BLAKE

Someone knocked on Daniel's door just as Blake finished pulling his sweater over his head. "Michael?" He called out. "Did you forget something?"

That was strange. Michael never forgot a single detail about anything. He even brought Blake color coordinated underwear and socks. Swinging open the door, Blake surprised himself and ended up jumping back. Adrian wasn't who he expected to see on the other side dressed like he's got places to be and go, holding two bags at his side.

"What are you doing? Are you moving rooms?" Blake asked.

The side of Adrian's lip pulled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "In a way. I'm being relocated to the Venture Hotel with some of the other wedding guests—" He kept talking, going and going and making Blake feel like he just stuck his head outside a speeding car. Whiplash and deafening noise. Wanted to pump the breaks. "I wanted to wait to tell you after the wedding. I never wished to take the focus away from you or Daniel, but he's left me no choice. I'm retiring, Blake. The day of your wedding was supposed to be my last day, but obviously Daniel thought otherwise."

Short circuiting, Blake blinked and waved his hands around his head to maybe swat the confusion away. "Wait! Wait! Wait! Start over—" He froze "—what do you mean you're leaving? And retiring? This is a lot to tell me at once and I wish you had told me to sit down. Normally, people are asked to sit down before given big terrible awful news."

"I wanted to wait."

"And you didn't because?"

"Blake," Adrian whispered, forcing Blake to listen closely. He dropped his luggage and held Blake's arms to keep him from spiraling. "I wanted to make this transition as easy as possible. I didn't want to upset you."

"Well, I am upset."

Smiling softly, Adrian freed one hand to cup Blake's cheek. "Don't be upset. I believe the Prince when he says he knows what's best for you and if he thinks I should go, I'll go. He has all the power here."

Blake shook his head, growing more and more frustrated with every word. It was impossible to unpack it all at once, but Blake decided to try. This felt like a big mess anyways. "Is that what he said?"

"He did—"

Blake guffawed, infuriated enough for his blood to boil.

"He's the prince, Blake. If he doesn't want me in his castle, I must oblige."

Blake moved from Adrian's touch, storming away from Daniel's room. He didn't know where to begin, but he needed to say something, or he'd burst. "Knows what's best for me? Knows what's best for me?! As if! He didn't even want to get to know me until we were engaged!" Adrian chased him down the hall.

"Blake," Adrian tried to coax Blake back into his hands. "Blake, come here."

"No, no, I need to find Daniel and remind him that we're partners. He doesn't have all the power." Ready to fly down the hall, Blake put his foot forward when Adrian finally found purchase with his wrist, pulling him back.

"Daniel's right. I should go be with the other wedding guests."

Blake's chest tightened as he watched his caretaker try to put on a brave face for his sake. This time would be different. Blake would be the one to take care of Adrian. He owed him at least that much. Turning around, Blake threw himself into Adrian's chest and squeezed him tight, so when he spoke, Adrian would take it as a promise, "You're not a guest. You're family." He popped his head up. "I'm gonna sort this out. You'll stay in my room if Daniel refuses to give your room back."

Adrian's hand combed through Blake's curls as he fondly looked down at his charge. "When did you get so grown up? It's about time other people stopped making decisions for you."

"I think so too."

Adrian softly chuckled and ruffled Blake's hair before sending him off. With a fire lit underneath him, Blake raced down the halls, desecrating the quiet and good manners of the castle by making the statues and chandeliers shake.

There was more than one demon under this roof.

And Daniel Bellerose better watch out.

#

DANIEL

"That desk is older than you," Josephine sing-songed from one of the ornate couches in front of Daniel's desk, the very thing he was digging four ruts into the top. He left four tan colored scars into the wood. Daniel yanked his hand away, his nails shortening back to something less monstrous and damaging. He sighed, but it didn't lessen the tightness in his chest or stop any of his tangled thoughts.

Josephine set her laptop to the side and jumped up onto his desk, crushing the papers underneath. Josephine sat prettily and her long cornrow braids swayed down her back. She kicked her velvet thigh high boots in the air and smiled at Daniel, expectantly.

He sighed again, dropping all his body weight into the back of his chair that tipped and rocked to his movement. "I don't want to talk about it," he said.

"Yes, you do or would you rather mope until you die?"

"The second one." Daniel placed his hand over his heart. "I want to keep it all bottled in until it crushes me."

Josephine rolled her eyes. "This is the modern world, Daniel. Acting macho about your feelings isn't attractive. Now, come here..." She made grabby hands, motioning him closer. "You can cry into arms without charge."

Daniel cracked a smile.

"Unless you feel some sense of duty. Then, by all means pay me."

She coaxed Daniel into a small laugh as he shook his head. "Why do you even want to listen to me gripe about my problems? It's not like I gift you the same privilege?"

