Chapter 18

“The darkness...”

“Lilith...”

“Heresy...”


The whispers float across the room like knives. The elders stare at me. The King looks at me and I know it is going to happen before it happens. I can't prepare for it because I think everyone knows all hell is about to break loose.

This was supposed to be the day I announced my happiness but instead it was the day my happiness was going to be snatched away from me...forcibly by two twins I thought I should have trusted with my life.

“Take him...”

The order comes from the King and it seems like almost immediately every vampire in the room turns. Fangs come out. They are coming out because of fear.

I watched as the Countess Roxanne jumps across the table. The little girl tackles me to the ground. I raise as I try to throw her off of me. She's so strong. It doens't work! I feel immediately two others jump to her aid to try to restrain me.

That's when I realize Nero is there.

Nero picks up Roxanne and tosses her off of me. I manage to get the others off.


“Nero back down!” I hear the King say.

“I'll die first.”


A elder vampire flies across the room. He soars through the sky with his fingers aimed at me. I duck out of the way just in time for him to miss me. As soon as he does Nero hits him a few times with solid punches aiding in a rough landing.

It doesn't stop another vampire makes his way towards me fangs out and ready to bite into my neck. I duck under the table and when I see several vampires attempting to follow me under there I flip the entire table with all my strength throwing dishes and plates across the room.

It causes a little bit of a distraction but not enough.

“RUN!” I hear Nero say.

He's fighting off a couple of vampires. He doesn't have any weapons. It's just hand to hand. He's fighting them using kickboxing to keep them at arms length before delivering massive blows to knock a few of them on their asses. Nero is strong. Even the elder vampires are having trouble keeping him away. I feel something grab me at that moment.

I turn to my left and realize that it's Milan. His dirty clothing separates him from his brother.

I push Milan as hard as I can! He drags me with him and together we fall to the floor. Aiden pulls me him off of me quickly before instructing his brother in a loud angry voice, “Stay out of this!”

I don't know what Aiden's motivations are now. He caused all of this and now he it was getting out of hand.

That's when I hear a scream. I turn.

It's Armando.

Armando is still being pinned down by 10 men. The ten men attempt to hold him down but he screams this amazing scream and springs his muscles up as hard as he can. The vampires are tossed off him onto the surrounding floor. Armando charges towards me and I think he's going to tackle me but instead he takes down the Countess Roxanne who is coming from me from behind without my knowledge.

Chaos is going all around me.

I struggle to aid Nero who is still fighting off several vampires. I'm at his side scrapping, feeling my hands flail around in an attempt to help him no matter what it takes. I'm not as strong as Nero but together we push them back. The more we fight the more I realize there are too many vampires and they are too strong. These are elder vampires. They don't stay down for long.

Nero grabs one of them and swings him into the crowd of oncoming vampires. They fall back like bowling pins.

He grabs my hand, “We have to leave.”

“I'm not leaving Armando,” I respond.

“We have to!”

I look over at Armando. He's still fighting off the Countess Roxanne. The little bitch is a fucking beast and she has jumped on Armando's back and is now making a desperate attempt to claw at his face. I am about to go help him but then I feel Nero let out a scream from behind me.

I turn and realize Nero's been knocked out. I see Lucca standing there.

“Lucca help me...”

Lucca stares at me. There is this look of disconnect there. He ignores my request but turns next to me, “Camille now!”

Thats when I feel Camille grab me from behind! She puts a fucking stake to my fucking throat! My heart is racing as I realize my friends have both turned on me like this.

“I'm sorry...you're just...not one of us,” Camille explains.

King Arie screams across the room, “Stop fighting Armando. It's over!”

Armando has finally gotten Countess Roxanne off of his back and flung her across the room like a rag doll. She is passed out clearly. There are other vampires littered around the room aching in pain mostly from having Armando get at them.

It isn't until Armando realizes that I'm being held by a stake and Nero is knocked out on the ground that he finally stops fighting.

“He's my son Arie,” Armando explains.

He doesn't address King Arie as King. I can tell he's attempting to invoke their friendship. Even as Armando has his hands up right now I can tell there won't be any mercy granted here. Not today, not from these vampires who have finally completely turned on me.

Just minutes ago they were here to celebrate me and now they were looking at me like they were horrified of me.

“And this is my city Armando, I'm sorry,” King Arie argues back.

I'm placed in a dark cell for three days. Vampire jails aren't like human. Silver didn't have the same sort of effect it did on bullshit vampires from mythology, but it did burn my eyes if I stared at it too long for some reason. I have no one to talk to for the three days. I don't sleep for three days. I get three cups of blood for those three days but no one comes to visit. No one comes to see me. It isn't until that third day that I hear footsteps that are different from my jailer's. I jump up.

