Chapter 4: Grim News

Two days later, they packed their bags and descended the stairs into the inn's common room.

"You're leaving now?" The greasy innkeeper asked, small eyes widening. "It's almost nightfall."

"We're just switching inns," Asbel blurted without thinking. "S-Sorry."

The innkeeper's face contorted into a deep frown, and he spoke no more, watching with narrowed eyes as his ungrateful guests left. Asbel felt guilty about the blow to the innkeeper's pride, but at least it meant he wouldn't gossip about their departure to anyone.

The idea to leave at dusk was a sensible one; traveling at night and sleeping by day meant they had a much smaller chance of being ambushed, especially since Asbel decided he would no longer chase any vampiric aura he happened to detect. It also meant they could cover more ground, without the sun sapping at Richard's strength. Whenever Asbel thought about how far they were from the Order, and how long their journey would take, he felt his stomach twist with anxiety. They had to do everything within their power to arrive as fast as they could.

Now that they were back on the road, Asbel found himself constantly thinking about the vampires they had met that night in the woods. The event was burned in his mind; he remembered the rush of panic when the vampiric aura disappeared, the sheer terror he felt when he found himself facing seven of the monsters. His fears simmered in his head, and one morning at dawn, when they had stopped to rest after a night's walk, Asbel ended up blurting them out to Richard.

They were camping in a forest, sitting next to a fire Asbel had kindled. Their surroundings had reminded Asbel of that night, and before he knew it he was speaking about how afraid he was of the vampires who could hide their auras, how he feared the Order would fail to find a way to counter whatever methods they were using, how the hunters would become useless and humans would lose all means to defend themselves.

When Asbel finished speaking, his eyes stung. He wiped them quickly, muttering something about smoke from the campfire, but as soon as his hand dropped down to his lap, Richard caught it in his own. Gentle, slender fingers wrapped around Asbel's callused palm, warm, warmer than the fire. Asbel knew that couldn't be possible, that Richard's skin was supposed to be cold, yet he felt nothing but warmth from those gloved fingers.

They sat in silence watching the flames dance before their eyes, fingers intertwined. They didn't speak a word, but Asbel felt a strong sense of mutual understanding he had never experienced before.

Richard was his friend. It didn't matter that Asbel had only known him for a short time. It didn't matter that he barely knew anything about Richard's past.

That night, they slept side by side.

Asbel dreamed of a world in which vampires did not exist, in which he was a knight instead of a hunter. Richard was his childhood friend, his closest friend, who smiled and held his hand and told him jokes as they walked through the streets of Barona. The end of the dream was muddled, but he thought Richard had been in his arms, warm and soft and everything Asbel had ever wanted.

He was jerked awake by Richard himself.

"What? What's going on?" Asbel mumbled, dazed. His dream was still vivid in his mind.

"I can feel a hunter approaching," Richard blurted, fingers tightening on Asbel's arm.

Asbel sat up at once, heart almost leaping out of his chest. "What? Where?"

"I'm sorry, I… I cannot tell where the presence is coming from."

Of course. Vampires couldn't detect a hunter's location precisely. Asbel shook his head, willing the sleepiness away. He had to think, even though all he wished was to return to his dream. Finally, he asked, "Can you guess how far they are?"

Richard bit his lip. "I'm not sure. But they seem to be getting closer." He looked into Asbel's eyes, begging for a solution.

Asbel felt panic rise to his chest. If the hunter was close enough for Richard to detect them, it meant they must have detected Richard, and were coming straight for him. Maybe they could try to run… But no, outrunning a hunter would be impossible during the day, when Richard's stamina was weakened. There was only one action they could take.

Asbel stood, fastening his sword to his belt. "We'll wait for the hunter."

Richard's eyes widened. "You want to fight them?"

"What? No!" Fighting one of his companions was unthinkable. Asbel only killed vampires. "I'll explain the situation to them. I'm sure they will understand." Or so he hoped.

Richard hesitated, glancing around before he stood beside Asbel. "And if they don't?"

Asbel hadn't considered that. "I'm sure they will."

