I felt the air leave my lungs and my heart race, I felt it shrink. I knew Lestat was a good soldier, an incredible warrior. Now that I had confirmed my love for him and he confirmed his, I didn't want anyone to hurt him.

- Why did things have to be like this? I've never felt this way before, and now that he's mine, I must face reality...

Tears were welling up in my eyes, I placed my hands on my chest, my heart was beating uncontrollably, it hurt so much to think that he could lose his life at the hands of Lestat; I leaned against the door that was still behind me and slid down until I fell to the ground.

- What awaits us now, my beloved vampire?

-Ion's POV-

My cold lips still had her warmth on them, that temperature that feels like it burns on my skin; it's the same one I've longed for since I began to feel the need to be close to her. Touching my lips with my cold fingers, I wished that this feeling would never end.

- I must accept it once and for all; what I feel for her… my empty chest is filling up with all her warmth. What the hell is this I feel here?

I placed my hand on his chest.

- My lord?

Marius had entered the study, Darklion hadn't even noticed his presence. Something very unusual in him. Marius knew that his king was changing, he was distracted, that wasn't normal for him.

- Marius brother, please come in.

Marios then approached Ion.

- And Enovi?

- She stayed in Mihai's company; she told me that she would come before you soon.

- I understand.

- Do you need her to come before you?

Darklion was still deep in thought, he didn't hear Marius' question.

- My lord?

Darklion reacted to Marius' voice, who had spoken to him for the second time.

- Excuse me, did you say something?

- Do you need Enovi to come to you?

- No, don't worry about calling her, she will come when necessary.

Darklion turned around, turning his back on his General and walked to his window.

- Marius?

- Yes, my king?

- Do you believe in destiny?

- My lord, I-I... Are you okay?

- I know how you feel about Enovi, Marius, all these years by my side. I knew it from the first time you met her and the same way she did to you, do you believe that is "destiny"?

Ion knew that there was always chemistry between Marius and Enovi. The two complemented each other in a certain way, both in battles and when planning strategies. During battles, Marius always stands behind Enovi protecting her rear and she protects him on the offensive. Being together, they both prove to be incredible warriors, which is why Marius and Enovi were the only warriors Darklion trusted even with his own existence.

- My lord, since when...

- We are brothers Marius... I know you well from the moment you became one of my brothers.

- You saved me.

- I don't see it like that Marius, I turned you into this. Don't see it as a salvation

- It wasn't like that my lord, don't say it. My human life was miserable, I was abused all my childhood by both my parents. I was sick, and so were they. When I finally stood up for myself at 17 before I could even escape, I was beaten. I was half dead, surviving by eating rats and cockroaches when I could. Drinking water from the drains; I was nothing. Then, you came to me, you took me out of that “hell” I was living and you gave me a second chance. This war is not in vain, my king. I understand very well your battle, your war and nothing would please me more than to give this opportunity that you gave me to live… for you, and only for you.

Ion continued to stare into space, from the balcony of his study, only listening to Marius.

- Do you think that your human parents deserved to continue living? After everything they did to you and your brothers.

- They deserved what I did to them when I became a vampire. I do not regret anything I did.

Ion remained silent, he knows firsthand what it feels like to be alone. He simply nodded at that last comment that Marius had made to him.

- You may leave.

Ion had his back to Marius.

- With your permission, my Lord.

Marius left the room; Ion was left alone. His thoughts were still on what happened when we were together.

- I don't deserve her, I can't.

Ion reacted to his own words, it was the first time the Vampire King felt inferior to someone, to a human. He only sketched a half smile when he realized that. He went to one of the drawers of the nightstand next to the bed where he had never slept. There was a drawn portrait that I had given him; a portrait that I had made of myself. Well, Ion had seen it on my desk; he had taken it to look at it and then I said to him: “Keep it, this will be my first gift to you…”

That was a valuable gift to him. He placed it there, along with some objects that he had recovered from that day when he returned home after having remembered where he came from. It was a portrait of his father that he had drawn himself when he was human and a letter that his father had written to him.

- Dad, I hope you are proud of me... of what I have become, what I am now and what I do for my own existence.

Ion placed my portrait and his father's, inside the drawer of the table and closed it. He had that feeling in his chest, the emptiness in it felt strange now, he placed his hand on his chest. It was like pressure on him