After the incident following Mizak and Kas’ argument, things at the castle turned quite… tense. Mizak refused to acknowledge his family, usually only sparing Alesh or Malara a word or two, before leaving to visit his mate.
Since Malara’s birthday, and finding Evan was his mate, his visits to the boy became increasingly frequent, much so that the humans at the manor had grown to develop a new routine when it came to his arrival.
His visits would, most often, take place after lunch and lasted until dinner began. The other residents made sure to stay out of his way, which he greatly appreciated, instead choosing to attend to their chores or leisure activities.
Today was one such day as he bid goodbye to his two siblings before entering a car that took him to the manor.
What he didn’t expect, however, was the familiar face of his eldest brother sitting in wait for him.
“You believe yourself to be all grown up, don’t you?” Volak’s voice as deep and menacing as ever almost caused an involuntary shudder which he pulled back quickly.
“You grew a pair and stood up to father and now suddenly YOU’RE the man of the house, right? Little Mizak thinks he’s the shit around here now?” The most worrying thing at the moment was how deathly calm his voice and face were as he spoke.
“Let’s make one thing clear here, little brother. You’d better start acting right or that mate of yours might be in for a world of trouble. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your little silent treatment game. Drop it. There’s already too much talk around the castle about it and the last thing our family needs is a rumour that we’re falling apart.”
“What does a rumour like that have to do with me? In what world should I care enough about any of you just to stop it from spreading? If anything, let it spread. Maybe you’ll all learn what it’s like to be talked about in the worst ways.”
It seemed that he’d by now, royally pissed Volak off as, within a millisecond, a large hand was wrapped around his throat, deadly sharp fingernails digging straight into his skin penetrating his skin.
“You’d do well to shut up, boy. I’m sick and tired of you and your attitude. It seems you’ve forgotten your place. Or rather, who it is you’re dealing with. You think that because we are family I won’t rip you limb from limb?” His words held much truth as the look in his eyes screamed murder…no, bloodlust described it much better.
Mizak had always wondered what it was that caused Volak to become so hateful towards him. His earliest memories of his childhood seemed to only be filled with images and scenes of his eldest brother showing nothing but spite and anger towards him. Constantly ignoring his presence, the lies he’d make up to get Mizak in trouble. The lashes that came with no reasoning behind them. All the while Mizak could only feel love and admiration for how strong and valiant his big brother was. What had he done to him?
With these thoughts being the only ones to swarm his mind, those feelings of ‘love’ and ‘admiration’ seemed to evaporate. His lilac eyes bore into Volak’s with nothing but disgust and disdain, a sharp pain flashing through his head as the words that followed escaped,the voice speaking them, foreign, new…unknown.
“I know who I am, Volak Nolva, it is you who seems to have your head shoved too far up your ass that you’re unaware of who you are dealing with. You may think that you’ve done well to hide your hidden intentions but I assure you that my mind is far beyond what you believe it to be capable of. Hence why I am fully aware of your goal. The power you so desperately seek but can’t seem to obtain.”
As he spoke that last sentence, Volak’s features visibly shifted to a look of shock and, what looked to be, fear. This could not possibly be his brother speaking. If the voice wasn’t a good enough tell, this being possessed knowledge he’d made sure to keep hidden from all members of his court, including his family. Taking precautions at every turn, whether it was burning books or killing anyone who came too close to the truth.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“Yes, eldest son of Nolva. I am well aware of what it is you seek. You wish to gain Elheiner’s power, correct? This outrageous power of control you so desperately seek in order to fulfil our own selfish desires. Listen to me and listen well, ‘boy’. As long as I am alive as the Guardian of Elheiner, you will NEVER wield that power.” ‘Mizak’ or this new entity then signalled the driver that he would no longer be taking his journey by vehicle and, upon stepping out, he turned back for a final word.
