“Santos!”

Aiden could feel a heavy fear in his heart. There is a worry and for a moment he is back to being a 17 year old boy hopelessly worried about what Santos thinks about him.

Santos shakes his head, “Sorry to disturb.”

With that Santos hustles out of the a room a slight smirk on the sides of his face. Aiden can't tell what the smirk means but for it scares the shit out of him. It scares him for the same reason Santos has always scared him. The bond between Nero and Santos wasn't good. Now Santos knew that that they weren't as close as they let on to the public.

Santos leaves before Aiden makes it halfway across the room. Aiden curses, buttnaked in the darkness and slaps the nearby lamp off the table not bothering to watch as it is smashed into a million pieces.

“I told you to lock the fucking door!” Aiden barks at Justice.

Justice is laying on the bed. He wrinkles his pretty skin seeming confused and bothered, “I thought I did. I swear I thought I did. Maybe I should go to talk to Santos.”

“No. You've done enough,” Aiden responds.

He had one job. Lock the door. Now Santos knew Aiden's biggest secret. Aiden was obsessed with his son-in-law. The obsession had a few years back but the sex had been happening for a month now. Hot, sweaty, versatile sex that left Aiden dripping after each encounter.

“You ok?”

Justice is clueless. He's always been. He's clueless to the history between Santos, Nero and Aiden. Aiden knows this so even though he's heavily annoyed with the young man he's patient. Justice is a naive. That's what drew Aiden to him in the first place. He didn't hide the fact that he was young and free. They all looked young...all looked in their early 20s but Justice actually really was. He was a young vampire and it drew Aiden to him.

“Santos knows Justice.”

“So what? You should have invited him in. He's fine as fuck.”

Aiden bites his lip at the thought of it. Under different circumstances that might not have been a bad idea. He'd always been attracted to Santos. Even now he can see Santo's ass and sexy back. Having Santos and Justice at the same time would have been amazing.

He shakes the thought out, “This isn't about that.”

“We're just having fun. Santos has to understand that,” Justice responds.

Justice gets off the bed. When Aiden looks at him he thinks about the same thing that he always thinks about. Good sex. Justice's high yellow features seem to glow even in the dark room. His abdomen is perfection. His abdominals are front and center sculpted from the long hours of training Justice has went through when he was first bitten. His well defined shoulders moves slowly forward to Aiden in the darkness.

He grabs Aiden, throws him up against the wall. Hard and rough...just like Aiden likes. He kisses him. A hard kiss on the mouth. The two stand there for a minute drinking in each other's essense. He tastes Justice's saliva, smells his warm body and feel his muscular frame pressed up against him. And for a minute Aiden enjoys it a little too much.

He pushes away.

“This has to end,” Aiden tells Justice at that moment, “Santos might tell your father...”

“Fuck my father,” Justice responds, “We're having a good time. You're the only one who respects me as a man around here. Why would I want that to end?”

Justice isn't making this easy for him. It doesn't make it easy that there is a passion with Justice that Aiden could never have with his father.

“I have to tell your father before Santos does.”

Justice damn near laughs at this, “You're joking right?”

“This isn't a laughing matter. I have to tell your father and this thing between the two of us never...EVER will happen again.”

Justice glares at him, “He doesn't give a shit about you...you do know that right? It doesn't take me to know the history that he has with Santos to realizes how he looks at Santos. He loves him. And how long will you be king when he stops putting Eden first.”

Aiden starts walking out of the room. He gives Justice one last stare. Justice may be right. Nero may always love Santos. However Aiden had worked for years trying to secure this throne with his brother. He had gone through lengths to try to make sure that he was the second King. Now that he had the title he wasn't going to give it up...not to Santos. Not to anyone.

Aiden goes into the bedchambers.

It's the sleeping area that he shares with Nero. Nero is shirtless. He's darker than Justice...much more of a brown chestnut skin tone and a lot more muscular. As Justice is a versatile...Nero is a top. Not that Aiden would know. They'd only had sex one time and Nero looked like he was forcing it...even then.