It didn't convince Richard. "They might not stop to listen to you, Asbel. What if they don't recognize you, and rush straight into battle?"

"They will recognize me. All the hunters who patrol this region know me."

"Even if they do… they might still try to fight." Richard eyes locked into his own, pleading for some sort of reassurance.

What could Asbel say? That he would fight his own companions, if necessary? Kill them to save Richard? It was an outrageous idea. If the Order ever found out, Asbel wouldn't be forgiven. He'd be stripped of his title and position at best, and executed at worst. Not to mention the guilt of murdering an innocent.

But if it was necessary… for Richard…

He tried not to think of it. "Even if they head straight to battle, I can defend us and get them to listen. Don't worry about it, okay?"

Richard's expression relaxed a little, and he gave a small nod.

Now, there was nothing to do but to wait. Asbel kept his hand resting on his sword hilt, but made sure his posture was relaxed, unthreatening. Richard took a similar stance, but looked far more tense than Asbel. Well, it would have to do.

The minutes dragged on, Asbel's heart pounding in his chest. He tried to think of which hunter it might be, hoping it would be someone calm and reasonable. Convincing them to let Richard go might not be easy, depending on who it was.

Asbel bit his lip. He heard the sound of leaves crunching in the distance, and his very breathing halted, his entire body tensing. His eyes widened in expectation.

A second later, the one they had been waiting for sprung from beyond the trees. His weapon was unsheathed, a double-edged spear, poised to attack— but the moment he laid eyes upon Asbel, he froze.

"Brother?"

Asbel found himself staring into blue eyes not unlike his own. Of everyone… of every single hunter he could've encountered…

"Hubert."

The two hunters stood, frozen, gawking at each other in disbelief. Hubert's grip on his dualblade grew so slack it dropped from his fingers. He gasped, catching it almost a second too late, fumbling for a moment before he pointed it straight towards Asbel. His face was bright red when he finally blurted, "What in the world are you doing here? And that's a vampire standing next to you, for the Order's sake! Kill it!"

Of every single hunter in the world…

Asbel sighed, suppressing the urge to throw his head back in annoyance. In any other situation, he would have been more than happy to encounter his little brother after months spent apart. But right then… he stared at Hubert, who was still shaking his weapon right at Asbel's nose.

Talking this down would be an ordeal.

"He's not dangerous," Asbel finally said, trying his best to keep his voice calm. "I'm taking him to the Order, Hubert."

"Not… dangerous…?" Hubert spoke the words slowly through his gritted teeth. His face was such a deep crimson Asbel was afraid he would explode. "You're speaking as if you've picked up a stray cat and you're taking it home to show Mother. But that's a damned vampire! It eats people!" Hubert's fingers clenched on his weapon. "Kill it, or I will!"

"No!" Asbel moved to stand in front of Richard, drawing his sword. "Listen to me, Hubert. He hasn't drunk human blood in months. He's fought by my side, and if he hadn't been there, I would have died. I'm not gonna let you, or anyone, hurt him!"

Hubert's dualblade was trembling with the tension from his arm, his gaze piercing, brutally cold. Asbel feared Hubert would ignore his words and attack. However, to his surprise, Hubert lowered his weapon. "Explain," he demanded, eyes narrow and hard.

Asbel released the breath he had been holding, and finally, sheathed his sword. Glancing over his shoulder, he found Richard doing the same with his rapier - Asbel had been so nervous he hadn't even noticed Richard had drawn it. When Richard's tense gaze met his own, Asbel tried his best to give him a reassuring smile. Richard returned it, and relaxed a little.

Asbel turned back to Hubert. "I met him in my usual patrol," he began. "His name is R—"

"Ris," Richard cut in.

Asbel glanced at Richard again, confused. Richard looked calm and composed, but Asbel recognized a hint of anxiety in his eyes. So he wanted to hide his real name? Asbel couldn't fathom why, but for now, he had to roll with it. Hubert didn't seem to notice anything strange.

"He's Ris. He was living in an abandoned building, almost completely starved, so I offered him my blood—"

He was cut short again, this time by Hubert's indignant gasp. "You offered your blood? To a vampire? You must be completely insane!"

