ã€ŠThe Downfall of Count Abbotã€‹


 Preface

    Lawrence never thought he''d fall in love, least of all with a heartless devil. But Count Abbot tore his way into his life, appearing out of nowhere. He came to claim his heart, body, and soul. And when Lawrence felt the searing burn of the Count''s venom coursing through him, he foolishly believed that their bond was unbreakable, destined to last an eternity.

    But it was all part of Abbot''s game; he played Lawrence, weaving him into his intricate web of deception as nothing more than a disposable pawn. To him, Lawrence was just a vulnerable target, an easy conquest to satisfy his insatiable appetite for control and dominance.

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    Only Lawrence learned that too late.

    He wasn''t like the countless others Abbot used, though. While they may take the Count''s cold, harsh betrayal as the price for admission into his coven, Lawrence didn''t plan to sit down and happily accept his heart''s destruction.

    A new, dangerous power raged through his transformed body, and instead of learning to control it, he chose to use it.

    Count Abbot was going to regret ever thinking that he could discard of him.

    But how do you destroy one of the most powerful vampires in the world?

 Step One | Catch Him In The Act

    It was like fire in his veins, a searing blaze coursing through his body, each agonizing pulse heralding Lawrence''s inevitable transformation into one of them. Despite the torment, there was an undeniable sense of gratitude; this was the threshold he''d long-awaited, the threshold to a new existence.

    Every grimace, every anguished cry¡ªthey were the rites of passage, marking the end of one life and the dawn of eternity. The pain was the price, and he gladly paid it, knowing that beyond it lay a timeless realm waiting to embrace him.

    Just a few more hours, and forever would begin.

    Lawrence''s body writhed beneath the blankets, each convulsion a testament to the profound metamorphosis occurring within him. His human heart, once singular and mortal, yielded to the imperative growth of the proselytes, the mystical organ fundamental to all Caeleste kind; without it, no being with ethos could survive. And as it settled into its rightful place, weaving its arcane threads through his being, a surge of energy erupted, a fervent manifestation of the power bestowed upon him by his immortal lineage.

    The pain started settling, Lawrence''s body went cold and still, and the racing heart inside his chest slowly eased to the eternal, slow rhythm that would never change.

    With a sudden jolt, his eyes flung open, darting about the shrouded chamber that enclosed him. Black drapes veiled the windows, casting shadows that danced with the flickering glow of scattered white candles, their feeble light offering scant illumination.

    A potent scent, rich and metallic, permeated the air, stirring his newfound senses and kindling an insatiable hunger deep inside. Urgency seized him, propelling his body upright as he sought out the source of that tantalizing aroma. With aching desperation, his gaze alighted upon a small vessel brimming with crimson elixir. Without hesitation, he snatched it, the fluid disappearing in a fervent gulp as he yielded to the primal call of his awakening nature.

    But as his hunger was satiated, a deep, dismaying feeling of emptiness ensnared him. He glanced around the room, searching for the man who graced him with this gift. The man who owned his heart and soul.

    "Abbot?" he asked, his voice hoarse and his throat sore.

    Count Abbot earlier stood witness as his venom coursed through Lawrence, watching over him, protecting him the same way he always did. Yet, as the Fledgeling vampire emerged from the haze of unconsciousness, seeking the comfort of his presence, the Count was conspicuously absent.

    Confusion gripped Lawrence like icy talons, clawing at the fringes of his awareness. How could Abbot abandon him now after tethering him to this fate with his own hands? The echo of his absence reverberated through the chamber, a dissonant note in the symphony of Lawrence''s awakening. The void left in his wake, once suffused with his watchful gaze, now loomed ominously, a silent testament to his inexplicable departure.

    Worry quickly accompanied his loneliness. There could only be one reason why Abbot would leave him in this state. Had something happened while he was unconscious? Had the humans of Myrefall City launched another attack on the coven''s castle?

    Lawrence scrambled to his feet, but when he stood up, the world twisted around him, forcing him back down onto the bed. He groaned and exhaled deeply¡ªit was going to take time for him to adjust, but if Abbot needed him, he couldn''t just sit around and do nothing, could he?

    "Abbot?" he called again as he slowly rose.

    The disorientation grasping Lawrence''s body and mind weakened with every step he took towards the door, and once he reached it, he pulled it open. His spinning gaze met that of General Bronson, one of Count Abbot''s third in command.

    The red-eyed vampire frowned at him and said, "You''re not to leave this room until dusk tomorrow. Your transformation isn''t complete."

    "Where''s Count Abbot?" he asked.

    Bronson was easy to read. He hesitated, clearly unsure whether he wanted to answer or not. "You need to get back into bed, Lawrence."

    "Did something happen?"

    "No, everything''s fine. Please, back in bed," he insisted.

    Reluctantly, Lawrence acquiesced with a nod, allowing the heavy door to seal off his solitude once more. Questions swirled in his mind, a torrent of confusion and worry crashing against the shore of his consciousness. Abbot pledged to stand vigil, to be his unwavering guardian through this perilous rite of transformation. Yet there Lawrence was, alone and bewildered, grappling with the unsettling absence of the Count''s reassuring presence. Why would he leave without a word, without even arranging for someone else to take his place once Lawrence stirred from his slumber?

    As he sank onto the bed, Lawrence''s fingers grazed through the tangled strands of his tawny hair, now slick with sweat and neglect. The sensation elicited a shudder, a stark reminder of the physical toll exacted by the metamorphosis. Discomfort gnawed at him, a visceral malaise that transcended the clammy sheen on his skin. Despite the clamour of unease, one thought remained steadfast amidst the tumult: he had to find Abbot.

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    He reached into the nightstand and took out his phone. First, he tried calling him, but after seven failed attempts, he texted him.

    Where are you?

    But there was no reply.

    He tried again.

    Is everything okay? I woke up and you weren''t here.

    Still nothing.

    What the hell was he doing?

    Lawrence was starting to panic. Although it wasn''t racing, his heart was aching, and he knew that if he didn''t find the Count soon, the pain would only get worse. He needed him right now; he was supposed to be guiding him through the first hours of his transformation, welcoming him into the coven. He wouldn''t miss that...would he?

    With a breathy huff, he put his phone in his pocket and stood up. He had to get rid of Bronson, so he walked to the door and pulled it open again.

    Bronson sighed deeply as he turned to face him. "Lawrence, get back in¡ª"

    "Can I have more blood?" he requested. "I...I need more blood."

    The General adorned that same reluctant stare, but after a few moments of contemplation, he sighed and nodded. "All right. Get back in bed and I''ll bring you some."

    "Thank you," he said, sounding as grateful as he could.

    Lawrence then closed the door and waited, listening. When he heard Bronson''s footsteps receding, a strange desperation began to fill him. He wanted to find Abbot, he wanted to bask in his new life with him, and he wanted to talk about forever again. How he loved those conversations; the thought of spending eternity with his soulmate was at the top of the list of things that convinced him to join Abbot''s ranks, that and the fact that his human life was dull and empty. He wouldn''t have to work in that coffee shop anymore, and he wouldn''t have to listen to his man-child of a boss, either.

    When Bronson''s footsteps were so far away that even Lawrence''s new, sharper senses couldn''t hear him, he pulled the door open and left the chamber he''d been left to turn in. He navigated the familiar castle halls, passing the painting-lined black walls, following the blood-red, gold-trimmed rug. He never noticed the smell of warm amber before, or the scent of cinnamon. Until now, he hadn''t seen the cobwebs clinging to the rib-vaulted ceiling or the tiny cracks in some of the foundations.

    Already, he was experiencing so much, indulging his new senses, but it only brought dismay. He didn''t want to do any of this without Abbot at his side.

    As he approached Abbot''s room, though, it wasn''t just his voice that he heard coming from inside.

    There was someone else. Another man. Laughing. Abbot was laughing, too.

    Lawrence frowned but didn''t want to give in to the angst that suddenly struck him. It could be one of Abbot''s subordinates; it wasn''t unusual for him to meet with them. But to leave him to transform alone just to speak to another vampire?

    No...something was wrong.Different. Lawrence hadn''t yet been taught how to master his senses, but he''d been around Abbot for almost a year, and he''d picked up a few things. He knew what to listen for. Inside that room was the calm, rhythmic beating of a vampire''s heart...and the elevated beating of a human''s.

    With a perturbed frown, Lawrence grasped the handle and pushed the door open.

    And that was whenhisheart shattered.

    Count Abbot, the man he loved, the man he was supposed to spend forever with, had his tongue down someone else''s throat. He had his dick in someone else''s ass. And the pendant that Lawrence had given him was tossed carelessly on the table with two empty liquor bottles.

    Lawrence''s throat tightened, and if his heart could beat any faster, it would be racing, and he''d be stifling his breaths. He could feel tears forming in his eyes, and both anger and dismay boiled inside him.

    "Abbot?" he asked shakily.

    The Count pulled his face away from the human, breaking their fervent kissing, and set his gaze on him. But where the usual sweet, content smile would sit, there was an irritated glower. Instead of adorning a startled, regretful stare, Abbotscowled.

    "Do you not know how to knock?" Abbot snapped as the human shamefully hid his face from view.

    Lost for words, confused by his sudden attitude change, Lawrence stuttered, his horrified eyes shifting from Abbot to the human. "Who''s that?" he questioned.

    "I should go," the human said.

    "No," Abbot said to him and then glared at Lawrence. "You shouldn''t be out of your chamber. Go back or I''ll have someone take you."

    Lawrence couldn''t believe what he was seeing, what he washearing. Why was Abbot fucking and kissing someone else? Why was he talking to Lawrence like he was just some other vampire now? Where was his smile or his soft-spoken words? His attentiveness? His worry and concern? And why was he looking at him like that? With...resentment in his dark, gold-rimmed eyes.

    He didn''t want to believe it, but all the evidence was right in front of him. Everything Abbot ever said to him was lies. Why would he be screwing someone else if he only had eyes for Lawrence? Why would he be tellinghimto leave instead of begging for his forgiveness if he was the only person he ever needed and wanted? And why had he tossed away the pendant that Lawrence saved upmonthsto buy like it was nothing? Like it meantnothing?

    "Leave!" Abbot''s voice bellowed.

    Lawrence flinched, and he had no choice but to abide. When he was human, Abbot had no control over him, but now that he was one of them, he couldn''t disobey his Count''s order.

    He obediently turned around, each step heavier than the last as if he carried the weight of their shattered promises on his shoulders. The ache in his heart twisted into a sharp, searing pain, threatening to tear him apart from the inside out. His breaths came in ragged gasps, each one a reminder of the betrayal that pierced his soul.

