Chapter Four

With each step, Casimir's feet crunched the fallen leaves and twigs of the dark forest, his mate's heartbreaking departure still fresh in his mind. The sun had long ago set, but the darkness offered no solace to him, only a constant reminder of his broken heart and the irreversible damage he had caused.

It was baffling how he could feel so much anguish and yet feel completely numb inside. The guilt weighed on him so heavily that Casimir found every breath a struggle.

How could he have unknowingly caused so much harm? His connection to the wolf was strong, but he had no idea it was because they were already bonded.

And now, because of his mistake, he had lost his mate. His nékah's scream still rang in Casimir's ears, filled with hate and regret for ever meeting him.

"You deserve it for what you have done," he murmured to himself as he continued to walk, the moon casting shadows on the path he made his way down. A chipmunk ran past him as he heard the hoot of an owl. "But I swear to you, Damon, there was never any betrayal in my heart toward you."

It was a crushing blow for Casimir, who had spent over two thousand years constantly watching his back, surviving brutal attacks and going to bed alone every night. And now he was cursed to walk a lonely road once again.

He had thought that finding his mate would change everything and bring him the companionship and love he had so desperately craved.

"I just wanted to protect you," Casimir whispered into the darkness. "To help guide you through your new abilities." But all those intentions meant nothing now.

"You destroyed any chance you had with your mate within the first hour of meeting him." Casimir laughed bitterly. "So pathetic. At least now you know why he hates you. You are just a lifetime purveyor of betrayal."

There was nothing Casimir could ever do to make up for unknowingly shattering the most precious bond he could ever have hoped for.

A tingle ran through Casimir's béskym mark, signaling that someone was watching him.

Today was not the day to test his patience. His emotions were raw and volatile, and anyone who dared to challenge him would feel the full force of his wrath.

Casimir slowed to a stop. "It's rude to interrupt someone mid-conversation with themselves. Reveal yourself," he stated calmly but with a clear intent.

The sound of footsteps grew louder and more deliberate as someone made their way toward him on the forest floor. Twigs snapped underfoot and leaves rustled on bushes as a short, gaunt male stepped onto the path. He wore jeans, a faded black shirt over a long-sleeved one, and scuffed sneakers.

If Casimir hadn't been lost in thought, he would have caught the unmistakable scent of vampire before now.

"Come to steal some fae blood?" Casimir raised an eyebrow. The male appeared young, no more than 120 years old, maybe a decade or two older than that, but considered an adult among their kind.

The vampire's tongue slid over his bottom lip nervously as his gaze darted all over Casimir's body, as if searching for the best way to take down a s ix-foot-seven-inch Méityah.

Casimir took a deep breath, allowing his muscles to relax as he focused on the vampire's every move. Despite his thin frame, he was still a predator.

"As delicious as your blood smells, g-guess again." He attempted to smile, but it was more of a timid grimace that revealed his sharp fangs.

As Casimir studied the guy, he was more than a little surprised the vampire displayed this much self-control. Vampires were notorious for being unable to resist the temptation of fae blood, especially younger ones like this male.

There was also a scar peeking out from under the collar of his shirt. Vampires usually healed when they consumed blood, causing any scarring to disappear.

Slowly tilting his head, Casimir grinned knowingly. "Ah, I see. You're after a different kind of blood."

The vampire's strained, half-smile faded as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I don't get it."

"Traitor's blood," Casimir clarified for the naive vampire.

The vampire's amber eyes dulled as he nodded. "Yes, p-please. That one."

There was no possible way this scrawny, timid vampire would be foolish enough to take on Casimir alone. Which meant help was nearby.

Without moving a muscle, Casimir scanned his surroundings with razor-sharp focus, searching for any hidden threats.

Whoever it was, they were masking their scent with expert skill. Even Casimir couldn't detect them.

But he could feel their presence—someone was watching him closely, like a predator stalking its prey.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, his swords materialized in his grasp, summoned by his béskym mark. The weight of the blades felt as natural as his own hands.

The guardian's attack came fast and fierce. The clash of metal on metal echoed through the forest, sparks igniting with each strike, illuminating the darkness around them.