"I'm alive," Asbel retorted, frowning. "Rich… Ris could've killed me, but he didn't."

"How long ago was that?"

"A little over two weeks."

"I see," Hubert said, crossing his arms. "Has he drunk your blood again since then?"

Asbel's mind flashed back to that night at the inn, and he felt his face grow warm. "Once, yeah."

Hubert's expression hardened. "Has it occurred to you, Brother, that he might be playing you like a fiddle? You know how those creatures love hunters' blood!"

Hubert spoke as if Richard wasn't even there; it bothered Asbel. "You need to stop assuming the worst of people, Hubert."

"And you need to stop being so gullible, Brother," Hubert retorted, narrowing his eyes. "You're the current Wielder of Excalibur. You have a responsibility." His fingers tightened around his dualblade, and Asbel feared he would lunge in to attack. But Hubert held his ground.

Asbel took a deep breath. "Hubert, listen. We met a group of vampires, seven of them." He paused, licking his lips. He didn't want this information to spread before he spoke to the Council, but he could trust his own brother. "Some of them, maybe all, were former Knights of Windor. They could fight as well as you'd expect of a knight, and were armed as well as one, too."

Hubert's eyes widened. For once, he listened in silence.

"If all they wanted to do was to kill me, they would have done it easily. But they wanted to capture Ris. If he hadn't been there, I'd be dead." Asbel paused, taking a deep breath. "From the way they've spoken, they've killed other hunters. They have a way to hide their vampiric auras, but they keep one of them unconcealed, as a way to bait us into going after them."

Hubert went pale. "They can hide their auras?"

"Yes. Neither of us know how, but we're heading to the Order so we can tell the Council everything we know about those vampires. Ris has been taken by them before, so with the information he has, the Council might be able to deduce how they're doing it. We've killed the ones we met, but Ris says there are more."

"More," Hubert muttered under his breath, eyes wide. "Do you realize what this means? There could be vampires slipping right under our noses, preying on the inner cities. There could be vampires in the capital!"

"I know," Asbel muttered, gaze falling. "That's why I'm taking Rich— Ris to the Order, as fast as I can. He's going to help us, Hubert. He's different from other vampires."

For a moment, Hubert was silent. Finally, he split his dualblade in two, and sheathed each part in the scabbards hanging from his belt. "I see. So this explains why you're here rather than patrolling the area you were supposed to."

Asbel raised an eyebrow. "You thought I was on a vacation or something?"

A smile tugged at the corner of Hubert's mouth, but it was gone in a moment, washed away by his usual cold seriousness. "Do you plan on going by land? Or taking a ship along the Foselos river?"

"I'm not sure." Taking a ship would be faster, but boarding with Richard could prove difficult. "I guess I'll decide when we get to Velanik Port."

"You'll have to use your badge," Hubert said. "The ports are packed. Many people are heading to the capital. Times have been grim, with more vampire attacks than ever, and… I don't believe news have reached you yet?"

Asbel's ears perked up. "What news?"

"King Ferdinand is dead."

There was a loud, surprised gasp. Not from Asbel— rather, from Richard. Both hunters turned towards him, finding him with wide eyes and open month. Even under their scrutiny, Richard took a moment to compose himself, setting his jaw firmly and letting his gaze fall to the ground.

For the first time in their encounter, Hubert addressed Richard. "I don't see a reason to be so shocked. His Majesty had been ill for quite a while. His death was expected."

"I wasn't aware he had been ill," Richard murmured, hands trembling slightly. "For how long?"

"Ever since the Crown Prince's disappearance," Hubert said. "People say he went sick with stress for his son."

Richard swallowed. When he next spoke, his voice wavered. "The throne… who is…?"

"Archduke Cedric, of course. He was named regent a couple months ago, when King Ferdinand became bedridden and could no longer perform his kingly duties. Archduke Cedric was already ruler in all but name, and now, the crown is his."

Richard's face went very pale. He looked like he would be sick.

