Silas

Chapter 5

The sunlight boldly defies the blackout curtains I had hung in my bedroom and I restlessly turn trying to evade its glare. As I rollover I'm pleased to discover Caine has come home and I wrap my arms around his waist, nestling into his lap.
"Morning Silas," Caine acknowledges me not expecting a response.
I fall back asleep comforted by his presence. Caine sits at the head of my bed almost every night, keeping an eye on me. Thankfully Dante was here to keep the bed warm when I laid down. As I drift off Dante rolled over and layed his arm across me and a sense of comfort and peace filled my thoughts.
The next thing I know it is early afternoon and Caine is rubbing my back to wake me. His gentle hands rouse me from a sound slumber and I know I have slept late again as Dante is no longer in the room and has already left a cheese sandwich and a bottle of water on my nightstand.
"Nngh," I groan. Man I hate mornings, just like... another four hours. I roll to my back, closing my eyes again and will dawn to reset the day. Alas it refuses and at long last I accept greeting the day that is remaining.
"Enjoy your evening?" Caine asks.
I roll back over and sit back on my heels, stretching my arms in front of me on the mattress in attempt to alleviate the tension in my shoulders. Evidentially last night's shower didn't relax me as much as I'd hoped. I made note to myself to rehydrate more before I drink again.
"Mm-hmm," I mumble in response. I sit up and grab my phone I left to charge.
"I assumed you crashed pretty hard when you came home last night?"
"Yup," I turn my phone on and check the lack of missed messages. "...what about you? Have fun?" I ask sarcastically.
"Well after you decided to cause quite a stir and leave so abruptly we actually got some work done if that's what you meant." Caine shoots daggers at me with his overly dramatic answer.
"You're seriously going to give me a hard time? After Lady Benita was such a bitch, talking to me like I was nothing more than a fucking 'pet' sitting at the table. What the fuck ever," I get out of bed and search through the clothes on the floor looking for the towel I used last night. "Caine, I only went because you insisted. I could just have easily stayed k without complaint."
"Silas believe it or not I wanted you there to prove them wrong. All they think of lycans is how undignified and savage you can be. You didn't exactly help me prove my point now did you?"
"What the hell did I do wrong? If you have something to say, just say it."
"You were very rude to Lady Benita. You could have at least tried to be civil."
"Tried to be civil! Are you kidding me? Was Lady Benita trying to be civil when she straight up asked if I knew how to do anything but rip part flesh with my teeth?"
"Silas, I hold you in a regard higher than all of them, but their approval is important to me... and you, more than you know. When you act like animal how can you possibly expect to be treated as anything different than such?
"I'm going to get a shower."
"Silas don't think this conversation is over."
"Whatever."
I slam the bathroom door shut behind me and hope he does not come in here. Acting like an animal?! How dare he say something like that to me, what the fuck? I crank the water to the highest setting I can and hop in the shower. The water goes from icy to flesh melting in seconds and I jump back from the spray. I do my best to reach around the scalding shower and turn back the heat, my anger rising as I finally appropriate the temperature. Facing the faucet I bow my head and let the water cascade down my back. Looking at the drain the regret of my choice of words works over my conscious thoughts and suddenly I feel terrible. The tears well up all to quickly in my eyes and there is nothing that could hold them back at this point. I sob hot, heavy tears down my cheeks and I turn the spigot further right.
I didn't mean it... to lash back at Caine that is. He didn't deserve how I reacted. I had a great night. I'm sure he had plenty of criticism to deal with after I left.
The water cools and I face upward to let the water wash away the tears from my face but they just keep coming relentlessly like a dam breaking free after a heavy storm. I give into the guilt and fall to my knees.
Why the fuck didn't I just keep my mouth shut. What the fuck is wrong with me? I open my eyes and try to focus on the drain but the tears blur my vision and I can't help buy cry harder at how fucking pathetic I am. He deserves so much better. I won't ever be what he wants me to be. I'm not a vampire. I'm not a Lord. I will never be anything but a lycan with a time stamp. As soon as I die he will find another, someone more like him, someone who won't age in a century, someone who can keep up with his legacy. How much longer can I possibly satisfy his desires? How much longer will I be able to keep up with  him?