Casimir had trained as a guardian since childhood, and few could match his elite skill, but Elouan was one of few who came remotely close.

And he wanted Casimir's death for betraying their king.

"I knew sooner or later you would crawl out of whatever hole you've been hiding in, coward," Elouan sneered, his blade coming dangerously close to Casimir's throat.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Casimir used a nearby tree to launch himself into the air, flipping over Elouan's head and slicing off a chunk of his long, black hair. Elouan let out an enraged scream and retaliated with deadly force.

Similar to the shadow elves, the length of a warrior's hair represented their mastery in the art of war. But for the Méityah, like Casimir and Elouan, hair was also a symbol of prestige that surpassed the need to prove themselves through combat.

By slicing off a portion of Elouan's hair, Casimir had just stripped him of all honor and respect among warriors.

The son of a bitch shouldn't have come after him.

" Cywatén !" Elouan snarled as he spun and tried to use momentum to thrust his sword toward Casimir's chest.

"I am not the son of a whore!" Casimir hadn't seen his family since he'd been torn away from them, but he remembered his mother's caring nature. She had openly wept when the mark appeared on her son, and for that memory alone, Casimir would defend her honor vehemently.

He crashed his elbow into Elouan's jaw when he saw the fae beginning to chant. "What's wrong, can't fight without resorting to magic, nyzant ?"

"We are no longer brothers," Elouan gritted out between bloody teeth from Casimir's strike. "That bond was broken the day you betrayed our king."

They circled each other, swords at the ready. "King Emrys betrayed us! He ordered the deaths of the entire council because he was nothing but a paranoid narcissist who went into a meltdown when they voted against that dumb fucking law he wanted to pass."

"You were raised and trained to obey our king's every command."

Elouan swirled his sword in front of his body, an expert display of skills. Casimir matched him step for deadly step.

He was tired of constantly running and fighting off loyalists who tracked him down.

He'd wanted only two things in the last past two thousand years. One was to rest his weary head and not have to worry about someone trying to kill him. And the second was a connection with someone, even if it was only friendship, but that hadn't been possible since he never stayed in one place for too long.

That was why he cherished staying at the Frost home. He may not have known the men well and still felt a bit out of place, but at least he felt a warmth and sense of family he had been missing.

Casimir and Elouan continued to battle, blade striking blade, metal clanking as the swords slid against each other. Casimir fought fiercely to save… Save what? What exactly was he fighting for? To continue living a solitary existence for eternity?

That was all he'd been doing his entire life, just existing and surviving. Casimir wanted more than to simply exist. He wanted to truly live. But how could he when his nékah hated him and cursed the night they'd met?

"Keep blindly following, Elouan. The current king is no better. One day you'll wake up and discover it's the guardians he wants slaughtered."

Elouan smiled maliciously. "Oh, there will be a slaughter."

Casimir really didn't like that grin. And he liked the overwhelming scent of vampires even less. It was suffocating, causing him to wonder just how many were nearby.

That had been Elouan's plan all along. Knowing he could lose to Casimir in a fair fight, he'd made a backup plan.

"You always were a coward," Casimir spat as they shoved away from each other. Then Casimir lunged again, only this time he changed direction at the last second and drove his sword into Elouan's side, slicing through flesh and tissue. Blood erupted from the wound.

The scent of Elouan's blood filled the air, accompanied by hissing and gnashing of teeth from all directions. "You want a slaughter, then you shall be the main course," Casimir growled. "You are the betrayer, Elouan. You turned your back on your brothers for that worthless piece of shit."

Casimir quickly tucked his wings in half a second before someone leapt onto his back. Fangs tore at his neck and sank into his wrist.

Damn it. Once a vampire tasted fae blood, they wouldn't stop drinking until their victim was fully drained. Casimir roared and flung the attacker off, only to see at least thirty more descending on them like vultures.

"Never trust a—" Casimir cut himself off before finishing the sentence.

Damon might have abandoned him, but Casimir refused to disrespect his nékah by using the derogatory term "bloodsucker" ever again.

"Guess I shouldn't have," Elouan said nonchalantly. "Seems I have a bad habit of trusting the wrong people."

