The palace of love was peacefully asleep. Curtains drawn, soft shadows and a somber silence. The palace was always swathed in warmth of the soul. It had this comfort to it that could set anyone's mind at ease. Perhaps, though, I only find that comfort here as it's become a second home to me. Aside from the occasional guard, the halls were empty. I found Ville toiling away in his study, writing beneath candlelight. When does he actually sleep?

"Welcome back." Ville's eyes remained glued to his book as he turned back a page. "I suppose it's come time for me to meet your new friend." Wordlessly, I set a heavy bottle upon his desk. Scotch; Thick glass and a sleek label. He glanced the bottle, then me.

"For your troubles." I said. His sly grin was all the thanks I needed. Ville closed his journal and set it aside. He broke away from his desk to retrieve a crystal glass stationed inside a spell-locked cabinet built into bookshelves. He grabbed a second glass, to which I kindly told him, "None for me."

"You have the stomach for it now." Ville placed both glasses on the desk between us, but only preceded to fill one.

"I know, but I never drank when I was human. It'd feel weird to start now."

He hummed upon first sip. As Ville's glass clinked against his desk, he replied, "For someone who doesn't drink, you know how to pick a good scotch. I suppose you knew some experts." That, I did. Vampires may not be able to drink alcohol straight, but the blood of a drunkard affected us just the same. The pickier would provide their victims with top shelf. I'd seen this very bottle and others around many strongholds, my own included. I preferred life with a clear head, no matter how shitty it gets. But, for people like Ville, I absolutely understood the need to take the edge off.

He didn't even bother to ask about Angelo. The weight of that goodbye was something I could handle, as heavy as it may be. Ville was smart enough to know that. He, instead, inquired about how I'd chosen to spoil Rune. It's almost like he asked this favor of me on purpose, like he wanted to give me the opportunity to dote on my favorite fairy.

"I went to this little bookstore in Scranton. A lot of vamps go there because it's open late. Of course, you know books are a dying thing on Earth, so about half the store is knickknacks now. I found some princess coloring books for him, and I got him this derpy looking egg plushie. I think it's from Hello Kitty." I shrugged, "I don't know, I figured it'd make him smile. I got him a butterfly encyclopedia too. Figure that'll keep him busy for a long time."

"Hm, maybe I should have Calypso borrow it once. It'd be nice if she could learn about Earth, even if it is just about the butterflies. I usually bring her jewelry, but I wouldn't ask that of you. It's something I must do myself... Rune will be very happy when he hears his new toys are from you. I initially thought his curiosity with you was just that, but I do begin to wonder if there's something deeper than that. He feels comfortable around you in a way he does with very few people."

"Please don't tell me you want me to bring him back to my haunted house."

Ville shorted a laugh, "No. You and Ricky have a tremendous deal of growing still yet. Far too much for a child. However, I wouldn't completely disregard the idea. Rune was given both a gift and a curse in that he will never truly grow up. He needs a family as frozen in time as he is. But, that is a conversation for a day far in the future. I'd much rather get to the—How did you put it? Hellspawn, I believe."

"Sex-crazed hellspawn, from another universe. Supposedly. I've come to accept a lot of weird shit here, but I don't know about that one. I also don't know how else to explain the fact that he knows about Earth. He says he's from Italy. He knows about vampires, too. Too much for comfort, to be honest. He had a weapon that could actually hurt me." I handed off a pearl to Ville as I elaborated, "Break it and he'll come."

He observed the pearlescent glimmer beneath candlelight with much intrigue. "His name?"

"Right, sorry. It's Asher. He's been staying with us for a few days, haven't seen him eat once. He said he doesn't eat mortal food." 

"Well, that's not terribly unusual. Uncommon, but not unreasonable. It's the weapon that concerns me." Ville continued, "The reality of other realms existing is a truth better left unspoken. We should consider ourselves terribly lucky we're allowed to know of two. That much I've gathered from the deities. If Asher truly is from another realm, or even a parallel world, we'd have no choice but to hand him over to them."

"I'm not asking you to take him in because of the whole realm-universe thing. It's an issue, I know, but that's not why he needs you. He's hurt. Bad. I don't need your powers to see that something fucked him up."

Though Ville held a healthy fear towards the deities, there was one thing that mattered more to him; his purpose. If it meant saving even a single broken heart, he'd defy the very beings holding together the fabric of space and time. It wasn't much of a question to him. Once I'd said what I had, he took one last look at the pearl before crushing it in his palm.

