It's a long, dead life!

by BDE

We join the Volturi in 1663 when Carlisle was turned for his long, dead life and family drama. Aro, Caius, and Marcus are trying to rule the world. Felix, Demetri, Jane and Alec are creating havoc as child vampires and the Denali sisters soon join them. Mature scenes - Corporal Punishment (spanking/discipline) and offensive things, but its the Volturi, so what do you expect?

149. Odi the Outcast - Part 1

AN: I know I haven't posted as quickly as I promised, but I was asked to present at a conference and my research specialism rarely gets much air time so I had to do… and come up with a new a paper from scratch! Its a good job I love my subject because its caused me some serious stress the last few weeks. Anyway, enough of my moaning :D Poor Odi is on an emotional roller coaster through the same four days as Felix…

(Odi's chapter was getting a bit long, so I'm posting half the first two days now, January 4th will follow in a couple of days!)

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Odi The Outcast - Part 1

JANUARY 2ND

Turk swished a cloth around the inside of the last tankard he'd washed and set it on the bar. There would be little point in putting them away with guard training ending any moment. The current stock of Volturi guards had all been with the coven for the a very long time, centuries, most of them, so they only trained once a week. Caius ran the weekly training sessions with Magnus helping out when big groups turned up. There were a few who preferred Magnus to stay out of training - the likes of Alex and Afton used training as an unofficial way to settle disputes. Magnus didn't stand for it, Caius positively encouraged it!

As far as Turk could tell, Magnus hadn't been involved in training that day. The guard master had spent most of the morning humping heavy barrels of bloodwine about the coven, grumbling about his everlasting hangover from New Year. He hadn't even seemed that drunk to Turk on party night, but Magnus and Basileus had continued their session well into the next day, even ending up on Marcus' opium pipe before the death. Never again, Magnus had muttered on his way through the guard hall with the bloodwine barrel. I'm too old for this shit!

Turk kept his head down and busied himself tidying up the guard hall. He was lost in his sweeping when Odi limped through the doors. Alerted by the sound of someone arriving, Turk glanced over, and his ever-present smile suddenly disappeared.

"What the hell happened to you?!"

Rushing to Odi's side, Turk help the kid into the chair beside the bar. It was Magnus' chair, and none of the guard sat in it. Magnus hadn't made that request, of course, it was avoided out of respect.

"Caius is a prick," Odi grunted, wincing at the effort of speaking. "That's what happened to me."

Turk hushed him quickly and drew a full tankard of bloodwine from the fresh barrel.

"I don't have any money," Odi said, waving away the drink. "And I refuse to put them on my Dad's tab."

"I know," Turk replied to both statements, fixing the tankard into Odi's hand.

Just about every drink Odi had supped in the last month had been paid for by Turk because Odi was too proud to drink on his father's coin. He only managed a few sips before having Turk take it back. Not because he didn't want or need the bloodwine, but because drinking hurt too much.

Before Turk could pry any details out of Odi, guards began filing into the guard hall bringing a buzz of excited chatter with them. Turk soon got his 'details'. Caius had alternated using Carlisle and Odi as his demonstration dummies and quite literally kicked them around the training grounds all morning.

It looked like Afton and Richard had settled their score over the New Year's Day card game, and Turk would guess that Phillipe had been involved at some point as Afton looked almost as bashed up as Odi. Even with twenty guards wanting served at the same time, Turk was glad of his job behind the bar - one that kept him out of such trouble as card games and extreme training.

It wasn't long before Magnus returned to the hall. When he entered, all noise ceased. The odd guard looked from Magnus to Odi and back again, but other than that, an eerie stillness fell about the room.

Magnus couldn't work out what had happened. Odi wasn't in his eye line so he hadn't seen the state of his son. All he had to go on was the peculiar behaviour of the guards.

"Well?" he asked, when nothing was forthcoming.

Lev, perhaps being the bravest of the guards - or rather, a stickler for the rules, and what he had seen in training that morning wasn't training at all and hadn't sat right with him - stepped forward and informed the guard master that Caius had been, quite simply, a cunt. Once Lev got the ball rolling, the other guards fell over themselves to add details.

Magnus listened saying very little. His efforts were concentrated on keeping himself contained until he knew what had gone on that morning. When the guards ran out of steam, he looked around the guard hall and asked, "Where are Odi and Carlisle?"

The sea of guards parted to reveal the guard master's son and the sorry state he was in. Odi hadn't moved from the chair Turk had put him in. He'd quite enjoyed hearing the guards come to his defence. It felt like they were on his side, even against Caius. I'm one of them, he thought, enjoying the warm feeling it gave him. It was almost enough to make the busted rib cage worth it!

Magnus was angry, but he was careful, too. He knew how much Odi wanted to be accepted as one of the guards again - despite the kid's clear pain, having his father swoop in to make it all better would be the very last thing Odi needed. From a distance, Magnus appraised the damage whilst Odi willed the man to play it down with beseeching eyes.

And then the fucking creator ruined everything.

"Magnus!" the man bellowed, storming into the guard hall. "Have you heard…"

Cutting himself short as he set eyes on Odi, Basileus stalked to the bar and snatched a tankard of bloodwine. Downing the contents in one, he sunk his fangs into his own wrist and refilled the vessel to the brim.

Odi's heart sank when he was offered the tankard. The simple gesture quashed any hope Odi had of ever being a proper guard again - the creator didn't feed guards his blood. At least, not that the guards knew. Odi knew Basileus had fed Turk after Felix' vicious attack, but that wasn't the same thing. He had only done so because it was his grandson who had caused harm in the first place.

"Take this home," Basileus instructed the kid. "But don't drink it yet. Get yourself back to the training grounds."

"Yes, my lord," Odi dutifully replied, heaving himself out of his father's chair.

As he limped through the guards, Odi heard them whispering about his status and then, to make matters worse, Magnus and Basileus started to discuss the inappropriateness of Caius' training session which centred, in Basileus' view, on using a pair of elite 'defence' coven members for practice. Defence wasn't exactly an insult, but it was the term applied to those coven members who were identified as lacking the ability or the nerve of attack vampires. Few wanted to be considered defence coven members. Odi certainly didn't! Even less did he want the elite status Basileus had bestowed on him.

Odi may have been young, but he wasn't stupid - he couldn't think ill of Basileus in the man's presence. Instead, he levelled dark, unforgiving eyes in his father's direction before heading for home.

