“You spoil her way too much.” Seyurn said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Nikoli laughed and turned to look at his oldest friend. Seyurn had been one of the many boys that were captured during his first raid with his father. When Nikoli’s father learned of his fascination with Seyurn, he decided to give him to Nikoli as a gift, while his father kept the rest of the family. He still remembered looking into, what he believed small eyes, in fascination and wonder. It was pure luck that Seyurn’s father was a Shaman of his small village, and when his father placed them under his protection, they became assets to the Alastor family. When Nikoli was disowned Seyurn’s father encouraged him to follow, saying that his future lied with Nikoli. Seyurn has been a friend and companion for centuries. Nikoli was there during the hard times of Seyurn’s life and when he became a bulmyeol-ui (immortal).

“My old friend, if you had someone like Carolina you would spoil her too.”

“The pussy can’t be that good,” he mumbled.

“My dear friend, you are the only one who could get away with that kind of language when it comes to my Carolina.”

“Yes, I know.”

Nikoli shook his head. “One day, I will rip your throat out.”

Seyurn rolled his eyes, “Will that before or after you get what you need from me?”

Nikoli put his hands in his pockets and sighed. “What have I done to anger you?”

“Your incompetence is what angers me!” Seyurn yelled. “Kendra should’ve been killed before the first World War! Yet here we are centuries later and I’m having a vision of her confronting Carolina!”

Nikoli stepped towards Seyurn. “What do you mean?”

“Oh? That got your attention? Well, my incompetent friend your ex-girlfriend may end up killing your ‘beloved’.”

“What are you talking about Seyurn?”

Nikoli watched Seyurn run his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Kendra, she was your first.”

“I remember,” Nikoli said as he became agitated.

“She was your first fuck up, Nikoli.” Seyurn reminded him as he began pacing back and forth with his hands laced on the back of his neck. Nikoli knew that it must be bad; he had only seen Seyurn pace two times in his entire life which was when he decided his fate and when he experienced his first betrayal. “The first person you turned into a vampire and it didn’t work because she almost took out an entire country to prove her loyalty. She’s bat shit crazy.”

“What does this have to do with Carolina?”

Seyurn stopped pacing, removed his hands from his neck and faced Nikoli. “Did you forget that you told Carolina that she was the only one you’ve ever been with?”

Nikoli rolled his eyes, “Well, not sexually but mentality.”

“You’re an idiot.” Seyurn simply said.

“What? It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters, Nikoli. You bitch and moan when she lies to you but when it comes to your lying she accepts it.”

“What the hell are you talking about Seyurn? How does this help me protect Carolina?”

“Kendra wants you. When she finds out that you’ve found your ‘beloved’ she will come and rip out Carolina’s throat!”

“Keep your damn voice down! Did you forget that Carolina’s upstairs?”

Seyurn shook his head, “This is bad. You need to tell Carolina and not after you get a piece of ass because I know you.”

Nikoli lowered his gaze to the ground. “She doesn’t need to know.”

“Nikoli! Do you hear yourself?! You’re considering letting Carolina be completely oblivious to what’s going on…just so you can get a piece of ass.”

“She’s not some piece of ass,” Nikoli said as he began getting angrier at Seyurn.

“Are you sure? You’re treating Carolina as if she’s some common whore.”

Nikoli grabbed Seyurn’s throat, “Don’t think for one second that I will not kill you. I think that Carolina shouldn’t be alarmed with the news of a past fuck. Kendra will not lay one finger on my beloved Carolina and you will keep your mouth shut. Carolina will not find out about Kendra.”

“Too late.”

Nikoli dropped Seyurn who fell to the ground gasping for air. “How long have you been standing there?”

“I can’t believe that I was dumb enough to believe that I was your first.” Carolina laughed.

“Stop it,” Nikoli warned.

“What else have you been keeping from me?  Do you really love me or do you really see me as a piece of—”

 “Enough!” Nikoli yelled as he turned to face her. His heart clenched as he took in her small nightgown that showed off her curves. “Go to the bedroom and wait for me.”

“NO! I’m tired of you keep things from me. What else have you been keeping from me?”

“I haven’t been keeping anything from you.”

“Who is Kendra?”

“Who is Kendra?” Nikoli repeated. He watched as Carolina stood in his favorite night gown but instead of the seductive smile she wore it was replaced with a deep frown. “I don’t know who Kendra is.”

He watched as she walked past him and helped Seyurn off of the ground. She placed her hands on his cheeks, “Do you need some water?”

“Yes, please.” Seyurn softly answered.

Nikoli eyed Carolina’s movements and knew that she was beyond angry. In the past few decades he started to pick up on Carolina’s moods. “Seyurn can get his own water.” 

Carolina faced his so suddenly that it startled him, “Don’t you dare! Nikoli, you need to stop this! Don’t take your anger out on Seyurn because you got caught in a lie.”

“What lie? I didn’t lie.”

“Nikoli, what if I lied about being a virgin?”

“But you were.”

“How would you know?”

“I know! I smelled blood and saw it the next morning!”

“I could’ve just pricked my finger and then smeared some on the sheet once you fell asleep.”

Nikoli felt his body start to lose control, “You wouldn’t dare. You were a virgin when I took you.”

“Was I really, Nikoli?”

For the first time in decades, Nikoli felt his control slip. One minute he was standing in front of Carolina and the next Carolina’s back was against the wall. He felt his eyes burn, a sign that they had changed red, and tightened his hand around Carolina’s throat.

“Nikoli, you’re hurting her.” Seyurn stated.

Carolina slid to the ground coughing violently and trying to gasp for air at the same time. Nikoli couldn’t look at her and continued staring at the white wall. “I don’t think it’s best for you to stay here.”

“Neither do I.” she said while rubbing her throat.