Infinitas
Part 04
by Myka
Beta: Gali
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"Oh god! I'm going to die!"
Duzell roared with laughter as he landed swiftly and jumped again, elevating himself and Phelios high in the air and making the prince cling to him. Phelios was apparently either afraid of extreme heights, speed, vampires or most likely a good combination of the three. Though, perhaps vampires not as much, since he held on tighter to Duzell with each jump.
Phelios saw as the ground rushed towards them then rush back away. It was making him dizzy. All he could do was close his eyes and wrap his arms tighter around the vampire's neck. Duzell's grip on his waist felt weak and Phelios couldn't shake the sensation that any second the vampire king was going to let him fall. Stopstopstopstopstoppleasestop, and suddenly it did.
Phelios slowly opened his eyes once he made sure his feet where firmly on the ground. Duzell had finally stopped on a clearing. The moon was bright and he could see a forest far ahead, but when he looked back he could see nothing, not even the castle's lights. The prince suddenly realized that he was still holding tightly to the vampire's neck and without looking at Duzell, slowly unwrapped his arms and gave a step back. Duzell said nothing, but quickly gave a step forward making Phelios look up and meet his eyes. The prince blinked, trying to decipher the look on the vampire's face, but he couldn't. Duzell's eyes seem to hold some interest, curiosity, cocking his head to the side and giving him a slight grin. Phelios jumped slightly when he felt the vampire's fingers across his neck, his sharp nails making Phelios's hair stand on end and he suddenly remembered that this time he wasn't defenseless. No. This time he had a weapon, a dagger hidden on an inside pocket. As Duzell stared at him he tried not to flinch, so instead he opened his mouth.
"Am I turning into a vampire?"
Duzell stopped, giving him a questioning glance. Phelios met the vampire's eyes again. "You said you would answer my questions if I went with you. So…am I? Are you making me a vampire?
Duzell smirked. "Not yet."
"What is that suppose to mean?" Phelios asked in return, wide eyed and confused. He stepped away from the vampire, letting Duzell's hand drop to his side. He touched his own neck as a reflex, checking, but there was nothing there--just the lingering touch of Duzell's fingers.
"No, you're not turning into a vampire right now," Duzell said, the smirk never leaving his face.
Phelios thought asking 'am I going to' was pretty pointless, considering the way Duzell was answering his questions, but at least now he knew he wasn't turning. Something inside of him heaved a big sigh of relief. Now he needed to be careful; he already knew what the process involved thanks to Jinnai. Yes. He just needed to be careful.
"Last night, what we're you doing in the castle?" Phelios asked, trying to change the subject.
Duzell blinked, then gave Phelios a sly grin. "Didn't I tell you already?"
Phelios resisted the urge to frown; he was starting to get really annoyed by Duzell's ego or ego apparent. The vampire king always seemed to have this perpetual look of amusement in his eyes. It was like he knew he was in control of the situation and was enjoying gloating about it, making Phelios suffer in the process. Phelios wondered if the vampire king had any other facial expressions aside from the one's that were perpetually there.
"I remember…" the prince said carefully. "You said you we're looking for someone."
Duzell gave him that look again. "Isn't it obvious?"
"Oh," Phelios muttered, feeling more embarrassed than a second ago. "Why me?"
"I wanted to kill you," Duzell said in a lifeless voice.
Phelios met those red eyes and didn't blink. "Really?"
Duzell nodded and stepped forward, looking as if his body weighed nothing, and was just smooth, perfect. "I wanted to find you; the last heir to the kingdom of Pheliosta. I…" Duzell suddenly closed his mouth. He seemed to consider his next words, the smugness leaving his voice, his eyes not looking so cold anymore. It was the most human Phelios had ever seen him. It made him feel like he wouldn't mind if Duzell always acted like this, as it made him feel somewhat safe. Then Duzell blinked and the detached look was back. The coldness. "If you died, the war was over, I would have won."
"Why…?"
"It would have been fun," Duzell interrupted. "A castle full of guards. Constant vigils at your door. Watching your every move. I would have taken them all just to show I could do it. That not even the king could keep his precious grandchild safe from me."
Phelios flinched. He knew his heart was beating faster, that his eyes showed fright. He wondered how Duzell could look so approachable at one time and the second he wanted him gone. Phelios knew he was shaking, some of it anger, some of it fear, some he couldn't even decipher as he stared into those red eyes. He pressed his hand against his chest and the hidden dagger inside. He was running out of questions.
"Why did you declare war?"
"I was bored," Duzell said as a matter of fact.
Phelios blinked in surprise. "What?"
"I was bored," Duzell repeated.