Asbel scuttled next to Richard, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Richard didn't answer. Instead, he addressed Hubert once more, voice trembling, "King Ferdinand's death was so sudden. Does no one suspect the Archduke? Does no one oppose his ascension to the throne?"

Hubert raised an eyebrow, surveying Richard from head to toe, as if weighting him anew. "The King's health has always been fragile. His passing shouldn't be surprising. But yes, there are some who oppose Archduke Cedric taking the throne. They are led by Duke Dalen, and they claim that the Archduke should have remained regent until they find definite proof that the Crown Prince, who is the rightful heir, isn't alive. But they are a minority. Most people agree that the Prince must be dead."

Richard's eyes grew bleak. He spoke no further.

Once Hubert realized the conversation had ended, he turned to Asbel. "Brother, I want to talk with you."

"Okay."

"Alone."

Asbel considered stating that whatever Hubert had to say, Richard could also listen, but he knew that his stubborn younger brother wouldn't budge. "Fine. Ris, can you wait here for a moment?"

Richard nodded, and Asbel walked off with Hubert.

They stopped a few paces away from Asbel's camp, well off Richard's earshot. Hubert glanced around for good measure, then said, "What else do you know about that vampire?"

"I've told you all I know." Well, most of it. "Still suspicious?"

"He's a vampire. How can I not be?" Hubert puffed in annoyance, crossing his arms. "Take care, Brother. He might turn on you when you least expect."

"He's not going to turn on me." Asbel knew arguing with Hubert would be pointless, but he couldn't stand listening to him talking about Richard like that.

"You're too stubborn," Hubert grumbled under his breath.

Asbel tried not to chuckle; it probably ran in the family. "If that's all you wanted to say, I'm going back to him now."

Before Asbel could walk away, Hubert grabbed his arm. "Asbel. Be careful. You have—"

"…A responsibility. I know, Hubert. Do you think I could forget I'm carrying Father's sword?"

"Not only Father's. It belonged to dozens of generations of Wielders. It's the Order's most valuable heirloom, and—"

"Being chosen to wield it is the greatest honor and the heaviest duty. I know."

Hubert scoffed. "Well, then. Don't forget it." He paused, looking at the sky. Then, he spoke, "I'll go back to the Order. There's no point in doing my patrol if there are vampire ambushing lone hunters. I would likely end up as another corpse."

Asbel swallowed. "You mentioned that there have been more vampire attacks on towns. It might be…"

"Because hunters have been dying faster than ever, leaving more vampires roaming free. The Council has been discussing it. Many hunters have been lost over the last couple months, far more than what's usually expected. No one knew why… until now. You're the first who lived to tell the story."

"I see," Asbel muttered, gaze falling. "I wonder what the Order will do. We could send bigger groups on patrol, but that would mean covering a far smaller area…"

"Don't bother worrying about it. This is for the Council to decide. We'll simply carry out whatever plan they choose."

"I know. It's just... hard not to think about it."

Silence fell upon them. The air was heavy with the grimness of the situation.

Hubert exhaled. "I'll head back to the Order ahead of you. I can arrive faster, traveling both during the day and at night, and without having to pause to rest from blood loss." Hubert spoke that last bit with a very sharp tone. "Remember, Brother. Be watchful."

Asbel knew Hubert was referring to his suspicion of Richard, but he pretended it was something else. "You too, Hubert. Take care."

With their goodbyes out of the way, Hubert turned and left without another word. Asbel watched as he disappeared among the trees, feeling a strange hollowness in his chest. As children, he and Hubert had been inseparable, but after they were sent to the Order to undergo hunter training… Asbel shook his head, sighing. There was no point in dwelling on this.

He turned around and walked back to where Richard would be waiting for him.

Asbel found Richard sitting by a tree, shoulders sagged and head down. Asbel walked towards him, and only when he was standing right by his side did Richard raise his head.

"Hey," Asbel said, kneeling next to Richard. "You okay?"

Richard nodded weakly. "Forgive me for worrying you."

Asbel hesitated. "Are you sure? You don't seem too well, Richard."

Richard did not look into Asbel's eyes. "Please don't worry about me. I'm only tired. It's a sunny afternoon, and we've only had a couple hours of sleep…" he trailed off, looking into the distance.

