Hidden In Plain Sight (MxM)✔

Chapter 8 - Grounded

Luke walked the few short blocks from the car to his house in a daze. 

He now realized he wasn't as afraid of the Archduke as he thought he was. Their most recent interaction had reminded him of why they had gotten so close in the first place. Luke had been treated like he was someone important and not like someone's dirty laundry, shoved in a room and hidden from the world, which consequently made him come to the conclusion that he still had feelings for Nicholas.

This only complicated his situation even more because now the person he liked was being pushed into doing something dangerous, and while Luke was confident that the Archduke could take care of himself, he still wasn't so sure where he stood when compared to the Emperor who was rumored to be the most powerful Vampire in the world.

Then there was what that Greer guy had said. His information aligned with the things that the knight, Maximillia, had said about the Emperor. Both claimed that the man was a complete psychopath.

Earlier he saw a bit of that rumored stubbornness in the Archduke as he waved off his assassination attempts like they were only a minor nuisance. Luke knew it was possible for him to be caught off guard though, otherwise the carriage accident would never have happened. One of these days those assassins may get lucky again and then Nicholas would be out of his life forever.

Then again, who's to say that the Emperor wouldn't just kill Nicholas outright if the man ever challenged him head on?

Between that issue and the fact that his life was still on the line, Luke couldn't help feeling a little overwhelmed by his situation.

With such thoughts whirling around in his head, the human was less than stealthy as he climbed the trellis up to his window where he was surprised to find his Master waiting for him. 

Frederick's sharp face glared back at his ward.

"Can you imagine what it was like for me to find your room empty when I went to check on you?" He asked in a dangerously low tone.

Dread filled the human as his Master approached him.

"I wondered how it was you were getting out, then I checked the yard and noticed that the petunias were trampled under the trellis. It seems this has happened more than twice?"

The human shrunk under the man's gaze. Meekly, Luke nodded.

"Have I not made it clear that I only keep you here for your own protection? Yet you sneak out and do whatever you want like you're not a walking meal! Who knows what sort of ruffian's attention you've attracted while looking like that! You clearly do not appreciate the protection I provide!"

"I'm sorry." Luke murmured.

"Sorry is clearly not enough! You disobeyed me for the last time!" Frederick exploded, grabbing Luke by the collar and dragging him to the bathroom. As the human was tossed inside, something hit his shoulder and he realized it was a pair of scissors.

"Until you cut it all off, this will be your new home!" His Master declared, then slammed the door shut.

Luke immediately shot to his feet and found that the door was locked.

A spike of fear had him rattling the knob, desperately hoping he was wrong, but then realization finally hit and he stopped his foolish attempts. Taking a deep breath, he looked down at the scissors and conceded. 

He picked up the scissors and slowly brought them up to his hair. Since Vampires held no reflection, there was no mirror to check his progress as he began to hack away at the hairstyle he had worked so hard to perfect.