The lady is a vamp.
A/N As of yet I don't think the subject of Vampires has been broached in any fable game. So there isn't going to be any specifics when it comes to rules on this one. Just a heads up! :D
Logan, no longer chained to the throne of Albion, is free to do as he wishes. Drink, party, find company in the undesirables of the land. But when he attends Reaver's home coming party, one particular guest takes a firm hold of both his heart and plasma supply.
Chapter 1
The invitation arrived almost two days before but Logan could not bring himself to even look at it.
Reaver.
Another grim, but stylish, reminder of how badly he'd let down Albion while in power.
Even though his little brother, Alexander, was now ruler, much to the people's delight, Logan still felt short of breath when he thought of how close he'd come to bringing destruction to his mother's land.
It had been hard handing over the throne, but at the same time, he was glad to be rid of it. The relief that flooded him the day his brother and Walter stormed the war room was enough to make him want to cry into his covers at night. Alex's sparing of his life was a bonus as far as Logan was concerned. He just didn't want the crown that had grown so heavy on his head.
The battle to save Albion had come a year to the day that he fell from power, just as the seer had said. It had been hard and the losses were great.
Walter. The old soldier that had taught the boys as children and advised Logan in his early rule had died that day by his brother's hand.
Both men grieved, separately at first before, finally, Alex poked his head around his older brother's door one night around midnight, looking for a drinking partner.
Logan was more than happy to join him.
Eyeing the invite warily, the former king bit at the leather of his glove as he paced back and forth.
It had been strange at first, moving out of the king's bedroom and having to take a smaller, but just as homely, if not more-so, room further across the Palace. But Logan didn't mind. He'd had little to no sleep while in the king's bed chamber. He wished his bother better luck in it.
The new room wasn't much smaller and it was still grand in decor. It even had it's own study. That had been a relief. Logan enjoyed his own company and having the option to lock himself away with many, many books had always pleased him. Though, it was something he'd not had much of a chance to do after taking his mother's throne.
Now his days were leisurely spent doing as he wished. Something he hadn't done since he was a boy.
At first, he'd spent days reading to his hearts content, a smile creeping across his scarred lips as foot falls headed toward his room...only to pass it completely without hesitation. No one knocked his door any more. He was never interrupted mid meal any more or woken in the early hours over a crisis. Not now. And he LOVED it.
He went through book after book, quickly growing bored with the ever shrinking choice on offer. He took regular strolls in the gardens but that always seemed to lead to some sort of trouble. Be it sneers or disgusted looks or comments from the nobles that had demanded his head when he was on trial or a disturbance from his little sibling, dodging his duties. Something he did often.
Logan loved Alex. He'd been so pleased when his mother had birthed a second boy, giving him a playmate. But they were incredibly different men now they'd grown.
Logan took everything onto his shoulders and it showed. Ruling Albion had given him a pale, sickly appearance. His face had grown gaunt and bags had darkened his eyes greatly. He barely slept. Barely ate. The once muscular, army trained prince had lost so much weight it was almost painful for himself to look at his own reflection while being dressed in the morning. The burdens had almost crippled him and it had made him a very serious and hard man.
Alex couldn't have been more different. The younger man never seemed to stop smiling, something that grated his brother's nerves. He was strong and ate well. He worried little and doing the right thing always seemed to come easy to him. He never sat up night after night, his mind wracked with worry. The role of king, even after learning of the impending doom, had been easily accepted and he treated it almost like a game. He'd sneak out to the gardens to avoid court or disappear off across Albion when he was needed to attend drab, mind numbing events.
Shirking his duties was something Alex was very good at. And something Logan couldn't stand.
They'd argued over it a couple of times at first, just as Alex had taken the crown and Logan was still getting used to the idea of not being in control any more. Even in the heat of an argument, Alex would wave his hand and call for wine, wanting to forget the issue at hand and simply drink with his older brother.
Logan had refused to speak to him for a month or so after the second incident, deeming the new king too childish to waste his breath on.
"Are you going to open that, or glare at it until it bursts into flames?" Came the amused laugh from the doorway.
Logan jumped, his head snapping round to see Alex leaning against the closed door, watching him with his roguish grin.
The man had always been handsome. He'd taken after their mother, where as Logan had taken his father's traits. His hair was fairly long and tousled and he liked to wear it back in a messy ponytail. Like his brother, his hair and eyes were dark but unlike Logan, his face was filled out and his strong features gave him a constantly smouldering look. His goatee, unlike his brother's, was thicker and encircled his mouth. It was neatly trimmed, a fact that always surprised Logan because his brother always seemed to like to take a lazy approach to his appearance. He was stocky in build and lacked Logan's height but it never seemed to bother him. If anything, it just aided in making him look like the battle hardened hero he was.
He hadn't been that beefy before leaving the castle with Walter. Logan was sure of it. It was truly remarkable what a little bit of sword swinging and hollow man slaying could do.
"Haven't you got things to do?" Logan shot back Curtly.
They may have been close once but Logan had quickly lost love for his younger brother and his 'Oh well. Shit happens' attitude.
Alex, however, still seemed to look at Logan with awe at times. Like he'd done as a little boy when Logan had showed off his sword training to him or perhaps caught a nasty looking spider in a jar. The admiration the younger man showed was a cold comfort for Logan. A reminder of times when they had been inseparable.
