The Vampire Prince's Toxic Consort (BL)
Chapter 47 The Price

As the voice echoed in everyone’s ear, Lucius heard a second voice in his head.

“I told you, you will come to me.”

Lucius felt like his heart paused briefly, and a cold chill penetrated his body.

Vampires and werewolves completely froze in fear, yet they couldn’t move their eyes. An invisible claw had latched at their brains, inserting chaotic and hellish images in their heads, pushing them toward the abyss of madness. They felt like inconsequential insects in the presence of an entity so unfathomably immemorial and superior.

Dorian stared into the eye of obscene, the opposite of the Holy Eye, and he knew who it belonged to.

Asmodian, the Serpent and the King of Hell, the beginning of all human corruption and the seducer of souls. He was not entirely in this world, but the Sanctuary had a crack in space and time and allowed his power to seep in just enough to communicate with his progeny.

But why was he answering Dorian’s previous prayer? It was not even a sincere prayer, and Dorian was not a pure-blood Aslani.

“My lord, we have no intention to disturb you. Please forgive our trespassing.” Dorian quickly got down on one knee and lowered his head, showing complete submission to the Elder. He knew that everyone’s life was in the hand of the Elder now, and he had to somehow replace a way to get everyone out of there alive.

“My child, after all these years, you finally remember the source of your other half of blood.“The Elder boomed, cold and languid, “And yet, you came empty-handed and used my temple for your little trickery. Does your generation truly have no respect for your Elders anymore?”

“I meant no disrespect. It was all my fault. Please let others leave.” Dorian pleaded as cold sweat drenched his shirt, and his hand trembled, “I will stay and accept my punishment.”

“No!” Lucius exclaimed. He then bowed his head just as Dorian did and kneeled next to him, entreating piteously, “Please! We didn’t think we would disturb you. We will make sure we make sacrifices in your name after we go back. Please forgive us.”

Julian was the only one who stood tall and straight, clutching at his rosary and praying to God loudly, showing no fear even in front of the source of evil. But Asmodian only laughed, which was like nails scratching at metal, a harsh noise that was enough to tear through people’s skulls.

“Your God has no power in my realm. Little lamb.” Asmodian’s voice continued with derision and contempt, “You may as well pray to me, and I may let you live.”

“God is everywhere, and you will not terrorize me,” Julian replied in unmovable resoluteness, “you can destroy my body, but my soul belongs to my Lord!”

“Shut up, Jule!” Lucius warned through gritted teeth, “Not now!”

The giant eye rotated slightly, and a chuckle rippled across the sky, “so this is the twin he chose. The divine one. Maybe I should keep you just to piss him off.”

Dorian’s heart pulsated frantically and begged, “Please! He is not in all of this. I implore you, mighty Asmodian, I will stay and serve you. Please let the rest leave!”

The eye rotated again, and this time back to Dorian, “No one shall leave unless you pay what you’ve owed me for more than a century, child.”

Before the echo of his voice settled, the ground began to shake again, and a gush of rancid wind blew up from the bottomless abyss that Hydra left, accompanied by a long, sibilant hissing. The nine-headed beast once again rose to the sky. Its gargantuan shadow blanketed everyone’s fear-struck countenance.

Some werewolves and vampires panicked and frantically tried to climb the walls, to no avail. Several Hydra’s heads shot venoms toward the soldiers who tried to escape and melted them like candle wax.

In the pandemonium of screaming and begging, Asmodian’s forbidding voice resonated, “You come to beg for my blood, but you are not worthy of it, for you’ve never used my gift to you and never worshiped me. However, you are still my scion, and I will show you mercy. Make one sacrifice, and I will not only allow you to leave, and will grant you the power to rule the world.”

Dorian asked apprehensively, “What sacrifice?”

Asmodian’s eyes roved around leisurely, eventually pausing over Lucius and Julian, and he said menacingly, “I will have one of the twins. You can only choose one to take with you. The other one will be mine, forever.”

The words reverberated in Lucius, Julian, and Dorian’s ears, and their eyes widened in shock.

Meanwhile, the voice whispered in Lucius’s ear, “Who do you think he will choose? The love of his life, or the substitute?”