As I contemplate how I could possibly rectify the shit pile I have dug myself into I don't hear the bathroom door open. Suddenly the shower curtain opens and when I look up I see the face of the most perfect creation the world has ever known. Disregarding the water now flooding the bathroom floor Caine bends down and wraps his arms around me. I cling to his shoulders and weep feely into his now dripping clothes.
"I'm sorry," I collapse in his arms. He remains silent and steadfast as usual. He holds me tighter despite the shower practically drowning both of us amidst our embrace. Eventually I feel him use his elbow to turn off the water while never letting me go.
"You have things to do today. Come." Caine pulls me to my feet and hands me the towel as I stifle my anguish. "I have picked your clothes out already."
"Yes Caine." I respond calmly and respectfully as I dry off without ever washing and then use my towel to half-assed dry the floor. Leaving my towel behind I follow Caine back to our room.
I sit on the edge of the bed as Caine sits on his knees behind me and runs a brush through my hair. While he does so I pull my boxers and pants up to my thighs. The two of us work together dressing myself and redressing himself in a understood silence. While no words are spoken there is enough cooperative communication to stave off any further awkwardness. After a time that feels all too short I find myself shoveling down the breakfast that Dante had made me.
"Don't forget to take your medicine," Caine prompts adjusting his cufflinks and straightening his collar in the mirror.
"Yes Cain." Solemnly I reply chucking back the various vitamins and whatever, followed by finishing off the water bottle. My pallet is so dry I can't help but to chug it back in a futile attempt to quench my lasting thirst.
I look back to Caine in acknowledgement that I did as he asked and he nods in my direction. I leave my room, laundry basket in hand. I grab any dirty clothes laying about as I make my way from room to room and eventually downstairs, heading to the washer. I dump the clothes into the barrel and Dante asks what he can do to help. I look up and silently glance towards the dryer filled with yesterday's dried laundry.
"So what did you end up doing last night? You came home without our Lord and that's unusual for you." Dante asks innocently while pulling out the clothes into another laundry basket.
"Uh, not much, I just went out for a drive and came home."
"Went out for a drive? With who? I mean, Lord Sebastian had his keys on him when he got back so I know you weren’t in his car."
Damn it, I knew this was coming. What would I tell him without further provoking more questions I wasn't ready to answer. I had no idea what to tell him that wouldn't make him jealous or suspicious. Thankfully Jules walked in just in time to provide a convenient distraction.
"Hey Jules."
"Hey Silas.....Dante." Jules' mouth half-full of his own sandwich I rolled my eyes, it's revolting to watch him eat with no regard to manners.
Washer started I go to the kitchen and am greeted with well past overdue dish duty. Without hesitation I get to work scrubbing off noodle stragglers from three days ago left in the colander.  To round out my quiet morning Jules decides to follow me and proceed to give me unnecessary bullshit.
"What the fuck Silas? You can't even say 'hi' to me after being gone all night? I thought about calling back the bitch you failed to rape and murder at the club the other night. It was actually quite boring without your drama. I even had to make my own dinner," he recited facetiously. I glanced over my shoulder, momentary worry at my grocery stock being raided. Noticing no further dishes being out then when I left, I turned back to Jules with a tired-of-your-shit glare.
"Don't worry, I ordered take-out. I even threw out the boxes," he defensively pleaded his case. "What the fuck is your problem?  Get fucked by a dirty skank last night?"
"Shut the fuck up Jules." I shake my head holding back the instinct to punch his face in, "If you're not going to help, get out," I made sure to enunciate as not to mislead his pea sized brain and turned my attention back to the dishes.
He continued to stare at me for no apparent reason and once again I caved to his bait.
"What?"
"You did, didn't you?"
