Fractures of Eternity

After the event solidified the punishment that anyone would receive if the vampires forced anyone to give them blood, I shoved away any restraints from doing what needed to be done. Even though I didn’t feel like myself fully, I made the decision that led me to this situation, which meant I had to focus on the task rather than on my desires. A challenging task, as the simplest thought of Loki made my entire body jitter.

Today, Loki was being extra ruthless with anyone who challenged him, ensuring everyone knew his dominance over them. While my troublesome prince was in the ring with some of the others sparring, I took the opportunity that he was busy to sit next to Alistair’s table, where his maids glared at me intently. The eldest brother’s blue gaze landed on me the moment I approached him, who had been resting after a round with his younger brother.

Before this, I had taken previous times to speak to the eldest brother, but I was never direct about the things, since I kept it to friendly chatter about the matches whenever he was near me, yet I wasn’t going to back down until I figured him out.

I have to be careful, but not too much or else…

Everything I had observed from this vampire emboldened me to pursue this train of thought I had landed on after Gerta’s speech. I had seen how close he was to Lucas, but my naivete prevented me from asking the right questions. The friendly blond also had some nasty scars on his back that were visible whenever he pulled up his shirt to wipe the sweat off while he was in the arena. Every time the eldest brother saw them, he would flash disgust in his face, leaving me to wonder if he knew more about them than he let on.

What if… Do you feel guilty over them? Hah… You shouldn’t have protected me, then I wouldn’t be this curious about you, and when Lucas said you stood up for Loki, he didn’t bat an eyelash, which can only mean you’ve done this many times, haven’t you? Hah… Hey… Alistair, what makes you tick?

“Little lamb, why are you staring at me so intently? Isn’t Loki going to get jealous if he sees me with you?” He tapped his fingers on the table.

My gaze shifted towards the two maids, who were quietly digging holes into my back as the eldest brother followed it.

“Ah… Why don’t you two get me some lemonade from one of the stalls outside?”

“Yes, Your Highness!” They both bowed, leaving soon after as I faced him head-on once we were alone.

“There’s no reason to get jealous as he and I are nothing, Your Highness,” I answered once free of their gazes, prompting the eldest brother to smirk.

“Geez… You really are heartless. You know he fancies you, no?” He sighed, raising his eyebrows.

Hah… Our feelings… can never be real, even though every night they clash and merge.

All I could do was deny them so they couldn’t overrule me when it mattered—a lie I would tell to try to stop myself from doing foolish things.

“I have no idea what you’re saying,” I sighed, keeping my gaze locked on the handsome vampire before me.

You’re a replica of your father, Leonard… does my existence ruin this son’s life too? I wonder… Or is your pain destined to?

Many didn’t know it, but his dad was fated to die the fateful day my mother sealed my memories—something Vera was made aware of when my mother told her everything that I had predicted to happen with the last of my strength. Papa tried to curve it, but Lilith couldn’t help but complete that prophecy.

“So… You want to trade. Is that why you’re here?” Alistair asked.

In response, I giggled, shaking my head lightly. “No… I wanted to ask, why did you help me?”

There, I felt Loki’s gaze on me, even though he was in the sparring ring with Lucas and some of the other boys. Luckily, it was too loud for any of these vampires to concentrate on any singular conversation. The clashing of wood was the only thing that could be heard from the arena. However, I didn’t care if they did, since it wasn’t like I was going to say things that would make sense to anyone who overheard it. I didn’t know what I had in mind when I started this movement, but I wanted to know why Alistair was difficult to understand.

Why am I attracted to the loneliness in your eyes? I… want to…

When I first got there, he tried to use me to make Loki angry, but failed when I decided not to go with him. After that, he only ever chatted whenever he was near enough to do so, and there was also the time he held me back from that vampire girl who jumped his brother.

Yes… That’s when you started to be friendlier towards me.

Every time we talked, he never alluded to wanting something with me, other than the brief chatter that erupted. Other than the teases he threw at Loki, nothing about this boy threw me off. Shifting my gaze lightly to my prince, I could almost feel him staring holes into me, reminding me how he had told me to avoid other men.

Hmph… Keep going, foolish vampire, unlike you, I can do whatever I want!

“And where did you hear that?” Alistair asked, dragging my gaze back onto him.

Hah… that’s easy to answer, but will doing so allow me to know more? Gerta surely allured more between her words, which makes me wonder if she knows about this. Hey, Alistair, what’s your story? What made you get to this fucked up point?

After dealing with Emma’s baggage the other night, I wasn’t quite ready to care for someone else, but perhaps these mortals weren’t as different as I.

Maybe Papa was right when he said we aren’t born evil and that it’s the world that makes us like this.

“Lucas,” I answered, hearing the blond sneeze from the arena.

Rolling his eyes, the eldest brother threw a glare at him as the friendly vampire was seen shivering soon after having to dodge one of Loki’s blows.

“It wasn’t him alone, since Gerta wouldn’t have been here unless someone told her about the nobles, and Lucas is terrified of her,” I added, causing the vampire to sigh and shake his head before tapping his fingertips on the table.

“Did Loki…?” Alistair trailed off, causing me to take note of his voice.

Oh… crap, are all of you adorable?

The tone that had cracked through when he realized his little brother knew he had stood up to for him caused me to smile, prompting his cheeks to turn pink when he realized I caught on to his feelings.

Interesting… You love him, don’t you? So why would you kill him?

“He was there when Lucas told him what you did to the other vampires, but I doubt he suspects you told Gerta that I was in danger,” I informed him, studying every expression he made.

Even though I felt off, thankfully, my mind was only filled with lewd thoughts towards Loki and no one else. Not that Alistair would appreciate it from me if I were right. Though my body would shiver at times, I would fidget with my legs too.

Hah… Loki’s right. I do regret having you unload into me, I think my underwear is a mess because of it, yet it also… makes me feel secure.

“I’m going to kill that blonde loose-mouth idiot,” Alistair growled.

On cue, Lucas fell onto his arse when Loki took another swing at him. For a moment, we saw the vampire beg for mercy while my prince glared at us instead of his fallen opponent. The elder brother waved his hand a bit at his annoyed sibling before he had to stomp towards another round with his cousin. Each sword practice consisted of three rounds, which meant they had two more to go.

Hah… What am I going to do with these boys?