It wasn't long before Magnus also headed back to the north tower. After he'd been rounded out by Basileus for Caius' lack of control, of course. Magnus took it on the chin, though it galled him to be in the shit with his best mate because Caius was being a self-centred asshole.

Basileus' point was that Magnus held the power with Caius, and he could end the animosity between Caius and Odi if he would just lay the law down with the younger master. Magnus knew he could get the creator to back off as soon as he could speak to Atia, or Marcus. Either of them would explain to the man that Magnus simply had a different management style and he wasn't one to force others into action just because he wanted a certain outcome. It wasn't his right, in Magnus' opinion.

That said the ongoing animosity between Caius and Odi, or rather, from Caius towards Odi, was seriously getting him down. I'm the one taking all the flack from Caius - sulky little sod. And Odi - good god that boy! And Freyr - how can she agree with Basileus on this?! And now Basileus himself. Great. Just great.

He didn't even bother to knock on Caius' door, he just let himself inside and slumped into his comfy chair, laying his head on the back rest.

Caius, detester of the cold, had pulled his sofa so close to the fire he was in danger of going up in flames. He had to sit himself up straight to see Magnus over the backrest.

"Can I help you?"

He did a good job of playing it cool, but Caius' stomach had done a double flip as soon as he heard Magnus' heavy footsteps in the north tower hallway.

The only thing that stopped Magnus from hauling him over that sofa and leathering his behind was the fact that he could read Caius' emotional state and knew he was a bag of nerves and regret. But still, it took every ounce of restraint Magnus possessed.

"I've had some complaints about you today," Magnus began.

"About me?!" Caius erupted in self-defence. "Who the hell has the right to complain about me anyway?! I'm a master of this coven…"

It was his go to move when he was in the wrong - create a disturbance to move the focus. To be fair to Caius, it worked with the likes of Basileus who was only too happy to have a reason to give him a round of fucks. Caius had learnt long ago that it was much better to receive a round of fucks for a bad attitude than for whatever he had done to bring himself attention in the first place.

That was in the past, however. Caius hadn't been answering to Basileus for his misdeeds since the Tribune Ball of '78, some twelve years ago. Magnus didn't go straight to the bollocking like Basileus did, so Caius' default mode failed to impress.

Magnus eyeballed the younger master until his rant ran out of steam. "Calm down," he said in a low voice, so Caius had to shut up if he were to hear. "No one is questioning your status, just that you've been a bit rough in training this morning. From that smirk I would say you know exactly what I am referring to."

"Don't know what you're talking about."

Caius tried to wipe the look off his face, but the memory of getting Odi back for fucking his mate… actually, no. That's not what Caius was getting Odi back for at all. It was for upsetting him. For causing such a weak ass emotion in an otherwise steadfast man. Odi deserved to suffer for that.

"If you want to release some pent-up aggression, I'm your man." Magnus glared straight ahead as he spoke, fuming. "Not my guards," he added. "Not my son."

"It was training," Caius huffed, lying through his fangs. "Do you think an attacker would hold back because they are your pets?"

"Pets?!"

Caius flinched at the man's tone, but he pushed on. "They choose to come for training with me because they know it will see them right in a fight."

"That's why you spent the morning kicking Carlisle and Odi around the grounds, then, is it?"

"Is that what they said?" Caius asked, still feigning ignorance. "Pair of pussies."

"No, it's not what they said. It's what the guards said." Magnus hoped that might cause some kind of reaction in his co master, but all Caius did was shrug. "The whole lot of them think you were out of order this morning."

Who cares what the staff think?! Caius didn't say it aloud, though, because it was blatantly clear Magnus cared very much 'what the staff think'. Side eyeing the man to judge how the rest of the conversation would go, and if there would be anything more physical to come, Caius realised just how pissed off Magnus really was. He sat bolt upright, rigid in his seat, his knuckles bright white from his grip on the arm rests.

Oh shit! Caius cursed. He's going to kill me!

He had known Magnus wouldn't accept it if he'd given Odi a kicking when he returned at Christmas. Caius hadn't even dared a sly punch in the kid's direction. But he thought, somehow in that twisted psyche of his, that giving Odi a kicking in training would fly under the radar. Yes, he may have taken things a little far, and he probably shouldn't have involved Carlisle in it, too, but he had a right to retribution… didn't he? Readying himself for a battle with the juggernaut, it completely sideswiped Caius when Magnus brought the creator into it.

"Basileus would like to speak to you."

Caius damn near choked on his own venom! "What?!"

"You heard."

"But… but…" Caius cut himself short of asking Magnus to intervene. His pride wouldn't let him.

Turning and looking Caius dead in the eye, Magnus explained, "The creator thinks I'm incapable of moderating your behaviour, so he wishes to speak to you directly." Aye, theres the real regret, Magnus thought to himself. But only now you know you've got it coming. Gutless brat. "I've had my round of fucks off him already," he added, just so Caius knew he was on his own in facing Basileus - it had been his request that Magnus didn't involve himself.

Clapping his hands on his thighs with a resounding bang to make Caius flinched, Magnus stood and flashed to the door. "Off you go," he said, holding it wide open.

Caius didn't hurry to oblige at first. Magnus clearing his throat saw him hastening his step.

"Will you…" Caius stuttered to a stop. "Listen, I'm sorry about what I did to Odi," he said, levelling with the guy. "I took things too far, and I'm sorry."

"And you will say that to Odi?" Magnus asked. He wasn't giving up his position too easily.

Caius glared at his feet for a moment before he could meet Magnus' eye with more restraint. "Yes," he agreed. I'll apologise to the little bastard if that's what it takes. "Will you come with me to face Basileus?"

Even though Basileus had expressly told him not to attend, and even though he was very angry with Caius, Magnus wouldn't leave him to the creator's mercies. I'm going to get another round of fucks for this, he thought bitterly.

"Aye," he agreed. "I'll come." He shoved Caius out the door ahead of himself and started walking them to the back of the castle.

Caius had expected to go to the west tower, but Magnus was leading them in the opposite direction. This isn't good. "Where are we coming?" That didn't sound right! "I mean going. Where are we going." Fuck.

Magnus didn't comment on it, but he quite liked that Caius' anxiety was rising as they walked. "The training grounds," he said, leading them outside.

Proper fuck.

"Ah, Caius!" Basileus boomed across the grounds causing the whole coven to turn in his direction.

