It seemed that even here, on the edge of the empire, Wei Caihong’s post had always been shaky. The noble had moved in with Nikola and the order for him to leave the palace came faster than the furniture from his estate in the capital. And to think that the order for the furniture had been send a whole week before the letter of resignation.

Nikola enjoyed having a bed again. And chairs. The furniture, all in a dark wood, fit well with the whole feel of the house. Nikola still bought some things from the local carpenter. The fresh wood was in stark contrast with the older pieces of furniture and yet it all fit together somehow. He hosted a party, late at night so that Wei Caihong could go outside if he needed, and invited all of his new neighbors as well as granny Nuo Nuying who managed to extract from him the promise that he would still come and help her sell the steamed buns in the morning. She had tried to talk him into dancing as well but Wei Caihong had been hovering over Nikola’s shoulder the whole time and he set his foot down. Refusing for anyone else to be seduced by Nikola’s dancing.

The general opinion was that this was a love story coming straight out of a poem. The lost prince of a barbaric land, and that was how everyone regarded Nikola, not having forgotten that he came decked in gold, finds the noble magistrate who has fallen from grace. The magistrate has a bad reputation but the lost prince melts his heart and he forgets all about his own foulness. This silly story, which circulated around the village, gave hope to many women that they could do the same as Nikola. Nikola pitied their naivety.

“What are you thinking of again?” Asked Wei Caihong from his place down on the ground, slowly drawing symbols on the wooden floor.

“That the villagers are rather childlike. Just yesterday a young girl asked me how to turn the troublemaker of the village into an upstanding citizen. I told her not to bother but she kept insisting he was of a good family and that made him a good match.”

Wei Caihong snorted at that and he squeezed the wound on his wrist so more dark blood could drip out.

“You should have told her to sleep with him. It worked for me.” Nikola kept dusting the counter. There was a closed sign on the shop so he didn’t know why he bothered. Still, it was good to have something to do.

“Can you come over here and check if I’m writing what you showed me or nonsense?” Nikola sighed. The drawing was right next to Wei Caihong and yet the man used any excuse he could to get Nikola to be close to him. Still, he went to him and then took the brush from his hand and curved one of the symbols a little.

“I swear; you are doing this on purpose.” Said Nikola as he inspected the rest of the symbols. He corrected mistakes as he went. It was important that the one who was going to perform the ritual paint the symbols but if Nikola left them like this then Wei Caihong would be left without toes as well as get boils on his ass. “There. All done. Have you worked on your chant?”

Wei Caihong rolled his eyes and begun to chant in perfect Sumerian. Nikola had found early on that making all of the rituals in the language of the angels was taxing. Using Atlantean was almost as much and so he kept it for more of his power heavy rituals. But for something as simple as finding a teleportation point? Why, Sumerian was enough. And since the Abyss was somewhere among the stars this language, sipped with mystery and the occult, was perfect for the task. Wei Caihong grinned for a second and then his face fell. And so, did he a few seconds afterwards.

“What is it? What did you see?” Nikola couldn’t hold back his excitement. Had Wei Caihong seen Penemue there?

“I nearly died! I felt like the life was being squeezed out of me and I was merely at the borders of the Abyss. Not even there in truth. I am not going there!” Golden chains made of light appeared around Wei Caihong and begun to choke him. He tugged at them but they burned his hand. He stared at Nikola who regarded him with anger.

“I’ll die if I return. Have mercy, my Emerald. We can get him out some other way. Maybe create a portal for him instead?” The chains disappeared just as they have appeared and Nikola’s face softened.

“I can’t ask you to lay down your life.” He said, although he looked like he wanted to ask just that of the noble. “But a portal would require many tributes. And even then, that stubborn mule Penemue could refuse to cross it.”