    Tears, hot and bitter, streamed down his face, leaving trails of anguish in their wake. With each salty drop, he felt the depths of his despair deepen, drowning in a sea of abandonment and disbelief. How could Abbot do this to him? Their plans to spend eternity together, whispered promises of forever, now shattered like fragile glass beneath the weight of reality.

    The echoes of ''I love you''s'' and ''I''ll never leave you''s'' mocked him, taunting reminders of a love that now felt like a cruel joke. Lawrence''s once steadfast belief in their bond crumbled like sand slipping through his trembling fingers. He felt like a fool, betrayed by the one person he trusted above all others.

    In that moment, the world felt empty, devoid of meaning or purpose. Lawrence''s chest constricted with a pain so visceral, it was as if a stake had been driven through his very being. He had given his heart completely, only to have it shattered into irreparable pieces. Betrayal and devastation intertwined, weaving a tapestry of heartbreak that threatened to consume him whole.

    His new life was over before it had even started.

 Step Two | Kill The Bitch He Slept With

    Lawrence''s existence felt like a lie, like a cruel joke. If he was still human, at least he''d be able to die; his wounds wouldn''t heal, and his body wouldn''t repair itself. But the only things that could kill a vampire were wolf walkers or a stake to the heart. He physically couldn''t stake himself¡ªhis new instincts would kick in and prevent that¡ªand the only place he''d find a wolf walker was the Myrefall Forest.

    However, he''d heard many a story about how painful a wolf''s bite was. Some vampires said that it was a hundred times worse than the pain that came with the transformation. But was it worse than the pain of heartbreak? Lawrence felt as though getting bitten so that he could be free might just be worth it.

    Was that what Abbot wanted, though? Now that he was done with him, would Lawrence ending his life be playing into the Count''s hands? Leaving him to fuck around with that human, leaving that human to get all the things Lawrence was supposed to be getting right now. The thought angered him, and the anger aroused a deep, dark fury inside him¡ªa new, intense feeling of sheer rage.

    Abbot was supposed to be his.

    With a seething growl, Lawrence frustratedly tossed and turned in bed. The hunger wasn''t helping. He needed to feed again¡ªall Fledglings needed frequent feeds until they were ready to begin learning¡ªbut he didn''t care about blood at the moment. All he could think about was Abbot and the man he''d caught him fucking.

    That human. Blonde hair, green eyes, and shrouded in the scent of liquor and beer. Why would Abbot do this to him? He didn''t understand, and he wanted answers, but there was something that he ached for more than that. He wasn''t sure whether it was his hunger, his new instincts, or something else, but he couldn''t lay still knowing that the man who took Abbot from him was still breathing. He didn''t care who made the first move, nor did he care who initiated what; he wanted to kill that bitch, and he didn''t feel an ounce of hesitation.

    He sat up and glared across the room at the door. Was he hoping that killing the man Abbot was screwing would bring the Count back to him? Maybe a small part of him was, but everything else inside him wanted to kill that human for taking away the man he loved. He hoped that it would hurt Abbot, but he suspected that it wouldn''t. He''d never seen that human before, nor had the Count mentioned anyone like him, so it wasn''t likely that he meant a thing to Abbot. Lawrence didn''t care, though. He still wanted him dead.

    A knock came at his door.

    Lawrence got up and headed over to it, and when he pulled it open, he set his eyes on Bronson, who was holding a glass of blood. His anger and frustration made him want to comment on the fact that it had taken the General long enough to get it, but he didn''t want to make enemies. Now that Abbot had betrayed him and left him to navigate the Fledgeling world alone, he''d need all the allies he could get.

    "Sorry it took a moment," Bronson said as Lawrence took the glance from him. "How are you feeling?"

    Wow...the first person to ask him that was supposed to be Abbot, and the fact that it was someone else¡ªsomeone Lawrence didn''t even consider a friend¡ªmade his steadily-beating heart ache again. "Fine," he mumbled, looking down into the glass. But he didn''t want to let the despair consume him. He wanted to focus on the anger, the rage. "Why can''t I leave this room now?" he questioned.

    Bronson sighed and crossed his arms. "Because you''re a Fledgeling, Lawrence. Count Abbot explained all of this to you, did he not?"

    He shrugged and glanced down at the blood again. Abbot had told him, but it didn''t make as much sense as Lawrence had thought it might. He was of sound mind; he wasn''t trapped in a hunger-stricken trance, unable to think about anything but blood, blood, blood.

    "Your body is still adjusting," Bronson told him. "It may feel like the transformation is complete, but there''s a lot going on that you''re not physically aware of. This time tomorrow, once your bloodlust has calmed enough, you''ll start learning to control your urges. Until then, though..." he nodded over Lawrence''s shoulder.

    Lawrence didn''t bother trying to reason with him; the last thing he wanted was to give the General a reason to pull rank. He closed the door and headed back over to the bed. Clearly, there was only one way he was going to get out of this chamber and find the human who Abbot cheated on him with.

    His eyes shifted to the window. He didn''t yet know how to fly or transform into a bat, though, so he was going to have to dive out like he was some sort of lemming. He''d break his body, but it would repair itself. No pain could be greater than that which he felt from Abbot''s betrayal.

    However, there was also the fact that, unlike Abbot, Lawrence wasn''t immune to sunlight. If he wasn''t careful, if he didn''t track the human down, kill him, and return to the castle by dawn, he''d burst into flames...unless he found somewhere else to take shelter, but that was risky. He was still a Fledgeling, and the blood cravings would eventually overpower his hunger for revenge.

    He downed the glass of blood that Bronson had brought him. As he wiped his lips, he headed to the towering window and pulled the curtains apart. The silvery moon was full and high in the sky...which meant that the threat of dawn wasn''t the only thing he had to be cautious of if he left the grounds.

    Werewolves lived in Myrefall Forest.

    Lawrence couldn''t be deterred. The wolves might be the creatures that Abbot''s coven had sworn to protect the humans of Myrefall from, but they knew better than to attack a vampire outside the woods. If he stuck to the roads, he wouldn''t come across any beasts.

    He sat on the windowsill and waited, watching the courtyard below, his eyes shifting from each car parked within. The only one he didn''t recognize¡ªthe ugly, ten-year-old motor¡ªhad to belong to the human, so the moment he saw it move, he''d descend...and he''d follow that man to wherever he lived.

    But his new reality smacked his face again. He was a vampire; he couldn''t waltz into someone''s home uninvited. He''d have to kill the man on the road. And not only that, but he''d have to find a way to hide that it was a vampire who was responsible. If a vampire killed a human¡ªand was discovered¡ªthe treaty that their Lord had worked so hard to solidify with Myrefall would be destroyed.

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    Lawrence wouldn''t dare risk being responsible for something so serious, something potentially war-starting. But once again, being around Abbot meant that he knew a thing or two, and disguising a vampire''s kill was one such thing.

    An hour passed.

    Two went by, and the moon climbed higher.

    After another thirty minutes, Lawrence was starting to think that the human wasn''t leaving. The idea of him getting to sleep in the same bed as Abbot hurt his heart once again. He was supposed to be sleeping at the Count''s side, not some random human.

    But that wasn''t going to happen now. Abbot had made his choice, and Lawrence had made his...despite the despair.

    And there he was. The blonde-haired human he''d not long seen getting fucked by the man who he was supposed to spend eternity with was walking to his car.

    Why was it only then that Lawrence had the idea to hide in the man''s backseat? No...it was a good idea, but he might have set off the alarm, alerting the human that something was up.

    He was wasting time. He didn''t even know how to use his new speed yet, so he was going to have to get to his own vehicle.

    Lawrence unlocked the window and pushed it open. He was four floors up, so the landing was going to hurt like fuck, but he didn''t care. And he didn''t give himself a chance to overthink it, either. He flung himself out the window, and as he plummeted down towards the concrete, the cold wind scraped at his face. Maybe that was what Bronson was talking about; vampires weren''t sensitive to temperature, but he could feel the cold¡ªhe probably wouldn''t be able to for much longer, though.

    He hit the ground with a loud crack and several crunches. Pain exploded through his body, making him grunt and groan, gritting his teeth. But just moments after the landing, his broken, twisted limbs began contorting and snapping back into place.

    The sound of an engine starting snatched his attention.

    As he sharply turned his head towards the sound, searing pain surged through him. He didn''t care, though. He set his blood-red eyes on the human''s car; smoke oozed from the exhaust, and it looked like the guy was getting ready to back out of his parking space.

    Lawrence couldn''t force his body to heal any faster; only vampires as old as Abbot could pick and choose what their ethos did and didn''t do. He had no choice but to bear the pain as he used his bloodied hands to drag himself along the cobblestone. It wouldn''t take long for someone to decipher the difference between the wounds the other coven members were inflicting on each other while fucking like rabbits and the ones on Lawrence''s body¡ªhe had to be quick.

    He crawled and crawled until his legs cracked and snapped back into place, and when he was finally able to climb to his feet, the human pulled out of the courtyard and drove down onto the country road.

    With an irritated huff, Lawrence hurried over to his motorbike. His keys were still in his trouser pocket; he climbed on, inserted and twisted the key, and revved the bike up. There wasn''t a moment to waste.

    Lawrence swiftly drove out of the courtyard and down onto the road. He kept his sights on the human''s car, speeding up. There were only two ways he could see this going; one: he could attempt to get the man to pull over, but there was a chance that he''d recognize him and put his foot down, or two: Lawrence sacrificed his beloved bike and dove into or onto the car and went from there.

    Option two was going to hurt, physically and mentally, but once he tore that human''s heart out, his satisfaction would outweigh the torment.

    He sped up, gaining on the car, and once he was right on its tail, he breathed deeply and prepared himself. As he guided his bike around to the side of the car, he glared inside the blonde-haired human; the bitch had a satisfied smile on his face, looking all flustered and content as if he''d found the love of his life. Knowing that he''d felt the very same way when he first met Abbot made Lawrence feel both disgusted and dismayed.

    But he had to push the grief aside once again. Anger was in control here.

    The moment the human turned his head and locked sights with Lawrence, the Fledgeling propelled himself off his bike and through the passenger seat window. With a horrified yelp as glass flew everywhere, the man abruptly turned the wheel and lost control of his car. Lawrence lunged at him and grabbed his throat, but the car hit something on the side of the road, flipped and rolled until it collided with a tree, and Lawrence was thrown out through the windshield.

    He tumbled across the grass and came to a slow halt as he dug his fingers into the mud. The smell of smoke and pine filled his nostrils, along with human blood. The sanguine scent aroused his hunger, urging him to seek it out.

