While Raj felt terrible about abandoning Samira to Hicante, he knew getting Grey out of the forest was necessary. Not only that, but he knew the man was severely injured internally, even though nothing showed externally.

"Grey, you can extinguish the shield." He reached the door as he spoke.

"Wait, is there an alternate entrance?" Grey mumbled. "Someone is inside your house. Whoever is in there has a murderous aura. Not sure if I'm the target or if it is you."

Raj grimaced when he extended a check of who dared invade his quarters without permission. He sucked in his breath. "Damnation, why did he come here?" He shook his head.

Grey glanced at him through half-opened eyes. A soft, luminous sparkle in the black eyes indicated his now-delirious state. "If you need to go in there, just put me inside a shed out of the little light around here and the pouring rain. I'll be able to heal within that much shelter." The fact that he was able to speak said much about his grit.

Raj sighed. "Fine, but I'll return soon after I deal with the obnoxious individual waiting inside."

He carried Grey to a small shed that covered a semi-basement setup for backup emergencies overflowing his patient rooms. Once Raj was reassured that no one unnoticed could force a way inside the entrance, he frowned at his central abode with irritation.

For once, Raj almost wished he'd taken on a few apprentices. That was, of course, before he realized the ulterior motives beneath the surface. He'd immediately rejected them when Raj realized they planned to trap him into unbreakable matrimony.

The last thing he wanted to deal with was Samira's fiancé. The man heard something that would significantly impact his future with the royal family, as he would have no affiliation with them after this day ended.

The thought cheered Raj immensely. However, he had to get rid of him first without becoming wounded. In a subconscious part of his mind, Raj always knew that the fiancé had his eye on him. Thus, he'd always avoided that obnoxious creep whenever he could. He was the scum of the worst sort, and Raj despised his lack of fidelity to anyone, including Brilliance and its ruling foundation concepts.

As for removing that man from his house without anyone becoming injured, Raj pondered the options before him with a sigh. That would be difficult since he knew the man was in a deep rut. There was a likelihood that he could lure him out with an illusion of a tempting Omega just dying for him. Just the notion of a backlash was enough to make Raj gag.

That would make things more complicated than he wanted to acknowledge, mainly because he'd been avoiding a confrontation with that jerk for a while now. Now, Raj didn't have a choice. "Man, what timing, just wonderful, not at all." He shook his head in exasperation. The day's start had been all right and filled with infinite possibilities for a great day. It was painfully unpleasant and no longer filled with anything but ominous portent.

A sigh escaped Raj. He was not in the mood for any of this crap floating around. HE still didn't understand all the subtleties that had this world now thoroughly upended due to Grey's presence. The fact that there was a hint that Grey might become the next ruler didn't sit well with Raj either. "Well, no matter. Right now, I must eliminate an even greater menace than the king or queen." Neither of whom held Raj in high esteem. He'd probably convinced Hicante and Mihaela that they had alternatives other than remaining part of a noble's family and their connected political faction.

*

With all the hoopla focused around some new individual's arrival, yet another humanoid, Xanthos rolled his eyes. The entire schedule, plus his time with the lovely naive Princess Samira, had been destroyed. He learned about the potential of that newest threatening newcomer probably winding up in the healer Raj Danzig's residence. Who knew what that rogue healer would do with the newcomer?

Xanthos had received the unwelcome news that if Raj took possession of the newcomer, Greyness Gideon Farthing-what the hell kind of name was that anyway?-All sorts of new ominous portents would descend upon Brilliance.

Not that he cared overly much, but if it meant he no longer had a secure position within the kingdom's ruling family, Xanthos needed to dispose of this newcomer. It wouldn't be the first time that Xanthos was doing the dirty work of the domain to remove threats. However, this guy might be able to remove the dense protective ward that killed the sunlight from getting within.

Not that Xanthos understood why removing the wards to allow the sunlight through was a problem, but it didn't concern him. All he wanted was a leisurely married life with Samira, whom he could keep with a child for as long as Xanthos pleased, and have all the desired concubines. Not only that, but he could take over as the ruling emperor of Brilliance's capital. As for all those outlying vassal states, he could do his best to ensure the capitulation of being annexed.