“I know where he is now and how to get to him.” Said Wei Caihong quickly and when no chains appeared, he continued. “And there is a bandit group in the mountains. We can use them. But for us to travel that far I’ll need to walk into the sunlight…”

Nikola massaged his temples. He had forgotten about this, so used to the noble being self-sufficient and not leaving the house. He wracked his brain for the legend of the original Lamia. She had insomnia, but he didn’t remember her ever fearing the sun. Something had to change in Wei Caihong’s curse for this to work.

“We need to speak with Azazel.” It left a sour taste in his mouth, for he could already hear what the fallen angel would demand of him, but it needed to be done.

Hello there, your imperial pratness! Came Azazel’s voice inside Nikola’s head. Missed me?

Like I would a wart. Lamia didn’t have a sunlight problem. How does Wei Caihong get rid of his?

Azazel hummed deep in his throat and Nikola wanted to throttle the angel.

I want out of here. When you pull out lover boy you will make the portal big enough for two. The rest are wimps who were only in it for the women. But I have plans, my dear student.

Penemue never liked it when Nikola played into Azazel’s hands but right now it wasn’t the time to think on what his lover approved or no. Nikola needed help and Wei Caihong, with his newfound strength from the curse, would be the perfect assistant.

Fine. Now how do I get rid of Wei Caihong’s problem?

Oh, it’s simple. You have to drink from his blood until he nearly dies. Then you need to let him drink you actually dry. No chanting, no carvings. Just good old fashioned blood drinking.

What’s the catch?

Azazel laughed cruelly at that and Nikola gulped.

You might become a little bit addicted to his blood. You won’t die without it but you will need it desperately. For all intense and purposes, you will become obsessed with the thought of his blood. I don’t know how you’ll manage a threesome but once you drink from my champion you won’t be able to let him go.

Penemue was going to be livid if this happened. It was one thing to allow your lover an affair when you choose to abandon him. Another to allow the lover to remain once you get back. Nikola took a good look at Wei Caihong and tried to imagine him with Penemue. Would the angel prefer the cursed being and set Nikola aside? Letting him tag along but never giving him any affection? But no! Penemue wouldn’t do this to him. And Nikola couldn’t wait another nine hundred years.

Deal. Do I need to look out for something in particular when I make the portal? Or can it be done any time?

Well, you are the expert. If your calculation say you can get us out without having to stare at the sky, then it can happen. You were thought by the best and you made many spells that we can’t even begin to understand. Now, off with you.

This was the closest to a praise he had ever gotten from Azazel. He fought hard to get the bad feeling in his stomach in control and he went to Wei Caihong.

“You listened in, didn’t you?” He said as he knelt and he was immediately pulled into the noble’s lap.

“I have missed the sun.” He said and Nikola nuzzled Wei Caihong’s neck and opened his mouth. He bit down as gently as he could but Wei Caihong still inhaled sharply. Then Nikola begun to drink. Had he ever taken from the noble’s blood? He didn’t know. But he knew now that it was sweet as syrup and going easily pass his lips. He felt a gentle hand hold the back of his head and then there were fangs in his neck. They stood like that, robes, his silk ones and Nikola’s cotton ones, pooling together. Hands roaming over each other’s bodies. High on the feeling of blood loss and the taste of each other’s blood. Nikola moaned into the bite when he felt Wei Caihong’s member poking his behind.

Wei Caihong didn’t let go of Nikola as he lowered him down and begun to disrobe him. Nikola wrapped his legs around the noble and breathed heavily as the man begun rutting against him. He couldn’t take any more blood. His teeth let go of Wei Caihong but the man wasn’t letting go of him. He was getting rid of their underwear and already Nikola could feel a finger slide in and out of his prostate. Throwing his head back he moaned loudly and for the first time it wasn’t Penemue’s name on his lips. Wei Caihong stopped abruptly and dislodged himself from Nikola. He was smiling and his eyes were twinkling and Nikola couldn’t help but be infected with his joy.

“You finally moaned my name.” Said the noble breathlessly.