Aiden walks up behind Nero. He puts his hands on his chest. He hadn't bust a nut with Justice so maybe this was the time that he could change things.

“I've missed you,” Aiden tells Nero.

“I've been...busy,” Nero responds.

He was always busy. That was always his excuse. Aiden grabs Nero from behind. He presses himself up against Nero's strong glutes. He wraps his arm around him and kisses slowly on his shoulder blades. It's slow and sensual in an attempt to seduce Nero.

“You're always busy. How about we take some time off? It's been so crazy with what happened with Santos. I can make you feel better...” Aiden responds.

With that Aiden is on his knees. He has Nero from behind, grabbing on the pants that Nero has wrapped around his waist. He puts his hand on Nero's glutes, massages them in an attempt to turn him out. His mouth is watering. He wanted to eat Nero's ass for years now and Nero never let him close. Just when he thinks he's getting close...Nero does the same thing he always does.

He turns around and makes an excuse.

“Not really in the mood,” Nero responds.

Aiden sighs. The passion is lacking. It always has. What else could have driven him to Nero's son?

“Is something wrong?”

“What do you think of Justice?”

Aiden swallows his spit. He gets up off his knees and takes a few steps back. He would end up in a jail cell right next to his brother if he wasn't careful. Cheating on the King was no small matter in Eden. He could be trialed for treason. All of a sudden he's peering at the window wondering if he could make a jump for it. They were on the third story. He'd survive...he was immortal after all, but it'd hurt like shit.

“You spoke to Santos?” Aiden asks.

Nero's forehead wrinkles, “No I didn't speak to Santos. What makes you ask that?”

A sigh of relief comes out of Aiden.

“Just. Wondering. But what about Justice?”

“What do you think about him?”

“As in?”

“As in what do you think about him?”

What do you tell your husband about his son that you've been fucking for the past month? This was the best time to tell Nero and come clean. Maybe King Nero would just divorce him and he'd be spared jail. Then the thought comes out. What if he's banished from Eden? What if that would be his punishment for infidelity?

He shakes his head, “I think your son is like you. He's smart. He's strong.”

He's handsome as fuck, just like you, Aiden thinks to himself.

“I'm thinking about having him lead the King's guard with Milan in jail.”

Aiden rolls his eyes at the thought, “My brother is the best one for the job, Nero. You and I both know that. Your son is cool and all but he's not ready.”

“With all due respect your brother doesn't follow directions,” Nero responds, “I'm not releasing him after he tried to kill Santos.”

Of course he wasn't.

Milan sitting in a jail rotting was getting to Aiden. He'd have to do something about that and he'd have to do something about it fast. Still...even though Aiden was his husband, Nero still had all the power. At least for now.

Aiden knew that things change...even in the Eternal City.

He'd have to be patient.

“How about test him out?” Aiden asks, “The Thirst is a real problem in Eden. How about have run a small elite team of King's Guard...made up of all Elders. Let him think that he has complete control of the group but put in people that you trust. That way you make Eden safe and see if your son is really ready for the big leagues...”

It was all that Aiden could come up with short notice. It had taken Aiden years to get Milan in the position of Captain of the King's Guard. It was a top title in Eden. He wasn't going to fuck it up for some young dickhead...even if the dickhead was sexy ass Justice.

Surprisingly Nero takes the bait.

“That's actually a good idea.”

“It is?” Aiden asks actually surprised that Nero is going along with it.

“Yeah,” Nero responds, “See that's why I married you.”

Nero doesn't even understand how he said it. He says it as though that was the only reason he married him. Aiden wonders if Nero even had any love for him to begin with.

“Because I make good decisions?” Aiden asks.

