(Addis)

The door clicked shut behind Addis with a finality that sent a quiet thrill down his spine. At last—peace. The kind that came not from safety, but from control, and control was something Addis rarely allowed himself to take for granted.

His boots tapped a steady rhythm across the hardwood as he stepped into the dim warmth of his home, shedding the pretense of charm he had carried like armor all evening. With a quiet sigh, he loosened his collar, ran a hand through his hair, and allowed himself a rare smile. Not the mask he wore in public, not the weaponized smirk he used to unnerve his enemies. No—this smile was real, and private.

Adrian had behaved himself for the rest of the party, to the point that Addis had slipped out of Faye’s shadow and merely left the creature in his place. He sought out Lena and Zélia, letting the girls know that Adrian would no longer be an issue and Faye would be on time from now on. The princess was relieved but he had caught Zélia’s glare of disdain. 

Addis chuckled under his breath and leaned back against the counter, arms folded. How astute the girl could be. She knew better than to trust his sudden benevolence, and he didn’t fault her for it. In truth, he preferred it.

 “You seem quite pleased with yourself, but aren't you forgetting something?”Addis frowned as he felt the creature’s presence return to him, finally leaving the human alone in his room at the shelter. He looked down to see the glowing green eyes that watched him from the floor. “You've bought yourself a night, but what about tomorrow? How will you protect Faye from Adrian’s wrath when you have no right to intervene?”

“I have already said as much. I would protect the shelter’s patrons from their own employer’s if needed,” Addis asserted, reaching to retrieve his cup. His annoyance began to swell as he heard its laugh, the creature no longer willing to remain in its cage as it fully manifested next to him. It chose to take a form similar to his, even copying his black suit as it tiled its head, watching the vampire with mirth. 

“So, I am to be your solution? Send me to watch and protect the human?” Those green eyes smiled too much as Addis scoffed, carefully preparing his cup as he waited for the kettle to whistle. “Why should I?”

“Because we have a pact, and it is your duty to protect me,” Addis stated matter-of-factly, his own smile fading as the creature howled with laughter, as if Addis had just told the best joke. 

“But it is not you I am to protect, rather this human with which I have no pact,” it chuckled, leaning closer in Addis’ face. “You’ll have to do better than that, Master.”

The word rolled off the creature’s tongue with so much sarcasm and malice that if Addis had not known the threat was empty, he might have been afraid. But he was not afraid, as he knew it could not harm him even if it truly wanted to. No, the creature enjoyed tormenting him and it merely wanted to force him to admit the truth out loud, to say what he had still been avoiding. 

“You know it well enough.”

“I cannot read your mind, master. You have to say it if you want me to obey,” it cooed, only pulling a scowl from the vampire as he glared. It knew he was just as trapped in their deal as it was and there were few moments when it could make the vampire regret the pact between them.

Not that Addis had much reason to regret it; after all, between the two of them, he had gotten the better end of it. The creature was a parasite and had needed a host to survive, and Addis needed power. Seeing as the likelihood of him dying was low, it was a deal that benefited them both and yet tormented them in equal measure.

“I am Soulbound to the human, and you will protect him to guard me from his pain until this forsaken bond breaks,” Addis finally growled, the kettle beginning to whistle with his words. The creature’s shoulders began to shake with its laughter, filling the small home with the sounds of its glee. 

“You said it, you actually admit it!” It chuckled, barely moving as Addis pushed it aside to reach his bowling water. “How entertaining! A bond you cannot simply kill or ignore!”

“Hush and do your part,” Addis hissed, finishing his tea as the shadow hopped down from the counter, finally placing its icy hands on his shoulders. He could feel the immense power the creature held, but it was not a power it could use against him. 

“As you wish, Master,” with that, it sank back into his shadow, and Addis sighed as his home was filled with a comforting silence. He sipped slightly on his tea, enjoying the warmth as it slid down his throat. It would do nothing for his thirst, but this was one aspect of his human life he could not forsake. He had been all too willing to throw away the rest of the memories, but this, the scent and joy of tea, was something he would hold on to forever.

Addis slowly began to climb up the stairs to his room, his thoughts at peace as he considered the change to his night. Faye was safe at the shelter and far from Adrian’s abuse; for the first time in many nights, Addis knew he could sleep. He growled softly as he considered the bond that was causing him so much trouble, taking another sip of his brew. 

“It doesn’t matter,” he murmured to himself, setting the cup on his nightstand as he removed his jacket from his shoulders. “A few weeks, perhaps a month at most, and Adrian will get bored and find a new toy to abuse. Then I can go back to ignoring the human completely and I will be free of this trouble.”

“You hope,” Addis growled as the shadow retaliated, still enjoying his discomfort with the whole situation. “He might just try to wait you out.”

“I think Adrian will find I can be quite patient when I need to be,” Addis insisted, sitting on his bed as he recovered his cup of tea. “I will be free of this bond, one way or another.”

“We’ll see,” it chuckled and Addis was unable to help the slight smile that returned to his face. He stared at his own distorted reflection in the cup, barely bothered as the creature consumed his slight confidence.

Indeed they would.