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Not forever, he hoped, but for the last ten years ...
As a vampire, ten years was nothing. But if she chose to stay human, then those were ten less years they could have together.
"Old Rick wasn't a monster. He believed that being a vampire was a responsibility to protect yourself and those around you from danger. To use your strength and speed to help those who cannot help themselves. And I don't believe you're a monster either," Jay said, and then a moment, thoughtfully added, "Your Majesty."
Dominick leaned back in his chair, took a glass from the table, filled it with whiskey, and then took a deep swig of the burning liquid. "What makes you say that, boy?"
Jay seemed to think about this deeply for a moment, and then he said, "Because you're a king, and kings are supposed to be good. My mama always said you could be a hero if you wanted to be."
It was a novel thought. That being a vampire could be more than just living through death and killing for survival. More than excess and blood and domination. How could their kind use the gifts bestowed upon them for good, for making a difference in the world, when they craved death and destruction?
Calamity was coded into their very beings.
"Perhaps you're right, wise boy," he said, finally, taking a reflective pause. "Becoming a vampire means great power, but with that power comes the responsibility of using it wisely. It is not a matter of being either good or evil, but rather making choices that benefit everyone affected by those decisions. A vampire should strive to use their abilities in service of others and the greater good without letting personal desires cloud their judgment. That is very much what a king should be like."
Had Dominick always been that way in his long life? Absolutely not. Once, he could have been called a tyrant, way back in his infancy as a vampire. But as the centuries passed, he liked to believe that he'd mellowed quite a bit, and now he gave the people under his domain—the vampires, humans, fae, or anyone else who wandered into his territory—a lot more freedoms and privileges. As long as they weren't a slave.
To think it was Rosalie's idea that Daihalsa continues to profit on fewer slave restrictions while kingdoms such as Rainada made buying slaves and dictated what their owners could do with them. And now that most other kingdoms had similar laws regarding the fair treatment of slaves, and their profits were through the roof, Rosalie turned around and changed her mind.
She'd been right, and now she wanted to back down. That wasn't like her at all.
The topic of vampires and Rosalie made acid burn in his throat, and that was as good a sign as any that it was time for him to change topics. He needed to find a way to bring Rosalie to him now, not dwell on the past.
How could he use Jaynowto get what he wanted?
"So, tell me about your parents, Jay," Dominick said at last. "Where does your family live?"
Jay's eyes lit up at the chance to tell the king a story, and he launched into a long description of his parents. He told Dominick about his father, Anwar, a doctor who worked in the fields helping those injured in battle. At least, how he had before his untimely death. Jay didn't have any memories of his father beyond what his mother had told him. Meanwhile, his mother, Jadielle, was a homemaker and farmwife before she started working at the castle as a maid. They lived in a small-holding outside in the village along the river bank with Jadielle's brother.
"He'll be there all alone now," Jay mumbled. "I wonder if he thinks I'm dead?"
Dominick listened intently as Jay enthused about where he lived, describing each area with an enchanting level of detail. Fields of wildflowers danced in his mind as Jay described them with such vividness and passion that it made even Dominick's cold heart feel warm. The cobbled streets and homes built around them were filled with neighborly kindness and ever-present goodwill among its citizens.
But he searched each description for hints of information he could use against Rosalie, and he found nothing. Why did Rosalie care so profoundly about Jay if he didn't seem to know anything about her? Even questions in that vein just brought Jay back to how she reminded him of his mother, which was why he trusted her. Either Rosalie had kept to herself around him, or Jay was hiding something—and it seemed unlikely that a boy of ten would be capable of weaving deceit good enough to fool him, an ancient vampire.
There was still something here he could use with this boy, but perhaps it would not be as easy as Dominick expected. He carefully watched Jay sip from the glass of iced tea, talking on and on about his friends in the village. One idea Dominick thought of was allowing Jay to attend the activities of the castle—from attending court meetings with him, playing in ballroom hallways, or having chats over tea after dinner orders were placed. Giving him an education on par with any other noble boy of age could be another way to sway Rosalie into remaining by Dominick's side. If only to keep an eye on Jay.
But to truly sway Rosalie, Dominick suspected he would have to sway the boy first. Win him over so that Rosalie had no choice but to agree. Dominick could engage him in activities Jay truly enjoyed. Perhaps he had a soft spot for playing board games or exploring the grounds, or he might find that he was interested in reading and studying the classics, or perhaps history and even other languages.
But would that be enough to sway Rosalie if she truly was only taking guardianship of the boy out of compassion, not some obligation?
Dominick looked at the clock above the mantel, and he bounced to his feet. "Thank you for your excellent stories today, boy. But I must go—Rosalie will be waiting for me by now."
"Rosalie won't be happy that I ran away, will she?" Jay said, very sadly, all of a sudden. "Will you tell her it's not my fault? Will you tell her the fox lady wanted to speak with me, and that's why I left?"
Dominick looked down at the boy, puzzled. "Of course, I'll tell her."
Considering this was the most useful information he'd gotten out of the boy so far, Dominick surely would ask Rosalie what Jay meant by the 'fox lady.' Odd indeed.
***
"Do you always make a habit of making your guests wait?" Rosalie huffed when Dominick finally came into his private dining room.
The hall was expansive with deep burgundy walls and high gilded ceilings, furnished with lavish velvet chairs and burled wood tables. The heavy drapes were drawn open to reveal a breathtaking view of the castle grounds, a hilly landscape that stretched out for miles, though Rosalie wouldn't be able to admire it for long with how quickly dusk was taking over.
Dominick's chest tightened when he saw her standing there, arms crossed and eyebrows raised in expectation of an explanation. He cleared his throat and bowed, wishing he could articulate himself better. "My sincerest apologies," he said. "I got carried away talking to Jay and lost track of time."
Her mouth hung open for a minute. "T-talking to Jay?" she stammered. "Why would you do such a thing?"
