E P I L O G U E

After winning the battle of getting permission, Arlo allowed Iris and Kai to set out to fulfill Iris's taste of freedom and Kai's promise, but not after the certain condition he mentioned was completed; which was the celebration of Iris's 19th birthday.

There were more participants than there were during his last birthday celebrations. An overwhelming amount. Gifts flooded the dining rooms, and the ballrooms were crowded with swishing, sparkling dresses, black and gold suits, expensive perfume, laughter, chatting, and so many smiles. But those were especially appreciated. It was good to see even a small upright twitch of a lip since the attack.

The celebration lasted a strong week, the excitement hardly tiring come the weekend. The reason for such grand commotion was not particularly just for Iris, but to toast over the victory. A few important faces from the neighboring kingdoms came by and mingled, and expressed their gratitude. There were even several festivals held.

Along with the honoring of Iris's birthday and the victory, there was a farewell element tied within it all.

Greatly surprising Arlo, Iris wished to make a speech at the end of the week before everyone went home, before the buzz quieted, and before he chickened out, of course.

Arlo was clueless as to what his son wanted to say, but he couldn't seem to sit still as he watched him stand before the crowd before him–and it wasn't a few hundred stuffed inside a heated ballroom–no, Iris stood on a platform with well over a thousand eyes staring up at him, the afternoon heat beating down on his already sweaty form. His shoulders were slightly stiff but his back was professionally rigid and his stance was determined.

Arlo never felt so proud as he watched Iris take a deep breath and raise his chin.

"First of all, I'd like to thank everyone here for celebrating my birthday," he spoke loud enough to reach the back of the crowd while balancing his tone with his emotions. "Never did I like these kinds of greetings, I simply see my age as a number and not something worth celebrating. Despite that, my...displeasure never outdid my gratitude. I'm thankful for the kind wishes and the support, especially when it comes from my people. So, thank you."

He paused as the massive crowd in front of him cheered. He held up a hand, dying it down immediately.

"Thank you. Now, I'm not the best at keeping a conversation, so the last thing I want is to lose my audience, thus I will not sugarcoat my words. As the Prince of Vridora, I am leagues bellow my father in regards to power, position, and gaining trust. Nevertheless, I wish for every ear listening to my voice to consider my words. I will be crowned king next year, and I plan on making some changes. Changes, well they're.....hesitant to make, this is self-evident, but nothing will spark that hope if no one stands up. Things have to change.

"My changes will affect Vridora, but hopefully it will impact other kingdoms. One can only hope their influence spreads, especially if it is a positive influence. I grew up with odd expectations of vampires but never did I think less of them, and I never will. Perfect harmony between the two, humans and vampires, is very farfetched, but not impossible. I want the two to intertwine peacefully. I want mutual respect between the two, and that will happen here in Vridora. No, not immediately–"

Iris had to be quick with his words because outbursts were quicker.

"–but eventually. I want this kingdom to be a safe place for vampires, a place where they are not treated like monsters but as a living being, who has rights just like every other citizen. Those who survived the attack, you saw what our guards can do, how they protected this place with their lives, how they protected you with their lives. Not all vampires are bad, and I will not allow Vridora to believe they are. This leads to another change–a new one. The Vamps.

"The "new generation" of vampires, known as Vamps, continue to thrive outside of this kingdom and many others. We stopped the war, but not their growth. I'm aware of their threat, but as far as I'm concerned, as far as many here are concerned, not all Vamps are bad either. In fact, it was only due to a selective few that we were able to win the war. There is no defined way to tell a good Vamp apart from a bad Vamp, but there certainly is a way.

"The Vamps who have selflessly and bravely fought beside those in Vridora have been branded with a scar on their left arms. It is a special scar, one that shimmers gold in the sun. No knife, no dagger, nor a sword can replicate the scar. So, if you happen to come across a person with this scar, know it is a Vamp who was dedicated to fight hard and long to save your lives. Know it is a Vamp who fought against their own kind for your lives. Know it is a Vamp who fought for humans rather than against them.