And it really was the whole coven from what Caius could make out. All the guards, at least, and Basileus' household. He couldn't see Freyr and deliberated over whether that was a good thing or not. He hadn't stopped to think about Freyr when he was bringing harm to her son that morning. Spiteful retribution had been his only thoughts, then.

Aro, who complained long and loud about the intensity of his royal duties, had somehow cleared space in his day to join the throngs of ill-wishers. Caius caught his eye for a moment and was taken aback to see the stern expression on his co master's face. It's not like you have much time for Carlisle, let alone Odi, Caius huffily said to himself. Why be so pissy about this?! We've both used training to right wrongs, you aren't morally superior to me.

Truthfully, Aro was only there to grab a break from the joys of his home life. Felix had been his cocky, gobby self that morning and he'd already put the boy over his knee for it. Flexing his right hand, he could still feel the sting in his palm. This is why I use a belt, he reminded himself.

"Quick as you like, Caius," Basileus called out seeing the coven master taking his sweet-ass time.

He made a show of shedding his dress coat, quickly followed by his shirt. What little sun existed in the gloomy January day bounced off Basileus' skin and dazzled the crowd. He truly looked the God of legend as he waited for Caius.

Fuck. Caius dropped his head as he walked along beside Magnus. I am going to die, he thought. No, not die… but it's amazing what a vampire can live through.

Reaching the crowd, Magnus gave Caius a shove towards the creator and took a seat on the grass beside his son.

"How are you doing," he asked, nudging the kid gently with his elbow.

"Fine," Odi grunted in reply. "No thanks to you."

Magnus wasn't sure what he meant by that. "What have I done this time?" he asked, sounding tired. Odi's ire had been directed at him since Halloween, and Magnus could feel he would likely lose his cool if it continued much longer.

"You let them all think I'm one of you," Odi explained, jutting his head towards the guards - they guard he wasn't part of. "They were all sticking up for me, I was one of them again, and you and that idiot ruined it all."

Magnus hushed his boy quickly. "Watch your mouth!" he hissed. "That's the creator you're talking about." And he's I'm already in his bad books without you mouthing off.

He's a prick, Odi thought. Just like you. He's an interfering prick and you're a useless one.

Caius chanced a nervous smile at the interfering prick in question once he was close enough.

"My son has told me of the new techniques you were trying to teach him."

Please stop shouting, Caius begged through his mind. Everyone knows what I've done, they can see what I have coming.

If Basileus heard Caius' silent pleas, he ignored them. "I thought I should try them out for size," he continued to boom across the grounds. "So now you can give me a demonstration."

Oh hell, Caius cursed as Basileus started stripping him of his coat and shirt. Caius was an impressive vampire. Like all vampires, his body was ripped and ready for action, frozen forever as the very best version of himself. Just shy of six foot and athletically built - skinny, in Renata's opinion - much of Caius' prowess came from his particular talents on the battle field. He truly was a talented warrior. Being giftless, he had ensured he had skills that other vampires couldn't hope to match.

But his skills wouldn't stand up to the demi Gods, and he wasn't much to look at stood next to Basileus, either. At least a foot taller and twice as broad - Caius shrank in the mans shadow.

"We have quite the audience," Basileus quipped, clapping a heavy hand on the young master's shoulder. "Let's put on a good show."

Basileus had a simple enough plan in mind - have Caius show him the same moves he had used on Carlisle and Odi. That was all. Naturally, Basileus knew every trick in the book, and though Caius gave it his all - because what else could he do under the circumstances? - he went down hard and often.

Magnus kept a keen eye on his guards through proceedings. He told himself it was to keep check off their emotions, and that was partly true. But mostly, he just couldn't bear to see Basileus beating the crap out of Caius.

'You're going too far, my friend', he had called through his mind a few times, only to have Basileus turn a wicked smile on him and reply aloud, "I hope we are all learning lessons today."

Magnus knew what he meant. 'If I'd sorted Caius out your way this never would have happened? Yes, I get it'.

A pain shriek from Caius and a crunch of bone had Magnus spinning around to face the fight. Caius had attempted to get around the back of the creator and, from what Magnus could judge, had tried to get Basileus in a head lock. Rather than manoeuvring out of the hold, Basileus had snapped Caius' arm and thrown him off with such force that Caius continued to roll until he landed at the crowds' feet.

Instinctively, Magnus stood and blocked Basileus' path to Caius. 'That is enough', he though to the creator, praying the man was listening in. 'I get it', he added. 'I'll sort Caius and Odi out, I'll make sure Carlisle isn't involved again'. Magnus didn't know what else to say as the man continued his approach. He realised he would happily promise the earth and make good on that promise if Basileus would agree to leave Caius be.

Basileus came to a halt barely a foot in front of Magnus – uncomfortably close, but he made a better match for the demi God than Caius did.

"This is why I told you not to come out here," he said, loud enough for them to hear him in the cheap seats. "Stand aside."

"I can't do that, my lord."

"Magnus…"

Magnus shook his head and stood firm. You want me to say it, don't you? he thought with a gulp.

"I've decided to take your advice on…" Magnus wasn't sure what to call it? "The situation we were discussing," he went with, hoping that was detailed enough for Basileus without naming and shaming himself and Caius. "You've shown me why I need to push things along. Thank you for that, I'll see it done."

Basileus tilted his head to one side and raised an eyebrow as he assessed his friend. "So long as you do see it done," he said, telling Magnus his time was up on giving Caius time to sort his head out. "I'm not having… the situation causing a disturbance in my coven."

"Of course, my lord," Magnus replied, relieved to see Basileus backing away to collect his discarded clothing. Now all I need to do is get Caius to forgive Odi and make a family out of this misery. He wasn't sure how he would manage it, but manage it, he would.

Looking first to Caius, still lying on the floor in a bloodied heap, and then to his dumbstruck guard, Magnus knew he had to get things moving. He didn't want the guards watching when Caius dragged his ass back to the castle, so dismissing them was top priority.

"I know you all have better things to do," he called over, his voice carrying across the crowd in much the way the creator's had. "And if you don't, I can start assigning you better things to do."

One and all scattered!

Aro and Carlisle came to join Magnus and Odi, all looking down at the sorry state Caius was in. The man made no effort to move and certainly none to stand. Lying flat on his back, four faces towered over him.

"That'll teach you, brother," Aro said, full of smiles.

After the way the coven king had looked at him on his arrival, Caius was glad to see the return of those smiles. "Are we alright, Aro?"

"After that, we are," Aro told him, nudging his busted arm with the toe of his boot. "But don't pick on my little brother again," he warned, adding with a wink, "That's my job."