"Did what?" Dante comes into the kitchen as well. Great, perfect fucking timing.
"Silas got fucked last night," Jules went on, "by the lack of answer I'm guessing it was really good or really bad, not quite sure yet." Jules leans over the sink blocking my view of washing the dishes and I placidly stare back patiently waiting for him to drop it and get the fuck out of my way.
"Fucked by who?" Dante doesn't help pushing for answers. I can't be that see through can I?
"No one."
"Ohhh, it was good wasn't it?" Jules taunts my patience but finally moves his annoying face from my workspace.
I choose to keep my mouth shut and hope the conversation is over but knowing better of them I try to come up with an explanation before the conversation escalates even further.
"He was at a meeting with Lord Sebastian last night. I'm pretty sure Silas was the only one of our kind there." Dante adds information, and fuel the fire, of Jules' inquisition.
"Ohhh, a vampire? Even better... come on Silas spill. Oh, and don't hold back on any juicy details. Who was she? Or was it a he?"
"It's none of your god damn business Jules! Yours either Dante, just drop it!"
"Silas!" Caine has to pick now to step in. "Please refrain from using the Lord's name in vain," he walks into the room and takes a post-it note from the fridge and goes back to wherever he came from.
Unfortunately they both know if they keep pushing they will eventually get the answers hey seek, if not from me I'm certain Caine would be happy to give them at least the vague details. I finally decide to free their appetite of curiosity before they demand  a full detail report.
"Soo.....," Jules leans in, too close for comfort.
"Lord Davenmore." Maybe I will get lucky and just dropping his name will set them off to deliberate amongst themselves.
"It WAS  a vampire. So was he hot?" No such luck.
I turn off the water and try to evade Jules' pressure for details. It really is none of his business. I move to another counter and bring more dishes to the sink.
"Oh come on, I'm not asking for measurements Silas. Was he good looking? I mean he had to be attractive he's a vampire, but seriously did you fancy his cold skin or his demeaning nature? I bet a fag like you just loved his shoes," Jules is now whispering in my ear so Caine won't hear him. His voice brings the anger I had freed only a short time ago back to the forefront of my emotion. My mind decides retaliation is a better option than keeping my mouth shut...again.
"Yes, he was! He was so sexy I nearly melted from his mere presence," I glared back at Jules with unreasonable intensity, "not to mention he stared at me the entire time we were together. His eyes so deep I feared I would fall into his gaze and never escape. His chiseled body makes you look like a twig. He fucked me on the counter so hard the neighbors could feel the ground shaking. He felt so hard your balls would shrivel with inferiority." I advanced as I spoke, Jules' smirk diminishing as he backed against a wall avoiding my touch. "He may not have a heartbeat but he was more alive than you have ever been in bed, let alone on a dance floor. Lord Davenmore was so incredibly built that God himself was green with envy when he chose me to shove his cock into."
I grabbed the front of Jules' pants and he pushed me back into realization that Dante was still in the room. I only caught his hurt expression for a second as he dropped the stack of dishes he had been holding and left the kitchen.
"Fuck. Dante wait," I called after him but quickly returned my attention to Jules and in my mind I blamed him for upsetting my best friend. "You asshole, this is all your fault."
I shoved Jules back against the wall and pulled back my arm to punch him in the face. Being prepared for my aggression Jules caught me off guard and hit me in the stomach first. I doubled over, foolishly not expecting him to fight back. From my half stooped position I grabbed him around the waist and threw him to the ground.
"You're the one who was raving about vampire cock you dumbass."
Jules words were drowned out by the rushing in my ears telling me to fucking kill him. I wrestled my way on top of him and grabbed his throat with both hands squeezing with all my strength as I pushed my weight down into my hands. After scrambling for a few moments Jules' could no longer fight back as the lack of oxygen forced him into defense. He grabbed at my fingers and wrists while I watched his face turn from bright red to a darker purple. His effort to free himself from my grasp withered and his eyes began to turn glassy. It's his fault, he should have stopped pushing me.
