The Vampire Prince's Toxic Consort (BL)

“Well? What is it?” Lucius urged.

Darius told Dorian, “your great grandfather Bizan Ashdown, the famous King of Elysium, had those runes as well. Some say it was Azreal who taught him about those protective runes so that he could escape death. And that was why he outlived most of the other first generations. However, he was still killed, meaning these runes are not invincible.”

“We still don’t know if he was killed or committed suicide. People only found his body parts. His death was a mystery. No one knew what happened.“Dorian said.

Darius’s eyes flashed an eerie blue light, and a circle of air next to him began to distort bizarrely like a glitch in reality. He then shoved his hand into the circle. His hand disappeared as if submerged into an invisible hole, and when he pulled out a giant old tome.

It was the first time Lucius saw Darius use the power inherited from his Elder, the Infinite Zorvan, a primordial deity of time and space that used to be worshiped by ancient civilizations but was defeated and condemned by God because Zorvan refused to submit to his rule. The apostles from his bloodline could bend space or time in small fractions, making it possible for them to travel great distances by creating a doorway or shortcut. Some of the most powerful scions of Zorvan were believed to be able to open portals between different worlds, but it was more like a legend.

Darius just opened a small portal for his hand to reach back to his famously extensive and yet extremely secretive underground library. And the book looked as if it was several hundred years old.

“I procured this book a while ago. It was written about five hundred years ago by some crazy scholar obsessed with the First Generations and their stories. This person managed to find more than a dozen tombs and sleeping chambers of the first generations, discovering numerous lost legends and records about our ancestors. And one is about a princess created by Azreal, namely Toren. According to the story, she had the same runes tattooed on her skin, just like Bizan and your father.

“According to the book, she was extremely beautiful but had been tormented by a heart disease since childhood. She feared death so much and wept every night, praying to anyone who would save her from it. And Azreal answered her prayer. He gave her eternal youth and the runes to protect her from the malice of the outside world. Soon, she became a healthy young woman, and her beauty was peerless, and many men worshiped her as a goddess.

“Unfortunately, her loveliness was what saved her but also her downfall. As more men praised and worshiped her, she grew proud and claimed she was the most beautiful woman in the world when she was crowned as the queen of her kingdom, and it angered another Elder, who was also known for her ultramundane beauty and her power over men. Lilith. ”

Darius leafed through the book and showed a page on which a faded painting depicted a beautiful woman with curly hair draping to her heel, extending a blood-dripping hand to a dark-haired man.

“The ten Elders apparently had a pact that they wouldn’t harm each other’s First Generation creation. Especially someone like Toren, who was Azreal’s favorite at the time, so Lilith cannot harm her directly. The Elder turned to one of her most faithful creations, El, later known as the Headless Knight. She fed El her blood for three days, and he became so strong and powerful that no creature of this world could stand against him. He went straight into Toren’s palace, killing hundreds of men and vampires who tried to stop him, eventually reaching the queen’s chamber. Toren taunted him and didn’t believe he could kill her as she had Azreal’s protection etched into her skin. But his power subdued the magic in those runes, and he chopped her into a thousand pieces and ended her eternal life.

“Azreal was in wroth, as you can imagine, and he cut off El’s head and burnt it, breaking the pact with Lilith, and El became the headless knight and was always searching for his head. Lilith and Azreal started a war because of this, and the animosity between the two bloodlines passed down many generations until one of Azreal’s scions married a lady from Lilith’s line. And look where it led us to.” Darius jeered and looked in Dorian’s direction, for all knew that Devina’s Ducas house was predominated by Lilith’s bloodline, with minor mixed blood from other Elders.

The Blood of an Elder...Lucius’s heart skipped a beat.

Was it fate? He already had a First Generation’s blood, but an Elder’s blood was much more valuable for Anthor. It was like a dream come true for all humanity on this land.

“So...if we can feed Dorian some Elder’s blood, he can get to his father?”

