Married To The Mad Vampire Lord

Rohan, on the other hand, took Angel to another chamber that had once been his. There was no bed in the room, only a working desk and tall, floor-to-ceiling shelves that were filled with his research books about various topics that intrigued him.

Being a creature who didn't need sleep constantly, he had never seen the need for a bed in the chamber. However, since he wanted to give his wife some space and time to bathe and get warm without Angel's constant fussing, Rohan went to that chamber, where he had already ordered a basin of cold water for his son's bath and a fresh set of nightwear for him.

Rohan undressed the little being with as much care as someone handling a precious vessel. He placed him into the cold water, and the boy barely flinched, unlike how he would have reacted had it been warm or hot water.

As he washed him, just like he always did, Rohan looked at the faint lines on the child's back that hadn't yet split to make way for his wings. But from how the lines were rising now, Rohan could tell it wouldn't be long before they gave way and his wings sprouted, just like plants pushing through the soil.

When that happened, he hoped they wouldn't be in Aragonia, but back here in the castle.

Throughout the bath, Maxwell looked around warily with sad, searching eyes, as if trying to understand why he was being bathed in this strange, big room instead of the small kitchen in the cottage, in the large basin on the counter beside the window that overlooked the yard.

He didn't even splash the water or try to play like he usually did in the cottage, nor did he try to stay longer in the cold bath. He almost seemed eager to finish and get out.

It was when Rohan was getting him dressed and cleaned that Angel looked up at him and murmured longingly, "Mama…" His lips quivered, and his eyes turned glossy. No doubt he wanted his mother.

"I'll get you to her soon," Rohan promised softly. "Let her rest and eat first before you get your milk."

The boy's dark eyes resumed fearfully scanning the large chamber as Rohan gently combed through his hair, hair that had turned completely black now, every trace of blue gone. And Rohan was quietly amazed by how that change in hair color made him look less like him.

Though when stared at deeply, one could still see the resemblance. But it didn't matter. Lady Evenly would pose as his relative who simply wanted to explore the human lands. If Angel looked like him, so be it. Humans were senseless at times, especially his in-laws, who had too many secrets up their sleeves. They would easily blame it on genetics without pushing the matter.

And if they failed to overlook it?

Well, all he had to do was have a little talk with them about their own deceit, switching the brides and sending a spy. If they dared to mess with him again by overstepping, he would mess with them in return and give them a taste of what he believed they deserved for the danger they threw his little wife into.

"You don't like it here, do you?" Rohan questioned gently. But before Angel could nod or shake his head, a knock came at the door. The sound made him tense immediately. His small body went rigid as his head jerked in the direction of the noise, eyes wide in alarm.

"Come in," Rohan called, already knowing it was Rav on the other side.

Still, the baby, not yet used to anyone in the castle, leapt into his father's arms again and buried his face in his chest. His tiny fists clutched tightly at Rohan's shirt, gripping so hard they seemed to tremble.

"Tsk, relax, Max. He's not going to eat you," Rohan chuckled softly, amused by how wary the boy was. If they had stayed even a little longer in that mountain, Angel might have turned into a caveman, one who avoided civilization like the plague. Rohan thought to himself.

Rav paused at the doorway at the sight of father and son. He seemed uncertain whether to step in or turn back out, unsure how to respond to the young master's behavior.

"It's fine. You can proceed," Rohan said, his lips pulling up as he adjusted his son more comfortably in his arms. He looked toward Rav, who had now closed the door with his elbow and carefully walked forward, balancing a tray in his hands. On the tray were a cup of blood and a bottle of bloodwine, the type that was more blood than wine.

"He doesn't like strangers," Rohan murmured, reaching for the cup and taking a sip, "but he has to get used to them."

Then, gently, he tried to move Angel back to feed him.

For a moment, Rohan thought his son's fear of strangers would override his hunger. But as soon as the scent of blood reached him, something snapped. The boy's eyes gleamed dark and hungry, and he jerked back from his father's chest with sudden purpose.