"Silas!" Caine yells louder than the anger in my head. Reflexively I release my grip. "That's enough. Go talk to Dante....now!" He insists on his direction as I find myself catching my breath.
I rise to my feet slowly as Jules rolls to his side coughing a sputtering, "freak," the single word escapes his lips and I turn back prepared to continue the fight but Caine scowls back at me and I know better than to go against his will.
"Go," Caine makes sure I follow his command before turning his attention to Jules.
I storm out of the kitchen just as pissed that a ton of dishes still haven't been washed and go look for Dante. I check in my room and he isn't there, the bathroom either. He must still be in the house because the front door was still locked. He must be in his room. I cross through the upstairs office and knock on the door to his room in the far corner of the house.
"Dante?" I reach for the handle to enter but it's locked, confirming his presence.
"GO AWAY SILAS!" I really don't feel like having to defend myself but I don't want him storming all night by himself in his room either. I think to myself how I could have said everything I did without making him so upset and deduce that he wouldn't have been happy with any honest answer.
"Dante, would you have rather I lied to you?" I continue through the closed door when he doesn't answer,"Would it have been much better if I just stayed silent and let you keep wondering what happened?"
Still no answer. I hope he is at least listening to me as the thought crosses my mind that he could have put headphones on. I lean against the doorframe and ponder what I could say to say to covince him to open the door. I could go get the key and unlock it myself but I don't think Dante would be very receptive right now.
"No." His muffled voice penetrates my thoughts and I rush to think of something to say to keep his attention.
"Is there anything I could have said that wouldn't have led to you behind a locked door?" Ugh, I'm such an idiot sometimes, quick, switch topic. What the fuck do I say to cover up being such a dick to him. I hear shuffling on the other side of the door and then a click as he unlocks the door from the other side. I stop leaning, expecting him to open the door but then I hear him walking away.
I turn the knob quietly and slowly poke my head around the corner. I make sure to wear a clown frown as I peer into the room. If he smiles back then know I can convince him to calm down without to much an argument. I scan the room but Dante is laying in his bed with the comforter pulled up to his shoulders facing away from the door. Realizing he must not be ready to forgive me quite yet I walk over and slink onto the bed next to him. I wrap my arm over his blanketed body and pull him close. Now that there is no door between us I can here him sniffling.
"Dante..."
"Do you love him too?" I can't help but laugh out loud at his suggestion.
"I'm glad to know you've gotten over it so fast you are able to joke around already."
"I'm not joking Silas!" He stands abruptly catching me off guard and I can see he has been holding back his own tears. "Y-you come home every month... AT LEAST... with someone else you're infatuated with and expect me... expect me to just be okay with letting someone else share your bed... for me to be okay with you giving some other quick-to-fuck piece of ass your undivided attention a-and affection day in, and day out until you either get bored or they move on. A-and then Lord Sebastian and I are here for you to bang whenever you want and hold you when you feel like shit and make sure your never left wanting for anything... ever. I have made you breakfast every morning for the last six months and not once have you said thank you, let alone been awake when I brought it to you. You spend half your nights staying up drinking and partying with your various 'friends' but never seem to have time to hang out with me anymore. I'm still here Silas. Or did you forget who held your hand and whose ass you fucked everytime you had to move on from someone else who ran away from you? I'm right fucking here! Never left actually. Do you ever stop to think about anyone but yourself? Jesus Christ Silas, I have no idea why the fuck I keep coming back to you but I certainly think I deserve a little better than the show you put on in the kitchen. Really? You think I'm fucking joking? No. I really want to know. Do. You. Love. Him?"
Evidentially the look of shock on my face tells Dante I had no idea that this is where the conversation would lead.
"Dante I just met him last night. Is that what you really think of me? That I don't care about your feelings? I mean really....who do I serve dinner first to? Who shares a permanent spot in my bed despite having their own?" As I continue to poorly defend myself Dante simply shakes his head in response and I stop talking, this is getting me nowhere. To be completely honest with myself I am grasping at straws at this point and he knows it. Dante stands there just gawking at me, waiting for some sort of sincere apology.