Nero nods, “Because you do what's best for Eden and Eden loves you for it. This is what's best for Eden. I can have Justice lead an elite team to hunt Thirsts in Eden. We can get together the old Class Zero. Coco, Camilla and Lucca. You can be on the team to act as my eyes and ears.”

Aiden raises an eyebrow. He was king's husband now. He should be sitting on a throne not hunting Thirsts around the city. Nero had always been a hands on type of king though. It was annoying really. Aiden swallows his pride though. He'd have to go along with Nero's bullshit for now.

Aiden smiles, “I'll keep an eye out for Justice for you.”

“And Santos too.”

“Excuse me?” Aiden asks.

He must have heard him wrong.

“We can't have the old class back together without Santos,” Nero confirms.

I am watching television in my room. The city of Vampires still just has the same one vampire channel. Things don't change here and it blows my mind that in all of Eden there is still just one channel. I watch it nonetheless. I have to get my mind off of what I saw yesterday with Aiden and Justice. I would tell Santos but this is a card that I could use for later. One thing I learned after 100 years is to be patient. There'd come a time where I'd need that information.

Until then I'd distract myself with television.

I watch the news. I even remember the news lady. After 100 years you'd think they'd at least change the news lady.

“Making headlines all across Eden this morning, in the Business District, a vampire has been arrested because he is suspected of staking his wife. King's Guard say that suspect Steven Grant was detained after neighbors reported hearing screams coming from the Grant Blood Bakery business on Holcomb Drive. Grant told the Guard that his wife hadn't had blood in weeks due to the blood shortage and quote 'was mutating into a Thirst'. As of right now there are no reports on whether or not Grant's claims were confirmed. It is yet to be determined if Grant is a murderer...or a hero...”

I shake my head at the thought of it. Why not wait for his wife to a Thirst before killing her? Either way he was a murderer. Still there seemed to be some sense of fear going around the city. People were scared of this Thirst thing.

There is a knock on my door and I mute the television in my room.

Sinclair is standing there. He isn't alone. There are 8 King Guard's members with him. These vampires look serious. They are young men and all handsome just like you would expect in Eden. I honestly swear my loins are going to explode from seeing all these sexy guys after being buried alive for so long.

“Mr. Santos?” Sinclair states.

“Am I in trouble?”

“I'm not authorized to say sir. The King has requested you. Please get ready sir. We'll be waiting out here,” Sinclair responds.

I have the feeling he really isn't the talkative type. The other guards have that look on their faces too. They are all so fucking serious. They are all so mad looking. You would think I would be the one walking around with a permanent grimace after all the shit I've been through. But I'm not grimacing. I'm smiling.

I take a shower and get dressed. I clearly take my time. After being imprisoned underground for a century I don't really have the need to rush.

I'm walked by the guards and even though they aren't saying I'm in trouble I kind of feel like I am. They are escorting me...four men on each side of me. People in the hallways are whispering as I walk. An idea comes in my head. What if Aiden is threatened by me. He is the king's husband now. He's the second most powerful man in Eden. What if he's convinced Nero to put me away in that box again. It'd take a lot of them to restrain me...I'll tell you that much. I wasn't the same weakling I was 100 years ago. I wouldn't go down without a fight.

I enter a room.

It's a classroom.

For a minute it doesn't look familiar but as I sit there I remember all too well. This was my old classroom I had when I first became a vampire. Young vampires would come to this academy to train. It still looked the same. It still smelled the same. After 100 years I can still smell my father in here. Nothing ever changed in the Eternal city.

“You're late...” a voice says.

The guards send me in the room and wait outside. By the way they are waiting it's clear that they are keeping guard for the King. He has to be in this room.

I turn to the person who spoke to me. The nasty, rude comment comes from Lucca. I hadn't seen him in such a long time. He's still looks like a young Brad Pitt. He's an attractive white boy with a model like face. His hair is brown with streaks of blond now. He's also lost some of his muscle and is on the thinner side now like Aiden. Speaking of Aiden...I notice him in the room. He's standing by a window...leaned up against it. He looks at the floor. Out of all of us he'd always looked the most like a vampire.