"The Vamps who bare this scar will be honored in Vridora, for they are the real saviors, and hopefully respected outside of this kingdom as well. I can agree with the reluctance. They are a new breed among the many we do not understand, or better yet chose not to understand. And perhaps it'll take longer to accept them because we must accept vampires first. Well, I'll make the claim now, here in Vridora, so it spreads wide: unless the world wishes to see everlasting bloodshed between the two, it's about damn time we try and get along because they, the vampires and Vamps, are not going anywhere anytime soon. And neither are humans."

Iris, face heated and heart racing, was going to continue when his audience burst into cheers. Hands flew up, clapped, and wailed. Sharp whistles, some long some short, erupted in the sea of waving bodies. Iris blinked down at the sudden explosion of excitement but used the pause to take a deep breath and cool himself.

Iris didn't know when, but eventually, he was practically standing on his toes shouting his words out. His emotions vibrated in his chest, and every syllable dripped with a certain emotion that enticed the audience. He engaged with his hands, his expressions, and gave it his all. He meant every word he spoke, so it was easy to enthrall the crowd, capture their attention, touch their souls, and twist their hearts.

Behind him, in a replicated throne, sat the king, and standing proudly beside him, was Kai. Both of them could hardly contain their pride and tears. Well, Kai contained his tears, it was Arlo who had to brush under his eyes ever so often.

They both glanced at each other when Iris finally continued. Silent words and identical thoughts were shared between the two.

Iris was going to make one hell of a king.

"I know I'm still just a prince, and I have a very long way to go, but I truly, deeply hope you have taken even half of what I said into consideration, and that you respect my statements. Like I said, changes are coming–must I be the first the ensue certain changes, so be it. Everything starts with a brave step forward, a courageous outreach of a hand, and a fearless raise of a voice. Well, I'm taking that step, I'm reaching out, and I'm raising my voice. I will do it alone if I must, but I will be the brave and the courageous and the fearless; for those who cannot be."

Kai looked down, his smile too genuine to hide.

Oh, Iris. You're already all of those things.

When he gazed up, his heart skipped a beat seeing Iris sparing him a glance. He wore a smile, and it only seemed to grow when he caught Kai's gaze. He quickly looked ahead, his mighty voice effortlessly leaving his mouth again.

"My appreciation and gratitude also go out to our neighboring kingdoms. Your journeys have all been lengthy, so thank you for visiting and joining us. The next time this grand of a celebration will be held, the next time we all see each other again will be next year. I look forward to being your king. Thank you, Vridora."

The loudness of the cheers, the stomping feet, and raising hands, were enough to send tingles up Iris's legs and a sweet shudder down his spine. He bowed and turned around. His grin was barely contained as he bit his lower lip.

Arlo stood up and threw his arms around Iris. He squeezed him close and whispered who proud he was. Iris peered over his dad's shoulder, eyes watery, and lip quivering. But it was not the time to cry; he's done enough of that.

They had talked a lot since the attack, especially about Iris's real mother and her story. Iris didn't know how to feel about it at first. He was a little mad at his dad for keeping it a secret all this time, but he understood why he did, and when they talked more about it, he agreed with his dad's secrecy.

In a shorten sense, a relationship between a human and a vampire resulted in immediate death during Arlo's generation. It was only natural he kept his relationship with Ivetta a secret. She was weak, very physically frail, but she was beautiful and kind. The goodness she saw in everyone, even in evil, enticed Arlo the longer they spent time together. Of course, due to her lack of strength, she unfortunately died after giving birth to her and Arlo's only son.

"He'll have great judgment, I know he will," Ivetta told Arlo just days before Iris's birth. She always mentioned things like that, and they increased as her due date grew closer.

"And I'm sure he'll love as you do."

Ivetta smiled. "You mean like us?"

"No. I still struggle to determine who I should trust, unlike you. You just...know."

"He'll know the difference as well."

"Between?"

"Good and evil. If not right away....then you'll have to teach him for me."

