Claire Pov.
Edited.

WTH by Jhene Aiko. I can imagine That Claire can understand her pain right now 😉

The moonbeams through the balcony door when I open my eyes. The beauty of late-night is shining into the room. My neck feels stiff, and the throbbing, searing pain is way too hard to ignore. I feel like I'm in a dream state, but oddly content. I'm at peace. Strong arms lock me into place. I turn my body over, only to be met by unapologetic, silver‑cerulean, glowing eyes. King Nicklaus.

He's awake and staring into my irises. I feel like I'm looking into the depths of the coldest sea. A dark, roaring, raging sea. I'm lost, adrift even. But I don't want an SOS.

His eyes are perfect. The moon glowing on his skin makes him look so desirable. In the back of my mind, it feels like something isn't right. I shouldn't be so drawn to him.

He doesn't say a word. He pulls me even closer to his muscular frame, then watches me, assessing my reaction. Obviously, waiting for me to oppose, or put up a fight. I'm not objecting, even if I should. If I'm going to be completely honest, I have to ask myself, "Who would?" Rejecting his embrace is like declining the offer to walk through the gates of heaven. No one is that stupid.

I can smell his aromatic cologne and his personal unique scent. He smells so rich, and it reminds me of cedarwood burning in the fresh, crisp air. It's addicting.

My head is lying on top of his chest. I know this looks bad. He is a vampire and my captor, but this feels right. Something is different about us. I can't place my finger on it, but it is. I don't know what happened or when it happened, but I no longer have the desire to stab him with a dagger. I just want to stay in his arms forever and ever, plus another forever. I just want to live in peace alongside him. It may sound silly, but I do, even if we never actually have peace. A girl can't help but imagine a life beside him.

Who am I fooling? There will never be peace between a vampire and a human. I know this.

There's a little voice inside me screaming at me to snap out of it. That still doesn't stop me from wrapping my arms around him and snuggling closer. Just for tonight, we can pretend to be something special. If that makes me a nutcase, so be it. I'm going to enjoy my night with him. I'm going to enjoy lying in his arms. The king of vampires, King Nicklaus—no, scratch that—my Nicklaus, runs his fingers through my hair. My nerves are shot, especially when another one of his fingers slowly trails down my skin, gently brushing the throbbing pain on the right side of my neck.

I shiver. That one single gesture makes my knees feel weak, and I'm not even standing. Can someone please explain to me how that is even possible? I look into his eyes that are now glowing like lanterns lighting the room. I love his eyes.

"Now, that you're awake, I'm going to grab you some food from the kitchen," Nicklaus tells me, after another moment of lingering silence passes between us.

"I'm not hungry," I quickly respond, stopping him from rolling out of bed. "Please, don't go. I just want to live in this moment. Stay."

I know that I sound desperate, and probably a little hypocritical. Okay, I sound really, really hypocritical. I hate humans that bask in the glory of vampires' affection. I always have something bad to say about them, just like I did with Jadis. Now, look at me, I'm begging for him to stay, just like I begged for his bite. How desperate does that sound?

"You lost a lot of blood, Claire. You need something to eat. Eating food will help you regain your strength," he tells me and then rolls out of the bed anyway. He ignores my frustrated sigh and complaints. "Besides, once my venom is out of your system and your high goes down, you will hate me for taking advantage of you."

I make a face.

"I'm not high. Now, please come back to bed and take advantage of me, Nicklaus."

I poke my lip out like I've seen other slaves do back at school when they tried to get their fix from a vampire bite. Now I understand their childish behavior. My vision is crystal clear. King Nicklaus is like a drug, and I really want a fix. Suddenly, those girls' desperation all makes perfect sense.

"You know, begging is only appealing to me when my fangs and your blood are involved, otherwise, it makes you look like a puppy barking for a bone," he says with a taunting grin.

"I can take advantage of you, Claire. I can have my way with you right now, and you won't even put up a fight. That's no fun. I like it when you fight." His eyes flash demonic red.

