Claire POV.
Unedited.

I feel a soft hand stroking my face. I know it's him. I can get lost in his touch. Someone says something I don't know who or what, but they are talking about me while the pendant is burning my skin. I try to move my hands around my neck, but I can't move at all. In fact, I can't feel my limbs.

I must be dead! Is this death? It can't be. Am I dead? How did I die?

The arguing and bickering around me grow louder, but I cannot decipher a single word.

Suddenly, the pendant around my neck squeezes tightly, sucking the little air left out of my lungs. I officially feel death knocking on my door. The pendant is taking the life out of me. I feel my soul being ripped out of my body.

In the next moment, I feel him. Nicklaus, my savior, comes to my rescue. His hands feel like fire and ice. His touch is the air to my lungs, bringing me back to life—so hot yet so cold and inviting.

My heart starts to pound. I want him. I need him. I can feel my soul calling to him, screaming and begging for him to take me as his.

Sharp razor blades are plunged into my skin, giving my body, mind, and soul exactly what they want—him.

His lips suck on my raw skin, and sparks of electricity rush straight to my core. Pleasure! His fangs dig deeper, and I moan my climax at its highest peak. My kitty is throbbing, wishing so badly that his sweet and seductive tongue makes its way down there next. His soft lips are devouring me whole. My life force is his to take.

I want more. No, I need more than his touch and his pleasure-filled tongue. I need him all over me, inside me, taming and claiming me for once and all. I belong to him in every single way possible. I'm his light in the darkest room.

I moan louder, and I can feel his sinister side take over completely. This is exactly what I want—him.

The monster's touch is tainted—pulling, dragging my soul. He doesn't disappoint, providing my body with exactly what it wants. His demonic side is devouring my soul, attempting to force it into submission while sucking the light right out of me. It's like black smoke invading a white room, thick and heavy. I can't breathe. I feel every inch of his wickedness inside me.

My body goes into panic as his pleasure turns into pain. It hurts so bad, changing everything. I feel my soul slipping, and the bright and pleasant world is turning dark and dangerous, unsafe and unreal. I feel his presence in and out of me before reality starts to kick in.

Nicklaus is staking his claim, attempting to tame, break, and control me. The temptation is extremely hard to resist. His presence is slowly corrupting my mind, body, and soul. Nooo! My consciousness is screaming, "Don't let him win." He can have my body and live in my heart, but my mind is my own. He must take me as I am.

My soul is marinating with his own. It's a battle between good and evil, wrong and right, dark and light. Only one can win, but I feel different. Our souls are one universe. They must become one. Our souls must coexist.

I refuse to allow him to take my humanity. He is the king, but I am meant to be his queen. We shall rule as one.

The pain becomes unbearable, but no matter what, I'll fight against his dark hold. No pain lasts forever.

The world stops as fire explodes, and ice water freezes hell over. My heart drops as the world is ripped out of my hold. I'll fight to my very last breath.

After what feels like an eternity and a never-ending battle of strength, I feel Nicklaus finally cave in. Our souls entwine, connect, and become one.

*           *           *

My mind is fully awake and alert, but my body is in a dream-like state. I can hear and feel everything that's happening around me, but I can't see, nor can I speak. It sucks. I do feel extremely weak but at the same time so strong like I've never been.

I try to give myself into the darkness but nope. My mind refuses to take a nap. I try to count sheep and think of peaceful things.

Arg! I'm not having any luck. Eventually, I allow my mind to drift and think about whatever it wants. It wanders to him, of course. He is all I can think about.

First, I think about his hot and cold touch, then his warm and cool lips.  I know he is not here, but it feels like he is extremely close. His presence lingers on me like smoke.

His body has been absent for over three hours now, but that doesn't matter because his presence is right here, right inside my mind. I know that sounds weird. It's just one of those things you have to experience in order to understand it.

"She doesn't look any different."

I hear King Cyrus say, sounding concerned—shockingly enough.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," Xander replies. "He has claimed her, but she hasn't fully accepted immortality. Her body is currently going through the transition. Only Claire can decide the outcome."

"Why does the pendant work for her? It's strange she can yield its power."

"It is strange," Xander agrees. "Marcellus deals with a lot of witches. He's almost here. Maybe he understands its power."

"How about you just contact Aurora, Xander?" King Cyrus suggests. "She's the one who granted the pendant to your beloved in the first place."

"Aurora will kill me on sight, fool. How about you ask her?"

"Why is Claire's heartbeat so low?" someone asks him.

Mr. Meany, I think.

"She's technically still human, so her body doesn't heal quickly. She needs his blood to fully regenerate," Xander replies.

Wait, blood? Is he talking about me? What the hell does he mean when he said I'm technically still human?

"Her body will reject anyone else's other than his."

"Luckily for us, we are in his safe house," another voice chimes in, and someone touches my head and parts my mouth slightly.