    And he gave in. Now that he had the human where he wanted him, he could let his new instincts take over and finish the job.

    His vision blurred crimson, and all of his senses focused on the blood. He quickly rose to his feet, setting his eyes on the human. With panicked pants and grunts, the man dragged himself out of the smoking car. He tried getting up, but his femur was poking out through his flesh, and several ghastly gashes clung to his face and body.

    "P-please!" he begged as Lawrence slowly prowled closer. "I-I didn''t know he had a boyfriend!"

    Lawrence didn''t care whether he knew or not. All that mattered was his hunger...his hunger for blood, and his hunger for revenge.

    When he reached the man, he grabbed the back of his shirt and effortlessly pulled him to his feet. He pinned his back against the nearest tree at lightning speed, gripping his collar, and as he glared into the man''s eyes, the human trembled and whimpered.

    What a pathetic little thing. To think that he was once in this man''s position, so weak and meek, at the mercy of Count Abbot''s cold, dead heart.

    "P-p-please!" he cried, shaking his head. "I-I won''t ever see him again!"

    Lawrence snarled, looking him up and down. "It''s too late for that," he growled, his voice a distorted grumble. The man''s fleshy appearance faded, becoming a crimson outline with only the body''s heart and veins visible. Lawrence knew what this was; just as Abbot had told him, vampires could see the life force of their prey, and that was exactly what he was staring at. He knew exactly where to cut, where to bite, and where to tear.

    But he closed his eyes and waited for his normal vision to return. He wanted to see the life leave this man''s face.

    "P-ple¡ª"

    He opened his eyes and snatched the human''s throat, silencing him. He glared at his horrified visage, watching as his skin turned blue, and his white sclera went red. And just as the man was about to succumb to being deprived of air, Lawrence mercilessly plunged his hand into the human''s chest and tore out his rapidly beating heart.

    And with that, the man Abbot had cheated with was gone, paying the price of trusting a dirty, lying, betraying bastard.

    Lawrence wasn''t done yet, though. He immediately erected his fangs and sunk them into the dead man''s neck. With desperate grunts, he gulped down as much blood as he could, each mouthful more intoxicating than the last. Both hungers raging inside him began to settle, and with the satisfaction...came the despair.

    However, Lawrence couldn''t sink into either. He couldn''t try to control his thoughts or revel over the dead body in his grasp.

    A low, rumbling growl came from the woods in front of him.

    Lawrence dropped the corpse, and a bone-chilling silence enveloped the forest, broken only by the ominous snarls that seemed to emanate from the very depths of the woods. It wasn''t just a sound; it was a primal warning, a declaration of malevolent presence that sent shivers down his spine.

    With every step backwards, the darkness seemed to thicken, suffocating him in its oppressive embrace. The air grew heavy with a sickly-sweet scent, like decay and rot mingling with the damp earth. The shadows danced, twisting and writhing, their movements fluid yet unsettlingly deliberate. Lawrence strained his eyes¡ªwhich hadn''t yet evolved to see in such a lack of light¡ªtrying to pierce the veil of darkness, but all he could discern were the glimmers of moonlight reflecting off unseen eyes¡ªeyes that bore into his soul with an intensity that froze him in place.

    A cold sweat coated his skin as he realized that he was no longer alone.

    Something was watching him.

    Something was hunting him.

 Step Three | Finish The Transformation

    Everything happened so fast. Lawrence didn''t have a chance to attempt to run. Snarling wolves emerged from the darkness-engulfed tree line, their bloodthirsty eyes fixed on him as if he was their next meal. If his heart were human, it would be racing in his chest; his limbs went stiff, and his breaths became harder to take as the dread of his imminent slaughter consumed him.

    They wouldn''t attack him, would they? The wolves knew better than to kill vampires, especially those who belonged to a coven. But Lawrence didn''t yet wear the coven''s mark¡ªas far as these wolf walkers were concerned, he was alone...and dangerously close to their territory.

    He watched as two wolves investigated the corpse of the human he''d just killed. The rest kept their sights on him, examining him from head to toe. They started growling¡ªhe knew that meant they were talking to each other¡ªand the longer he stood there, the greater the urge to attempt to escape grew.

    And then they started prowling closer.

    Their growls became more hostile, and they were closing in on him.

    They were going to kill him.

    He held out his hands and stepped back¡ª

    The wolves snarled defensively and moved nearer.

    "I-I don''t mean you any harm," Lawrence insisted, trying to work out what to say. "I was just hunting this guy, and I didn''t mean to get so close to the forest. I¡ª"

    One of the wolves lunged at him.

    Lawrence panicked and went to dodge as best he could, but that was when four clouds of dark smoke descended and hit the ground in front of him. Four of Abbot''s Acolyte vampires materialized, and General Bronson, who appeared behind him, grabbed Lawrence and pulled him away from the wolf as one of the other vampires used his body to shove the creature away.

    "Back the fuck off," one of the Acolytes warned as the wolves snarled and growled, surrounding the wolf who hit the ground after the vampire collided with him.

    "Don''t try it," another Acolyte warned.

    The wolves snarled, and the vampires hissed, and after a few moments of intense glares, the wolves turned around and headed back into the trees.

    Bronson then turned Lawrence to face him, holding his shoulders as if he were a child. "What the fuck were you thinking?!" he exclaimed.

    Lawrence, still shaken from the confrontation, gawped at the General.

    "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Bronson questioned.

    "Wouldn''t be the first one," an Acolyte muttered.

    "Shut up, Enzo" the General snapped.

    Enzo lost his sly smirk. "Sorry, sir."

    Bronson sighed heavily and took his hands off Lawrence''s shoulders. He opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes shifted to the dead human, and a look of disappointment smothered his pale face. "Yeah...he did it again, huh?" he mumbled.

    Lawrence frowned. "What?"

    With a shake of his head, the General grasped Lawrence''s wrist. "We''re going back to the castle. Grant, deal with the body."

    Grant, the hazel-haired Acolyte, nodded.

    Bronson then dematerialized both himself and Lawrence into black smoke and raced back to the castle. When they landed and rematerialized in the courtyard, the General kept hold of Lawrence and dragged him inside. He silently escorted him through the halls, and every vampire shot Lawrence either a sympathetic stare or a judgemental one¡ªwhy?

    Once they got back to his room, Bronson opened the door and shoved Lawrence inside. "Stay here until tomorrow. I swear to hell, Lawrence if I find you outside of these walls again..." he paused and exhaled deeply. "Just stay here."

    A part of Lawrence wanted to back down and do as he was told; he was shaken, and the dread still had a hold on him, but he had questions. "What did Enzo mean...that it wouldn''t be the first time that someone tried to get themselves killed?"

    "Nothing. He''s just being a prick," the General dismissed. "Get some¡ª"

    "What did he mean?" he insisted.

    Bronson looked hesitant. "Why did you kill that human?"

    Lawrence clenched his jaw. "Abbot¡ª"

    "Count."

    "Count Abbot cheated on me with him¡ªI walked in on them fucking," he said, gritting his teeth. His anger was returning, and so was the dismay. His existence felt pointless again, and the desire to fall into his bed and never get out again quickly ensnared him. "I thought he loved me."

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    General Bronson didn''t look at all surprised. He dragged out a sigh and crossed his arms. "He does this, Lawrence. You''re not the first man he''s lured in. A lot of the vampires in this castle were created through the same scenario as you. Count Abbot heads to a bar or a club or some other place where he knows all the pretty, unfortunate guys hang out; he lures them in, lets them get attached, and then he turns them. Not even hours later, he''s moved onto the next."

    Lawrence felt utterly decimated. His broken heart shattered, ground into nothing but dust, and his body ached with every stiff breath he managed to take. "What?"

    "I''m sorry, kid. Someone might have warned you earlier if we weren''t all bound to Count Abbot''s order."

    "He...ordered everyone not to tell me that he planned to dump me all along?" he questioned¡ªhe didn''t want to believe it...but it had already happened, and Bronson was someone he trusted. He wasn''t lying, was he?

    "Every single one of us," the General confirmed. "He compelled us all not to tell any humans that he brings here what his intentions are; the only reason I can tell you now is because you''re no longer human."

    Lawrence dragged his heavy body over to the bed and slumped down. Abbot had been lying to him since day one. It was all a lie. None of it was real¡ªat least not for Abbot. What Lawrence felt was real; his love was real, his desire was real...and his anger was real. His wrath. What Bronson just told him only added fuel to the raging fire inside him, igniting his fury into something devastating.

    He wasn''t going to stop at killing Abbot''s new toy.

    He was going to destroy him. Abbot deserved to feel all the pain that he''d inflicted on not just Lawrence but all the other vampires in the castle.

    How was Abbot even a Count? Why was he so highly respected when he did this? Why did the men whose hearts he''d broken worship him, follow him, and love him? Lawrence scowled at the thought of love. He still loved Abbot¡ªof course he did. But the pain was greater, and the desire to make him pay for what he''d done was getting stronger with each passing moment.

    "You look like you got plenty of blood out of that guy, so I''ll have someone bring your next glass tomorrow morning," General Bronson said. "Are you going to be okay?"

    Lawrence turned his head and set his eyes on him. "Who else did he do this to?"

    "Lawrence, you really don''t want to go th¡ª"

    "Tell me...please."

    Bronson sighed deeply. "Just promise me you''re not going to do anything destructive with his information."

    "I just wanna know who else he''s screwed over."

    "Well, before you, it was Daniel, and before him, it was Frederick. Then...Mark, Brent, Austin, Harrold¡ªhonestly, all the Fledgelings, Lawrence."

    Lawrence glared down at his lap. He was just another name on the pile, wasn''t he?

    "Look, it happened, okay? But you''re one of us now, and you''ve got a whole lot of forever ahead of you. Right now, just focus on completing your transformation, and then you can figure out where to go from there. You can integrate with the other Fledgelings, learn how to use your new abilities. Just...don''t let this Count Abbot thing eat at you. There''s nothing you can do about it now."

    Nothing he could do about it? He was going to do something about it whether Bronson advised it or not. Abbot deserved karma, and if the world wouldn''t hand it to him, then Lawrence would. But he needed to be smart and careful. He needed information.

    "Rest," Bronson told him as he started closing the door.

    "Why...does he do it?" Lawrence asked, looking across the room at him.

    "We don''t know," he answered, sounding defeated. "Some of us think that he likes breaking people. Others think that he''s trying to create some sort of record. And then there''s those of us who think that he''s just so fucking old that he doesn''t give a shit who he hurts, like people are just objects for him to use and dispose of once he''s done with it."

