Ricky telling me he had something to show me could really mean anything around here. I followed him through the many winding corridors of the castle. All the while, he asked me questions about how I was settling in, how I was feeling after my journey, and how I was getting along with everyone. I was honest, letting him know it was an adjustment, I had warmed up to Kuza quickly, and I was working on Ryan. He laughed, telling me that nothing had adverted his expectations.

Just to the right of the kitchen, there was a small passageway. It was dark enough, you could easily skip past it. He snapped his fingers, summoning a small flame to illuminate our path. Inside the passage, there was a twisting staircase that descended into a dungeon. Iron barred cells on the walls at our sides; Two to the right, two to the left. In front of us, large double doors made of metal and wood stood strong.

With a simple gesture, Ricky caused them to open. He gave me a look encouraging me to move forward. Through the threshold, there was a room lined with shelves of candles. A small reflecting pond ran down the center of the floor, stopping only at an elevation in the stone. Upon that elevation, laid a sleek black coffin.

"This is your home now." Ricky said, "It's the coldest place in the castle, and should you get hungry, there will always be a meal waiting for you in those cells."

I grinned, "I could kiss you right now."

"And I'd let you, if you didn't look so sick. You need rest."

"I didn't think I looked that bad." I grumbled.

"On the surface, you're as handsome as ever, but on the inside... How do I explain it? Demon lords, we can see souls. They look kind of like fires." Ricky held up the small flame in his hand. "Yours is far from burning out, but it's a lot dimmer than it normally is... I should leave you to get some sleep."

"What is it?" I asked.

He hesitated, "What's what?"

"What's on your mind? You were going to say something else."

Ricky let the fire at his fingertips burn out, leaving only the candles to light his face. "Most the damage I'm seeing on your soul, it's fresh and temporary. It'll heal and go away, but I can see there's some old damage there too, that hasn't healed. It's kind of like a scar, on your soul. Someone hurt you real badly once."

"Well," I murmured, "That makes two of us. I doubt you want to talk about yours any more than I want to talk about mine."

His hand instinctively clasped his arm, right where that damn scar is. At least I've peaked his interest. Perhaps, someday down the road, if I'm willing to open up about my own damage, he'll do the same in return.

"No... Um, I should get back upstairs. I have things to attend to. You need to sleep."

"I'm not going to argue with you there." I snickered. "Thank you, for everything."

Ricky simply nodded with a gentle smile before excusing himself. I've come to terms with the fact I'll be here quite awhile. The prospect of investing in long term plots no longer upsets me. Learning who this demon lord truly is, and who he was before earning his title, will only come with trust I'll need to build over time. I'm not looking to use it against him. I simply want to know more about him.

The coffin he'd provided me with was quite beautiful. I've seen my fair share, and I must say, this is amongst the best crafted I've ever had the pleasure of calling my own. There was a symbol engraved along the top that I've seen now multiple times around the palace. Ryan wears a patch of it on his jacket, and it's engraved into Kuza's dagger, as well as being incorporated in palace structures. I can only assume this is his seal, which means laying in this bed will cement me as his property.

I didn't hesitate. As he pointed out, I'm weak right now. Quite frankly, any longer without a coffin and I may have been looking at permanent damage beyond what I'd already sustained. Despite my many years as a vampire, I have yet to explain in full the mystical properties of coffins. All I know is that they help us to heal and protect us from that of which wishes to do us harm in our sleep. I'm not just talking about the sun, either.

—

That very well could have been one of the best sleeps of my very long life. I didn't realize how fragile and worn I'd let myself become. Upon waking, I had my pick of beautiful girls the Master had silenced for me. He remembered how I disliked their shrill screams. How kind of him. The combination of proper rest and a full belly of blood revitalized me. I felt better than ever.

As I journeyed upstairs, I was discouraged to hear some sort of shouting going on. I traced it to the guest room housing Ezra and Yuu. Vinny stood in the hallway outside, looking like a scared puppy abandoned on the side of the road. If they're sticking around, I've got to take him under my wing and break him in a bit. I don't have time for that right now though, so I told him to go to the kitchen and help himself to a snack while I deal with the domestic dispute.

I'm a vampire, not a relationship counselor, damn it. They left the door open, though. I walked into their argument, of which was half in a language I didn't even understand. "Excuse me?" I interjected, only being shouted over, "Excuse me! HEY!" They paused their bickering to glare at me, "What's this all about?"

"I knew we shouldn't have ever come here, but no, I had to do a favor for a man I barely know! Acting on behalf of a demon lord, no less!" Ezra exclaimed.

"Don't treat him like that. If it weren't for Chris' kindness towards strangers, I'd be an orc bride right about now! You owed it to him to return the favor! This isn't about any of that, though! Ezra," Yuu sighed, exasperated, "Sometimes it feels like you don't realize how much I gave up for you. Anyone else in my position would've let themselves get married off to a noble and lived out a life of luxury, but instead I lived in a hobble in the middle of the forest, because I loved you. And all I'm asking is that now, you let it be my turn, and sacrifice some things for me."

Ezra stared back blankly for a moment. I knew that look. I'd been in his position plenty of times before. When he responded, his tone was quiet, yet condescending, "I'm sorry you had to stoop so low below your privilege for me." He stormed out of the room with a bruised heart.

Yuu reached out his hand, prepared to call for him. I grasped his thin wrist to stop him. "Let him go. Sometimes the best thing to do is let them know what it feels like to miss you. I'll let him cool off, then I'll talk to him."

He looked up at me, his eyes as brilliant as a full moon. "Thank you, Chris. I don't know what we did to deserve you in our lives."

"Don't count your blessings yet." I responded, "If my track record has proven anything, it's that I tend to drive people away or get them killed if they're around me too long."

"I have trouble believing that. You have a very kind energy. I don't smell death on you, not like the demon lord."

I sighed to myself, unable to tell the beauty the truth. He should smell death on me. Perhaps his need for a rock in this troubling storm has washed away his ability to see what I truly am. I'm no different than Ricky. We're both just monsters, harvesting our immortality from the bodies of unsuspecting youths. There's a certain arrogance to people like us, to think we have the right to cut such a young life short. I've ruined many, but I won't be the end of Yuu and Ezra, nor will their relationship suffer as a result of my actions. Call me a hopeless romantic if you must.