“I’m hungry, my Emerald.” Wei Caihong had been trying to feed from him for three days straight but Nikola kept him at an arm’s length.

“Go hunt then. You know where the invisibility potion is!” Nikola swayed dangerously on his feet. His hands shook. He needed more of Wei Caihong’s blood. He brought his hand to his mouth and bit down. The blood was normal, nothing like the nectar that flowed through Wei Caihong’s veins. It still calmed him down.

He slipped and nearly fell but strong arms coughed him just in time and lips pressed to his bleeding hand. A tongue lapped at the blood greedily. Nikola was having withdraw and Wei Caihong was starving. It seemed only fair that they suffered together. Nikola tried to get his hand away but Wei Caihong was having none of it. He finally had him in his grip and Nikola was too weak to perform magic now and the vampire knew it. Nikola’s limbs were shaking and saliva pooled in his mouth from the closeness to Wei Caihong. It would be so easy if he leaned in and bit down on Wei Caihong’s neck. He could offer his own in exchange and just what was he thinking? He needed a month to get clean. If he drank now, then the last three days would be for nothing.

“Get away from me!” He snapped at the vampire who now had his bleeding hand in his mouth. An expression of pure bliss on his face. Wei Caihong looked awful. His eyes were completely red and his skin was stretched thin around his flesh. It looked dry and there were small wounds all over Wei Caihong’s arms and more parts of his body, Nikola imagined. Nikola felt the fangs sink deeper and his vein tear and he winced. Wei Caihong was going to drink him dry and then Nikola would be at his mercy. A hand reached out to the color of his robe and begun tugging it down and Nikola did something he hadn’t done since the angels came into his life. He begged.

“I won’t starve you anymore. So, please, don’t do this, Wei Caihong. We can’t remain as lovers. I love Penemue and ah…”

The bones in his hand snapped and now Wei Caihong was more chewing at him in anger rather than drinking from him. But his hand did let go of his color. It rested on Nikola’s waist instead. Nikola gulped. This had been close. Too close for comfort. His hand was released and he made peace with the fact that he would need for it to regenerate on it’s own. Unless Wei Caihong healed it for him, but he very much doubted that the noble would show him such consideration.

Wei Caihong moved his head up, bringing Nikola closer to himself all the while until they were pressed to each other. He kissed Nikola’s neck and then bit down. Nikola moaned when his nose was pressed to Wei Caihong’s neck. He wanted to bite down so bad. To fill his stomach with the sweet blood of the vampire. But he needed to control himself. When Penemue came back things had to be how they used to be in their happier days together. Better even.

When Wei Caihong finally removed his fangs from Nikola the former emperor was feverish. His eyes were half-closed and the only thing keeping him upright were Wei Caihong’s arms. Wei Caihong picked him up as if he weighted nothing, his strength clearly returned, and carried him towards the bedroom. They were soon laying in bed, tangled with each other, and Nikola had no strength to resist in the embrace. He was so tired. His heart was beating slowly as if it was a dying bird. If this was a plot by Azazel to kill him then it was too well thought out.

I don’t want you dead, Nikola. Now drink. You can’t function like this.

Azazel was trying to sound calm but Nikola could sense his anger. Why did his fighting instructor had to always hide behind falsehoods? Why doesn’t he yell now like he wanted to? Why doesn’t he throw around the insults that were at the tip of his tongue? Nikola had failed. Had been warned of the trap he was walking in for once and yet had let himself become addicted to blood of all things. He tried to think of the possible incantation to accompany the ritual circle he had created during the first day of this agony. Back when a headache was his only worry. The words were jumbled in his mind and he felt as if he was going to summon something foul if he kept thinking in the language of the angels.

“You need to drink from me. Your hand isn’t getting any better.” Nikola’s hand indeed throbbed in pain but he didn’t care. The shadows were dancing around him. Taking shapes and moving in and out of his eye range. Had he indeed summoned something with his mind alone? He tried to warn Wei Caihong but the man just sighed and Nikola’s lips were pressed against cold skin.