I think back at all of the times I could have opted to show him how much I do appreciate all that he does for me. I try to recollect the last time we did something together, or the last time I genuinely thanked him.
Nothing.
I am such a dick.
"I'm sorry. You're right." I know my words at this point are practically meaningless but I don't think there is an appropriate set of words for the situation to properly make amends. I wait for Dante to respond for what seems to be eons.
"As usual, you know I'm going to forgive you, right?"
I smile and hold my hand out hoping that he will at least come sit down next to me, "I wouldn't expect any less."
Dante looks down at the floor and I hope that he isn't preparing to lecture me anymore about how much of a shitty friend I have been. Quick as a wink Dante springs toward the mattress and knocks me over onto my back. I laugh softly thinking about how I could respond and show him how I feel without being all gay about it. His straddles my hips and looks down at me.
"So was it a one time thing?"
Shit, he is not going to let it go yet. "What, Lord Davenmore or..." I trail off hoping he will stop me but he doesn’t.
"Me having sex with whoever I want?" Dante cocks his head to the side and gives me a look like I'm as dense as a stack of bricks and I fear he's pushing for me to say I'm not going to have serious feelings for anyone else, ever again. There is no way I am admitting fault here. Caine lets me do whatever I want and I'm not going to stop caring about anyone else because of him, even if he is my best friend. Dante knew what he was bargaining for when he came back. Last year Caine had gifted a huge sum of cash for Dante to take his boyfriend to live a comfortable life on an island somewhere down south. About half  year later I heard from Levi that he was back in town and not long after he showed up at the front door like he never left. I never did find out where all the money went or what happened but I know he worked out some kind of deal with Caine and I had just left it at that.
"Silas... are you going to see him again?"
"I honestly don't know Dante. I literally just met him last night. It's not like I often have one night stands with vampires."
"It's not often you ever have one night stands with anyone. You get interested and interested turns to further curiosity and the next thing you know they're staying the night, and then staying for weeks at a time until one of you gets their feelings hurt and you're depressed for days and then you start all over with someone else."
"Dante it's not fair that you're telling me I can't have feelings for anyone else. I can't exactly turn those off. If you..."
"I'm not telling you to not have feelings for anyone else. I'm asking that you stop using me as just a fall back toy every time you do. I'm tired of playing the rebound for your endless run of sexcapades."
"Sexcapades?"
"Yeah, sexcapades, that's what Caine and I decided to call your temporary infatuation with new people who's interest you have only because you want to bang 'em every day." He and I both laugh at this definition of a new household term.
"Okay. I said I'm sorry."
" 'Sorry,' can't be your solution to being a dick all the time Silas."
"Fine, what can I do to make it up to you?" I ask hoping Dante can give me a clear idea that I can adhere to.
"Spend an evening with me. Like actually pretending I'm still your friend and not just your dead weight. And I don't mean catching a movie and then forgetting I'm here again. I want to be part of your life. I get it, it's not like I'm your main squeeze or anything but I still want to be taken account for."
"Fair enough."
"I mean it Silas."
"Okay, I promise."
"And don't try to hide things from me. We used to talk all the time... about anything... okay?"
"Okay, I get it."
"So, what was he like?"
"Who? Lord Davenmore?"
"No, the fucking Queen of England, yes Lord Davenmore Silas, who the fuck did you think I was asking about?
"Do you really wanna know?" I ask, but his expression and words convince me he does want to know. "He was cordial when I was introduced to him but all throughout the dinner he acted creepy as fuck, just staring at me silently while everyone else talked about Princess Deva and then interrogated me for even being in the room."
"Yeah, okay, I get it. What about later, you evidentially had sex with him. What happened between dinner and when you came home, other than the ground shaking." Dante is a great guy, he's right that I should have just told him in the first place rather than letting Jules get to me in the kitchen.
