Vamp Guards ✔️

F O R T Y

Iris stomped out of his dad's office with hands clenched into fists.

"A bodyguard is the most useless thing I need right now, but a personal one!?"

Kai was just as baffled as the prince. The urge to protest with him was very tempting, but not stronger than his loyalty. He did express his displeasure in his facial expressions.

"Oh, it won't be so bad, son. Don't act like it's the end of the world."

Iris sighed and ran his hands down his face with frustration, "Where is she?" He asked, changing the topic, which confused and upset the King. Before he asked who, he closed his mouth.

"Mortuary."

Iris nodded and walked away from his dad and the vampire, who he now knew was Kai. The melancholy curtaining his heart didn't allow any satisfaction through. Not an ounce of happiness flowed through him at the thought of getting close to Kai. And that hurt him. 

The King and the vampire watched him disappear, alone, but for once Arlo thought that was probably for the best. He turned towards Kai and smiled, a new mask covering his face.

"Shall I show you to your new room?" He put an arm around Kai's shoulder and directed them down the hall. Kai took note of his surroundings. He's never had to be in the mansion directly, so he didn't bother memorizing the hallways and whatnot; now he wished he had.

"This is Iris's room, and–"

"Iris's?" Kai stopped in the doorway instead of walking in with the King. He looked around, confusion wearing his face.

Arlo blinked at him before chuckling. He beckoned at the guard. "Iris's room as another smaller one connected to it; kind of coincidental, huh? You'll be staying in there to be closer."

Kai mentally groaned. He followed the King to a door on the right, and when he opened it, he peered inside. There was no denying it was a definite step up to the first class quarters he stayed in.

The room was medium sized, much smaller than Iris's. It had a full sized bed, two dressers, both home to small lamps, and a closet.

"Simple, right?"

Kai nodded. It's been decades since he had his own room like this.

"Now, I'll give you the basics. Wherever my son goes, you go. If he's in here or in his study doing work, you will wait near him until he leaves. Your job is to protect him, nothing more. So you can stop frowning."

Kai raised his eyebrows, "Sorry, sir, this is just...not what I'm used to doing."

"I understand, attempting new things take effort. Just remembered who you're watching.

††

It was coin drop silent where Iris went. It was cold and the torches lighting up the small box room he sat in flickered like a person was taking their last breath.

Iris gazed down at the body laying on a metal table, their body draped in a white cloth. His lips were curled downward and his heart beat sadly. Gently, he reached his arm out and touched the person's hand  laying on their stomach. Everything was cold.

"I'm so sorry," He whispered and drew back his hand like the coldness bit him. Sorry for what, he couldn't recall. He was just sorry that this had to be Allison's fate. "You deserved a lot better."

He reflected on the times he shared with the cheerful nurse. Her motherly advice was something he'd always cherish. Never was Amelia a mother to him, and he doubt she'll start anytime soon. Allison cared for Iris, as she was ordered to, but she did countless things she didn't have to for him. She did things that made him happy but would jeopardize her job. The little things she did that Iris made her thing went unnoticed, he wished he acknowledged them now.