    It almost sounded as if Bronson was speaking from experience, but he was almost as old as Abbot, so he couldn''t be one of the men that the Count had used and disposed of, could he? Lawrence wanted to know. "Are you one of us? One of the people he destroyed?"

    "No, but I''ve known a lot of them, and most of them gave themselves to the sunlight not long after he tossed them away. Some left and joined other covens¡ªthey were the lucky ones. After hundreds of years, it gets very depressing seeing it happen over and over. I try my best to save them, so please...don''t do anything else reckless or stupid, Lawrence. I don''t know how many more Fledgelings I can face losing."

    Lawrence looked down at his lap again. He understood Bronson''s viewpoint; standing on the sidelines watching someone continuously destroy so many other people for no reason whatsoever.... Lawrence wasn''t sure he''d be able to stomach it, especially if most of those people ended up dead because of the heartbreak.

    He wouldn''t let the pain destroy him, though¡ªno more than it already had, anyway. He''d do what none of the others had the balls to do.

    "I''ll see you in the morning," Bronson said, and then he closed the door.

    Lawrence laid down on his back and stared up at the ceiling. He needed to find the other Fledgelings whom Abbot used and tossed away; he wanted to know how they felt, and maybe he''d gain an ally or two on his quest¡ªif not, though, he was perfectly fine working on his own. He just needed a plan, but before he could come up with something, he needed to finish his transformation.

    He sighed deeply and rolled onto his side. In the silence, his despair crept through all the anger and pondering. Yet again, he asked himself why Abbot did this to him, he asked him why he couldn''t be the exception, the one who broke Abbot''s habit. But he wasn''t. He was just like the other men the Count had done this to. However, he planned to be the last.

    A world without Abbot, though.... The thought made Lawrence feel cold inside¡ªempty, alone, all the things he already felt because he knew that he didn''t matter to the man he loved. Why did he still love him? Was it because he was his sire? Did all vampires feel love for their leaders? No...it wasn''t that kind of love. The love that Lawrence felt for Abbot was the kind that blossomed over time¡ªat least he thought so.

    Lawrence scowled away as much of the longing as he could. The thought of kissing Abbot again...the thought of being touched by him now knowing that he''d fucked someone else¡ªit disgusted him. For all he knew, Abbot could have been two-timing him; Abbot could have been fucking and kissing and rimming God knew how many other men behind his back. He felt sick.

    With a dismayed sigh, he rolled onto his back again. There was no use in letting the dismay consume him. There was no use in sulking like a teenager. It wasn''t like he could change what happened, nor could he change Abbot¡ªat least not in the way his heart wanted.

    That was it.

    That was what he''d do.

    He''d take away what Abbot loved most.

    His title.

    Lawrence knew how much Abbot loved being the leader of a coven. He''d witnessed first-hand how powerful leadership made him feel, and how cruel it made him. He lorded about the place as if he was the creator of vampires himself.

    Abbot took away the thing that Lawrence loved most, so Lawrence would give him a taste of his own medicine.

    He was going to strip Abbot of his precious title.

 Step Four | Find His Other Victims

    The transformation was brutal¡ªworse than Abbot had warned him. Lawrence writhed in his bed like he had a fever, and when the hunger set in, he began to wish that he''d savoured killing that human. He needed blood, but Bronson only brought it to him every other hour; he knew that was to prevent him from gorging and making his transformation take longer, but he just...needed it.

    Each passing hour felt like a century, dragging on longer than the one before. It was torture. But Lawrence had to hold on, he had to make it. He wouldn''t let this beat him; he wouldn''t let Count Abbot go free. He had to survive so that he could make him feel the pain and loss that he''d made him feel.

    It was all worth it. The pain in his chest as his proselytes matured, the pounding in his head and burning of his nerves while his body evolved beyond that of a human, and the crushing, tormenting hunger. He''d go through it again if it meant that he got to get his revenge¡ªif he got to give Abbot what was coming to him.

    He suffered through the rest of the night, almost lunging at Bronson when he brought him blood; every cup only made him hungrier. When morning came, the agony got worse. His limbs felt like they were trapped in a vice, and there was an invisible dagger through his chest. The blood began to make him feel nauseous when he drank his next cup, but he knew that if he didn''t drink it, he''d be a Fledgeling much longer than he wanted to be. So he downed each glass, ensuring that he swallowed every drop.

    As the sun set, the burning inside him gradually decreased, like he''d taken some sort of painkiller, and it was finally kicking in. But he knew why he was starting to feel better. This was around the time Abbot had given him his blood and venom; this was the same time twenty-four hours ago that the man he loved started him on his journey into eternity.

    A journey that he was now facing alone.

    He wouldn''t let the dismay get to him this time, though.

    From his bed, he watched and waited until the last rays of light seeping in through the cracks in the curtains disappeared; the occasional chatter outside his door grew into mass conversation, signalling the awakening of the rest of the castle. He heard Bronson''s voice, and when the General stepped into his room for what he hoped would be the last time, Lawrence sat up and looked over at him.

    "You can mesh with the rest of the coven now," Bronson said. "You''ll find most of the Fledgelings in the back right of the ballroom; they like¡ª"

    ¡°Like the leather couches, yeah,¡± Lawrence mumbled as he stood up. He already knew most of the ins and outs of the coven and its ranks.

    ¡°Someone will also take your belongings up to your new room for later.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thanks.¡±

    He then followed Bronson out of his room and through the candlelit halls; the many voices coming from the open doors bounced off the black walls, and the smell of blood and wine hung thick in the air. Lawrence couldn¡¯t tell whether it was warm or cold anymore, but from his time as a human, he remembered the halls carrying a faint but bitter draft.

    When he got to the ballroom, Bronson left him to join the other Generals and higher-ranking vampires. Lawrence didn''t care, though; he''d rather be on his own right now than chauffeured around the place. The ballroom was bright and bustling with vampires, some much older than the rest. A huge crystal chandelier lit most of the open space, and small lanterns hung around the dark walls. Leather couches were lined around the room, and a huddle of them sat in the far right, where all the Fledgelings were grouped up.

    To his immediate right, where Bronson had gone, were the Generals and some Adherents, as well as Master Percival, who was rarely seen mingling with the rest of the coven. He was Abbot''s best friend, and it was likely that the only reason he was in the ballroom and not up in the penthouse tower drinking expensive wines with the Count was because he had been sent to make sure that Lawrence didn''t cause any more trouble¡ªBronson had obviously told Abbot what he did to that human; it was his job to ensure the coven''s smooth running, and someone murdering a human would have been considered a crime...if there were witnesses. But since there weren''t, Abbot had probably already had Master Eddy make up some story involving the wolves.

    Everyone else taking up space in the ballroom were either Acolytes¡ªvampires younger than a hundred years¡ªor some of the younger Adherents. Lawrence felt like he''d get along with them since he already knew as much as they did, but the Fledgelings were the ones he needed to talk to. So he made his way through the crowd; some of the vampires greeted him, and he responded with the best smile he could pull.

    Some of the Fledgelings glanced up at him as he reached them, and they all looked miserable. Of course they did. They were all in the same boat as him...but they were heading in a different direction, and Lawrence had already jumped ship. While they moped and wallowed, he planned his revenge, starting with getting to know everything he could about Abbot and his authority.

    "General Bronson said there was another joining us," one of the black-haired Fledgelings said quietly, his voice a mere whisper. His crimson eyes were filled with heartbreak, his dark skin had blood stains on it like he fed and didn''t clean after, and he looked like he was clinging on to his immortal existence by a thread.

    "Yeah. Lawrence," he replied. "You?"

    "Mark," the man who first addressed him answered.

    Lawrence looked at the guy next to him; his hair was almost grey, and his dark skin really brought out the red in his eyes. "And you?"

    "Austin."

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    "Daniel," the blonde man beside him said. "And that''s Frederick," he said, nodding at the patchy-haired Fledgeling sitting on his own in the only armchair. "He doesn''t really talk much."

    The other blonde-haired man nodded at Lawrence. "Brent."

    "Harrold," the last man said, his long hair a dirty blonde colour.

    Abbot clearly preferred blondes.

    Lawrence sat on the end of one of the couches.

    "How was your transformation?" Mark asked.

    "Fine," Lawrence muttered.

    "General Carol is teaching us in about thirty minutes. Are you joining us?" Daniel questioned.

    Lawrence knew that he should participate in any lessons that he could, but he could do that later. He''d finished his transformation, so his bloodlust wouldn''t be so intense, and whenever it struck, he could easily get a hold of blood from storage. No, right now, he had to focus all his time and energy on destroying Abbot.

    He shook his head in response. "Nah, not tonight." He rested his arms on his knees and glanced around at them all. "So, Count Abbot fucked you all over, huh?"

    The same gloomy, depressed glower struck all their faces.

    "What did he tell you? That once he turned you, you''d spend forever together?" he continued.

    "He lied," Brent murmured sadly, his voice breaking.

    "Did any of you ever confront him?" Lawrence asked.

    They all looked around at each other.

    "Frederick did," Daniel answered. "That''s...part of why he doesn''t really talk."

    "Oh?" Lawrence adorned a curious frown.

    "Count Abbot said that...what he was doing was for a noble cause," Daniel said, glancing at Frederick. "That it was what Lord Alucard wants."

    "Bullshit," Harrold grumbled. "We''re all fucking miserable. Our Lord doesn''t want that. He needs strong soldiers, not...us."

    "Harrold''s ex-military," Austin muttered. "Count Abbot picked him up at a Royal Navy club just outside Myrefall.

    Harrold slammed his hand on the table, his eyes glowing brightly as he growled, "He told me that I was joining a noble cause, too. But it was all a fucking lie. He said we''d rule this coven together. But the second he turned me...he just fucking kicked me to the kerb."

    "He kicked us all to the kerb," Brent mumbled. "We''re all just pawns. He got what he wanted, and now we''re left to figure out what the hell we''re supposed to do with our lives."

    Lawrence pondered for a moment. Did Abbot actually think that what he was doing was for a noble cause? Did he think that Lord Alucard wanted him to recruit new vampires this way? He wondered...was the Count disobeying protocol? Lawrence didn''t know the ins and outs of what Counts were supposed to do when recruiting and creating Fledgelings, but he did know that there were rules.

    He needed to find out.

    "Actually, yeah," he said, looking at Daniel. "I''ll come to the lesson."

    "I mean...we''re all stuck like this now, right?" Brent said despondently. "We gotta learn how to deal with it."

