Page 24 of Lore and Lust
“I saidstop.” Haruka’s voice rises. He haphazardly scoots along the wall, trying to put more distance between them. He looks ashen and ravaged, his night clothes disheveled and stained with blood.
Nino stands completely still but raises his palms. He keeps his voice low. “Haru… I amnotgoing to hurt you.”
“Then why are your eyes alighted?”
Nino frowns, thinking quickly. “Because it smells nice in here?”
There’s a sound behind him and Nino turns. Asao walks into the room and stops dead at Nino’s side, taking in the scene. He exhales a heavy sigh. “Oh hell.”
“What took you so long?” Haruka fumes, his voice bitter as he scowls at his manservant. Asao walks past Nino and leans down to touch the side of Gael’s neck.
“How many times did you call me?” Asao asks absently, standing upright.
“Twice.”
“I didn’t hear you the first time, Haruka. I’m sorry, but I actually sleep sometimes too. Are you okay? What would you like me to do?”
“I—I am fine. Please wake Emory,” says Haruka, leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes. His chest is quietly heaving from stress. “Tell him Gael attacked me, and please request that Elsie come here to provide sustenance for me as soon as possible.”
Nino’s throat tightens. Oddly, he and Asao exchange a pointed moment of eye contact. Asao looks back at Haruka, his voice serious. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Please do as I have asked.”
Asao exhales yet another audible sigh, then focuses on Nino again as he turns to leave the room. “Am I okay to leave you with him? You’re in your right mind?”
“I’m alright,” Nino promises. “It just smells nice… in here.”
Asao firmly pats his shoulder before leaving the room. Nino takes a deep breath. The wonderful scent flooding his nostrils is slowly dissipating, as if Haruka is drawing his energy back into himself. Nino focuses his thoughts and rolls his shoulders. It takes a few seconds of jumping and wiggling his body, but soon, his eyes have burned out.
When he’s finished and glances down at Haruka on the floor, his friend is looking up at Nino as if he’s insane. “No more glowing eyes.” Nino smiles, his palms up in submission. “May I sit with you?”
Haruka presses his long fingers into his forehead and closes his eyes. “Yes.”
Stepping over Gael’s bulky, unmoving body, Nino rests on his knees directly in front of Haruka. “Rough night?”
“To say the least,” Haruka grumbles, his eyes still closed with his fingers massaging his forehead.
“You have real power.” Nino stares, awestruck at the memory of what he’s just seen his friend do. “I’ve heard of vampires in the past having supernatural abilities, but I’ve never seen anyone physically manipulate their aura like that. It’s incredible.”
With his eyes still closed, the corner of Haruka’s mouth twists up in a bitter smirk. “Do not be so impressed by my sheer desperation to survive. I am a disgrace to my bloodline.”
Old blood.Nino stifles the urge to roll his eyes at the dramatic statement. But he firmly comes to a decision. “Don’t feed from Elsie. You don’t even want to and you can’t trust her.”
Haruka opens his eyes. Instead of their usual deep brown, they’re milky and washed out. He looks so tired, gray and miserable that Nino’s heart breaks.
“I cannot survive like this,” Haruka breathes, his voice brittle. “I have no choice.”
“Would you… feel comfortable feeding from me?” Nino asks.
Haruka stares with his translucent eyes, unblinking for a long moment before he answers. “What do you want in return?”
Nino shakes his head. “Nothing. I don’t want anything from you. Well, maybe I would want you to be healthy and not sitting here looking miserable.”
Haruka’s gaze is searching. Disbelieving. Like if he looks hard enough, he’ll find the answer to his question. “And youtrulyrequire nothing of me as recompence?”
“Nothing,” Nino repeats.
Haruka shifts his eyes away, considering something. It feels like several seconds before he meets Nino’s gaze again. “May I have your hand?”
