carefully. “Remember, ’tis not the temptation that makes us wrong, but the giving in to it. Whatever has happened, you clearly resisted what was thrown in your path. You would not be here confessing to me otherwise.”
“Aye, that I did,” Adam agreed, finally taking a deep, centering breath. “But I’ve never come so close to crossing that line before, Noah. I have never fully understood how all-consuming ... how hard it is for us to pull back from our basest urges no matter how wrongly directed they may be.”
“I cannot say I understand entirely, although I have felt more than my share of those cravings for flesh and gratification. But I’ve never craved outside of my race and, Destiny willing, I never will. I should rather die a horrible death than find myself slaking my lust on a non-Demon woman.”
“Never fear,” Adam assured him. “So long as I am alive, I will never allow you to get that far gone.”
“In that I have complete faith,” Noah acknowledged. “However, I realize also that you are forced to be your own last line of defense. Who do you have to pull you back from the abyss of madness as you do for so many of us?”
“My father. Or perhaps Jacob. Maybe even you could sense my disturbance, if you were aware you must be on watch for it.” Adam took a deep breath as he further composed himself. “And now you are made aware, cousin. But be assured the threat has passed, and, luckily, is unlikely to return. My duties for the Hallowed holiday begin to press on me and I can already sense I will be quite busy the next few nights.” The Enforcer turned to his friend and they clasped arms strongly. “I must thank you. I had meant for this to be a very different sort of visit. But your support has been invaluable to me.”
“It is good to be able to lend you guidance for a change, my friend. Perhaps it means there is hope for my maturity yet.”
“I highly doubt it.” Adam chuckled. “I will see you at the festival. Mother will not hear of your absence.”
“I will be there.”
Jasmine walked Damien’s property with a slow and thoughtful gait. The Romanian stronghold where Vampire government was centered was made of painstakingly crafted stone and mortar, towering far above the barren shale of the mountainside surrounding it, and it loomed over anyone who might lay eyes on it. Though few but Vampires saw it, and they were not easily intimidated. It was deep in Damien’s territory, far away from any of the smelly human settlements in the area. Luckily, humans were a superstitious lot and were very easily frightened. They had no desire to explore in an area that gave them chills of dread.
As she walked through the open bailey, under the massive portcullis that protected it, she began to find Vampire servants hurrying about their work maintaining Damien’s household. She wondered who it was these days that tagged along after Damien. There was always an entourage of pleasure-seekers, looking for fun and excitement, scurrying after him.
She had barely made it back inside the actual building before she was plucked up off her feet and spun hard about by none other than Damien himself. Eyes of midnight blue dancing and strong shoulders bulging with the muscles that now held her high into the air, the Vampire Prince laughed up at her in pure delight.
“I cannot express to you how happy I am you have returned!” It was said with relief and scolding all at once, and she sympathetically stroked warm fingers through his hair.
“I am sorry. I suppose my melancholy got the better of me at the time. I simply wanted nothing more than to go to ground and sleep.”
Damien nodded, letting her slide down his big body and dropping her back onto her feet. He looked her over with a stern, appraising eye. “You look much better now. Properly attired. After a fashion.” Damien eyed the beautiful court dress she was wearing, though without rolls, ruff, or farthingale. The tailor had no doubt
“Aye, that I did,” Adam agreed, finally taking a deep, centering breath. “But I’ve never come so close to crossing that line before, Noah. I have never fully understood how all-consuming ... how hard it is for us to pull back from our basest urges no matter how wrongly directed they may be.”
“I cannot say I understand entirely, although I have felt more than my share of those cravings for flesh and gratification. But I’ve never craved outside of my race and, Destiny willing, I never will. I should rather die a horrible death than find myself slaking my lust on a non-Demon woman.”
“Never fear,” Adam assured him. “So long as I am alive, I will never allow you to get that far gone.”
“In that I have complete faith,” Noah acknowledged. “However, I realize also that you are forced to be your own last line of defense. Who do you have to pull you back from the abyss of madness as you do for so many of us?”
“My father. Or perhaps Jacob. Maybe even you could sense my disturbance, if you were aware you must be on watch for it.” Adam took a deep breath as he further composed himself. “And now you are made aware, cousin. But be assured the threat has passed, and, luckily, is unlikely to return. My duties for the Hallowed holiday begin to press on me and I can already sense I will be quite busy the next few nights.” The Enforcer turned to his friend and they clasped arms strongly. “I must thank you. I had meant for this to be a very different sort of visit. But your support has been invaluable to me.”
“It is good to be able to lend you guidance for a change, my friend. Perhaps it means there is hope for my maturity yet.”
“I highly doubt it.” Adam chuckled. “I will see you at the festival. Mother will not hear of your absence.”
“I will be there.”
Jasmine walked Damien’s property with a slow and thoughtful gait. The Romanian stronghold where Vampire government was centered was made of painstakingly crafted stone and mortar, towering far above the barren shale of the mountainside surrounding it, and it loomed over anyone who might lay eyes on it. Though few but Vampires saw it, and they were not easily intimidated. It was deep in Damien’s territory, far away from any of the smelly human settlements in the area. Luckily, humans were a superstitious lot and were very easily frightened. They had no desire to explore in an area that gave them chills of dread.
As she walked through the open bailey, under the massive portcullis that protected it, she began to find Vampire servants hurrying about their work maintaining Damien’s household. She wondered who it was these days that tagged along after Damien. There was always an entourage of pleasure-seekers, looking for fun and excitement, scurrying after him.
She had barely made it back inside the actual building before she was plucked up off her feet and spun hard about by none other than Damien himself. Eyes of midnight blue dancing and strong shoulders bulging with the muscles that now held her high into the air, the Vampire Prince laughed up at her in pure delight.
“I cannot express to you how happy I am you have returned!” It was said with relief and scolding all at once, and she sympathetically stroked warm fingers through his hair.
“I am sorry. I suppose my melancholy got the better of me at the time. I simply wanted nothing more than to go to ground and sleep.”
Damien nodded, letting her slide down his big body and dropping her back onto her feet. He looked her over with a stern, appraising eye. “You look much better now. Properly attired. After a fashion.” Damien eyed the beautiful court dress she was wearing, though without rolls, ruff, or farthingale. The tailor had no doubt
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