He had been annoyed hearing of Caius' behaviour, but it wasn't entirely unexpected for the coven king. Aro had privately expressed his concerns to his father regarding Caius' mental state. He didn't quite understand the whole business of Odi and Dora or why it was such a problem for Caius, but Aro did understand his co master.

"He's bottling it up, Dad," Aro had told his father. "Caius will end up exploding – that's what Caius does."

Aro was trying to circumvent Caius creating a disaster of some kind and he needed his father's help in controlling the most volatile of their coven members. It infuriated him when Basileus refused to be involved.

Basileus hadn't disagreed with his son on that point. What he had disagreed with was how involved he should be on a personal level. It wasn't Basileus' place anymore, he felt, and he didn't want to step on Magnus' toes with the young coven master. What he really wanted was for Magnus to take a big step forward, perhaps bang Caius and Odi's heads together and force them into a happily ever after family situation.

As Aro knew nothing of Magnus' relationship with Caius, Basileus couldn't explain that he would be pushing the juggernaut to control Caius' temper tantrums.

For Basileus, Caius' disastrous training session couldn't have come at a better time. It had given Basileus the opportunity to show Aro that he was taking an interest in Caius' affairs, and at the same time forced Magnus into agreeing to a different style of management. Lose-lose for Magnus, lose-lose for Caius, lose-lose for Odi. But win-win for Basileus, so he was happy, and as the egotistical ass believed his way forward was the only way forward, he was sure as could be that everyone involved would be happier with Magnus taking a firmer stand. They would even thank him for it, in time. Oh, the ego!

Aro and Carlisle left together with the latter telling his big brother what a knob he was.

Once they were out of the way, Magnus bent at the waist, took hold of Caius' good arm and pulled the guy to his feet. "Anything you would like to say?" he asked, eyes flicking to Odi and back again.

"Now?!" Caius spat. "After what I've just suffered?"

Magnus dragged a hand through his hair and shook his head. "Where have all your promises gone?" He hoped reminding Caius of his words pre-Basileus might help push the man into action. "I'm waiting!" he barked when Caius remained mute.

"Fuck off."

It was quiet, so quiet. But Magnus heard him. He flexed his grip around Caius' good arm until Caius wondered if that one would snap, too.

"I didn't catch that?" the juggernaut ground out. "I thought I heard you offering your apologies, but I think you'll have to say it again."

"Odi…" Caius stalled. He felt like a cunt. None of it was Odi's fault, none of it. But Caius was hurt, and he had been turning hurt into anger for longer than he cared to remember. He hissed when Magnus added a twist to his overly firm grip. "My apologies for, you know."

Odi bobbed his head once. "Yeah, thanks." To be fair to them all, Caius' weak ass apology was more than anyone expected to hear.

"Home," Magnus said, heading in the direction of the castle.

Odi followed close behind his father, walking side by side with Caius. Despite the burning in his side from his broken rib cage repairing, he felt on top of the world! He actually apologised to me, he thought, risking a look at the coven leader. Caius wore quite the scowl, but Odi chose to believe it was from the pain. We're going to get back to normal, he thought. The good-natured soul even wondered that if Caius was on his side again, he could perhaps find a place in with the elite after all. He would rather things were different, and he had a place in the guard and at the elite table, but that ship had sailed long ago. Before Caius had apologised, Odi had nothing, no options, either. Now he had an option. A whole option! He wouldn't need the guards who didn't want him anyway. Fuck them! I don't want to be one of them, either.

When they trouped into the north tower hallway, Magnus called inside Caius' suite to tell Dora to meet them upstairs with bandages and directed Caius up. He only agreed because he lacked the energy to argue.

Once inside, Odi bounced about like a puppy waiting to be offered a treat. This is it, he thought. Dad will do one of his moralistic lectures, me and Caius will be back on good terms and all the unpleasantness will be put behind us. And I can tell the guards to get fucked with teasing me. Afton and Alexander are going to have a shock. I can get my friends back, too! Odi realised. I'll be an inbetweener again…

"Did you hear me, son?" Magnus asked.

Odi looked back blankly. He hadn't heard a word his father had said what with being so wrapped up in his plans for the future.

"Go to bed and drink the blood Basileus gave you," Magnus repeated. "We'll be here when you wake up."

Oh. Well, that was a bit deflating for the kid, but Odi smiled and headed to his bedchamber anyway, assuming his father just wanted him to be fully repaired so he could enjoy the repatriation of his family.

Once the brat was out of the way, Caius pulled out a chair at the table and carefully lowered himself down. He was as certain as could be that he'd broken his hip. Basileus broke my hip, he corrected himself.

Dora soon arrived armed with supplies to set Caius' arm straight to aid healing. With a feed or two he would heal quickly, so it was important to get the bones lined up before that could happen. Caius barely said two words to the woman.

Magnus explained what had happened that day - the training that had gone too far and Basileus' attempt at rectifying the situation. Dora read between the lines to work out what a vindictive bastard her mate had been. 'Pathetic', she told him. 'Absolutely pathetic'.

"Why am I vindictive for wanting to right some wrongs?" Caius had asked. "Basileus did the same thing, but that's okay. No one thought to stop him and tell him he was being vindictive."

"I did stop him, Caius," Magnus reminded the man.

"Whilst we're talking about it," Caius continued. Dora had finished with his arm, so he headed to the longest sofa Magnus owned and lay himself out on his front, hissing and gasping as he did so. "How did you call him off?"

"I assume you heard," Magnus replied, ladling three goblets of bloodwine from the simmering pot above the fire place. "Basileus has demonstrated why I need to push things along, and I have agreed to do it."

"You're talking in riddles," Caius huffed, reaching for the bloodwine Magnus offered. "What things? What pushing? What agreement?" he paused for long enough to greedily gulp down the bloodwine and passed back an empty goblet. "What situation were you talking about?"

Dora coked her head and looked at her mate, wondering if Basileus had in fact knocked common sense out of him. "You're the situation, love," she told him. "Well, you and Odi. Basileus wants Magnus to take a firmer stance with you and the animosity you are causing, and Magnus has finally agreed to do it.

"Finally, huh?" Magnus replied with a sly grin. "You're spending too much time with Freyr."

Dora offered him her own sly smile in return.

Caius found nothing to amuse him, however. He had listened with slack jawed horror! "What?!" he finally snapped, coming to his senses. "He wants you to do what?"