Darius smiled and looked at Dorian, “it’s much more than that. If an Elder agrees to feed you their blood, you are basically the ‘chosen one’ for all vampire nations. Your glory will overshadow even the king, and he can’t depose you anymore.”

“Ok, sounds like a perfect plan.” Lucius commented, “But first, we need an Elder, and it’s basically like me saying I will go find God and suck his blood.”

Dorian agreed, “It sounded unattainable. No one had seen an Elder for five centuries.”

“But who killed your great grandfather Bizan? The magic was from Azreal and only someone who ingested Elder Blood would have had the ability to harm him. And I never believed it was suicide. No one can dismember themselves like that.” Darius closed the book and said, “it will be much easier to investigate a murder that happened a hundred years ago than a thousand years ago, and your great-grandfather is buried inside the Ashdown Necropolis, correct? If we can examine his remains and somehow find the murderer, whether they are alive or not, we will have a chance to trace it back to the Elder who gave the murderer blood.”

Dorian pondered over the idea, “it sounds like a very long shot.”

“I didn’t say it was going to be easy.” Darius shrugged, “but we don’t need an army to do it, and if we manage to find an elder, no one can challenge you anymore. You will be as powerful and revered as the first generation.”

“And we have to do all of these things secretly. Devina and Silvan cannot know about it.” Lucius said.

“Exactly.”

“Alright.” Dorian said determinedly and nodded to Darius, “Becoming the Crown Prince was also an unachievable task, but we did it. Maybe the Elders are with us on this too.”

For several weeks Lucius and Dorian had been extremely careful about what they did and talked even in private apartments whenever others were present. And it all because there were eyes and ears everywhere.

One time Lucius saw a human slave brutally beaten up by a guard because she didn’t water a lady’s favorite flower properly, and he asked Florian to bring some medicine and disinfectants to the slave. And the very next day, Dorian was reprimanded by the King in front of several other noblemen, saying he couldn’t manage his human consort and was violating the customs.

Lucius and Dorian began to suspect some of their servants and valets might be reporting back to Devina, telling her about their conversations and daily activities so that if anything unusual happened. And if they were not careful, Devina would find more excuses for the King to dislike and suspect his eldest son.

However, these servants didn’t know that while they were monitoring Dorian and Lucius, the slaves were also studying them, and a list of the moles was given to Lucius through Florian. Lucius and Dorian had been acting perfectly complacent and well-behaved for those snitches and feeding them fake conversations thereafter. It also forced them to postpone their plan to remove Florian’s chip.

Court life became increasingly perilous. Though everyone was smiling and appeared polite and amicable, daggers of rumors and libels infested underneath their benign veneer like squirming maggots. Lucius felt like he was walking on thin ice, and each step could be his last. He and Dorian could only exchange some brief, meaningful words after they went to bed, whispering into each other’s ear about what they should do to ward off all the invisible attacks.

One day, Lucius went out in the garden for a jog to clear his head. He paused momentarily next to the pond full of waterlilies to catch his breath. In the silent ruffling sound of the wind brushing through the leaves, he heard steps behind him.

“I see you still like to go to places alone.“A jeering voice made Lucius’s heart leap to his throat. He turned around and froze.

Archie Ashdown leaned against a tree, a cigarette between his lips, and gave him a toothy grin.

Since he attacked and attempted to assault and kill Lucius, the King sent him away to “study abroad,” but it was more like a semi-exile for his crime. And now, he allowed him to return without even letting Lucius and Dorian know. It announced to the whole country that Dorian had lost the King’s favor.

Fear gripped Lucius’s heart like an icy claw. Every hair on his arm stood straight in alarm.

“When did you come back?”

Archie threw the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it, and then, he began to approach Lucius slowly, “this morning. How long has it been? Seven months? Eight months? You seemed...even more delicious than the last time I saw you.”

“Stay back!” Lucius took a few steps back to the edge of the water.

