Sarah Anderson, Sam and Damien, the Lounge.
The door was left slightly ajar; a round table was set in the front room, with a tea set on top of it and two chairs are drawn up to it. Sam knocked and peeked his head in, and then strolled inside dragging me along by the hand. I hesitated, ashamed to feel a sense of suspicion in Damien knowing his mind-reading ability. "Damien..." Sam called out to his brother in order to draw his attention.
Damien was with his back turned to us, standing near the bookcase, seemingly searching for something interesting to read. "What now? What troubles did you get yourself into?" Damien asked, no disappointment glued to his words; they were already past that.
Sam rubbed the back of his neck with a guilty expression written all over his features; I averted my gaze down to the floor. I didn't feel really like myself lately. What was wrong with me for allowing that kiss to happen?
"You would be ashamed of what you did Sam," he simply said, then reached up for the top shelve and withdrew a white book with platinum outlines; he flipped through the pages until the very last one, and closed the book back again. "If he knew..." He looked at Sam for a brief moment, before returning his attention again to the bookshelf. He set the book back to its place.
"I know, you don't have to tell me twice," He said, running his fingers through his hair already stressed enough. "It was never my intention to--"
On the way to his seat on one of the armchairs, Damin retrieved a seemingly empty bottle of vodka and a cup from the small floor-cabinet near the fireplace. He opened the bottle, placing it between his armpit and pulling the lid out with the hand which held the cup also, and poured some of that drink into the cup, then threw the bottle back inside."You know better than kiss the Demon Lord's queen," and he sat down, one leg crossed, ankle over his knee, showing a high level of dominance and confidence. His aura felt different and, I didn't know if I liked that. Damien finished his drink in one go. "... that would leave a prize on your head."
Sam chose to ignore Damien's statement, "Since when do you drink vodka, Damien? Don't tell me, Sucubi problems?" and flashed his brother an inquisitive yet, teasing look.
He looked at him through his thick eye-lashes, with quite a deadly serious expression writing all over his beautiful features.
"What?" His shrug and tone were nonchalant.
"It's none of your damn business. You lost your right to talk about it when you told father about her." Damien got up and went to fetch himself another round, "Now, she's part of his little personal harem. And, that's your fault."
"I'm insulted," Sam said with mock severity. "How long will you keep throwing that to me?"
"When you admit everything." He said, spitting the word leisurely.
"How many more times do I have to tell you, I had nothing to do with It?" Sam growled, in a deep, menacing voice. "Aren't my words enough to you, Izroul?"
"After what you did, you have no right to call me by my demon name," He said through gritted teeth, "Aomaris." His voice held a note of hostility; Sam's true mane came out of his mouth with such disdain that made me eye him in both surprise and shock.
"Do not try to raise a tone to me. I'm not Erik." Sam hurried back yelling.
"You sure aren't." His face was depressed and gloomy. He poured more into the cup but, instead, he drank directly from the bottle. "At least, he isn't a traitor-- like you."
All of the sudden, I heard the sound of breaking glass. Sam's body had disappeared as well as Damien's. When I blinked again, I saw Sam grip Damien by the neck, pinning his body to the wall near the fireplace. His feet couldn't even touch the floor. I could see Sam's muscles tense and flex at holding his brother, wanting to tense harder to snap his neck. "Now, you have crossed the line, Izroul!"
"Go on, Aomaris! DO IT! Put me out of my misery! Use your brute force!" Damien shouted, tears streaming down his face. "I don't have anything else to live for..."
I felt myself launch forward and yell at them to cease with that nonsense already. "P-Please stop! Sam! Please--"
Upon my calling, Sam averted his eyes for a minute before glaring back at Damien. He saw his brother slowly break underneath his grasp, his bloodshot eyes, his ragged sobs, the echo of his crying filled the room, it was rather harsh on the eye. After letting out a distressed sigh, Sam then released Damien, letting his body fall to the floor. Damien gripped his neck, coughing for air, as Sam stepped back and started picking up the pieces of glass from the floor. "That's enough alcohol for you."