A warm, cinnamon‑tasting liquid rushes down my throat, and my senses hit me hard and strong.

My eyes pop open. Everything is bright. Everything looks bright, almost white. I squelch my eyes, only to replace the white with vivid, vibrant colors. A squeaking mouse is particularly yelling in my ears, without actually being anywhere near them. It's strange. Then other voices hit me. There's so much noise, too much noise for my sensitive ears to take in. Voices turn into loud, beeping white noise.

I shake my head. I can smell the damp earth and wildflowers. It's calming yet alarming. The potent fragrance mingles with many others but stands out like a sore thumb. I take a deep breath and almost choke. Too many fragrances mingle together, invading my lungs. My mind starts to work of its own accord, taking full control.

I close my ear off with an imaginary earplug to stop the annoying, squeaking sound. Seconds later, I learn how to lock and block other noises. I quickly realize that those are other voices. In the next moment, I close off my lungs, but I can still breathe in air. Now that's just creepy as hell. Finally, within maybe two seconds later, my bright, vivid, and extremely clear eyesight locks on them. All of them are watching me like they are waiting for me to pounce.

Xander's icy gray eyes are drenching me in like it's the first time we have officially met. His expression is cold, but I can see straight through his facade. The warmth and love that he holds for me sparkle in his irises.

King Cyrus looks curious and mildly intrigued but also on edge. The ruthless king seems to be scared.

Mr. Meany looks mean as always, but his eyes hold odd concern for me. Something is extremely strange about his stare.

"Claire," Xander is the first to speak. "How do you feel?"

The smell of butterscotch, honey, and thick maple syrup invade my senses, washing all my troubles and questions away.

"Pancakes," I say.

King Cyrus raises an eyebrow and turns to face Xander.

"Pancakes," repeats Xander, slowly.

"Yes, I smell pancakes, and I'm hungry," I tell him before standing up to follow that glorious smell. My nose leads the way, and my taste buds are jumping. I'm particularly drooling.

The smell of damp earth and wildflowers stops me in my tracks as I walk past a room. That's when I realize that I'm in another unfamiliar house that's fit for royalty.

Go figure! I start to debate with myself whether I should follow my nose to the pancakes or see what's behind door one.

Pancakes or door one? Take your pick, Claire.

I place my hand on the doorknob.

"Claire, what are you doing?" Xander asks as he walks down the stairs.

My eyes lock with King Cyrus's eyes that bleed red, then everything goes in slow motion before my very eyes.

King Cyrus starts to run, but in my eyes, he is just walking. So I slide out my left foot just in time to clip him up and open the doorknob. I get inside the room and slam the door shut.

My green eyes meet with someone's hazel eyes.

*           *           *

Nicklaus

I hate leaving my beloved behind. She looked so broken and bruised. It was all my fault.

I have to keep her safe. These dogs are a threat to my beloved.

I met up with some of my men four hours ago. I have orchestrated two separate attacks to keep the wolves busy—one directly on the Northern Pack's territory and the other on the northern town of Vermont. King Cyrus's raid on Quebec went extremely well, so why not attack more lycan‑protected towns? Those beasts started it; I'll finish it.

All I can think about is Claire. It's driving me crazy. I can feel her inside me. I can still taste her honey-laced blood on the tip of my tongue. After I finish with these dogs, I can make my way back to her. This issue is now a full-fledged war. I'm positive the council is now aware of the threat. Even if they don't agree with it, they will want these threats eliminated.

I'm currently at one of the base camps that Cyrus set up.

Claire's fragile body refuses to leave my mind.

"Your Highness," calls Commander Ravana. She's stepping in for Commander Vlad. She is Cyrus's best soldier. "Both of the attacks were a success. It should take the wolves at least one moon to rebuild and issue an attack of their own."

I nod in approval.

"King Marcellus and Count Cloven are en route. They should meet us back at your safe house."

As expected, the council is aware. That's the only reason why Count Cloven will be present.

I wave my hand in dismissal. That's all I needed to hear. Finally, I can make my way back to Claire. I want to spend some alone time with her while she's transitioning. I have the perfect place.

I make my way out of the tent, more than eager to get straight to Claire.

"Also, we have captured the were-bitch that attacked King Xander, along with two other humans," she tells, stopping me right in my tracks.

"Bring them in," I command.

The moment my men walk in, my chest is ablaze.

The wolf bitch's scent awakes my monster completely. She and some other humans who escaped during the raid on Cyrus's penthouse are shoved inside the tent.

Crimson red bleeds into my vision completely. I can feel Claire's presence inside my mind. My little firecracker has learned how to communicate with me already. It's really no surprise. She has communicated with me before in her dream state, so of course, she knows how to access her bond instantly.

The wolf bitch's eyes glow yellow the moment I come into view. She releases a low growl. Her wolf is present.

Good! I want her wolf to fight for its life.

My fangs descend.

"Welcome back, Mecca."

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