It was something that was always at the back of Lucius’s mind. He had wondered about such a situation many, many times, and he still couldn’t predict the answer.

On the one hand, he didn’t want to die. And he didn’t want Julian to die, either.

On the other hand...Dorian chose him to be his consort, right? He meant something to Dorian as well, right?

But was he important enough for Dorian to sacrifice his true love, who saved his life and his soul six years ago?

“Why are you doing this? Why won’t you leave me alone!” Lucius screamed in his mind, cursing the voice. But Asmonidian only snickered .

“You prayed to me, didn’t you?” The voice said each word in such a slow and sensual manner as if each syllable had a grasping hand, “and I helped you, twice.”

“Why me!”

“Because you are the evil twin. The unchosen one. The dark side of the moon. And you can say that I chose you because God didn’t, and I want to see who will win.” The devil sighed profoundly and sounded almost wistful,” Eventually, you will see there is nothing for you in this world. No matter how hard you try, you will never be good enough for any of them. And I am the only one who chose you.”

Lucius shut his mind, no longer wanting to hear the venomous words. Julian was saying something, begging Dorian to take Lucius and leave. Lucius didn’t say anything. He just stared at Dorian, trying to catch every nuance of change on his visage.

He had never seen such a painful, conflicting, and torn expression on Dorian’s face before. The Crown Prince had always been collected, calm, and in control. But now he couldn’t hide any of his thoughts. His eyes oscillated between Lucius and Julian, and his lips trembled, “Let them go. I will stay.”

“It doesn’t work that way, child.” Asmodian crushed his last hope, “It has to be one of the twins. I will give you one minute. Pick one to take away with you. Otherwise, Hydra will devour both of them.”

Two gigantic heads towered over Lucius and Julian, and the fetid smell made breathing hard. Lewis and Florian both panicked, they tried to rush forward, but another two heads blocked their way.

Dorian felt like he couldn’t breathe. Seconds ticked away quickly, and Hydra’s eyes fixed on the two young men hungrily. His time was running out.

But how could he make such a choice?

Julian cried piteously, “Don! Take my brother!”

Why did Julian have to be so selfless and perfect? Thought Lucius absent-mindedly. Even now, he had to be the hero who would sacrifice himself for his corrupted, not-worthy brother.

Perhaps...he should do the same. Perhaps he was a better choice as a sacrifice, considering how important Julian was to...everyone. But he didn’t say anything. Partially it was because he wasn’t ready to die when their plan worked, and they had won, and there could have been a bright future in front of them.

He loved Julian, willing to give up his life and go to Eternia for him, but he was not ready to die for him.

And he also wanted to hear Dorian’s choice.

Lucius’s heart fell into a dark, cold ice cliff when he saw Dorian avert his eyes, avoid Lucius’s gaze in guilt, and turn to fix on Julian. The equivocation in those dark irises slowly settled, and before he even said a word, Lucius already knew he had made a decision.

A decision that was not really surprising and perhaps...Lucius had always known. But it would break his heart nonetheless.

Why did he think there could be any other choices?

Lucius felt a lump in his chest, pressing against his beating heart, and he couldn’t breathe. He was so stupid, letting himself be seduced by Dorian and lying to himself, believing that he could take Julian’s place in Dorian’s heart. Although Dorian decided to give Julian up and settle for him, it didn't necessarily mean that he loved Lucius now. Perhaps he just didn't want to let any harm come to the love of his life, even if it were at Lucius’s expense.

“I...I choose Juli...”

“Dorian!” Lucius abruptly cut his word. He didn’t want to hear the truth, so he decided to pretend he was the one making the choice. After all, that was all he ever had. An illusion of choices.

Dorian was startled, and he met Lucius’s knowing, heartbroken gaze.

Lucius smiled at him, beautiful and brave, bright like a flame in the deepest shadow, “It was a good year, thank you...and don’t forget me.”

And then, he turned and dashed toward the abyss, and as he leaped into the bottomless pit without a single strand of hesitation, he heard Dorian’s hoarse and despairing cry.

“No!!!”

