I wanted to share the opening scene of Two Princes featuring my favorite vampire twins. Their conversations are entirely too much fun to write.

See my Published Works page for info about the two preceding stories, Family Matters and The Rising Son.

Enjoy!

*~*~*~*

Dominic sighed in relief. Another Thanksgiving dinner was over, only this year without the excessive drama that often accompanied his family’s gatherings. Demetrio had kept the unsolicited descriptions of his most recent sexual encounters to a semi-graphic PG-13 rating for a change, which was about as well-behaved as Dominic could hope for as far as his twin was concerned. Xan and Becky’s playful bickering didn’t end with the launching of rolls and other various foods, although shots were certainly fired when Becky, with scathing British politeness, reminded everyone of numerous embarrassing antics from Xan’s childhood under the guise of reminiscing. (Including—to Xan’s infinite horror and his parents’ secret amusement—a number of colorful anecdotes about his days of potty training.) Lastly, because Dominic had opted to make multiple pumpkin pies and cheesecakes for dessert this year, he avoided having to take on the roles of judge and jury when it came to his two favorite human beings fighting for leftovers. 

It was a good evening. And now he was back in the kitchen, preparing to cook all over again tomorrow for the weekly Friday family dinner.

“All done in the dining room,” Demetrio cheerfully announced as he entered the kitchen. “And I didn’t even break a single glass or goblet.”

“This time,” Dominic mumbled while methodically setting out the cookware he would need for tomorrow night’s entrée, Bucatini all’Amatriciana. But because he actually loved his brother, annoying though he could be, he added, “Thank you for staying behind to help clean up.”

Demetrio flashed his sibling a jovial grin. “Domenico, you asked me to stay.”

“You could have said no,” Dominic pointed out. “I assume you turned down some form of sexual activity for this.”

“Nothing, or no one, I haven’t done before.”

“I’m honored.”

“As you should be.”

Dominic paused and glared at his ten-minutes-older twin, his aggrieved green-eyed stare meeting Demetrio’s amused green eyes in return. Less than ten seconds into the staredown, he lowered his head and resumed preparing, his traitorous lips curving slightly into a hint of a smile. “Incorrigible.”

“But also irresistible. Or so I’m told.” Demetrio grinned and folded his arms. “Did you ask me to stay behind after everyone else left just to insult me or what?”

“I’m fully capable of doing that in front of the family,” Dominic retorted, demonstrating his own ability for snark. After one last glance to make sure that he had everything he needed for tomorrow, he removed the elastic band from his hair, sending long, black locks falling down his back and over his shoulders. “Have a seat, Demetrio.”

While Demetrio made himself comfortable at the kitchen table, Dominic went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of homemade limoncello, a dinner gift from Luca. He poured two generous servings and sat down across from Demetrio. They tapped glasses and drank deeply, savoring the taste of the sweet beverage.

“You’re not going to ask why I asked you to stay?” Dominic took another sip and regarded his brother with suspicion. “Are you not even curious?”

“Of course I’m curious,” Demetrio replied. “But I just figured I’d wait until you tell me exactly what I did wrong so I know what I’ll eventually be apologizing for.”

“Well, as it turns out, I’m the one who owes you an apology.”

Demetrio blinked at Dominic, eyes wide with surprise. “Why would you need to do that? You’re the good twin.”

“No one would ever dispute that,” Dominic agreed with a light chuckle. He sighed softly, his smile gradually fading until his expression became serious. “I owe you an apology because I never properly thanked you for helping Alexander overcome the aftereffects of Vincenzo’s influence. I understand why he didn’t come to me or Jacob, and I’m grateful he had you so that he didn’t suffer alone any longer.”

“Oh.” A stunned Demetrio lowered his now forgotten drink. “Domenico, you don’t have to—”

“Yes, I do,” Dominic interrupted. “So accept my apology, and don’t argue with me.”

“Well, what choice do I have when you demand it so elegantly?”

The brothers shared a look and a laugh. For once, Dominic didn’t try to downplay his amusement.

They resumed drinking in amiable silence for a few minutes. Dominic would have never admitted to such a thing out loud, but he greatly treasured these moments with his brother. Theirs was a relationship that few could truly understand and a rarity even among other twins due to the vampiric enhancement of their genetic bond. Vincenzo had been justified in his envy of that bond, another admission that Dominic opted to keep to himself.

After finishing his drink, Dominic set his glass to the side and rested his elbows on the table. “Do you have any plans for December 27th?” he asked. “It falls on a Saturday.”

Demetrio frowned, thinking. “I don’t know, but I assume I’ll be naked with someone at some point during the night. Why do you ask?”

“Because Niccolo Alessandrini will be singing at the club that night, and I thought you might like to be there for it. That is, if you’re not too busy with all of the nakedness.”

The look of joyful astonishment on the vampire’s face was well worth everything Dominic had gone through to locate and book the famed castrato, including departing with a significant amount of money to ensure that the first place he performed when he made his much-anticipated arrival in the United States was the Rising Sun. While there would certainly be financial advantages to seeking out Alessandrini’s unique and timeless vocals, the amount of money the club stood to make from hosting him was nothing next to making his brother happy.

“Oh, Nico…” a rarely speechless Demetrio began.

“Call me that again, and I’ll cancel the whole thing,” Dominic playfully warned.

Instead of risking that, Demetrio got up and went around the table. Dominic contemplated complaining when he was swept into a fierce, backwards embrace, but since Demetrio couldn’t see his face, he smiled affectionately instead. There was the faintest whiff of memory in the act, a flash of a time centuries earlier. Back when they were still just the Bellini boys, well before Vincenzo adopted them, and, in turn, they adopted his surname. No, Demetrio may not have been the “good twin,” but he was always the happy one. And Dominic loved that about him, dearly.

“This is killing you, isn’t it?” Demetrio asked.

“A little bit,” Dominic lied.

Demetrio kissed the top of his head and sat back down. “You brought that on yourself.”

“I suppose I did,” Dominic replied with a shrug. “So what, or rather, who are your plans for the rest of the night?”

“Actually, I thought I might hang out with my little brother for a while, if he didn’t mind.”

“I think he can find some time for you. What would you like to do?”

Demetrio beamed at the other vampire. He reached into his front pants pocket and pulled out a chess piece—a black king—from the rarely used chess set that was tucked away on the living room bookshelf along with some of Jacob’s many books and even more framed photographs of Xan throughout the years.

“It’s no Latrunculi,” he said as he twirled the piece with skilled fingers, referring to the ancient Roman game that Vincenzo had taught them to play hundreds of years ago. “But close enough.”

“All right,” Dominic said, accepting the challenge. “Perhaps it is a good thing for you that we are alone. At least the inevitable embarrassment you will suffer from losing to me will not be witnessed by the others.”

Demetrio chortled at Dominic’s sophisticated trash talk. He clutched the king in his fist and stood up from the table. “Okay, then. Bring it on.”