When Mirceo rubbed his chest, comprehension dawned for Cas. "There's nothing I can say to calm your thundering heart right now, is there?"
The vampire remained silent. His color was pasty, his face waxen.
Cas felt like he could hold Mirceo here, guilting him into staying. But if he doesn't want me . . . if he needs to flee so badly he looks sick . . . "So now you're done with me? On to the next conquest? I'll be the latest in a long line, one among all the ruined souls you left in your wake." Grief seeped into him. "Do you even care that the people you bed begin to dream?" Damn it, I began to dream of our future! "Just as I predicted, you've lost interest."
Mirceo paced, sweating even more. "I-I haven't lost interest in you."
Ah, so the greedy prince wanted Caspion--and others. Perhaps he'd always planned for that, carrying on the lifestyle they'd had before, but sharing a bed as well. "You mentioned secrets, leech. You might as well clear the air completely."
He shook his head hard. "Don't think that's a good idea."
Now Cas definitely had to hear whatever Mirceo concealed. He traced in front of him, prodding the vampire's chest. "Tell me."
Mirceo stumbled backward until he met the wall. "M-my thoughts aren't right." Agitation and confusion warred in his expression. He swallowed loudly. "We should talk later--"
"NOW."
Gaze darting, Mirceo blurted, "I paid those three nymphs to manipulate us into kissing."
"What???" That night had rerouted the course of Cas's entire life!
Mirceo's eyes widened, as if he'd never intended to say those words. He muttered a vile curse in Dacian.
"You set me up?" Cas's hand had been forced yet again by this devious vampire. Taking away my choice! His fists clenched. "You fucking child. You played with my life. With my mind."
"I-I did. I regret my actions, but I admit them."
"You're telling me this to force me to leave. Because you're too big of a coward to walk away! Guess what? It's working--"
"No!" Mirceo traced to the room's wastebasket. Dropping to his knees, he vomited blood.
Cas's first impulse was to care for his mate--which infuriated him even more. "Look at you! Your body's told us all we need to know."
Mirceo swiped his arm over his mouth, then rose unsteadily to his feet.
Resentment seethed inside Cas. He burned to share his new pain, to make the vampire feel a fraction of this agony. "Before I go, there's something you should know. I lied too, leech. You did have much to do with my stay on Poly. I suspected we had some tie, but I didn't want it. I didn't want you. I preferred to remain in that godsforsaken wasteland than be with you. Makes sense--my instincts were trying to protect me from a spoiled, degenerate princeling with no purpose, no resolve, and no fortitude."
Mirceo's expression grew stricken. Pressing his arm over his mouth, he fled, tracing away.
Cas gazed around the room, disbelieving he was alone. Then he threw back his head and roared.
THIRTY-ONE
As Mirceo paced the rooms in his clifftop villa, time seemed to move in fast-forward.
The sun set. Night fell. Dawn appeared, only to intensify into noon. Dusk tiptoed in with the nearly full moon.
All the while he questioned his actions, his sanity. The panic only grew, as did that sense that he was missing some huge detail that should be foremost in his mind. Yet now these feelings competed with anguish over the estrangement from his mate.
He kept gazing around, as if Caspion would trace into this room, a hero to be worshipped, to save Mirceo from his own wretchedness. From his stupidity. His weakness.
Within minutes of their fight, Mirceo had been tempted to trace to the bungalow, but he'd feared he would just prove the demon's points. You said I have no fortitude--behold! Resolve? Not here, lover.
He scowled at his arm when that pain flared again. Maybe Mirceo was just losing his mind. He raised his flask, attempting to sip a concoction that was more mead than blood.
Damn it, he didn't want others, didn't want to move on to the next conquest. He wanted to tease and conquer Caspion every day and night for the rest of their lives.
So why hadn't Mirceo told him that? Because I'm my own worst enemy. Caspion had known that about Mirceo. Why didn't I know it?
Hours had passed into days, but Mirceo had gotten no closer to deciphering his feelings. He needed Caspion to help him. The demon was a brilliant male. If they worked together, they could come up with a solution. Mirceo believed in Caspion--even if the reverse wasn't true.
Would the demon even take him back? A degenerate princeling . . . ?
Deciding to beseech Caspion's forgiveness and help, Mirceo traced to the bungalow. Please. I will try harder. I will do better. Don't give up on me.
Caspion wasn't there. So Mirceo waited.
And waited. In those maddening hours, he haunted his mate's home like a ghost.
Inhaling the demon's scent on a pillow.
Staring at the blankets Caspion had strung up over the windows.
Gazing out at the shore where the demon had risen like a god.
Mirceo brushed his fingertips over the holes in the wall, murmuring, "I've caused him so much pain."
Caspion's words kept ringing in his ears: You are your own worst enemy. . . .
_______
Two days had passed, but Caspion never returned.
Unable to remain still any longer, Mirceo traced to the Red Flag, heading to the bar.
"Have you seen Caspion?" he asked Leyak.
The demon frowned. "You look terrible, vampire. Bad breakup, huh?"
The barkeep hadn't been referencing a hunting partnership. "How could you tell we were together?"
"Looked like an invisible leash tied you two."
And then Mirceo had severed it. "Has he been in here?"
"Oh, aye. Looked worse than you do. Took a job in another dimension. A real dangerous one."
Nausea roiled. "I should be with him! Tell me where he is."
"Sorry, son. I can't do that. Caspion said you . . . played with him."
"Not intentionally! I didn't se
t out to hurt him. I acted like an idiot." He swiped his hand over his clammy face. "Please tell me where he is, Leyak. I can keep him safe. No one can protect him like I will. I need to be with my mate."
The demon shook his head. "I don't want you running after him, distracting him and getting him killed."
Maybe Mirceo should kidnap the barkeep and torture him for Caspion's location. Of course! But then he recalled his mate's memories of this demon. Leyak had always been kind and encouraging to Caspion, the first ever to take an interest in his wellbeing. You stalked that trail like a Caspion tiger, son!
Damn it! No torture, then.
Mirceo's gaze snapped to the wall. He remembered many of the posted jobs. Maybe he could determine which ones were missing.
The next-most-lucrative bounty was still in play. Below the painted image of a pretty, pointed-eared female were the details:
REWARD:
Wanted alive!
Name: Unknown
Species: Fey
Hair: Long, light brown
Eyes: One amber, one violet
Height: 5'4"
Reward: A queen's ransom in gold
Offered by King Abyssian Infernas, ruler of Pandemonia and All Hells
A few posters were conspicuously missing, and Mirceo recalled the details of them as best he could. He'd go to the location of each one. I will hunt the hunter. . . .
_______
A week had passed, and Mirceo was no closer to finding Caspion.
There were only so many more places he could be. Mirceo returned to the tavern, hoping the barkeep would take pity on him and reveal Caspion's whereabouts.
Leyak should pity him. Mirceo's clothes hung off his gaunt frame. His skin was deathly pale. Earlier, he'd forced himself to drink, but the blood hadn't made a dent in his deficit.
As he headed to the bar, Mirceo passed the bounty wall. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a poster that made his head jerk around.
Cold fear snatched his heart. His never-ending panic morphed into a deafening roar that burst from his lungs. His invisible arm injury flared, his legs buckling. On his knees, he vomited blood all over the floor.
This. I sensed THIS.
Unable to process what was happening, he somehow managed to trace to Castle Dacia. Caspion, I need you! Gods, I need my mate. Inside the black-stone throne room, diamond-filtered sunlight beamed in through stained-glass windows. Upon a raised dais, Lothaire sat in his throne, Elizabeth close beside him in her own.