There was always music playing in Loki and Eros’s townhome from the moment Loki started brewing coffee in the morning until after dinner. In the mornings, it was typically German Opera. Around lunch time, classic Funk, and Loki danced. If Damien was quite honest, Loki could get down to funky town, despite Loki dancing as embarrassingly as possible to try to get a reaction.

Eros made a game out of it by refusing to give him what he wanted- attention. He’d ignore Loki until Loki gave up or became so outlandish there was no way for Eros to fight the bouts of laughter.

Damien joined in on this game, but he was able to ignore Loki’s antics for much longer than Eros could. After lunch on his fifth day with them, Loki was exhausting himself with the funky chicken right in front of Damien, who sat motionless on the sofa. He rested his head upon his fist and tried his best to imitate an unimpressed Thanatos.

Loki eventually stopped and propped himself against the opposite sofa to catch his breath. “Like father, like son. Nothing entertains you.”

Eros was sitting next to Damien, hiding his face in his hands while he laughed.

Damien said in an uncanny imitation of his father, “Or, perhaps, Loki, you are simply not that entertaining.”

Both Eros and Loki grimaced at the likeness.

“Please. Never do that again,” Eros deadpanned.

“It was bone-chilling,” Loki agreed.

Damien finally cracked a smile, which caused Loki to give him a smile in return.

Loki said, “Now. Damien’s lack of humor has made me late for an appointment.”

Damien glanced down and over at Eros who gave him a kindly smile.

“Damien, would you like to come with me?” Loki asked.

Damien tilted his head. “I can go with you?”

“If you wish- Fuck! Want. Would you care to join me? Fresh air might do you good.”

“If you call smog fresh.” Eros blinked.

And Loki walked up to Eros, and bent down to kiss him. They both smiled as they pulled away from each other, Loki’s fingers grazing Eros’s jaw as they parted.

They were so kind to each other. Always calling the other darling. Trying to make each other laugh. Always kissing goodbye. It was nice. Damien’s heart pined for that kind of affection.

“Come on. Off to see the Vampire King,” Loki said.

“Victor?” Damien asked, blinking away the traces of longing off his face.

“Yes. And I would recommend not bringing up the night you frolicked with Alec in Darkside. Hm?”

“Sure thing.” Damien stood.

“Right. We’re off then.” Loki headed towards the door.

Eros sank into the sofa, and lounged like a southern belle on a fainting couch. “Play nice with the king, darling.”

“Of course.”

“I mean it.”

“Right-O.” Loki and Damien exited the townhome and made their way to the sidewalk.

“Why are you being told to play nice?” Asked Damien.

“Because he knows me well. The king’s daughter is er... a friend of mine. And I suspect the king of foul play. Hence, why Eros told me to play nice.” They hit the sidewalk and headed towards Rose Noir.

“What’s your evidence?” Damien quirked an eyebrow.

“Well, that’s just it. I have none. I have a pile of things that don’t add up, of which I am suspicious, but my suspicion isn’t evidence enough...”

“I can help,” Damien offered.

Loki stopped walking and looked down at Damien. “Yes, you could. How do you propose to do that, exactly?”

“There are a million ways, but... I could make him confess. Easy enough.”

Loki had a twinkle in his eye. “Twist his arm and beat it out of him?”

Damien offered up his hand with his fingers poised to snap. “Just click my fingers. That’s all I have to do.”

Loki’s smirk crawled across his face. “That would be too easy. It’s not honorable. I want the satisfaction of having caught him myself like a noir detective. It’s not right. I don’t want to abuse your power.”

Damien’s face fell into an annoyed slump. “It’s a gift,” he deadpanned.

“Well, alright! If you insist.” The giant beamed.

Damien snapped his fingers. “It’s done.”

Loki couldn’t believe it. Yes, he and many more can snap their fingers and materialize scotch, clothes, imaginary oceans, and they could teleport here and there. But, magick did have its limits. It was limited by one’s own nature, but also the magick of others. One god couldn’t undo another god’s magick. And gods couldn’t change the shape of reality or another’s free will. Not without a powerful curse. No, that power belonged solely to the Fates. But, Loki clicked his tongue to keep the ease of the moment. “What’s done is done, and you practically forced me. I had no choice.” Loki started walking again.

Damien had never been with Loki one-on-one. He stayed behind for a moment to puzzle at his new companion’s behavior.

