Nicklaus POV.

Even after I take another shower, Claire's essence remains on me, clinging to my body like a second skin. Just thinking about it makes me hard.

I'll hold on to the memory of her sweet, tasty arousal to the end of time. Her taste—sweet like candy—has satisfied my monster for a moment. We shall never be completely full when her honeysuckle dish is being served.

Based upon Claire's sexual reaction, I can tell that she has never been pleased during those dreadful sexual encounters she has experienced. I don't think she had ever felt a climax, until I explored her delicious and precious jewel with the tip of my tongue.

I'm almost positive I'm the first and only person that has tasted her cum. In fact, I'm positive that I'm the only one who has caused her to have an orgasm. And I shall be her last.

With that thought, I freshen up and quickly leave the room. I'm extremely eager to get this meeting over with, just so I can get back to exploring that God‑given body of hers.

Xander is sitting in a chair placed directly in front of the entryway of the west wing. He seems to be thinking as he looks out of the window, lost in his own world. I knew he was here. I picked up his scent the exact moment Claire's body gave in—that delicious beehive of a body that's filled with the richest honey. She hosts the most expensive honey money can buy.

Xander hasn't noticed that I exited the room, which is strange. Something must be bothering him. It's not like he does not pay attention to his surroundings. He's a powerful vampire, almost as powerful as me.

My vision zeroes in on him. I notice that his eyes don't hold their usual warmth and his lips aren't anywhere close to a smile.

I know Xander overheard my little tasting session. If this was any other time, his eyes would be bright, and I would want to knock a smirk off his face.

Even though his unusual behavior didn't flash warning signs, his body does. It goes stiff the moment he senses my presence.

Xander stands to his feet. "Pardon my intrusion, but I thought it would be best if I was the one to tell you."

Something is really off. Xander has never given a fuck about interrupting me, and he damn sure doesn't apologize for anything. He doesn't even properly address me or utilize my title, not that it matters—he is my brother, so he can do that.

"Tell me what?" I ask, ignoring his strange behavior. I don't know why he is so upset, but right now I don't have a care in the world. Nothing can destroy my happiness. I have finally found an eternity of happiness.

That reminds me, I need to speak to Claire about accepting immortality. Hopefully, she will agree. She has to.

Xander clears his throat.

Oh right! Back to the current task at hand. Fuck, I'm acting like a lovesick puppy.

"We have been summoned," he speaks through clenched teeth.

"We have been summoned," I repeat in a low voice.

Summoned? We haven't been summoned in over a century, since my father officially abdicated the throne.

It takes a second for his words to sink in, and when they finally do, my hands clench into a tight fist. A tidal wave of exasperation and anger seeps through my pores. Only one soul in this reckoned universe is powerful enough to summon me—my father! Who the fuck does he think he is? How dare he? I'm the king of all kings. That bastard of a man irks my very existence to the very end.

"How long do we have?" I cut straight to the point.

"Your father has demanded an audience at once," answers Xander. "All of us are required to attend."

"Of course we are!" I snap.

A summons for one king extends to all kings. No wonder Marcellus wanted to speak to me. He knows this is no game. I expected certain casualties once the council learned that I've declared war against the dogs without their approval but I never expected this.

"No, Nicklaus," Xander snaps, "You do not fully comprehend what I'm saying!"

The air in the room shifts in a matter of seconds. Xander's words confuse me to no end.

"Enlighten me then," I state, struggling to keep my monster at bay.

I'm certain that whatever my father requested is unreasonable. That's just what he does.

"The summons was issued to all eight kings . . ." Xander says like he is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

I place my hand on his shoulder, encouraging him to continue.

"The summons was issued to all eight vampire kings and the chosen of the king of all vampire kings."

His words knock the wind out of my stomach. My vision starts to bleed as a ton of negative emotions weigh me down like ten pounds of bricks being placed onto my back. My grip tightens around Xander's shoulder. He continues to stand there, holding me in place to keep me from falling. Apprehension cracks through my ice-cold skin like the first strike from a brand-new whip. I shake my head, trying my hardest to take the memory of Xander's last words out of my head.