“I guess I did.” And Nikola was blushing, darn it all. Legs still wrapped around Wei Caihong and hair pooling to the floor behind him. He would have cut it long ago if the fashion of this land didn’t demand otherwise.

“You are so beautiful, my Emerald. I will never leave you.”

That calmed Nikola. He didn’t like thinking like this but even if Penemue in his rage refused to share Nikola’s bed he wouldn’t be left alone. Just when had he begun to think of Wei Caihong as a companion?

“You’re everything I need. I will never hurt you.” Continued the noble as he peppered Nikola with kisses. Nikola chuckled and pressed his nose to Wei Caihong’s.

“Can you make this work even when Penemue enters the picture?” He asked and he dared to hope that the man would say yes. Wei Caihong’s fingers were back inside of Nikola and he was moving them with more urgency.

“It hurts me when you talk of him.” Said the noble and then he angled his fingers in such a way that he found Nikola’s sweet spot. He was rewarded by hearing his name again between heavy pants and gasps for breath. “But I’ll do anything for you. I’ll even share you. I don’t know if he would agree to do the same.”

“I’ll beg him on my knees.” Nikola was close, he could feel it. He needed Wei Caihong to stop playing with him and enter him already. He needed release so bad it hurt. Just as he thought it he was raised a little and he felt the other man’s thick member at his entrance. “Take me already and keep drinking!” Commanded Nikola and he wasn’t disappointed when Wei Caihong did as he was told.

Lazy kisses followed the desperate movements of before. Wei Caihong had always been careful with him, but now he was almost tender. Nikola feared what a look in his future might show him. So, he remained ignorant.

“We need to get dressed and test if you can go into the light now before the sun sets.” Said Nikola and he tried to get up but he was pulled back down. Wei Caihong took his hand and kissed each of his fingers before beginning to trail kisses up the length of the arm. “We don’t have time for this now.” Said Nikola as Wei Caihong finally reached his neck, licking the spot from which he had drunk from.

“But afterwards we can continue?” A kiss was placed over the bite marks and Nikola sighed.

“I have to teach you something you want to learn in exchange for you doing the Abyss finding ritual. It’s our deal, remember?”

Wei Caihong’s groan made Nikola laugh. Just when did the man begun to appreciate sex with Nikola more than his knowledge? He got up finally, although his hand was in Wei Caihong’s grip. Fingers entwined together. Opening the door, he left first and slowly tugged his lover into the brightness. Wei Caihong used his free hand to shield his eyes but then he pulled it away and he laughed.

“It’s so warm outside.” They were in the front garden. Protected from their neighbor’s sight by the tall walls surrounding the house. Like a parody of Adam and Eve. Nikola wondered which one of them was Adam and who was Eve in this moment. Maybe he was Eve, for he had knowledge and he was shearing it with Wei Caihong. And Azazel was the serpent. Nikola imagined him slithering on the ground, apple in his jaw, and shuddered.

“Are you cold?” Wei Caihong’s concern was evident. Nikola’s eyes soften despite himself and he raised the hand he was still holding to his lips and gave it a kiss.

“No, I imagined Azazel crawling on the ground. Trying to tempt us with power and knowledge.”

“Why would he crawl? Can’t he walk?”

“Nothing. I just imagined him as the serpent of the Garden of Eden.”

“You have strange knowledge.” And Wei Caihong was leading them back inside. Nikola stared at the mess. Blood and semen splattered floor right in the middle of the shop. Guess he wouldn’t be opening it this week after all. He had been making knickknacks with magic as of late. Vases of porcelain with golden edges, knifes and daggers with runes on them that made them always sharp and protected them from rust. He had many weapons made now but he still kept making more. He wanted to gift the best sword or dagger or what have you to Wei Caihong. He had already gifted Penemue his sword many centuries ago. His masterwork. Grafted when he took over the dangerous jungles in a continent far away. Made from a metal extracted from a meteorite he had had the merfolk bring him from the bottom of the ocean. He wondered what the savage and human sacrificing jungle people did now. He had tried to bring civilization to them and yet they remained naked and willful. Maybe he would visit them some day. With a book in hand rather than a sword, words of peace on his lips.