Phelios stared at the vampire as he said that, still slightly unbelieving the words. Bored? People were dying, families were separated, children growing up alone, all because Duzell, the vampire king, was bored. He had to be lying. No one would be so cruel. No one…
Duzell grinned at him, and something inside Phelios snapped. He suddenly remembered overhearing reports of the war to his grandfather. About death, and lost hope, and war. His body felt suddenly numb, fingers unconsciously reaching to the weapon he carried.
He spoke, his own voice sounding lifeless to his own ears. "Why did you let me live?"
"I don't know." Duzell said, sounding genuinely honest. "It was too easy, it wasn't…just…" The vampire gritted his teeth. "The thought of you lifeless in my arms just didn't appeal to me at the moment, that's all. It was boring."
"Boring? I was…my life-" Phelios felt his anger itching to the surface. Duzell's eyes remained unmoved, lifeless. "People are dying because you started this war…"
Phelios fingers closed over the tilt of the dagger, pressing.
"Perhaps those not strong enough deserve to die."
Something clicked. People were dying and here was the vampire king, the cause of it all, not caring about any of it. Not caring who died or who lived, throwing life away like it was nothing. Just a game. Even Phelios's own life. It was just a game to the vampire king if he; Phelios; died right here by his hand. It didn't matter if he was scared or if he thought it was unfair. Duzell didn't care.
Phelios suddenly looked up, eyes angry, mouth set to a thin frown. He had a moment to see the surprised look on Duzell's face as he pulled the dagger and swung it forward.
Phelios didn't expect to win, he didn't even expect to survive the attack, so he was shocked when Duzell's surprised look morphed into nothingness, and he was even more shocked when the vampire didn't doge his sudden outburst and the dagger plunged deep into the vampire's chest.
They both fell forward with the momentum, and suddenly Phelios found himself atop the vampire king, holding a dagger imbedded in the vampire's body. He blinked as his brain tried to catch up with what was happening, and his eyes met Duzell's. The vampire tilted his head slightly to the side and he coughed, blood spilling from his lips.
Phelios stared at the red liquid, entranced by it. He was the cause of it. He realized that he was suddenly starting to panic, and that he didn't know exactly why. Was Duzell dying? Did he kill him? Why didn't the vampire dodge? Was it safe? What was he going to do now?
The vampire moved and Phelios froze as Duzell's hand suddenly gripped both sides of his face. He couldn't think as the vampire gave him a half smile with those bloodied lips. "Well done, young prince. But that isn't enough to kill me."
Phelios felt the hands on his face press slightly, adding pressure. He held in the urge to scream, and witness how the look on Duzell's eyes morphed to what he had seen the night before. Predatory. He suddenly realized he could move and quickly stood up, giving a few steps back. He stared as Duzell followed suit and once up the vampire grabbed the tilt of the dagger and pulled it out.
Blood.
Phelios eyes widened at the sight, and every single inch of his body screamed at him to run. He turned around, but before he could move Duzell was suddenly right in front of him, invading his personal space, looking completely frightening. Blood on his lips, his fangs exposed. Phelios didn't even had the chance to do anything before a hand snagged his hair, pulling his head back. Another gripped his waist, holding him in place. Then Duzell bit him. Viciously. Mercilessly.
It hurt. Everything.
It took a moment for Phelios to realize that he was screaming. That his hands where closed into fist and that he was trying to hit Duzell with them, trying to get free from the vampire's death like grip, but this only seem to encourage Duzell and the vampire king pulled him closer and bit deeper. Phelios screamed louder.
"Stop…"
Every moment he felt weaker, and he could hear his heart thumping faster, pumping blood faster.
"Please…"
It was killing him.
"Duzell please…" Phelios whispered with what little strength he had left, and to his surprise the vampire king released him. Darkness swept his vision for a second, and Phelios waited for his body to hit the ground. Instead there was a hand grabbing his arm, and another across his back. Holding him.
Silence.
Darkness.
Phelios neck throbbed with pain, his vision blurred, refusing to focus. All he could see where shapes, his brain was too focused on the pain. Duzell had taken enough blood to leave him defenseless and powerless. He hated being at the vampire king's mercy, in his arms. Hated how he could enjoy the sound of that smooth voice, and hate his cold actions at the same time. "Finish it," he said, voice barely a whisper. Duzell needed to take just a bit more for Phelios to loose consciousness, to be completely at his mercy, wake up whenever the vampire decided, or not wake up at all.
Duzell's grip on his arm softened and Phelios closed his eyes, expecting the grip to tighten once more, to hurt. Instead Duzzel nuzzled at his neck briefly before whispering something, and sinking his fangs again. The pain wavered until Phelios couldn't feel it anymore, and as he felt Duzell reaching for his hand, twining their fingers together, the words the vampire king whispered came to his mind.
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me."
Lies.
They had to be lies.
