Vamp Guards ✔️

F O U R

Not a gleam of sunlight escaped past Kai's blacked-out windows in his room. There wasn't a glow that could wake him or a chirp of a singing bird, but there was a choir of loud consistent knockings on his door, that with each thud the sound drilled into his skull with annoyance.

"What?" He croaked, his voice naturally deeper and low in the mornings. He rolled over from his stomach to his back while gripping his head.

He didn't get a response from the other side, but the door opened and a hesitant Iris poked his head in before entering.

"I'm sorry to disturb, but do we not have training? It's not like you to sleep in this late if we do." Iris stopped at the foot of the bed and crossed his arms.

Kai sat up with a droopy head, "Your schedule is lenient today, sir. Sorry, I forgot to mention." In the midst of leaning on one arm and rubbing his eyes with the other, Kai paused all of a sudden. "Late? What time is it?"

Iris tilted his head down at his watch. "Um, thirty past ten."

Maybe it was the darkness, but Iris didn't seem to see how wide the vampire's eyes grew to be.

"It's almost eleven?"

"Yes."

"And you didn't care to wake me?"

"Well, judging by my knowledge of vampires lacking the need to sleep, it doesn't take a genius to notice one that wants it. You looked...at peace, so I decided against it when I came in here the first time."

Kai listened to him with narrowed eyes. "Which was?" Iris glanced at his watch again.

"An hour ago."

Kai sat up straight to run his palms down his face with a heavy sigh. "You honestly confuse me, Iris."

"I'm sorry? Well anyway, what are my plans today?" He spoke as he watched the vampire slide out of bed and walk past him to his closet. Literally everything was black, Iris thought he could use some color sometimes.

"Besides the work you need to finish, nothing. Your list is checked off."

"Then, yours is too? You don't have to do anything if I'm going to hibernate in my room all day."

"Mm, lovely offer, but I have to decline. Imagine the King or Queen walking in and I'm not by your side-I'm using your shower." Again, Iris watched Kai walk past him but he followed close behind.

"You can sleep in my room then," Iris suggested, no hope or pleading in his voice, just a suggestion. "I'm bringing my work here."

"Fine," Kai suddenly turned around, making Iris stop quickly before he hit him. "I'll rest on your bed. Is that alright?"

"Peachy."

With a nod-a nettled nod-he turned back around and entered the prince's bathroom and shut the door with a thud.

Iris rolled his eyes and made his own way to his office to pick up the stacks of unfinished papers.

††

"No tax coins for the Caamals, duly noted." Iris signed the request and placed it on a messy stack. "Ugh, decline." He wrote his name with ink, then stamped the yellow tinted paper. "Is this Kingdom truly that stupid?" 

"You know Iris, it's kind of hard to sleep when you keep talking to yourself." 

"Shut up, Kai." 

Without looking up, Iris could tell the vampire was glaring at him from his bed. He laid with his hands behind his head and legs extended out. He was pleasured that Iris had the day off because that meant he could relax. The only time he got up was to check the door because Mr.Focused was a little too focused on his papers and didn't hear the knocking. He had to sign, approve or disprove requests given by local townsfolk. The King handled the more law forced requests until Iris was ready for them. For now, he had to deal with reading about a little girl's entreaty about her cat. His instincts told him to decline because he hated cats, but he knew better than to let his own opinions silent the peoples'. So he read it thoroughly.