The lust he holds for me is swirling inside his red orbs. He shakes his head like he is trying to shake a picture out of it. He is struggling. The monster in him wants to lie with me. The monster in him wants to taste me again. The monster in him wants me, just like I want him. I can use that to my advantage.

"Nicklaus, please come back to bed with me. Please, sire," My voice is not my own.

Maybe he's right. I may be way too high on cloud nine, my mind is breezing through the trees. Oh well, I don't give a fuck. It feels good.

King Nicklaus's eyes are back to his normal shade. I can tell he is struggling to contain his laughter. He enjoys this. Good. So, that makes two of us. He pulls me gently out of the bed, and I'm finally back in his warm embrace. I sigh dreamily. Back to heaven, I go.

"I won't take advantage of you, nor will I feed on you again." King Nicklaus lifts my chin gently with his index finger. "At least, not until I can remain in control."

"But."

"I said no, Claire. And that's final. You need your rest. Besides, this is not how I want to claim you."

He rubs his hands through his hair. I can't tell if he is frustrated with me, or himself. Honestly, I don't really care. I'm just happy to be in his arms. This is exactly where I belong.

"Furthermore,"—Nicklaus's voice catches my attention, and his glowing eyes make my heart skip a beat—"when I claim you, Claire, and trust me when I say I shall claim you in every way, every single inch of you. I want you to be mine, Claire," he says, without breaking eye contact.

"I want you to be yourself, my firecracker. The spirited, defiant, human-sympathizing, vampire-hating girl that you are. So, I won't take advantage of you, but I will make a confession." His lips curve into an unapologetic smirk. "I will tell you a little secret and then make you forget everything I've said until the time comes for you to learn the truth."

He continues to stare into my eyes, as I stare into his, waiting for him to continue. "I confess that I will claim you, my little firecracker because every inch of you belongs to me. You are mine."

I feel the air shift around us, and his intense, glowing eyes lock me in place.

"I'm your chosen. Hey, that's no secret. We both are aware of that," I tease him, smiling ear to ear.

He's not smiling. Nope. There's not an ounce of playfulness that I can detect anywhere on his face. He looks fierce and hungry, determined even. I can't explain it, but the look he gives me is holding me captive—those glowing eyes. My heart starts to hammer, beating like a jungle drum inside my chest.

Nicklaus leans closer into me, only stopping when our faces are a few inches apart. Oh, God, help me. He's more perfect than I thought. This close, I can see every detail of his breathtaking features and smooth, flawless skin. The moonlight shining down on him is not making it better. If anything, the glow makes him look more like a god than a vampire.

He's right; I'm high off his venom. That's the only logical explanation that can explain why I feel all warm and bubbly inside. I must be higher than a kite.

The air zaps straight through us. His chest moves up and down, while he stares at me like I'm his prized possession. He owns me.

I can't move or stop staring at him, even if I wanted to. I can only hear the sound of us breathing hard and heavy as we continue to get lost in each other's stare. The world ceases to exist, and there's nothing around us at this moment. It's just us.

The beautiful glowing moon seems to have evaporated. The bed has dissolved. The walls have melted. There is nothing around me. All I can see is Nicklaus, staring at me. It's just us, sitting on nothing. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, and then comes the baby in the baby carriage. I'm really freaking high. Oh my gosh.

"Claire, you—" says Nicklaus.

The emotion in his voice brings my high down a little. He sighs a deep sigh before finally deciding to get everything off his chest. He huffs, puffs then blow the houses down. Just kidding, I'm higher than a kite.

"Claire, you are my beloved. I will have you in every way. You belong to me," he states, making my kite explode.                                                                                

 <🌚>

Awake Fridays. Please Please Please don't forget to vote and comment. I have received two fan requests to write a story. I'm so honored. My likes have been going up. I have gained new followers. I'm excited that people are starting to read my work (teary eyes) I'm super excited. 🥰 I love all of you! Even my silent readers. Thanks, Love-bugs♥️