my choice to leave her back in the days, but that's a secret only I will carry. The Elite wanted to re-locate her, so I broke off everything before the news would hit me. Perhaps I tried to avoid getting hurt, or I tried to make her mission easier. It would be so much easier for Lily to turn her back on the Invictus city if she didn't have anything that held her back. I was the one who held her back, and apparently, I still am. 

"Less sarcasm, more words." I roll my eyes to appear annoyed, even though I couldn't. Not when she laughs like that, not when Lily shows signs of true happiness.

Her laughter dies down; all I can hear is the sharp intake of breath. At times, I still wonder how ridiculous it is that we still pretend to breathe, but then again, we had to when humans ruled over the world. Somehow, we had to blend in with the crowd, and it's rather suspicious if your human friend doesn't breathe, right?

Lily presses her cheek against my chest and closes her eyes, "I wanted to see you. Is that a crime? Our past might be nothing but dying, frail memories to you, but they are a reality for me. I haven't met a lover after you left me, and I don't want anyone but you. At this point, I'm not sure if I should worry about that human you and your brother took the ownership of."

And that right there, the last words passing her lips, pisses me off. The venomous undertone in her words doesn't ease my nerves, not even the slightest. 

It's not that I'd die for Ocean, definitely not; I'm not a dumbass as my brother. However, I need her around for obvious reasons. I can't feed on Lily, but the human can give me so much more than a few wild nights in my bedroom. Besides, it's not an issue to take upon the role of a master and train Ocean- in no time; she'd become my perfect submissive. 

Sure, there might be a few disagreements with Kieran as he adores her as she is- the savage needs someone who defies him and fights against his words, but he'll have to suck it up and take whatever he gets if he wants to be a part of our deal. 

I pry myself away from Lily and shake my head. "Enjoy the mission. You can go to the mansion and fetch Kieran later on; first, I need to return home and have a word with him." I head towards the door, reach for the handle and throw a glance over my shoulder. "And, Lily, remember the risk you take after you go after a human owned by one of the Elite houses. Especially one as highly ranked and rare as ours. Take care."

I don't wait for a reaction or more confessions. This isn't my day, everything seems to crash before my eyes, but I'm sure it'll be better as soon as I get back home.

The first thing is to warn Kieran about Lily- she might put Ocean in danger, and if the enforcer of the Elite can't protect her, no one can. As annoying, rude and brute he is, Kieran is the best one out there. Not only because of the past but also because he hasn't changed much. Kieran is a wall of muscles with little to no brain cells. Men like Kieran die first, but this one has managed to survive for far too long to be considered the weak one. Fuck it; even I wouldn't stand in his way. 

I don't think of anything as I get back to the mansion. I promised he's getting his time with Ocean, but he'll have to suck it up if he wants to protect his precious little human. 

Seething in annoyance, I enter the building and rush towards my brother's bedroom. He's spending most of his time hidden away from everyone, and something tells me that he'd drag Ocean along with him to cuddle and do all that stupid shit they do. 

"Kieran, we-"