Fractures of Eternity

The next time I opened my eyes, I was in Loki’s arms, while Eli was in mine. Sluggishly, I got up to feel my vampire groan a bit from behind me, yet I couldn’t see him due to the lack of light in the room. However, unlike me, he wasn’t quite ready to open his eyes after everything we had survived. With little hesitation, I leaned over to him, placing a kiss on his lips, thinking he was asleep, when he suddenly grabbed me by the back of my head before deepening it.

My prince had a shirt on—probably put it on after I fell asleep—which made me wonder how many times he had been up before I was. The libido for vampires was as high as Lycans, and mine didn’t stay behind either, leaving me clasping tightly onto his blouse. Though instead of investing myself entirely in it, I winced in discomfort, as the headache from the previous night was still present. It didn’t help when Eli opened the blinds, letting the fake light in and prompting me to pull back from our moment of affection.

“Hey, does it still hurt?” He asked, trailing his hand down my cheek.

“A bit. The ache is all I have, at least. It could be worse.” I sighed, sitting up.

He followed me, kissing my lips lightly, ensuring his affection was one I couldn’t live without. Instead of satisfying his lust, he wanted me to feel secure with him and, most importantly, loved by him. When he pulled away, he brushed his lips against my forehead.

“I wish I could heal it, without messing up something else. Brains are tricky, and I’m no healer.” He breathed, grabbing onto my thigh.

In response, I giggled. “It’s fine. Your touch heals everything else, including this annoying ache.” I assured him.

“Hm… Don’t rile me up, Vivi. You know I’ll bite.” Loki teased, squishing my thigh in his hands.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him.

You really are a playful little thing.

“I’m not trying. You’re just too much and a pervert.” I huffed.

In response, he pushed me onto the bed. “Hey, I don’t mind being one for you, my love, but only to you.”

Another kiss quickly followed, yet it was a short one, leaving shivers running down my spine as a soft mewl left my lips while they were free of him, while his lips trailed down my cheek and onto my nape. I didn’t know if he was going to bite me, but he lapped the area lovingly, triggering my jitters to explode. My eyes, however, traveled towards Eli, who was floating his way to us.

Under him, my vampire’s phone’s screen turned on, triggering my thoughts to lock onto it when a soft whine left my lips when his hand traveled to my breast, squishing it a bit. Even though I wanted to speak, my voice refused to leave me, especially when I felt my vampire suck on the skin he had been paying attention to earlier.

“W-Wait, d-did they s-say anything?” I stuttered out.

My question made him pull back from me, leaving a mark where he had been.

Of course…

He followed my gaze over to the phone before grabbing it from the desk, while Eli took the chance to float into me.

“Hm… Well, Remi wants to see us a bit later today, like around five. Right now, she and Pa are scouring below the city for any signs of more enemies, but have found nothing to show. This probably means the warlock was working alone, but I think they want to prove your coven was involved.” Loki sighed, scrolling through all the messages, before rolling his eyes and throwing the phone on the side.

“Well, that isn’t surprising. Rem hates us, you know that.” I mumbled, playing with Eli’s feathers.

They were always so soft.

Hah… Seeing you in this form… it reminds me of…

“Remi’s paranoid, especially since they targeted Luna.” Loki sighed, focusing his gaze on me.

“Well, what about Oswald? Has he said anything about... Well, you know.” I asked, poking Eli.

The moment I mentioned his twin’s name, Loki grimaced, gazing off to the side.

Ah… You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?

“Uh, no. I doubt he’s in the speaking mood.” My vampire avoided me while I placed Eli on the bed before pushing myself on the troubled vampire.

I don’t know what’s wrong, but I can’t pull away from this warmth.

“Hm? What is it? Aren’t Emma and Zoe with him?” I asked, grabbing onto his shirt, ensuring his sight would be stuck to me.

However, I was more interested in kissing his neck than his current expression.

If you’re worried about your brother, he’ll be fine as long as those two are with him.

A soft sigh left his lips as his hands grabbed onto me, stopping me in my tracks.

“Vivi, Emma…” What he said after he mentioned her name made me rush into the bathroom while everything around me shattered.

My thoughts rushed through my mind, blending into incoherent echoes as I dressed and left the room, running towards where Oswald was.

“Emma’s gone. It happened when I was looking for you after you vanished—god knows where. Shadow beasts erupted from everywhere in the ball, and a few people died before anyone could do anything. She was one of them because she shielded Oswald from one.” Loki’s words rang in my ears as my legs couldn’t go fast enough towards my destination. “By the time I saw them, I could do nothing to save her. I’m sorry.”

No! Impossible… You can’t be gone! You were alive hours ago!

The way she lifted my hair and did my style lingered in my mind.

No! I refuse to believe your warmth… is gone. Argh! If I hadn’t gone for Tania… I could’ve… I…

Slamming the door open to the room where Loki said they had the bodies of the dead, I quickly saw Oswald curled up by one of the caskets with Zephier by his side. There were other boxes, too — about five — which meant they were only casualties inside the castle.

Why do you, out of everyone around you, have to die? And it’s all my fault! I should’ve been there to help! Instead I… I let… Hah… I’m such a fool—an utter disgrace of a goddess.

In reality, both girls were valuable pawns to us, and that was why my father sent them with me, but it didn’t matter to us if they made it back from this mission. He ensured that if it ever came to me or them, they would always choose death before anything happened to me, yet it never hit me until I saw the colorless casket before me, which held someone who had been kind to me without asking for anything in return.

Oswald might’ve been feeling guilty for how small he appeared, but the reason she threw herself to save him was that I was connected to him.

To Emma, I’ve always been the priority. There could’ve been a feeling there between you two, but it wasn’t the reason why she chose to plunge herself into death. Haha… Rem’s right… We are evil.

It was a mistake to allow them in as I had.

Papa… taught me better… But right now… this feeling… is one of utter rage!