In a matter of moments I see the King himself. He is escorted by King's guard but he tells them to leave. King Arie pulls up a chair. I look at him not understanding what this is all about.

“I'm sorry it came to this.”

“I'm not threat to you,” I explain to him.

King Arie smiles. I realize now he is a very handsome King. He's a very handsome man in general. He has the look of royalty. His curly long hair and his Native American features seem to stick out from any man I've ever seen. He has a soothing smile when he looks at me for a minute I kind of think this man might actually be a gentle soul.

“You are,” he tells me reminding me that he's my enemy.

“I've been here for months.”

“You killed another O Type student,” he replies.

“I don't remember it,” I explain to him, “I lost control. Me and Raul had a long history. It was long and complicated. Please. You can't do this to me. I love Nero. All I want to do is be with him.”

His smile gets even more gentler. You would think I was talking to an old friend by how King Arie is looking at me. It's so soft. It's so calm.

He folds his lips almost like you would pout right before disappointing a child, “I know you do.”

“Then why am I here.”

“Because of who you are,” the King explains to me, “Because of who your mother is. Before we came to Eden many vampires lived in Boston. The King back then his name was Emporio. I remember Lilith woke up back then. I remember her walking into the room. Everyone swallowed their hearts every step she took. I remember the deaths. I remember all of us running, dying. My friends and people who I considered my family...dying. I remember how she used people, turned them against one another. She used someone that I loved dearly. It was worst time of my life. I'd never been so...afraid...”

Seeing someone like the King talk about fear was a strange thing. He is staring at the floor as he reminisces.

After a short break he continues, “She wasn't evil. They say that evil came into the world with Cain and Able. Cain was the first human born and Able was the first human to die. Those were supposed to be the origins of murder and the origins of evil. But this thing that walked into that room was something much darker...much older than evil. It was hard to describe it. Something darker than despair, hatred, jealousy, anger and resentment. This was Lilith...the darkest. And I've never been afraid of anything like I was afraid of Lilith and I don't ever want to be that afraid again...”

“You don't have to. I don't think Lilith can enter Eden.”

The King smiles, “I know she can't...”

I don't get it.

“Then why are you afraid. Lilith can't enter so you're safe. I'm not threat to you. Keep an eye on me. I promise all I want to do is be with your son. That's it.”

The king smiles, “It's not that easy. I'm sorry.”

“Please.”

“You had a trial already. All the elders already sentenced you. They said you were guilty.”

Shit.

I had a trial and I didn't even get to attend.

“Don't I get a defense?”

“Prince Nero defended you,” King Arie explains, “He was the only one in the city who would...”

I fail to believe my father wouldn't but I'm too scared right now to ask about my father. I'm scared about what they would have done to him. My father was the one responsible for bringing me to Eden in the first goddam place.

“There is no changing your mind is there?” I ask.

I don't know why I feel so weak right now. I think about it though as King Arie looks at me with a sadness in his eyes. It's not about the fear of what happens to me. My fear is how Nero and Armando will react to what happens to me. I don't want to cause them pain. I don't want to see them sad. Those two men were the two men who fought for me with all their strength three days ago. I loved them and this shit hurt more than anything to know that they'd be in pain because of me.

He sighs deeply, “I'm sorry.

I look at the walls. They'd never been so gray and dusty and dark in the last three days as they are now. It seems like these bars get smaller around me.

I feel like I'm going to faint for a second so I steady myself against the uncomfortable bed and look up at the king.

“What happens now?”

My heart is in my stomach. It churns. I feel a discomfort that I haven't felt since I was human.

“Something worst than death.”

I laugh at the idea, “Really?”

“You find it funny?” the King raises his eyesbrows.

I shrug, “You now I was about to kill myself before I came to Eden. I just think it's ironic that after that I end up finding a life that I actually want to live. Now all of a sudden right before I get that perfect life it is snatched away from me. Just like that...”

He nods, “Yeah, ironic.”

“Yeah.”

Silence.

“Is there anything I can do for you? Any last wishes?”

“Can I see my friends?”

“I assumed you would ask that,” he replied, “The remaining members of Class O don't want to see you, save Nero.”

“What about my father?”

“I'm afraid Armando is in no condition to see anyone right now.”

Oh god.

“What did you do to him?” I ask.