***

Loki pulled the chain at the door of the Devereaux mansion. He and Damien exchanged a quick glance before the door flew open.

A dark haired girl with disc-like eyes had tossed the giant door open as if it was as light as Styrofoam. She sighed in frustration, “I’ve been waiting all day!” She reached out, grabbed Damien by the buttons of his shirt, and pulled him into the house, slamming the door in Loki’s face.

Loki stood there, startled, before pulling the chain again. A moment later, one of Victor’s children answered the door.

Victor had six children, seven if including Josanna. The original six were turned vampire in the early adult years of their human lives. Alec was the oldest, then Amelia, Liam, Sophia, Charlotte, and finally Gabriel, making him the third prince of the House of Devereaux. Gabriel was out of sorts and frazzled, no doubt due to keeping watch over his newest sister, Josanna. Sounding out of breath, Gabriel guided Loki into the grand hall. “Welcome, Loki. My father the king waits in the study for you. May I take your coat? And who’s your friend?”

Loki walked inside, eyeing the tired man with brown curls, who’s countenance appeared older than that of his sire. But with vampires, looks and ages are not synonymous. He looked up to see Josanna had Damien trapped in a corner. Too close for comfort, Damien was fidgeting uncomfortably, but she was smiling sickly-sweet, only inches away from his face. Loki introduced, “This is er... My nephew! Damien.”

Josanna was before him, wriggling and wiggling back and forth. She said to her brother, “Loki brought him for me to play with while he talks to father about very important matters. Isn’t that right Damien’s uncle, Loki?”

“Yes! Exactly!”

Damien snarled, ”What?”

“Oh hush, Damien. Don’t be so dark-minded. She likes to play tea-party and dolls, that’s all. And I’m certain that Gabriel here could use a respite.”

Joy and relief filled the Vampire Prince’s face.

Loki added, “Josanna, go easy on the poor lad. He’s not very adept at socializing.”

Damien glared, but Josanna nodded and giggled. She suddenly vanished, and her voice could be heard down the hall, “This way!” And then her melodious hum echoed down the corridor.

Damien followed the sound and gave Loki one final scowl as he passed.

Gabriel escorted Loki to the study where Victor stood pensively, looking out the window.

“Your Highness.” Loki bowed at the neck, but Victor did not turn to face him.

“Loki, I’m glad you’re here. Please, have a seat.”

Loki sat.

“I am at a loss, and perhaps could use some of this... mental counsel that you give my daughter.”

Loki’s brow furrowed, but an amused smile appeared on his face. “I don’t think it would be quite the same counsel, your Majesty. Josanna’s mental state is eccentricity, close to madness-”

“I fear madness is at my doorstep,” Victor said with a dramatic pang in his velvet voice.

Loki tried to restrain a giggle of joy at the coming confession and a snort for Victor’s theatrical flare. “Oh?”

“I am plagued with self-doubt and regret for my past deeds. I cannot voice this fear to anyone else. If I did, as King, I may appear weak, and this world eats at weakness the way carrion eat at open flesh. Especially, since Alec threatens our way of life so openly. He gains more followers by the day. One by one, they sail to him as if he were a siren. They leave the safety of familiar shores to answer the adventurous call of the unknown sea. And they have no idea what treacheries await them... And it is my fault.”

“Do go on!”

Victor finally turned to Loki, who sported a fox’s greedy grin.

“Pray tell how is this your fault?” Loki asked, without restraining his enthusiasm.

“I made Alec.”

“Oh,” Loki said under his breath, “...that was anticlimactic,” but not under his breath enough to where the vampire didn’t hear this.

“You do not understand. I made him this way... long before I made him a vampire.” Victor sat down. “He was my first son. I owned him long before I turned him. I drank from him regularly since he was a boy. He was by my side always. I loved him. When he was older, I trained him to lure back others for me to drink when his blood would not suffice. I kept some of those humans as pets as well, but I did not keep them as I had kept Alec. They were... food. Never companions. They were never meant to be companions.”

“But, Bonnie was also a companion, I presume?”

“Bonnie, yes. I loved her. Intended to turn her, but she died in the process. Then, more recently, I took in Josanna, and she became my companion.”

Loki perked up. “I thought you said she was the daughter of a dear friend?”

