"Would Lord Montesserrat care to join me for a drink?" Rochefort lifted a silver goblet.
Dulce wasn't starved of blood, but on the rest of their journey acquiring a drink would be rather difficult, and he didn't make it a habit to hunt humans.
He silently acquiesced by reaching for a goblet of his own. They were empty because blood left out would most certainly congeal, but Vampires had their ways.
Rochefort made a signal with his hand, and a servant made an appearance with a bottle of what seemed like wine. He poured them each a glass and carefully sealed the bottle again before taking his leave.
The Demons at the table were unaffected by the sight. Solely subsisting off the lifeblood of other living creatures was one of the core reasons Vampires were abhorred, but Demons weren't their prey, so they paid little mind to it.
Rochefort downed his cup first, holding up his empty goblet to Dulce in acknowledgement, then placing it back on the marble dining table with a clink.
Dulce drank his down as well, placing the cup to the side so he could resume eating.
"Please, drink as much as you like," Rochefort encouraged, already filling up Dulce's goblet again. "It's carefully cultivated and cultured, rich as wine."
Dulce peered at his glass that was filled to the brim again, the thick red liquid catching the candlelight. Blood was like water to him; it was a necessity. The taste and makeup mattered little to him.
He emptied the second glass, going back to his food. If he could, he would only eat food, but his strange ability to tolerate normal sustenance aside, he couldn't live without blood.
Dulce sighed, drinking down a mouthful of soup. Food certainly tasted better, and it was easier to acquire.
Rochefort refilled the glass once more, drinking no more himself. It was truly a rich brand of blood and had cost a pretty penny to acquire, but it was worth using it to further his goal.
Dulce reluctantly drank the third glass, feeling obligated to. "Thank you," he said firmly, hoping to pass the message across that he no longer wanted a drink.
Rochefort pretended not to understand. "Perhaps if Lord Montesserrat likes this drink so much, I could have several bottles arranged for you."
"There's no need to go to such lengths," Dulce refuted. He knew how pricey the single bottle of blood was; he would rather the sticky noble give him the money instead.
"In that case, at least do me the honor of finishing this bottle together." Rochefort made one last attempt, refilling both their goblets.
Dulce frowned as he picked up his goblet. Blood was like water to Vampires, but after subsisting on animal blood sparingly for so many years, a few goblets were enough to make his vision swim.
He wanted to put it back down, but Lord Rochefort was already reaching out to clink their silver goblets together, the red-eyed Vampire drinking his down.
Dulce mimicked him, drinking slowly. He could leave the drink to the side to coagulate, but he felt a little indebted to the Vampire who had been so generous, regardless of his ulterior motives.
Ruoxi hadn't eaten a bite, so he spent most of the meal watching the dining table. The other two Demons were a little too focused on their meals; he paid little mind to them, curiously watching the blood be brought in.
So he picked up on Dulce's reluctance to drink more. At any other time, he would have jumped at the chance to pry useful information out of the intriguing Vampire, but his body moved quicker than his thoughts.
Dulce looked over in surprise when the goblet was taken from his lips. He was halfway through the fourth glass, his silver-blue eyes tinged red. "C-Can you drink that?" he mumbled in confusion.
Ruoxi stirred the eye-catching red liquid in the silver goblet. His expression was pleasant, but his frequent smiles had faded. "I want it."
"Shameless," Kath'tan grumbled from his chair.
Being raised as nobility meant that he had seen more than his fair share of Cubi. They had all been simpering, weak Demons using their charms to control.
"You can have it," Rochefort allowed generously. The last dregs of blood in the bottle remained undrunk.
Ruoxi fiddled with the blood in the glass, shaking and swirling it with focus like he was completely entertained.
Dulce sighed silently in relief, eating much slower, his hand-eye coordination thrown off by how woozy he felt. He slowly blinked, the contents on his plate swimming before his eyes.
It was enough for him to rise to his feet, unwilling to slump at the table. It wouldn't be much of a big deal if it were just the Demons he summoned, but the presence of a Vampire made him antsy.
"Is something the matter?" Rochefort asked with alarm, already out of his seat and a short distance away.
"Nothing at all," Dulce said sheepishly, his eyes lowered. "I just need to retire early..." he trailed off, pale red eyes dazed.
Ruoxi rose to his feet as well. He was sharing the Vampire's room, and he wasn't exactly part of dinner.
His movement caught the attention of the others.
"Where are you going?" Asael spoke for the first time.
Dulce stepped away from the table, his steps unsteady. "Ruoxi said he couldn't sleep by himself, so he's sharing my room," he said harmlessly, his words slow and softly spoken.
Kath'tan said something under his breath that sounded very much like, "Foolish Vampire," pushing back his chair.
Asael rose to his feet as well, but his dark gaze was fixed on the Incubus. "I believe we had an agreement."
Ruoxi raised his hands in mock surrender. "I'm innocent. Forgive a Demon for being proactive and making sure his summoner is unharmed."
"The foolish Vampire is just fine by himself," Kath'tan cut in.
Ruoxi raised a brow at that, finding it difficult to believe. Unless Dulce was a master actor, the Vampire truly was a danger to himself.
"I'm really fine," Dulce cut in nervously. "There's no need to watch over me..." he reassured them, taking a step toward the exit, then another.
All three Demons watched him go down, crumpling like a falling petal on his next step, pale hair splayed out on the polished floor.