“That was…”
“I know,” Boaz said, his chest going up and down as he tried to catch his breath.
“I want to do it again,” Alexander said, kissing Boaz’s neck. Boaz shivered but he pushed him away with a laugh.
“No. I need a moment to rest,” he said. “And you need to go home and be with your parents. They need you in this moment and you need them.”
“I know. I’ll go. I’m just…scared.”
“Scared? The king of vampires is scared,” Boaz said with a chuckle. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Don’t laugh at me,” Alexander said, dragging Boaz close. Boaz turned and faced him all the humour vanished as he stared at Alexander. The vampire looked like he was on the verge of breaking down. He looked so vulnerable and reachable. The sight squeezed something in Boaz’s chest.
Without thinking Boaz reached out and touched his cheek. Alexander covered Boaz’s hand with his and kissed his palm.
Boaz felt the kiss all the way to his toes.
He cleared his throat.
“Tell me what scares you the most.”
“My mother is weak and fragile. She was human you know. Both of them were. Their village was attacked by a vampire. My mother was pregnant with me and Drago at the time. They ran to the mountain to hide from the vampire. But the vampire followed until he found them. He bit them drained their blood and then turned them. When they didn’t rise the vampire left them in the mountains for dead. By some miracle my father rose. He carried my mother to a cave with the hope that she would riseas he did. But she was pregnant with us, and more vulnerable. He said he waited for a full month before she rose again, and when she did, she was already in labour. After hours of labour, I was born. And then she past out. Dad said he thought she was dead, but then she woke up again, and gave birth to Drago. She was weak after. Even though she healed, she’s not like other vampires. Her body is not strong and she weakens easily. I don’t know what this is going to do to her. I’m so scared.”
Boaz wrapped his arms around Alexander and held him. He didn’t know what to say to him. His heart ached for him.
“This is going to kill her.”
“No. Don’t think like that. She’s strong. She gave birth to you and your brother. And she raised you into strong vampires. You need to go and be with her in this trying time. She can’t lose both her sons.”
Alexander said nothing. He snuggled into Boaz, his face burrowed into the side of Boaz’s neck. Silence hung between them. Boaz shook his head with a tiny smile. He knew Alexander would leave when he was ready. Right then the vampire was dealing with issue in his own way. All Boaz could do was be there for him.
“If your parents were turned, how did you become a king?” Boaz asked after a long while as he smoothed his hand down Alexander’s back.
“When we were fifteen, Drago and I got into our heads that we were going to find the bastard who did this.”
“How were you going to do that? Can you recognize a vampire who turned someone else?” Boaz asked intrigued.
“No,” Alexander said. “We killed all the vampires we found. Some pledged their allegiance to us. Those who didn’t met their death.”
“You killed them.”
“Yes,” Alexander said.
“But how are sure you got the one who attacked your parents. He could have easily pledged his allegiance to you in order to live.”
“Every turned human recognizes their sire even though they’ve never met them,” Alexander said. “My parents met all the vampires who pledged their allegiance. They didn’t recognize anyone.”
“So, you became a king by killing everyone.”
Alexander shrugged. “It was a different time and we were so young. We wanted to avenge our parents for all their suffering. They had to learn to be vampires on their own with two twin boys to raise. Someone had to pay for that and we didn’t care who. But we didn’t force anyone to stay. Other vampires wanted to follow their sires, and form families. We let them. There are a lot of vampire families scattered around the world. They live independently.”
“Hmmm,” Boaz said. “You’re a merciful king with a ruthless streak then.”
“I guess. I can be cruel when someone hurts the people I love,” he said, pushing up to stare down at Boaz. Boaz swallowed, his hole spasm hungrily. “Are you ready to go again?”
Boaz nodded without hesitation.
Chapter 24