Xander's POV:

The elevator ride down to the cells seemed longer than it usually did, causing me to fidget with the key between my fingers.

My father had reluctantly given me the key to his cell to allow me to go in and out as I needed to.

It took some convincing, but he finally gave in once he realized that even if I did intend on getting Nico out of there, I'd need the key to those ridiculous chains he was attached to.

That added to the fact that he was half asleep when I asked after barging into my parent room very early in the morning.

The sun hadn't even risen yet

I had woken up super early with that same subconscious warning I got the day this situation started, but this time it was ten times worse.

And this time I immediately knew it was Nico.

The doors finally slid open, and the intense smell of rotten blood hit me before I could even think to take a step out.

My stomach turned at both the smell, and the realization of what it signified.

I didn't hesitate a second longer before speeding my way through the cells, catching myself on the bars of Nico's before I fumbled the key into the lock.

I just kept the key in the lock and stepped in eyes widening and panic spiking at what I saw.

Nico's body laid motionless on his side facing away from me, his wings wrapped around him as if to provide some kind of warmth.

You could just barely tell that he was even breathing because of the heaving noise that came from him with each breath he took.

And just as I had worried, every single meal or serving of blood that was brought down here was long spoiled and completely untouched.

"Nico?"

No reaction whatsoever. Not even a slight inclination that he heard me.

I listened closely for just a moment, immediately noticing that both his breaths and heartbeat were dangerously slow.

My stomach knotted violently as the realization hit me.

He was dying.

The savage instincts of vampires basically only served as something to keep up alive in our darkest moments.

The bloodlust, the wings, the insanity we can reach if we don't feed on blood.

Their only purpose was to keep us alive and his weren't working.

Just a small sip of blood would probably kick his body back into gear but the normal craving he should be having weren't there.

My body acted before my brain, speeding over and kneeling so that I was on top of him.

I rolled him over onto his back with one arm, seeing how his eyes weren't even open, but I could tell he wasn't asleep.

With the same arm, I forced his mouth open, turning the wrist of my other hand before shoving it into his mouth.

I flinched slightly at the feeling of his fangs piercing my skin, and then again as I twisted it to get a tear in my skin until I felt the blood leave my body.

His eyes shot open just a second later with a harsh inhale through his nose, his pupils thin amongst the newly showing red.

His hands shot up and gripped either side of my arm, claws sharpening and digging into my skin like I was some kind of prey he had been stalking.

I guess at this moment I was.

I felt him tense with each swallow he took, my blood finally driving his instincts to do their job and forcing him to consume everything he needed.

Little did I know I'd be playing blood bank between both Nico and Khloe, but if it's needed, so be it.

But god how I wished that I could just tell him.

Ever so slowly, I pulled my arm up, forcing him to sit up.

The way he fed was desperate, as was the panicked look in his eyes.

I feel as if my own died down just a bit, but the fact that he reached that situation at all still sat in my mind.

Who knows how much longer he had in him?

Little by little as the minutes passed, I felt the tension he build in his body die back down, his pupils rounding out as well.

His skin darkened back to the familiar tone.

Everything steadily returned to normal, but his wings still stayed.

The pain of losing her was still in him, and his body was reacting as if it was physical pain.

I can only assume that to him, it was.

His claws retracted before he pushed my wrists from his mouth with an exhale, eyes searching around like he was trying to figure out his surroundings.

I drew my arm back, healing over the wounds as he did.

He seemed to gather what happened, eyes planting on me.

"What the hell are you doing," He croaked through heavy breaths.

"What the hell am I doing? Keeping you from dying you dumbass!"

He was quiet for a second, eyes squinting as he rubbed off the blood from his chin.

"I'm not dying you idiot," He responded, not even trying to sound confident.

I found my back straightening at his worst, a wave of sudden anger running through me.

"One more day of that and you would have been dead, Nico!" I found myself yelling at this point, "One day! One day is all a royal vampire can take without blood, two before it drives us mad, and anything past that is unknows because it's never happened! Don't sit here and try to tell me that's not what's happening!"

He seemed to wince at my words and tone, noticing the tears that were swimming in my eyes.

But something in his eyes told me that he knew that, which made all of this hurt that much more.

Usually, in any situation even remotely close to this, the roles were reversed.

Always.

Nico was always so strong. I've looked up to him my entire life, so seeing him like this... seeing it hurt him so much that it brought him to this...

I couldn't even begin to imagine losing him, and I guess the thought of him being that close terrified me.

Especially when the girl he loved was so close to reuniting with him.

He was so close to being truly happy again, and I wanted nothing more than to see that.

I felt my shoulders fall as he set a hand on my head, something he's done as an attempt at comfort ever since I can remember.

Except the subtle rattling of the chain on his wrist as he did made it so much more upsetting.

"Hey," He began, his voice still weak, but intentionally calmer this time, "I'm sorry, okay? And thank you for that. I'll admit that things have been bad, and I'm not sure if I could have gotten out of that on my own."

I couldn't tell if that was something he meant or if that was just what I wanted to hear.

"Khloe's gone, the Lord trapped his Heir down in the cells for god knows how long, and I have no idea what's to come of my life anymore."

I had to physically bite my lip to keep myself from telling him.

If it weren't for the fact that if I told him, he'd do absolutely everything in his power to get to her, and end up ruining her shift in the process, I would.

"I get that, And I can't even begin to imagine whats going on in your head, but what you were doing... Khloe wouldn't want that."

That hit something within him if the physical tightening in his chest told me anything.

He looked to the side, swallowing hard as a look similar to guilt crossed his face for just a moment.

"I know," The words were barely audible.

I let him sit with that for a minute before he turned back to me.

"What did dad end up wanting from you?" He asked.

Luckily I already had this answer prepared, knowing he was bound to ask.

even if it threw my dad under the bus more than he already was.

He deserved it with how he handled all of this.

And knowing what a bad state he was in, I knew he would be able to tell it was a lie.

"He just wanted input on you, and wanted for me to keep an eye on you while also leaving to take over your work in the evenings."

I swear Nico rolled his eyes.

"Typical," was his only reply before asking in a softer tone, "Doe's okay?"

I nodded, "Doe's okay."

"Any idea how long he plans on keeping me down here." There was just a hint of malice to his voice.

He was planning something.

Either way, this was a question I had an honest answer to.

" I think a week at most."