Doe's POV:

He was mostly quiet as the day went on, with that hopeless look appearing at random intervals.

Luckily he didn't succumb to spending hours on his bed again and attempted to look busy instead,

Emphasis on attempting.

He wasn't very good at focusing in general, so it was easy to tell when his mind was wandering somewhere else.

Even now as he got himself ready for the dinner that he would be attending without me.

Since I was, you know, dead.

Xander and I rarely if ever ran into Layla anywhere else in the castle but here, and have never once seen her in the city.

So he was just playing it safe for now by keeping me here.

During the few times he's spoken since this morning, he did mention taking me during the blood collection. It was good to know that he at least had the sense to not keep me trapped in here for however much longer he planned on having me.

Yet he never spoke of the thoughts that I knew were bombarding his head.

Truth be told, I was curious as to what direction his thoughts were leading him.

Vampires were very different from humans, especially when it came down to their desires.

A part of me wanted to understand it better so I could deduct my own conclusion as to what was going on in that skull of his without him having to say anything.

Like how he could do to me with seemingly no effort.

My eyes squinted as I watched him fix the collar of his shirt, trying to recall the information I already knew.

From the vampiric academia that every pet I grew up with had to learn.

Vampires were greedy by nature.

And like most of their more... intense reactions, it roots from the most feral aspect of them. The part of their biology that's always present, but only shows outwardly when necessary.

The part of them that's so difficult for them to fight.

And so, once they begin to desire something, that deeper part of them practically fixates itself on it, no matter who or what it is.

It becomes ingrained into them that they need to do whatever it takes until they get whatever that initial greed stemmed from.

To seek it out, protect it, nourish it, whatever it may be until they finally receive the end result they wanted in the first place.

Don't let anything else get in the way.

I guess I should be a little bit relieved at the fact that their instincts made them earn it instead of forcing them to just take it like savages.

I'm certain that there's a lot more to it, but they only disclosed the bare minimum in the classes my pet mistress put us through.

Still, it didn't take a genius to figure out who Xander was set on.

Who he's been set on for many years at this point, despite what it was doing to his relationship with his brother.

Which is why I was naively gaining hope at his latest defiance towards her.

Of course, I never let it last long.

I wanted to think that maybe he was breaking through, but the reality was that it wasn't that easy for him.

Or for any vampire.

He was set onto her in a way that I couldn't even fathom, nor did I know could be undone.