Asbel sat by Richard's side, and for a moment, both were silent. Finally, Asbel mustered the courage to ask the question that had been nagging at the back of his mind. "Why did you lie about your name to Hubert?"

Richard's gaze fell. He opened his mouth, and then closed it again. After a moment, he muttered, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Richard. You can't tell me why?"

Richard muttered another barely audible 'I'm sorry' under his breath.

Asbel bit his lip. He felt a tightness in his chest. "Is 'Richard' your real name?"

Richard's eyes shot up, and finally, he met Asbel's gaze. "It is. I… I wouldn't lie to you, Asbel."

Asbel could tell Richard meant it. It was a comfort; the idea of Richard lying to him about his own name, of all things, pained Asbel. Part of him wanted to insist and ask Richard why he was so crestfallen - it was obvious it wasn't just tiredness - but he didn't want to force Richard to talk about his past against his will. Asbel pushed his questions out of his mind.

"Let's go back to sleep until dusk, then."

When Asbel awoke, Richard was already up, staring wistfully at the darkening sky. Asbel shuffled to a sitting position, reaching out to gently touch Richard's shoulder. Richard hadn't noticed him, so he flinched in surprise, but once he saw it was Asbel, a small smile formed on his lips.

"Have you been up for long?" Asbel asked.

"Only for a bit," Richard replied.

They gathered their belongings, and in a few minutes, were back on the road.

It took them five uneventful days to reach Velanik, the smallest of Windor's port towns, and the only one without a permanent hunter outpost. It was located by the Foselos, a huge river that crossed the kingdom, and a major mean of transportation for those who wanted to travel between the peripheral towns and the inner cities.

Velanik was tiny when compared to the inner cities, but large among peripheral towns. On their way to the docks, Asbel and Richard passed by a number of shops, inns, and even a market being set up in the main square. The early morning was overcast, so Richard wasn't wearing his hood. He regarded the common folk with curiosity, though he was far less excited than Asbel would've expected. In fact, for the past few days, Richard's mood had been rather subdued.

Once the pier came in sight, Asbel placed his hand on Richard's shoulder, and said, "Can you wear your hood? Sailors are more watchful than most people, so they might notice your eyes." Almost two weeks had passed since Richard last drank Asbel's blood, so his eyes were back to a pale red, but it was better to be careful.

Richard nodded, and did as Asbel asked, pulling his hood low enough to cover his eyes. Asbel smiled, took his hunter's badge out of his shirt, and left it in plain sight. "Let's see if we can get a ship."

There were a few boats docked on the harbor, but most were tiny fishing vessels and merchant ships that traded with the inner cities. While they might be willing to take a hunter downriver, their cabins would be cramped and uncomfortable, and their sailing speed subpar. But if they had no other options…

"Master Asbel Lhant?"

Asbel started, shocked at hearing his name, and turned to find a short, sturdy man looking up at him. "Who are you?"

"I'm a sailor from the ship Pelune. I was told to bring you to our captain."

Asbel considered asking the sailor how they knew him, but the captain would likely be the one who knew the answer. "Okay. Take us to them."

The sailor led Asbel and Richard towards one of the few docked ships, a large vessel stationed at the far end of the port. On the pier, a woman and a man were talking, the woman gesticulating energetically towards the ship as she spoke. When she saw the sailor approach with Asbel and Richard, she immediately turned towards them and saluted.

"There's our long-awaited hunter! I am Patricia, captain of the Pelune. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Asbel Lhant." Patricia was tall, athletic, and dark-skinned, her black hair tied back in a thick braid. She was dressed humbly, but her posture implied a reassuring confidence. "You must be wondering how we know about you. Two days ago, another hunter passed by our port and told us you would come here looking for passage."

So Hubert had been there. "It's my pleasure, Captain Patricia," Asbel said, bowing his head. "Is that other hunter still here in Velanik?"

"He departed in another ship right after giving us the message," she replied. "Are you still interested in traveling downriver? It would be our honor to take you on the Pelune. We have prepared a private cabin for your comfort."