“He's been punished, publicly. Whipped by every vampire in the city...twice. It's an old punishment and I can see on your face that you think we are very brutal. Just like you thought the Combat Sanglant was probably quite brutal. It's not death---at least. He was spared the final death because he loved him. However his punishment is much better than what is in store for you.”

“I can forgive you punishing me...but not my father,” I respond.

There is an anger in me and for a moment I think I'll break through these chains and kill the King right here and right now. I don't though. It's hard to get angry with a man who has such a calm voice. He shakes his head as though understanding my anger.

“I didn't want to see your father like that either. Him and I were always close but I am a king before I am a friend. Just like Nero is a prince before he is your lover.”

“Will Nero see me?”

“Yes. He will.”

“Fine.”

The King gets up realizing that I probably don't want to talk to him any longer. He looks at me for a minute. He looks like he is going to say something. I am pretty sure he is probably going to apologize that things have turned out the way they are. I am pretty sure that is what he is trying to do but it doesn't matter and he realizes that because he doesn't say anything.

He just turns and walks out of the room.

A few minutes later Nero walks into the room. They haven't put his hands on him. He has no bruises or anything and I'm happy to at least see that. I see a strain in his eyes. He's been crying. They are beat red. He's not crying now. It's clear he has stopped but I know that he's been struggling with this and seeing how exhausted his eyes looks make me want to cry for the first time locked in this cage.

He runs to the bars at that moment and immediately we are kissing. It's hard to kiss between the bars but Nero finds a way to get his tongue to me. He finds a way to get his fingers to me. He finds a way to touch me and hold me through the bars.

He kisses me for 2 straight minutes before pulling back, “I don't have much time.”

“It's ok. I'm sorry about my breath. I haven't had a tooth brush,” I reply.

“That's the last thing I'm worried about,” he responds before leaning in and showing me how much he enjoys the kiss regardless.

I shake my head feeling dumb all of a sudden, “They say there is something worst then death.”

“They are going to bury you in a casket,” he responds.

“Doesn't that happen all the time...it happened to Milan.”

“Not the same. Milan went to sleep. When King Arie is buried, he will go to sleep. They are going to keep you in a silver coffin. Vampires can't go to sleep in silver coffins. Silver keeps you awake. Silver keeps your eyes open. Meaning it won't be a slumber. You will be up...trapped...forever...” Nero explains and his eyes gets red again.

He releases me and falls to the floor. He's crying. The wails are strong and serious. Tears are rushing out of my eyes too thinking about how horrible something like this is going to be. Trapped in a coffin without having the ability to sleep.

“Don't cry baby...”

“How the fuck can you tell me not to cry?” he asks me, “Don't you get it. You'll go crazy in that fucking thing. You'll never get out.”

“If I'm alive there's always a chance I'll see you again.”

Nero shakes his head, “The King won't let me know where you'll be buried. He thinks I'll release you. I promise I'll find you though. As soon as I am king I will raise every inch of Eden to find you.”

“What if I'm not buried in Eden.”

“I'll raise every inch of the world to find you,” Nero states.

I shake my head, “Stop being silly Nero.”

“Don't tell me my love is silly,” he responds, “This shit hurts yo. I can't deal with this. You know I tried to break you out three times?”

“What happened?”

“Sinclair. Ended up killing him.”

“Jesus Christ. You killed your other boyfriend,” I say.

“SANTOS!”

“I'm joking.”

“This is not a time to be fucking joking,” He responds at that moment but still forces some sort of smile and walks back to the bars to pull me in close, “I can't live without you...”

“You'll have to,” I respond, “I won't go crazy in that coffin. I'll just think about you the entire time. It'll keep me sane.”

Nero shakes his head, “I'll revenge you. Do you understand? The twins are the first ones to go. Then come Lucca and Camille. Do you now they are already right back under Coco's ass? They think I'm going to marry her. They didn't even ask about you---not once.”

He's angry.

A part of me is angry too.

“Nero, I don't want to talk about that right now. Don't risk yourself. Like you said. We don't have much longer,” I explain.

Nero leans into through the gates and kisses me shoving my tongue down my throat, “Turn around.”

“What?”

“I wanna make love to you...” he responds.

“Nero...”

“Santos. I need to make love to you...”

That's when I realize what he's saying. We are never going to have a chance to do this again. We are never going to see each other again. We will spend an eternity away from each other...thinking about one another and never being able to be around one another.

So I do what he says.

I turn around. I take down my pants. Nero spits in his hand and pulls my ass up against the bars. I spread my ass cheeks against the bars and feel his long dick making it's way through the bars.

“FUCK!” I scream.

