Chapter 32

When Nikola, Dimitri and Malkav came back, Matthew was sleeping on the couch and Ivan was cutting something up in the kitchen.

“Help yourself to the borscht,” said Ivan. Nikola could see that he was cutting butter and that there was pancake mix in a bowl.

“Ivan, you do know that you will need to let Matthew go? He is here only for the music festival and that is that,” Nikola felt guilty for denying Ivan his chance at love that could last an eternity. But, denying Matthew the chance at life made him guiltier.

“I know. I will go with him to the festival tomorrow. To make sure he is safe. I mean, he is too trusting, cousin Niki,” Nikola knew that. He knew it first hand after he had managed to kidnap the boy during his last life.

“Ok, just, if you run late, make sure to stay clear of any vampires,” Ivan snorted and lifted the kitchen island with one hand.

“Won’t be a problem. By the way, I am getting thirsty and have been hearing Matthew’s heartbeat for a while now,” Nikola rolled up his sleeve and extended his wrist to Ivan.

“Go ahead,” Ivan washed his hands, dried them, and took the offered wrist. When Nikola began to feel faint, he let go and looked at him gratefully.

“I should think of a way to get blood when I go back to Russia,” said Ivan, and Nikola began to think for a solution, but he came up with nothing.

“I think you should learn to hunt,” at the incredulous look Ivan sent him, Nikola was quick to add. “Drug dealers, gang members, criminals. That kind of thugs.”

Ivan nodded and went back to making pancakes. He added the butter, and he stirred the mix and then went to the stove where a pan was heating.

“So, you and Matthew are friends now?” Began Nikola as Ivan nodded energetically.

“He knows a lot about hockey and nature. He must have told me about a hundred facts about maple syrup alone. Matthew is a joy to be around,” Nikola smiled, warmed by the fact that Ivan could still be with the one he had grown to love.

“That is good to hear. Have you exchanged phone numbers?” Ivan poured some mix and moved the pan around until it was spread fully.

“Sure did. Did you know people didn’t appreciate him? They ignore him, can you believe it?” Nikola knew. Even as a vampire, Matthew had often been overlooked by people outside his family. Which made him clutch at them all the more.

“Well, nice people are typically overlooked,” supplied Nikola. Ivan deposited the now ready pancake and Nikola handed him the mix to pour more. Nikola noticed that the pancakes were the European variety. The thin crêpes.

“I was thinking, since he is graduating in a month from high school, he can come and do his bachelor here,” Ivan sounded unsure and Nikola placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Did you speak with him? The universities and colleges here are more expensive than in Canada,” and Ivan’s bank account was sucked dry by his stay in the hospital. But, if it comes to that and Matthew wished to stay, Nikola supposed he could delve in his savings.

“I can find a job. To both repay you and to build something for Matthew. I mean, I really like him,” Nikola wanted to ask Ivan to slow down, but he decided against it. Ivan had clicked with Matthew from the start, and it was almost like they were soul mates, if such a thing existed.

“Talk to him about all of that. I am going to bed,” Nikola washed his hands and went to the bedroom where Malkav and Dimitri waited. The spot in the middle was empty, and he dressed in his pajamas and crawled in.

“Russian Hulk is in love?” Teased Dimitri. Nikola chuckled.

“Head over heels,” at that, arms were wrapped around Nikola, and he felt a nose nuzzle into his neck.

“So, do you wish to stay like this? We are pretty certain that you won’t age, but…” Dimitri looked slightly sad at the possibility that they could be wrong.

“Is there no way to check?” Asked Nikola as he relaxed into the embrace.

“No pleasant way. Why can’t we play it safe? There is nothing wrong with being one of us,” Nikola remembered all the killing he had done in the past life and all the rest where he had ended up a vampire and shuddered.

“As a vampire, I become numb to killing. Don’t do this to me. Wouldn’t it be better to have one lifetime of love, than eternity of something that can morph into hatred?” Dimitri ran a hand through Nikola’s hair and sighed.

“You are right, I suppose. But, if you begin to show signs of aging in a year, can you think about it? I don’t think there is a time loop anymore. Not now that you remember and don’t hunt me,” Nikola sighed. They wanted him, forever. And he wanted that too. But not at the price of his humanity.

“Let us suppose you, either of you, turn me into a vampire. What then? You don’t have the permission of the Prince of this region to sire. I don’t know how I didn’t end up hunted the last time, but…” Malkav chuckled behind him.  

“Hunted, the childe of an Antediluvian? We are originally the ones who sanctioned the making of new vampires. We ask permission of no one,” Malkav’s fangs grazed Nikola’s neck, and he moved closer to Dimitri.

“And, who is going to ask the Devil for excuses?” Dimitri too opened his mouth and his fangs touched Nikola’s skin.

“I don’t want…” and then both of them bit him. Nikola attempted to struggle, but found he could not. Overall, it had been just feeding, but the warning that it could become something more one day was there. And Nikola didn’t know how to avert it.