Magnus turned his back on Caius and focused on the bloodwine cauldron, stirring the contents and ladling two fresh cups - as, like Caius, he had downed his own.

"Basileus wants me to get you and Odi on track."

"Or else what?" Caius asked. "Or else what?!"

"Or else…" Magnus wasn't entirely sure, actually. Basileus hadn't stated an 'or else what', but Magnus had an outcome in the back of his mind should he fail the task at hand. "Or else, I guess, I lose you."

"You'll turn your back on me if I don't roll over on this shit with Odi and my wife?" Caius asked. "Is that it?"

Seeing Magnus was hurting, Dora explained what she thought she knew. "No, love," she said gently. "If you won't allow yourself to be guided by Magnus, you will have to fall under Basileus, again."

"Fuck that!" Caius huffed and puffed. He would have liked to do some pacing about, but his hip hurt too much. "Basileus can get fucked if he thinks that's happening."

Magnus felt a glimmer of hope that maybe Caius would be agreeable to playing nicely with others if he wanted to avoid becoming Basileus' victim.

Caius attempted to roll over onto his side, but the shooting pains in his hip soon forced him back onto his front. "This is all Odi's fault," he muttered. It was mainly said to himself, but he wasn't hiding his complaints from anyone.

Dora and Magnus rolled their eyes to one another, the former tiredly replying to her mate, "Oh, just let it go." Not waiting for a reply, no sooner had she spoke, she had left, leaving the door swinging on its hinges in her wake.

Magnus sighed and closed the door before turning back to Caius. "You've had a kicking because you gave one to Carlisle and Odi," he explained. "It's your fault."

"I only gave Odi a kicking because he deserved one. Carlisle's his bosom buddy, so he deserved it, too."

"If you conducted your marriage in a normal way this situation would never have occurred in the first place." Magnus hadn't fully intended on saying that out loud, but once it was said, it was said.

"Normal?!" Caius parroted back. "You aren't morally superior, Magnus. You are deluded and conformist."

Here we go again. Magnus retook his seat and rested his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. "Odi is my son, Caius." That was the long and short of it for Magnus. Whatever the kid had done, Odi was his son, and he needed Caius to find a way to get passed the bitterness and let it go.

"I am aware of that. It's the only reason he's still breathing." Caius turned his face into the sofa and mumbled, "It's also why it hurt so fucking much."

Magnus caught the mumbled words. Kids never grow up, he thought looking at the back of Caius' head. He remembered well his human children frequently pushing him to the brink, and just before he could send them out to cut a switch, they would do something; say something to redeem themselves, or imbued pity, or understanding. It was always in those last few minutes which decided between their father's eruption or his restraint that they pulled the 'little boy lost' card. Magnus could hear how hurt Caius was by Odi's betrayal, as he saw it. He could feel that Caius was truly suffering it still.

They stayed that way until Odi woke from his rest.

Odi walked right passed his father's chair and headed for Caius, tapping the guy on the shoulder. "I saved you some of Basileus' blood, if you want it?"

Caius soon snatched the tankard from the kid's hand, guzzling down the half that was left and hoping it went straight to healing his hip. It made him dizzy for a moment, but he soon shook it off. Caius' tolerance for such things ran high with his years on dungeon blood.

Going to his boy, Magnus pulled Odi's shirt up high to get a look at his ribs. Pressing lightly, Magnus could tell they were already on the way to being healed thanks to the creator's blood offering, but some bruising remained. You could have done with drinking all the blood, he thought, though he felt proud of Odi's peace making gesture.

"That was nice of him, wasn't it, Caius?" Magnus prompted.

"Huh?" Caius wiped the back of his hand across his mouth - supping blood whilst lying down was messy. "Oh," he said, looking back at Odi, all smiles for the coven master. "I suppose so."

Magnus cleared his throat and Caius immediately corrected himself - Magnus hated supposing! "Yes," he said. "It was nice of him."

"Then you will want to thank him."

Caius rolled his eyes at the juggernaut but slipped out a quiet thank you in Odi's direction.

"What hurt more, I wonder," Magnus posed, chucking. "Basileus giving you the kicking you gave Odi and Carlisle, or saying thank you?"

"Fuck off," Caius muttered. "You're not funny."

"That's the second time you have told me to fuck off today," Magnus took hold of Caius' head by his hair and gave a short tug to have the man give him eye contact. "Make it a third and I'll be washing your mouth out, boy."

Having never had his mouth washed out, and not wishing to start that day, Caius grumbled an apology of sorts. And then he noticed Odi's quiet smile. "What the fuck are you smirking at?!"

"Huh?!" Odi really was pleased to get his life back on track, to have place and purpose again. He wouldn't have ruined the moment by taking the piss out of Caius. "Nothing, I wasn't," he insisted. "I was just thinking… it doesn't matter."

"Go on," Caius dared him. "What did you think?" he asked, resting up on his arms, still laid out on his front but struggling less now Basileus' blood was doing its job. "Did you think that slate had been wiped clean, or something? No chance. I'm old, not senile. I won't forgive you until I can forget what you did, you traitorous little snake."

Magnus' heart broke for his boy when he saw Odi's shoulders had dropped, as had his bottom lip.

"Do you want me to deliver you to Basileus?" he asked, getting to his feet and towering over Caius. "Because that's your other option."

Caius shrank a little being reminded of the creator.

Basileus? Basileus is the other option? Odi rolled the words over in his mind. "Hang on," Odi pushed his father back a step. "You won't do anything about the way he's treating me, but Basileus will?"

It was a question Odi wanted answering. Magnus hadn't stood up for him with Caius giving him the silent treatment. He hadn't stood up for him when Caius had kicked his rib cage in. And now he wasn't going to stand up for him with Caius treating him like dirt in his own home.

"Magnus agrees with me on your immoral behaviour, Odi."

Magnus' eyebrows shot up his forehead. "I never said that…"

"You said it was immoral to sleep around." Caius was extrapolating, somewhat, but it wasn't far from the truth and certainly fell within Magnus' moral stand point on such matters. "Is that not what he was doing when he bedded my mate in my own home?"

Magnus and Caius started arguing back and forth, neither noticing Odi as the kid's future plans crashed around his ears. He'd only been out of the room an hour and in that time the family life he thought he would be waking to had dissolved. No, it hasn't dissolved, it never was anything in the first place. I don't belong here, and I don't belong in the guard…

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He felt naive, and stupid and like he'd been played for a fool by Caius and his father. His father… Magnus was the worst one of the lot. He made big claims to love him, to want to help him, to want him to be happy, but what did he do in the face of his son's unhappiness? Side with the instigator of his misery!

