Blaise stared down at him. He didn't show an ounce of sympathy or pity, nothing to indicate that the admission had moved his heart.

I'm so pathetic.

Lucas wanted to die of embarrassment. The only person he ever opened up to about things like this was Teru. Here he was, about to trauma dump on a bloodsucker whom he hadn't known for that long.

Still...

If he had to be honest, like 100% honest and no bullshit, Lucas was relieved to have another ruined soul to relate to. It was fucked up to think so. He knew that.

There's only so much I can tell Teru. He knows I've generally been abused, but I'm always telling myself that he should never know what exactly happened to me in New York...and what I did to others. Just the thought of the disgust in his eyes if he learned the details would break me. Damn it. Doing this alone will end me sooner than dying of old age...

The way his mind fell deeper into despair was scary. Soon, he'd be a danger to himself. How ironic because he fought tooth and nail to live by fighting every bloodsucker he bedded with.

Lucas needed a savior. That savior was dry-humping him!

He was about the thank the heavens for giving him hope in the form of a dangerous pervert...

...The relief was short-lived.

Blaise let go of Lucas's arms, releasing him. He sighed and examined the appearing stars, popping out one by one. "You are not the first to say this to me, and you are certainly not the last. If genuine love is what you need, I am the wrong person to ask. The very wrong person."

Lucas stayed silent as the moon rose higher. His stomach dropped, twisted with self-loathing. Ah. Of course. There was no way anyone would want him as he was, friend or lover. Everyone was moving on without him, still locked inside the kennel in the basement. No one could hear his bellows of pain or see his hand stretching out through the cage's bars. The black cloud that had formed around him after getting captured thickened, obscuring more light.

I'm only human. This is hard. I'm scared when it gets hard.

"I don't know how to give the type of love you require," Blaise said, not looking away from the sky, "but that doesn't mean I can't help you feel wanted in my own way. Let me tell you as safe-for-work as possible, I really want to have my way with you and-"

Driven by desperation or impulse, Lucas quickly sat up and nuzzled his nose under Blaise's jawline. He kissed his neck as his hands tangled within the long blonde strands. He pecked towards his nape, inner alpha sniffing its way to bite. Were the unknown-colored sparkles guiding him? It smelled like it!

"Hmm? I wasn't expecting you to take the initiative in your current state of mind," Blaise purred. Later, Lucas would have to ask how long it took him to practice that sort of omega-like purr. It wasn't a sound alphas could make.

"Turn around," Lucas whispered, lying down again.

Blaise squinted with suspicion but listened. He switched. Lucas followed the sensual groove of his spine, stopping at the lavender-colored panties.

"Take those off."

He wondered what sort of face Blaise made as his manicured thumbnails inched under the stretchy band, slowly guiding them over the rump of his ass. He pulled one leg out and then the other, holding the lacey material by a finger in the air. They slipped off, dropping to the grass.

Lucas grabbed Blaise's hips to bring him closer. He wasted no time burying his face between his cheeks. The scent of vanilla was strong there, his tongue going straight to the source where the pheromones leaked the heaviest. It was curiously more potent than his pheromone sac. Did alphas always have their scent coming out of this end, too? Lucas didn't care to know basic anatomic functions right now; he just wanted to focus on making this male wetter than an omega in heat. The tip eased into the needy hole, encouraging it to relax so he could wet it.

"You," Blaise flinched in surprise, waist curving to allow him more access. "Didn't you say you wanted love? Shouldn't I be servicing you and not the other way?"

Lucas cupped his hands over the globes of Blaise's ass, squeezing hard enough that would have left a bruise on a human. Seeing the angry red fingerprints instantly disappear satisfied him. Thanks to living with the former Duke and his bitch of a wife, his preferences changed. He could be rougher and not constantly worry about injuring them.

He took out his tongue and growled, "Apparently, both of us are clueless about love. I don't know how, either, so this is me trying. If I can lean on you when I need it, you can lean on me." Blaise still didn't show his face, ears reddening.

I really want to see your eyes.

Returning to his duty to prepare his partner, Lucas worked his tongue. Licking, sucking, licking, sucking, Blaise couldn't help but move his lower half to ride him. With the way vanilla pheromones waterfalled out, he'd be tasting it for a week.

He clearly feels it, Lucas thought, noting how the vampire's cock pulsed on his stomach. Its hood flared with every tongue lap. Too quiet. He's too quiet.

