Daylight\\A.I. & C.H.

<:27:>

Calum and Veronica

Calum hears Veronica crying through the cracked door to his room before he quietly pushes it open and she turns to face him, knowing it's him by his steady heartbeat. She sniffles and sits on his bed, wiping her eyes. She hates crying.

"What was that about?" Calum asks softly.

"He's a monster, Calum," Veronica whispers.

"Then why won't you help Claire?"

"Because I've been tortured for centuries longer than her," Veronica snaps, "and it only got worse when she was Sired."

Calum watches guilt cross her face before she swallows and her eyes water again. She wraps her arms around herself before he sits next to her, pulling her to his chest and breathing deeply. She falls into him, letting him comfort her before she wraps her arms around his neck instead and listens to his kind heart beating in his thick chest.

"I didn't mean that," she whispers against his neck, "She is the only reason the hundreds of years of torture have been tolerable." Calum's hand slowly runs up her arm before she decides to continue, "I used to pay my debts alone. And then she was Sired. She had to pay her first debt within a week of her new life. She met with Neb alone. Two days later I had to pay a debt and she came with, quickly realizing all I've been through."

"I don't understand," Calum says honestly.

"Calum, Neb is a Royal."

"One of those Super Vamps?"

"Yes," she whispers, "And one of their traits is that they can receive Prana in different forms. By other energies."

"What do you mean?"

"Blood of course is the strongest, but they can also take Prana through emotional energy, expecailly fear, and also-," she swallows, her voice coming very distant, "sexual energy."

Calum inhales sharply, his whole body going rigid as he understands her fear. His eyes sting as he pulls her close to him, his heart breaking at the cruel injustices she suffered. He feels his chest tighten and his breath become shakey at the foul corruption as he looks to the ceiling, vowing to do everything to kill this monster.

"I'm so sorry," whispers, unsure of what to say.

"She's been there for me since she was Sired. Never letting me go alone. Nor I her. We were less drained if we went together. Two bodies to receive his fill from as opposed to one. It's all we've known."

"I'm sorry," he says again, rubbing her arm.

"He was mad we wanted to live in Max's Coven. He always wanted us to be his brides, to be at his beck and call. So when we left to join Max, Neb started a war. But Max is a Royal too, with strong and calculated Sires. Neb conceded, allowing us to live safely with Max, but on one condition. I owed him a debt."

"What was that?"

"Claire."

"How was she your debt?"

"Because she was HIS sire, but she followed me. I was 'stealing' his bride. So I owed him."

Calum shakes his head, irate, "Fucking sick."

"So her and I would go see Neb almost every day to pay my debt. The day we found you, when you were sick, was the last day. My debt is paid. After a century my debt is finally paid."

"A hundred years," Calum exclaims, pulling away to look at her, "Why? Why would you go to him day after day for a hundred years? Why wouldn't you just stay safely at the House?"