Continuing Benji's POV:
A high, I did catch. I barely remembered what happened around me as time flew by. When I started to come down from it I noticed that my surroundings had changed. I was now in one of the upstairs bedrooms, I recognized as the spare room I've used before. I could hear the music fading as the party was dying.
Next to me was a corpse drained of blood. My only way to release myself from a high was to take blood directly from it's source. I could still taste its blood on my lips. I had killed someone. I reached out slowly to close her eyes. She was an average human that was brought here after visiting a club. She had been a fool. She had walked into a monster's den. I felt no remorse for her as I stared at her lifeless body. I took the knife out of her throat, the tool I had used to penetrate her skin. I licked the dead blood off to clean it and moved off the bed.
'You're past your curfew.' I heard Vanitas' warning tone echo in my head. I smelled my skin burning as sunlight gazed through an open window. I moved quickly into the shadows and clung to the walls. 'My mate, are you still awake?'
'I lost track of time,' I thought quickly. Damn. I fucked up. He'll never let me leave alone again. I should have asked Fabian to make sure I leave before dawn. Though, he probably is enjoying his own high someplace here. 'I'm coming now.'
'Come to the nest,' he ordered me.
'I'm coming,' I promised. I wouldn't teleport there right away. I wanted to at least say goodbye to my dearest friend. I snatched the cover off the floor and wrapped it around my body to use as a robe. I hid under it as I walked out from the bedroom and traveled across the hall. I picked up on Fabian's recent scent as it lead me downstairs. I entered the kitchen and found him making smoothies. He had a sour expression on his face like he was hung over feeling.
"I'm going home. I came to say goodbye," I said as I walked over to him and hugged him from behind. "It was nice visiting."
"I'll come visit soon," he promised me as he wrapped me up under one of his arms and held me tight. "Though you're welcome to come anytime between now and then."
"I don't think I'll be able to. I'm already in trouble for being gone so long."
"It is dawn," he yawned out. "You better go home and rest with that worried beast." He leaned down into my neck and smelled it before letting me go. "Get going." He gave a warning look and I knew he was just worried I would get into bigger trouble stalling. I nodded before dropping the blanket. I teleported back to the hoard. My vision opening up to the treasure hoard as I landed not far from the nest.
"Vanitas?" I asked eagerly.
I was caught off guard as I heard Siollynth screaming in pain. I rushed over to the nest to find everyone surrounding her as she was giving birth. The baby's feet was dangling outside of her body as Ildrass tried to reach up inside her.
"What's happening?" I asked as I rushed to their side. I stood by as an overwhelming scent of blood hit my nose. I covered my mouth as I looked away from her.
"The child is stuck," Vanitas told me as he stood by while the two females were busy helping Siollynth.
"Stuck?" I asked in worry and coughed. My mouth began to dry as the scent of blood lured my senses to attack her. I backed away slowly with every strength that remained. "I can't-" I shook my head. "I have to go," I told him and dropped to my knees. I was stuck now as my senses prevented me from leaving. It was taking me over as I stared down Siollynth's face. I could see her pain.
"You must try not to push," Ildrass urged as she was trying hard to save the child from her mother's womb. "You'll kill him right now if you do!"
"Take my hand," Farlora pleaded with Siollynth as she placed a wet rag on her forehead. "We'll get through this my love. Your little girl will live."
"I can't," Siollynth wined as she looked up with begging eyes. "I can't last much longer."
"You will," Vanitas growled out at her. "You told me yourself you would have this child even if it meant your death. Now do as Ildrass says. You must restrain your urges." I felt his hands land on my shoulders. "And, you must remain strong as well." He forced me to my feet and placed a towel in my hand. "Go cool her down." I was pushed forward. I got beside Farlora as I dipped the cloth into the bucket of water beside us and started to rub it against Siollynth's neck. She grabbed my hand without hesitation and crushed it as she growled.
"Get away from me!" She shouted as she let me go. I gasped from pain and got away from her. I watched as my hand healed from the damage. That bitch!
"I got it!" Ildrass yelled. "Push! Push Siollynth!" I watched as Siollynth screamed and looked to be straining as Ildrass pulled the baby out of her. All eyes fell on the child. A purple and black bruise surrounded her neck. Her body lacked oxygen. Vanitas was by her fast as he stole his child. He glanced it over before bringing it close to his chest.
"Let me see her," Siollynth urged. I could hear the sour privilege she breathed.
"There is nothing to see," Vanitas growled out to her. "She didn't make it."
"W-what?"
I stood up to see myself. I couldn't hear the baby's breath. The pulse long but silent. I was certain he spoke the truth.
"No!" Siollynth wailed. She had failed. I watched as Vanitas placed the silent thing into her arms.
"She's dead," Vanitas assured her. "But, she was so beautiful. I should have cut her out of you. Then she would be alive and not you," he growled deeply to her. I could hear the hate riddling off his voice as he broke from her and left her with the silence. He walked out of the nest and suddenly transformed into a dark green dragon. With dark forest scales and with an emerald diamond like belly. He flew with enormous wings into the air and flew off toward the waterfall. I was shocked as the realization set in what he said to her. He was angry... But, there was no need to say those words to her. Not after loosing a child. That was monstrous. Inside I was eaten up with rage. Some of it wasn't coming from me.
"Maybe you should leave," Farlora told me. Her head snapped my way so fast I wasn't sure if she had heard my thoughts or not. It was so on cue. Her eyes accusing me suddenly. "Go to your room and sleep. You look like you could use the rest." I flinched at her words but understood where she was coming from. They didn't want me here. Especially Siollynth. I nodded. I knew when I wasn't wanted. I would go.