All I could do was sit and wait, offering the help that I could provide, and regardless of what I kept telling myself, hope for the best.

~~~

Xander's POV:

I wasn't paying attention to this meal in the slightest and only knew that I was putting food in my mouth in hopes that no one would notice.

Despite the weird nerve-ridden knot in my gut.

I might have dug myself a bit too deep with this one.

I confidently pronounced Doe dead, lied multiple times right to Layla's face, and now have to go pet shopping with her tomorrow.

Which by itself would be great, but she expects me to find another one.

Another one for us to split.

My front teeth clamped down nervously on the edge of my fork.

I can't hide Doe forever if she really expects me to get another one.

Layla would be able to sense her with fresh blood in her system and then what?

What was I supposed to do then?!

A voice to my left mumbled something, and it took me a second to realize that it was Nico.

I released the fork from my teeth.

"Hm?" I straightened my posture and faced him, speaking with my mouth half full, "What are you talking about?"

He just... stared at me, looking me over like my words were a strange response.

I mean... I didn't quite catch what he said

"Your pet, Xander. She's not here so I'm assuming she's dead." he clarified casually, despite the slight devastation Khloe showed

Oh... right.

I guess that would be the impression I was giving off.

Then again, that was kind of the point, but not exactly for Nico.

I chewed slower to give myself some time to think.

Did I want to drag Nico into this lie too?

What would he think of me if I said that she was?

No... No Nico would definitely catch on.

I wouldn't even be surprised if he was listening for any sign of dishonestly from me already.

Still, I wanted to tread carefully.

"Oh... No, she's fine," I quickly scooped another bite of this duck into my mouth

They both looked at me with surprise, like that answer was the most shocking thing they've ever heard.

I had the partial mind to be a bit offended.

Sure I act like a blood-addicted dumbass most of the time, but only one of us can say that they have a streak of not killing their pets eight bloodmoons in a row, Nico.

Whatever.

"Define 'fine'." Nico pushed.

Which oddly enough caused me to lean away from him.

Why was he pushing this all of the sudden?

And what was I supposed to say?!

I couldn't keep eye contact with him as I answered, "She's uh... alive?"

Is that what he wanted? A confirmation?

"Why did that sound like more of a question than an answer?"

"I don't know! Why am I being questioned all of the sudden?!" I replied rather harshly.

A bit of the nerves must have forced themselves out, but I knew Nico could handle it.

It didn't look like my little outburst affected him in the slightest.

Khloe on the other hand...

Shit.

"Well, someone's hostile," Nico remarked.

Which caused my body to finally surrender to itself.

A sigh tore from my lips, hands raking through my hair before setting my elbows on the table to support myself as I just kept my head in my hands.

Staring down at the table cloth, the words left my mouth before I even had a chance to stop them.

"I'm stressed as shit dude,"

My lips pressed firmly together the moment I realized the words were mine.

I haven't consoled in him in what felt like forever.

Lately, he never seemed to care... and I couldn't expose to him what's been bugging me without breaking my promise to Layla.

I was readying myself to just play it off and end the conversation here out of fear of hearing the words 'I don't care' leave his mouth.

But his voice cut in before mine could.

"Wow really? You? stressed? That's unheard of." There was an amusement in his voice that I wasn't expecting. It was a bit of a taunt, but I'd take that over what I was expecting any day. "What on earth could be stressing out the champion of not giving a shit?"

I felt myself swallow in uncertainty if I should even get into it.

Even if I did, I couldn't tell him the full story, It was a lot just keeping everything inside where it was just breeding more panic.

I needed to tell someone.

I wanted to tell Doe... She even told me to let her know if she could help.

A phantom warmth radiated on my shoulder at the memory of that genuineness that laced her voice.

I was partially expecting her to hit me for being a dumbass.

She's never done that despite the amount of times I believe the action would have been justified.

I sad it was just a touch. Consoling in her own way despite the fact that I was the last person who deserved to be consoled.

I swallowed hard, raising my head with a deep breath.

I wanted to tell her, but she already has so many other things that she's worried about, and every single one of them is my fault.

The last thing I wanted was to add anything else to that list.

"Layla told me that she was going to look for a new pet tomorrow and so I panicked and told her that I'd go with her because I needed a new one too." the words came out quickly.

That much... I'll tell him that much.

Unlike me, Nico thought very logically.

He didn't focus on any of the 'what if's or try to come up with a backup plan unless the first one has already fallen through.

I admired him in a sense for that and often found myself trying to replicate it.

Obviously, it's never worked.

Then Nicolas, my one and only brother, laughed at my turmoil.

I felt my shoulders drop.

Yeah, okay. I guess I deserve that in some way or another.

"So you're hiding Doe from Layla since you couldn't think of any other excuse to go with her?" he managed to say between his laughing fit.

Okay... that wasn't the complete truth, but I could run with that.

Still, he wasn't at all seeing my point.

"I'm not hiding her!" I'm totally hiding her, "I'm just... giving myself some more time to think of how I'm going to do this. I literally lied to Layla, Nico."

He just shrugged, and I hoped that meant he was going to hit me with some of that good old-fashioned, straightforward, brotherly advice.

