Page 76 of The Vampire King's War

MOONFALL

“Please tell me that you didn’t interrupt Julian and Daemon making love, Balthazar!” Christian said quietly as they waited in his best friend’s suite while the two lovers bathed.

He, Balthazar and Caemorn were waiting in the living area while Daemon and Julian showered and made themselves presentable. Balthazar had just told him the circumstances in which he had found Christian’s best friend and the Vampire King.

“Well, I…” Balthazar kissed Meffy’s head, likely to avoid answering.

“You did! Oh, my God!” Christian pinched the top of his nose.

Christian had been so relieved that Balthazar had started to feel more himself that he’d started taking charge of the messaging with Rajani instead of yelling at the television and talking to Meffy--loudly--about every reporter and arguments’ shortcomings. And then when they had determined that the soul gems containing the Harrows signatures seemed to always coincide where Artemis-Kaly had been, he had been utterly thrilled to see Balthazar so fired up again.

But…

But then Balthazar had run off and evidently interrupted Julian and Daemon in a more intimate form of communing, Christian had wanted to groan.

“It wasn’t that bad. I mean I did wait until they were finished. They just hadn’t cleaned up yet.” Balthazar shrugged even as he hid behind the kitten.

“Meffy is not going to save you!” Christian cried.

“I don’t know, Daemon patted Meffy’s head and mine before he teleported him and Julian away to the shower,” Balthazar said as he lavished Meffy with kisses.

The other kittens were with Sophia now but whenever Balthazar was free he demanded Meffy be at his side. Not that Meffy seemed to mind. Christian couldn’t even get jealous at the lavishing of attention Balthazar gave the kitten because he knew what joy it gave his Master.

“While I applaud your renewed activity,” Caemorn said stiffly, “I think you could have waited to report it. We have merely determined that the soul gems’ signatures were last with Artemis. We still need to question him. We could have done that and then gone to see King Daemon with more definitive information.”

That was exactly what Christian thought.

“I’m his best friend! There are no boundaries here!” Balthazar flapped his hands in the air.

Meffy hissed at the wild movements. Head kisses, pats and chin scratches hardly calmed the irate ball of fur down.

“I want you to reverse the situation. Imagine that Daemon interrupted us while we were making love,” Christian began patiently. “Would you be so sanguine about it?”

“He would have a very good reason to, like I did!” Balthazar was not backing down even though his cheeks were the color of a nuclear sunset.

Christian sighed, realizing that it was a bad comparison. Daemon never did things without good reason. He certainly didn’t run off with half a plan to interrupt people making love.

“Alright, so he likely would. But Caemorn is right. We’ve only just established that the soul gems’ location and Artemis’ location overlapped and never did they come into the seeming possession of any other of Kaly’s forms,” Christian said. “But it’s hardly definitive! We need more than just that before we tell Julian that we know where his parents are!”

Balthazar grasped Christian’s shoulders gently. “I know it isn’t definite proof. I know that there is a lot more information that both you and Caemorn would like to have before we come to Julian and Daemon about it so we don’t raise false hopes.”

That was exactly what Christian was afraid of. He had felt Julian’s shock and joy the moment that Balthazar had announced what they had found. Christian hadn’t been even in the garden and Julian’s emotions had felt like a virtual explosion. To let Julian down… He couldn’t bear the thought of it.

“Daemon has said in no uncertain terms that I am not to enter Artemis’ mind… after what happened. And… and I admit I feel a little…” Balthazar’s mouth flattened, “fragile. And while I respect and admire many of my fellow Eyros, I’m just not willing to put this into the hands of anyone else other than Daemon.”

Christian’s heart clenched. Ever since he had heard about what happened to Balthazar in the Ever Dark, he had been internally panicking about it. Of course, that meant outwardly he showed less emotion than usual. He’d assiduously hidden his feelings from Balthazar, because he knew that would only cause his Master to fall deeper into self-recriminations and regret. But Caemorn had immediately picked up on it.

“Christian, my experience with Masters--and being a Kaly Vampire--likely makes me the last person to advise you, but I know that Balthazar would wish to know if you are upset,” Caemorn had said earlier when Balthazar had decided he was going to take charge of things and left the two of them alone. “Balthazar has the interesting character trait that when everyone else is panicking he is calmer. He rises to the challenge when things are a mess.”

“I know, but I don’t want to put anymore pressure on him,” Christian had answered, his hands tightening over his thighs. “Balthazar has had to be responsible for everyone else’s feelings and well-being for a long time. He’s never really given himself a break. What happened with Kaly has thrown him.”

“Part of me wishes to say that it is good for him to be humbled a little bit,” Caemorn admitted.

“That’s unkind and untrue. He has more self-doubt than you might think,” Christian pointed out.

Caemorn’s head lowered. “Yes, well, I suppose you might be right at that. He was angry with Kaly. Emotional. I understand that but it did not serve him well in facing off against our Master.”

“No, but can you blame him? Think about what Roan Tithe or really Kaly did? To torture him and all of his Blood Brothers and Sisters! To make Balthazar feel unloved and unwanted… well, you of all people know what that was like,” Christian pointed out. “Daemon returning has actually helped heal some of the wounds that Kaly inflicted. In addition to his best friend, Daemon is like a Master to him.”

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