"Giving speeches is always tiring," Nick sighed once they were back in the limo.
He had just given a speech at SkyView and they dropped Klara off at her new dorm. Silver would meet Boris at the castle and then they could go home.
"I'm just glad that Boris will come pick me up and then I can go back home soon," Silver said, he felt very nervous being alone with Nick. Donald was in the limo as well of course, but he was on his phone, hardly paying attention.
Nick scooted closer to Silver, "I don't think so. You're not safe over in Willow,"
"Willow is literally the safest place in the world," Silver glared, scooching over a few inches, "And hopefully I can be free of you,"
"You can never be free of me," he grinned, vampire fangs dropping again, "Why do you want to be?"
"Because you're a vampire," Silver answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"And what have you heard that's so bad about vampires?" Nick leaned back, turning his head to Silver lazily, "I haven't done anything but help you,"
Silver's stomach churned. He was kinda right, "You suck people's blood," he shrugged, "Your life force is dependant on blood,"
"Like a parasite," Nick agreed, closing his eyes with a smile, "I didn't ask to be born this way, you know,"
"And I didn't ask to be a human. I wish I could've been born a werewolf," Silver chimed in.
"I wish you were a werewolf too," Nick answered, "You wouldn't be so wary of me if I was unable to turn you into a vampire. Which I don't even plan on doing, might I add,"
"Have you ever turned anyone into a vampire before?" Silver asked him.
Nick looked at Silver for a solid ten seconds with a blank face. His mouth slowly curled into a smirk, "You wanna know more about me? You could at least buy me dinner first,"
"Ugh," Silver groaned, "I thought princes were supposed to be charming and polite, not flirty and annoying,"
"I'm not a flirty person," Nick said honestly, "I just happened to have taken a liking to you. Love, at first sight, you might call it,"
"You're not a person at all," Silver shot back, face growing hot, "You're a vampire, remember?"
"Neither is your entire family, remember?" Nick laughed, "They're werewolves... you know, I dated a werewolf once," Nick said, a random memory flooding to the front of his mind.
Silver raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious, "And how did that work out?"
Nick smiled at Silver's obvious interest, "Well, not well. For starters, I probably should've figured out I was gay before agreeing to go out with her,"
And that was the first time Nick got to see Silver genuinely laugh.
***
Klara sat on her new bed. It was a tiny twin-sized bed that could be turned into a bunk if need-be.
The dorm was very small with olive green walls and navy blue carpeted floors. There wasn't a window and there wasn't a bathroom. Just a sink, two beds, two desks with chairs, and a cabinet which Klara put her microwave on top of.
Klara's roommate hadn't arrived yet, so she sat there, on her phone. She called her parents and told them everything that happened. She listened to her father rant about the vampire prince and she rolled her eyes at his racism.
After she hung up, it was nearly 4:00 pm and she hadn't even eaten lunch. Then again, she wasn't really hungry. Which was odd, because most werewolves were always hungry. She just really wanted to meet her new roommate. When would this chick be arriving anyway?
As if on cue, the door opened and a woman walked through the door. She was shorter than Klara, but then again most people were. She had smooth brown skin and high cheekbones. Her hair frizzed in every direction and each curl caught the dingy light of the room perfectly.
Her eyes were a chocolatey brown. She carried a box, covering half of her body. When she saw Klara she smiled "Hi, you must be my roommate!"
Klara nodded, going over to take the box from her. When she did, her hands brushed against the other girl's and she felt a cold chill rack across her body.
Vampire.
"I'm Klara Bruno," she said dully, placing the box over by the other girl's side of the room.
"Thanks! My name is Angie," she held out a hand, which Klara quickly shook with a small, polite smile, "Oh, are you a werewolf?"
"I am, and you're a vampire," Klara answered.
"That's so cool, I've met werewolves of course, but I've never been friends with one before," She gushed cheerfully, "I hope we can get along. I know there are stereotypes about our people not getting along,"
"Likewise," was all Klara answered, "Need help getting the rest of your stuff?"
Angie beamed, "Yes, please! My parents couldn't help me move in so I had to drive up here myself. Believe me, I would love two extra hands,"
"Let's get going then, shall we?"
The two spent the last hour and a half carrying all of Angie's stuff up the stairs, one by one and then putting it away or hanging it up. They chatted for a bit, making small-talk here and there.
