"What are you talking about?" Raphael tried to keep cool, and act as if he wasn't fazed by what Simon was saying.

"Oh, I don't know," Simon stepped closer to Raphael, who merely took steps back. "Have you forgotten about the fact that we need to have sex? That Archard can sense it? That we may start a Civil War?"

"Oh - uh - I'm sorry Simon, I just -"

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Simon exclaimed. "You lied to me, and now we might be putting the clans in danger!"

"It was to protect you!" Raphael yelled back. "Don't you think I would have avoided this whole situation if I could? But I wasn't going to rape you, now was I?"

"No, but you could have at least told me the truth!"

"And what, make you even more worried?"

"I would have been just as worried! We'd only been married for a few minutes and you were already lying!" Simon was infuriated, and Raphael's back hit a bedpost.

"And you were crying into the sheets! I lied to make you feel better!" Raphael argumented.

"But it wouldn't have mattered! I can't stand being lied to, and less when it's something as important as this!" Simon wasn't reasoning, common sense having left him a while ago. He swung a punch at Raphael, aiming for his face, but the elder caught his fist and then used his leverage to twist Simon and fling him on the bed, climbing on him and then holding his hands above his head.

"Cálmate!" Raphael roared, baring his fangs.

Simon did the same, and snarled back, struggling beneath him.

"I'm not moving until you calm down." Raphael muttered, and eventually Simon stopped struggling and relaxed. His fangs went back to their normal size.

"There," The older mumbled, his warm breath tingling on Simon's lips. "All better."

He slowly pulled off, moving to the side and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Simon sat up and sat beside Raphael.

"I'm sorry I blew up at you." Simon said, playing with his fingers in his lap.

"I'm sorry I lied to you." Raphael replied.

They were looking at the beginning of nightfall, how a few streaks of pink and purple painted the night sky, and how the moon was already beginning to appear.

Simon yawned and rest his head on Raphael's shoulder. The latter was somewhat shocked, and stiffened, before relaxing and taking a peek down at Simon, how his brown hair was all wild now, the raven tresses now messy.

Raphael snaked a hand around Simon's waist, and kept him there, close to his side, watching how the stars begun to decorate the sky.

Later on that night, Raphael had clan business to attend to.

Simon found himself wondering (again), when he bumped into someone for the second time that day. He ended up sprawled on the floor, hands by his sides.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Kaden said, and Simon was confused for a minute, before he recognized the voice and let the other vampire pull him up.

"No it's - it's fine." Simon replied quickly.

"Are you in a hurry?" The blonde asked, smiling sheepishly at Simon.

"Not really, no. Why?"

"Oh, good." Kaden grinned. "I was hoping to talk to you. I want to get to know you. Raphael's my closest friend; he's going to be spending loads of time with you,so I'd like to get along with you. Plus, I'm his second in command - we're going to be spending time together anyway."

Simon thought about it for a minute and nodded. Not everyone was as kind and accepting of Simon as Kaden, and some friendship wouldn't be that bad.

"Sure, why not?"

Kaden led Simon to the top of the building, where they sat on the edge, their legs dangling on the precipice.

"Hey Kaden?" Simon asked, turning to look at him. Under the moonlight, his hair stood out in the darkness, the blonde colour making light bounce off it. His eyes glowed in the moonlight, and he seemed almost childlike, with one leg drawn up to his chest, and the other hanging over the edge.

"Yeah?"

"Why does Axel hate me?" Simon asked.

Kaden's voice turned grim, his face became expressionless. "Oh. That."

Simon awaited the answer patiently.

"Well, to understand everything, first you need to know that, over the course of his lifetime, Raphael has barely had any relationships. Love isn't something that comes easily to him, strong emotions like those are rare, and throughout the three hundred years I've known him, he's only had two serious relationships. One was with a woman he was going out with when I met him. She was mortal, and a few years after we met, she died of sickness. Her name was Marie Cheyette, and Raphael loved her very, very much. When she passed, he was devastated, and didn't come outside for months, and barely ate. He mourned her death slowly, and painfully. He described his pain as 'my heart feels like it's been ripped out of my chest - I cannot feel my limbs, I cannot think clearly, it hurts to speak, for all I can remember is her name, and her pale face in her deathbed.'. After her, he swore to never love again."

"He did though," Simon spoke, watching his breath move and get lost in the night as he spoke. "Right?"

Kaden nodded. "Yes, he did. Twenty years later, Axel stumbled into the Hotel, on a stormy night in November. I remember it as if it was yesterday."

Raphael wasn't clan leader back then, not yet, so he had little to do. The hotel was in better shape than now, with actual electricity and all. We were near the door talking about something related to horses when he heard the pounding on the door.

"Should I open?" I asked the clan leader. She nodded, and I moved towards the door, pulling it open. Axel fell through, evidently exhausted. Bruises and cuts littered his face. Blood ran down his arms, and his lip was broken. Raphael rushed to kneel beside him whilst I tried my best to close the door, the wind howling outside as the icy cold rain splashed in.

"Camille! He's badly hurt." Raphael called. He lifted Axel's face with care, and saw his fangs cutting into his bottom lip.

"You're an experienced vampire," she said with disdain. She showed little interest. "You treat him. He will heal quickly. In a week's time, he'll return to his clan."

"But that wasn't what happened at all.

Raphael helped Axel heal, since he was badly wounded. A gang of werewolves beat him up, and though this was reported to the Nephilim, they didn't do much. Axel confessed to Raphael that he had been a vampire barely seven months. Raphael begged and pleaded Camille to let him stay, and, surprisingly, she did.

It was a bright spring day the year after when I found them kissing in Raphael's room. I left quickly, and then acted surprised when Raphael told me.

Slowly, over the years, they fell in love, and I was so happy for them, especially for Raphael."

Simon looked up at the moon, trying to imagine Axel and Raphael together, and then stopped.

He remembered the feeling of Raphael's fingers gently resting atop his hip, and the electricity that coursed through him when their hands connected, even if Simon was mad at him at the moment. How their noses almost brushed, and their breaths mingled. Simon didn't want to imagine Raphael doing that with anyone else, and especially not with Axel.

"But then things took a turn for the worst. Tension between Raphael and Camille grew, and Axel and Raphael became almost dependant on each other.

And, fifty years ago, Axel walked in on Raphael…" Kaden stopped.

"'Walked in on Raphael…' what?" Simon asked. He was sure he knew the answer, but needed to make sure anyway.

"Walked in on Raphael with another woman. It tore Axel apart, and made him bitter. Raphael's guilt follows him still. Axel was once a very bright and cheerful person. But that betrayal filled his heart with bitterness, and a thirst for revenge. One would think he'd leave the clan in shame, but he did not. He chose to stay, because the only other clan in New York isn't exactly…as accepting, in a way, and you'd know that."

Simon nodded.

"So yeah. He hates you because he thinks you're his replacement, because he was never good enough." Kaden finished. "Anyway," he smiled. It was forced, but it was for Simon's sake. "Let's get back. I need to show you something."

Simon thought about it everything all night, thoughts of Axel, Raphael, and past lovers consuming him as he fell asleep.