As he daydreamed about what he would do once he became ruler, Xanthos slowly realized that Raj had yet to arrive at the abode. "Strange, why hadn't he come back yet?" Should it take this long to retrieve someone hit with three, no five lightning strikes by now?

Xanthos tapped his fingers along an intricate column supporting a spiral staircase as he contemplated the problem. "Maybe I should've created a more direct ambush in the forest after all." He disliked being inside such small buildings. However, he savored the scent of Raj that spread throughout the house. Xanthos had been tempted to explore but decided to remain nearby the entrance where patients usually entered the house.

That reminded him. "how had that man survived this long?" It exasperated Xanthos that none of his earlier attacks dented the man's defenses or tore through his body fatally. The fact that he was still alive shocked the daylights out of Xanthos.

However, what irritated him more was the realization that Raj wasn't bringing him inside the abode. "Damn, did he sense my presence?" Xanthos knew that Raj despised him.

Too bad because one of the concubines he wanted to take possession of was Raj. Xanthos scowled in disgruntlement. "I will make him mine as I plan to take Samira for my own, no matter what I must do." For as long as Xanthos could remember, he'd desperately desired the man and couldn't figure out what the lure was about him. "Hmph, well, if he doesn't come in, I'll go out there and deal with them both permanently." He planned to find out soon and decided that he would permanently maim and imprison the healer if he couldn't have Raj as his possession. "No matter what, once he's displaced, all the patients will have to go to the temple for treatment." It didn't matter to Xanthos that most residents couldn't afford treatment. It was just part of his agreement with the temple and shrine in his efforts to get rid of two menaces. There was no mention of what happened after he disposed of the two men sufficiently for the temple's benefit.

However, when Xanthos exited the building, he hadn't anticipated how much the atmosphere darkened with the embroiling of blackening clouds. "Damn..." He grunted when he realized he was stabbed multiple times. Fangs and claws began tearing at the rest of his body. Xanthos didn't know what attacked him until he heard a distorted but nerve-wracking familiar voice addressing him. His attacker was none other than Raj himself. However, he'd become utterly unfamiliar to Xanthos, who could see nothing in the deepening gloom.

"You dared conspire with the temple against my family and dispose of me, Grey, and Samira?" Raj snarled viciously. "You have an unbelievable confidence that is based on false pride."

For the first time, fear rose in Xanthos's mind. It was too late because he was torn into pieces, and all his spiritual essences were shredded into nothing.

That's when he understood the temple had thoroughly tricked him. Not once had Xanthos earned the favor of the temple. He'd been used as their dog. Now that he understood, it was too late to mend his ways.

*

Raj stood panting over the bloody mess that was once a proud nobleman's body. The fiancé of Samira, crown princess of Brilliance's royalty. He no longer cared that he'd likely go through execution for his actions.

"Raj," A gentle voice called.

Raj whirled, snarling before he stopped and did something horrific to his ancient friend. "Stay away," Raj warned. "I'm filled with the blood frenzy for blood and sex." His eyes narrowed when black orbs glinted orange and gold at him.

"Didn't you once say we'd meet again when you could cure me of my vampire curse?" Long orange hair whipped in a wild wind that tore through the area around the abode of the healer.

However, Raj no longer represented a healer. Instead, he'd become something infinitely dangerous and wild. However, what Raj faced was even more difficult.

All of Grey's inherent seductive vampiric allure was out in full force.

"Did this happen because of the pheromones?" Raj needed clarification.

Grey shook his head. "No, it came out as soon as you attacked whatever that was." He glanced at the dismembered corpse. His body shivered as the lust for blood rose equally strong.

Raj sighed. For the moment, the centaur part of Grey was gone. In its place was a very tall wild vampire that needed immediate release; otherwise, he'd go on an even bloodier rampage than Raj had just committed. "Come inside," He stated calmly. "You've been permitted to enter my abode, Greyness Gideon Farthing Indigo." He tacked on the last part, daring Grey to ignore his ancient heritage as an Indigo Prince of a fallen angel that once protected the night wanderers.

One side of Grey's lips curled in faint acknowledgment. He followed Raj indoors.

Outside, scavengers made quick work of the body, and not even blood remained as a reminder of what happened in the heat of a moment.