He sighed. He should have visited all the nations like this. When he started conquering the world the age of plenty for Atlantis ended. There was still enough food to go around but the men left their families to fight in campaigns against nations which couldn’t even cross the ocean to fight back. China had nearly reached Atlantis once. But Nikola had cast a spell, murdering a hundred infants, to clock the island with protection magic. It was not something he was proud of. He could still hear the cries of the mothers outside the temple of Tangra as they begged him to return their children.

There had been insurrections then. The Nephilim barely keeping order. And once the bloody deed was done and the corpses of the newborn babes were given to the pyre the spell had taken effect and Nikola remembered taking his heir apparent at the time, his granddaughter Petrana, and telling her that if she ever wanted the throne, she needed to be ready to do the same. She had taken off her tiara and thrown it in the pyre of the babes. Nikola named a new heir the same day. But didn’t end up leaving the man the crown either.

Shaking his head to clear it from the memories he looked towards the skies. He could vow to do better. But that would be a lie. The bandits might be villains but who was he to decide if they died or not? What of the servant whose heart he ate in another ritual? If he ever died, then he would be dragged to the deepest and hottest region of Hell. And even that won’t be enough for him.

They had a bath with cold water, too lazy to heat it up themselves. He might accidently boil them alive if he started heating the water and then fell asleep. Afterwards Nikola went and got on his knees to scrub the symbol from the center of the shop. He never allowed his servants to help with this part back at home. There was always residual magic left in the markings and he didn’t want them to get hurt just because he was lazy. He had learned this lesson the hard way in the first days of his reign as emperor. A pregnant servant went into labor on the ritual circle and gave birth to a deformed thing, dying soon after. He burned mother and child himself and placed their ashes on his shrine in his room so that he could always remember that magic was dangerous.

Cleaning a ritual circle had to be done by hand. No magic used. Magic didn’t mix well together. He did use spells to clean normal messes, thou. As he scrubbed a foul scent reached his nose. He looked down and saw that his fingers were charred black and something was oozing out of them. He sighed and soldiered through the pain. This was nothing. He’ll heal or regenerate but this mess needed to be cleaned and if he let Wei Caihong do it then he would be in agony for days afterwards. Nikola’s stomach twisted into knots with the thought of the noble suffering and he begun to scrub harder.

Splashing some saltwater on the floor where there was no longer a trace of the circle Nikola looked down at his hands again. They were not worth the magic for a healing chant. He could see his finger bones, his skin having completely fallen off. He picked one of the new blades he made and then used magic to have it hover over his hand. He had done this before, more than once. He could do it again. The cleaver came down on his hand hard and it fell off. Then Nikola extended his other hand and repeated the action.

Using a water incantation, he gathered the blood into a vase and watched in fascination as bone begun to appear from the cut off places. Then veins and finally flesh. His new skin looked deathly pale and Nikola knew that he would need to explain it all somehow. But for now, he gathered his cut off hands and put them in the vase that held his blood. Then he found a lid for it and stashed it away.

Who knew what potion he could make with this as an ingredient? His own flesh always yielded the best results. Perhaps because of his immortality. Had he used just about anyone else’s eye during the ritual that brought Atlantis’ destruction he would have created a storm and nothing more. And his own eye was responsible for the creation of new seas and the deaths of thousands, if not millions.

Looking around just in case he missed something he went back outside where Wei Caihong was looking at the sunset.

“Now that I haven’t seen it in a long time I know to cherish it all the more.” Said the noble as Nikola went to sit by him.

“Penemue would have painted a picture worthy of an art gallery.” Nikola could almost imagine it, purple and golden hues on a canvas. Lazy clouds drifting by and the roofs of the surrounding buildings reaching to the sky.