“The next time you dare threaten my mate, I’ll ensure you receive a fate so terrible you’ll BEG me to end your worthless life. A good day to you then, brother.” Mizak continued his journey to his mate at the human manor, this time on foot, his head ringing as a sharp pain struck.
‘Why am I outside? Wasn’t I just…odd.’ He didn’t question the strange gap in his memory seeing as there was no ne around who could help any with it anyhow. Instead, he focused his attention on his awaiting mate. Evan…
‘Evan? Evan… I have a mate.’ Despite Malara’s party being almost 2 weeks ago, he still couldn’t seem to comprehend the events that led up to his current situation. A human. A MALE human was his mate. His father had threatened them causing him to lash out at him. They hadn’t spoken. He had seen his mother whispering to his siblings once or twice but as soon as they’d caught wind of his presence their gatherings quickly dispersed.
Not that he cared, though. All he cared about right now was- Oh.
Having been lost in thought during the walk, he was no surprised to see that a wooden door now stood just inches away from his face where one step closer would have no doubt had him slamming straight into it.
Collecting himself, he raised a fist to knock. 3 times rapid, the way he signalled his presence to the residents. It took no time before the door was swung open, a man stood on the other side with his head bowed.
“Good afternoon, Lord Mizak. You look just as well as yesterday, sire.”
“I appreciate your kind words. May I step in?”
“Of course, my lord!” The man took a step to the side allowing the pale vampire the enter the building. Though many of the humans greeted him, quite a few paid no mind to is presence, instead focusing on whatever they’d been engaged in before his arrival. Not that he minded. No, not at all. He preferred it this way.
“Evan. I assume, is upstairs yes?” He looked towards the same man who had answered the door for him.
“Yes sir, he should be.”
“Alright.” The conversation ended there, the young lord briskly climbing the stairs though his posture made it seem as though we wanted nothing more than to just run the entire way up.
The humans that remained downstairs who had taken the time to acknowledge couldn’t help but chatter amongst themselves at his haste.
“Is it weird to anyone else?” A random resident spoke up, having previously been engaged in a game of poker with 4 others. A bit chatty for someone losing the game terribly.
“The fact that he seems so eager to be mated to a human or that they’re both men?”
“I could care less if he was mated to a frog. Never in my life have I seen Lord Mizak outside of the palace this much. I would have sworn the boy didn’t truly exist as I’d never even seen him before two weeks ago.”
“That Evan boy sure has changed things around here. But I can’t but help but wonder if that change was for the better or worse.”
“Oh hush up Ezekiel. Can’t you tell love when you see it. It’s clear that what they feel for each other is true love in it’s purest form. A first love.”
“It’s not their love that I’m worried about Carol-Anne. What if someone takes advantage of their relationship? That could end horribly for all of us. All I’m saying is that we need to be more cautious about things like who we let into the manor.”
“I agree with Ezekiel. Evan is a human, juts as the rest of us are. We easily be used as a form of leverage to bring down the Central faction and that’s the one thing we don’t need.” Kyran, a young man in his early twenties spoke up. He was a man with a more analytical and realsitic mentality and to him, it seemed Ezekiel’s theory was one to pay attention to.
Carol-Anne couldn’t help but release a sigh at this. Of course. She knew that they were right in some sense but in her heart she couldn’t help but feel that there was something special about those two boys.
In her 83 years of life, she’d no doubt become more attuned with her instincts and those were the very same instaincts telling her that those two would be the cause of something great.
“Well, there’s nothing we can do to stop life’s course, right? Instead of worrying so much about the what ifs and events that are yet to come, let us take this time to enjoy the leisure that we live in right now. Now hush and stop scaring the others or I’ll have you both placed on luandry duty for the next month.”
The two quickly clamped their mouths shut as those surrounding them let out huffs of laughter. Carol-Anne smiled at the joyous sound that echoes as she continued with her knitting she’d paused earlier.
‘Evan and Mizak will be the ones. I just know it.’