It's hard. There is discomfort. This isn't us making gentle love taking our time for hours in the pond in the woods. This two people desperately in love with one another but knowing they only had a matter of minutes, if that, to prove it.

He's thrusting into me. I'm pushing back. There is blood from the force of it. Neither of us seem to care. I can feel him tearing at the tissues of my asshole but I don't care much about that either. Right now the only thing that matters is that I feel him inside of me.

The only thing that matters are these last moments of us together.

“I'll never love anyone but you,” He says.

“You promise.”

He strokes me, long, hard and fast. He's getting as much as he can out of this.

“For an eternity. It's only you.”

Just at that moment the doors open and I hear the King's guard coming into the room. Nero doesn't stop fucking me. He doesn't stop putting his dick through that hole and tearing into my ass. I can feel him desperately cumming inside of me. He moans deeply and loudly as he nuts inside of me. He presses me up against the bars.

“Sir...please...”

The King's guard are there. There are 5 men. Why would the king send so many men just to get Nero. Maybe it's because Nero isn't stopping.

He's ignoring the men. He doesn't care that they see us both with our pants down fucking. Nero's strokes are getting faster and harder. You wouldn't be able to tell at all he just nutted a few seconds ago especially when he starts to orgasm for the second time sending a second load shooting into me.

“I love you,” I tell him, “Don't forget about me...”

“Eternity...”

“Longer.”

“Forever...

“PRINCE NERO PLEASE!” I hear two men saying. They are dragging him away. He pushes at them, pushing one into the bars so hard that the man's head cracks and he starts bleeding. Nero rushes back towards me desperately growling at the soldiers attempting to hold him back.

“Get the fuck off of me! I'll kill all of you!” Nero is screaming at the top of his lungs.

He presses up back inside of me, attempting to put his dick in me again. He barely gets the tip in before the three other guards grab him, subduing him to the floor with his dick out and all.

“LET GO OF HIM!” I'm screaming out.

It's on deaf ears. The orders have come from the King himself. Nero is struggling, dragging, clawing, spitting, cursing, biting, punching and kicking in an attempt to get to me.

The blood from his fingernails scrape the floor as they drag him out of there.

“Forever!” I hear him say.

And those are the last words he says.

I'm left in the darkness of this cage, full of semen and in a weird way it's the only thing I hold onto. It feels as though I have some of Nero with me and for some reason I know that's enough for the moment. So I sit in the darkness and I cry and then I hug myself because that is the only other comfort that I will get.

Countess Roxanne is charged with bringing me out to the place I'm going to be buried. I'm blindfolded as though it matters and when I take off my blind I realize that I don't recognize the place. The sky is red however so I know that we are still at least in Eden but this is on the outskirts. I don't even see the city. We are on the very edge of the woods in a distant corner that I didn't know existed.

“I pity you,” Countess Roxanne explains to me.

“Then release me...”


There are no guards. I think it is clear that the King trusts the Countess and seeing how she was able to battle Armando I don't think she much needs any additional guards. The old woman trapped in a little girl's body was definitely someone who would get this job done.

“I don't pity that much,” she explains before opening the coffin.

Alone she drags me into the coffin. I am in chains. They are made of silver. The coffin is made of silver too. That is when I feel the silver around me. It bothers my eyes. I realize I can't close them for long. I wondered why I couldn't sleep in the jail but not I realize it is because of the silver. It's scary honestly. Even in the jail cell for three days I felt like I was going crazy because of my lack of sleep and the silver was further away from me. I had no protection from it when I'm placed into the coffin. I'm just touching it.

Even vampires needed sleep.

This would be the worst thing imaginable...a fate worst than death.

“Then kill me,” I finally tell her.

“I suggested the same thing. Believe me I did,” Countess Roxanne tells me.

“It's better than this. Please not this. Please tell me you can do something else...”

“He's afraid...”

“Of what?”

“The King's afraid of what Lilith will do if we kill you. He's afraid of Lilith's wrath.”

The hole to the right of the coffin is deeper than I'd ever seen in my life. It's been dug out so deep that there is a crane next to it that I assume will be used to pile on the dirt. The crane's operator was waiting for Roxanne's order before he lowered me into the hole.

I could not see the bottom of the grave as I am sitting up in the coffin. It seems like there is no bottom. It is an abyss of darkness...going from paradise straight down to purgatory.

I look at Roxanne.

“And what about my wrath? If you put me in that hole...you should fear that...”

Roxanne doesn't reply. She lays me down, closes the lid and orders me lowered into the hole right before thousands of pounds of dirt cements me into darkness.