Page 211 of Vampire Kings Box Set

Maddox was in trouble. Three weeks had gone by since Gideon demanded he bring him the new creature that had once been Lora Candy, and that had not happened. It was no good explaining to Gideon that she was elusive, that she had no real needs anymore, and therefore no predictable pattern, that she would hunt again when her rage needed to be sated, but that he, Maddox could not predict that. When Gideon wanted something, he did not brook excuses of any kind.

Maddox did not inhabit the mansion anymore, he had been cast out until such time as he could find Candy, a situation which pleased him far more than he let on. Gideon was keeping Carter as a sort of hostage, assuming Maddox would worry about the fate of his fledgling, but the truth was Mad’s thoughts were largely reserved for the other brother.

He had also not found Will. Not because Will would be particularly hard to find, but out of a sadly human desire to avoid the pain of rejection. Will had looked at him with nothing but loathing since his captivity, months of hatred that had not abated one bit.

Maddox was attempting to respect Will’s wishes in a way he had not before, to make things better by being a better person. He was not entirely sure how that would work long term, given he was closer to a monster, but for the moment he felt his solitude was at the very least a deserved punishment. He deserved to be alone, and to feel the pain of separation. It was the wages of his particular sin, and he would pay them.

He had moved back to his old accommodations, the sterile concrete decor and glass panels making for a grim environment, just as he liked. Sometimes he fancied he heard a noise either above or below, the sound of Candy and her team working on a feral vampire case, or the sound of Will demolishing the kitchen for pastries. But they were echoes of a lost time, and having lived for as long as he had, Maddox knew a thing or two about lost times. He had mourned more friends and lovers than most over the course of his existence, but he did not recall the pain having quite this level of sting to it before. Perhaps he had changed. Or perhaps Will had changed him.

Maddox was sitting in his office musing such thoughts when the front door swung open, and a familiar step entered the house, more boldly than it had before.

“Lorien,” Maddox said, emerging from his office to greet the younger vampire. He tried not to look too pleased at the intrusion and failed miserably. “What brings you here?”

Lorien, dressed in black jeans and a leather jacket, his long, slightly curling hair looking greasier than it should have, gave Maddox a what the actual fuck stare.

“What brings me here? What the fuck brings you here? And by brings, I mean, makes you sit around indoors all the time like quarantines are still in effect?”

Maddox’s head jolted back. He looked down at the vampire who had the nerve to stroll into his house and lecture him.

“Don’t give me that look,” Lorien said, lighting a cigarette. “We have to talk.”

“About what?” Maddox plucked the cigarette from Lorien’s fingers and put it out on the wall. It left a black ash stain where it fizzled.

“About William. He’s gone feral.”

“Is he in danger?”

“He. Has. Gone. Feral,” Lorien repeated, putting obnoxious emphasis on every single word. “Do you understand what I mean by feral? I mean like, needs to be put down like the feral vampires, feral.”

“So you came here, thinking I might be interested in killing him?”

“No. Idiot!”

Lorien just barely got that piece of disrespect out before Maddox cuffed him around the ear, hard.

“Ow! Fuck!” Lorien grasped his ear with a hand and shot Mad a confused and offended stare.

“You have forgotten who you are speaking to,” Maddox said, his voice holding velvet warning.

“No. I haven’t. It’s just fucking crazy that I am the one here telling you what’s going on. You used to know everything ahead of everyone. Now you’re some pathetic shut-in. Ow! Fuck!” He cursed as Maddox cuffed his other ear for good measure.

“You know what? It’s good if you’re angry. You should be angry,” Lorien said. “Because the wolf you’re responsible for is going to need your anger.”

“What is he doing that is so feral?”

“He’s dangerous. He’s not safe.”

“William has never been safe.”

“He’s eating people.”

“We eat people.”

Lorien stood back and regarded Maddox with a long stare. “I know the two of you aren’t getting on right now, but…”

“He hates me.”

“Maybe he does. Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe that doesn’t matter. He’s yours. You’re responsible for him.”