“He's always given special treatment,” Camilla adds in to Lucca.

Camilla shakes her head at that moment. She's just as pale as she used to be. She is just as elegant. She hasn't changed. Her eyes glare at me.

Then there is Coco.

“You can sit over here if you'd like,” Coco responds.

I roll my eyes at her and ignore her before looking to the front of the room, “Why am I here?”

Nero is standing there. Right next to him is Justice. It's honestly a sight to see the two of them. Sure vampire men in Eden are beautiful. Aiden is tall and mysterious. Lucca has those movie star good looks. Nero and Justice are different though. They have this thing about them that makes people just stop and stare. It's past beauty. Maybe it's their royal blood. The fact that they are standing in this room

“Please sit,” Nero tells me.

“I guess I have to listen to you now huh?” I ask him, “You're all important now...King Nero.”

I am being sarcastic as fuck in my tone but I do as he says. I take a seat, but not next to Coco. I don't trust them. I don't trust anyone in this room. They were all a bunch of snakes. It's hard to believe that 100 years ago these were my classmates. What was this? Some kind of class reunion or something?

“As all of you know we have a blood shortage in Eden,” King Nero states.

No shit.

I roll my eyes and cross my arms. I lean on the desk.

“Santos maybe you should tell your Mama to stop being such a bitch,” Camilla states.

There is laughter between her and Lucca. I am not surprised by Camilla. She's always been bold and said anything that came to mind. Lucca has always been her little partner in crime. There is one thing I don't expect though. Surprisingly someone else joins in as well. Aiden. He laughs for a short time and it's a little low but it's there. That's when I see it. Aiden is the popular one now. He's the one they are surrounding. Even after 100 years nothing much has changed. Camilla and Lucca are still clinging to the one who can give them the most politically. The king's lover. First they clung to Coco when she dated Nero, then they clung to me when Nero fell in love with me. 100 years later the King is married and Camilla and Lucca are clinging to him.

It takes everything in me not to call them out on their shit.

“Enough Camilla,” Nero instructs her.

“Sorry sir.”

She isn't sorry. Camilla raises her eyebrow. A smirk forms in the side of her mouth. She got her point in before she was commanded to shut up. That's what she wanted. She wanted me to know that she didn't trust me.

Nero looks at everyone else, “Santos is not at fault for the things that Lilith has done. She is the oldest vampire Lilith and Santos has no way knowing the things she is capable of.”

There is a silence. I wonder if they agree with him or not. My mother is the reason that I was buried. When people found out who she was it became an issue. I was buried alive because of it. I guess when your mother wants to destroy Eden and has the power to do it people get scared. Only problem is that Lilith can't enter Eden. There are relics called the Lucky Ones that keep her out. Even without being able to enter Eden she was still dangerous. The fact Nero even risked sending people outside of Eden to gather blood blew my mind. Lilith played no games.

It's Coco who actually breaks the silence.

“No one blames Santos. Your father was wrong and so was mine,” Coco tells Santos.

I remember Coco's father. Caesarian. He was the one who helped the twins Aiden and Milan reveal to all of Eden that I was the son of Lilith. It was something that people shouldn't have known. Back then I assumed she would be on her father's side in the matter. The fact that after 100 years she is saying that it was a mistake makes me wonder.

She gives me a short look. Is that pity? Does she pity me? At that moment I wonder if this girl is serious. I don't trust anyone...including her. Was she pretending to be nice or was she really be nice?

Nero continues, “Lilith has a blockade on the city from the outside world. Vampires leave Eden to gather blood and never return. The blood shortage has lead to a condition called the Thirst in Eden. Vampires change form and attempt to feed off of other vampires. The Thirst is becoming an issue and if we don't combat it there won't be an Eden left. I want to create a group. You all are some of the strongest vampires I know. You all have a special O type blood that makes you powerful. I want to form an Elite King's guard in order to combat the Thirst lead by Justice.