"During dinner some other fucking aristocrat humiliated me and after telling her off in front of everyone else I left the table to go clean the kitchen hoping to leave that much sooner. Little to my knowledge Lord Davenmore would follow me. He caught me washing dishes in the kitchen, which was very nice by the way, like marble countertops and a kitchen island like you see on TV."
"Silas."
"Okay, so he snuck up behind me while I was washing dishes and talked about knowing Caine a long time and hearing about me but never meeting me, before he straight up asked to have sex right there in the kitchen. He was attractive, well-built, I said yes."
"And?"
"It was great," I answer bashfully, "it definitely wasn't his first time with another guy that's for sure. So we hooked up, albeit quietly, in his kitchen with everyone else just down the hall still at dinner. When we were done he asked if I wanted to go for a drive. Caine didn't exactly tell me not to so I did."
"He let you drive him around back roads for no reason, other than fucking him in the kitchen?"
"Dante I'm telling you just how it was, against my better judgment, should I continue or what? Don't you wanna know where we went or do you want to keep interrupting?"
"Sorry, go ahead."
"So I followed him outside to his car and, yes, he gave me the keys to drive...guess what kinda car he has?"
"Stop, just tell me, I'm sorry I interrupted you, go on."
"He has," I pause for dramatic effect knowing I don't really have to. "...a Dodge Challenger."
"No way."
"Yes, way. So anyhow, he takes me out to the middle of nowhere, on top of a mountain and...." A knock on the door takes me away from our private moment. "What?" I holler at the closed door.
"Someone's at the door, should I answer it or what?" I recognize the voice as Jules.
"Ugh, man he really gets under my skin sometimes. I almost killed him in the kitchen when you left."
"Will you answer him then, so he will go away?"
"Yes," I call out, loud enough enough for Jules to hear me, "answer the door." I hear his footsteps fade and return my attention to Dante. "Where was I?"
"On top of a mountain, about to tell me how you told Lord Davenmore how you had to run home to your best friend who waited up all night for you. Or at least until three o'clock when I started crashing."
"Oh yes, the mountain," I chuckle at his proposal, "so he showed me this awesome road to drive on and he made me..."
"Silas it's for you," I hear Jules holler from downstairs and then a thud as he slams the door shut.
"Ugh, can I go see who it is if I promise we can talk later?"
"Whatever," Dante responds earnestly, "were you expecting someone?" He climbs off my lap and stands offering me his hand.
"Not really," I take his offer and use his weight to pull myself off the bed, "were you?"
"No."
"Well let's go see who it is then. Maybe it's the post with a million dollar check." I open my eyes wide and joke around hoping to lighten the gravity of resuming our day without finishing our talk.
"Maybe." He smiles back this time and for a short moment the tension between us dissipates and it feels like old times.
Dante and I dash downstairs half racing each other to the front door, which he gets to first, and pulls it open with gusto. Outside it is a bleak, cloudy day promising rain sometime soon. On the stoop a man wearing a Huntsman hooded, black, leather, trench coat turns to greet Dante.
"Who the hell are you?" Dante asks suspiciously of this jacketed stranger who's face remains hidden.
"Is Silas Maleficent home?" My gut sinks at the dark, mysterious voice from under the hood. Shit.
"Depends who's asking," Dante is never going to forgive me for this one.
"Lord Davenmore," I respectfully greet the man at the door as he removes his hood revealing dark sunglasses and a seductive smirk.
Dante bows slightly and turns to me, his eyes full of irritation as he takes the hall back toward the living room.
"What can I do for you Lord Davenmore?" I grab the door before it gets slammed in his face again.
"Are you busy?"
"Not at the moment," curious to see why he is asking for me and not Caine.
"Want to get out a bit and go somewhere?"
"Like where?"
"Wherever you like, I'm not picky, just bored."
"I don't know. I've got stuff to do here and..."
"Who the fuck is at the door?" Caine pulls the door open all the way so he can make out Lord Davenmore. "What do you want Eric? I'm busy."