    Harrold clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "I''m fucking starving." His red eyes were darker than any of the other Fledgelings'', and the darker a vampire''s eyes, the hungrier they were...which meant they were much more dangerous. "There better be blood."

    "You''re always hungry," Mark said.

    Lawrence zoned out while the Fledgelings bickered. If he went to General Carol''s lesson, perhaps he could learn a little more about the rules when it came to making new vampires. Maybe he could obtain information that would help him take Abbot down.

    He leaned back in his seat and waited.

    And waited.

    And waited.

    General Carol came out of a door between two lion statues; Lawrence watched the auburn-haired woman make her way over in a black ballgown. She wore jewels on her fingers, gold in her ears, and diamonds around her neck. Carol loved to display her title, looking like royalty, but not too much¡ªshe might upset Count Abbot.

    "Fledgelings," she said, stopping beside the couches. "It''s time for lessons."

    They got up and followed her through the door she''d come out of. She took them down a long corridor, up a spiralling staircase, and into the highest room in a large tower. When the Fledgelings sat in front of a couch beside an empty fireplace, Lawrence sat with them, and he watched General Carol take a seat as if she were a queen.

    "How are you all feeling tonight?" she asked.

    Each Fledgeling gave their mopey answer.

    When Carol looked at him, Lawrence said, "Fine."

    "Is there blood?" Harrold asked eagerly.

    "All in good time, Harrold. Today, Count Abbot has asked me to discuss the dangers of the forest with you all. There are werewolves and wolf walkers out there, and humans who wish to do us harm. There may be a treaty, but not all abide."

    Lawrence didn''t want to sit there and listen to what he already knew. He raised his hand like a student and watched Carol frown curiously.

    "Yes...?"

    "Lawrence," he said. He''d never crossed paths with her¡ªnot directly. He''d seen her strolling around sometimes while he was with Abbot, but they never got close enough to exchange names.

    "Lawrence," she repeated with a smile. "You have a question?"

    He nodded. "There''s something I''m wondering about, yeah."

    "Go ahead," she invited.

    "Are there certain rules that higher-ranking vampires have to follow when turning humans?"

    She frowned a little. "Oh...my dear, you won''t be turning anyone as a Fledgeling."

    "I know," he said calmly. "I''m just wondering about the higher-ranking vampires."

    "Well..." she said as she thought to herself. "There are several rules, yes. Mainly to avoid conflict with the people of Myrefall. We can''t turn humans into vampires unless the human either approaches us and asks, or we offer it to them, and they consent."

    Lawrence wasn''t going to hold back. "What if a vampire turns a human under false pretences?"

    Carol''s frown thickened. "What do you mean by that?"

    He wanted to scoff. She had to be aware of what Abbot was doing. "Say a vampire started dating a human and told them that if they let the vampire turn them, they''d spent eternity together, but the second they turn the human, the vampire leaves them."

    The woman looked uncomfortable...like she didn''t want to answer.

    And all the Fledgelings had the same dismayed but curious looks on their pale faces.

    "Is that against the rules?" Brent spoke up.

    "It would be, right?" Harrold added. "The human...consented to certain terms, but the vampire broke them."

    Carol shook her head. "I think that we should move on, please."

    "So, it is breaking the rules," Daniel stated.

    The woman sighed deeply and shook her head. "Let''s move on to the lesson."

    Her reaction told Lawrence all he needed to know. Abbot was breaking the rules set in place when it came to turning humans. If Lord Alucard found out, he''d punish Abbot, wouldn''t he? Maybe...he''d even strip him of his title. No. Turning humans under false pretences didn''t sound like a crime punishable enough. He didn''t just want Abbot to get a stern talking to and a slap on the wrist; he wanted the Count to suffer, to lose the thing he treasured most.

    Lawrence schemed. He needed more information. He needed to learn more about Abbot, things that he didn''t tell him when they were dating. If he was devious and cruel enough to break the laws of turning humans, then he had to be breaking more rules. Abbot seemed like the kind of guy who bent rules to satisfy himself...and doing it behind Lord Alucard''s back probably gave him such a thrill.

    But Lawrence was on to him. He''d find out what else Abbot was hiding, and to do that, he needed to get closer to the people who were closest to him.

    He needed to get closer to Abbot''s best friend.

 Step Five | Befriend His Inner Circle

    General Carol''s lesson dragged on into the early hours of the morning. Lawrence didn''t learn anything new; he already knew what times of day and night to be in the castle, and he knew the rules of Myrefall and the woods. If Carol were teaching him to dematerialize or shift into a bat, then maybe he wouldn''t feel like the lesson was a waste of time. When would he learn that stuff? After he''d taken Abbot down.

    He followed the other Fledgelings down the spiralling staircase and through the castle halls. Once they got back to the ballroom, instead of joining them in their miserable corner, he scoured the place for Abbot''s best friend, Master Percival. Black hair, shimmering red eyes, and a suit worth more than Lawrence had earned in his entire life¡ªthere he was...standing by the large entrance with General Bronson, and Adherents Rose, Fay, and Ruben. Abbot''s closest friends.

    Lawrence made his way over, grasping onto what confidence he could find, but he was nervous. He''d never spoken to any of them other than Bronson and a brief interaction with Adherent Fay, but he wouldn''t say that he knew her well. Bronson, on the other hand, might give him the ticket he needed to get into their circle.

    When he reached them, Lawrence locked eyes with the General, who looked a little hesitant. "General Bronson," he greeted.

    The group stopped chatting and shifted their gazes to him.

    "Hey, Lawrence," the General said. "How''d your first lesson with Carol go?"

    "Great," he lied. "Though I can''t lie, I''m kinda eager to learn how to shift and stuff."

    Adherent Ruben laughed a little. "You''ll learn all the good stuff eventually, kid. It''s not exactly protocol, but Count Abbot likes to make sure that everyone''s ready at the same time."

    Lawrence didn''t even have to try to get that information. So, there were two things that Abbot was doing wrong: turning humans and teaching Fledgelings.

    "His methods work," Adherent Fay said and sipped from her glass of blood. "Who are we to question them?"

    Master Percival cleared his throat loudly.

    The group went silent, all adorning cautious stares.

    "Shouldn''t you be with the rest of the Fledgelings?" Percival asked Lawrence.

    Lawrence couldn''t be snarky anymore¡ªat least not to his superiors. "They''re all kind of...depressed," he said. "And General Bronson and I are friends, so I thought I''d come and hang out with him for a bit."

    Adherent Rose scoffed into her glass. "They''re all miserable, heartbroken little things."

    "Wouldn''t you be if you thought you''d be spending forever with someone only to get dumped hours after getting turned?" Ruben muttered.

    Percival cleared his throat loudly once more, silencing them.

    "They''ll cheer up," Fay said confidently. "You did." She looked at Ruben.

    "That''s because I had over a hundred years to do so, and I didn''t have to watch him move on to the next guy," Ruben muttered.

    Lawrence didn''t know that Adherent Ruben was one of Abbot''s exes. He still seemed resentful, and he wondered...could he get some useful information out of him? Ruben was one of Abbot''s oldest coven members, so he had to know if he''d done any other shady shit, right?

    "Head''s up," Bronson announced.

    They all turned their heads towards the main doors, so Lawrence did, too...and that was when he saw Count Abbot. He stood in the doorway wearing that same smug smile he always did; the black velvet choker around his neck¡ªwhich Lawrence knew he wore to hide an old scar¡ªhad a sapphire-encrusted, gold-trimmed broach attached to it, and it really brought out the blue in his irises and the golden rim around them.

    Lawrence''s heart broke all over again. He''d thought that his anger was enough to help him get over him, but it clearly wasn''t. All it took was seeing him again for all the pain to come pouring back in. The dismay buried his anger, leaving Lawrence feeling empty, useless, and discarded again. He hoped that Abbot''s gaze would meet and lock with his, but instead, the Count looked right past him and instead set his sights on Percival.

    Master Percival handed his drink off to Bronson and left the group. He headed over to Abbot, and then they left the hall together...and Abbot didn''t spare Lawrence so much as a glance.

    "Forget about him, kid," Ruben muttered. "Once he''s done with you, he''s done with you. Trust me."

    General Bronson sighed deeply. "Focus on your lessons, Lawrence. That''s all that should matter right now."

    Fay finished her drink and handed her glass to a passing Acolyte. "Okay, I have somewhere to be. Rose?"

    Rose handed her glass to the same Acolyte, who looked a little aggravated but obviously didn''t dare protest. Then, both Adherents left the hall, leaving Lawrence with Bronson, and Ruben.

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    "You know, it''s been however many hundreds of years and I still haven''t been able to figure out what those two are up to," Ruben muttered.

    "It''s probably better that way," Bronson replied. "I''ve got to patrol the grounds. Lawrence, do you want to come?"

    Lawrence looked at him and shook his head. "I''m just gonna hang out here. Thanks, though."

    Bronson nodded and finished his drink. "Keep an eye on them," he said to Ruben, nodding at the Fledgelings moping in the corner.

    "You got it," Ruben replied, sounding a little sarcastic.

    The General then left the hall.

    Lawrence''s heart was still aching, and the dismay was trying to engulf him, but he couldn''t let it. Abbot wasn''t in his sights anymore, so his presence couldn''t force him to feel the pain that he had buried.

    "So, Count Abbot used you, too, huh?" he asked Ruben.

    The Adherent rolled his crimson eyes. "Lured me in, chewed me up, and spat me out," he said and downed his glass of blood. "I''ve lost count of how many other poor fuckers he''s done it to, but he''s a lot different nowadays."

    "Different how?"

    Ruben hesitated. He glanced around the room, looked at his empty glass, and then shifted his sights to the door that led through to the bar. "I need something real, man."

    Lawrence frowned. "Like...a human?"

    He scoffed and started walking towards the bar. "No."

    Eager to keep him talking, Lawrence followed Ruben through the door, leaving the ballroom. The bar was empty¡ªthere wasn''t even a bartender. It was dusty, only one lightbulb worked in the chandelier, and there were spiderwebs clinging to every corner.

    "They really ought to get someone in here to clean this shit," Ruben muttered as he wiped down the bar with an old, crusty rag and then patted one of the stools. Dust flew up into the air, making the Adherent grunt irritably; he took his seat, reached over the bar, and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. "Yeah, that''ll do," he mumbled to himself.

    Lawrence moved closer.

    "Take a seat, kid," Ruben said as he grabbed two glasses.

    He sat beside him and watched as he poured them both a drink.

    "The Count never used to be so...bitter if you believe it or not," the Adherent said, sliding Lawrence''s drink along the bar to him.