“Drink.”

Drink, Drink, Drink.

Repeated the shadows the order. He had seen many demons before. Azazel and Samyaza’s rebellion wasn’t the first among angels. Just the one which lasted the most. Was this Amides? He had tricked him once to bring famine to plentiful Egypt so that they would bow their heads. Promising him Penemue’s blood but giving him his own instead. Had the demon finally realized the lie? Or was it Lilith? She had tried to become the patron goddess of Atlantis but Nikola had killed off her children, both the ones she had with Lucifer and the Creator, and had used their blood to make sure she was banished. Where, he knew not. But she was still alive and would like nothing more than to suck out the marrow from his bones. Or was it…

Fingers were opening his mouth forcefully and his teeth were touching the skin now. He breathed deeply in and then out. And then the arm that had been around him left his waist and there was blood underneath Nikola’s tongue and it was so sweet that he couldn’t hold himself back anymore. He bit down, the fingers holding his mouth open letting go just in time, and then he was in Heaven.

He was gripping Wei Caihong desperately as the other murmured something to him but Nikola was too far gone to listen. He had eaten during these past three days and he had drunk, yet he felt as if he had taken ashes and tar in his mouth instead for how could normal food and drink compare to this? He felt his hand getting better and his eyes cleared and the shadows stopped moving. He looked down at the neck he was biting defeated. It didn’t matter if he would say no. He would simply be forced to comply.

With disgust he took his teeth out, swallowing the last mouthful of the precious liquid.

“Are you proud of yourself? Forcing me like that.” Strength was returning to his limbs but it was a slow process. He didn’t dare to try and use magic.

“I am happy you are getting better. That we both are. And I didn’t force you. Had I done it I would have used your weakness to disrobe you and have you.”

Nikola shuddered at that. He moved so that he was as far away from Wei Caihong as he could get. Wei Caihong reached out and gripped his outer robe and Nikola was hanging halfway out of the bed.

“Things have to change between us.” Said Nikola and he meant that they couldn’t share the same bed anymore. Nor the same bathing barrel or each other’s embrace. And then Wei Caihong agreed with him.

“They must. I am tired of your hot and cold game. First you keep moaning another man’s name and now you deny me the bliss of having you altogether. The next time you are this far gone I’ll take you even if you cry while I do so.”

Nikola screamed in frustration and he pushed himself off the bed. His head hit the small bedside table and he raised a hand to rub at the spot.

“I will not let you rape me!” He snapped at Wei Caihong who had moved to the edge of the bed so that he could stare at Nikola.

“I’d rather we made love, my Emerald.” Said the noble and he half got up and knelt on the bed. Hands reaching down to pull Nikola up. “But if I must threaten you to get you to drink from me I will. Except I will go through with the threat, be sure of it.”

Nikola tried to resist being pulled up but he was soon half-laying on top of Wei Caihong and the noble’s hands were drawing comforting circles on his back. Nikola buried his face into Wei Caihong’s chest, for he didn’t want to have to watch his face. There was regret there and hurt and it seemed that Nikola’s feelings for the noble hadn’t cooled enough for him not to be affected by such emotions from Wei Caihong.

“I do love you, my Emerald. If I had a chance with you without all the lies I wouldn’t have said them…”

“Yes, you still would have!” Snapped Nikola. He was using the little power that had returned to him to check Wei Caihong’s words for lies. He wanted to see his true character.

“I want more from you than your power.” Said the noble, arms tightening around Nikola’s body. This time he hadn’t lied to him, Nikola knew. For how long would he remain truthful, the former emperor wondered.

“And in the beginning?” Nikola still remembered Wei Caihong’s admittance that he had wanted to steal his immortality. He felt vicious glee when Wei Caihong’s breath hitched.

“I already told you. Don’t make me repeat myself. It shames me.” Nikola raised an eyebrow at that. The truth had been spoken again. He still needed to press on.