Archie laughed wolfishly, and he did not care about Lucius’s warning at all, “why so tense? I come to apologize to you.”

“I don’t need it, and I’m not planning to forgive you,” Lucius said sternly.

Archie feigned a hurtful expression, “Come on, don’t be so cold. We are a family. You would want to stay on our good side, wouldn’t you? After all, what will you be after your husband loses his position?”

“You should be careful with your words, Prince Archie. The Crown Prince doesn’t take groundless slanders and rumors lightly.“Lucius tried his best to show courage.

But Archie’s face crumpled into a diabolic scowl abruptly, and he took a few aggressive struts toward Lucius. In a panic, Lucius fell back into the pound and was completely drenched. Archie paused at the edge of the water and laughed loudly, enjoying seeing the panic and fear on Lucius’s face.

“There you are, still the skittish little deer. I would enjoy such lovely expressions more often, and I’m sure I don’t have to wait too long now.“He was about to take another step, but a voice interrupted.

“Prince Archie, Crown Prince Consort. I didn’t know you were here.” Faith, the gardener, emerged from the bushes as if she was about to prune some tree branches. Her deportment was courteous and cheerful, but Lucius knew she was there to rescue him. She must have heard some commotion when he fell into the pound.

Archie wouldn’t dare to do anything too drastic if there was a witness as of yet, so he grinned at Lucius again and sauntered away shortly. Faith helped Lucius out of the pond and asked if he needed some dry clothes, but Lucius declined her kindness.

“Thank you.” He said quietly, still feeling a little shaken. He didn’t expect himself still harbor such a strong fear of Archie even after everything he had experienced. It embarrassed him.

Faith studied him and said gently, “You need to be even more careful now, your highness. Words were going around...and some vampires may have some ideas when they see you alone without guards.”

Faith was right. He should have been more careful as their situation was deteriorating fast.

Lucius thanked her again and walked all the way back to his living quarters, fully bedraggled. As he entered their apartment, Dorian saw the state he was in and was clearly shocked. He came to his side instantly, brows tightened into a knot, “what happened?”

“Archie is back. The King summoned him back to court.” Lucius said flatly.

Dorian’s eyelid twitched for a short moment, “...Did he do anything to you?”

“No. I was just startled.” Lucius said disconcertedly.

Dorian took off his own jacket and wrapped it around Lucius, and he ordered Florian to prepare a warm bath. Anger blazed in the Crown Prince’s irises, verging on murderous.

“Are you ok?“Dorian pulled the jacket tight around his consort, almost like hugging him.

“Yes.” Lucius pulled his lips, “luckily Faith was there. He didn’t try anything.”

“I will deal with that piece of shit,” Dorian whispered between his clenching teeth.

“But this is a really bad sign, Dorian. Your father is practically telling the whole court that they can do anything to your consort without consequences. No one will respect us after this.” Lucius said apprehensively, “Has Darius found anything yet?”

Dorian shook his head, “if things get too much, we can leave.”

“No.” Lucius said firmly, “You’ve given too much to leave. Devina won’t stop until she has you executed, otherwise, you will always be her son’s threat.” He paused for a second, pondering his options, and then he said something that surprised him, “worst comes to worst, you need to divorce me.”

Dorian stared at him.

“All these started because of me. If he wants to start another invasion of Anthor, he will do it anyway. With you leading the army, at least I can count on you being...more merciful. And I know you won’t harm my family should Anthor fall.” Lucius’s tone was so calm, as if he was talking about some other person’s country and life, “You can divorce me, make me your slave, show your father that you are still loyal to him and...”

“Shut up.“Dorian growled, interrupting Lucius’s unfinished sentence. He tilted Lucius’s chin up, looked intensely into Lucius’s eyes and said forcefully, word by word, as if making a vow, “Listen closely, Lucius. You are my consort. No one can change it. No matter what.”

“But...”

“You should have more faith in me.” Dorian said quietly yet confidently, “I am not that easy to defeat.”