Maximus strode through the wet grass behind the back of the castle. He caught on to some peculiar movements when he was in Meryl's room earlier.
Meryl, he sighed. He had anticipated for a more dramatic reaction from her after he revealed those truths about the people in her life. But she was so calm and graceful about everything.Although he was not sure if she believed him or not, her smoky grey eyes gave away nothing and her poise facial features were blank except for when she looked his way - the only emotions she directed to him was anger and hate and disgust all of which he was used to.
But something ticked within him every time she looked at him that way. It made him feel a sense of remorse for handling things the way he did. Well he didn't know any other creative way to get an ambitious and hardworking woman out of the life she's lived since infancy.
He was not planning on disclosing the truth about DNA test results or the betrayal of of her douche bag boyfriend and friend yet. But her stunt earlier with the escape pushed him. He thought that if he knew how most of the people in her inner circle had lied to her, she will take take to rethink her decisions.
He could not have her torn apart before she could wake her vampire side. Something he might need to push up quickly; he needs to pay his witches a visit tomorrow it seems.
The rustling noise of cracking dry leaves near the trees brought him out of his thoughts as he took careful and study steps towards where the noise came from, his claws coming out at the first thought of an intruder.
A silhouette of a person made its way out of behind one of the trees and came towards the dim light.
Maximus's claws retracted and his tense muscles that was dying for a fight relaxed upon realizing who it was.
It was the king, who was naked and covered in blood- not his. He stood there with his hands on his hips as he stared at his brother with a smirk on his face.
"You're a little bit early for the ball don't you think. I thought you were going to spend the night in your safe haven," Maximus said as he took of his overcoat and threw it for him to catch.
"I'm the king and this is my palace, I can come to my palace anytime I want Maximum," he said as he put it on. Maximus nodded, he knew his brother too well to not notice how pissed he was. And he didn't get pissed for nothing, which meant his cave might have finally been discovered by those wild beasts and it finally got the raiding he so badly hoped for.
"You must have had quite the night if you were left naked," he could imagine the almighty Belial swooshing through the woods naked, it was a funny seen in his head and he smiled to it.
"I see you are enjoying this. That wasn't the case with miss love earlier was it?" Belial sassed causing the faint smile to wipe out of his younger brother's face and he chuckle. He patted his shoulder when he walked right in front of him. "By the way, I enjoyed the raid. I feel a little bit myself after breaking some bones and necks. You might want to send people there to take care of it before anyone else goes there and find that scene. Trust me it is a pretty nasty one," he patted his shoulder before walking past him.
When Maximus turned he was already gone. He had leaped his way to the last floor where his chamber was and entered through the window. He sighed and shook his head wondering when he started becoming the responsible one among them.
He has always been the irresponsible one, judging by him being the youngest. Belial was a hundred years older than him, which was nothing compared to vampires, and was the crown prince when their parents were still alive so all the duties and responsibilities of the royal palace fell on his shoulders all the time.
Breeding for vampires wasn't as easy as that of humans or witches or even werewolves. And it was even more difficult between two pure blooded vampires, especially royals. He came when their parents weren't expecting it and because of that he was more spoilt than any other vampire royal in history and his obnoxious lifestyle was left unreprimanded by their parents. They would always respond with a shrug and lament on how vampires were promiscuous in nature.
He got worse years later after their parents died and Belial became king. Belial though unlike their parents who stood by and watch as he wasted his life with women and alcohol wasn't going to have any of that.
He remembered how he tricked and took him to a secluded mountains in the middle of nowhere with wild beasts of different types, who were even more deadlier than the werewolves under the full moon. He had said at that time that they were going to the southern empires of the country to monitor their troops and promised that there was going to be a lot of women and drinks which sold him.
Little did he know he only said that to get him out of the palace. When he realized that he had been tricked it was too late. His brother had left and the only thing he left was a letter; warning him about the dangers of the uplands and wished him all the best on his training. He was so confused and angry when he learnt of it, he didn't sign up for this. He was so red with anger and full of betrayal, the only thought in his head was to kill him whenever they crossed paths.
But his anger was forgotten when the beasts started coming for him and he needed to fight back. After nights and days of endless battles and near death experiences, he started to enjoy himself just as his brother had promised in his letter. Vampires took pride in their strength and ability to conquer, so when he unlocked that part of himself he felt invincible and fulfilled once again just as his brother said he would.
It was unlike a feeling he never felt before. And no matter how much he hated the fact that Belial had left him knowing that he could die made him angry, he still appreciated him for it.
But now it seems the table has turned on and he was the one to play the responsible brother.
The light in Meryl's room went off pulling him out of his travel down memory lane. He sighed once again. One more problem he had to deal with.