Page 52 of The Night Prince 6

Oh yes, but it was amazing how many of them weren’t virginal! Vex tittered. Of course, that just made it much better for me, but it made their parents liars and the gifts allegedly worthless so…

So? Declan guessed that sending the Night King a “worthless” gift was a very bad idea.

Well, the great Night King does not accept sub-optimal gifts… without consequences, that is, Vex said dryly.

Please tell me that you didn’t kill them. Declan grimaced.

He imagined that those young people had no choice but to agree to be tribute, because likely telling their parents they weren’t virginal would have dire consequences for some of them anyways. He didn’t ask how Vex knew about their lack of virginal status. Magic. It had to be magic.

Only occasionally. But not as a matter of course! I assure you it was all very fact-based, his father said, which did not assure him at all.

I just can’t even–

Then there were the people who actually sacrificed their children to me. The sex was far better, Vex admitted.

Sacrifice? Declan’s mind-voice rose up.

Not at my bequest! I mean what am I going to do with a dead corpse? His father sounded vaguely annoyed about it. That might be something Finley could use, but I need the blood when it’s still pumping and–

Father, Declan cut in, maybe we could discuss this another time? A more appropriate time?

But I’m sharing! We’re sharing!

Yes, but… there’s a time and a place regarding that kind of sharing–

You want us to be open and honest with one another and here we are doing just that, Vex enthused. He swatted Cynda’s butt as they neared what appeared to be an ancient Airstream that had been turned into a permanent home. And we’ll share so much more soon.

No, no, I don’t want that, Declan protested. You have sex with–with those two and I will make love–

Love?! Ooooh, my Rahven is a romantic! Vex chuckled.

Declan stilled. You know it could never be anything else for me, right? I mean we’ve talked about this before, but it’s not just a matter of semantics. Not for me. I… I’m just not built that way.

This was him being open and honest. He likely should tell Aquilan this. But his feelings were his own. If Aquilan didn’t return them or feel the exact same way that was all right. This was how it was for him. He couldn’t help it. He wouldn’t change it.

A silence. Yes, Rahven. I do. Did his father sound sympathetic? And that… worries me.

Why? It’s love so–

You know why.

Again, the thought that he was a bartender and Aquilan was a king flashed before his mind’s eye. Just like when Vulre would call him jadir, he could easily imagine the equivalent of that on people’s lips as they saw him and Aquilan together. There had been the faintest taste of it when they’d said goodbye to Rohannan and his boys.

But now you can crush your enemies so you won’t have to take it silently and with gritted teeth. Make them eat their words. Or, better yet, quail in terror and say nothing at all, his father murmured as he took the two steps up into the converted Airstream, chasing after a squealing Cynda. Hank eagerly chased after the two of them. But that, of course, would reveal that you are not a human bartender so… dilemma!

I’m not going to think of that now, Declan said firmly.

No, you best not, but just know that there are consequences to going through with this.

Vex now had the two “helpless” humans on the full bed that filled the entirety of the front nose of the Airstream likely. Both were looking eagerly up at his father who was shedding clothes like a tree sheds leaves in a cool fall breeze.

You put this bed and shield out here, I’ll remind you. Declan lifted an eyebrow. So you must want those consequences.

I want you to be happy and there’s no chance for happiness for you without him. That’s right, isn’t it?

Declan hung his head. Yes.

So… I give you this. What you do with it… well, we shall see.