“Has Azazel told you something about my new blood addiction?”

Wei Caihong remained silent and Nikola groaned. Of course, there was another catch.

“Well? Answer me!” He had the right to know if he was ingesting poison. Because if he was then he would run away. Drink the flask of invisibility potion they had brewed together and take to the woods. He’d find someone else to become his assistant once he became clean of Wei Caihong’s blood. He still remembered the incantation from the night he had turned Wei Caihong into a blood drinking fiend.

“Our magic will become collected. Azazel said that since you have a thousand years old pool to draw on more and more of your strength will flow in me. You are still human, after all. He said that you don’t even use your full potential.”

Nikola’s hands flew to Wei Caihong’s throat and he squeezed. How dare that wretch! He had worked hard for his power, for his knowledge! And now it was going to get stolen from him? Well then, he was not going to drink another drop from Wei Caihong’s blood!

“I don’t need to breathe, you know.” Said Wei Caihong calmly. They were starring into each other’s eyes now and Nikola was close to the noble’s face. He squeezed harder and ropes appeared around him and he was suddenly on his back. Tied up and with his last strength leaving him.

“Parasite!” He screamed in Wei Caihong’s face as the noble begun to wrap himself around him. Holding him gently. In a few hours Nikola would be out of these ropes but until then Wei Caihong could do anything, he wanted to him.

“You won’t become helpless and I have a limit on how much of your power I can take, or so Azazel says. Everything will be fine. You will replenish what you have lost in time. And…in a hundred years my blood will have no slay over you whatsoever.”

Nikola laughed bitterly at that. To be robbed everyday for a hundred years? Why, that sounded marvelous!

“Untie me, I have things to do.” His demand came weak even to his own ears. He yawned. He hadn’t been able to sleep in these past three days. Wei Caihong hugged him tighter.

“I’ll take care of you. Just sleep.”

Wei Caihong begun to hum and despite himself Nikola yawned again. The ropes disappeared but the strong arms around him remained. Closing his eyes Nikola decided to allow for this to happen. He drifted off to sleep to the soft tune that Wei Caihong was humming.

The next morning Nikola had a slight headache. Wei Caihong was still wrapped around him. Ever since Nikola had cured him of his little sun problem the vampire had became capable of sleeping. He looked peaceful and Nikola noticed that he had been drooling on his shoulder. Nikola shifted and pushed at Wei Caihong roughly. The man woke with a start and then he looked at the annoyed Nikola. He smiled at him and leaned down to kiss the tip of his nose.

“I had the most pleasant dream, my Emerald. I was still human and you were my concubine. I was lapping up honey from your skin and afterwards I took you again in the bathing room. It was pure bliss.”

“Well, that is enough sex for you, then.” Said Nikola, grumpy at being called a concubine. A glorified sex slave. He pushed further away from Wei Caihong and then chains appeared around him. He sighed, it seemed he wouldn’t be left alone in quite some time.

“I need to teach you something.” The chains disappeared and Wei Caihong got up, tracing the places where the chains had wrapped themselves around Nikola.

“In the bathing room. I want to learn how to freeze water and how to heat it.” Nikola huffed at that.

“You just want an excuse to see me naked!”

Wei Caihong sends him a look as if to say why yes, is it that obvious? And then he moved himself so that he could bite Nikola’s neck easier.

“We both need to drink. Don’t resist.” Then Nikola felt fangs break his skin and he looked down on Wei Caihong’s neck. He craned his neck as best as he could and bit down too. He could do this until the ritual was complete. And then he would suffer through his addiction. But he would have Penemue with him. To hold his hand and support him throughout the process. And Wei Caihong will be left with nothing.

Releasing the flesh bellow from his bite after he had had his fill Nikola waited for Wei Caihong to do the same. He took longer and Nikola waited patiently, arms stubbornly remaining at his side instead of wrapping around Wei Caihong like he had done many times before. Wei Caihong finally released him and they both got up and went to the bathing room. Nikola’s stomach grumbled but that could wait. For now, he needed to uphold his end of the deal.