“Is he an artist? I thought he was a scholar.” Wei Caihong’s voice was gentle but there was slight irritation buried in it. Nikola choose to ignore it.

“Everything that has to do with pen and paper is his domain. But he is also a skilled dancer. He thought me how to dance. Every time I would lean over with a candle and pretend to hold someone I’d imagine him. Although we danced with thin metal torches, not candles.”

“I wish you’d imagine me instead.” Wei Caihong was stubbornly not looking at Nikola and the former emperor grinned.

“I don’t need to imagine you. You are right here. I can dance with you instead.” Then Wei Caihong turned to him with a mischievous look in his eyes and Nikola blushed. “Truly dance, not make love.”

“Oh?” And the vampire was dangerously close, hands reaching out to hold Nikola’s waist. “Is that what we do? Love making?”

Nikola ducked his head. He had walked in this trap, might as well dug his grave too.

“Maybe it wasn’t in the beginning but as of late…”

Two fingers lifted Nikola’s chin so that green eyes could stare into deep brown. Nikola could see the slight red tint to the eyes. Red like raspberries.

“In the beginning I wanted to use you. To usurp your power. I thought that you’ll transfer your immortality to me and then perish. I thought you deserved it too, for you were a thousand years old and had done despicable things. For how else could you have taken over the world two hundred years ago?”

Nikola blinked. He knew all that already. Why was Wei Caihong telling him this?

“But when I saw you dance I wanted to have you first. I begged Azazel to let me wait so you won’t die but he reassured me that you won’t.” The fingers moved Nikola’s chin towards Wei Caihong’s face. “I was so happy. I imagined myself ruling the entire China with all of it’s kingdoms with you, my beautiful Emerald, by my side. Then I heard Penemue for the first time. I lied when I told you I had his blessings. And I lied when I told you he didn’t want to talk to you.”

Nikola slapped Wei Caihong but the fingers remained under his chin. Nikola raised his hand to slap him again but Wei Caihong gripped it with his free hand.

“He constantly screams at me. Azazel is the one who blocks him from talking to you. He wanted you vulnerable. Please, forgive me.”

“Forgive? To Hell with you! You made me cheat on my lover! You…”

“A’numau” Said Wei Caihong and then he leaned over and he kissed Nikola. Nikola knew what this word meant. Obey. Simple, and yet effective. How many time had the angels, bar Penemue, used it on him? Too many to count. This reeked of Azazel but Nikola was not helpless. He had long since learned the trick to counter this word. He bit down on his own cheek until there was blood. One cannot be willing to obey even an angel’s order when in pain. And Wei Caihong wasn’t an angel.

Pushing himself away he summoned ropes which wrapped around Wei Caihong and then he went inside. He picked a nasty curved blade he had made on a whim, jagged edges and so sharp it could cut through bone. Blade in hand he went outside only to see Wei Caihong free of the ropes and looking calmly up at him.

“Azazel had been teaching me. He says that you can teach me the tamer things but you would never teach me how to defend myself from you.”

Nikola huffed and gripped the handle of the blade tighter. If this ended up as hand to hand combat, he liked his chances. He was the student of Azazel, a veteran of hundreds of battles. And Wei Caihong was a magistrate. Hardly what one could imagine as a warrior.

“I told you the truth because I love you.” Said Wei Caihong, standing up. The skies were crimson behind him, as if he could bathe the world in blood. Nikola took a step back, blade raised high.

“What do you know of love? You are what? Twenty? This is a mere obsession on your part!”

“I’ll even share you. But I wanted no lies to remain between us.”

“You didn’t want for Penemue to expose you for the lying little shit you are; you mean?”

Nikola’s back hit the wall. Why was he backing away? Why wasn’t he digging this blade in Wei Caihong’s neck? He just needed to behead him and then he would be free of Azazel’s influence.

“You need my blood now.” Said the noble and he pressed himself to the blade, unconcerned when it broke his skin. “Penemue will understand and won’t brake us apart. To be honest I want him too. It irks me when you talk about him but you are so in love with him that I want him to be mine as well.”