"Like the kings you serve," Casimir muttered.

He didn't want to live without Damon, but this was not how Casimir wanted to go out. Looking to his left, he saw the vampire he'd spoken with earlier, only the guy wasn't smiling. He was hiding behind a tree with a look of pure terror in his amber eyes.

They locked gazes for a moment, and the guy mouthed, "Sorry."

It was a little too late for apologies. Casimir flipped him off then focused on fighting off the horde of vampires who wanted to make him their next meal. Trying to keep them off of him wasn't easy.

Casimir might be an elite warrior, but when faced with this many vampires, even he was sweating this. "Just how many did you pay to be here?" Casimir asked between grunts and swings of his sword.

"Five," Elouan admitted with a painful grunt, fighting back the vampires who were after the bloody injury Casimir had given him. "I'm starting to think they sent out flyers for this party."

"With door prizes." Casimir continued fighting, cutting through the vampires coming at him, but he felt as if he wasn't making headway.

"Who were these five vampires you paid?" he asked Elouan.

"What does it matter?" he snarled. "You just turned me into a buffet for these bloodsuckers."

Casimir was not going to make it out of this battle alive. "Because more vampires keep showing up. That's why I asked, asshole." If, by some miracle, he survived this, he wanted to personally thank those five.

Elouan's head shot around, following Casimir's stare to the vampires running down the grassy incline toward them.

His swords were slippery with blood, making it difficult to keep a grip on them as he fought. "What did you really do? This isn't just five vampires. It's a swarm." He glared at Elouan while fending off the attackers.

It was obvious Elouan was lying to him. He had to have used some kind of dark spell or… Hell, Casimir didn't know what to think. Unfortunately, he couldn't use magic to get out of this since he'd been stripped of his magical abilities before escaping the realm.

That left only Casimir's wings as a means to escape. But if he untucked them with so many vampires around, they would be torn, which was instant death for any fae.

It was a risk Casimir couldn't take, but his chances on the ground weren't any better with the swarm of vampires. He felt their painful bites all over his body. Casimir wouldn't have to worry about one vampire draining him when each one who came near him took a huge sample of blood for themselves.

He was running out of time and options.

"I want the truth. What did you really do, Elouan?" Casimir snarled as he turned to face him, only to see four vampires attacking the guy. Not a chance in hell was he going to save Elouan after the bastard had just tried to kill him. Elouan was the one who'd caused this chaos to begin with. Besides, Casimir had his own vampires to deal with.

The ones closest to him hissed as they gazed up at the sky. Casimir didn't want to look up. That would divert his attention from the vampires attacking him.

As he fought, he noticed a thick fog rolling toward them from the very hillside the vampires had raced down. The entire area filled quickly, making it difficult for Casimir to get his bearings.

This had not been his day. He could still sense everyone around him. He just couldn't see his enemies coming at him. Someone grabbed his arm. Casimir snarled, gripped the wrist, and yanked it forward, ready to embed his blade.

"Watch that goddamn thing. It looks sharp!"

"Damon?"

Arms wrapped around his waist as a solid wall of warmth pressed into his back. "Get ready to fly. Second to the right, and straight on till morning," Damon whispered in his ear.

He had no idea what Damon was talking about and honestly didn't care. He could only concentrate on the fact that his mate was there and he had his arms wrapped around him. For a brief moment, Casimir had even forgotten about the surrounding chaos.

It just felt too good to have his mate envelop him for the first time.

Then they shot into the air.

Casimir laughed as they rose above the fog until he saw the twinkling lights of Midnight Falls in the distance. Whatever problems he and Damon still had, Casimir let them melt away for the moment and simply soaked in his mate's warmth.

They touched down a good ten miles from the battle on a large cliff.

Casimir hated the moment Damon pulled his arms from around him. Even if his mate was a good five inches shorter than him, it still felt good to have those powerful arms around his muscular frame.

As Casimir turned and looked down at his mate, Damon tucked in his wings and took a step back. "Welcome to Neverland," he said with a smirk.

