Page 58 of The Vampire King's Victory

Daemon released him and stepped back as if to somehow lessen the pull he had on Julian. To be honest, it was hard to move away from Daemon. Julian had noticed that. He’d thought it was just an emotional reaction to being away from a new lover, not that he’d ever experienced it before even in the full thrall of attraction with anyone else. But now, he had a feeling it was more basic. He was Daemon’s Childe. He realized then, more than before, that Daemon could have controlled him like a puppet, but the Vampire King was remarkably hands-off.

“It’s part of why I love you,” Julian found himself saying as if they were having this conversation and it wasn’t something just in his head.

But Daemon nodded, understanding. “We’re alike, Julian. There would be nothing worse that I could do to you than to crush your spirit. It would crush mine as well.”

“Even when I make mistakes? Potentially, bad ones?” Julian didn’t know why he was asking. He already knew the answer, but it was calming to have it confirmed.

“Yes, even bad ones. You need to learn. You need to grow. Though you are a man already, there is still much out there that you need to experience,” Daemon stated easily. “Now, go explore. I’ll wait here if you have any questions.”

Again, Julian felt that reluctance to leave Daemon’s circle of influence. He felt a bit like a toddler as he slowly turned from Daemon to survey the room. He actually looked back over his shoulder to see that Daemon hadn’t moved, hadn’t left him.

“It’s because of how we started here, right? This… feeling?” Julian’s voice cracked a little.

Daemon hesitated a moment then nodded. “Any Childe wants to be within their Master’s sight. You’ve been remarkably independent. But, here, in a space that is uniquely mine--nowours--and considering our history…” Daemon broke off and lowered his head. “I shouldn’t have left you. Even if you were dying.Especiallyif you were.”

“You couldn’t come. And I had to go,” Julian pointed out. “You were with me out there. That’s how I found that club and Christian…”

“I will be forever haunted by what I did,” Daemon said softly.

Julian rushed to him, cupping Daemon’s face and lifting it so that they were eye to eye. Daemon’s alien yet beautiful crimson eyes were fixed upon his.

“You don’t need to comfort me, Julian. You shouldn’t,” Daemon said firmly. “I need to accept this as one of mybadmistakes.”

“But I’m okay! Everything’s okay! It’s better than that!” Julian cried, intent on making Daemon understand that the hesitancy to be away from him was not a bad thing.

Not really. He felt loved and safe when Daemon was there. But he could do things on his own as he had proven by going to Moonfall. He shared all of that with Daemon.

“I was here when I heard you in my mind. That bond. That connection.” Daemon gave a full body shudder. “I was sosurprised. I’m not often surprised. And I…”

Julian leaned in and peppered Daemon’s face with kisses. “You endured so much with the deaths of all those other people that you hoped to spend eternity with. You can’t judge yourself so harshly. I’mhere. It all worked out. Well, itwill. We have the rest of the Kalys, my parents and then humanity to deal with.”

“Don’t forget the other Vampires and Immortals. Not everyone will be happy I’m back or appreciate what I’ve done in revealing our existence,” Daemon remarked with a weak smile.

“So we’ve got our hands full with the present and the future. Let the past be the past,” Julian suggested.

Slowly Daemon nodded. He then turned his head towards Julian’s right palm and kissed it softly. “I was supposed to be comfortingyou.”

“We comfort each other.” Julian smiled broadly. “Walk with me. Don’t stay here. Be with me as I see these things for the first time that are yours and loved by you.”

Daemon nodded again. Julian released his face, but reached down and threaded their nearest hands together.

“Now, let’s see what you want your visitors to know about you and how comfortable it makes them,” Julian said with a grin. He cast around. “You don’t believe in walls, do you?”

“Why would one want to block these views?” Daemon asked with a broad, sweeping gesture.

The floor was completely open. The outside walls were glass, and there were a few dividers, Julian would have called them, but not true interior walls. There were seating areas with wide, deep couches surrounding fire pits arranged throughout the space so that every view could be captured.

Several seating areas looked out at the city. There were splendid views of the other palaces and the grand courtyards.Julian glimpsed into airy galleries in other buildings. There were covered walkways where people could glide between structures out of that pesky rain or snow. He could almost imagine the students that would come, wearing their academy uniforms--old and young, beautiful and ugly, but all intelligent and interesting in their own ways--racing through the streets to get underneath the almost delicate stone roofs.

“The school will be in Nightvallen?” Julian asked.

“Yes, I’m still working on its design,” Daemon answered.

“Still working… you’re creating this place, aren’t you?” Julian had turned narrow eyes upon his Master.

Daemon just gave him a secret smile. “I am dreaming about it.”

“That seems to be another power beyond Armageddon!” Julian protested.

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