Ivetta always said these things, and she continued until she gave birth. Deep down in Arlo's mind and heart, he felt Ivetta knew she wasn't going to make it.

And he knew, too.

He laid his hand over hers, which rested on her stomach. She smiled.

"He'll know...it'll be like my little gift to him."

At the time, Arlo's parents already married him off to Amilea. In an attempt to quiet her about Iris and who his mother was, Arlo allowed her to have a little more power once she officially became queen. She agreed without hesitation. It only went downhill from there.

After Arlo and Iris talked, they agreed to stop keeping things from each other from thereon. It was painful to know the truth, but relieving and reassuring at the same time.

Iris quickly situated himself when Arlo let go. He exhaled heavily and smiled at his dad.

They had tumbled down to the bottom of the hill. Now, it was time to start climbing back up.

***

Iris and Kai planned their nearly year-long departure carefully, but even the smallest things managed to throw off their planning.

"It's only a year," Kai said with a sigh, rolling his eyes at Sage, who had been clinging to him ever since she was informed of their vacation. "You're not going to die."

"I nearly faint if I don't see you at least once a week! Take me with you!"

"No. You're being excessively dramatic."

"Kai!"

"What about Lilly?"

The two vampires looked off to the side when Iris approached them.

"She'd be awfully lonely," Iris pointed out.

Sage let out a gasp and sprung away from Kai. "You're right! I can't leave my little angel. But–" She covered her face and sobbed. "I'll miss you guys!"

"There won't be a day when we won't miss you as well," Kai said truthfully. Iris was a little surprised he wasn't as upset as Sage was. They practically grew up together, so Iris was sure it was hard to suddenly be away from each other for a long time. But Kai kept his composure.

Sage sniffed and nodded sadly. "You guys better take good care of each other."

"Of course," the two said in unison.

Sage only continued to sulk.

Kai bid the guards farewell next. Cyrus was appointed the new leader of the first-class guards, so Kai took his time to give her some advice. While he did, Iris searched for Zoe to say his goodbyes.

He found her sitting on a bench in the rose garden, a casual conversation happening between her and Hyde.

"Hey," Iris greeted when their chatting came to a stop. He gave an acknowledging nod towards Hyde, which he returned.

"Hello, Iris!" Zoe stood up and hugged the prince. Their relationship had grown considerably strong, and Iris came to realize Zoe was a rather affectionate person. "I heard you're leaving with Kai tomorrow. I'll miss you."

Iris chuckled. "I'll miss you, too. I actually came to say my farewell."

"Oh, so soon?"

"Well, and discuss a few other things."

"I'll leave you two alone," Hyde suddenly chimed in as he stood. "Have a safe trip, Iris."

"Oh, thank you!"

Zoe and Iris waved to the retreating Vamp before sitting down.

"Well, first of all, I don't think I can say a proper farewell," Iris started, gazing at the rose Zoe held. "So I'll probably say another one tomorrow."

Zoe chuckled and petted the petals of the rose. "You deserve this break. It'll be good for you and Kai."

"Yes, it's very exciting. You know, he probably won't show it but he'll miss you a lot too."

"I'll take your word for it," Zoe grinned. "So, what are the other things you wanted to talk about?"

"Well, I should've talked to Kai about it first, but...I want you to stay in Vridora, Zoe."

Zoe looked over, brows raising in surprise.

"I mean, not definitely. I can already tell you're not the type to stay in one place for too long, and there's no way I'd tell you to stay after everything you've done for us. I wish for you to stay as a resident, but what I really want is for you and your Vamps to consider joining our guards."

Zoe was left speechless, so Iris continued.

"Vridora already knows what you've done for us, my people won't fear your Vamps. If anything I'd say they'd feel safer. It also gives them–and you–a safe place to stay. I'm sure it's hectic out there for the other Vamps. Yours are always welcomed. Not only that but doesn't it sound cool?"

Zoe's eyes softened as she smiled. "Does what sound cool?"

"Vamp guards. That would be your guys' name. The highly respected soldiers of Vridora-the first step to change."

