A Vampire's Guide To Summoning Demons (BL)

The journey resumed once more, the fast, comfortable carriage heading for the boundary between Mistfall and Alderth. It was the second day since the Incubus had been summoned, and he couldn’t look more at home.

Ruoxi stared out the window with genuine interest, briefly watching the lives of humans go by. When he had gotten his fill of staring, he turned to Dulce, who had taken up reading again.

He inched closer and leaned over, curious. "Are books so interesting?" He asked, peeking into the book. The pages were filled with dense lines of letters, it couldn’t be more boring.

Dulce thought about it, he wasn’t a fanatic reader, he had just done it to pass the endless hours of the night and had somehow built a habit out of it. While reading, the time passed faster, and it gave him something to do as well, so he stuck to it.

"Not really," He admitted, he had been reading a book on pet care, and it held absolutely no useful information. It had simply been written by an author obsessed with their cat, who went into depth about the care and worship of the animal.

But he was used to going decades without speaking to other people, so books were the only companions he had.

"I’ve always been curious," Ruoxi went on when the Vampire put his book away, "You’re unaffected by the sun."

Dulce glanced down, the curtains were opened so sunlight filled the interior of the carriage, infusing his pale skin with a gentle glow. "I am. I don’t know why," He hurried to explain, "I’ve always been this way."

Ruoxi wore a thoughtful look, "Are you not curious why?"

Dulce’s brows furrowed, then he frowned, "I’ve never been able to find out."

Ruoxi didn’t push, picking up on the Vampire’s discomfort. Perhaps a day ago, he might have ignored it and kept questioning the other... he looked past Dulce to the world outside. He thought all the emotions he could hold had withered off, but it was difficult not to feel guilt when faced with this strange Vampire.

It was like being unfair to a pleasant child - it was distressing. "How old are you, Dulce?" He changed the conversation. "Have you been to many places?"

The light came back into the Vampire’s eyes, his book discarded to the side, "I’ve been alive for over two millenia but I can’t remember much of it." He scratched his hair, "But before I came to the west, I used to stay in the hot deserts of the east."

Ruoxi propped his elbow against the compartment attached to the carriage door, listening intently. "That sounds uncomfortable." He noted without judgment.

"The sun’s strength was rather pleasant, and most Vampires couldn’t stay there, it was a peaceful place." Dulce sighed like he was reminiscing.

"Then why did you leave? You seemed to like it quite a bit."

"It was lonely," He made a face, "Being alone in a palace in the heart of a sprawling desert. I had been there so long I had forgotten how I got there."

The other two in the carriage had been listening despite themselves. Kath’tan had been the only one to see the quiet, unassuming life the Vampire lived in Dewmire, yet the image of him in a desert palace didn’t strike him as completely odd.

Asael glanced at the Incubus, unable to fully understand him. The Incubus seemed to be convinced that there was more to the Vampire, Asael could understand why, but it was more that something terrible had made him lose most of his memories. And with his aversion to Vampires, he wouldn’t be surprised if the parasites had a hand in it.

But he couldn’t understand why Ruoxi kept prying, the truth was an uncertainty, and uncertainty brought danger.

"Do your memories stop at the desert palace?" He spoke up. It wasn’t quite out of curiosity because he was never going to see the palace, it was more to muddy the waters.

Ruoxi might not be dangerous, but the Incubus’ smiling eyes were empty, and the Vampire was foolish enough to keep giving. The Incubus would take as much as he needed and then some more, but those pits were depthless.

Dulce frowned, thinking so hard that lines appeared on his brows, "I-I think so?"

"Then you naturally have to return." Kath’tan said with confidence. "Perhaps it’ll cure your foolishness."

Dulce gave a sheepish smile in response, but he didn’t acknowledge the suggestion, distant silver blue eyes drifting out of the window. He should be curious about his forgotten memories, and yet he wasn’t, although it most likely held the answers to why he was different.

"Perhaps in the future," He said flippantly, "Right now, I’m far too occupied."

Kath’tan parted his lips and shut them again, he had been about to ask if Dulce’s past was far more important than getting his summons undone, but he kept quiet because he already knew what the foolish Vampire would say.

He was seated across the shameless Incubus, looking out of place in human fashion. Unlike the others who tied their cravats neatly, overcoats buttoned, he had used his cravat to tie back his hair.

Fiends simply ran hotter, so having buttons up to his neck and then adding an elaborate scarf was suffocating. His buttons were undone, on his coat and on his dress shirt, revealing a swathe of dark red skin much like his previous clothes had.

The carriage came to a stop late at night, the huffing horses exhausted from their long trek. They still hadn’t gotten to the boundary, needing to cross a few more towns before that was achieved.

They were out of the capital now, in a trading town. Inns were in surplus here, so finding lodgings was rather easy.

Dulce came down to speak to the coachmen as soon as the carriage came to a stop.

"Is something the matter, your Lordship?" One of the coachmen asked, his title said with reverence.

"Just a little thing," He mumbled, self-conscious. "You don’t need to book several rooms, a single room will suffice." He informed them, reminded of the events of the night before.

The coachman saluted, "Very well."

They were aware of the otherworldly creatures they ferried, but the pay was fantastic, so even though neither of them could clearly see the Demons, they paid no mind to it.