    "I''m not sure I do," he muttered, glancing down at his drink.

    "It was around..." he paused and pondered. "Three hundred years ago now. Count Abbot wasn''t as old or experienced, and he made a mistake. He fucked up big time. The first world war between Caeleste and humans started, and Lord Alucard had the Count leading the coven into a fight to assist a pack of demons. But Count Abbot made the wrong call when the humans flooded the battlefield with silver dust. He ordered a retreat and failed to notice the humans closing in from behind. The Count lost the entire coven¡ªother than those who were working elsewhere, of course. That''s where he got that ugly scar on his neck¡ªfrom all that silver. He sought out specialist surgeons to try and fix it, but we''re not like demons; we can''t just take an anti-healant and get all our silver burns covered up. They''re permanent."

    Lawrence always wondered where Abbot''s scar came from. He took a sip of his drink, which burned his throat a little, and then crossed his arms on the bar. "What happened? Did Lord Alucard punish him?"

    "He never sent the Count into battle again. Now, he''s just out here ensuring that the treaty with Myrefall remains intact. Of course, that left Count Abbot feeling pretty bitter. I mean...wouldn''t you be? Stuck out here on the outskirts of a human city on permanent dog watch. He got bored, so he started his little game of hunt, fuck, turn, abandon. I was the first one. It lasted a while...a good decade, actually...until I found out that he was sleeping with like twenty other people behind my back. I was already a vampire, so I wasn''t abandoned like you¡ªno offence."

    "None taken," he said with a shrug. It was true. He''d been abandoned.

    Ruben downed his drink and poured himself another. "Lord Alucard sends someone annually to check on him¡ªwe call it The Grilling," he said with an amused smile. "Whoever he sends asks us all what he''s been up to and whether he''s sticking to the rules. This person is higher-ranking than Abbot, so they can override his orders, such as his order that keeps us from warning humans of what he does. But...no one tattles on him."

    Lawrence frowned. "Why?"

    "I don''t know. I think it''s because he has a lot of friends¡ªlike Percival, for example¡ªwho would die for him, and the rest of us just follow suit. And let''s face it, if you grass, that''s branded into you forever. No new Count or Countess is going to trust you after that."

    His frown thickened as he realized that his plan probably wasn''t a good one. Gathering everything he could on Abbot and sharing it with Lord Alucard would mark him as a grass, and he didn''t need to be known as Lawrence the Grass for the rest of eternity. He needed a new strategy.

    With a quiet sigh, he took another sip of his drink and looked at Ruben. "When does this inspector come to grill you?"

    "At the start of the new year, just after Yule," Ruben answered, refilling his glass again. "One of your Fledgeling lessons will no doubt include a very thorough session of what you should say to each of the investigator''s questions."

    Lawrence pondered for a moment. It was Undecim right now; the new year wasn''t for another two months, which meant he had some time to make sure that he had a plan that worked¡ªa plan that would ensure the inspector witnessed first-hand what Abbot was up to. But how would he make that happen?

    "There''s a few of us that want him gone, to be honest," Ruben continued. "He''s not exactly your model coven leader. But he''s got too many loyalists."

    "So why don''t you just...tell Lord Alucard directly?" Lawrence questioned.

    Ruben scoffed. "Me? See Lord Alucard?" He laughed and shook his head. "First of all, kid, I don''t want to be branded as a tattletale forever, and two, a lowly little Adherent like me doesn''t get to see Lord Alucard, especially not nowadays; there''s so much going on in the world¡ªhe''s always busy. But my money''s on one of those Fledgelings snitching; they''re all too depressed to defend a man who broke their hearts. Then, we might finally get a leader who gives a shit about us and doesn''t spend all his time either drinking and whatever with Master Percival or fucking and manipulating his next human."

    "Who do you think will take his place if someone does grass?" Lawrence asked curiously.

    "Either Master Eddy or Percival. Though some of us think Lord Alucard might send Maleki."

    "Who?"

    "Maleki. He''s this vampire-elf that Lord Alucard turned a long time ago but hasn''t assigned a coven to. He''s a sort of...free agent. He''s got a lot of fans," he explained¡ªhe sounded like he was a fan himself.

    Lawrence finished his drink and pondered a little more. Abbot had fucked up in the past, and he was paying for it by more or less being put on desk duty. If he screwed up again somehow, then Lord Alucard would have to replace him, right? All Lawrence had to do was get the Count to fuck up again. But how? With what? He needed more information about the coven and Myrefall. There had to be something so important that stripping Abbot of his title was the deserved punishment.

    But...he wanted more than that. After learning more about Abbot, he wanted to do more than strip him of his title. He''d broken so many hearts and left so many people feeling empty, used, and unwanted. He wanted Abbot to feel that pain.

    And he knew exactly where to start.

 Step Six | Learn About His Duty As Coven Leader

    As sunrise approached, Lawrence followed the other Fledgelings through the castle. In a dark, dusty corridor lined with ebony doors on either side, his new room sat at the very end on the left. He went inside, closing the door behind him, and glanced around at where he¡¯d be staying until he was old enough to become an Acolyte¡ªfrom what he¡¯d seen, though, the Acolytes¡¯ rooms weren¡¯t much better.

    In the right corner was his bed, upon which waited a folded sheet, blanket, and a pillow. The only window, arched and on the back wall between his bed and a dresser, had wooden shutters locked tightly; no light poured in from outside. Several old lanterns hung on the walls¡ªit was almost like this place hadn¡¯t been updated in centuries. But his sharp eyes quickly located a switch, and when he flicked it, the lanterns lit up. For a moment, he thought he¡¯d have to find a lighter or something.

    He slumped down on his bed and glanced around. There was an outlet behind the nightstand, so at least he¡¯d be able to charge his phone. However, there wasn¡¯t a TV or a stereo, and he wondered what the fuck he was supposed to do while hiding away from the sunlight. He knew that the higher-ranking vampires had TVs and shit in their room, so why didn¡¯t he? Was he supposed to buy it himself? Probably. He had his things at his apartment; he could go and get them when night fell again.

    Lawrence sighed deeply and shuffled back so that he could lean against the wall. He had a lot of thinking to do¡ªa lot of plotting. He wanted Abbot to experience the same feeling of betrayal that he felt¡­or at least something close enough, and he had a pretty good idea of how to do that. Lawrence knew that the Count trusted Master Percival with his life; he was Abbot¡¯s best friend, and he was the perfect target. But he had to be smart and careful. If he said the wrong thing or made the wrong move, Percival could and would very well tear his head off.

    He learnt a lot about the coven when he was with Abbot, though, and he knew exactly what Percival liked; he knew exactly what he was into.

    Someone knocked on his door.

    Lawrence looked over there and called, ¡°Yeah?¡±

    When it opened, General Bronson came in. ¡°Are you settling in okay?¡± he asked.

    With a nod, Lawrence took his phone from his pocket and put it on his nightstand. ¡°It¡¯s not the worst room I¡¯ve seen.¡±

    Bronson looked a little hesitant¡­again. He closed the door behind him and sighed deeply as he moved towards the bed. ¡°Lawrence¡­look,¡± he said, stopping a few feet from the bed. ¡°You killed a human, and once that Count Abbot had a personal interest in. But as it currently stands, only you, me, and my team know what really happened out there.¡±

    Lawrence frowned. ¡°What really happened?¡± he questioned.

    ¡°In my report, I told Count Abbot that the human crashed his car into a deer, and my team and I altered the scene to match my story.¡±

    His frown thickened. ¡°What? Why?¡± he asked confusedly.

    ¡°Because Count Abbot would likely kill you if he found out what really happened, and he might be my superior, but I don¡¯t want that to happen, nor do I believe that it¡¯s what you deserve. Just¡­stay quiet about it, okay?¡±

    Lawrence was admittedly shocked. Why was Bronson risking himself like that for him? He knew that quite a few of Abbot¡¯s subordinates didn¡¯t exactly love him, but did they despise him so much that they¡¯d lie about one of his Fledgelings killing a human and breaking one of the treaty laws?

    ¡°Lawrence?¡± Bronson muttered.

    He shook his head and looked up at him. ¡°Yeah, no, don¡¯t worry. Thank you.¡±

    The General nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Lawrence said as Bronson turned around.

    He stopped and set his sights back on Lawrence. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Those wolves saw me kill that guy. What if they tell people in Myrefall what really happened?¡±

    Bronson shook his head. ¡°The wolves aren¡¯t going to venture into the city, least of all talk to humans. They know that we¡¯ve got vampires guarding the place.¡±

    Lawrence rested his hands in his lap and straightened his legs on his bed. ¡°I don¡¯t get why Lord Alucard doesn¡¯t just take out all the rogue wolf packs. They cause so much shit all the time. It¡¯d be easier to remove them altogether.¡±

    ¡°I kind of get it,¡± the General said. ¡°After the divide between their species, I think things just got messy. Some of the rogues¡ªbetter known as werewolves¡ªhave family and friends who chose to side with the Nosferatu and Fenris¨²lfr, becoming wolf walkers instead. They didn¡¯t want to kill each other. Although that was over a century ago, they still share that hesitance. The Varcolac are supposed to keep the werewolves and any rogue wolf walkers in line, but they¡¯ve been busy with what¡¯s going on in Ascela.¡±

    With a deep sigh, Lawrence nodded and dragged his fingers through his tawny hair. He didn¡¯t really have time to sit there talking about wolf walkers and werewolves, though. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to walk about the castle during the day, right?¡± he asked, changing the subject. He wanted to start working on Percival as soon as he could.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    General Bronson frowned in concern. ¡°You are, yes, but not every room is sunlight-proofed. You need to be very careful.¡±

    ¡°All right, thanks.¡±

    ¡°If you need me, you know where to find me.¡±

    Lawrence nodded. ¡°Yeah, I appreciate it.¡±

    Bronson then turned around again¡ª

    But then something struck his mind. ¡°Wait,¡± he blurted.

    The General stopped and stared at him, looking a little amused.

    ¡°I actually¡­was curious about something,¡± Lawrence said, pondering to himself. Maybe he did have time to talk about wolf walkers and werewolves. The very reason that this coven wasn¡¯t under constant attack by the humans of Myrefall was because they shared a treaty; the vampires would keep the city and its inhabitants safe from the werewolf packs which lurked in the woods. It was Abbot¡¯s job to ensure that the treaty was protected and upheld. What if¡­Lawrence could use that to tear him down?

    ¡°Oh?¡± Bronson replied.