Zoe hummed and looked up in thought. "It does have a nice ring to it."

"Right?"

She chuckled. "Iris, it would be an honor to join your guards. I...can't give you an answer right away, but I'm already considering."

"And that's okay. I didn't expect you to have an immediate answer. I just wanted you to know the offer before I left."

"Thank you, Iris. For everything."

Iris returned the gratitude. "And thank you. For everything. Now, I should probably get going. We still have to pack a few things and knowing Kai, he'll definitely try to bring one too many items."

"I figured you'd be the one to do that."

"Me too, but I already had to tell him we don't have to bring our whole wardrobe twice before he kind of laid off."

"Well," Zoe laughed, "best of luck to you. I'll pray that your vacation is only filled with pleasure."

"Funny. Kai wants the same thing, but I'm pretty sure his pleasure is more...uh–"

"Naughty?"

"Very."

Zoe grinned and tucked the rose behind Iris's ear. "That's Kai for you."

"Yeah." Iris touched the rose, chuckling. "That's my Kai."

***

A year later, as planned, Iris and Kai returned.

When they did, there were only two months before his 20th birthday and two more months before he would be crowned King of Vridora.

Instead of preparing right away, the two took their time to settle back in and talk about what they did; all the sights they saw, the food they ate, the people they met, the laughs they shared, and even the small arguments they had. They talked about the bad parts, too. They covered nearly every detail and happily did so.

Iris was especially thrilled to talk about the rumors and stories that spread around different kingdoms and villages.

While on a walk through a busy village, Iris overheard a conversation coming from two women.

"Oh, you won't belive what happened to me the other day!" one excitedly said.

"What happened?"

"I met one of those vampires! Uh, er–they were called..."

"A Vamp?"

"Yes! Yes, I met a Vamp!"

"Really?" The other woman sounded shocked. It was a common reaction.

"Mhm! She came up to me and asked for directions, she didn't even bother putting away her fangs."

"Weren't you scared?"

"At first, yes, but then I saw the scar! She was a Vridora Vamp, you've heard the stories haven't you? I wasn't fearful then. I thanked her before she left–oh you should've seen the grin on her face!"

Iris was smiling widely to himself. He and Kai heard several other stories about common villagers meeting one of Zoe's Vamps and thanking them, showing them respect. It warmed his heart to a great extent.

"Your influence is spreading vast, Iris."

The prince turned his head in time for a flower to be stuffed in his face. He flinched back with a chuckle.

"It is. I couldn't be happier." He grasped Kai's wrist while smelling the flower he held out. It had a sweet scent.

Kai smiled down at Iris and tucked the flower in his hair when he leaned back.

"Cute," he said, liking how the blue flower complemented Iris tanned skin.

Iris pursed his lips, suppressing a blush. "Where did you get this anyway?"

"A flower stand we passed by."

"Did you pay for it?"

"No, but I only plucked that one flower."

"You can't do that!"

Kai rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "She wasn't looking. Besides, it's not like I took the whole bouquet."

Iris sighed and shook his head. "We talked about this." He pointed a scolding finger at Kai. "You can't just take whatever you want. You have to pay."

If Kai had ears and a tail like a dog, his ears would be folded down and his tail would be drooping.

"I know," he mumbled, "but it reminded me of you."

Iris mentally clutched his heart, hating how badly Kai's words and expression struck it. It was no secret, he had become an expert at tugging on his heartstrings.

"Ugh..." Iris looked away while intertwining their fingers, his face bright red. "I'll excuse you this time."

Kai's ears perked up and his tail started to wag.

"Anyway, where were we going again?"

"This is a coastal kingdom. I'm taking you to the beach."

Iris gasped. "A beach?" He started tugging on Kai's hand. "Well hurry! Let's go!"

Kai chucked as Iris dragged him down the street. Their trip consisted of a lot of moments like this, where Iris was like an excited child with a sugar rush and Kai was an equally excited parent who gladly took Iris wherever he wanted to go.