Justice is standing there. He stands out. Chest broad and clearly taking some sort of pride in this.

“King Nero...” Coco states, “I don't mean to sound concerned but...is Justice ready for that?”

The look around the room seems to be something they all seem to agree on. I'm not sure what people's history is with Justice and why they seem so concerned but it interesting to see that it is unanimous concern.

King Nero shakes his head, “We'll find out. I'm sure the five of you will keep him on his toes...especially when he inevitably fucks up.”

Nero laughs at the expense of Justice. Everyone in the room joins in except of course Justice. I have the feeling he doesn't find this funny at all. He just stands there silently next to his father watching as his father is downplaying him. I feel like this is the same thing that I saw 100 years ago.

“Wait...five of us?” Lucca asks.

It's Aiden who answers him, “The king has decided that me, you, Camilla, Coco and...Santos will help Justice.”

Aiden damn near spits out my name when he says it. It's so strange that he seems to have so much resentment towards me. There was a time that Aiden actually cared about me. Right now though every time he looks at me or talks to me it seems like there is a deep resentment there.

Whatever his concern I realize he doesn't need it.

“I'm not helping anyone,” I respond.

Aiden crosses his arms, “I figured you wouldn't want to.”

“You figured right.”

“It's always about what you want huh?” Aiden asks me.

I don't know what he means by that. It comes out of no where. My eyes corner him. Maybe things have changed in Eden. Coco being nice to me and Aiden being an asshole to me. This definitely was a change that I didn't see coming.

Nero crosses his arms, “Santos we need you. You killed a Thirst singlehandedly.”

“I'm not a King's Guard.”

“You've had all the training that the everyone else has had,” Nero responds, “Please.”

Aiden steps forward at that moment, “Santos, the King is being nice by asking you. My husband doesn't have to ask you. If you live in Eden you do what he says or you leave. It's a simple as that. Regardless of who your mother is...you're not special. You do what the King wants. Period.”

I raise an eyebrow.

“I'm sure even you do some things that the King doesn't want,” I respond to Aiden.

The others look at Aiden expecting him to argue back with me. He knows better. He knows what I'm talking about. Just yesterday he was laid up with Justice. I find myself staring Aiden down daring him to give me a reason to tell Nero what he's been up to.

Aiden backs down. It's clear he hasn't told Nero that he had sex with Justice.

“What's happening between you two?” Nero asks.

Aiden looks at me, “Nothing. I overstepped. I'm sorry.”

Nero looks suspicious. He has every reason to be. Every ounce of my body is telling me I should snitch on Aiden right now, but I don't. I'm not in Eden for petty bullshit. I'm not in Eden for stupidness.

“Can everyone leave me and Santos alone?” Nero states.

It is going to take me a while to realize Nero is in such a position of authority. I watch as everyone leaves the room at that moment. The only one that doesn't leave is Justice. He stands exactly where he was before.

“Everyone,” Nero repeats himself.

“Dad I should be here. This is my team I should know what's going on,” Justice responds.

Nero looks over at Justice, “This is an argument between two grown men Justice. You need to go sit at the kid's corner until you're called on.”

I raise an eyebrow when Nero says that. I'm actually really shocked by it. Justice does what he says though. He looks at Nero with the hardest look I'd ever seen someone give someone else. It looks like pure hatred. Honestly I'm shocked by it. Still Justice gets up and walks out of the room leaving Nero and I together.

Nero walks over and sits next in the desk next to me. He is quiet and patient. It's almost as though now that we are alone he has completely transformed back into that boy that I knew years ago.

“Sorry you had to see that,” Nero explains.

“You should be nicer to him,” I tell Nero crossing my arms.

Nero shakes his head, “He hates me.”

“You don't know that,” I respond.

“He said he slept with you.”