    ¡°Yeah¡­the treaty that the coven has with Myrefall. It¡¯s our duty to protect the humans from the werewolves, right?¡±

    The General nodded. ¡°Well, it is technically the entire coven¡¯s duty, but only the Knights are positioned around the city¡¯s entrances.¡±

    Lawrence was admittedly a little envious of Knight vampires. Not only were they trained intensely to fight off lycans, but they were also the only vampires other than those created originally by Lord Alucard who could walk in the sunlight. What he wouldn¡¯t give to get his hands on a day-walker¡¯s enchanted pendant. Maybe he¡¯d rise to reach that rank someday.

    He shifted his attention back to Bronson. ¡°So like¡­what happens if a werewolf kills a human?¡±

    Bronson exhaled deeply. ¡°Well, that would definitely be a huge problem. Making deals with humans is one thing, but them keeping their part is a whole other situation. One slip-up would probably shatter the treaty¡­mainly because it¡¯s already happened.¡±

    ¡°A werewolf already killed someone from the city?¡±

    The General moved closer and gestured to the edge of Lawrence¡¯s bed. ¡°May I?¡±

    He nodded.

    Bronson sat down. ¡°It was a long time ago¡ªI want to say fifty or sixty years, and yes, humans really do hold onto shit that long. One of our Knights was killed in an attack that the werewolves had been planning for weeks, and Count Abbot didn¡¯t have anyone else lined up to replace her. The next night, a wolf slipped in under a mesh fence and killed a mother and her two kids. It was a fucking mess,¡± he explained, shaking his head. ¡°The humans threatened war¡ªand not just on our coven. It wouldn¡¯t have gotten as far as they wanted it to, though.¡±

    ¡°Did they terminate the treaty?¡± Lawrence asked.

    ¡°They tried to, but Lord Alucard was able to save it by finding the wolf who did it and letting humans burn it in their city square.¡± He scoffed a little. ¡°And humans say that Caeleste have fucked up traditions.¡±

    Amused, Lawrence laughed quietly.

    ¡°So we¡¯re technically already on thin ice. Lord Alucard sent reinforcements over; we¡¯re actually the only coven with this many Knights,¡± Bronson continued.

    Lawrence schemed for a moment. Using the treaty to tear Abbot down seemed like a good but risky way to go. He didn¡¯t want to be the reason why the treaty was completely abolished, but it was too good an opportunity to miss, especially since Abbot had fucked up more than once already as a leader. If he somehow got the humans to threaten war again, Lord Alucard would have to step in¡­and maybe he¡¯d offer Abbot up as a sacrifice this time.

    A snide little grin stretched across his lips. Abbot burning at the stake¡­. The idea pleased him, but it also made him feel guilty. But he wasn¡¯t about to ask himself if what he was doing was right. It was. He¡¯d already decided. Abbot had to pay.

    ¡°Why?¡± Bronson then asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. ¡°You thinking of becoming one?¡±

    ¡°What? A Night?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°I mean¡­maybe. What are the requirements?¡±

    ¡°Well, Fledgelings are accepted into training sometimes, but only when they show distinct prowess during lessons. Other than that, you just have to pass the training, which I¡¯ve heard is rather intense. You have to go through sunlight exposure to see how long you last out in the open during the day without your day-walker pendant.¡±

    Lawrence¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Daylight exposure? Don¡¯t we just immediately burn up?¡±

    ¡°No. The older you are, the more you can endure, but nobody has lasted longer than a minute.¡±

    ¡°A minute? That¡¯s not very long at all.¡±

    ¡°It kind of is¡­if you think about it. A vampire can travel very far in sixty seconds.¡±

    That was true. But Lawrence couldn¡¯t be thinking about that right now. At the moment, his main focus was his mission to tear down Abbot. He could work out where his new immortal life would take him once the Count had gotten his karma.

    ¡°You might be good at it,¡± the General said. ¡°You know the city well.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± he said with a sigh. Now that he knew how he was going to tear Abbot down, he shifted his attention back to making him feel the same pain of betrayal that he had. ¡°Do you think that¡­Master Percival would like¡­be up for talking or something?¡±

    Bronson frowned. ¡°You¡¯re going to ask Master Percival for advice?¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­maybe. The guy is kinda intimidating, but he knows his stuff, right?¡±

    ¡°He does, but so does Carol. She¡¯s the Fledgelings¡¯ teacher.¡±

    ¡°I know, I just¡­feel like having more than one person¡¯s perspective would be good, you know? And he¡¯s fought in pretty much every war, too, so he¡¯d be the best guy to ask, wouldn¡¯t he?¡±

    The General looked conflicted and scratched the back of his head. ¡°I mean¡­yes, but he¡¯s not the teaching type. He¡¯s a lot like Count Abbot; he drinks a lot, keeps us in line when he¡¯s not drunk or hanging around with the Count. Finding him sober is very rare, too, so I can¡¯t speak for how much help he¡¯ll really be.¡±

    None of that discouraged Lawrence. ¡°Where can I find him?¡±

    ¡°Right now?¡± Bronson asked unsurely.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably still with the Count, but he patrols the castle in an hour, and then he¡¯ll probably head up to his room.¡±

    With a deep sigh, Lawrence nodded and crossed his legs. ¡°I might go and look for him later, then.¡±

    ¡°All right¡­but watch how you speak to him. He¡¯s very specific and demands respect.¡±

    ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry. Hopefully, he¡¯ll give me even the tiniest piece of advice.¡±

    ¡°You might get lucky,¡± the General chuckled. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any luck with him, though, I¡¯m around. I¡¯ve fought in a few battles¡ªnot as many as my superiors, but what I know might still be of some use.¡±

    Lawrence smiled a little. ¡°Cool. Thanks.¡±

    Bronson then stood up. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get back on duty. Good luck with Master Percival.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and thanks for the info, too. Later.¡±

    The General left the room and closed the door behind him.

    Lawrence lay down and stared up at the ceiling. He knew what he had to do. First, he had to get to Percival, and then he needed to work out how he was going to put the treaty at stake and make it look like Abbot¡¯s fault. While his first task was risky in its own way, he had all the answers that he needed, but for his second, he needed more information¡­information that he probably wasn¡¯t going to find inside the castle walls. But he¡¯d get it. He¡¯d find out everything he needed to know about that treaty, the werewolves, the Knights, and the humans.

 Step Seven | Fuck His Best Friend

    Lawrence waited until Percival¡¯s patrol ended. He went through the three suitcases he¡¯d packed and brought with him the morning before Abbot turned him, and when he found his feminine lingerie, he took his shirt and trousers off and put it on. He chose his black lace bra and matching jock strap, as well as his silk, lace-trimmed stockings. He also found his black lipstick and put it on as best as he could without the aid of a mirror¡ªhe couldn¡¯t see his reflection anymore.

    Once he was done, he pulled a blazer and some trousers on so that he wasn¡¯t walking around the castle half-naked and grabbed his black high heels. He put them on and headed over to his door; despite knowing what he had to do, though, he felt nervous. Percival was much higher-ranking than he was, and if he messed up even the slightest, he could lose his head¡­or end up getting the shittiest jobs for the rest of his life.

    It was worth the risk, though. Abbot needed to be taught a lesson.

    He pulled his door open and peeked out into the hall. Muffled crying came from several of the rooms; he knew that the Fledgelings inside were moping, sinking deeper into the depression that the Count had caused them. Lawrence felt bad for them, and he hoped that tearing Abbot down would give them all some peace of mind¡ªor something other than misery and heartbreak.

    But he wasn¡¯t doing this for them.

    He pulled his door shut behind him and made his way down the corridor. His heels clicked against the hard floor, and he hoped that it wouldn¡¯t draw anyone near; no one in this castle had seen him dress like this before, and he wasn¡¯t sure how they¡¯d react. And Abbot¡­well, he wasn¡¯t sure he could face him dressed up or not. Seeing him in the hall had almost sent him spiralling down into the same pit that the other Fledgelings were dwelling in.

    Lawrence sighed quietly and continued through the winding, empty castle halls until he reached the stairs that would take him up to Parcival¡¯s room. He made his way up, his angst increasing with each step he took, but he had to calm down; he needed to focus or everything could go horribly wrong.

    When he reached the top of the stairs, he slowly approached Percival¡¯s door. He listened for a moment, and to his relief, it didn¡¯t sound like the Master vampire had company. So, he lifted his hand and knocked.

    ¡°What?¡± Percival called.

    Lawrence turned the doorknob and pushed it open.

    Percival looked confused to see him at first, but when Lawrence stepped in, the black-haired vampire sighed and stood up from behind his desk. ¡°Look, Lawrence. I don¡¯t have time to tell you the same thing Bronson did.¡±

    As a small smile stretched across his lips, Lawrence leaned back against the door and let it close behind him. ¡°I¡¯m not here about that,¡± he said with a sultry tone.

    The Master vampire stepped out from behind his desk and frowned slightly. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Lawrence gradually unbuttoned his blazer as he said, ¡°Oh, nothing really. Maybe just¡­the attention of someone¡­older,¡± he said, looking Percival up and down as he let his blazer fall to his heels.

    Percival¡¯s crimson eyes widened and explored every inch of Lawrence¡¯s exposed body. ¡°You want¡­I¡­really don¡¯t have time for¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please?¡± Lawrence pleaded and started to move towards him, fiddling with the lace on his bra. ¡°I promise to make it worth your time.¡±

    As his eyes once again looked Lawrence up and down, Percival exhaled deeply. ¡°But the Count¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is done with me,¡± Lawrence said, holding a finger to Percival¡¯s lips as he reached him. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡± he paused and sighed, exaggerating a little. ¡°I¡¯m just so alone. I need someone to take my mind off things and tend to my needs. Don¡¯t you¡­Master?¡±

    Percival caved. He whimpered pathetically, and Lawrence saw his dick throbbing in his trousers.

    Lawrence smiled flirtatiously at him and slowly stepped out of his heels. He kept eye contact with the Master vampire as he slid his trousers down, revealing his jock strap and stockings. An excited smile flickered across Percival¡¯s lips, and when Lawrence lightly grasped hold of the bulge in his trousers, the Master vampire grunted and closed his eyes as a sigh of anticipation escaped his breath.

    The Master vampire placed his hands on Lawrence¡¯s hips and guided him back towards his bed, and when Percival laid down, Lawrence straddled his lap and leaned forward. They started kissing, which made Lawrence feel a little disgusted since Percival was so fucking bad at it. Each kiss was sloppy and unsatisfying, and the guy¡¯s saliva tasted a little too metallic¡ªmore than what he was used to. He didn¡¯t stop, though; he was mostly doing it to make Abbot feel the pain of betrayal, but a part of him admittedly needed a fuck. A short escape from his overbearing thoughts and the lingering ache of his transformation sounded good.