Then the roles switched and Iris was the parent scolding Kai. Either way, they were both content and enjoyed traveling together.

It was a year Iris will never forget. It was filled with an abundance of memories he will cherish forever. But despite all the sites he visited, the exhilaration he experienced, spending it all with Kai was the highlight of his trip.

He was ready to make more memories with his vampire. And Kai, with his human.

***

The kingdom was buzzing and the mansion was filled with liveliness. Every hallway had a happily-humming maid or servant, and everything seemed so much brighter. The gloom had vanished into thin air as if its haze never lurked around after the attack.

It gave Iris goosebumps.

He never saw his home in such high spirits before. He could blame their visitors for the maids and their frantic cleaning, but the happiness has been lingering for a while now. Now, he didn't know what to blame for that.

Iris was oblivious, however, because there wasn't a what to blame. It was a who. And he didn't even realize it was him.

"Gorgeous! Oh, you both look amazing!" Sage gushed at Iris and Kai's outfits, Lilly nodded excitedly beside her.

Their colors complemented each other. Iris wore an unadorned black dress shirt that had gold buttons and golden cuffs. The collar hugged his neck at a respectable height. He wore a black linen vest with thin golden swirls sewed onto it. His trousers were tucked into his boots, which rose nearly to his knees. A golden sash was around his shoulders that had Vridora's emblem on it. He refused to wear a cape, so a sash was the next best thing.

Kai was wearing only a black dress shirt and trousers, no fancy sash or vest, but the colors matched Iris's, and they were made out of only the richest fabric. The cuffs on his shirt were gold and the cufflinks were black. He never dressed in such fancy clothing before, and when Iris put a certain golden pin on his shirt, a recognition that he was a high member of the royal family, his heart started to race.

Iris smirked at Sage and ran a hand through his hair. "Don't we?"

Kai swatted his hand away. "You're going to ruin your hair. And thank you, Sage."

"Have you guys been practicing your lines?"

"Mhm, but he always thinks they're not good enough," Kai said, gesturing towards Iris. "So we're always changing something."

"Well I'm sorry. It has to be perfect!"

"I figured you'd be more nervous, Kai."

"Oh, no, I'm scared shitless," Kai nodded, mumbling the words. "But I'm better at not showing it."

Sage shook her head and watched Kai stand behind Iris. He looked at him through the mirror, repositioned his sash, lightly touched up his hair. Though Iris was complaining, he wore a small smile as he watched Kai.

"What about introductions?" Lilly quizzed, shifting in the chair she sat on. Sage was standing beside it.

"I think I have the perfect way to introduce us," Kai answered with a smirk forming on his face. Iris cocked an eyebrow when Kai wrapped his arms around his shoulders with exaggeration. "They'll ask and I'll answer: who are we? Well for starters, this is my prince, my heart, the love of my undead life."

Iris caught on quick.

"And this is Kai, my guard."

"Mhm–wait. My guard? That's it?!" Kai abruptly leaned away from Iris while putting a hand over his heart. "Here I am trying to be romantic and that's all you have to say? Scratch that–I'm not even your bodyguard anymore!"

Iris stifled a laugh. "And I'm not your prince anymore."

"I–that's true. But still!"

When Sage started laughing that's when Iris broke.

"Oh, Kai. You're so easy to rile up!" Iris buried his face in Kai's chest. His body was trembling from laughing.

"We now I'm riled up and regretting my life decisions."

Iris cooled himself down, rubbing under his eyes to ensure no tears ruined the very, very light makeup he had been forced to wear.

"What are you regretting?"

Kai stared down at Iris. He was smiling and tilting his head, but Kai could see the small hint of worry in his eyes. One part of him wanted to play around and tease Iris, but he couldn't bring himself to do it; he also couldn't stay mad at his newly crowned king for long.

He gently patted Iris's head. "I regret not being rougher with you," he sighed sarcastically. "I can't play rude with the king. Sadly."