But the words he followed with were anything but.

"You could just get another pet. Give Doe someone to play with."

My response was visceral, odd anger growing at the thought.

"I don't want another pet, and I'm not getting rid of Doe."

Absolutely not. That wasn't even close to being an option.

Even if it would save me, and help prove my lie, I didn't find it worth it.

I did this in an act to keep her safe, and getting rid of her defeated that entire purpose.

They weren't kind to pets that got returned.

My stomach turned at the thought, and then again even harder at the realization of what she's already been through.

Nico's sigh cut through my thoughts.

"Did you specifically tell her that Doe was, dead?"

"I-" Yes that's the whole problem! "no"

I didn't want to get too much into it and risk exposing more than I should.

"Then I don't see what the problem is," he replied.

My frustration nearly built itself into a growl low in my throat.

I wanted his advice more than anything, but I couldn't get enough of it out for him to fully understand the situation,

"The problem is that I told her that I needed a new pet and I don't!"

He rolled his eyes like the answer was obvious.

From his standpoint, it probably was.

"I think you're reading too much into this. Just tell her that none of the pets there interest you and that you'll just help her choose one for herself."

I chewed on the inside of my lip, nearly piercing it with my fang.

Yeah... I figured out that much, but she was very insistent, and I felt a strange need to please her.

And then bringing Doe into all of this...

"What if she realizes that I lied."

He couldn't give me a useful answer to this, but I asked it anyway.

There were too many variables he didn't know about, and too many emotions I didn't want to explain.

He scoffed, like the idea of that happening was ludicrous.

"Believe me, Xander, I'm pretty sure you can lie out of this one, plus Layla may be a Bronwyn but she's not a genius."

That may be true but-

"I heard my name!" Her voice sounded from a little bit away, causing my posture to straighten on an instinct.

it nearly scared the claws out of my fingers too.

What the hell was she doing down here?!

Thank god I didn't bring Doe with me.

And the fact that her eyes showed that gold told me that she wouldn't smell her on me either.

Still, I greeted her as she approached, "Hey Layla!"

She gave me nothing but a smile, opting to stop behind Nico and lean forward onto the back of his chair.

I felt my exterior crack.

"So what were you guys talking about?" She asked.

"I was just telling Nico about our plans for tomorrow," I spoke before Nico could, not wanting to risk him saying something that would prove me as a liar.

She hummed a bit as she looked down at my brother, the smile she gave him being far more meaningful than the one she gave me.

"Oh really? You can come too if you want Nico," she invited, sliding a single finger through his hair.

An instinctive pang of jealousy and anger shot through me, but I swallowed it, having it turn into a sharp pain in my chest instead.

"Nah I'm good," His apparent disinterest in her eased me just a bit as he ran his hand up through Khloe's hair, "I've already got a pet."

My hands balled on my lap at the look she sent Khloe, the reminder that she wanted to know what she tasted like reappearing, "Oh,"

Yet there was anger behind her eyes as well.

I cleared my throat, readying myself to change the topic.

"So why are you down here at this hour, don't you usually eat with your dad?" I asked.

She finally removed herself from Nico's chair and faced me.

"Yeah, but he put me in charge of the ball this year so I was just finishing up putting up the fliers." She replied, lifting the stack of papers she was carrying.

The ball...Yes! Maybe this was my chance!

"It's time for the ball again already?" My brother practically groaned.

Aaaaaand now her attention was on him again.

Great.

"Mhm. In about two weeks. You should come this time, It'll be more fun since I'm hosting it. Plus you still owe me a dance."

This time, my fang did puncture the skin inside my lip, and I had to hurriedly and nonchalantly, rub my tongue over it to close it.

"Yeah we'll see," he said, but his tone said 'in your dreams'.

How did she not hear it?

The awkward silence that followed nearly made me want to pull my hair out.

"Well, I have to finish putting these up," She began looking at me again, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. See ya." I just watched her leave to my right, waiting till she was out of range before speaking again.

Once she was, My head whipped towards Nico.

"I hate you." I hissed.

Nico, knowing that I didn't truly mean it, nonchalantly wrapped his arms around Khloe, and rested his head upon hers, "Oh yeah? The feeling is mutual, but what's the reason this time?"

"Why does she like you more than she likes me?!"

I truly didn't get it.

I've given her everything. Anything that she asked for I've provided in one way or another.

Keeping her family secrets, being the one she rants to, taking the blame for what happens to Doe.

Nico shrugged before I could dwell too much longer on that, "Dunno. I've literally never given her a reason to like me. Her dad pretty much hates me so I don't know what her deal is."

Yeah, me neither.

I stood, figuring that being here was just going to frustrate me more.

And I didn't want to return to Doe like that.

"Whatever. I'm gonna ask her to the ball tomorrow anyways."

What even were the odds of her saying yes?

Still, the ball could be the final push of getting her to be mine the way that I wanted.

It had to be. After everything, it had to be.

This is what I wanted, right?

My hair blocked the sight of my eyes squeezing shut from a sudden ache in my head from my brother.

"Have fun with that," Was his half-assed support to my claim.

Yet all it felt like was another weight that I was doomed to carry until this was all said and done.