Bride of War (18+)

Side chapter

Fallon

Slade sits on my bed awkwardly, dwarfing me and the bed. I finally let him in and I suppose he just...never planned what to do next.

His fingers rap against his leg. When I was younger, he would put me on his shoulders, and tell me one day, I'd be as tall as him.

Why did he lie to me like that?

"Do you want to tell me about him?" He suggests

Tell him about Victor? I look up at him. He's not looking at me, his face still.

"Can I?"

Slade nods. "I want to...listen if you want to talk."

I lean back. "He was brilliant. Wanted to be a scientist you know? He was working on something...something to look at the stars. He loved the stars."

I smile remembering the face he talked about them.

"He'd overwork himself often in the pursuit of the stars."

Slade's lips turned up. "Hardworking."

I nod. "But his body was failing fast. He was always sickly, since childhood. If he stood too long, he would start to bleed. From his mouth, his nose."

I sniffle. "I don't want to...think about him being gone anymore today."

Slade gathers me into his arms. He puts my head on his shoulder, patting my back. "Alright, little one."

I frown. I'm not a kid. And this is all his fault that he's gone. Mine...my fault too.

Still, the familiar scent of iron and blood, the way he awkwardly pats me, his cheek resting on my head. Slade's hugs are always a little too tight like he doesn't know his strength.

Doesn't know our weaknesses.

When I first told him about Victor he completely freaked. Among the issues he raised he said he was human.

"I'm human!" I rebutted.

"And how many times do I hold that against you? Not often?!"

Needless to see he's changed. Monika's changed him. He sigh softly, and adjusts me in his large arms, rocking me as if I were an infant.

"Now, now, little one," he says gently, stroking my hair gently. "Eventually it will all be alright. Not today. Probably tomorrow. But one day. Hm? My precious child."

I close my eyes, and let him lull me into a nap. My hand clenched his fang necklace, like I used to when I was a kid to remind me where I was. I was home. And with him. And maybe he didn't say more two words at a time, grunted too much, and made me do exhausting physical drills when I didn't listen, but when I needed him...

He was there.

"I'll make sure he has a good afterlife. I promise," he murmurs. "Lush fields and all the books he'd like. It'll be wonderful."

I smile and finally rest. At least Victor is at rest. Since Slade has dominion over War and Death I know he's safe and happy.

"You won't torture him or tell him he should've never touched me or been near me?"

He's quiet. I open my eyes and frown. "You already did that?"

He looks away. "For like a day. And in my defense that human seduced you and broke your heart—"

I glare at him.

He sighs. "You're right, you're right. Fine. I was wrong to tie him up and make him drown for 48 hours that wS my fault I thought he was more used to not breathing—"

"Slade!"

He smiles and pays my head. "I'm kidding. Mostly."

I sigh. "Okay don't do that anymore or I'm gonna tell Monika. And I'm only letting it go because it was one day. And I did...haphazardly stab him. I should've more research."

He pats my back. "Yes you should've. But you know, you did him a kindness. Consumption is a terrible and painful way to go. And I think...he really cared about you. So...I'm sure that he was happy to hug you one last time."

I sniffle. If Monika had never found him I would be doing sword drills by now.

"I love you, Fallon."