Alex shrugged the kind of shrug that made his brother bristle with anger and crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk still painting his face.
"I'll have you know, I've finished my duties for today. Proud of me brother?" He chuckled. Alex wasn't stupid. He knew of the seething resentment Logan held for him at times and royal duties seemed to bring it out of him. He put it down to Logan having to endure it for many, many years with unwavering loyalty.
Alexander's relaxed approach didn't go down well.
"Oh yes, very. Give yourself a medal Alexander..." Logan muttered sarcastically, cutting his eyes at Alex before glancing back at his invite.
"Ah Lo..." Alex clicked his tongue and pushed himself off the door, strolling toward Logan's desk. "You can't be bitter all your life. Take a day off, will you?" He laughed and reached for his brother's invite.
The king examined the red parchment with it's gold writing and embossed patterning with a bemused look before it was snatched away from him.
"Looks fancy..." He said after a moment, watching his brother's face redden. He wasn't sure if it was embarrassment or anger. "Whose sending you such things?"
Logan hesitated to answer. He stared down at the invite in his hands with a lump in his throat. Reaver had tried to kill his little brother. How could he possibly explain that he was still getting requests from the deviant to join him at his private parties?
"It's...nothing." Logan finally said, forcing the words out.
He could see Alex grinning at him again, watching him with mischievous eyes.
"Oh c'mon Logan."
"I said it's nothing."
"Liar."
"Alex!" Logan finally barked.
"Just tell me." Alex whined like a spoilt child and not the king he was.
"Fine..." Logan spat, inhaling deeply once he'd agreed.
Fine. Why, the bloody hell, had he said fine? Fine meant he couldn't get out of it now. Especially when Alex's face lit up and the younger man stepped closer.
"Go on then. Open it." He urged.
His hand's shaking and his finger's numb, Logan gave his brother his best scowl and broke the seal.
"To my dearest, most frustrated and positively livid former king, Logan..." It began. Logan couldn't help but cringe as Alex laughed without restrain.
"Most frustrated and positively livid..." He snickered, watching Logan's face. "This person knows you so well."
"Shut up fool." Logan snarled, crumpling the invite up in his hand. It was Alex's turn to jump and the young king hissed through his teeth, his hand reaching for Logan's balled fist.
"Don't ruin it!"
"It's mine, why shouldn't I?" Logan continued to growl. "I'll burn it if I want." He spat, turning toward the great fireplace.
"No!" Alex yelled, grabbing his brother's arm. "Don't be so sour Logan!"
Sour? His eyes darkened and Logan opened his hand, letting the invite drop to the floor.
"You want to read it? Go ahead." He finally murmured and walked toward his high-backed, worn, leather chair. Alex had been kind enough to allow Logan to take it from the war room, where it sat in front of the fire and place it in front of the hearth in his new room.
He dropped down into it and sighed heavily. Just talking to his immature sibling was enough to make him feel old and worn out.
Alex watched his brother, mirroring his frown before scooping up the balled up parchment. He flattered it out as best he could and continued reading.
"It's been so very long, Logan. And I have missed you. I'm having a little get together this weekend. Just some close friends for a private party. And no, for once it's not the type you seem to so detest. You are forever turning my invites to those parties down. No wonder you've always been so uptight. I can't even tempt you with a smorgasbord of Albion's finest men, women and various other creatures. Shame really. Anyway, I'm rambling. I do hope you'll attend this event. I hear you've become a recluse. Such a waste of perfectly good flesh. Your friend. Reaver."
Alex stared at the name, his eyes tracing the delicate swishes and curls of the letters.
Reaver.
"You...You're still in contact with this man? He tried to kill me Logan. He ran from Albion when the darkness came to save his own arse and you're still in contact with him?" The younger man fumed.
Logan silently watched the flames dance and swirl before twirling into one.
"I'm not in contact with him, brother..." He drawled, not even bothering to make an effort any more. He was too tired for that. "That is the first I've heard from him since...well...since I was king." He rolled his wrist dismissively before dropping his hand back down onto the armrest.
"Are you going?" Alex shot back straight away. He stormed towards his brother's prone form in the seat and stood over him.
Logan's dark brows rose and he turned his head to look upward at his brother. "Excuse me?"
"I said." Alex ground out. "Are. You. Going?"
Logan blinked slowly, unsure of his own answer. "I don't think so..."
"You don't think so..." Alex mimicked.
"No. I have no interest in Reaver's parties." Logan turned away from his brother's gaze again, his eyes turning to the fire. "They're... perverse."
"...They sound...interesting. I think you should go."
Logan tensed suddenly and nearly gave himself whiplash he turned to look at his brother so quickly. "Excuse me?" He hissed.
"You've always been uptight." Alex shrugged, his angry expression gone. "Perhaps socialising will help."
Logan's mouth flapped aimlessly. He had no idea what to say. Alex was smirking again and there was nothing Logan could do about it. He wanted to yell and throw his brother out, but he was still reeling from the shock of his brother's suggestion.
"Oh go on Logan." Alex said, nudging his brother's arm. "Go, enjoy yourself. Find a woman and bed her. Gods forbid, you haven't done so in a while.
"Alex..." Logan growled, his teeth grinding together as he gripped the arm rests. "Allow me to make this very, very clear." He spoke slowly, so the dim-witted baby brother would get it.
"I'm NOT going."