Dorian swooped toward the abyss the moment Lucius leaped into it, but a giant snakehead swatted him away like an insect, and he hit the wall of the Sanctuary so hard that the bones in one wing shattered with a crunching sound, and blood oozed out of his mouth.

He fell to the ground with one wing limped on the side, yet he struggled up miraculously and once again dashed toward the pit. There was only one thought in his mind: this could not be the last time he ever saw Lucius. He had to make it right.

“Your Highness!” Serena blocked his way and tried to stop him from suicidal attempts, “he is gone!”

“Get out of my way!“Dorian snarled. All his usual calm fell apart, and his eyes were filled with panic. And as he shoved Serena to the side, Volke took her place and grabbed his shoulder, trying to reason with him, “Calm down! You can’t save him now!”

“No!“Dorian said forcefully and obdurately. His facial features shifted into sharper, menacing shapes, and his hands grew into deadly claws, but before he could attack, a person he couldn’t hurt stood before him.

Tears stained Julian’s cheeks, but determination burnt bright in his eyes. He said with a shaky voice, “Stop this! He wouldn’t have wanted you to die with him. Do you want to make his sacrifice in vain?!”

Dorian bared his teeth in rage, but soon that rage transmuted into something darker and deeper, tearing his inner organs asunder.

And all he could remember was Lucius’s smile. That smile was different from all the smiles he had given Dorian before, and Dorian knew that Lucius thought he had given him up.

He chose to die thinking Dorian abandoned him, just like everyone else in his life.

But that was not the truth! Dorian wasn’t planning to abandon him! He didn’t have time to finish!

“No no no no no...“Dorian mumbled as his knees gave out beneath him. All strength escaped from his body. He looked up to the evil, calculating eye in the sky as wetness began to rise to his eyes.

How long had it been since he shed a tear? He thought he was incapable of crying anymore.

“Give him back...please!“He muttered, over and over, knowing it was hopeless.

“You have made your choice.” The Elder replied indifferently, “And I shall grant your wish.”

The giant eye in the sky closed, along with all the lights. Instantly darkness and silence inundated Dorian. He felt as if he had returned to the state before his birth, floating in a vast, eternal void of non-existence.

He crumpled down, hoping that he was falling like Lucius. Many vivid memories flashed before him. The first time he saw Lucius walking along the red carpet toward him, candlelight dancing over his soft, lustrous strawberry blonde hair, scared like a deer in headlight. The night after being attacked by Archie, Lucius clutched at him so tight as if he was his only safe haven. When werewolves attacked them, Lucius bravely bared his neck, asking him to drink. The exquisite smell and taste of Lucius’s blood. The smooth, velvety sensation as Dorian touched Lucius’s skin when they made love for the first time. Lucius’s cheeky, mischievous smiles, the way he tilted his head, the way moonlight danced in the depth of his hazel eyes when swimming in the sea, the little dimple on his face when he ate Black Forest cake...

He remembered all the tiny details. Every single moment when his heart melted by his consort, little by little, day by day. Until one day, he became part of Dorian’s life.

But now, Lucius was gone.

“If you won’t give him back...” Dorian said hollowly, “Then I’m not leaving, either. I can’t leave him all by himself.”

“And give up avenging your mother?” Asmodian’s rumbling voice resounded in the void, though less harsh and menacing.

Suddenly a ray of light cascaded before him, and within that light, a black feather slowly drifted down like a weightless elf dancing in the moon river. It was long and beautiful. A glamorous emerald sheen glided across the barbs with every twirling and movement. Harmless yet elegantly, it landed before Dorian.

“You have forsaken my power. Therefore, I won’t give you my blood. However, I have something even better for you.” Asmodian’s voice continued enticingly, “This is Azreal’s feather, directly pulled off from one of his wings. It contains a decent amount of his true power, and as long as it is on you, you will be as powerful as his first generation.”

Dorian stared at the feather, feeling disoriented and unreal.

Azreal’s feather...How did Asmodian possess such a thing? Did the two elders fight in the archaic past?

But it was all meaningless now.

“I don’t want it,” Dorian said desperately, “I’m not leaving until you return him to me!”

But Asmidian only laughed at him, savoring his pain and regret, yet replied venomously, “What makes you think you have a choice?”