the Crown of Edom {Solangelo Prince AU}

21. Part One

Will's mind was racing. As soon as Blackjack skid to a halt in front of the castle, he immediately jumped off, Dr. McCaffery trying hard to stay on his tail.

Will bangs on the heavy wooden doors. "The king is in danger! Open up! It's urgent!"

The door flies open. Octavian stands with guards behind him, peering down at Will as if he's annoyed.

"I thought you were gone for good," Octavian snarls.

"I know your doctor is fucking fraud!" Will yells, stepping up to him.

"Hm? Oh you do? Well. That's a shame."

Will stares at the knights. "What the Hell are you doing? Arrest him!"

Instead, they charge towards him and the real doctor, ringing their hands behind their backs. "What the fuck?" Will scoffs.

"Guards, take them to the others," he rolls his eyes.

"Is Nico okay?" Will tears up. "Just tell me that."

Octavian smirks and shrugs. "He's dead, Will. Unfortunate, isn't it? And to think. If you were here, you could have saved him."

Will's eyes widen and his world seems to melt around him as the knights drag him off.

—

"We can be alone together now. Forever! I love you!"

Nico leans back, looking Luke straight into the eyes. Then, he spits. Straight into his eyes.

Scrambling off of the bed, Nico thuds on the floor, crawling away. "Will!" He screams.

Luke tugs his feet, pulling him back. "Do you think you're going to get away?" His hair is ruffled and his eyes are wet. "That peasant stole you away from me. You have a life with me!"

Nico bites down on his lip so hard it draws blood. "I hope you fucking burn in Hell," he growls. "I will never, in a million years, as long as grass grows and the world kicks on, ever love you."

He kicks Luke in the stomach and forces himself onto his feet. The motion conjures a nausea is ache to shiver through his body. His slow movements don't get him harder as Luke tackles him to the ground.

Nico screams, thrashing around as Luke pins him down by the arms, straddling his stomach to keep him from moving. Nico kicks him in the back with his knees, trying to fight away from his grasp. But it was pointless.

"You've felt things for me before," Luke puts his forehead against Nico's. "You kissed me in a crowded bar. You let me touch you before."

A tear rolls down his cheek. "Get the fuck off of me!" His screams have become weakened, sounding more like a choked cry.

"You will love me," Luke repeats. "I know how you feel! My father was a bastard as well, but I still loved him. And you love yours as well, right? After everything? You can love me."

"I don't," Nico chokes. "I hate my father."

"No, you don't," Luke looks straight into his eyes, his grasp tightening on Nico's wrists. "I know why it hurts so bad. You still wish he was alive so that he could change. So he could love you as a farther would a son, instead of a hatred as a priest to a demon."

"Please, let me go," Nico croaks.

"There's no point," Luke shakes his head. "You're never getting away from me."

Nico shuts his eyes tight, tears slipping from his eyes.

Luke pulls his wrists back to the bed post, tying his hands around it. "You are so beautiful," he whispers. Nico keeps his eyes closed, his energy drained. "I think about you every night, don't you know?"

Luke caresses Nico's face as his tired legs go weak, the kicking ceasing. Nico chokes out in pain.

Luke presses his lips to Nico's, but Nico moves his head to the side. Luke, in response, takes him by the throat and holds in place, kissing him again. "We were in your bed, don't you remember?"

"You're a sick man," Nico chokes. "Did you do this to Thalia?"

Luke's hands go cold and he pulls away, standing over Nico's body. "You look like her, you know."

Nico shivers. "Please. Just go."

"You aren't going to die, you know that?" Luke asks nervously. He begins to pace around the room. "I just, I was so nervous, and I felt bad the entire time, y'know? Especially watching you drink your soup. But as soon as you become king, we'll get you all healed up."

   Nico widen his eyes. "What do you mean? What was in the soup?"

   Luke paces back and forth, rubbing his chin.

   Nico thinks back to his nervous glances at the soup. "D-did you poison me?"

   Luke stops and turns. "Well, technically no," he scratches his head. "Octavian did. First, with the wine. Then with the soup. Please understand that I did it for love."

   "You truly are fucking psychotic," Nico shakes his head. "Get this through your mind. I hate you. I will always hate you."

    Luke presses his lips together and gets back down on his knees, a vain popping out of his forehead. "You. Love. Me," then he presses his lips hard against's Nico's lip, his hand sliding down into his pants. Nico bites down on his bottom lip, drawing blood as Luke yanks his hand out and stumbles back. "What the fuck!"

   "Don't ever touch me like that again or I swear to fucking God, I won't hesitate to slice your throat," Nico's face darkens.

    Luke wipes his bloody lip. "And what if Will had done it?"

   "He already has. Many times," Nico doesn't break his angry stare. "But I think you're fucking disgusting."

   Luke draws a dagger suddenly, taking Nico off guard. Luke turns away from him though, and stares at his own reflection in the dagger. Nico can hear his own heart pounding in his ears. "Nobody can have you," he whispers. "Nobody but me."

   "W-what are you going to do?"

   He pulls the dagger down to his side, tightening his grip. "He'll never love you like I do," he turns. "And soon, you'll only have me left."