"Actually, I was calling on Silas this afternoon. Would you mind considerably if I took him out for a bit?" I look to Caine to judge his opinion.
"Yes, I would mind. Silas isn't going out today; He has responsibilities to attend. Is there anything I may help you with?" Lord Davenmore shakes his head.
"Not at all Sebastian. Would it be alright if I joined you? My house is dreadfully quiet at the time being and I could stand for some company."
Caine looks at me as if to ask if I want the company today. I shrug turning the decision back to Caine. I don't want to piss him off right now, I've barely woken and yet it seems so much shit has one down since I crawled out of bed.
"Would you care to come in Lord Davenmore?" Caine steps aside to allow Lord Davenmore to enter the hall. Despite his hospitality I can tell Caine is not heartedly in approval.
"Thank you Lord Sebastian." Lord Davenmore steps inside and unbuttons his well made coat.
"Down the hall, you may leave your coat on the rack to the left." As soon as Lord Davenmore is out of earshot Caine turns back to me, "Did you invite him over?"
"No, I swear." I defensively object his accusation. Regardless Caine shoves me forward, forcing me to take the rein and deal with Lord Davemore's entertainment yet again. Dante will not be happy about this. Should I have turned him away? I question myself a little to late to make a difference.
"I appreciate your graciousness Lord Sebastian. I don't mean to keep you from your work." Lord Davenmore hung his coat next to mine and for some reason I cannot explain, I feel flattered. I'm sure he had no idea it was my jacket let alone it be an intentional decision.
"I never said I was working, I said Silas has things to do today."
"I was sure you said that you were busy, my apologies for the assumption. If that's the case, is there anything I may do to help?"
"No. Silas will be just fine finishing his chores. May I speak with you privately Eric?" Suddenly Caine's tone seems to take on a more casual nature and I wonder to myself if Caine will be talking about last night. And why did he have to say chores like I was a child being disciplined?
"Of course Sebastian. Perhaps Silas and I can catch up afterwards?"
"Yes, perhaps. Silas, I'm sure you can get done quicker with no distractions for now?"
"Yes, my lord." I keep my eye contact with Caine and address him formerly in hopes that he realize I never intended to disrespect him or disregard my responsibilities.
"This way, please." Lord Sebastian motions toward the staircase and ushers Lord Davenmore upstairs. Per his suggestion, I head back to the kitchen. Unfortunately for me I have to cross through the living room where Dante and Jules are at the moment.
I keep my head down and pass by silently. Dante busy with shifting through console games doesn't even look up as I make my way. I get busy washing dishes and general tidying as if it were any other day. As I scrape plates and wipe down countertops I cannot help but remember the evening before and my tryst on the kitchen island at Lord Davenmore's house. Damn that was hot. I wonder with whom he had gained his evident experience and the thought distracts me as I feel my blood rushing south. I finish off in the kitchen in about an hour. The entire time I can't seem to think of much else. I fill a glass with cold water from the dispenser on the front of the fridge and it hits my gut hard. A slight wave of queasiness hits me like liquor on an empty stomach. I shudder off the unease and go back to the living room to pick up any dishes I may have missed.
Dante and Jules are both busy playing video games and seem to not even notice as I sweep the room back and forth, picking up trash and misplaced articles, tidying the room to an acceptable-for-company standard. I take the last few cups back to the sink and stare out the window at the yard. The sun wants to come out but as late as the hour is I believe it has lost it's opportunity. Soon it will be dark out. I question what I should do next.
I could scrub down the bathroom. I could vacuum the dining room. I decide I really want to know what Caine and Lord Davenmore are up to and rush to finish up enough chores that will satisfy Caine. No matter how much I get done I know that he will not be impressed as he will always expect better of me, but I can at least make my efforts noticeable. I decide to sweep the kitchen floor and check on the laundry.
As I cross back through the living room Dante pauses whatever game he and Jules are playing and asks me about my plans for dinner.
"What do you want?"
