T H I R T Y-T W O

The sound of a rooster calling out made Kai's eyes part open slightly before he blinked them wider and frowned.

The vampire brought a hand up to his face and he pinched the bridge of his nose while he rolled onto his back, propping himself up with his elbow.

He felt droopy, which meant he must've actually fallen asleep at some point. When he sat more he became aware of his surroundings, his eyes scanned the room he recognized as the prince's. Noting this, he glanced down at his right to see the prince himself sleeping peacefully next to him. Well, he saw the back of his head. Iris had turned around at some point, his arms were crossed under a pillow and his cheek was against it. Kai sighed and looked up at the wall clock.

It was exactly five. He had plenty of time to get back.

He crawled out of the bed, trying his best not to wake Iris, and slipped his boots back on. Kai didn't know if Carver was still on the watch out so as he neared the bedroom door he put his back against it and listened as hard as he could for any subtle movement. He didn't want to risk opening the door, even if it was just a quick peak.

His ears picked up the smallest shuffle a few feet from the door and he sighed quietly. The bathroom window it was.

Kai left without sparing a glance at Iris, because knowing himself, seeing the peaceful expression on his face would only make him want to stay longer. He couldn't have that.

Kai scanned the the yard outside of the window before opening it and climbing out. There was a tree near the mansion that helped aid his travel up, so as he shut the window he jumped off its seal and landed on one of the branches on the tree. He stilled, listening, before making another jump towards the ground.

Kai expected questions from his fellow guards asking where he's been all night, but he still wanted to hurry because a certain female vampire was especially persistent; and she'll get an answer whether Kai wanted to give it up or not.

††

"So," Cyrus curled her fingers around the handle of a dagger and aimed it at a white circle painted on one of the walls in the room she and Kai sat in. While she closed one eye, training the end of the blade in the center, Kai looked up from tying his boots to witness her throw it.

The dagger pierced into the wall, an inch or two away from the target. Kai looked down with a small smile and Cyrus sighed.

"Where were you last night?" She finished her question as he got up from the bed to retrieve her weapon.

Kai pushed his hair back, which was wet from just getting out of the shower, and stared at the female guard.

"Nowhere."

"Right. Well, you're lucky patrol didn't come in here to check on us."

"They do that now?"

"Rarely, but yes."

"That's kind of pointless," Kai stood up from his bed and pulled his coat off the edge of a wooden chair, flinging it over his shoulder. "No one sleeps in here anyway-well not at night."

"If so, then where were you last night?"

"Why are you being so persistent? I was just relaxing somewhere else."

Cyrus crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the creaking wood floors, "Why?"

Kai pushed his hair back again, "Look, I know we're all back together or whatever, but that doesn't mean I'm going to invest all my time in actually being with you guys. I've changed."

"Not just you, Kai, apparently the whole bloody world is changing and I'm just implying that it's important we have a stable line of trust flowing through us."

"We do. I don't see why my not being around you guys would make you think differently."

Cyrus looked around the empty room before walking up to Kai, "I heard you've had multiple meetings with the other vampires, good or bad, I don't know; just that you have. Some are starting to think you're pondering on converting to their side."

Kai flinched away from Cyrus with an offended expression. Both from her accusation and the own suspicion she held in her brown eyes.

"What?" He asked, "Why would they think that?"

The female guard shrugged and took a step back, "I don't believe anything.  I guess you could call my tenacious attitude a warning for you, because you know how rumors spread among us vampires."

"Yeah..."

"Well," Cyrus slapped Kai's shoulder and smiled at him, "I trust you as our leader and as a friend. If you say it's nothing, it's nothing. I was just giving you hell." She let her fingers trail down Kai's arm as she began walking away from him to the door. "See you in five."

Then she left the room.

††

"Foolish, right?"

Iris shook his head as climbed onto his bed with a smile where the complaining vampire laid. He was no consultant but he gladly offered to listen to Kai rant on and on about how the others started questioning him, especially since Kai always did the same for him.

"Foolish indeed. You're a very  unconvertible soul, Kai."

"I know! I'd never join whatever scheme they're planning. To think it's the guards who are suspecting me–what are you doing?"

Kai looked down from staring at the canopy when he felt weight be placed on his abdomen. He unlinked his fingers that rested on his stomach and moved them so Iris's head quickly and suddenly replaced them.

"Nothing. You can continue."

Kai quirked an eyebrow at him, his curiosity and excitement making him squirm lightly under Iris. When the prince made no other movements, Kai  snaked his hands under Iris's arms so he wrapped them around his waist. He intertwined his fingers and rested them on his back, then continued looking up.

"Um, so, they've become suspicious after one night."

"Seems odd. They loved you as their overseer."

"Yeah. But a lot of them have become independent as well, and I haven't been in the picture for a while so they do have a right to question me."

"It's like the first time you became their leader, they appear wary."

