4. Facing the past.
EROS
The King spent hours in his library, avoiding anyone he held dear. He locked the enormous door to prevent the possibility of meeting unwanted guests- as much as he loved his family, this was not the right time to face them. He went through book pages like a maniac, nearly ripping those in pieces, eager to find out if his fear was more than just a terrifying fairytale he had once heard. Living within supernaturals taught him one thing- the scary stories, fairy tales, and even the Boogeyman were real. Part of him wanted to give up, desperately trying to force the King to spend the remaining time next to his daughter's side. The other part wouldn't allow it- it would be easy to give up on someone while finding the answers and saving them was the right thing to do.
No matter what, Eros wouldn't give up on his child.
A loud knock on the door startled him; the King forgot about his surroundings as he thought of a way to save his daughter. Eros had a feeling that the blood covering her hands wouldn't bring any good news; all he needed was a bit of a push towards the right answer. However, as the sound of fist colliding with the oak door didn't stop, the King threw the book against the wall and growled: "Get the Hell away from here! When I said no one is to disturb me, I meant it. God damn it!"
A chuckle caught him off guard- whoever stood on the other side of the door wasn't someone Eros knew. How a stranger managed to sneak into his castle and find him there? Giving the thought some time, Eros approached the door and unlocked it, nearly breaking the door out as he opened it. The male didn't feel fear from the unknown- his blood boiled in anger. Castle or not, for his family, their home had to be the safest place on the planet. A pair of blood-red eyes and an ear-to-ear wide smile greeted the surprised King. "Eros, you've grown," the man eyed him, showing genuine happiness.
"Who the Hell are you?" Eros snarled, forgetting the friendly facade of the stranger. He didn't carry any scent, so the answer already sat at the back of the King's mind, yet he needed the stranger to answer.
"Funny that you'd ask- Hell is the place I come from. I'm an old family friend, a Vampire, obviously. You wouldn't remember me, so don't bother my boy. I was a friend of your grandfather and your birth parents. They call me Lord, but you can call me Velkan if that makes things a bit more personal. May I come in?" The male glanced over the King's shoulder, patiently waiting till Eros invited him inside. Getting into the castle wasn't as challenging- some mind games, silly guards, and the Vampire found himself wandering around the enormous place.
"Let's say that I believe you for a second. You're one of the blood sponges, just a little more advanced than others. If your words hold even a little truth behind them- what were their names, and what happened to my family?" Eros leaned against the door frame, crossing his hands in front of his chest. Baltazar did mention a Vampire that was his grandfather's close friend, but he couldn't blindly trust those creatures. Their whole existence was based on lies and trickery.
"Your grandfather was the infamous Alpha of Death, Azrael Valentino. Your mother was the only daughter of the Alpha who led the Blood Warrior pack- Ren Snow. Your mother was their daughter, Kato Valentino. Your father was the half-breed King, Lucas. I wouldn't speak of the past out in the open, especially since you have little to no knowledge about things that happened back then. So, do my words sound convincing enough, or should I pass the next question to earn ten dollars?" The Vampire laughed, acting as if he joined a game show to win money. He did sound convincing enough, but Eros wouldn't trust him that easily. The King had more questions to ask, answers to seek.
"You may join me, Lord." He stepped aside, inviting the Vampire into the library and closing the door behind him. Eros locked the door- if the leech turned out to be dangerous, he would deal with him alone.
"Thank you. I must say- you've grown to become a glorious King. Your parents would be proud of you; I'm sure they would be. And your grandfather, oh, that man would jump up to high five the moon out of pride." The Vampire sat down, making himself feel at home, a gentle smile on his lips. Even though his unnaturally pale skin would make others' tremble, Eros felt oddly familiar with the setting.
"It sounds as if you know a lot about them. You're right, I don't have much knowledge about the things that happened in the past, but I can't seem to understand how my family held a Vampire as a close friend. Based on my knowledge, even my father, who was half Vampire, disowned the coven. I don't believe that the relationship between species was as friendly as you're trying to paint it. Let's drop the bullshit and speak facts. Why are you here?" Eros sat in the leather seat, holding back the bits of his knowledge. Getting straight to the point and asking Lord if he was the friend Balthazar once mentioned would be plain stupid. The King wouldn't set himself up like that.
"Well, I might share some memories about your past, even before the day you were born." The Vampire offered. Even though his words sounded genuine, Eros couldn't get rid of the feeling that there was another reason behind his arrival.
"And what if I'm not interested in that bit?" The King chuckled. He was interested, eager to find out every little bit he could, but he had to play it all off as cold as he could. If the Vampire caught on his interest- he could use it to his advantage. Vampires were known for their mind games and manipulation.
"Well, I'm pretty sure you should be. There is an alive blood-relative of yours out there. One, you had no idea about. You'd be surprised, King Azra." The smug smile on his face grew wider. Was he there to give Eros a heart attack? How could he mention such a thing and still expect that someone would listen to his words? Balazar and Eros nearly turned the world upside down, seeking for the King's family, and they couldn't find even a trace leading to once-great leaders.
"And what if I'm not interested even in that? What else could you bring me to stay around?" Eros wanted to yell at the Vampire, demand answers, and accuse him of lies. However, the thought of Eve lecturing him about the lost chances didn't appeal to him much. Perhaps trying to stay calm would end better than letting his animal side take over.
"Help."
"Help? Do you think I need the help of a Vampire? I'm managing pretty well, thank you." Eros laughed sarcastically. Perhaps the Vampire expected that the King would drop on his knees and beg for his help? That wouldn't happen, especially since Eros had no idea if the creature had any idea what was happening behind the curtain.
"I don't need to think about your need for help. You do need it, my boy. No, not you- your daughter needs it. Same as your mother did once," the words triggered Eros. The Vampire dared to bring his mother up way too many times- he had no right to speak of someone the King had no chance to get to know. He had spent countless sleepless nights wondering what would be different if he grew up, standing by his birth parents. All those times, the male imagined how his mother and father would look or behave. Sadly, he wouldn't find the answers without the help of others.
"My mother? Why the Hell would you mention my mother? You have no right to speak of her, especially in front of me!" Eros growled, jumping to his feet. His breathing became faster, Ares fighting at the back of his mind- forcing the human side to give up the control.
"Because I was the one to help when your father accidentally claimed her. I sat next to her hospital bed, holding her hand alongside your grandfather. I was the one who pointed out what your father did. You might ignore my attempts to help, but keep in mind that I am way older than you are. I have nothing but time, the amount of books you have in your library is impressive, but none holds the answers you are seeking. Go ahead, let your beast out, I'd love to feast my eyes upon something I haven't seen in centuries. Keep in mind that killing me won't be as easy as you think- getting rid of a Vampire that has walked on the face of the Earth for a couple of centuries is easy; that's a fact. Try to get rid of someone who is more than a thousand years old- I've seen many men like you, King Azra. Think before going for the attack."