"Oh." Iris nodded. "Yes, so sad. But I, unfortunately, can't play rough with you either. You're not my guard anymore." He reached down and took Kai's hand, fiddling with the golden ring on his left hand. "You're much more than that. You're my equal."

That fact dawned on Kai but he never fully let it sink in. He wasn't a guard and Iris wasn't a prince. Maybe that was why he had a hard time adapting and letting it soak in. Kai fell in love with a prince, and in his eyes, Iris will always be that moody but optimistic prince. And it was the other way around; but for Iris, he was much more accepting towards the changes because they were envisioned in the future he hoped for.

A future where they lived contentedly and together.

"Right. Then, I'll introduce you as my king."

"And your heart and the love of your undead life?"

"But of course."

"Then, I will introduce you as my lover."

"That's it?"

Iris scoffed. "You know I'm not as romantic as you. Take it or leave it."

"Hmm..." Kai closed his eyes and tapped his chin. "I suppose that will work." He looked down with a grin that his king mimicked.

"I hope you guys aren't actually serious."

The two males looked towards Sage, who was looking at them with genuine concern.

"Of course we're not," Iris said. At least he wasn't. "Are you?"

Kai rolled his eyes. "Obviously not. I just wanted to see you relax and smile a little." He put his hands on Iris's shoulders and gave him a smile that was full of reassurance. "They're going to adore you. Don't fret because of the circumstances. You'll get them to agree without a doubt."

It was Iris's first time trying to form an alliance since he has become king. Even though his dad gave him advice and Kai was going to be with him, he was still anxious. However, he was also looking forward to the challenge.

"Thank you, Kai." Iris leaned up and planted a kiss on Kai's cheek. "I feel better knowing you'll be with me."

"Of course. I mean, as your lover, I have nowhere else to be but by your side. And even though I won't be doing much, it's also my job, as the second king, to be with you."

Nothing filled Iris more up with joy than hearing Kai say those words–label himself rightfully as his equal, his partner, and the second king. Iris knew Kai was finding it hard to accept everything, so it warmed his heart when Kai went out of his way to confirm these things out loud. He also found it oddly attractive when Kai owned up to the title(and he made sure Kai knew it, too).

Iris smiled. Just knowing Kai was with him made everything better. It made him ready. Kai felt the same.

Along with Sage, Zoe, and everyone else the two built strong relationships with, they all made them ready to face the future; to finally end their current chapter and turn the page.

"I look forward to ruling Vridora with you, your highness." Kai dramatically bowed his upper body, which made Iris laugh, then playfully flick his husband's forehead.

He had a million words he could say but found only ten to be enough.

"It's Iris," he corrected, grinning widely. "And I look forward to it as well."

***

End

***

NOW.....it has ended.

Wow, Vamp Guards is finally finished. And after TWO YEARS!! I started this book in 2018; granted, it was in December, so it was more like one year, but still! It has been one hell of a rollercoaster!

This is the first "actual" book I published since I joined Wattpad, and I didn't know how attached I was to it until I had to let it go. It was hard to end because I didn't want to end Iris and Kai's story but I had to. As I've said before, this story strayed away from my original ideas and overall plot, and I wasn't happy with it when I re-read what I had. I was very close to just scrapping the whole story but I'm so glad I didn't! I'm proud to have finished sharing this story with you guys! I'm satisfied with the ending.

Without a doubt, I plan to rewrite this book at some point, but I'll be editing this version first. Thank you to everyone who put up with my bad grammar and spelling errors! Thank you in general! Thank you for clicking this story and reading it till the end. I KNOW a lot have gotten bored and stopped reading or read it and thought it wasn't the best, so I appreciate those who read it all and enjoyed it! I couldn't be more grateful for the support.

On that note, I've published a short story called Love Scars that has a few chapters already posted! I really hope I continue to see more of my readers' support! (Edit: it's on hold right now)

Lastly, I'll be posting a Fun Facts chapter later. If you have ANY questions you can ask them here because, if there's enough, I'd like to add them to the Fun Facts :)

Thank you for reading, voting, and commenting!