"I agree. But I wish it weren't that way."

Iris turned his head so his chin rested on Kai's chest and he gazed up at him. "You said you changed along with the rest of them. Perhaps you think that is supposed to make you equal."

The vampire looked down to connect their eyes. He didn't say anything for a while, just gazed, before he unlinked his hands and traveled them down to Iris's waist. He pushed forward lightly, making the prince sit up–like he wanted him to.

Kai scanned Iris's body before meeting his eyes again and smiling. "You always know what the say, don't you?"

"Well, I just know how to respond better than you."

Kai chuckled, "Yes, I'm not very good at this."

Iris tapped Kai's nose, "To specify you aren't the best at comforting others. Now complaining, you're an expert."

"Please, you're the complainer. You're lucky I'm okay with being burdened to have to listen to you all day."

Iris gasped and let his jaw drop, "How rude. I do not complain I give constructive opinions about things."

"Many things."

"Shut up."

Kai grinned and placed his hands on Iris's back and pushed down, making his chest hit his so their faces were mere inches apart.

"Do you only share your constructive opinions on things you hate?"

Iris glanced at Kai's smile, "No. I can give insight on things I find quite enjoyable, too, if you'd like."

Kai's smile grew until he felt another pair of lips feather his. "Yes, please."

Iris pressed his lips harder against Kai's in a swift motion. His breath hitched when he felt cold hands invade his buttoned up shirt and grip his sides. It was still so unreal kissing Kai, let alone being intimate with him, because for so long it's only been a childish, hopeful dream of his.

When the prince leaned away Kai opened his eyes to see Iris still had his closed and his eyebrows were pulled in, creating a crease on his forehead. He was going to ask if something was wrong when Iris suddenly brightened his expression.

"I have concluded," he started and the vampire smirked, "that I love kissing you."

Kai's snort turned into a light chuckle, "That's it?"

Iris, who had a puckish smile and a faint blush, nodded strongly. "You can't complain or compliment perfection enough; so I'm saving myself the hassle."

"Oh," Kai laughed, "how sweet...considering I have plenty to say about how you kiss."

"You're a jerk, you know that? You're a real ass."

When Iris made just the smallest attempt to get off, Kai hugged his waist and effortlessly flipped them over. His black/brown hair shadowed his eyes which made Iris raise his hands and push his hair back.

"Huh. You'd look really good with your hair back like this."

"Good?"

"Hot."

Kai arched a brow, "Am I not now?"

"Ehh..." Iris burst into a fit of laughter at Kai's wide, playfully hurt expression.

The taste of his own medicine was bitter.

"Okay..I walked right into that one."

Iris grinned with victory and moved his hands, letting Kai's hair fall over his forehead again as he wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Why didn't we do this sooner? I could've really used this enlightenment three years ago."

Kai smiled ruefully. "Yeah. I guess this just shows how much we've changed."

"Oh, Lord," Iris looked up as the memories flooded through him, "I really just wanted to stab you all the time."

"I think you tried to a few times, actually."

"You as well."

"Guilty."

Iris looked back down and grinned at the vampire. His hazel eyes were sparkling. "What would you tell three year younger you, if you could?"

Kai didn't even have to think, "Accept what he thought he couldn't."

"Nice sentiment."

Rolling his eyes, Kai lowered himself next to Iris while keeping his arms around him. "You, sir?"

Iris didn't have to ponder either; as if he had already answered this question.

"I'd tell him to pick one of the million chances he got to kiss you..and go for it."

††

Iris and Kai's secret night meetings went on for three days until the forth night when Kai never showed up. Then the fifth night Iris told Kai he couldn't because he had to spend time with Zoe, as ordered by his dad.

Sixth day, or early Monday afternoon, Iris–who had years of experience and mastered the skill–snuck past Carver when he wasn't looking and sought out to find the first class guards.

The Dion mansion technically had two training areas. One, the large, separate building, and another one on the East side. This one was just a massive concrete area in the shape of a rectangle that was out in the open. A balcony or walkway was above it that connected to the mansion and oversaw the ground. There were no doors or windows, it was an open area that anyone could enter if they came directly from the mansion.

Iris stood near the balcony and peered down at the vampires talking on the lower floor. A small sigh escaped his lips when he found Kai in the crowd.

"Well if this isn't déjà vu I don't know what is."

The prince lightly jumped and turned to his right where he saw Sage walk up to him. She stood beside him and placed her hands on the short wall acting as the railing.

"Studying the vampires again?"

Iris scoffed and copied her, "Alright I'll admit I'm scouting for one in particular."

"You don't say. Well, you must be getting a sever case of nostalgia."

Iris was about to agree when he noticed Kai look up and catch his gaze. The vampire gave him a warm smile and suddenly Iris's legs felt weak. Frail.

"No." He breathed. He bent down to rest his chin on his crossed arms,

"No. This is a thousand times better."