"That's where I'll be if you need me," I whispered to her. I knew I was too new to share their pain. I was still and outsider to them. I wasn't wanted here. I teleported to my room upstairs that I was given. I stripped off my clothes as I found myself wide awake. I wouldn't get much sleep today. How could I sleep after witnessing that?
I got into the shower and realized it was my first time alone. I had complete silence as the only thing to listen to was the roar of the water. I stood there for what felt like the second to an eternity before a knock on the door alerted me someone was here. I could hear their footsteps barge into the room but didn't come to the bathroom. I knew there were only three people here that would be rude enough to come in unwelcomed.
I cut the water off and wrapped a towel around my waist as I looked out to find Vanitas sitting at the foot of my bed. I walked out to him as I paused halfway to him. That's right, I'm mad at him. This is all his fault.
"What you said to Siollynth was hateful and cruel. You should be with her right now apologizing," I told him harshly.
It's because of him I was sent away. I unwrapped the towel to use it to dry my hair before doing my body. I tossed it on the floor as I looked through my clothes to find something to wear. I heard him fall back on the bed as he let out a heavy sigh.
"Why? It's all her fault. She wanted to birth that thing. Now it's done and over with. I'll have reasons to refuse her next time." He held his hand up in front of his face. I glanced over to see there was still dry blood remaining on his skin.
"Even still... You don't say those things to anybody. I wouldn't put it past her to leave you. I would if I wasn't here on duty." I pulled a turtle neck on and matched it with fancy pants made out of soft materials. I slipped on a new pair of house shoes and walked over to him as I sat down on the edge of the bed. "You should go wash that off," I suggested. It was gross to smell after all. I refused to breath in the scent of death. Maybe I should call Farlora here to teach him a lesson. She would punish him- maybe even drown him by his head in the toilet.
"So you're angry?" He asked in surprise and sat up. "I thought you two didn't get along. I thought I would find comfort here with you."
"No, I will not side with you on this. Go apologize to her." I crossed my arms as I tried to stand my ground with him. At least I won't get in trouble for being late home. This was a good coincidence. One that would buy me time.
Vanitas got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom. I could hear the water cut on as he took my advice. I got under the covers to pretend to sleep when he gets back. Hopefully he'll leave me alone and go back to the dragon hoard. When night comes everything will be back to normal- for the most part. He'll win their favor again. This was none of my business.
I didn't know if it was pure stubbornness or if he fell asleep in there but he took forever to come back out. To the point at which I thought the water would have run cold by now. I forced my eyes open and went to go check on him. I made my footsteps heavy to let him know I was coming in.
"What are you doing?" I asked when I caught him sitting on the stool in the shower. He had brought it in with him and was sitting directly under the water flow. "You're wasting hot water." If it's even still hot. I grabbed a towel and stepped in with him. I reached over his head and shut the water off. I fluffed out the towel and wrapped it around his shoulders. He's being very dramatic.
"I don't want to face her," he said under his breath. It was almost too low to catch. With my vampire's ears I heard it loud as a mouse squeak. I nodded as I rubbed his shoulder. Fuck. He's going to stay here, isn't he? I helped him off the chair before picking him up by force to carry him bridal style into the bathroom. He went to protest so I quickened my footing and had him on the bed in a matter of seconds. I didn't care if he would soak it. The whole thing could be replaced with as much power as he has. I took the towel and dried his hair as I got under it and sat his head in my lap.
"You're being dramatic," I growled out to him. Really, he is. "Sio deserves your love as much as the other girls. You hurt her in her lowest point. You should face her now. If you don't it'll only grow harder on the both of you."
"I don't want to see her face."
"I don't want to see you here either. But, here you are. I'm very much mad at you too. If you hurt them you're hurting me as well." I decided that last point only recently when I was turned away from the mourning circle. Just an outcast and hated for being forced into this. How could they accept me? I was just a reminder we're easily all disposable to him.
"I don't believe you. You even talk like this after coming home late and well past curfew. You thought I would forget because of the birth of my child. But, her death only reminded me of your bad behavior."
"You're trying to distract yourself from who you should be taking care of right now. I don't understand this type of mourning. Go to her right now," I urged. Surely I would be able to sleep once he left my side.
"Absolutely not," he growled. I hissed at him as I so badly wanted to bare fangs. But, I lacked the essentials. I forced him up with my might and took him to the door before throwing him out. I shut it in his face when he went to turn around and I locked it for dramatic effect. I teleported without hesitation. In determination to take myself out of the equation and force him to face his demons alone. I took to a familiar alley that was always in shadows during the day. At least this time of the year. I sat down on a crate by an empty dumpster and put my head into my hands.
A ringing went off in my head. A burning sensation dripped down the back of my throat. I was devoured by powerful emotions as he called for me to return. I could hear his voice as if he was standing beside me. My chest swelled around my broken heart. I was shaking now as I fought through my instincts to return to him.
'GET BACK HERE.
NOW.'
The scent of blood spilt in the air as I was now crying. I kept fighting as I looked out at the sun-lit streets. The temptation to walk them hit me as I thought about committing suicide before going back to him. It was shortly lived as temptation for him drove me mad. If I go back to him I will continue to be reminded of how he acted towards her. So cold. So heartless in the end. He deserves to face her wrath alone.
Maybe they'll fight.
What if she kills him?
It was hard to tell a dragon king no. Especially if you're mated to one. It was like dancing with the fires of hell. I was being tormented for disobeying him. Every bone in my body wanted to dance to his commands. I was in agony as I focused my eyes on the bright alley and focused on fighting through it. For nothing is far worse than burning from the light.
I won't go back until they're done fighting.
It'll be safer for me to stay out here on the streets.