Without hesitation, he leaned forward, mouth parting as he moved toward the cup, ready for his father to feed him.

The moment the cup touched his lips, he drank deeply and hungrily, and Rohan chuckled in sheer pride and mirth.

"That's more like it. We don't play with our blood. But go slowly before you choke that little throat, we don't want that, son."

Rav, who was standing to the side, watched the father and son in astonishment. At this very moment, two things about the scene before him stunned him into stone.

One: the young master looked far too old for a two-month-old baby. And though Rav had expected that the child would grow fast because of the demon blood running through his veins, he hadn't imagined he'd already appear to be an eight- or even nine-month-old baby.

The second thing was his master himself. Though Rav knew the man had changed, he hadn't believed Rohan could handle a baby with such care, bathing him, dressing him, and attending to his needs without a hint of help.

They seemed to share a bond Rav never would have believed his master capable of forming with a baby. Because when the boy finished drinking the blood, Rohan gently wiped the side of his mouth with a finger and then smiled down at him. The boy smiled back, a toothless grin that revealed bare gums, but as if sensing Rav's presence, the smile faded.

He began to look wary again, resting his head on his father's shoulder and staring straight at Rav.

No, not staring, glaring. He was glaring at him like he wanted to make him disappear!

"Don't look too deeply into his eyes unless you want to be compelled, Rav," came Rohan's warning, his voice nonchalant, causing Rav to quickly look away from eyes that seemed to peer straight into his very soul.

"He can already do that?" Rav asked in surprise. He was already well aware that demon compulsion was far superior to that of vampires, so powerful, in fact, that they could even compel his kind.

"Yes," Rohan said, a proud smile playing on his lips. "Isn't it fantastic how he can already do that? I can feel the energy rising in him even now. My boy doesn't know you yet, he might compel you to leave and never come back without even realizing he's done it. So be careful when you look into his eyes."

Rohan's amusement began to fade, replaced by a shadow of old memories. Talking about this reminded him of the first time he had unknowingly compelled the late king when he was just a boy.

Because it was believed to be impossible for vampires to compel other vampires, the king had been horrified when he realized he'd been briefly compelled to hug the little beast he had locked away. Once the truth had come out, that he had opened the attic door and embraced his son without knowing why, the king had taken it upon himself to set the boy straight.

The little monster, who had only been seeking affection, was instead punished brutally. He was cut, tortured, and taught never to make eye contact with anyone.

"Keep your eyes away, you little bastard! Look at me with them again, and I'll rip them out of your head! Do you understand?!"

As a child, Rohan had been forced to avoid looking anyone in the eye. And even after he had killed them and freed himself from their cruelty, the habit remained. Over time, it became a part of him, not looking unless he intended to compel, to intimidate, or to make people uneasy.

Rumors had spread that anyone who dared meet his gaze didn't live to see the next day. He liked those rumors. He liked the fear his eyes provoked, even in the asylum. It was something he had never wanted to change, despite the fact that he now considered himself a different person from the boy who once sought affection from his parents.

If it weren't for a certain someone in his life now, Rohan knew he would never have accepted that past version of himself or welcomed those feelings of affection again. And those feelings would forever be meant for only two people in his life now.

His son was still at a stage where he couldn't yet understand how to control his powers or abilities, and Rohan would rather he made a thousand mistakes, even fatal ones, than be forced into hiding his eyes the way he had been.

"Angel, this is your uncle Raven," Rohan finally introduced, moving a little closer to Rav, who looked visibly uneasy. His heart was pounding so loudly Rohan could hear it, and no doubt the baby could too.

The boy stirred, lifting his head off Rohan's shoulder. His gaze slowly trailed from Rav's chest to his face, a small frown forming on his babyish features as he stared intently at the man he was introduced to as if he could see something no one else could.