"What are you implying?" my monsters queries. He is no longer buried deep down inside me. He is fully awake, alert, and ready to spill blood.

Xander removes my hand carefully. I know he is barely detaining his own monster, but he is aware that my monster has freed himself.

"Brother," he says with caution, "you need to calm yourself at once." He takes a deep sigh. "We don't know the reason why he summoned Claire."

With a monstrous growl, I pick up the chair and smash it into the window. Tiny pieces of glass shatter and fly freely all around the west wing. I go on a complete rampage, throwing and breaking anything my claws could get their hands on.

Xander doesn't interfere. He allows me that chance to release my rage and frustration. My emotions are haywire, my judgment is cloudy, and my monster is craving to sink our fangs into anyone.

Suddenly, Xander's body goes stiff and his eyes travel to my bedroom door.

Claire's heart rate picks up speed, indicating that she is awakening. I can feel her trying to invade my mind and understand my thoughts in the process. I block her completely, slamming the door to my mind and emotions shut.

My sensitive ears lock onto the sound of her heavy footsteps as she makes her way to the bedroom door. She stops for a second and changes her direction, heading towards the closet instead. I can detect that she is putting clothes on her body.

Once dressed, she turns back around to make her way out of the room. The door opens and my bloodshot vision centers on her mesmerizing green eyes. We stare at each other for a long while. Time slows down, and without warning, I jump out of the busted window.

* * *

Claire

My breath hitches, forcing me to jump out of my sleep and gasp for air. A ton of negative emotions slams straight into my chest like a car crash and then like a door, it shuts. It takes me a second before I fully awaken to pinpoint the exact source. There's only one person in this world that can take my breath away.

"Nicklaus," I whisper to myself. I hop out of the bed and then rush towards the bedroom door, only to come to a complete halt the moment my mind realizes that I'm completely naked, even more, naked than a newborn baby that's fresh out of their mother's womb—no underwear, no bra. I'm not even wearing Nicklaus's dress shirt.

The aroma of burning cedar and expensive cologne lingers on me like a cloud of thick smoke. That's when I realize that his intoxicating scent is more potent on the other side of the door. It's blending with a hint of cypress, indicating that he is only a few steps away. He is not alone; Xander is with him.

I rush to the closet and throw on the first thing my hands grab. I pull one of Nicklaus's V-necks over my head, then put on a pair of one of his expensive washed-out jeans, which happens to sag loosely on my tiny frame.

I make my way out of the bedroom, ignoring the fact that I look like crap. My eyes instantly lock onto Nicklaus's bright, vivid, and glowing-red eyes. Now I'm used to vampires' eyes turning red, especially when Nicklaus is brought into the equation, but I have never witnessed anything like this. The view of him completely shocks my soul.

His entire eyes bleed different shades of red. His irises and lens are soaking scarlet. His pupils are dilated, yet they somehow manage to drip crimson. And his corneas are bleeding ruby red. Good God.

Our eyes have stayed locked in place for a long-drawn-out moment until he decides to finally release me from the hold and unexpectedly jumps out of the window. Without thinking, I rush at an inhuman speed and jump out of the window right after him. I can hear Xander screaming after me.

I land gracefully, surprising the fuck out of myself. But my moment of shock lasts for barely a second as a blurry figure runs faster than the wind, now a few feet ahead of me.

Nicklaus.

Once again I take off at an inhuman speed, chasing after him. He moves faster than lightning, whooshing past the twenty snow‑covered trees. Somehow, I manage to keep up with him, embracing the cold wind as it whirls fiercely around me. I chase after him like I'm running for my life. He's only a few feet away, giving me the push to run faster than I would have ever thought my body could manage.

I can feel someone also chasing after me—after us—but we lose them within a second. Maybe they realized it was a bad idea to run after another man's beloved.