Wei Caihong seemed to be a natural when it came to freezing water. But heating it up proved to be a challenge for him. They were both inside the bathing barrel and ice floated around them. Slight steam rose from the barrel but they were both shivering.

“Concentrate. You need to first feel the warmth inside of you and then to project it.” Nikola’s voice broke from the cold more than once. If Wei Caihong didn’t heat the water, then he would catch a fever. Maybe Wei Caihong would catch one too, but with how cold he normally was that was doubtful.

“I’m trying but every time I do so I feel as if I am burning on the inside. Are you trying to turn me to ashes with this lesson, my Emerald?”

Nikola blinked. He hadn’t thought of it this way. Perhaps everything that had to do with fire was simply outside of Wei Caihong’s domain. But then the lesson wouldn’t be complete and he had promised to teach the noble two things. What else could he teach him that had to do with water?

“The exchange has to be fair. I need to teach you something else then. How would you like to learn to supplant your blood with water?”

Wei Caihong looked at him with interest.

“This is a healing spell, isn’t it?”

Nikola nodded and then he took Wei Caihong’s hand and touched his wrist gently. A cut appeared and Nikola held the wound over the edge of the barrel so it could drip outside. Then he levitated some water and brought it to the wound as Wei Caihong watched. The water sipped inside the wound and it closed.

“Blood is made up mostly of water. But transfusions can’t be made normally without magic. You got a good feel of the magic, didn’t you?”

“Can I produce blood for drinking this way?” Asked Wei Caihong, still starring at his wrist. “To keep a human captive instead of having to hunt and then drink from the transformed water?”

Nikola hummed, considering it. There was no reason why it couldn’t be done. But that brought the problem of keeping someone captive.

“Focus on mastering this so we can both leave here. The water is freezing and I am still not recovered enough to heat it.”

Hours later, for Wei Caihong had hurt himself more than once by freezing the water in his veins accidently instead of transforming it into blood, they were out and into fresh robes. Wei Caihong in rich dark silks with red trims while Nikola was in more modest deep blue cotton ones.

“I’m going to go to granny Nuo Nuying. See what she has been up to.” Said Nikola and when Wei Caihong moved to follow him he turned around and crossed his hands. “Alone.” He added. Then when he turned around and didn’t hear any footsteps following him his shoulders slumped in relief.

The roads were wet and the roofs were glistening in the morning sun. The air smelled crisp and Nikola entertained the thought of going down to the beach to spend the day lazing away on the sand. Soon he was by the stand and granny Nuo Nuying was greeting him enthusiastically.

“Nikola of Troy! You have been in your house for four days! I have begun to worry. Come sit. Everyone the oracle is back! Come and get your fortune for a copper!”

Excited women begun to crowd the stall and Nikola was soon talking about babies and marriages. He was broken of his work during lunch when granny Nuo Nuying handed him a steamed bun.

“This is the last one. I saved it just for you. You eat up now. You look as pale as a ghost.”

Nikola happily begun to munch on the dough and then his tongue found the hidden pork within. He ate the bun quickly and wiped his fingers on a rag that granny gave him.

“How is life with your lover? Is he treating you well?”

Nikola shook his head and granny Nuo Nuying became outraged.

“I told you he was nothing but trouble. Did he steal your house? You can come live with me again. In exchange for spending your day here with the customers.”

Nikola was touched at the offer. He knew that the elderly woman cared for him. She reminded him of his chief advisor during his first years of ruling. Elder Ivana. The elder had been against him keeping Penemue for a lover, telling him to trade gold with the angels in exchange for the secrets of cultivating the earth. But he hadn’t listened to her and when Azazel had told him to banish her to the outskirts of the island he had done so, fearful that the angels will leave otherwise. He missed her wisdom now more than ever.

