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Vampire King Apollyon

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"You complained about the Spring Faeries having no sense of gratitude for your sacrifice to eat the shape-shifting demons, right?" Apollyon murmured as he lovingly caressed the silver strands away from her flushed ivory face while his arm cradled her head.

Every time Apollyon looked at this silver-haired beauty beside him made him think she was a personification of mother-of-pearl. "--but I didn't tell you the real reason why they wanted to declare war on us yet."

"Tell me, husband." Luna urged, her hand sliding inside the V of his loose white shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin as she stroked the small hairs on his chest. "I'm dying to know."

Apollyon closed his eyes and purred. "Well, the Spring Monarchs thought you were the one who summoned the shape-shifting demons at Ostara because you want to play the heroine and save the day. "

"What?!" Luna's fingernails raking his pectorals surprised him more than her sharp tone.

"Why would they declare war on us if we saved their kind from complete carnage and annihilation." Apollyon opened his eyes only to see his wife's pretty face in a scowl. "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! It would have been alright if we are real enemies here, but we are not!"

"Same," Apollyon said as he smoothed the wrinkles of Luna's forehead with his thumb. "I thought so at the beginning."

"Are they out of their minds?" Eyes wide, Luna asked incredulously.

Apollyon knew she didn't expect a serious answer. "For what purpose would I want to play the hero?" It was more of an inner monologue rather than a hypothetical question. "This didn't make any sense."

"Yes, you're right."

"--but I'm still glad that you proceeded with the peace talks, Apollyon. Knowing you, you wouldn't hesitate in going to war when the safety of the Vampire Realm is at stake." Luna bit her lip, thinking hard, and Apollyon smirked at how adorable she appeared.

Shaking his head, Apollyon realized he needed to stop acting smitten to his wife as if they just got married.

"I thought that the Spring Courts are declaring war with us because they found out that you killed the demonic faeries as a sacrifice to summon my Archdemon soul back!"

"The Spring Monarchs had clarified their point at one of these agonizing meetings," Apollyon replied as his gaze fell to those luscious cherry-red lips.

He let out an inaudible groan.

Apollyon needed to stay focused and get his mind out of the gutter as well.

It was bad to be distracted when they were talking about war.

"There was never a moment where I'm not tempted to kill everyone who attended. If they wanted me to play the role of the villain, I should have left the Spring Fair Folk to die at Ostara, leaving them to slay each other while we are nowhere to be found, returning to the Vampire Realm."

"Those Spring Monarchs are stupid," Luna observed.

"I don't know what happened, but in every Spring Faeries' eyes, you are the villain, wife."

"What?" Luna sighed in frustration as she shifted her gaze at the ancient oak tree's wide branches and the quivering leaves.

"Why did I became the villain for saving these Spring Faeries?" Luna asked. "I don't understand."

Apollyon brought his free arm to settle on the grass as he waved them to the side as if he was making a snow angel, loving the feel of the tips of the green blades clinging unto his sleeves.

Today was a special day, and Apollyon hadn't appreciated nature this much.

It felt good to lay in a bed of grass with his wife, even just for a moment.

"My job is to rectify that image of yours as the Vampire Empress. I swear someone is ruining your reputation, which might end up in a full-scale war. There must be a misunderstanding."

"Something wasn't adding up, Apollyon. All of the Spring Faeries who have a pair of eyes at Ostara have seen me summon the Demon Snake Spirit to save the remaining guests from being possessed." Luna said. "I'm sure the Spring Monarchs had appreciated the fact that I helped them avoid the carnage when all of their powers combined wouldn't win against those demons if I didn't eat them."

Apollyon peered at her with hooded eyes.

He desired to relax and sleep in his wife's embrace at the house, but Luna told her she was cooped inside that house for so long, sleeping for three days.

She was tired of being confined in an enclosed space like a prisoner, claiming she felt toasted and stuffy when the only clothes she wore were corsets.

He still decided to humor her and offered to accompany her outside, roaming around the mountains as they rode Prince Aspen's brown stallion at the barn.

Apollyon was busy these days because of the Spring Courts, and he prayed that everything would be resolved sooner rather than later.

He missed his wife, and he wanted them to have a good time, enjoying each other's company.

Nevertheless, Apollyon was glad that the witch doctor had an accurate prediction on what day Luna would wake up from her slumber as her body recuperated and adjusted from digesting those demons. (if there was such a thing)

The Fairy Witch Doctor must have told him the truth.

The black cat he brought to the house to guard Luna successfully did its job, catching his wife's soul before it got pulled away somewhere else.

Well, Apollyon was relieved that the black cat with golden eyes wasn't useless.

Apollyon whispered lazily as he closed his eyes, "It's time for us to regroup and learn from our experiences rather than blindly forge ahead and go to war with the Spring Courts."

"Tell me who dared challenge the Vampire Realm?" Luna replied, determined. "They aren't only battling with a Vampire King but an Archdemon Empress."

Apollyon opened an eye as he glanced down at her. "Who else would do you think is trying to push the Vampire Realm in a corner?"