Blaise stopped humping his face and asked seriously, "Why should I lean on you, virtue or not?" There was no moaning in his tone.

Lucas paused, drool going down his chin. "'Why?'"

"Yes, why? As I said before, you are not the first alpha to sway me with words, words that later became lies that left me picking up the broken pieces of myself."

Please show me your face. Are you cruelly smiling like you always do when you toy with me? You take everything so lightheartedly.

Annoyed, Lucas lubed his finger with spit before poking at the hole's entrance. He said in his best voice with a sore throat, "I also had the same question for you...but not anymore. I don't feel...bad or nauseous when you touch me. Any other touch by a vampire would make me puke. Humans, too...except Teru. Starting now, I'm going with...my instincts. Those instincts tell me to be with you. I never...would've imagined in a million years I would be...Lust's virtue, but here we are. What do yours tell you?"

Right when he pushed a fingertip in to stretch the delicate folds, Blaise instantly grabbed his wrist, digging his nails painfully.

"Don't."

"It's too tight-"

"I said don't!"

Blaise threw his arm to the side, scooching away while unbuttoning Lucas's pants. His dick sprung free, pre-cum oozing down the shaft. Lucas watched with uncertainty and gasped when that insane alpha hovered his saliva-dripping pussy over the aiming cock.

"You're not ready! Let me-SHHH," Lucas winced, closing an eye. The tightness was going to snap his penis in half at this rate!

The breeze changed directions, smelling faintly of blood.

Did he tear?! Crazy! He's crazy!

But Blaise kept going, forcing the length in. He strained. His shoulders trembled. Vanilla ceased to flow from him, meaning he wasn't enjoying it. The Lust sin being scentless was unheard of.

Lucas sat up once more, wrapping his arms around Blaise. "Wait!"

The prince was stronger, not letting his virtue stop him. Another inch went in. A blood drop from where Lucas penetrated him dripped into his pubic hair.

Is he hurting himself purposely?!

Sure, they had trained Lucas to like it dirty and rough.

This...this went too far. He was not into this sort of play. Whatever Blaise was trying to accomplish went beyond play and kinks.

He held onto his nape tightly, making Blaise look at him. The scolding couldn't leave his lips, too shocked.

What Lucas saw was not what he expected. At all.

The prince wasn't smiling, not amused or aloof. Lucas wasn't being toyed with like he believed earlier.

Blaise was crying, but hid the signs. There was no heaving and runny snot from his nose, no sniffling or puffy eyes; just a steady flow of tears shimmering under the moonlight. The black makeup caking his eyelashes did not dare to stain his face.

It was a beautiful sadness.

Their eyes met. "Release your pheromones for me," Blaise calmly requested.

And Lucas did, no questions asked, hugging him with lavender. The suffocating tightness eased on Lucas's cock.

"Did I hurt you?"

Blaise said, "No." The torn tissue within his rectum healed.

"Why are you crying?"

"...You're corny."

"C-corny?" There was no way in hell that was the reason!

"It was so corny that I cried...because it made me believe you."

"You believe me?"

"Mhm. Congratulations. You swayed me. The power of my virtue, I suppose." Blaise leaned backward, resting his body against Lucas. "You said I can depend on you. Supporting me includes fucking my sin into submission, handling my urge to spread my legs open for others that are not you, arguing with my sarcastic inner bitch, and understanding my self-destructive tendencies. You likely realized that I'm in that sorta mood to get control of the situation. If you later regret it and betray my trust, I will kill you. Don't burn me."

Lucas understood, and vice versa. He wanted Blaise to get him, just as Blaise expected the same in return. Self-loathing. Self-destructive. Their faults went hand-in-hand.

A beam of light broke through his dark storm cloud of hopelessness.

As the saying goes, burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me. He's been shamed too many times. He can only blame his own foolishness. A second chance won't be offered, including me.

Ignoring the sudden crazy itching under his skin, Lucas grazed his canines on Blaise's nape. This spot. Bite this spot.

Lucas held out his hand to make a deal. He saw Duke Zhang do it several times for business. "If I betray your trust, rip my heart out where I stand. In the meantime, let's figure out what the hell love is."

This gesture could symbolize a promise. To him, it would mean so much more, for someone to take it and give assurance that he can escape the goddamn kennel.

Blaise didn't hesitate to accept, entangling their fingers. "Since your life is mine for good, may I please have my way with you now?"