“I’ll come by as often as I can.” Assured Nikola and he placed a hand over the woman’s shoulder. “And he didn’t steal my house. He admitted to lying to me and I am simply not ready to forgive him.”

Granny Nuo Nuying grinned at him and placed a hand over Nikola’s.

“I’ve seen how you look at him, child. If he merely lied and didn’t do anything drastic then you will forgive. You two make a lovely picture together. But then again all young people in love do.”

Then the granny begun to pick up her stall and Nikola mulled over her words. He had known Wei Caihong for two months. This was nothing compared to his love affair with Penemue. And yet people told him he was in love. Was he? He didn’t feel any hatred towards Wei Caihong for the lies as he should. Maybe it was the addiction to the blood talking but this morning Nikola had enjoyed being wrapped up in his lover’s arms. Safe in the knowledge that the other wouldn’t hurt him intentionally. Truly hurt him. The little chewing of Nikola’s hand yesterday didn’t count at all. Wei Caihong had stopped when Nikola had begged him. And maybe he was too harsh on the man.

Nikola picked the heavy bun pot and carried it towards granny Nuo Nuying’s wagon.

“Are you sure you want to close shop this early, granny?” Nuo Nuying huffed and jumped in the wagon, taking the reins and giving Nikola her best stern face.

“I sold all the buns, didn’t I? If I keep earning extra I will need to pay more taxes. I already hid away all the extra coins you earned me but the new magistrate is coming. I can explain to him that you traded fortune telling so that people will buy my buns but if he finds out I made something extra on the side he will scream tax evasion and confiscate all the money to line his own pockets.”

Nikola sighed and got in the wagon, relaxing on the bench. He would spend the day with granny and help her around the house. Her garden must need weeding again and her stalls would surely be in need of mucking.

“You are a good boy, Nikola of Troy.” The old woman drove the wagon through the streets, urging on the oxen every so often. “Wei Caihong is very lucky. When are you opening your shop?”

Nikola had cleaned the shop top to bottom and had put all the new knickknacks on display. But his little withdraw period had put all thoughts of opening the shop from his mind. Now that he was better he only needed to put an open sign in front of the buildings and then attract customers with fortune telling or something.

“Maybe tomorrow, granny. Everything is ready. I just had a lot on my mind lately.”

“You open the shop bright and early in the morning and I’ll bring my stall in front of it! A steam bun for every customer who enters your shop. Nicely packed so they don’t get your store dirty with crumbs and for the fair price of a copper. I’ll make extra buns too! When we go home you will have to help me knit the dough!”

Nikola chuckled at the woman’s excitement. She needed to pay rent to have her stall on the market. And she knew that he wouldn’t ask it of her if she opened shop in front of his store. How could he say no to his favorite person in the village?

“Fine, fine! We’ll make dough for the rest of the day. But do you have enough pork for it all?”

The woman slapped her forehead and stopped the wagon, motioning for Nikola to get off. Then she dug a gold piece, one of the two that Wei Caihong had given them the first day, and gave it to Nikola.

“You go tell the butcher to get me two, no, three pigs! Everyone has been talking about your shop since they found out you bought it from handler Hua. And tell him to make the meat into mincemeat and quickly! Keep the rest, you are the one who earned this, after all.”

Then the granny speeded away before Nikola could protest. He made his way to the butcher’s and greeted the passerby’s he knew on the way. Women, mostly, but there were some men who had taken to coming to him so that he could predict what would anger their wives. One man, a rice farmer, stopped him and showed his palm to Nikola nervously.

“Oracle, I will ask my love to marry me tomorrow. I was at the bun stall this morning but you weren’t there. Will I have success? Oh, right! Here is your copper!” The man pressed a coin in Nikola’s hand who thought about refusing it. The man didn’t look well off, wearing rough gray robes. But he knew that he would hurt the man’s pride so he pocketed it instead. He stared deep into his eyes and he saw the man standing by the bed of a young woman. She was beautiful but looked pained and her skin had a sickly bluish tint. Now why was that?