Asbel raised his eyebrows in surprise; that went a lot easier than he expected. He really owed Hubert one. "Thank you. That's just what we need. When will you be setting off?"

"We could do so in three hours, but with this cloudy weather… You see, master hunter, we usually wait until the sun is high and bright to carry out the boarding, to make sure all of our passengers are, well, human. Wouldn't want a vampire to slip by and then have a feast at our expense." She shook her head somberly. "But of course, with a hunter aboard, I don't think we need to worry about that. If it's not much to ask, I'd appreciate it if you could stand by the gangplank while our passengers boarded, just to reassure them."

"Of course," Asbel replied. As long as he could get Richard into the ship without any suspicions, he'd do anything.

"And… if your companion could remove his hood, that would be for the best, as well."

Asbel froze. By his side, he felt Richard grow tense. "I'm… I'm afraid he won't be able to do that."

"May I ask why not?"

"Order's business," Asbel muttered, feeling cold sweat on his brow. "His face and identity must remain hidden."

Patricia narrowed her eyes at Richard, but a moment later, her expression relaxed. "I see. I'll ask you to leave him in your cabin while the other passengers board, then. That hood would only unsettle everyone." She paused. "In fact, if he absolutely must keep the hood, it would be better if he stayed in your cabin through the entire trip."

That was a lot to ask, but maybe Asbel could slip Richard out for walks through the ship at night. "I understand."

They left the harbor with the agreement to come back in two hours, so they would have ample time to have Richard settled in their cabin before the rest of the passengers arrived for boarding. Asbel was glad they were able to obtain passage in such a good ship; the Pelune was not only fast but also spacious. Richard would have a comfortable trip.

"We should head to an inn and wait in the common room," Asbel told Richard as they walked away from the docks. "Maybe we can… I mean, I can get something to eat."

Richard nodded in response. He had been quiet for the last few days, likely from hunger; Asbel would have offered him his blood, but he wanted to wait until they were aboard the ship. Richard had been understanding when Asbel explained it to him, but then again, Richard was very hesitant when it came to drinking his blood.

To Asbel's distress, the common room at the inn closest to the docks was rather full; dozens of heads turned towards him and his gleaming hunter's badge as soon as he stepped inside. Richard's hooded figure also drew stares and hushed remarks. Realizing they would have no peace in this place, Asbel took Richard's arm and turned around, intent on leaving to look for another inn.

"Master hunter, wait!"

Asbel glanced over his shoulder, and found a red-faced innkeeper rushing towards them.

"We have very good rooms, master hunter," the innkeeper blurted, bowing so low Asbel thought he would fall over. "Ready for your occupancy, and free of charge, of course!"

"Thank you, but we only need a place to stay for a couple hours while we wait for our ship." Asbel spoke quietly, knowing everyone in the common room was trying to listen to their conversation.

"Why, you will wait much more comfortably in the privacy of one of our rooms! And we can have a meal sent up, if you so desire." The innkeeper gave him a supplicating smile.

Now that was a tempting offer. "Thank you. We'll accept it."

Beaming, the innkeeper led them to a cozy room with two large beds, and left after announcing that their food would be ready in a few minutes. Satisfied, Asbel dropped his backpack on one of the beds and flopped on it. He smiled as Richard gracefully sat on the other one.

"It's always so good to lie on a soft bed after so long on the road," Asbel said, lying on his side to face Richard. "Don't you think?"

"Yes," Richard muttered in reply, lips curving into a small smile that did not reach his eyes.

Asbel went silent. Richard had never been particularly talkative, but lately he was far quieter than usual. "Are you okay, Richard? You haven't been talking much."

His words seemed to take Richard by surprise, his red eyes widening slightly. "I'm sorry for worrying you. I'm doing fine."

"You must be hungry," Asbel muttered, twiddling his thumbs. "Tonight, at the ship…"

"Asbel, it's okay," Richard said, expression softening. "Please don't worry about me."

He always says that, Asbel thought. Well, there was no point in arguing. He would get Richard to drink his blood later that day, anyway.