One minute, Odi was listening to the row between Magnus and Caius, the next, in a moment of pure pent up frustration, he was aiming his fist squarely at his father's head! It was a good one, too! Having not been expecting such an attack from his otherwise affable son, Magnus had no time to prepare before his boy's fist made contact and split his lip in two.

For a moment, nobody said anything. The only noise between the three of them came from the drops of blood that dripped from Magnus' lip before it healed over.

Odi's eyes switched between Magnus - who looked bewildered - to Caius - who seemed to be enjoying the kid's squirming. He wasn't sure what to do next. Should I hit him again? he wondered, not really wanting to. But what else?

"Son…"

Oh God, he's going to kill me!

JANUARY 3RD

"So?" Dora pushed, waiting for more details from Odi.

He had told her of his frustrations, his annoyance that bubbled to anger, and his swing at his father. But the kid seemed to be sitting easily enough in her chambers, which she found odd under the circumstances.

"So… nothing." Odi scrubbed his damp hands back and forth on his britches. Even thinking about his behaviour induced a sweat. "I punched him in the face and then jumped out an open window."

"Are you crazy?!"

"It's only two stories," he shrugged. "And it was more of a scramble down the wall than a jump." With a nervous smile, he admitted, "I've been hiding since yesterday, so I haven't seen my Dad. Or my Mom."

The idea of facing Freyr made the boy's stomach twist into a knot. Freyr had a way of making him feel wretched without raising a voice or a hand to him - she always had. Not to say that his mother never raised a voice or a hand to him, of course, merely that she didn't have to.

"I think you should talk to Magnus."

"Are you crazy?" Odi shot back, in much the way Dora had only moments before.

"Whats the worst that could happen?"

He could knock me into next week, Odi thought. Obviously. There was something else he feared, actually. Magnus had made a long-standing promise to his sons in their human life that if any of them ever laid a finger on Freyr, they would suffer the buckle end of his belt in return. It had sent a shiver through his soul the first time Magnus had warned him, and every time thereafter. Would that include laying a finger on him, though, Odi wondered. Deciding that he'd rather never find out, he planned to hide for the rest of his life, or at least until Magnus took a bump to the head and lost his memory. Can that happen to vampires?

"Out." Caius hadn't even closed the door behind him as he'd entered his suite, leaving it open for the kid to use - preferably with some haste.

"Caius," Dora sighed. "He's only just arrived."

"I have no issue with you seeing him, I have no issue with him being here. But I'm not sharing the same air as him."

That wasn't entirely true. Caius had quite a few issues with all the above. After Odi, gripped by fear, had flew out the window the day before, Magnus had forced some concessions out of Caius for them to move forward. Caius refused to budge at first, but Magnus peppered his drawn-out requests with the creator's name and the younger master came around to his terms.

"I'm not being nice to Odi," Caius had said. "But I'll stop seeking him out to be nasty to him."

"You could always hold your breath, love?" Dora helpfully suggested.

Caius threw his mate a withering look and opened the door a little wider. "Out!" he snapped again at Odi.

Hurrying a good bye to Dora, Odi scooted, wincing when the door hit him in the ass as Caius slammed it shut.

"He didn't know it would hurt you." Dora crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Caius' waist, resting her head on his chest. "I didn't know, either," she whispered. "If I'd known how you felt about him I never would have…"

Caius shoved her back sharply. "Don't." He couldn't stand to hear what she was about to say. "My imagination is more than adequate, thanks."

Like everyone else in the coven, Dora found herself losing patience with her man. "Even eternal life is too short to hold a grudge."

"That's interesting." Caius rubbed his chin in mock consideration. "Because I was just thinking life's too short to let people get away with pissing me off."

Dora balled her hands into fists and squealed, stamping one foot to the floor. If it wasn't for knowing how Magnus and Freyr felt about their domestic violence, she would have put her mate through a wall… or at least given it a good go. Instead, she left, running straight into Freyr and Odi in the hall.

Seeing the young woman looking frazzled, Freyr gave her boy a kiss on his cheek and encouraged him out of the hall way. "Now, Odi," she said, sending him to the guard hall to find Magnus. Focusing on Dora, she asked, "Whats the matter?"

"That bloody man!" Dora explained pounding her fist against her front door. "Self-righteous, stubborn, vindictive and utterly unforgiving."

"We know this," Freyr said, adding with a smile, "But I'm sure he has some shortcomings, too." After satisfying herself that Dora's hand was okay (because it was quite the thump she had given the door) Freyr sent her on to the guard hall, too. Its time I talked to Caius.

Odi had been avoiding his mother after punching his father, but Caius had been avoiding the woman since New Year's Eve. Freyr hadn't appreciated the young master's attitude towards her boy at the coven party and Caius knew exactly what her opinion of more recent events would be. However, despite all the jokes about Freyr having her mate's balls on a shelf, she rarely went against Magnus' stance on things, so Caius thought he would be alright if he kept out of her way…. And then she walked through his front door.

They locked eyes when she entered his chambers and Caius shrivelled up inside. Ah fuck! His luck had run out.

"I know you are hurting, still." Freyr approached, never once breaking her eye contact. Caius wanted to look away, but he wouldn't disrespect her like that. "I understand where that pain is coming from…"

"You think you know," Caius told her with an angry snort.

Freyr sighed and shook her head. "Oh really? I think you're upset because you had started to see Odi as your brother. So, when you found out about him and Dora, it reminded you of Helios and how you murdered him."

Caius turned away. "Please, stop."

She didn't, of course. "And you see it that Odi betrayed you, somehow, in the way Helios did, even though he had no idea how you felt because, let's face it, you would rather chop off your own hands than let anyone think you have feelings. In fact, you'd rather pretend even to yourself that you don't have feelings. Aside from anger, of course, which is much more palatable to you than being upset."

With the slightest of smiles, Caius looked to the shield maiden and shrugged, conveying that she did indeed know exactly where his pain was coming from.

Freyr ran a hand down Caius cheek and he found himself leaning into her touch.

"I'm loyal to you…"

Caius tutted and pulled away, though quickly cursed himself for doing so. He knew damn well that Freyr was loyal to him, but he was still upset, and therefore, as she had already worked out, behaving objectionably to everything.