“Does your beloved have dark black hair and a beauty spot right over her right dimple?” He asked. This could be the man’s sister or a friend.

“She does! You look worried! What did you see?” The man was clutching desperately at Nikola and the former emperor prepared to give him the news.

“She will fall sick. I saw you with her so she may yet return your affection. But she didn’t look like she would make it. Her skin was bluish and swollen and…”

“That cursed retch! The sickness of the Emerald Emperor is going to strike down my Mei Ying! Oh, what have I done to deserve it?”

The man was tearing at his clothes when Nikola stopped him. He never created diseases. Any magical disease he makes would turn to a plague, killing millions. Or so the angels have told him. Why was he blamed again then?

“The Emerald Emperor never created an illness with magic in his life. That is what everyone in Troy says. You must be mistaken.”

The rice farmer wailed pitifully and then he spat on the ground.

“It was his curse on the rest of us. It wasn’t enough that he nearly drowned our ancestors. The plague appeared when he disappeared. But I will still go to Mei Ying. I will still propose. But you have to get away from this place, Oracle. We are all doomed here. If only that useless lad Wei Caihong would help. His family was thick with the Emerald Emperor. He must know magic. Why else is our good Emperor hating him so much?”

“Perhaps I can come with you? See into Mei Ying’s future. Maybe her father wouldn’t approve and he would beat her?”

The man’s eyes lit up with hope. He begun to tug Nikola’s sleeve.

“Yes! Come, come! Prevent this somehow. I’ll buy a steamed bun from Nuo Nuying’s stall every time I’m in the village if you do. Such a kind man you are!”

Nikola’s feet fell into step with the man but the rice farmer was still gripping his sleeve. They were soon in front of a shack. An old woman looked in desperation all around her as a man wailed like a babe. The rice farmer’s breath hitched and he finally let go of Nikola’s sleeve.

“Mei Ying!” Screamed the man as Nikola felt the magic coming from this house. It had his aura but how was it possible?

And who cleaned the ritual circle in the palace after you jumped, you dumb shit?

Azazel’s voice was full of disappointment. For no matter how much he disliked humanity he still didn’t want plagues to be unleashed across the world.

But, the rain could have washed it away! And the saltwater afterwards!

Nikola’s reasoning sounded weak even to his own ears. Magic and blood needed to be scrubbed clean. And sometimes the stone had to be removed entirely because the magic would seep into it. That was why his palace had wood over the stone. Wood was easier to remove and it had come from life organisms once and so it absorbed the magic fully. This was his doing and he would fix it.

He went inside despite the protests of the woman by the door. There were blankets in the corners of the shack and on top of them was the young woman he had seen. Mei Ying was breathing heavily and Nikola approached her. He ran his fingers over her cold skin. He pulled out her colorless tongue, dry. He then stared at her eyes.

Nikola couldn’t expose himself as a healer. The Emerald Emperor was a healer as well as a magician and there were already too many parallels that the locals could see to expose him for who he was. But if they already suspected that Wei Caihong knew magic then he could do this. Play a mummer’s show and have the villagers believe that it was the noble who had healed the woman and had put an end to the plague.

Rushing outside he pulled out the gold piece and gave it to the rice farmer.

“I will ask Wei Caihong to heal your beloved with magic.” The woman begun sobbing with relief and the man, probably Mei Ying’s father, fell to his knees and began to kowtow. “Take this and go to the butcher and ask him to deliver three pigs worth of mincemeat to granny Nuo Nuying. Buy saffron with the rest of the money. As much as you can find. Spread the word of the plague and if anyone else has fallen sick have them brought to my house.”

The rice farmer rushed to do as he was told. Nikola was going to feed the people that were sick with the steamed buns, in which he would put saffron, and he was going to pay granny Nuo Nuying for them all. Plagues never started with just one victim. He just hoped that Wei Caihong would agree to play along.