He stares out of the window of this familiar house onto the strange landscape before him. They have been here in the Underworld for a few weeks now, but it still seems strange to him. Constantine insisted they move here after Liv had declared this was where she wanted to be, even though she still isn’t with them. He hates being here without her. Everything is quiet and tense and he is feeling weaker by the day. He is trying not to show it, but he thinks Devon can see it.
“Hey,” he says quietly as Devon stands next to him.
“It’s like a fucking mausoleum around here,” Devon grumbles.
“It feels like she’s died,” Cole says miserably. “For all we know, she is dead.”
“Doubtful. I’d know,” Devon says cockily, and Cole has a flare of resentment for his arrogance. “You should get some rest,” he adds.
“No. I want to be here when she returns,” Cole replies, even knowing as he says it, she won’t be coming back today. It’s late and he just knows it somehow. “How did this happen?” he whispers for the millionth time and Devon shrugs.
“I wish I knew,” he says. “It doesn’t seem like her to go off and sleep with him. She hates him.”
“Or so we thought,” Cole says bitterly. “Clearly her feelings for him aren’t what we thought.”
“We don’t know that,” De
von says, biting his lip.
“No,” Cole says, shaking his head. “Please don’t say what you are thinking. I don’t think I could bear it if that had happened to her again, and I couldn’t protect her…again.”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Devon says.
“What makes sense?” Constantine asks as he lifts his head from his plotting, long enough to overhear what they are saying.
“Nothing,” Cole chokes out.
“That he took her by force. It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Devon states.
“Enough!” Constantine snaps. “We don’t know what happened and right now it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is getting her home. Where is Xane? Has anyone seen him? He was supposed to be back here by now.”
Cole and Devon both shake their heads. Cole is getting weary and he sidles across to the sofa to sit down heavily. Devon watches him with pity, and it infuriates him. He hates being so young and weak while Devon is so strong. It is just another reminder that he has known their sire so much longer.
“You should feed,” Devon says.
“I’m fine,” Cole growls at him, wishing that his sire was here for him to feed from.
Devon sits next to him and holds his wrist out. “Take what you need,” he says.
Cole looks up at him hesitantly. He has never fed from another Vampire before, except for Liv. “How will that help?” he asks.
“What? Not good enough for you?” Devon asks him with a slight smirk.
“No, I mean Vampire blood is weaker than human blood. If that isn’t helping, then…” Cole trails off, embarrassed.
“You need something close to your sire’s blood. Our sire’s blood, and short of Constantine offering…” He, too, trails off with a pointed look at Constantine, who just sneers at him and goes back to his plotting. “Try it,” he says.
Cole takes his wrist and with his eyes closed, he drops his fangs and takes a bite out of his sibling. He hears Devon breathe in deeply and clench his fist and the blood gushes into his mouth. Oh God, but he tastes just like his sire does. Like cherries. He remembers that from the taste of Devon he got in Liv’s mouth at Lance’s Castle. To his sheer mortification, he lets out a little moan and then hurriedly snaps his fangs back before Devon gets the wrong idea and punches his lights out. He opens his eyes to find Devon watching him with a strange look on his face and he blurts out, “Sorry, you taste like her.”
“So, I’ve been told,” Devon murmurs and takes his arm back. “How do you feel?”
Cole takes a moment to assess himself. He still feels lonely and he has this void inside of him that he can’t fill, but he feels a little bit stronger. Not much, but it is noticeable. He wonders how long it will last. He isn’t so sure Devon will offer again based on today’s performance. “Better,” he says. “Thanks.”
“No worries,” Devon says, quickly standing up and moving to the other side of the room.
Cole looks back to ask Constantine a question and he is surprised to find him watching them. He looks like he wants to ask something about what just happened, but “the gods” forbid he should admit to not knowing something about the race he created. Instead, he clears his throat and Xane chooses that moment to pop back in.
“About bloody time,” Constantine grumbles. “Where have you been?”