"I am," Freyr insisted. "But I have my limits. I will not stand by and watch as you torment my son." She knew where his mind would be heading, what conclusions that broken psyche of his would be making and quickly set Caius' fears to rest. "I'm not saying I would turn on you, Caius. I would never do that. But I will go to great lengths to make your life very uncomfortable."

Caius sucked in the air around him. He hadn't even realised he was holding his breath until Freyr assured him she wouldn't turn her back on him. He knew he didn't deserve her love, but as ever, he was grateful for it.

"If you aren't ready to build a bridge with Odi, that's fine. But you will not start picking on him again." Freyr pulled on Caius' collar and looked softly into his eyes. "Do we understand each other?" she asked.

Nodding, Caius replied, "Yes, my lady."

Done with Caius, Freyr thoughts went straight to her baby boy.

Odi went along to the guard hall as his mother had instructed, but he found himself unable to go in. His father seemed annoyed about something, and judging by the look on Alex's face, that something was him. Brilliant, Odi thought, scowling at the brawler of the coven. You piss him off right before he gets his hands on me.

Magnus must have felt his boy's eyes on him, because the next thing Odi knew, his father was heading his way.

"You're still alive, then?" he whispered, placing a hand on Odi's shoulder, leading his boy to his desk in the master's office. Magnus took his seat and started fishing through the pile of papers on his desk.

Odi continued his awkward hovering, he had simply moved place. "For now, I guess," he muttered, feeling the end was nigh.

"For now, huh?" Magnus chuckled. "Are you going to try jumping from the roof next?"

Odi tutted back, annoyed by his father's attempts to joke with him. "No, sir," he spat. His earlier trepidation already being replaced by indignation.

Feeling he was doing well to hold on to his cool, Magnus didn't appreciate his boy's abrasion one little bit. "Sit down," he ordered, pushing out the chair opposite by his foot under the desk.

Odi flopped into the seat but said nothing. He couldn't even meet his father's eye - something else Magnus didn't appreciate under the circumstance. He clicked his fingers and then pointed to his own eyes. Odi knew the score - give me eye contact, or else.

"Anything you'd like to say to me?"

Odi swallowed down the venom pooling in his mouth, the trepidation coming back in force. He had just enough petulance left to give his father a shrug and reply with, "Sorry?"

"Sounds like it," Magnus scoffed, shaking his head and signing his name to one of the many scrolls requiring his attention.

"Have you told anyone, Dad?"

"Have I told anyone, what?"

"About…" You know what, Odi thought in annoyance. "About what I did."

"About you taking a swing at me?" Magnus asked. "No, son. I haven't told anyone. Not even Mom, I just told her that I needed to speak to you. There's nothing to tell and no one needs to know."

What does that mean? Odi wondered. Nothing to tell? Like I didn't do anything, or you don't care that I punched you? Or you don't care that it was me punching you? Odi's questioned barrelled through his mind growing ever more confused as they travelled.

Magnus went back to his paper work for a moment, and then called a guard through from the hall by hammering on the wooden divide between the two rooms. Bard appeared within a blink of an eye. Magnus handed over a selection of scrolls with some questions for Sulpicia and sent him off.

"I'm not spending enough time with you," he said, getting back to Odi. Magnus gestured to the pile of work on his desk and added, "I'm a little busy right now, but we will change that soon, okay?"

Whatever, the kid shrugged back, keeping his thoughts to himself.

The shrugging was annoying Magnus - Odi knew damn well he didn't like it. He's nervous, that's all, Magnus told himself. It was fortunate for Odi that his father was an empath and knew the real feelings behind his petulant expression.

"I want you to check in at home more," he added, suggesting, "A few times a day?" Another shrug from his boy that saw Magnus tap the kid with his foot. "You aren't sleeping enough, and I don't think that's helping things."

Odi's scowl became murderous for a moment and he spun about in his seat, checking whether anyone could have heard his father's words. "I don't sleep," he hissed, once he was sure no one was about.

"Odi…"

"Is that it, then?" Odi shot out before Magnus could go on. "I punch you in the face and you want me to check in at home more?"

"You didn't do any damage, I know you didn't mean it…"

Odi jumped in again. "Didn't I?"

Magnus took his boy's anger and levelled him with stern expression. Sitting back in his chair, he crossed his arms and glared. "Would you like to make more of it?" he asked, daring the kid to let his emotions get the better of him. "I wouldn't recommend you try it again."

Magnus was trying to be kind. He knew Odi was having a tough time with Caius and in the guard. He was a lost little soul in the coven and Magnus wanted nothing more than to run around the castle smashing each and every fucker who sought to cause his boy grief. But he had lived long enough to know that such measures would make things immeasurably worse for Odi in the long run. The boy needed to find his own way and Magnus needed to let him do it. He couldn't help Odi in the way he wanted to, so he was doing his best to help the boy in other ways - by giving him a break where he could.

So yes, Odi had punched him in the face, but Magnus knew he was stressed out with Caius blowing hot and cold on him. Let it go, he had told himself. Let it go and make sure no one finds out about it even happening. Those he wanted to keep it from, primarily, were Basileus and Freyr - both of whom objected to his gentle approach in such matters.

Sadly, Odi completely misread his father's attempted kindness. He simply saw it as more proof that Magnus was rejecting him. Odi knew he didn't fit with the guards - Caius' fault. And he knew he didn't really fit with the elite, either - at least partially Caius' fault. But now he didn't even fit with his own parents - definitely Caius' fault! And now you can't even be bothered to whip me anymore, huh? That's how little I mean to you? Well fuck you! The thoughts of an utterly rejected kid.

"Are we done?" he asked sharply, scraping his chair back against the floor as he hurried to stand.

Magnus toyed for a moment with telling the kid straight. No, we are not done you cocky little brat and we won't be done until I have hauled your ass home and… but he didn't. Sticking to his plan of ignore the bad, praise the good, Magnus smiled sadly and nodded. "If you're going in there," he said, pointing to the guard hall. "Put your drinks on my tab. It's not fair on Turk and I'm not having it look like I don't provide for you."

Over my dead body, Odi said to himself, stalking into the guard hall. A pin dropping to the floor would have deafened the kid as he stood in the door way - every single guard in attendance had left their idle chatter to turn and stare at Odi. Brilliant, he thought, looking down so he wouldn't have to make contact with their questioning eyes.

Before he had the chance to move further into the room, and ideally head to Renata and Carlisle, Caius swept passed him and took his place at the 'inbetweeners' table. Odi watched dumbfounded as Caius bought Carlisle a drink, a peace offering, it seemed and one for Renata, too.