The dust crumbled onto his desk like sand. Stillness followed. Ville took a drink from his glass, seemingly unfazed by Asher's lack of an entrance. "I swore that worked last time." I said.

"He's here." He replied, "He's taking a look around first."

"Finally! Someone who gets me!" That sensual voice purred. The tapping of heels against hardwoods followed as Asher strutted his way into the room. His arm wrapped around the crown of my chair as his hip dipped onto the arm. "This place wreaks of sex. I love it."

I ignored his persistent advances. "This is Ville. He's good at helping people."

Asher scoffed, "I don't need help. What I need is a ninety pound twink that likes it when it hurts."

"By your own admission, you told me you're running from your problems. I'd argue that you do need help." I responded.

He snapped up dramatically, turning his back towards the both of us. "I don't want anyone's help! My whole damn life has been someone saying they're gonna help and then fucking me over. I thought for once I'd found somewhere where it'd be different! I thought you'd be different!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Asher spun around, poking his finger my direction. "It means I knew you! In my world, I knew you. You know what my whole fucking life has been? I was made to be a weapon of war. And when the war was over, the only 'home' I ever knew put my head in the guillotine. So here comes this dictator bitch. She says she's going to help me, but instead she blackmailed me with my own life and forced me to keep killing. Then you came along. You and that fucker Jasper. The Architect. He said he was going to help me! But he locked me up in an asylum, and I only ever saw the light of day when he wanted to use me to do his dirty work. To kill. Finally he decided to send me off to my death, and just when I thought I'd get a little peace and quite, some asshole that I fell in love with took the bullet for me. So, fuck you, and you! I don't need anyone's fucking help again!"

I'll give him this, it was a hell of a speech. Asher turned on a dime and began to storm out. Ville calmly placed his drink down, his comforting voice following with no rush. "You may leave whenever you'd like. But, I'd hate to send you out in that cold on an empty stomach. Chris mentioned you haven't eaten in some time."

Surprisingly, Asher did stop to reply. He sharply answered, "I don't eat mortal food."

"Or so I've heard. Surely you must get your energy from somewhere. I'm willing to bet you're this over-sexualized for a reason." Ville made his way around his desk slowly. "Empathic vampires. I've only read about them in theory. Rather than blood, they get their energy from certain emotions."

He curled his lip. "Calling me a vampire is an insult where I come from." Oh, gee, thanks.

"Am I wrong?"

Asher hesitated a moment. His eyes scanned Ville carefully as the God of Love approached him. "Not entirely. I feed on lust. I doubt you want me making a fuckdoll out of one of your little pet projects."

"You may be surprised to find what they need." Ville offered out his hand, "May I?"

With a dramatic sigh and a bitchy look, Asher took his hand. Ville yanked him against his chest without a second to catch his lost breath before meeting their lips. While one hand remained intertwined, the other cupped the nape of his neck. It wasn't the sweet, tender love I was used to from Ville, but that of which I knew he was capable of. Twisted tongues, wet lips, the tugging of hair; lust at it's purest. A sinful glow radiated from his soul, dirty and sweet. So raw, I felt the heat on my own neck. As Ville pulled away, the smallest whimper escaped Asher's throat. I think he even surprised himself with it.

His thumb traced Asher's lower lip upon his whisper, "I may not be your type, but I do like when it hurts." Asher turned away, all the fight completely knocked out of him. Ville melted his resolve like a fire to wax. His warmth is not a destructive flame, however. With loving hands, he'll reshape that which has been damaged and recreate beauty. To share the title of "god" with the likes of him made me feel like a fraud.

"Spare me a moment to say goodbye to my dear friend. Then, I'll let you see the palace as I do." He glanced my direction, "Will you be returning home tonight?"

"Preferably." I answered.

"Allow me." With the turn of his wrist, a portal popped open between us. "Come visit soon. I'm sure Rune will be anxious to see you."

"I'll try my best. I'd be remise if I didn't tell you about Yuu and Ezra's engagement."

"Now that is beautiful news. I look forward to hearing of the wedding. Safe travels, my friend. Give your family my regards."

With that, I left to return to my own personal palace of love. Is it sick to wish I could be a fly on the wall for the evening? Eh, I've been a horrific sinner for decades. I doubt it's a surprise to anyone at this point. Fortunately for Asher, I know how Ville treasures his privacy in intimacy. Though he may be very free with his love, he is respectful and precious with every single body that falls in his arms. And hey, now I know where Ricky adopted his sadomasochism.