"Because I'm living a life without worry. My life is far less complicated without arranged marriages and five-hundred-year-old curses. Not that I take pity on you for having such a handsome fiancé—"

As if on cue, Blake barreled into Daniel's office, letting the door slam on the other side. "Daniel Bellerose, you have absolutely lost your mind. What the hell were you thinking—?" His words stumbled when he noticed Josephine and all her attention. His brow just narrowed harder and all the lights in the room flickered. "Josephine."

He stepped to the side of the opened door. Not as subtle as hint. More like a blaring neon sign.

"Pardon me," Josephine excused herself before giving Daniel a wide-eyed horrified look. She hissed at her cousin as if accusing him of something so heinous he'd need a new last name. "What did you do?" She hissed before quickly making herself scarce.

Blake closed the door behind her and the light from the fireplace snuffed out. Coils of smoke rolled through the air between them. The only light seeped from the tall windows, fighting the heavy curtains. All stale light from a thick cloudy sky.

But it was colder in here than outside with the snow.

Crossing his arms, Blake didn't move closer, but he kept his voice low and steady. He must've been thinking the same as Daniel that Josephine was probably just outside the door listening. Her eavesdropping could be joined by anyone in the family. Daniel was worried more than just Damien feeling smug about them fighting.

He didn't want their parents to worry.

With the wedding only a week away, they needed to be assured that this curse was going to end and that they'd be safe. Nothing was wrong. Nobody needed to know.

"Daniel," Blake said his name like it took great effort and Daniel loathed the sound. "I just want one good reason why you kicked Adrian out without talking to me first. Just give me one good reason and we don't have to have this fight."

Daniel's chest tightened, remembering that smug look on Adrian's face after their discussion. That look Adrian used to warn him that this was going to happen. Blake walked into this room already on Adrian's side. It made Daniel feel already at a loss. "It sounds like we're already fighting. I'm not sure you're even going to hear what I have to say if you've already picked Adrian's side."

"Somebody has to! It's an abuse of power for you to kick him out like that. You're the prince, Daniel. He can't say no to you."

"I wasn't thinking about that at the time..." Daniel sighed, more frustrated with himself than anything. He always had trouble getting his feelings across when all the facts failed him. He stood, trying to meet Blake's eyes so maybe he could see what Daniel was surely going to forget to say. He just needed his feelings to reach. "When it comes to you, I forget all about being a prince and being a vampire. I forgot about magic and the world around us. I'm just worried about you."

Blake finally softened, but Daniel could still feel the barrier between them. Daniel felt stuck behind this desk. Blake spoke again, thankfully a little calmer this time. "There's protective. And then there's overprotective. Which is not romantic. You can't decide what is safe for me and what isn't. You have to talk to me first. Always. For everything."

"Next time," Daniel promised. "I will."

"Good—"

"But this time, I need you to trust me. Adrian will be comfortable at the hotel. I just have this terrible feeling and I think he needs to go until after the wedding. Everything is riding on this wedding and I—"

Blake gawked. "You still think I'm going to let you kick him out because you had a feeling? No way. Isn't this supposed to be my home too?"

"Of course!" The floor underneath Daniel's feet had become quicksand and even though he knew the more he struggled, the faster he'd sink, Daniel couldn't stop. He was going to suffocate, using his last breath to make Blake understand. "But you can't see something is wrong because of how you feel about him."

"Not you too." Blake's nose flared, an angry flush flooding his face. "My whole family always thinks they can make decisions for me. You can't do this to me too."

Daniel wished he were something else for the first time in his life, yearning for the kind of magic that could take him back to yesterday when everything was perfect. Daniel didn't know how to get back to that from here. He was never in a fight with someone he cared about this much. Everyone typically just let him have his way.

"I'm trying to help you."

"I don't want your help. I don't need your help."

The silence growing between them was overpowering, turning Daniel's stomach like cement. Daniel sat back down. "I suppose this means we're at an impasse."

"I guess so," Blake agreed, biting back tears.

They held each other's stare until Blake couldn't bare it anymore and left. Daniel dropped his head, letting out a breath, but it wasn't enough to get rid of all of this festering frustration. He stood suddenly, his chair thrown back and hitting the wall.

Daniel was lost.

Just a month ago, he was fine being alone and dedicating his life to the coven and Sagewick. It took one person from his past, one magically beautiful guy to make Daniel need someone to feel peace to feel like anything was right. Now, it was all wrong. 

"Are you happy?" Daniel asked Ignacio who he assumed was listening because he always liked to watch the show. "You ruined two perfectly lonely people. Cheers."

#

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I'm back! Finally! Yay! I'm so excited, despite the immediate drama haha. I'd love to know your thoughts on the chapter. Is anyone surprised by Adrian's behavior at this point? Haha. What did you think about Daniel's and Blake's fight? How will it be resolved? 

All comments are appreciated! If you like my story, check out my other books! I have finished books ready to be devoured~