Claire POV.
Unedited.

I have seen photos of a deer caught in headlights, have you? They are so surprised that they cannot move or think. Their eyes grow big. You would think that they are owls sitting on a branch hopping away. A vampire getting their nutsack kicked is no different.

First, they froze, their whole body still and stiff. Then, their eyes widened like an owl, and their hands crouched over to ease their pain. Finally, they let out a very loud bawl or blat sound just like a dying deer, or should I say groin?

That was exactly what King Nicklaus did. It was classic. No, it was epic. Let's just say he was pissed. And before I could really revel in my victory, Xander has already swooshed me out of the room, like my knight in shining armor. He's no fun.

Now I'm in the slave quarters reading The Vampire Studies.

I must admit, Xander was right. It really isn't anywhere near as boring as it sounds, unlike the garbage and heroic vampire stories that the academy likes to feed our brains. This book tells the truth. It doesn't paint vampires to be heroes, villains, or monsters. It explains vampires' history, society, and culture. I'm intrigued, and to be honest, I cannot put it down. This book contains knowledge, true knowledge, and one thing that I will agree with is that knowledge is power.

So far, I have learned each vampire king is a blood descendant from a powerful vampire house, and only one of the seven kings is not a trueborn vampire. There are a total of seven houses: House Ettore, House Akeldama, House Throne, House Athan, House Baldassare, House Marku, and House Vlad. 

King Nicklaus is a part of House Vlad, the royal family, and the most powerful family of them all. Based upon the text, his family is victorious and legends to the other vampire houses. Each and every house worships the ground that House Vlad walks on.

The house of Vlad originated from a place called Sighișoara, Romania. They have lived in places such as England, Italy, and Egypt.

Well, according to what I have read, they had relocated many, many times before they finally decided to settle on an island called Cyprus. The island of Cyprus is surrounded by three continents—Europe, Asia, and Africa, which the vampires call the circling kingdoms. I remember, the kings speaking about the circling kingdoms during their royal tradition.

Speaking of traditions, according to the text, every 100 years, the vampire houses come together to host a Massacre Ball, a blood gathering. This ball is where they discuss the well-being of their futures. The last ball was when the Awakening was determined.

Just perfect!

The house of Vlad aka King Nicklaus led the attack.

Actually, the book states that descendants from the Vlad family have always led the vampires against other supernatural creatures—or in my case human species—winning just about whatever war they fought in. If other houses went to war without the house of Vlad's blessing, they would lose, terribly. Vampires call it the Curse of the Vlads.

It's weird. Honestly, I believe it's just a bunch of superstitious bullcrap. Like come on, one family cannot determine the win or loss of each and every vampire war. I mean, in my opinion, the Vlad House has placed this fear in other vampires to hold onto power and secure the crown.

I've also learned that there are four council members selected by the houses every couple of hundreds of years, and these council members govern and set rule books.

Whatever they say goes. The only person that can overrule them is the overseer of the vampire race, and usually, it's a direct descendant from the House of Vlad. King Nicklaus's father became the overseer when he passed the throne down to his son. His new title is King Father Apollyon and this book makes it very clear that he is a wicked and malicious king. His daughter and King Nicklaus's sister, Princess Daniela, are next in line to be the overseer.

See? What I mean is the Vlad family name holds true power.

I've even learned that trueborn vampires pass their powers to the ones they turn and all trueborn vampires are born with their own specific powers. Some can read minds, compel people, and even pick up on others' emotions. The list of true vampires goes on and on. However, the houses of Vlad's descendants are always born with unique powers.

They aren't listed. I'm guessing, just in case the wrong person gets their hands on this book. After the Awakening,  Well, that's what the book lists the Awakening as.

Anyway, vampires' laws have changed completely, and no one other than a person born or turned before the Awakening Legend should know the secrets, which means I probably really shouldn't have access to this book, so why did Xander willingly give it to me?

Legend has it that a vampire fell in love with a human. He declared she was his beloved and immediately requested the council's blessing to turn her immortal. The council granted his request. However, the day that the human was supposed to be turned was the day that the vampire community suffered a terrible fate. She was also in love with a lycan who hated vampires with a burning passion. 

She betrayed him, and the lycan along with many other supernatural creatures attacked the event, killing millions and millions of vampires. Children, women, and many other innocent vampires were slaughtered. They didn't show mercy, and neither did the vampires when they retaliated. The human girl's entire race suffered because of her betrayal.

We are still suffering!

Mecca has told me a story about a vampire and a human. I figure that this is the same story. There are always two sides to a story and then there's the truth. I can't help but wonder what the truth holds. My entire species are suffering because of whatever happened.

I release a deep sigh and roll off the bed. I've had enough of vampires' history for today.

"What are you reading?" asks a female voice from behind me.

I quickly throw a cover over the top of the book and then turn around to face no one other than Astrid, Mr. Meany's sidekick and the last person I expected to see.

