Page 7 of The Vampire King's Gift

“Will he make her forget that Heath ever existed? Or what?”

Balthazar likely wouldn’t erase Heath’s existence. That would cause too much cognitive dissonance, especially with an Eyros Bloodline Vampire as she would read the confusion in people’s minds immediately. And Balthazar was not yet capable of weaving memories for all Vampire minds at once. So it would likely just be a lessening of her grief. Perhaps, Balthazar would even make her angry with Heath for what he had done. Turning grief into rage was easier. He told Julian as much. Julian nodded, but he still was upset. His fledgling blamed himself for Elena’s reaction to him.

“Julian, what has happened with Elena is not your fault.”

“That’s not true. I asked you to protect Christian and me,” Julian said. “I knew that you’d have to hurt him, at least, if not kill him. So Iamresponsible.”

“They would have killed you and Christian without hesitation. I assure you that you are spending far more time thinking and mourning Heath than he would have ever done for you.” Daemon ran a hand through Julian’s dark hair.

“Probably. I don’t know. I’ve just never been responsible for someone’s death before. Not even tangentially,” he admitted and stretched out his neck for more petting, which Daemon was happy to oblige.

“There will be many new things to you in this Second Life, Julian,” Daemon advised him. “Challenging things.”

Julian bit his lower lip as they crossed into a tree-lined that led to a set of wide stairs down to the beach. He could already see the silvered sand beach ahead of them and the water that looked velvety black. He took a deep breath. He felt better already. The buzz of fear about losing Julian was tamping down. But he felt his fledgling was still worried. Not about Elena though.

“I made you look weak, didn’t I? When I begged you not to kill her?” Julian’s shoulders slumped. “I didn’t think…”

“You reacted. Understandable. We are both new at this,” Daemon answered, squeezing Julian’s hand.

They had reached the stairs that led down to the beach. It was mostly empty. There was a couple however lying on a beach blanket, arms wrapped around each other, the smell of their love-making still staining the air. Daemon’s stomach grumbled. He would definitely have to feed more tonight. This couple would be a good start. His predator’s mind immediately started a plan of attack. But his fledgling was still upset. He would handle that first. The couple second.

“How should I have handled it? Taken you aside? Your mind was closed to me,” Julian said the last with a slightly anguished look.

Daemon grimaced. Julianhadtried to reach him over their bond repeatedly, but he had been too filled with fear-based rage to respond. Even now, he kept Julian at a distance as scenarios of seeing him hurt or killed raced through Daemon’s mind like a squirrel chasing its own tail.

“I am sorry. I should not have done that, but my thoughts were jumbled. My emotions were out of control.” He stopped walking as they were now just above the reach of the waves. He cupped Julian’s face in his. “It would have hurt you to have our minds touch at that moment.”

Julian searched his face and his mind for a lie, but found none. Julian buried his face against Daemon’s chest. His hot breath gushed over Daemon’s skin. He kissed the top of Julian’s head again and again, smelling and tasting him with those kisses. Julian’s arms wrapped around him as if Daemon were a large teddy bear he wanted to squish against him for comfort. The Vampire King smiled and laughed softly to himself. He had never been anyone’s teddy. More kisses though had his stomach rumbling again.

Julian drew his head back to meet his gaze. A crooked smile was on his fledgling’s face. “You’re hungry.”

“Yes.”

Julian turned his head towards the couple who were giggling and talking softly to one another. “And I see you found some dinner.”

“I have. Would you like to help me?”

“Help you what?” Julian turned a confused expression towards him.

“Hunt them.”

Julian’s eyes widened. He opened his lips–likely to say “no” as his little hero did not like to attack the innocent–but then he firmed his resolve and nodded. He understood that he would have to learn how to do this eventually. Not for some time, but still. Eventually. Besides, it was fun to teach his clever fledgling.

“So how do we do this?” Julian rubbed his hands together.

Daemon cupped his chin. “First, we do not look like we’re hunting them.” He leaned down and kissed the young man full on the lips. His fledgling’s expression went from anxious to slightly dazed. “Follow my lead.”

“Okay, sounds good.”

“You’ll find that hunting has a natural rhythm,” Daemon explained as he had them saunter down the beach towards the couple. They looked like a couple as well, but just out for a late night stroll. “Now, I know that you are concerned about hurting innocent people.”

“Yeah, a bit.”

Daemon let his lips linger on Julian’s cheek and dragged them over his jaw. Julian’s breathing quickened and his heart raced. The musky scent of arousal rose off of him in waves.

“Being fed from is pleasurable.”

“You’ve said that.”

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