“He will smite you!” Nikola trust the blade in and Wei Caihong winced slightly. A hand rested over Nikola’s as the former emperor twisted the blade inside the flesh.

“Do you wish to speak with him?” Nikola could already imagine how angry Penemue would be at him falling for such a simple trick. But he missed him so desperately that he would even greet his anger. Nikola took out the blade and nodded. Wei Caihong’s eyes rolled and turned white and then they were blue and Nikola was kissing the lips that now belonged to Penemue desperately and was being kissed back. Penemue was holding him with Wei Caihong’s arms and was breaking from the kiss to pepper him with more.

“I’m sorry…” Said the angel but Nikola’s hands were already tangled in his hair and he was combing through it.

“No, I’m sorry. I should have given the crown to Pallas…”

“That’s not why I’m apologizing, although I should. When Azazel told me that you didn’t want to hear my voice I believed him. I was such a fool. And now you need another’s blood or you’ll be driven to madness and it’s all my fault…”

Nikola kissed Penemue again and hoped with viciousness that Wei Caihong was feeling it. He had never kissed Wei Caihong with the same desperation as he did for Penemue now. And he never will.

“We were had. But I don’t want to speak about that snake Azazel. You have to go through the portal that we, Wei Caihong and I, will make. You have to come back to me. I don’t need a crown or power. I just need you and a home to call my own.”

Penemue chuckled sorrowfully and then he touched Wei Caihong’s bleeding abdomen. It was healed in an instant.

“Once you finish using him I’ll clean his veins from the curse you set on him. For him to age and die would be the best punishment.”

“An eternity in fear is by far better.” He wasn’t asking for Wei Caihong’s pseudo immortality to remain out of any good feelings he still harbored for him. He would suffer from the loss of his blood but he had had ingested drugs for his rituals before. He’ll get clean again and Wei Caihong would have to hide on the outskirts of villages and towns and hunt for himself. How long until that chipped at the noble’s humanity, he wondered?

“You weren’t this cruel in the beginning.” Said Penemue and a tear fell from his right eye. Wei Caihong’s eye. “I made you this way. I’m sorry.” What was with people telling him he was cruel? He was rational! He knew what people deserved, having a thousand years’ worth of experience to know right from wrong, and so he dished it out.

“Perhaps I always had it in me. It’s not your fault. But if you want me to I can change. Penemue, can you remain in his body?” A violent shudder passed through Wei Caihong’s body and Nikola felt it. So the wretch was listening in?

“He won’t allow it. I needed his consent to speak with you and now he is actively trying to get me out. I forgive you for laying with him. And I’ll forgive you if you do it again. After Vasiliki I have no right to judge you.”

“I won’t! I don’t really have feelings for him. It was only a moment of weakness!” Then blue eyes turned white again and then to dark brown and Nikola was pushed to the wall.

“You said we made love!” Screamed Wei Caihong at him and it was hard for Nikola to believe there could be so much hurt collected in five simple words.

“Based on lies!” Nikola angled his head so that Wei Caihong’s searching lips couldn’t reach him.

“But you don’t deny it!” Hissed his lover against his neck and Nikola whipped his head to shout at him and then his words froze in his throat. Wei Caihong looked torn and guilt rose in Nikola for being the one who brought the noble to this. He had been lied to! And yet…

“You are a heartbreaker, using me to get back at your lover and then again to get him back. But you can’t leave me. Azazel assured me you won’t be able to function without my blood.”

Wei Caihong finally released him and Nikola turned his back to him.

“We’ll see.” The sun had long since hidden itself from sight. Yet the red hues in the sky remained. Wei Caihong stared at them and he clenched his fists. Nikola had seduced him with his dancing and then he had given himself over. Even if it was based on lies they were in love and he had heard Penemue. He may not have the angel’s blessing but he had something close enough to it to continue trying to woo his Emerald Emperor.