The guards slowly started their twattling again, gossiping frivolously about things beyond their business. Odi knew damn well he was the subject, though. And the longer he stood there, the worse it got. Just as the tears threatened to spill over his eyes, he felt a sharp kick in the shins, which came as a welcomed distraction.

"Join us," Irina said, nodding at the free chair by her sister. "We can be outcasts together."

Odi wavered on the spot for a moment. The choice was standing in the middle of the hall completely alone, watching his friends continue without him like nothing had happened, or, sitting with Irina. Kate's alright, he shrugged, consoling himself and taking the chair.

Kate did her best to engage Odi in conversation at first, but it soon became clear that the guard master's son was fighting back tears. He couldn't hope to answer her gentle questions without opening the floodgates, so Kate left him be.

Odi listened at the sisters chatted instead, though he couldn't tell you what either of them said. He didn't know whether he was coming or going - a few months before Caius had been his friend, kind of. A friend who was too quick to ridicule him at times but a friend none the less. Odi enjoyed his company and he had felt welcome in the master's chambers most of the time. How have I gone from that to this?!

A glance towards the inbetweeners table saw Odi catching a curious look from Caius. How have I pissed him off now? Odi wondered. He soon shrugged the questions away. He wouldn't get an answer anyway so what was the point in wondering? Something else was taking over Odi's senses… blood.

Vampires, as a rule of thumb, need a full body of blood every month to be sated. Since most of the Volturi coven survived on bloodwine in more recent years, that worked out to around a goblet of bloodwine a day. Odi hadn't had that for a while. He hadn't drunk more than a sip since New Year, (other than the creator's offering, of course, but Basileus' blood hadn't filled him up - it had fixed his damaged body instead).

He looked at the empty goblets in front of the Denali sisters and cursed. There was no way on earth that Odi would put a drink on Magnus' tab. No fucking way. He only told me to do it to make himself look good, anyway. Still providing for the urchin he got lumbered with. What a marvellous man. Fucker. Turk will shout me a drink. Odi felt bad about putting more pressure on his best mate for feeding him, but he didn't have any other options. He didn't really fancy braving the bar, though. Not with the inbetweeners - the new inbetweeners which didn't include him, or Irina - sitting so close to the damn thing.

Brain wave! I can send one of you, he thought, looking at the girls. "Have you two had your drinks for today?"

"Oh!" Irina exclaimed. "He speaks?!"

Kate rolled her eyes at his sister's sarcasm and answered Odi properly, "We've both had two," she explained. "El won't let us put more than that on the tab."

Damn it. Odi bobbed his head and summoned his courage to brave the bar himself. Concentrate on Turk, he told himself. Forget everyone else.

"Do you think you could…" Odi hoped Turk would get the rest of his request without him having to actually ask.

"I can't," Turk whispered back over the bar. "Magnus said I can't buy you a drink. You have to put them on his tab."

"He said what?!" Odi winced and flexed his hands quickly - he hadn't realised he had clenched his fists until his nails pierced his palms. "This is just a power trip for him -" the 'him' being his father "- he's trying to show me who's boss."

"Surely he is boss?" Afton questioned, nudging Alex at his side knowing they could wind the kid up a little.

Alex had received one verbal warning that day, and he knew he wouldn't get another without a taste of Magnus' belt, so he kept himself quiet, laughing along with Afton.

Odi tutted. "Like fuck is he."

"If you're a guard, he's your boss," Afton pointed out, knowing that Odi wasn't a guard. Only in your imagination, he thought to the kid. But still, he knew how much Odi wanted to be considered one of their number – that's what made playing with him so much fun!

"Make your mind up, Odi," Alex whispered, then walked away from the bar with his buddy, both chuckling.

"Serve him."

Odi spun around coming face to face with the voice - Caius. Crap.

"Serve him and put it on my tab."

"I don't want a drink from you, I'm not a scrounger."

Despite Odi's assertions, he was a scrounger and Turk, being the barman, knew how little blood Odi had drank recently so he served the drink. Not even a goblet, a full tankard.

"I said I didn't want it," Odi hissed at his buddy.

Turk shrugged. "He's a coven master - I have to do as he says." As he spoke, he willed Odi with his eyes to just take the drink, if only to save him some grief from Caius. Grudgingly, Odi collected the tankard from the bar.

Caius gave a curt nod, and Odi thought he was free to return to the Denali girls… not quite. Caius had something to ask before he could get away.

"What are you playing at hanging around with Irina after what she did?"

Odi hadn't expected such a question and answered with one of his own. "Why would you care who I hang around with?"

Of course I care, idiot. Caius didn't say it, though - far too much like 'wearing his heart' on his sleeve and Caius was more of a 'keep your heart in an iron safe' kind of guy. "She's going to drag you into trouble, Odi." It wasn't a lie, it just wasn't his main concern. You're too nice to be hanging around with that bitch unchaperoned. She will eat you alive.

"Again, why would you care?" Odi asked. "Why would anyone care?"

Sulking brat. (How ironic, Caius?!) "Grow up," he sneered, again, missing the irony.

"Are you going to invite me to join you?" Odi posed, gesturing to the many seats at Caius' table. My fucking table where I sat with my friends and now I'm on the outcast table because you have taken my place.

Caius failed to answer, naturally. Perhaps if the guard hall had been completely empty, he may have allowed Odi to sit with him… in silence. Not exactly the friendly relationship Odi was after.

"Thought not," Odi shrugged, turning to leave.

Caius pulled him back and a gasp spread through the hall. He hadn't been rough with the kid, but after training the day before the whole Caius/Odi dynamic was under scrutiny. Caius pulled his hand back sharpish.

"Just watch yourself with that girl," he whispered. "She's poison."

"So are you," Odi reminded him and fled to the outcast table. Before he sat down, he made a grand show of emptying his fresh tankard into the girls' goblets.

"Don't you want it?" Kate asked before taking her cup.

"I don't want a drink off him." Odi looked back over his shoulder to see Caius shaking his head at the kid's petulance. "He's a complete cunt."

Irina took a good swig of her bloodwine and was pleased to find Turk had served Odi the good stuff, not the kids' stuff she was forced to drink. "Nah, Caius is only a useless cunt. He doesn't have the depth or capacity to give pleasure."

And just like that, the last year of trouble washed away and Odi suddenly really liked Irina!