Once Klara had brought up the last item, a mini-fridge, up to their room with seemingly no effort, they sat back and relaxed.
Angie plugged in the fridge in the corner of the room and pulled out a red pouch, sticking a straw inside and drinking from it.
"Is that blood?" Klara asked, laying on her stomach.
Angie sat on the floor in the corner, leaning on the fridge. "Mhm," she nodded, "Do you want me to drink outside?"
Klara shook her head, "What does it taste like? And where did you get it from?"
"Well the kingdom of Virlaq usually sends vampires blood every month, it's like welfare sort of," she giggled, "And about the taste... well, I don't think it tastes any different from how you think it tastes,"
"Like metal," Klara blinked slowly, feeling a wave of exhaustion take over her, "That's how blood tastes to most people."
"Hmm, well, I taste that too," She thought for a second, "I guess it's more in how it makes you feel maybe. After I drink blood I feel happier. It's like weed; the taste isn't that good but the feeling afterward is great,"
"You've smoked weed before?" Klara grinned.
"Um," Angie's face flushed, "I can neither confirm nor deny that."
Klara laughed, "Well you're free from judgment in college, we're on our own now,"
"I wouldn't be so sure," Angie's face fell, "Judgment from our parents maybe but the people at this school can still be jerks. You're actually the second roommate I had. The first one I met during the summer, but once she found out I was a lesbian, she didn't want to room with me anymore,"
"Really?" Klara raised an eyebrow, "Sorry to hear that,"
"You don't mind that I'm a lesbian, do you?" Angie asked.
Klara yawned, "Sexuality doesn't exist to me, I could care less about your labels,"
Angie laughed, "You're funny, you know that, Klara? I think we're gonna be such good friends,"
"Oh yeah?" Klara asked, turning over on her back. This girl was kinda corny.
"Yeah," she beamed, "You look tired though, so I'll stop bothering you,"
"S'not my fault," Klara yawned, "Your voice is... soothing,"
"Thank you, wow you're so nice!" Angie went over to her own bed, feeling a little tired herself.
"Mmhmm," and then Klara was out, snoring quite loudly.
But Angie didn't mind, she sipped on her blood-pouch while scrolling through Instagram. "I should've asked for her number. I'll do it when she wakes up,"
She looked over at Klara's sleeping figure and smiled, "Goodnight, Klara,"
***
Silver sat in a large, cold room. It had brown-black wooden floors and a high ceiling. The large couch he sat on was black suede and softer than anything he'd ever sat on in his entire life. Boris sat on the couch across from him, drinking tea. The roaring fire crackling in the fireplace next to them did nothing to ease the chill that seemed to surround this castle. The lion rug at their feet even looked to be in pain, even though it was fake. Family pictures and portraits hung around them, surrounding them. Their eyes following their every move. The only emotional comfort in the entire castle was Boris, who, just by being there, put Silver at ease a bit more.
Silver felt the need to whisper for some reason, "Boris?" he asked. His adoptive father looked up from his teacup to smile at his son, "When are we leaving?"
"That is, uh, complicated, Silver," he gave a nervous smile, "You see, these people think it would be best fer you to stay here fer a while. An' I happen to agree,"
"What do you mean?" Silver's eyes widened, "Boris, don't tell you trust these people,"
"Listen here, this acciden' that happened... you had it coming fer a long time," he gave a great sigh, "Yer aunty and uncle got killt cuz they was too close to Virlaq. You on the other hand was with me in Willow," Boris sighed, trying to explain the situation.
Silver felt queasy all over again, "But if someone wanted to really kill me, they would've done it already."
"Thas what I thought as well, ye see, after all these years you been safe with me," Boris confessed, "But then this happened. This jus' proves that whoevers was wanin a' kill you was just waiting fer you to come close ter Virlaq. Or at leas wants you to stay fars away. I was wanin' to call the police, but I figgered that might make this problem even bigger.We can't safely transports yous outta Virlaq right now cuz I don' wanna risk it, Silver.
