Vamp Guards ✔️

S I X

It was safe to say Iris was beginning to feel uneasy around Sage after her fifth time winking at him. Every time he'd go somewhere without Kai glued to his side, she'd either wink or give him a thumbs up. He put on an oblivious facade mainly because he was truly ambivalent about her actions.

Was it a good thing? Or was she just playing pointless tricks on him?

The simplest things unnerved him, maybe she knew that. No, unexplained things made him uncertain.

In any case, Iris ignored the unexplained vampire as he rushed up the stairs with folders ready to spew out fresh papers. His heart grew weak to her whistle and he paused midway.

"What do you even do around here anyway, Sage?" Iris huffed as he turned and stared at her. She smiled and stayed leaning against the railing at the bottom of the stairs.

"That's a rude question, are you saying I don't do anything, prince?"

"Yes, yes that's exactly what I'm saying."

"I clean. And I'm on patrol."

"Like, a hall officer?"

"Like the mansion officer, unless there is an actual threat, I just keep the maids and servants in check. I absolutely adore this job; I get to be the boss."

"Oh. And you said you clean?"

"Did I? The only cleaning I do is when I help this clumsy maid on the third floor. She almost breaks something every day." Sage sighed as she leaned her elbow on the rail. "She's pretty though."

"Right..." Iris shook his head and started walking back upstairs.

Sage was something else to Iris but great friends with Kai, so despite her years of digging under his nerves, she, deep down, was close to him as well.

Iris sighed as he got to his floor and stopped to breathe. He didn't know how his father did it. Constant meetings, filing papers and sitting in a chair all day and night. Iris wasn't naive to a King's requirements he just didn't like them. He disliked bondage and being unable to have a say in his future felt a lot like being a wolf in a circus.

They didn't belong there.

Hastily, he found his office and planted his folders on his table, quickly took papers out and placed them in a sloppy order he'd fix later when his mind was set on focusing on his work.

He barged into his room but didn't stop until he was throwing his guard's open.

"Take me out." The words fell off his tongue before the white wooden door thudded the wall.

Kai, who was peacefully tying the laces on his boots, looked up at him with navy shaded yes.

"Excuse me?"

"Take me out-out...outside I mean. I need air."

Kai paused before he answered. Iris was clearly ordering him, there was no question in his tone or harden facial expression. He figured asking about his work wouldn't benefit him so he finished tying his boots and stood up from his bed.

"Alright. Where do you want to go?"

"I thought we could just stroll around the first town?"

Kai tilted his head thoughtfully. "Thirty minutes."

"That's fine."

"And I assume we go unnoticed?"

"Always."

"No, not always." Kai smacked Iris's shoulder as he walked past him with a sigh. "You're worse than a toddler sometimes you know."

"You've told me before."