    Percival dragged his hands down Lawrence¡¯s body and gripped his ass. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking hot,¡± he breathed, breaking their kissing for a moment.

    Lawrence smirked at him and started unbuckling his belt. He then pulled Percival¡¯s trousers off, and to his surprise, his dick was bigger than Abbot¡¯s. That fact alone was enough to make him feel excited, and when they went back to kissing, anticipation slowly enthralled him. With one hand, he stroked the Master vampire¡¯s dick, and with the other, he unbuttoned his shirt.

    Once he pulled his shirt open, revealing his pale, hairless chest, he started making his way down Percival¡¯s body. But just as he was about to drag his tongue up his dick, Percival grabbed his jaw.

    ¡°Wait,¡± he said.

    ¡°What?¡± Lawrence asked with a frown.

    Percival laughed nervously. ¡°You haven¡¯t learned to retract your fangs yet.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­right.¡± He understood. The last thing anyone would want was a bite to the dick. So, he made his way back up Percival¡¯s body and looked down at him. ¡°Do you have lube?¡± he asked.

    With a nod, Percival reached into his nightstand and took out a small bottle of lube. He handed it to Lawrence, who pulled the cap off and squeezed some of the viscous liquid onto his hand. As he then rubbed it onto Percival¡¯s shaft, they kissed again. Lawrence¡¯s anticipation was growing, and when the Master vampire gently grabbed his bulge, he groaned quietly through their kisses.

    Percival then took hold of Lawrence¡¯s hips again and abruptly rolled over, pinning him on his back. ¡°Turn over,¡± he commanded.

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    Lawrence did as he asked and rolled over onto his front. He spread his legs a little as Percival grabbed and squeezed his left ass cheek, and when the master vampire pulled the back string of his jock strap aside, he slowly eased his hard dick inside him. Lawrence moaned quietly in delight; it hurt a little at first¡ªof course it did; Abbot¡¯s dick was a needle compared to Percival¡¯s¡ªbut as Percival eased it deeper, pleasure began to outweigh the discomfort.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± Percival groaned and aggressively thrust several times into Lawrence. ¡°You¡¯re so tight.¡±

    He responded with a pleased whine as Percival thrusted rhythmically, growing a little more assertive with each plunge. The very fact that he was fucking him made Lawrence feel convinced that he didn¡¯t respect Abbot any more than the rest of the coven, and he was certain that whatever he said next, Percival wasn¡¯t pulling out, so he took the risk and moaned, ¡°You¡¯re so much bigger than Abbot.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± the Master vampire replied, sounding pleased.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lawrence replied, his breathing picking up as the pleasure intensified.

    Percival groaned and started thrusting faster, tightening his grip on Lawrence¡¯s waist. ¡°I bet I fuck a lot better than he does too, right sissy?¡±

    Sissy? He¡¯d never been called that before, but if that was what Percival was into, he¡¯d roll with it. He cried pleasurably, gripping the pillow in front of him as his body started trembling. ¡°So much better,¡± he answered.

    The Master vampire whined gleefully, his hips pounding against Lawrence¡¯s ass as he thrusted relentlessly.

    Lawrence was getting closer to his peak, each of Percival¡¯s deep plunges urging him nearer. He moaned and whined, clearly satisfying the Master vampire with his meekness and pleasured responses; his assertive thrusts were hard to resist, each of his movements much more skilful than Abbot¡¯s. And when he approached climax, he winced contently and cried, ¡°I¡¯m gonna cum.¡±

    Percival whined desperately, ¡°Fuck! Cum for me, sissy boy.¡±

    He wanted to roll his eyes, but the pleasure was too overbearing. Lawrence moaned loudly, edging closer and closer until he finally tipped over the edge. His body shivered as he climaxed, the pleasure consuming him, constricting him in a tightening grasp as each overwhelming wave of delight travelled through him.

    Moments later, Percival stopped thrusting, burying his dick as deeply into Lawrence¡¯s ass as he could. His shaft throbbed, and Lawrence felt the Master vampire¡¯s cum oozing inside him. He couldn¡¯t help but whine; it was such a satisfying feeling, one that Abbot¡¯s dick was too small to make him feel.

    Percival leaned into Lawrence¡¯s ear. ¡°You like that, huh?¡± he murmured.

    Lawrence stifled a groan and instead winced as if he really were the meek, submissive sissy that Percival perceived him to be. ¡°Yes,¡± he answered, exhaling deeply. ¡°I can feel your cum inside me.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty more where that came from,¡± he muttered, stroking Lawrence¡¯s back as he slowly pulled his dick from his ass.

    With a quiet moan, Lawrence rolled onto his back and took some of the tissues from the nightstand. He cleaned up, both himself and the sheet beneath him, and then he tossed the tissues into the trashcan. Just as he was about to get up, though, Percival laid down beside him; it didn¡¯t look like he wanted him to go, and although Lawrence had completed what he¡¯d set out to do, he thought he might stay and see what else he could gain through Abbot¡¯s best friend.

    He turned on his side and stared at Percival as he made himself comfortable. ¡°So¡­you want to make this a regular thing?¡± he asked, sure that was what he meant when he said that there was more.

    Percival glanced at him and smirked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind filling you up on a regular basis¡ªif you can handle it, that is.¡±

    This guy was really making it hard for Lawrence not to cringe. ¡°I can handle it,¡± he answered, also smirking.

    An intrigued look appeared on the Master vampire¡¯s face as he rolled onto his side to face him. ¡°Am I really better than Abbot?¡±

    He laughed a little. ¡°You are. He barely made me cum from fucking me; he¡¯d have to suck my dick after he was done¡ªwhen he felt like it, anyway. I had to finish myself off a lot of the time.¡±

    Percival looked amused, but the expression quickly ran away from his face. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be talking about him like this. Excuse m¡ª¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not here,¡± Lawrence said with a shrug. ¡°And I¡¯m only telling the truth.¡±

    The Master vampire pondered for a few moments, looking Lawrence up and down.

    ¡°Did you two ever¡­well, did you ever fuck?¡± Lawrence asked.

    ¡°No. We were never compatible.¡±

    ¡°Why? Because you like sissies?¡±

    Percival smirked again. ¡°Exactly. Abbot is more like¡­well, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a category for it. He¡¯s not a dom; he¡¯s too vanilla.¡±

    Lawrence scoffed. ¡°You can say that again.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s like a straight man but gay.¡±

    Amused, Lawrence laughed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably the best way to describe it.¡± He frowned a little. ¡°I asked him if he was into trying out some toys one time, but he looked like he¡¯d seen a ghost. Has he never bottomed?¡±

    ¡°Not as far as I know. He always talks about who he fucked recently, but not once has he ever mentioned being fucked. He doesn¡¯t even like being ridden.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, trust me. I tried getting him to do it once. I had like two seconds on top until he was flipping me over.¡±

    Percival chuckled and looked him up and down again. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you like this before.¡±

    ¡°I dulled it down after I met Abbot. He caught me in a bar on the one night I chose not to wear my fem stuff. I fell so hard for him that when he told me it made him uncomfortable, I stopped wearing it altogether,¡± he explained as an ache cut through his heart.

    ¡°It looks good on you,¡± the Master vampire complimented.

    Lawrence was extremely surprised. He¡¯d been convinced that Percival was some tough, stuck-up asshole who was utterly, unbreakably loyal to Abbot, but just as he had been with the rest of the higher-ranking vampires¡ªthe ones he¡¯d spoken to, anyway¡ªhe was wrong. Percival, Abbot¡¯s best friend, clearly didn¡¯t like him all that much, either. Of course, he wanted to know why, but he didn¡¯t want to push too much. He still didn¡¯t know Percival all that well, and he needed to be careful.

    Percival then sighed and rolled onto his back. ¡°Abbot is¡­very particular.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know that too well.¡±

    ¡°Not just with the people he decides to fuck, but with his friends, too. He gets very jealous very easily; he¡¯d be very angry if he found out about this. He prefers that I don¡¯t have any¡­hmm¡­obligations other than to him and this coven. The occasional one-night stand with someone random from Myrefall, sure, but someone from the coven?¡± He looked at Lawrence and frowned. ¡°We keep this to ourselves. Understand?¡±

    Lawrence nodded, but inside, he was grinning. He¡¯d love to see the look on Abbot¡¯s face when he learned about this.

    Percival then smiled at him. ¡°Next time, wear a skirt.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± he said amusedly.

    The Master vampire then grabbed his phone and checked the time. ¡°I¡¯ve got to meet with the Knights in an hour,¡± he muttered, putting it back on his nightstand.

    ¡°Oh, how come?¡± he asked. He wanted to know more about the Knights, and he hoped that Percival would be the one to give him that information.

    ¡°The werewolves were seen at the tree line last night,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve got to make sure that they¡¯re not planning anything, go through all the reports and speak with the city council. Boring as fuck.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Abbot be doing that?¡±

    ¡°He should, but¡­¡± he sighed again. ¡°He¡¯s a lazy fuck.¡±

    Yet another thing that Abbot wasn¡¯t doing right. The list just kept growing, and Lawrence had to once again stifle a grin.

    Percival sat up. ¡°You, uh¡­want to meet up again tonight or something?¡±

    Lawrence sat up, too. ¡°I actually need to go back to my apartment for a few things. I need a higher-ranking vampire to take me, right? Could you?¡±

    He looked hesitant¡­like he was about to say that it might be a little suspicious.

    Lawrence wanted it to look suspicious. ¡°I¡¯ve got that skirt in my wardrobe,¡± he said with a sultry tone, trying to convince him.

    Percival clearly didn¡¯t need very much to be swayed, though. ¡°All right,¡± he said, smirking. ¡°Meet me by the main entrance at nine.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    He then grabbed Lawrence¡¯s trousers and handed them to him. ¡°I got to kick you out now, though. I need to get ready to head out.¡±

    Lawrence shuffled to the edge of the bed and pulled his trousers on. Then, he got up, slipped his heels on, and picked up his blazer. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight, then,¡± he said, watching as Percival headed over to his desk naked.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss it,¡± he replied with a grin.

    He then left the room and let out a deep sigh before grinning victoriously. Not only would Percival help him make Abbot feel the same pain of betrayal that he¡¯d felt, but he might also be able to help him understand the treaty with Myrefall some more, which he planned to use to tear the Count down. He wouldn¡¯t be able to ask his questions until tonight, though, so for now, it was probably best that he got some rest. He had a long night ahead of him.