Beauty in the Darkness

Chapter XIX - The Sons

I wandered the halls, my mind elsewhere. I couldn't stop thinking about Fallacy's ever so gentle handling of my clothes a few days prior. He'd stayed far away, refusing to feed, always running off before I could make him. I worried for him, but at the same time, there was a selfish desire for the masochistic pleasure he supplied me with.

I sighed, rubbing my neck. This couldn't be good for him. Vampires needed blood, didn't they? So he was just starving himself, for what? A torn nightgown?

"Encre!" two voices screamed as quick footsteps approached.

"Hmm? Oh, Prince Jasper." I turned around. "And Carlos."

"What did you do to the king?!" Carlos yelled.

"Yeah! What did you do to him?!" Jasper added.

"What are you two talking about?" I raised an eyebrow. "What did I do?"

"We don't know!" Jasper shouted.

Carlos exclaimed, "That's why we're asking you, dumbass!"

"Oh, well, obviously!" I chuckled a little at myself. "Well, what happened? Is the king alright?"

"No! He hasn't slept or eaten anything in days!" Jasper explained. "You have to have done something to him! What did you do?!"

"Jasper, please, calm down." I gently took his hands into mine. "I know you're worried—"

"NO!" Jasper ripped his hands out of mine, slightly cutting my hands with his long nails. He wiped his eyes, turning away. "I don't wanna..."

"Look at what you did!" Carlos screamed, stomping closer to me. "Now Jasper's upset too! This is all your fault!"

"Carlos, it's okay. Just calm down, and talk to me," I gently said, reaching out to gently caress his cheeks.

"No! Don't touch me!" Carlos slapped my hand away, quickly retreating to hide behind Jasper.

Vampires were supposed to such scary creatures. The people of the town I used to live in were terrified of them. They were so fearful and hateful that they had trained professionals just to kill them.

But in front of me were two vampires. And I didn't see two dangerous creatures only out to get a meal, to get fed. I saw two little boys worried about their dad.

"Oh, mon loulou," I whispered, walking over to the duo. "S'il te plait, ne pleure pas mon mignon."

Jasper's face contorted in his sobbing. He knew I knew he didn't know what I was saying. Still, he didn't flinch away from my touch as I slowly tucked some hair behind his ear and slowly pulled him towards me.

"Tout ira bien," I said, gently bringing him into a hug. I gently stroked his hair, letting me cling to me and cry. "No pleure pas, Jasper."

I felt Carlos hug me as well. I looked down, seeing him hugging me, hiding his face in my side. I gently pat his messy orange hair, feeling him flinch at first, before leaning into my touch.

I stood there, whispering French to the boys as they cried to me. They were truly just sweet little kids, so afraid, feeling like they had to be adults if anything happened to Fallacy.

"Are you two okay?" I gently said, still petting them.

Jasper nodded and stepped away. He wiped his nose. I could tell by the look on his face, he was embarrassed to have been crying.

"Chin up, mon loulou. I'll take care of everything, okay?" I smiled, hoping he'd do the same.

Jasper cleared his throat, looking away. "W-what does it mean?"

"Mon loulou, my little one." I hugged him again, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Eww, no! I'm too big for that!" Jasper whined, earning a few giggles from myself and Carlos.

"Oh, and Carlos is mon mignon!" I hugged him, planting a soft kiss on top of his forehead. "My cutie!"

"No!" Carlos whined as well, struggling out of my arms. I could tell he liked the hug, or he would've gotten away much easier.

"Okay, okay." I giggled, letting him go. "Now you two run along. I'll take care of your father, okay?"

"B-but," Jasper began.

"No, mon loulou. I don't want you kids to worry about it."

"But, I'm not a kid anymore!" Jasper exclaimed. "I'm an adult!"

"I know. But you aren't adult enough for this. This is between me and your father." I gently pet Jasper. "I need you to take care of yourself and Carlos while I take care of Fallacy, okay?"

Jasper whined. "Fine..."

"Thank you, Jasper." I smiled gently at him, slowly stopping my pets, leaving his growing black hair alone. "You're such a handsome young man now. You've grown so well."

Jasper blushed a little, fiddling with his hair as I walked away.

I walked over to the staircase. Fallacy had told me not to go upstairs. So I would be breaking his rule by getting him.

I took a deep breath. Even if I wasn't doing it for Fallacy, for myself, then I had to do it for Jasper and Carlos. He'd understand.