The innkeeper arrived with a meal shortly afterwards, and as usual, Asbel ate both his and Richard's portions. When he was done, he left the dishes by the door and sat back on his bed. There was still over an hour before they were supposed to return to the docks, so maybe he could take a nap.

He turned towards Richard to speak, but Asbel's words died in his mouth when he saw Richard's state. Richard was huddled in his cloak, back hunched, forlorn red eyes staring at the wall as if in a trance. He seemed to have forgotten Asbel was in the room.

Not thinking twice, Asbel jumped from his bed, walked over toward Richard's, and sat by his side. Richard had been so absorbed in his wall-staring that he gave a small jump when the mattress shifted with Asbel's weight.

"Asbel?"

Asbel moved closer to him. "Are you okay, Richard?" He knew he had asked this question many times before, but Asbel couldn't stop himself from doing it again. "You're cold, aren't you?"

"I'm fine, Asbel. Please don't worry about me." Richard smiled, but it was clearly forced.

"You're not fine," Asbel blurted, reaching out and placing a hand on Richard's cheek. His skin was gelid. "You're almost as cold as when we first met," Asbel muttered without thinking. The memory of Richard's icy lips was still fresh on his mind.

Richard glanced away, but he did not pull back from Asbel's hand. Unconsciously, Asbel gently pressed his palm to Richard's cheek, and for a moment, it felt as if Richard was leaning against it, relishing its warmth. Asbel's breath hitched in his chest.

He had to do something.

"The weather has been getting colder," he said, mind racing, "And we spent the last few days on the road, so you must've lost a lot of body warmth. If you'd like, I can… I can…" Asbel swallowed. It felt as if his heart was going to jump out of his chest. Finally, his words tumbled out of his mouth, "I can lie with you to help you warm up."

Richard's eyes went wide, so wide Asbel cursed himself for his reckless words. He was about to withdraw his hand from Richard's cheek when, to his surprise, Richard nodded. Was his face a little pink, or was Asbel imagining it? He knew his own must've been crimson.

For a while they only sat there, staring at the mattress, too nervous and embarrassed to move. Finally, Asbel muttered, "We should probably get under the covers." A part of him knew that removing their shirts would also help, but he couldn't bring himself to mention it.

They shuffled awkwardly to pull the sheets over them, bumping knees and elbows and muttering whispers of 'sorry' every few seconds. Once they were both lying down, they realized they were a good foot apart from each other. That wouldn't do much for warming Richard.

"Do you… want to come closer?" Asbel muttered, his heart so jittery he almost regretted suggesting this whole thing. He wondered if that was how newlyweds felt on their first night together, and the idea only furthered his embarrassment.

After a pause that seemed to last an eternity, Richard shifted closer to him, until there was only an inch of distance between their bodies. Asbel couldn't bring himself to look into Richard's eyes, but he felt his breath on his cheek, unnaturally cool. It didn't bother him. In fact, given how warm Asbel's nervousness was making him, it felt nice.

Closing his eyes, Asbel steeled himself and, in a single motion, slipped an arm around Richard and pulled him close.

He heard Richard gasp, felt his cold breath on his neck, the rise and fall of his chest against his own. Asbel wondered if he was being too impulsive, but if he wanted to warm Richard, wasn't that the only way? He began to second-guess his decision, his heart thundering in his chest, but before he could pull back Richard slipped an arm around Asbel's waist.

Asbel couldn't hold back a sigh of relief. Richard shifted, making himself more comfortable in his arms, the situation strangely reminiscent of when he had last drunk Asbel's blood. Except this time, Asbel was the one warming Richard.

"Is… is it working?" Asbel muttered, cheeks flushing.

Richard nodded against his chest. "Thank you," he whispered. Despite his chilly breath, his voice sounded warm.

"We can stay like this for a while," Asbel said, tightening his arms around Richard. "I-If you want to, I mean."

Richard nodded again, making a pleased 'Mmm' sound that vibrated on Asbel's skin. Asbel was reminded of his dream, and for the moment, he forgot about the kind of world they lived in.

For now, it was only the two of them.