Lured by the Moon

Sebastian was stunned by the words that his father uttered: "He has scars that look like whip marks all over his back. Whichever bastard did this was extremely vicious and cruel. If you hadn't saved the boy in time, he would've died from his wounds."

Sebastian frowns at the information; an ugly emotion rose within him, and his father asks, "What are you going to do with him?" Sebastian shrugs, "I'm not sure yet."

His father raises his brow. "Why not send him to live with the humans?"

Sebastian frowns; he didn't like the idea of where he couldn't monitor him. He was the one who saved Atlas, so technically he belongs to him.

All the sudden, his father started to burst out laughing, as if he discovered something interesting, making Sebastian frown.

He asks with annoyance dripping in his voice, "What's so funny?"

His father looks deeply into his eyes, like he could see something he wasn't aware of. "You're fond of the boy."

Sebastian frowns as he relunctantly shakes his head and bursts out, "Impossible! He's just a scrawny puppy I saved."

His father arches his brow, not convinced by his words, "Is that so? Let the boy live with the humans. Whatever the boy has been through, he's a human who needs stability and safety. You can't provide that for him."

I don't think he's a human.

Lost in thought, he didn't realize that his father stood up from the chair with the glassware in his hand. He walks closer and frowns as he sees that his son looks confused and lost, like a wandering soul looking for answers.

I hope nothing happens. I don't know if this is a good thing or not.

Sebastian was pulled out of his thoughts by a warm, rough hand on his shoulder. He looks at his father, whose face was etched with solemnity, no joking aside. "Think about this carefully. At the end of the day, he's not one of us."

His father walks out of the kitchen. It was a silent and heavy atmosphere where his father's words seemed to hang over Sebastian's head like a death sentence.

Taking a deep breath, exhaling it out as he stood to his feet. He closes his eyes to listen for Atlas's strong, steady heartbeat.

Pump! Pump! Pump!

I found it.

So he follows the beating heart into the living room, where he finds Atlas sleeping on the couch, his arms tucked under his chin, his lips plucked out as he sucks on his thumb in a childlike manner.

What a strange kid.

He smirks at the adorable behavior, so he walks next to him before kneeling down on the ground as quietly as he could.

Stroking the boy's forehead, where the warmth and heat could be felt on the tips of his fingers, unlike where vampires's bodies generate coldness and frigidness since they don't have any vital blood in their bodies. Atlas scrunches his forehead, like he was stuck in the same nightmare. Sebastian decides to shake the boy's shoulder since he's breathing rapidly, like someone who ran a mile.

Atlas was startled, so he opened his eyes that were blinking repeatedly due to the heavy fog. Sebastian grins, "You ready to go?"

Atlas nods; his eyes were barely open from the exhaustion, and he tries to stand up; although he stumbles, but Sebastian was able to grabs his shoulder to prevent his fall.

Atlas looks up at Sebastian, who seems to be forever grinning— as if he would continue smiling in the face of death.

Sebastian strode out of the room with Atlas as they walked back upstairs to Sebastian's room.

As the door opened, Atlas ran and jumped on the bed like an excited puppy found a nest, bouncing off and on before settling down. Sebastian was at a loss for words—he just hopes the bed frame doesn't snap.

I spent every last cash on that bed that cost $4,000!

His face twitches as he murmurs, "I must be paying some kind of atonement for driving my father crazy into the wall."

Sitting on the chair he was sitting before, a burning stare lingering on the side of his face, so he turns around and raises an arch brow. "What? You're not going to sleep."

Atlas tilts his head, the curiosity lingering in his eyes. "So are you going to tell me your name? I can't call you dickhead in my mind." Sebastian cuts the silence with a deep laugh as he curves his lips into a teasing, wicked smile.

"You can call me Sebastian."

Atlas was bedazzled by the smile; he knew the man was seductive and dangerous. A dangerous gleam flickered in his eyes for a moment, but it was enough to make the little, tiny hair on his neck stand.

Sebastian grins, "Now, stop being stubborn and get some sleep. I can't drag you with me tomorrow if you're so tired because you were being brat!"

Atlas huffs as he crosses his arms. "How am I being a brat?"

Sebastian crosses his leg as he leans against his knuckles back; he hums as if he were thinking about a difficult task.

"Hmm. Let me think. How about now? You're not going to sleep."

Atlas groans and sneaks under the covers as he lays against the pillows. Sebastian smirks as he opens the book, believing he would finally go to sleep.

Then he heard a movement from across the room; he groans when he realizes the boy isn't going to sleep for awhile.

What an annoying brat.

He thought as he closed the book with a click, his eyes lifting up to the sight before him, he clicked his tongue, "What are you doing?" Atlas smacks his lips as if to prepare for something. A flicker of vulnerability flashed in his eye as if he were hesitating about something.

Sebastian grumbles, "I won't ask again." Atlas closes his eye before looking at him with unwavering eyes, although he swallows before he whispers, "C—Could you lie next to me?" His face turns as red as tomatoes.

The nightmare must stem from Atlas's abuse; that's why he can't sleep peacefully.

A stab of pity flares in his chest. He strode across the room and lies on the bed; the bed creaks under his weight.

Atlas's tense shoulders seem to relax, realizing that Sebastian wasn't going to make fun of him for not being able to sleep alone. Sebastian lies against the pillows and was startled by Atlas's movement; he could feel lingering warmth from his side, where Atlas curls his back against Sebastian.

A sigh was what came out of Atlas's mouth before he closed his eyes, eyelashes fluttering softly. Sebastian could feel a heavy weight on his arm.

Sebastian looks down at the youngster laying on his arm, and he can smell a rich, spicy, sweet blood rushing beneath his veins.

Every instinct tells him to feast on him and let the blood trickle down his scorching throat.