"Whatever you're making." Dante always enjoys whatever I come up with as long as it doesn't have turkey or green beans in it. Needless to say, he hates Thanksgiving dinner. Jules laughs obnoxiously at what he percieves as an unintended joke and I try to ignore him.
"Should I cook tonight, or do you just want pizza or something?"
"I figured you'd make something special for your new boyfriend," Dante snarks sarcastically.
"Wait... is that who was at the door? I thought it was some sales guy. Damn Silas, he didn't even waste time calling you for a second date. Lucky ass mother fucker, I wish I could rake in rich bitches as easily as you collect sugar daddies. Nice going man."
"Jules, " I wait for his attention, "shut the fuck up." Dante is unamused by our banter.
"Dante I didn't plan on him coming over. Please.... what would you like for dinner?"
"Whatever is fine with me Silas."
"Fine," I didn't feel up for another argument, "pizza it is."
"Wait, can you see if he has a lonely sister I can try on for size?" I leave the room without answering Jules again. If it wasn't for Caine his ass would be on the curb. I ask myself why the fuck I haven't kicked him out and remember how if it wasn't for him Dante could have been killed the last time they attacked us. He's not that bad, until he opens his mouth anyway. Jules acts so cocky, like everyone in this house has no feelings and we're nothing but a pit stop on his way to better things. He won't go much higher with that attitude though and when it comes down to fight or flee I know he will always have my back. It doesn't mean I have to like the bastard. If he didn't dance with me would I bother letting him tag along when we go out? Probably not.
I try to step lightly as I creep up the stairs but every fucking stair seems to have a noisy spot no matter how hard I try to stay to the edges. I only barely make it to the landing when the door to Caine's office opens and both he and Lord Davenmore walk into the upstairs hall chuckling amoungst themselves.
"Silas." Lord Davemore notices me immediately and politely nods in my direction, again with that eerie smile as if he knows something I do not.
"Have you gotten much done?" Caine asks like I have been sitting on my ass the whole time.
"Yes, my lord," emphasizing on the formal, "the kitchen is tidy. I just have to swap out the laundry. Will there be anything else?"
"No Silas, you're free to do as you please this evening. Eric was just telling me about a TV show that you may be interested in, perhaps you could look into watching...I'm sorry, what was the name of the show again?" Caine turns his question to Lord Davenmore.
"The Gates." Lord Davenmore replies.
"Yes, The Gates. He said it's a show that aired on ABC but you can find it on Netflix now. Sound okay?" I'm again caught off guard at Caine's lack of formality around Lord Davenmore but knowing they have a history I assume it's not too informal considering Lord Davenmore is in our home.
"Yeah, that's fine. I was just going to order pizza for dinner. That is unless you would prefer I prepare something more traditional." I suggest cooking, hoping to maybe find something that Lord Davenmore enjoys eating.
"Pizza will be fine Silas. There is no need to account for my appetite; I don't personally care for... food." He seems to struggle finding a colloquial term. "No offense, it's just not to my liking. Please, don't worry about me, I will be fine. I am, however, quite interested in meeting your housemates, would that be okay?" Every instinct in my mind is screaming no at the top of it's lungs.
"Of course, I'm sure they will be happy to meet you." Not really; I smile. My voice betrays my instinct, but I want so much to get to know Lord Davenmore better, and I believe it only fair to be willing to show him my world before I can expect him to do likewise.
Caine smiles at me a returns to his office closing the door behind him.
"Yikes, he can be a little uptight don't you think?" Lord Davenmore asks quietly as we go back downstairs.
"Not as often as you would think." In my head I picture Caine calling me his beast and just as quickly shake the image from my mind, no, that is not something I want to share with anyone, least of all Lord Davenmore.
On my way back to the living room, with Lord Davenmore, I swap the laundry out an brace myself to introduce him to Dante and Jules. There is no possible way this evening can remain civil, but hey, he asked for it, right?

Thank you for reading, please feel free to critique, positive or negative, any suggestions only help me to improve.