Now I spoke to King Nathaniel and he seems to think that maybe it would be best if ye stayed somewhere you could be pro-tected 24/7-"
"Which is at the packhouse, Boris. You can't seriously leave me here with these- these," He looked around warily, "You-know-whats,"
"Vampires?" Boris raised an eyebrow, "Ain't nothing wrong with a vampire, Silver. Listen here, His Highness told me that his son was willing to take you in and find out who's behin' this mess,"
"Oh my god, Boris, you're actually going to leave me here," Silver whined, but he didn't have any fight left, "Can't you at least stay here with me or something?"
"Silver, that would be inappropriate," he sighed, looking genuinely sympathetic, "'sides, you're twenny-three, Silver. You can't be scared of no vampires when yer old enough like that,"
"I know," he sighed. A shiver racked through his body and he instinctively covered his arms with his hands.
A fluffy, beige blanket suddenly draped itself around Silver's shoulders, "My goal is to make you as comfortable as possible, my dear," said a familiar voice, "as the host, of course,"
He looked to see Prince Nicholas sitting beside him with a warm smile that made his stomach flip-flop for multiple reasons. He looked the same, except he was now wearing a simple silver-painted crown around his head, making him look even more stunning.
"I heard you weren't too keen on staying here. But it's the safest place on Earth, right father?" Silver's head whipped back to the couch across from him to see a middle-aged man who appeared out nowhere now sitting next to Boris.
He had white hair, but it didn't look natural, slicked back that made his powdery skin look somewhat pinker. He had on an all-black suit like his son, except it held silver embroidery along the cuffs and seams. He swirled a red liquid that was much too thick to be wine in a glass as he pierced Silver with the same blue eyes that Nick had.
The brightest thing on him was the large shimmering gold crown sitting atop his head regally.
"I have no reason to refuse," the king said slowly, "However, if Mr. Chase is not comfortable in my home, we cannot force him here. He doesn't seem to like our kind very much, either way, Nicholas,"
"Nonsense, that mentality only came from his lack of understanding, father," Nick shook his head, as he gestured to Boris, "Mr. Bruno here seems to be a delightfully open-minded man. Silver most-likely got these ideologies from movies and social media. Also, whether he likes it or not, he simply isn't safe in that pack-house,"
"The pack-house is the safest place in the world," Silver cut the air with a wild hand gesture, causing one part of the blanket to slip off of his shoulder.
"It used to be, darling," Nick said, fixing the blanket so it covered him properly again, keeping his arm over the boy's shoulder, "Right now, I think that you're in danger there. And- Oh, Father, I forgot to mention something,"
The old King raised an eyebrow as he blinked slowly.
"I've decided that I want to marry Silver." he said plainly, causing Boris to choke on his tea, "Oh, and also: I'm gay,"
King Nathaniel stared at Nick, as did everyone else in the room. Silver's face was flushed, too shocked to notice that the prince's arm was still around him. Boris looked from Silver to Nick, utterly confused. And Nick just looked back at Silver, with a wide smile on his face. His other hand was placed on Silver's knee gently, which sent a chill through the boy's entire body.
"You're insane," Silver breathed, "You're absolutely insane. Boris, he's insane. He's insane and a pervert, you can't leave me here,"
Boris opened his mouth and closed it again quite a few times before clearing his throat, "I think- I think, r'gar'less of anything else that's happening between you two-"
"There is nothing, nothing happening between us two," Silver glared. Nick hummed his disagreement.
"Yer definitely safer here than at the house," Boris continued with a sigh, "I'm sorry, I love you and I do care fer yer happiness, but yer safety comes first. I'm not gonna lose you to some dark magic. When I got you from that 7-Eleven twelve years ago, I said I would help you run away from a dangerous home.
Silver, right now, the packhouse is a dangerous home. And I inten' to keep that promise. You will stay here 'til the sichee-ay-shun is settled and then you can come back home."
"Or choose to stay here and live with me," Nick flashed a charming smile that made Silver want to gag.
"Well, I'm not too sure about this whole business," Announced the king, finally speaking up again, "However, my son has chosen you to be his groom.
Therefore, you will be put under the kingdom's greatest form of protection and shall not be able to live elsewhere until it is 100% certain that you are under no sign of danger. Then, it will be your choice whether to accept or decline my son's proposal,"
"Couldn't have put it better myself, father," Nick grinned at Silver, who was still cocooned in the beige blanket, "So, what do you think?"
"What do I think?" Silver looked at him like he was crazy, "I'm trapped in Virlaq Kingdom!"