Who is dead set on hunting him down? But right now, Nicklaus is the only one that matters. No one will stand in my way.

I can feel an unfamiliar wicked presence within me, snow crunching underneath my bare feet as I pick up my speed. We bolt up a steep hill, and now I'm only seconds away from catching up with him—he's so close. I can reach out and touch him.

A foreign instinct takes over, and I leap into the air. I land directly onto his back. Nicklaus slightly stumbles but catches me without stopping.

He continues to move with me as I cling to his back for dear life. He somehow places his arms underneath my legs, and I lock them around his waist. His sharp claws dig deep down into my skin, but I don't complain.

The wind smashes straight into my face, feeling like a ton of bricks as he picks up his speed. Nonetheless, I enjoy the rush of the wind. I welcome the thrill that is coming along with my piggyback ride.

I can see everything perfectly clear, and around us seems to be in slow motion. We pass flying birds and deer that appear to be running extremely slow. It's amazing.

Nicklaus continues to run up the mountain with no signs of slowing down. I rest my head on his shoulder and bury my nose in the crook of his neck. Shivers travel down my spine as I take in his rich, seductive, and mind‑blowing scent. There is no denying that he is the best thing I have ever smelled, and his tongue is damn sure the best thing I've ever felt. I'm getting wet just thinking about it.

He continues to run at an inhuman speed for what seems like forever. I feel rather than see his monster slowly, sinking deep inside him. Then all of a sudden, his running turns into a steady jog. My head is still resting on his shoulder even when he comes to a complete stop. It feels so good.

Finally, as soon as I lift my head, my frantic heart suddenly skips a beat. The stunning view of an ice-covered lake spreading for miles underneath us greets my eyes. This type of view can only be seen from the highest point of the mountain top—our exact location. We're surrounded by tall, frosted trees that seem to nearly reach the sky. The blazing morning sun shines high above our heads, providing not an ounce of warmth. Then it dawns on me that I must be freezing to death, but somehow I'm not. Actually, I'm numb.

Nicklaus places me down onto the ground and my bare feet touch the supposed to be ice-cold snow. I'm still numb, strangely enough. It's like my body doesn't know how to detect the difference between too hot and too cold.

"Why am I not freezing to death?"

He chuckles. "Vampires don't get hot or cold," he answers. His beautiful cerulean eyes meet mine head-on.

I find myself almost lost in his stare. That's until I actually catch on to what he just said.

"But I'm human," I breathe.

He doesn't respond right away. Instead, he places his attention on the ice-solid lake and takes a deep breath. I allow him to have a moment to himself. Obviously, he needs some time to think. I don't understand what he meant by "Vampires don't get hot or cold." With their having superpowers and living for a long time, it should make sense. Surely, they don't experience hypothermia or heatstrokes, but still . . .

What does that have to do with me? I'm just human. Okay, okay, I know I'm not acting human with my sudden abilities to run faster than a cheetah and pounce like an animal or have newly enhanced senses. Nonetheless, I'm still human, right?

"I'm not turning into a vampire, am I?" I blurt out.

"Would it be a problem if you were?" he casually asks his attention still on the lake.

It feels like a tricky question.

"Would it be a problem if I wasn't?" I ask back, utilizing reverse psychology.

Nicklaus doesn't respond. He just simply grinds his teeth.

I take a seat on the ground and decide to enjoy the beautiful view alongside him. My hands can't help but draw patterns in the snow. It's really fascinating how the snow doesn't really feel like snow. It feels like nothing.

I continue to think about his question. Nicklaus seems to be lost in his own thought. I can tell—well, I can see—something is bothering him. I wonder if it really was going to be a problem with me remaining human. Is that why all of his emotions are all over the place?

