Dmitri shrugged, His classical features coming into view as he lit more candles. Unlike his brothers Dmitri wasn’t handsome, he was beautiful. There was no other word for his face. He had heavy lashes like Gloria, and a face that could have graced an angel. But the mind behind those heterochromia eyes, one grey like his and the other blue, like his deceased queen, did not know how to seek out peace.
“My face has little to do with it,” he said calmly as he placed the lighter down on the coffee table. “I am not favored for my face. I am favored for my ability to follow orders.” He faced Alek, gathering his hands behind his back. “Sorin, Andrei, and Mihai, are too independent for what must be done now.”
Alek assessed his youngest coolly, from behind his desk. “You should be careful how you speak; one would think I didn’t raise you with love and care.”
Dmitri didn’t respond to that observation he however stated, “The female, she is your weakness.”
“That’s an interesting word to choose,” Alek said, indeed he’d raised his youngest differently from his other sons. Dmitri knew nothing of the embrace of a mother, nothing of warmth and caring. He viewed himself as the weapon that Alek had created him to be from that magical stone of the werewolves. “She is much more.” Alex responded.
Will it hinder our hunt? Dimitri continued with concern.
“Why would it?” Alek demanded, narrowing his eyes. “And if it did?”
Dmitri didn’t respond to the observation. He simply said, “The female is your weakness.”
Alek didn’t move a muscle, and not a single emotion was betrayed by his face. His youngest only felt a crushing pressure on his throat and his retreat stopped short. He coughed as his eyes widened in alarm and his fingers clawed at the unseen restriction around his throat, his knees gave out. Dmitri hit the floor twisting and turning seeking relief as his neck turned red.
“I will admit I was a strict father to you and your brothers,” Alek mused aloud thoughtfully. “I’ve made you do terrible things for me and the Veil to ensure we reclaim our place. But I grow sorely tired of these childish tantrums and threats you four seem eager to cast my way.” He turned his back to his son, who continued to groan as the red color receded from his throat. “I am your Monarch. You will do only as I order and nothing else.”
Pushing himself up, Dmitri gagged before he threw up. His body shuddering, as he coughed. He forced himself to stand. He eyed his father’s back with trepidation. The words he’d said hadn’t been meant as a threat but clearly his father felt something for the woman now sleeping upstairs.
“Y-Yes, Monarch.” He forced the words past his lips, the pain in his throat still searing. “I will heed your words.”’
“Good, now leave.”
Alek lowered his head the minute his son’s aura disappeared.
“What are you doing?” He asked himself aloud covering his face. His had lashed out at the youngest, with full intent on taking his life. Alek turned around and looked over the land he’d bought, when he decided to leave the veil to enact his revenge.
He’d found four Surrem.
Their screams of pain barely alleviating the nauseous pressure on his chest. Each day he’d felt his ability to breathe diminishing. Noble Vampires were stronger and enjoyed their humanity, but his time was running out. Had he hit the end of his rope, the dreams grew vivid and more real. The fire wasdrawing closer, as the face upon the head that fell morphed each time.
Madness was creeping in much closer he could feel it. The reality that one minute he would be the Monarch and the next, nothing.
“Lanias,” he whispered, “Will you save this dying king I wonder.”
He remained in the study till the sun rose.
Confrontation
FLASHBACK
LANIAS
Lanias sat at the bar staring into her crystal glass of scotch. She enjoyed her red wines but today was a scotch day. She had known this day would come but hadn’t expected it to arrive so early.
“I’m leaving.”
“Is that so,” she said, looking up so that she could see the reflection of her sister in the mirror of the bar. “When?”
“Tomorrow, I’ve packed everything, and I’ll be departing in the morning.” Sabina said sounding hesitant. Lanias wonderedwhat her little sister thought she would say. “I wanted to say goodbye before I left.”
“You talk like never see each other.” She lifted her drink and took a long sip. “You aren’t running away from me. You’re getting married.”’
“To a human,” Sabina said, eyeing her. “You’ve told me on several occasions what you thought about that.”
“I think you’re wasting your time on a man who doesn’t love you the way you think he does.”