I roll my eyes, “He did not say some stupid shit like that...”

Nero laughs, “Don't worry. I knew he was lying. He knew it would get under my skin. He's just trying to rebel I guess.”

“How'd you know he was lying?” I ask.

Nero shrugs, bites his lip and looks at me, “Cause even though he hates me he wouldn't hurt me by sleeping with someone that means so much to me.”

I try not to blush. I try not to react. He isn't saying it as though it is the past. Nero is saying it as though it is the present. I am having trouble with this. His eyes are so...beautiful. I decide to look away. The walls were never more interesting. I might as well have been talking to the board in front of the classroom. I refuse to look into those silver eyes of Nero and fall all over again.

I struggle to keep control of the conversation, “Teenage angst. He reminds me of how you and King Arie were.

Nero seems to want to get right back onto us, “I hated Arie for what he did to you. I guess that's how King's need to be with their heirs. He's going to hate me. He's going to think I'm unfair to him but it'll make him a better king. That's what is most important. I hated my father but in the end he made me stronger.”

Nero smiles at me. Yes. He's more like that young boy from 100 years ago who was softspoken and nice than the mean ass king he had become now. His teeth are white and his smile is warm. All of a sudden all those feelings are coming back to me but I fight them. I fight them as hard as I can.

“Do you think that Arie burying me made you stronger?” I ask.

Nero shakes his head, “It made me cold. Arie took away the thing that meant the most to me so all I had left to do was care about Eden. I have to admit that yes...it made me stronger as a king.”

For some reason that's not what I want to hear.

“Oh...” I respond.

Nero grabs my hand at that moment, “But it made me weaker as a person.”

His touch sends shivers down my spine. I can't help it. My heart is beating fast. A cold sweat runs down my back. He is leaning in closer. He's pulling me closer and closer. I pull my hand away. I'm not going to do this shit with him. Not today. Not ever.

I get up at that moment, “You should worry about being a strong king. You're not a person. You're a vampire.”

Nero sighs deeply.

He doesn't like the way that I pulled away and I don't like the fact that he always seems to be getting too close.

“I'm best with you by my side,” Nero explains, “Maybe stronger. Maybe weaker. I'm not sure what it is. But I want you here, in Eden. I just...want you close. Maybe that's why I want you to join this Elite Guard. I just want you close.”

“That's a stupid reason,” I respond.

Nero shrugs.

“Maybe. But it's my reason nonetheless. And I have the feeling that you want to be close to me too. I have the feeling that even though we are in the worst situation ever things can get better. So I'm going to ask you to let things get better Santos. Please join the Elite Guard.”

I'm not sure what he means by better. Does he mean more blood? Does he mean helping the Elite Guard get rid of the Thirst. Or does he mean something more personal.

“I don't know.”

Nero isn't taking that as an answer. He's stood up, “I'm not going to command you like Aiden said. I'm not asking you as your King. I'm not asking you as a friend either.”

“What are you asking me as?” I ask.

“I still love you,” Nero responds, “With you being in the King's Guard people in Eden may start trusting you and...who knows...what might happen...”

Was Nero saying what I thought he was saying?

“Wait...is this the reason you started the Elite guard...so people would stop looking at me as Lilith's son? So people would start looking at me as some kind of protector of Eden?” I ask.

Nero is struggling with explaining, “Listen. I fell for Aiden because Eden fell in love with Aiden. After you were buried Aiden became Eden's sweetheart. Him and Milan got together and helped build up the King's Guard after your father abandoned the position as Captain. Everyone in Eden loves the twins. When Armando left---he left a void. The people needed a champion after Armando. Aiden became that person. As King I feel like I had to marry him.”

The way he talks about Armando is as if my father betrayed the city. Maybe he did. It's weird how my father abandoned his role because of what they did to me only to try to kill me 100 years later.

“So you didn't want to marry Aiden. You felt like you did what Eden wanted.”