I know that we are bonded somehow, but I really don't understand what that means and what that means for us. For some reason, it takes me back to how my life had been before I met him. All of the other girls at school would have killed to be turned. Literally, they used to fantasize about gaining the attention of a vampire, becoming their beloved, and living happily ever after, forever. I, on the other hand, didn't. I only wanted to escape even if that meant I had to die. Funny how becoming a vampire means that my heart will no longer beat, so technically I'll be dead.

After five minutes of silence and the both of us having been lost in our own minds, I finally answer, "All I ever wanted was to be free," I tell him quietly, gaining his attention. "Free from chains. Free from bondage. Free from the constant judgment of my own species because I refused to think like I was told to think." My voice starts to break, and my tears flow freely.

Nicklaus's body freezes. He sits down beside me and takes my hands, holding them tightly as if I would disappear before his very eyes. He looks like he is afraid. I can feel it. Whatever type of bond we share, it's wide open. His emotions are like words, loud and clear. I'm also afraid that if I speak about my past, it will come back to take me; that if I tell him I don't want to be a vampire, he will be the one to officially break me. I'm just as scared to lose him as he is to lose me.

Somehow, I still manage to speak my truth: "Free from the disgusting teachers that took my body however and whenever they pleased, making me do things that no soul on this earth should have ever been forced to do. When they realized they couldn't break my mind, they decided to target my body. One way or the other, all the vampire teachers were dead set on breaking me."

Nicklaus's eyes flash crimson, but he remains quiet, and I'm thankful. Right now I just want to be free, to speak freely. He continues to hold my hand, giving me all the encouragement I need.

I wipe my tears. "All I ever wanted was to be free from eighteen years of nothing but hurt and pain, so I suppose it wouldn't make a difference if I do or don't become a vampire. At least I'll be free," I tell him. "That still doesn't mean that I'm sure I want to. But I'm certain I do want to spend however long I live with you," I confess. "You saved me, you freed me, you taught me that anything is possible. You showed me how it feels to love and be loved."

Without warning, his lips crash down onto mine. A million electric shocks travel up my spine, followed by a million icicles. Then comes the heat, burning my soul. We kiss each other long and hard, and I know it is the best kind of freedom.

Once we finally break apart, we are both breathless. He lifts my chin, his hand soft like a feather. His mesmerizing eyes are staring into the center of my soul.

It is tempting to become a vampire if it means I'll spend the rest of eternity being with him. To be honest, eternity doesn't seem long enough, and it will never be enough time with him, vampire or not.

"You're not turning into a vampire, firecracker," Nicklaus finally speaks. "But you are claimed. Only you can truly accept immortality. I will have to turn you, but if your heart, soul, and body aren't in accord with it, my venom may kill you if any part of you decides to fight against the change."

I lean my head to the side. "What do you mean?" I ask quietly.

He stares at our entwined fingers. The light from the sun reflects down onto his hands. I don't think any part of me will be able to fight against this—fight against being with him. When did we become so close?

He looks at me. "There is much we have to discuss, firecracker," he says. "Unfortunately, right now is not the time." He runs his free fingers through his hair.

I hate how tired he looks, how stressed he seems to be. It bothers me.

"There isn't enough time to go over everything. I have to deal with something," he adds.

I nod in understanding. We sit in silence for a little while longer, enjoying the view and each other's presence.

He takes a deep breath before standing up. His vivid cerulean eyes shine brighter underneath the sun.

"We don't have time to go into detail, but I will say this,"—he takes my hands and pulls me to my feet—"you will never be placed in chains again. You are free and will remain free for the rest of your life, even if the rest of your years is spent as a human. I'll never allow a single soul to hurt you, bring you pain, or place chains on you ever again."

His words melt my heart. I try my best not to break into tears. How can I not want an eternity with him? He's perfect. No amount of time will ever be enough. I would want him forever. He's mine.

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Awake Friday Please don't forget to hit that golden star ⭐️ comment and follow.

What's your favorite T.V Show? I'll start. First, goes to The Originals. Second, The Vampire Diaries. Last goes to charm.(Not the reboot)

Have a great weekend.