I immediately ran to Damien; cupping his face in my hands, I gently pulled his head in my direction. "I'm sorry..." I said in barely a whisper; his eyes were puffy and his voice almost too hushed to make out. "Come here," I swirled my arm around his shoulder and offered him my shoulder, "Feel free to cry as much as you want. I'm here." I kissed his forehead and pulled him to my embrace, one he quickly sank to. It was important to release tension in a proactive way through crying, yelling in a private room into a pillow or if no one is around out loud, or talking to someone you trust because, holding everything in all the time certainly won't help you cope with the pain or anger, it will only make it worse.
After a few minutes of silence, I took a quick glimpse at Damien; he was sound asleep. "He's passed out."
"No wonder," Sam said, "He has been drinking all day." then kicked out an empty bottle from behind the couch.
I turned my gaze again to Damien, "He must be in tremendous pain."
Sam slumped down on the winged armchair by the round table, hung his head, and pinched the bridge of his nose as he heaved a sigh of relief. "I understand that but, that's no valid justification to drown in alcohol."
"I know," Thus, I brushed some strands off his eyes and petted his head softly, "Sometimes, we don't see any other way out."
"Even still..." Sam sighed again, drew his head back, and closed his eyes, his attention drifted away briefly in thought. "Now, I'm the one who needs a drink."
"What happened between you two, Sam?" In a moment, I found myself asking.
"It's rather complicated," He claimed.
"E-Even so-so..." I stammered, struggling to get Damien up own my own; Sam promptly got up from his seat and went to assist me, he pulled one of Damien's arm and placed on his shoulder while holding on to his waist. "Geez, Thanks-- you can talk to me, ya know? I'm all hears if you want."
Sam pointed with his chin towards the divan upholstered in silk in the back of the room, "Let's just lay him down-- okay."
I nodded in acknowledgment. In utter silence, we both dragged him to the backless couch and gently pressed his body onto it. I grabbed the flossy blanket that was resting forgotten on the arms of the chaise-long couch and covered him with it. Then looked at the green marked demon beside me with a curious look, "Sam?" I called, a bit breathless for carrying Damien's body weight partially on my shoulders. Sam stood there like it had been no effort at all.
"I've heard you loud and clear," He joked; a long pause followed. "It's a long story. Damien thinks I told our father that he was wooing a human girl, a witch to be precise."
"And did you?"
"Of course not! I would never--!" He shouted immediately after my words; but soon, resumed his usual posture. "I knew about his relationship with the witch, yes, but I wasn't the one who spilled the beans."
"I believe you, Sam. " I touched his shoulder lightly and smiled reassuringly, "Your words are enough for me."
He simply smiled back at me. "Thank you, Sarah."
I gave him a slight nod, "Have you any idea who might have?"
"This castle is full of my father's imps," He explained, "I'm sure one of them has something to do with this. My father always despised Damien and did everything in his power to isolate him from everyone and everything. There's nothing my father wants more than to divide us, having us stand alone." He paused, watching me expectantly. "That day when my father kidnapped that innocent girl was the day Damien stopped being who he was. He became cold and distant, often not showing his emotions."
"Is she even... still alive?" I dared myself to ask.
Sam bit his lip and dropped his gaze, a shadow of guilt darkened his emerald eyes. "Barely. She's his favorite toy." A sickening smirk played on his lips. "I should have done something and now, I've lost my brother."
"Damien is an intelligent person," I said patting his back softly, "I bet he'll see right through that, in due time."
"I hope you're right," He whispered in a choked voice, "I just want him back."
"And you will!" I tried to sound hopeful despite deep inside knowing there wasn't much to do anymore. "I'm sure we'll come up with something--"
His eyes widened, obviously struck by a sudden thought. "Sarah, go to your room and stay there. Don't leave on any circumstances. I'll come to get you later, me and my brothers, we'll get out of here together."
"What? Why? What are you going to do? Sam?!" I glanced up at him, basking in the afterglow of uncertainty and scare.
"Something I should have done a lot sooner."