“Indeed... After my dear friend Carmen died, Josanna’s mother, I had Alec fetch Josanna. To take her in. She had no other family, you see. I planned to take care of her as my own, only to turn her if she wished, never to drink of her. But, then she looked so much like Carmen...”

Loki became uncomfortable as his mind began to race in the silence. Companions. Alec, then Bonnie? Bonnie, then Alec? He longed for Carmen so took advantage of her daughter, Josanna? Disgusting. Appalling. Nauseating.

“Alec is the only one of my children to know my monstrous side. Being vampire is a gift, but we are kin to demons. I try to set the example of what vampire should be. Our connection to our humanity allows us to transcend, to surpass, our fellow demons, who are ruled by their primal, predatory natures. We, the vampire, can elevate beyond this primitive, monstrous nature because of our humanity.”

“But... you failed at doing so? Is that what I’m hearing?”

“Yes. And Alec is the only one to know-”

“So you blamed it on him? What happened to Josanna... the deadman’s blood, that was all you.”

“And I am sick with guilt. I have made mistakes. Plenty of them. But I must hide them because I represent the ideal. One exposed mistake can topple not only me, but everything the House of Devereaux stands for. If it were anyone else to make these errors in judgment, no one would bat an eye, but it was I who erred. This is my fault. Alec will exhume my guilt for the world to see, and he will destroy the vision I built with his own ambitions. And he has no guilt. He has no shame, and it is my fault he has no humanity.”

“But, back to Josanna... What did you do to her?”

Victor exhaled. “When Alec brought her to me, I was overcome with her beauty. I kept her for myself... You see?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, I do...”

“I hid her away and drank of her, and then Alec, one day, turned her. I think... to expose my darkness.”

Loki remembered Alec mentioning this exact account at the Collectors Gala. That Alec had saved Josanna from Victor. But, at the Gala, Loki had been more inclined to believe the story Victor had spun, that Alec had poisoned her with deadman’s blood after turning her, and Victor had saved her from him.

But, in truth, Victor had used Josanna as a sick, intimate replacement for his unrequited love for Carmen. He had locked her away and kept her for himself. Locked away, exsanguinating her, taking advantage of her. When she was close to death, Alec turned her to save her life, and then whisked her away from the Devereaux mansion. But, before Alec could reveal the monstrosity of what Victor had done to Josanna, The King took her back and poisoned the truth of his violation from her mind with deadman’s blood.

“How long did you keep her in this rabid state with deadman’s blood?”

Victor looked up from the nothing he was staring off into. “I cannot say. I don’t recall.”

“So, that is where her madness comes from then?” One of Loki’s hands was casually holding up his chin. The other was gripping feverishly into the arm of the chair.

“After we had healed her with the Moon Violet of Mount Meru, Alec’s sway over the vampire community grew exponentially, so... I still put a few small drops in her drinks at dinner to be safe. If Alec and Josanna exposed my sordid actions, as he had planned to, I would be finished.”

“Why have me act as her counsel?”

Victor seemed confused. “She adored you. She asked for you. It was the least I could do...”

“The very least,” Loki said with a voice that sounded like the rumble of an earthquake. His face was rugged, as his facial scars seemed more apparent, and his breath echoed in his throat like a dragon preparing to cleanse the world with fire. But, he smiled and hopped up from the couch. “I’m so pleased you feel comfortable confiding in me, your Royal Highness. I’m afraid I’ll have to let this information digest, and-”

“Loki, I know what I’ve done is... condemnable, and my guilt alone does not wipe away this sin. I know my actions have forever stained my repute in your eyes, like it will others, but I beg you, and warn you, not to expose me.”

Loki stepped up to the King. Loki’s false pleasantry crumbled away in the tumultuous rage which had returned to his face. “You warn me?" he rumbled.

“I am not threatening you. I am warning you of what will happen when my house falls. Alec’s ambition will raze this world to the ground. Pandemonium will ensue.” Victor gave a sympathetic look and said, “I am the lesser of two evils. He does not think like us.”

“You and I do not think the same way, I can assure you.”

“Perhaps not, but that does not change the fact that Alec cannot take my crown.”

Loki thought and cleared his throat. “I’m falsely apologetic I had no counsel to ease your guilty conscience, and I hope that your guilt drives you to madness like you have done Josanna.” Loki gave the king one last burning look before bowing out of the room with a flourish. “Your Highness.”