"Slave Cooperation," I lie, figuring it was best not to tell the truth.

The book states in bold black ink that no other species should know anything about their history.

Astrid tilts her head to the side, and her eyes rapidly flicker around the room.

Weirdo.

With a weird look on her face, she walks into the center of my room, well, Jadis's room that I currently inhabit.

Actually, she's looking at me exactly how she was earlier during our walk into the artsy pad. Jeepers freaking creepers!

"Why are you here?" I ask, unable to stop the words from rolling off my tongue.

"I came to escort you to the slave quarters for dinner," she answers, bringing her head up straight. "The king orders. He would like to make sure you're fed before your journey to North America."

Oh right! I forgot about our upcoming journey to the one continent, which I thought I have officially escaped. It used to be the land of the free.

What an irony!

Without responding, I walk into the walk-in closet and search for something to wear. Jadis has kick-ass fashion sense, and even though I'm a little curvier than her, I'm still able to squeeze my fat ass into a pair of her leather jeans and pull a black V-neck over my head.

After that, I make my way into the bathroom and throw some water in my hair just to make my waves come back to life. Once I'm finished, Sidekick Astrid opens the door for me and leads the way. She's wearing leather pants and a black tank top. Our clothing choice is quite similar, and I suddenly receive the urge to puke. I didn't intentionally mean to dress like her, and the fact that I did kind of bothers me.

"I sense you don't like me," says Astrid. She looks over her shoulders, giving me that creepy look of hers. "You know your heart rate identifies when your lying ?" She pauses in her tracks. "I know you were lying about what you were reading. If my powers didn't reveal the truth, your heartbeat did."

She continues to walk before talking again.

"I suggest you practice keeping your heart rate steady at all times. I can help you with that if you want me to."

"And why would you help me?" I rasp my eyebrows.

Vampires don't help humans—that's just a fact—especially humans like me. If I'm being truthful, the idea of Astrid offering to help me rings creepy bells. She puts the capital C in creepy. I don't trust her. I'm already tired of all these vampires suddenly wanting to train me for whatever reasons they see fit. I'm exhausted. My day of training was extremely hard.

"Not all vampires are pure evil, human. Even if I don't particularly favor you, it's my job to protect you. And without learning how to control your fear of being caught in a lie, you will forever be an open book. And that just places you in unnecessary danger. I'll talk to the king about my offer. At the end of the day, he is the one who controls what you do or don't anyway."

Oh no, the hell she didn't.

"Your king doesn't control shit. Let me make things clear. Just because you follow his orders like the creepy, little, flunky sidekick that you are, that doesn't mean I do too."

She stops and turns to face me. "Oh, really?"

"Yes, really, and I accept your offer of my own free will, not because he wants me to or because you think I should. I accept your offer because that's what I want to do," I tell her. I shove right past her as I make my way to the slave dining quarters, fighting the urge not to kick her in the crotch.

I really don't like her. Actually, I've made up my mind I despise her. However, if she can teach me how to control my heart rate, then that's better for me. I can use that to my advantage. And if she wants to teach me to deceive her race, only a fool would decline that opportunity.

I peek my head over my shoulders, and to my surprise, she is smiling. Astrid the Sidekick has officially become Miss Creepy.

* * *

Dinner at the slave quarters was typical and uneventful besides Victoria glaring daggers at me the whole time. But that's not anything new. I hope Xander decides to leave her behind. It's already bad enough that I'm forced to go back to North freaking America. To make matters worse, I have to travel with her. Why does fate get so damn cruel?

Miss Creepy walks me back to Jadis's chambers and informs me that the king gave his permission for the training. She becomes weirder and weirder by the second. For one, she didn't leave my side the entire time and watched me like a hawk—and how the hell did she talk to King Nicklaus? For two, she kept staring into space every so often.

Creepy, creepy, creepy.

The moment I walk into Jadis's chambers, I immediately dive into the bed and search for the book. To make my day creepier, the book isn't there anymore. I know I put it there, and Miss Creepy ensured me that no one has permission to enter my room. "King orders," she quoted. I also know for a fact that King Nicklaus and Xander had to attend another meeting with Xander's governors. So, who the hell came in?

I retrace my steps before dinner, and still nothing. Okay, maybe Miss Creepy's nosy ass did some creepy vampire shit and took my book when I was changing.

Yup, she is dead. I'm about to scream her name through the halls and give her a piece of my mind.

I'm about to do what I've planned when I see my underwear from this morning sitting by the bathroom door.

Wait, I know for a fact I left in the closet by the dirty clothes hamper. What the hell!

I decide to walk over to the bathroom, only to come face-to-face with glowing bright-green eyes. I've found the book and my intruder. My mouth opens to scream, but he is already in front of me in the blink of an eye, placing his hand over my mouth. My heart rate increases. I struggle to fight, but it's no use. He is stronger.

"Stop moving now before I stick my dick back into you so fast and hard. You won't be able to move ever again."

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