It was as if Casimir was looking at a stranger. This was not his snarly, aggressive, bloodlust mate who had declared his hate for him. This person was…nice. And simply gorgeous when he smiled. Casimir wasn't sure what to say or do.

"I leave you alone for a second and you end up in another battle with vampires." Damon shook his head with a smirk.

Casimir frowned. Maybe he'd been killed, and this was his paradise? This was not the Damon Frost he'd known for the past week. This person was calm and jovial.

"Long story." Damon sat on a small rock shelf, pulled one leg up, and rested his forearms on his bent knee.

Casimir sat close to him, not daring to touch the wolf shifter until he had some answers. "Your aggression?"

His nékah drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, appearing as if he were simply enjoying the peaceful night.

"I owe you a tremendous apology," Damon said as they stared at the vast forest below. Casimir could see a scattering of lights from residential homes and headlights traveling different roads.

"I don't understand né —Damon." Casimir no longer had the right to say the word "mate" out loud. Not after he'd… He didn't even want to think of his betrayal right now. It still hurt too badly.

"You and me both," Damon snorted. "I flew out of the forest in a rage. Don't even know how I flew since I've sucked at figuring my wings out, but when I got far enough away, this huge portal opened up and I got yanked inside of it." He leaned back on his hands and crossed his legs.

Casimir swept his gaze down Damon's body, yearning to touch any part of his mate. At the moment, it wasn't even a sexual yearning. He just wanted some kind of physical contact from someone—preferably his mate. Two thousand years of solitude was a hell of a long time to be so alone.

He also wanted to ask what the apology was for but felt as if he was walking on fragile glass that would break at any second.

"Where did you end up?" Casimir sat forward and rested his forearms on his knees. He stared at the ground because it was too painful to look at a man he couldn't touch.

Damon chuckled. The sound filled so many empty spaces inside Casimir's hollowness. "I can officially say I've visited the underworld. Sorry I didn't bring you back a souvenir. The gift shop has been closed since… Actually they need to build one first.

Casimir smiled. This was the man Jaytee had described. This was the man before the ancient sleep. Even if it was only a glimpse of Damon's former self, he would take it.

"I wouldn't have anywhere to put a memento, anyway," Casimir answered honestly.

"You don't have a home?" Damon sounded confused.

Taking a deep breath, Casimir looked at his mate, stunned to see the soft look in his eyes. "It's hard to have one when you're being hunted and have to constantly keep moving."

Which made him wonder how Elouan knew where to find him. Casimir had stayed at the Frost home since being in Midnight Falls. Aside from those who lived there, he'd kept his presence hidden.

"Jesus." Damon ran a hand over his long, thick beard. "We really do need to get to know each other."

"What happened in the underworld. You seem…" Casimir was too afraid to say anything for fear Damon's hostility would return. He liked being with this version of his mate much better.

"I was on a lift getting my engine rearranged." Damon seemed to have turned melancholy, but Casimir could also sense rage simmering just below the surface. His arms ached to pull his mate to him and offer him comfort. It had killed him to see Damon struggling over the past week knowing there was nothing he could do, because his mate wanted nothing to do with him.

"You were at a mechanic shop?" Casimir frowned. "I thought you said you were in the underworld."

He startled when Damon burst into laughter, and he wasn't someone easily frightened. He'd just never heard the wolf's boisterous laugh before.

"Sorry." Damon held up a hand. "It just feels good to laugh again."

"Don't apologize." Casimir tore his gaze away from his mate. "It's a beautiful sound."

"I can't wait to hear yours," Damon said softly. "I bet it's rich and deep, just like your voice."

Despite his despair, Casimir smiled. "Are you going to clear up my confusion?"

"Mechanic shop." Damon rolled his eyes with a grin. "The keeper put a lot of Humpty Dumpty back together again, but I still have huge cracks."

"Damon." Casimir pressed his fingers over his eyelids. "I don't... Please tell me what the keeper did to you."

"He fixed most of me." Damon's jaw turned granite. "But it was Panahasi who broke me in the first place." He shot off the rock shelf and walked to the edge, gazing at the forest below. "He's the one who sealed our fucking bond," he snarled.