A moth to her fire.

And like a moth to her flame, he was drawn to her; unaware he was threading closer and closer to her with every step he subconsciously took. It was not until she started to move again, did he realize how close he was to her and how his fangs have elongated to their full length. He hid quickly behind the nearest pillar before she could take notice of him.

That was not the wisest way to make an appearance, not in front of this fragile human at least.

Her hair was the prettiest shades of black slightly mixed with brown he'd ever come across. Her soft rhythmic heartbeat was was the only thing that he could hear at the moment, perfectly aware of the fact that it pumped the blood he so badly wanted to have a taste of.

She was brought out of her daze when she came face to face to the door to his chambers, confusion flickering in her eyes, clearly not what she was expecting. Belial watched as she looked around confused, clearly wondering where she was but also curious to know what secrets the grand door protected.

He became curious as to whether or not she would have the courage to open it. Her hand lingered for a long time and her lips twitched to the side as if she was weighing her options and upon a second thought, she took her hand back and walked away, a disappointed look on her face.

Belial was so tempted to follow her; no not her, her blood. That intoxicating smell that grew fainter by every hurried step she took. His gum hurt so much even with his fangs out in their full length, something that had not happened to him in centuries. He had never felt such great hunger and thirst by just breathing in a human scent before.

But it did seem like he was going to enjoy himself but somehow after this little time seeing her, even if it was from afar and however brief, Belial had feeling his night was not going to be as shitty as he had imagined. He thought, a warm fuzzy feeling spreading through him.

Maximus has been holding out on him about her unique smell. His price, his loophole; he was convinced no amount of warning could have prepared him from that scent. Her personal fragrance mixed with the scent of her blood still lingered even after she was gone and her soft footsteps could not be heard anymore even with his vampire hearing.

Belial had to take a moment to collect himself, to suppress the edge and itch in his gum. He came from behind the pillar after he won the war between him and his inner demon.

With a smirk tugging at the left corner of his mouth, he made it to the only place he knew his younger brother would be in the castle if he was not out cleaning his mess or spewing orders for people to. He needed him to explain why he kept such an important information from him.

Belial walked his way down the adjacent hallway to his, descending the stairs to the last floor of the castle and further down into the enclosed dark and narrow pathway and came face to face with a blank wall. He placed his right palm on the wall and a second later the walls cracked opened into two, a set of staircase formed in the darkness of the now open door. Just as he expected, his younger brother busy as always was in the company of a few witches talking about God knows what.

"I knew I'd find you here brother, some old habits do die hard," Belial said under his breath, knowing very well his brother will be able to hear. He lifted his gaze to him at where he stood in his denim jacket with his hands behind his back.

"Brother, welcome. Although I must say you are the last person I was expecting to join us," Maximus said, in a voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

The witches in the room turned towards where Belial stood, tall and mighty and unbothered, feeling that rush of gut wrenching cold and powerful aura that hung around him like cloud for the first time since he entered the room. He came out of the dark spot he had been occupying and the witches quickly bowed down to him, before dismissing themselves. Belial walked across the room, trying to remember how it looked like the last time he was there but his memory was vague. However he was sure it looked different from when he used to come here; it looked somehow full now. There were more relics and ribbons of different colors tied up and about, all over the place. It looked like a ritual home now. So much had really changed in his absence, it seems.

"You seem to have everything ready," Belial observed feeling odd when the words left his lips. Of course he did, what was he saying? His mind still seemed roughed up from earlier; he felt dazed even. But he didn't feel alarmed.... which unsettled and put him to peace at the same time.

"Yes except two things I think."

"Which are?" he asked a frown forming on his face.

"Well we don't have the blood full moon yet, which is set to appear on the day of the ritual but the main ingredient to be lost to me.

"Can you speak in plane words Maxi, this sage job doesn't work for you. What do you mean by main ingredient?"

"I mean you seem detached brother. I know you have your doubts....." Belial raised his hands to stop what he pictured to be another line of lecture from his brother. He didn't have doubts, far from it. Fears maybe, however hard he tried to convince himself otherwise, but he was not about to admit it now. His pride as king wouldn't let him.

"Who said anything about doubts brother, I've in fact never felt so hopeful," he said as he sat down, stretching his legs on the mahogany table.

"You seem to be in a better mood indeed," he observed by the playful smirk lingering around the corners of his mouth.

"Why wouldn't I be after getting a first hand meeting with my salvation."

Maximus raised a brow at his obviously trying to make meaning of what he said. Belial watched with his smirk still in place as a frown broke on his brother's expressionless face, finally catching up to his words.

"Yes brother, I had the pleasure of seeing her, God you've holding out on me Maxi. You forgot to tell me how delicious she smelled."

"It was supposed to be a surprise, for tonight. I wanted to be there when you took your first whiff, to see the look in your eyes when you see for the first time the human embodiment of your salvation. But you beat me to it brother."

Belial got out of his seat and crossed the small space between them. Without warning, he took his bother in for a bare hug. Maximus who was clearly stunned at first by his brother's sudden action recovered from his surprise and hugged him back.

Belial could not remember the last time they shared a hug, or exchanged brief brotherly affection through words.

Centuries maybe..? He took a deep breath. He missed this, he missed his little brother, the harmless moments they shared when their parents were alive, and he was positive that Maximus did too.

After a while, Belial broke off from the hug and took Maximus's face in his large arms and placed a kiss on his forehead before tapping on the shoulder.

"See you at the ball brother," he said and left the room.