Nero shrugs, “It's more complicated then that, but I want to simplify it for you. If you were Eden's champion---there would be no King Aiden. Period. I'd marry you.”

“That's impossible,” I respond with a slight snicker, “You just got married.”

Nero nods, “I know that. It's a fucked up situation. I realize that. But you've made me believe in the impossible. I'm just saying that you changed a lot when you came back into my life. So I'm asking you as a lover. If there is any chance for us to get back together at some point...ANY chance at all, please join the the Elite Guard.”

“Fine,” I say.

Nero's eyes get wide. For a minute I think he forgets he's a king. He's shocked and acting like a young boy who just got his first date or something. Nero smiles at that moment and gets nervous.

“Oh my God. You'll do it?” Nero asks me, “This is...this could mean everything. We can finally fix everything that happened all those years ago.”

Nero is headed over to me. I want to move away but before I do he hugs me. I hate it because I love it so much. The hug is warm. It's hard. It's strong. When he pulls back Nero has tears in his eyes. He's breathing heavy. They are slow silent tears but he doesn't bother to wipe them away. He wants to show me what I mean to him.

I fight back my own tears.

“There is a chance,” I tell him, “Under one condition.”

“What?”

“Armando joins as well.”

“What?”

“Release my father from jail and have him join the Elite Guard,” I tell him.

“Santos he plotted to kill you---”

“Those are my conditions.”

Nero doesn't hesitate, “Whatever you need. WHATEVER you need. It'll be done. Soon Eden will love you...just as much as I do.”

Love.

What a strong...complicated word.

I'm sitting in my room. I'm sitting in the dark. I'm drinking alcohol that I was able to get from a little mini bar in my room and listening to the news. There are Thirst scares all around the city. It is interesting that the entire city is in panic.

The darkness is the room is eerie. There is a cold breeze. I can feel something moving...slowly in the darkness. Vampires have a way of doing that.

“You can come out now Geneva. I can smell you a mile away,” I say.

Geneva steps forward. It's Armando's wife. I guess I would consider her my mother-in-law. Except she was a friend of mind back in the day. She steps out from behind the shadows. She's come through the window. When I turn to her she is wearing all black. Her long hair wraps around her body. It's the most striking feature about Geneva. Her long hair goes almost to her ankles. It looks completely full as well. There are no split ends. It is the most perfect set of hair I've ever seen. I can see why Armando fell in love with her. She has an innocence about her.

Looking at Geneva you would think she is the perfect housewife. You would thikn she is the perfect lady.

“Prince...” Geneva states.

She bows to me. I know what she is referring to. My mother is Lilith. Lilith is the first vampire. A vampire much older and darker than the vampires in Eden. Lilith hates Eden. Eden is everything that Lilith didn't want vampires to be. A city of vampires? Vampires using donated blood from the outside world to maintain them, living peacefully apart from humans. Lilith hated every moment of it and so did Geneva.

As she bows I realize that even after 100 years, Geneva is just as devoted to my mother.

“Armando will be released from jail.”

“Prince you are too kind. News is that he attempted to betray you. I had no idea. I'll leave him. I've come to tell you that I'm divorcing him for it.”

I smile, “No. I disliked that you were with him but I want the best for him. Regardless of how he feels about me I want my father to be happy for now. When it happens I'll need someone to lead him out of Eden---and then you'll leave him.”

I couldn't have Geneva staying married to my father. Lilith wouldn't like it.

Geneva crosses her arms making me think her threat to leave Armando was actually just a bluff, “When what happens sir?”

I cross my arms.

I take a sip of wine and stare at the television again. The people are panicking over the Thirst. Good that will distract them from what they really should be afraid of.

“Geneva I'll need you to leave Eden. Find Lilith. Tell her soon she will be able to enter Eden. Tell her that the King trusts me and I'm going to destroy his city. From the inside out.”

To read the next chapter in advance go to www.crushedcrown.com